cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第31部分

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till　not　even　up　to　ninety…eight　degrees　yet。　What's　wrong　with　you？'
　'Why　wasn't　the　phone　left　in　here？'　I　asked。
　'I'll　ask　about　it。'　She　took　the　cuff　off。　'Blood　pressure's　low；　too。'
　'Please　ask　Colonel　Fujitsubo　to　stop　by　this　morning。'　She　stood　back　and　scrutinized　me。　'You　going　to　plain　about　me？'
　'Good　heavens；　no；'　I　said。　'I　just　need　to　leave。'
　'Well；　I　hate　to　tell　you；　but　that's　not　up　to　me。　Some　people　stay　in　here　as　long　as　two　weeks。'
　I　would　lose　my　mind；　I　thought。
　The　colonel　did　not　appear　before　lunch；　which　was　a　broiled　chicken　breast；　carrots　and　rice。　I　hardly　ate　as　my　tension　mounted；　and　the　TV　flashed　silently　in　the　background　because　I　had　turned　off　the　sound。　The　nurse　came　back　at　two　P。M。　and　announced　I　had　another　visitor。　So　I　put　on　the　HEPA　filter　mask　again　and　followed　her　back　down　the　hall　into　the　clinic。
　This　time　I　was　in　Booth　A；　and　Wesley　was　waiting　for　me　on　the　other　side。　He　smiled　when　our　eyes　met；　and　both　of　us　picked　up　our　phones。　I　was　so　relieved　and　surprised　to　see　him　that　I　stammered　at　first。
　'I　hope　you've　e　to　rescue　me；'　I　said。
　'I　don't　take　on　doctors。　You　taught　me　that。'
　'I　thought　you　were　in　Georgia。'
　'I　was。　Took　a　look　at　the　liquor　store　where　the　two　people　were　stabbed；　scouted　around　the　area；　in　general。　Now　I'm　here。'
　'And？'
　'And？'　He　raised　an　eyebrow。　'Organized　crime。'
　'I　wasn't　thinking　about　Georgia。'
　'Tell　me　what　you　are　thinking。　I　seem　to　be　losing　the　art　of　mind　reading。　And　you　look　particularly　lovely　today；　let　me　add；'　he　said　to　my　mask。
　'I'm　going　to　go　crazy　if　I　don't　get　out　of　here　soon；'　I　said。　'I've　got　to　get　to　CDC。'
　'Lucy　tells　me　you've　been　municating　with　deadoc。'　The　playful　light　vanished　from　his　eyes。
　'To　no　great　extent　and　with　not　much　luck；'　I　angrily　said。
　To　municate　with　this　killer　was　infuriating　for　it　was　exactly　what　he　wanted。　I　had　made　it　my　mission　in　life　not　to　reward　people　like　him。
　'Don't　give　up；'　Wesley　said。
　'He　makes　allusions　to　medical　matters；　such　as　diseases　and　germs；'　I　said。　'Doesn't　this　concern　you　in　light　of　what　is　going　on？'
　'He　no　doubt　follows　the　news。'　He　made　the　same　point　Janet　had。
　'But　what　if　it's　more　than　that？'　I　asked。　'The　woman　he　dismembered　seems　to　have　the　same　disease　that　the　victim　from　Tangier　does。'
　'And　you　can't　verify　that　yet。'
　'You　know；　I　didn't　get　where　I　am　by　making　assumptions　and　leaping　to　conclusions。'　I　was　getting　very　out　of　sorts。　'I　will　verify　this　disease　as　soon　as　I　can；　but　I　think　we　should　be　guided　by　mon　sense　in　the　meantime。'
　'I'm　not　certain　I　understand　what　you're　saying。'　His　eyes　never　left　mine。
　'I'm　saying　that　we　might　be　dealing　with　biological　warfare。　A　Unabomber　who　uses　a　disease。'
　'I　hope　to　God　we're　not。'
　'But　the　thought　has　crossed　your　mind　too。　Don't　tell　me　you　think　that　a　fatal　disease　somehow　linked　with　a　dismemberment　is　coincidental。'
　I　studied　his　face；　and　I　knew　he　had　a　headache。　The　same　vein　on　his　forehead　always　stood　out　like　a　bluish　rope。
　'And　you're　sure　you're　feeling　all　right；'　he　said。
　'Yes。　I'm　more　worried　about　you。'
　'What　about　this　disease？　What　about　the　risk　to　you？'　He　was　getting　irritated　with　me；　the　way　he　always　did　when　he　thought　I　was　in　danger。
　'I've　been　revaccinated。'
　'You've　been　vaccinated　for　smallpox；'　he　said。　'What　if　that's　not　what　it　is？'
　'Then　we're　in　a　world　of　trouble。　Janet　came　by。'
　'I　know；'　he　said　into　his　phone。　'I'm　sorry。　The　last　thing　you　needed　right　now　。　。　。'
　'No；　Benton；'　I　interrupted　him。　'I　had　to　be　told。　There's　never　a　good　time　for　news　like　that。　What　do　you　think　will　happen？'
　But　he　did　not　want　to　say。
　'Then　you　think　it　will　ruin　her；　too；'　I　said　in　despair。
　'I　doubt　she'll　be　terminated。　What　usually　happens　is　you　stop　getting　promoted；　get　lousy　assignments；　field　offices　out　in　the　middle　of　nowhere。　She　and　Janet　will　end　up　three　thousand　miles　apart。　One　or　both　will　quit。'
　'How's　that　better　than　being　fired？'　I　said　in　pained　outrage。
　'We'll　take　it　as　it　es；　Kay。'　He　looked　at　me。　'I'm　dismissing　Ring　from　CASKU。'
　'Be　careful　what　you　do　because　of　me。'
　'It's　done；'　he　said。
　
　Fujitsubo　did　not　stop　by　my　room　again　until　early　the　next　morning；　and　then　he　was　smiling　and　opening　blinds　to　let　in　sunlight　so　dazzling　it　hurt　my　eyes。
　'Good　morning；　and　so　far；　so　good；'　he　said。　'I'm　very　pleased　that　you　do　not　seem　to　be　getting　sick　on　us；　Kay。'
　'Then　I　can　go；'　I　said；　ready　to　leap　out　of　bed　right　then。
　'Not　so　fast。'　He　was　reviewing　my　chart。　'I　know　how　hard　this　is　for　you；　but　I'm　not　fortable　letting　you　go　quite　so　soon。　Stick　it　out　a　little　longer；　and　you　can　leave　the　day　after　tomorrow；　if　all　goes　well。'
　I　felt　like　crying　when　he　left　because　I　did　not　see　how　I　could　endure　one　more　hour　of　quarantine。　Miserable；　I　sat　up　under　the　covers　and　looked　out　at　the　day。　The　sky　was　bright　blue　with　wisps　of　clouds　beneath　the　pale　shadow　of　a　morning　moon。　Trees　beyond　my　window　were　bare　and　rocking　in　a　gentle　wind。　I　thought　of　my　home　in　Richmond；　of　plants　to　be　potted　and　work　piling　up　on　my　desk。　I　wanted　to　take　a　walk　in　the　cold；　to　cook　broccoli　and　homemade　barley　soup。　I　wanted　spaghetti　with　ricotta　or　stuffed　frittata；　and　music　and　wine。
　For　half　the　day；　I　simply　felt　sorry　for　myself　and　did　not　do　a　thing　except　stare　at　television　and　doze。　Then　the　nurse　for　the　next　shift　came　in　with　the　phone　and　said　there　was　a　call　for　me。　I　waited　until　it　was　transferred　and　snatched　up　the　receiver　as　if　this　were　the　most　exciting　thing　that　had　ever　happened　in　my　life。
　'It's　me；'　Lucy　said。
　'Thank　God。'　I　was　thrilled　to　hear　her　voice。
　'Grans　says　hi。　Rumor　has　it　that　you　win　the　bad　patient　award。'
　'The　rumor　is　accurate。　All　the　work　in　my　office。　If　only　I　had　it　here。'
　'You　need　to　rest；'　she　said。　'To　keep　your　defenses　up。'
　This　made　me　worry　about　Wingo　again。
　'How　e　you　haven't　been　on　the　laptop？'　She　then　got　to　the　point。
　I　was　quiet。
　'Aunt　Kay；　he's　not　going　to　talk　to　us。　He's　only　going　to　talk　to　you。'
　'Then　one　of　you　sign　on　as　me；'　I　replied。
　'No　way。　If　he　senses　that's　what's　going　on；　we　lose　him　for　good。　This　guy　is　scary；　he's　so　clever。'
　My　silence　was　my　ment；　and　Lucy　rushed　to　fill　it。
　'What？'　she　said　with　feeling。　'I'm　supposed　to　pretend　I'm　a　forensic　pathologist　with　a　law　degree　who's　already　worked　at　least　one　of　this　guy's　cases？　I　don't　think　so。'
　'I　don't　want　to　connect　with　him；　Lucy；'　I　said。　'People　like　him　get　off　on　that；　they　want　it；　want　the　attention。　The　more　I　play　his　game；　the　more　it　might　encourage　him。　Have　you　thought　about　that？'
　'Yes。　But　think　about　this。　Whether　he's　dismembered　one　person　or　twenty；　he's　going　to　do　something　else　bad。　People　like　him　don't　just　stop。　And　we　have　no　idea；　not　one　clue；　as　to　where　the　hell　he　is。'
　'It's　not　that　I'm　scared　for　myself；'　I　started　to　say。　'It's　all　right　if　you　are。'
　'I　just　don't　want　to　do　anything　to　make　it　worse；'　I　repeated。
　That；　of　course；　was　always　the　risk　when　one　was　creative　or　aggressive　in　an　investigation。　The　perpetrator　was　never　pletely　predictable。　Maybe　it　was　simply　something　I　sensed；　an　intuitive　vibration　I　was　picking　up　deep　inside。　But　I　felt　that　this　killer　was　different　and　motivated　by　something　beyond　our　ken。　I　feared　he　knew　exactly　what　we　were　doing　and　was　enjoying　himself。
　'Now；　tell　me　about　you；'　I　said。　'Janet　was　here。'
　'I　don't　want　to　get　into　it。'　Cold　fury　crept　into　her　tone。　'I　have　better　ways　to　spend　my　time。'
　'I'm　with　you；　Lucy；　whatever　you　want　to　do。'
　'That　much　I've　always　been　sure　of。　And　this　much　everybody　else　can　be　sure　of。　No　matter　what　it　takes；　Carrie's　going　to　rot　in　jail　and　hell　after　that。'
　The　nurse　had　returned　to　my　room　to　whisk　the　telephone　away　again。
　'I　don't　understand　this；'　I　plained　as　I　hung　up。　'I　have　a　calling　card；　if　that's　what　you're　worried　about。'
　She　smiled。　'Colonel's　orders。　He　wants　you　to　rest　and　knows　you　won't　if　you　can　be　on　the　phone　all　day。'
　'I　am　resting；'　I　said；　but　she　was　gone。
　I　wondered　why　he　allowed　me　to　keep　the　laptop　and　was　suspicious　Lucy　or　someone　had　spoken　to　him。　As　I　logged　onto　AOL；　I　felt　conspired　against。　I　had　barely　entered　the　M。E。　chat　room　when　deadoc　appeared；　this　time　not　as　an　invisible　instant　message；　but　as　a　member　who　could　be　heard　and　seen　by　anybody　else　who　decided　to　walk　in。
　
　DEADOC： where　have　you　been
　SCARPETTA： Who　are　you？
　DEADOC： I　ve　already　told　you　that
　SCARPETTA： You　are　not　me。
　DEADOC： he　gave　them　power　over　unclean　spirits　to　cast　them　out　and　to　heal　all　manner　of　sickness　and　all　manner　of　disease　　　pathophysiological　manifestations　viruses　like　hiv　　　our　darwinian　struggle　against　them　　　they　are　evil　or　are　we
　SCARPETTA： Explain　what　you　mean。
　DEADOC： there　are　twelve
　
　But　he　had　no　intention　of　explaining；　at　least　not　now。　The　system　alerted　me　that　he　had　left　the　room。　I　waited　inside　it　a　while　longer　to　see　if　he　might　return；　as　I　wondered　what　he　meant　by　twelve。　Pushing　a　button　on　my　headboard；　I　summoned　the　nurse；　who　was　beginning　to　cause　me　guilt。　I　didn't　know　where　she　waited　outside　the　room；　or　if　she　climbed　in　and　out　of　her　blue　suit　every　time　she　appeared　and　left。　But　none　of　this　could　have　been　pleasant；　including　my　disposition。
　'Listen；'　I　said　when　she　got　to　me。　'Might　there　be　a　Bible　around　here　somewhere。'
　She　hesitated；　as　if　she'd　never　heard　of　such　a　thing。　'Gee；　now　that　I　don't　know。'
　'Could　you　check？'
　'Are　you　feeling　all　right？'　She　looked　suspiciously　at　me。
　'Absolutely。'
　'They've　got　a　library。　Maybe　there's　one　in　there　somewhere。　I'm　sorry。　I'm　not　very　religious。'　She　continued　talking　as　she　went　out　again。
　She　returned　maybe　half　an　hour　later　with　a　black　leather…bound　Bible；　Cambridge　Red　Letter　edition；　that　she　claimed　to　have　borrowed　from　someone's　office。　I　opened　it　and　found　a　name　in　front　written　in　calligraphy；　and　a　date　that　showed　the　Bible　had　been　given