cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第29部分

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　'You　know　that　isn't　possible　just　now。'　She　was　taking　my　blood　pressure　again。
　'Even　prisons　have　a　place　for　visitors；'　I　almost　snapped。　'Isn't　there　some　area　where　I　can　talk　to　her　through　glass？　Or　can't　she　put　on　a　suit　and　e　in　here　like　you　do？'
　Of　course；　all　this　required　permission；　yet　again；　from　the　colonel；　who　decided　that　the　easiest　solution　was　for　me　to　wear　a　HEPA　filter　mask　and　go　into　the　visitors'　booth。　This　was　inside　the　Clinical　Research　Ward；　where　studies　were　conducted　on　new　vaccines。　She　led　me　through　a　BL…3　recreation　room；　where　volunteers　were　playing　Ping…Pong　and　pool；　or　reading　magazines　and　watching　TV。
　The　nurse　opened　the　wooden　door　to　Booth　B；　where　Janet　was　seated　on　the　other　side　of　glass　in　an　uncontaminated　part　of　the　building。　We　picked　up　our　phones　at　the　same　time。
　'I　can't　believe　this；'　was　the　first　thing　she　said。　'Are　you　all　right？'
　The　nurse　was　still　standing　behind　me　in　my　telephone…booth…sized　space；　and　I　turned　around　and　asked　her　to　leave。　She　didn't　budge。
　'Excuse　me；'　I　said；　and　I'd　about　had　it　with　her。　'This　is　a　private　conversation。'
　Anger　flashed　in　her　eyes　as　she　left　and　shut　the　door。
　'I　don't　know　how　I　am；'　I　said　into　the　phone。　'But　I　don't　feel　too　bad。'
　'How　long　does　it　take？'　Fear　shone　in　her　eyes。
　'On　average；　ten　days；　at　the　most　fourteen。'
　'Well；　that's　good；　then；　isn't　it？'
　'I　don't　know。'　I　felt　depressed。　'It　depends　on　what　we're　dealing　with。　But　if　I'm　still　okay　in　a　few　days；　I　expect　they　will　let　me　leave。'
　Janet　looked　very　grown…up　and　pretty　in　a　dark　blue　suit；　her　pistol　inconspicuous　beneath　her　jacket。　I　knew　she　would　not　have　e　alone　unless　something　was　very　wrong。
　'Where's　Lucy？'　I　asked。
　'Well；　actually；　both　of　us　are　up　here　in　Maryland；　outside　Baltimore；　with　Squad　Nineteen。'
　'Is　she　all　right？'
　'Yes；'　Janet　said。　'We're　working　on　your　files；　trying　to　trace　them　through　AOL　and　UNIX。'
　'And？'
　She　hesitated。　'I　think　the　quickest　way　to　catch　him　is　going　to　be　online。'
　I　frowned；　perplexed　by　this。　'I'm　not　sure　I　understand　。　。　。'
　'Is　that　thing　unfortable？'　She　stared　at　my　mask。
　'Yes。'
　I　was　sorrier　for　the　way　it　looked。　It　covered　half　of　my　face　like　a　hideous　muzzle　and　kept　knocking　the　phone　as　I　talked。
　'How　can　you　catch　him　online　unless　he's　still　sending　messages　to　me？'
　She　opened　a　file　folder　on　her　Formica　ledge。　'Do　you　want　to　hear　them？'
　I　nodded　as　my　stomach　tightened。
　'Microscopic　worms；　multiplying　ferments　and　miasma；'　she　read。
　'Excuse　me？'　I　said。
　'That's　it。　E…mail　sent　this　morning。　The　next　one　came　this　afternoon。　They　are　alive；　but　no　one　else　will　be。　And　then　about　an　hour　after　that；　Humans　who　seize　from　others　and　exploit　are　macro　parasites。　They　kill　their　hosts。　All　in　lowercase　with　no　punctuation　except　spaces。'　She　looked　through　the　glass　at　me。
　'Classical　medical　philosophy；'　I　said。　'Going　back　to　Hippocrates　and　other　Western　practitioners；　their　theories　of　what　causes　disease。　The　atmosphere。　Reproducing　poisonous　particles　generated　by　the　deposition　of　organic　matter。　Microscopic　worms；　et　cetera。　And　then　the　historian　McNeill　wrote　about　the　interaction　of　micro　and　macro　parasites　as　a　way　of　understanding　the　evolution　of　society。'
　'Then　deadoc　has　had　medical　training；'　Janet　said。　'And　it　sounds　like　he's　alluding　to　whatever　this　disease　is。'
　'He　couldn't　know　about　it；'　I　said　as　I　began　to　entertain　a　terrible　new　fear。　'I　don't　see　how　he　possibly　could。'
　'There　was　something　in　the　news；'　she　said。
　I　felt　a　rush　of　anger。　'Who　opened　his　mouth　this　time？　Don't　tell　me　Ring　knows　about　this；　too。'
　'The　paper　simply　said　your　office　was　investigating　an　unusual　death　on　Tangier　Island；　a　strange　disease　that　resulted　in　the　body　being　airlifted　out　by　the　military。'
　'Damn。'
　'Point　is；　if　deadoc　has　access　to　Virginia　news；　he　could　have　known　about　it　before　he　sent　the　e…mail　messages。'
　'I　hope　that's　what　happened；'　I　said。
　'Why　wouldn't　it　be？'
　'I　don't　know；　I　don't　know。'　I　was　worn　out　and　my　stomach　was　upset。
　'Dr　Scarpetta。'　She　leaned　closer　to　the　glass。　'He　wants　to　talk　to　you。　That's　why　he　keeps　sending　you　mail。'
　I　was　feeling　chills　again。
　'Here's　the　idea。'　Janet　tucked　the　printouts　back　inside　the　file。　'I　could　get　you　in　a　private　chat　room　with　him。　If　we　can　keep　you　online　long　enough；　we　can　trace　him　from　telephone　trunk　to　telephone　trunk；　until　we　get　a　town；　then　a　location。'
　'I　don't　believe　for　a　moment　that　this　person　is　going　to　participate；'　I　said。　'He's　too　smart　for　that。'
　'Benton　Wesley　thinks　he　might。'
　I　was　silent。
　'He　thinks　deadoc　is　sufficiently　fixated　on　you　that　he　might　get　into　a　chat　room。　It's　more　than　his　wanting　to　know　what　you　think。　He　wants　you　to　know　what　he　thinks；　or　at　least　this　is　Wesley's　theory。　I've　got　a　laptop　here；　everything　you　need。'
　'No。'　I　shook　my　head。　'I　don't　want　to　get　into　this；　Janet。'
　'You've　got　nothing　else　to　do　for　the　next　few　days。'
　It　irritated　me　when　anyone　ever　accused　me　of　not　having　enough　to　do。　'I　don't　want　to　municate　with　the　monster。　It's　far　too　risky。　I　could　say　the　wrong　thing　and　more　people　die。'
　Janet's　eyes　were　intense　on　mine。　'They're　dying；　anyway。　Maybe　others　are；　too；　even　as　we　speak；　that　we　don't　know　about　yet。'
　I　thought　of　Lila　Pruitt　alone　in　her　house；　wandering；　demented　with　disease。　I　saw　her　in　her　mirror；　shrieking。
　'All　you　need　to　do　is　get　him　talking；　a　little　bit　at　a　time；'　Janet　went　on。　'You　know；　act　reluctant；　as　if　he's　caught　you　unaware；　otherwise　he'll　get　suspicious。　Build　it　up　for　a　few　days；　while　we　try　to　find　out　where　he　is。　Get　on　AOL。　Go　into　the　chat　rooms　and　find　one　called　M。E。；　okay？　Just　hang　out　in　there。'
　'Then　what？'　I　wanted　to　know。
　'The　hope　is　he'll　e　looking　for　you；　thinking　this　is　where　you　do　consultations　with　other　doctors；　scientists。　He　won't　be　able　to　resist。　That's　Wesley's　theory　and　I　agree　with　it。'
　'Does　he　know　I'm　here？'
　The　question　was　ambiguous　but　she　knew　who　I　meant。
　'Yes；'　she　said。　'Marino　asked　me　to　call　him。'
　'What　did　he　say？'　I　asked　into　the　phone。
　'He　wanted　to　know　if　you　were　okay。'　She　was　getting　evasive。　'He　has　this　old　case　in　Georgia。　Something　about　two　people　stabbed　to　death　in　a　liquor　store；　and　organized　crime　is　involved。　In　a　little　town　near　St　Simons　Island。'
　'Oh；　so　he's　on　the　road。'
　'I　guess　so。'
　'Where　will　you　be？'
　'With　the　squad。　I'll　actually　be　staying　in　Baltimore；　on　the　harbor。'
　'And　Lucy？'　I　asked　again；　this　time　in　a　way　she　couldn't　evade。　'Do　you　want　to　tell　me　what's　really　going　on；　Janet？'
　I　breathed　my　filtered　air；　looking　through　glass　at　someone　I　knew　could　never　lie　to　me。
　'Everything　okay？'　I　pressed　harder。
　'Dr　Scarpetta；　I'm　here　by　myself　for　two　reasons；'　she　finally　said。　'First；　Lucy　and　I　got　into　a　huge　fight　about　your　going　online　with　this　guy。　So　everyone　involved　thought　it　would　be　better　if　she　wasn't　the　one　to　talk　to　you　about　it。'
　'I　can　understand　that；'　I　said。　'And　I　agree。'
　'My　second　reason　is　a　far　more　unpleasant　one；'　she　went　on。　'It's　about　Carrie　Grethen。'
　I　was　astonished　and　enraged　at　the　mere　mention　of　her　name。　Years　ago；　when　Lucy　was　developing　CAIN；　she　had　worked　with　Carrie。　Then　ERF　had　been　broken　into；　and　Carrie　had　seen　to　it　that　my　niece　was　blamed。　There　were　murders；　too；　sadistic　and　terrible；　that　Carrie　had　been　acplice　to　with　a　psychopathic　man。
　'She's　still　in　prison；'　I　said。
　'I　know。　But　her　trial　is　scheduled　for　the　spring；'　Janet　said。
　'I'm　well　aware　of　that。'　I　didn't　understand　what　she　was　getting　at。
　'You're　the　key　witness。　Without　you；　the　monwealth　doesn't　have　much　of　a　case。　At　least　not　when　you're　talking　about　a　jury　trial。'
　'Janet；　I　am　most　confused；'　I　said；　and　my　headache　was　back　with　fury。
　She　took　a　deep　breath。　'I'm　sure　you　must　be　aware　that　there　was　a　time　when　Lucy　and　Carrie　were　close。'　She　hesitated。　'Very　close。'
　'Of　course；'　I　impatiently　said。　'Lucy　was　a　teenager　and　Carrie　seduced　her。　Yes；　yes；　I　know　all　about　it。'
　'So　does　Percy　Ring。'
　I　looked　at　her；　shocked。
　'It　seems　that　yesterday；　Ring　went　to　see　the　C。A。　who's　prosecuting　the　case；　uh；　Rob　Schurmer。　Ring　tells　him；　one　buddy　to　another；　that　he's　got　a　major　problem　since　the　star　witness's　niece　had　an　affair　with　the　defendant。'
　'My　God　in　heaven。'　I　could　not　believe　this。　'That　fucking　bastard。'
　I　was　a　lawyer。　I　knew　what　this　meant。　Lucy　would　have　to　take　the　stand　and　be　questioned　about　her　affair　with　another　woman。　The　only　way　to　avoid　this　was　for　me　to　be　struck　as　a　witness；　allowing　Carrie　to　get　away　with　murder。
　'What　she　did　has　nothing　to　do　with　Carrie's　crimes；'　I　said；　so　angry　with　Ring　I　felt　capable　of　violence。
　Janet　switched　the　phone　to　her　other　ear；　trying　to　be　smooth。　But　I　could　see　her　fear。
　'I　don't　need　to　tell　you　how　it　is　out　there；'　she　said。　'Don't　ask；　don't　tell。　It's　not　tolerated；　no　matter　what　anybody　says。　Lucy　and　I　are　so　careful。　People　may　suspect；　but　they　don't　really　know；　and　it's　not　like　we　walk　around　in　leather　and　chains。'
　'Not　hardly。'
　'I　think　this　would　ruin　her；'　she　matter…of…factly　stated。　'The　publicity；　and　I　can't　imagine　HRT　when　she　shows　up　after　that。　All　those　big　guys。　Ring's　just　doing　this　to　do　her　in；　and　maybe　you；　too。　And　maybe　me。　This　won't　exactly　help　my　career；　either。'
　She　didn't　need　to　go　on。　I　understood。
　'Does　anyone　know　what　Schurmer's　response　was　when　Ring　told　him？'
　'He　freaked；　called　Marino　and　said　he　didn't　know　what　he　was　going　to　do；　that　when　the　defense　found　out；　he　was　cooked。　Then　Marino　called　me。'
　'Marino　has　said　nothing　to　me。'
　'He　didn't　want　to　upset　you　right　now；'　she　said。　'And　he　didn't　think　it　was　his　place。'
　'I　see；'　I　said。　'Does　Lucy　know？'
　'I　told　her。'
　'And？'
　'She　kicked　a　hole　in　the　bedroom　wall；'　Janet　answered。　'Then　she　said　if　she　had　to；　she'd　take　the　stand。'
　Janet　pressed　her　palm　against　the　glass；　spreading　her　fingers；　waiting