cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第4部分

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　'That's　right。'　Sweat　was　rolling　down　Pleasants'　face；　and　he　was　getting　more　keyed　up。　'You　know；　I've　never　had　any　dealings　with　the　sheriff's　department；　never　even　got　a　speeding　ticket　around　here。'
　We　slowed　down　to　a　halt；　and　I　could　barely　see　through　the　boiling　dust。　Pleasants　grabbed　his　door　handle。
　'Sit　tight　just　a　minute；'　I　told　him。
　I　waited　for　dust　to　settle；　looking　out　the　windshield　and　surveying　as　I　always　did　when　approaching　a　crime　scene。　The　loader's　bucket　was　frozen　midair；　the　packer　beneath　it　almost　full。　All　around；　the　landfill　was　busy　and　full　of　diesel　sounds；　work　stopped　only　here。　For　a　moment；　I　watched　powerful　white　trucks　roar　uphill　as　Cats　clawed　and　grabbed；　and　pactors　crushed　the　ground　with　their　chopper　wheels。
　The　body　would　be　transported　by　ambulance；　and　paramedics　watched　me　through　dusty　windows　as　they　sat　in　air　conditioning；　waiting　to　see　what　I　was　going　to　do。　When　they　saw　me　fix　the　surgical　mask　over　my　nose　and　mouth　and　open　my　door；　they　climbed　out；　too。　Doors　slammed　shut。　The　detective　immediately　walked　to　meet　me。
　'Detective　Grigg；　Sussex　Sheriff's　Department；'　he　said。　'I'm　the　one　who　called。'
　'Have　you　been　out　here　the　entire　time？'　I　asked　him。
　'Since　we　were　notified　at　approximately　thirteen　hundred　hours。　Yes；　ma'am。　I've　been　right　here　to　make　sure　nothing　was　disturbed。'
　'Excuse　me；'　one　of　the　paramedics　said　to　me。　'You　going　to　want　us　right　now？'
　'Maybe　in　fifteen。　Someone　will　e　get　you；'　I　said　as　they　wasted　no　time　returning　to　their　ambulance。　'I'm　going　to　need　some　room　here；'　I　said　to　everybody　else。
　Feet　crunched　as　people　stepped　out　of　the　way；　revealing　what　they　had　been　guarding　and　gawking　at。　Flesh　was　unnaturally　pale　in　the　dying　light　of　the　autumn　afternoon；　the　torso　a　hideous　stub　that　had　tumbled　from　a　scoop　of　trash　and　landed　on　its　back。　I　thought　it　was　Caucasian；　but　was　not　sure；　and　maggots　teeming　in　the　genital　area　made　it　difficult　for　me　to　determine　gender　at　a　glance。　I　could　not　even　say　with　certainty　whether　the　victim　was　pre…　or　postpubescent。　Body　fat　was　abnormally　low；　ribs　protruding　beneath　flat　breasts　that　may　or　may　not　have　been　female。
　I　squatted　close　and　opened　my　medical　bag。　With　forceps；　I　collected　maggots　into　a　jar　for　the　entomologist　to　examine　later；　and　decided　upon　closer　inspection　that　the　victim　was；　in　fact；　a　woman。　She　had　been　decapitated　low　on　the　cervical　spine；　arms　and　legs　severed。　Stumps　were　dry　and　dark　with　age；　and　I　knew　right　away　that　there　was　a　difference　between　this　case　and　the　others。
　This　woman　had　been　dismembered　by　cutting　straight　through　the　strong　bones　of　the　humerus　and　femur；　versus　the　joints。　Getting　out　a　scalpel；　I　could　feel　the　men　staring　as　I　made　a　half…inch　incision　on　the　torso's　right　side；　and　inserted　a　long　chemical　thermometer。　I　rested　a　second　thermometer　on　top　of　my　bag。
　'What　are　you　doing？'　asked　a　man　in　a　plaid　shirt　and　baseball　cap；　who　looked　like　he　might　get　sick。
　'I　need　the　body's　temperature　to　help　determine　time　of　death。　A　core　liver　temperature　is　the　most　accurate；'　I　patiently　explained。　'And　I　also　need　to　know　the　temperature　out　here。'
　'Hot；　that's　what　it　is；'　said　another　man。　'So；　it's　a　woman；　I　guess。'
　'It's　too　soon　to　say；'　I　replied。　'Is　this　your　packer？'
　'Yeah。'
　He　was　young；　with　dark　eyes　and　very　white　teeth；　and　tattoos　on　his　fingers　that　I　usually　associated　with　people　who　have　been　in　prison。　A　sweaty　bandanna　was　tied　around　his　head　and　knotted　in　back；　and　he　could　not　look　at　the　torso　long　without　averting　his　gaze。
　'In　the　wrong　place　at　the　wrong　time；'　he　added；　shaking　his　head　with　hostility。
　'What　do　you　mean？'　Grigg　had　his　eye　on　him。
　'Wasn't　from　me。　I　know　that；'　the　driver　said　as　if　it　were　the　most　important　point　he　would　ever　make　in　his　life。　'The　Cat　dug　it　up　while　it　was　spreading　my　load。'
　'Then　we　don't　know　when　it　was　dumped　here？'　I　scanned　faces　around　me。
　It　was　Pleasants　who　replied；　'Twenty…three　trucks　unloaded　in　this　spot　since　ten　A。M。；　not　counting　this　one。'　He　looked　at　the　packer。
　'Why　ten　A。M。？'　I　asked；　for　it　seemed　like　a　rather　arbitrary　time　to　start　counting　trucks。
　'Because　that's　when　we　put　down　the　last　cover　of　tire　chips。　So　there's　no　way　it　could　have　been　dumped　before　then；'　Pleasants　explained；　staring　at_　the　body。　'And　in　my　opinion；　it　couldn't　have　been　out　long；　anyway。　It　doesn't　exactly　look　the　way　you'd　expect　if　it's　been　run　over　by　a　fifty…ton　pactor　with　chopper　wheels；　trucks　or　even　this　loader。'
　He　stared　off　at　other　sites　where　pacted　trash　was　being　gouged　off　trucks　as　huge　tractors　crushed　and　spread。　The　driver　of　the　packer　was　getting　increasingly　agitated　and　angry。
　'We　got　big　machines　all　over　the　place　up　here；'　Pleasants　added。　'And　they　pretty　much　never　stop。'
　I　looked　at　the　packer；　and　the　bright　yellow　loader　with　its　empty　cab。　A　tatter　of　black　trash　bag　fluttered　from　the　raised　bucket。
　'Where's　the　driver　of　the　loader？'　I　asked。
　Pleasants　hesitated　before　answering；　'Well；　I　guess　that　would　be　me。　We　had　somebody　out　sick。　I　was　asked　to　work　on　the　hill。'
　Grigg　moved　closer　to　the　loader；　looking　up　at　what　was　left　of　the　trash　bag　as　it　moved　in　the　hot；　barren　air。
　'Tell　me　what　you　saw；'　I　said　to　Pleasants。
　'Not　much。　I　was　unloading　him。'　He　nodded　at　the　driver。　'And　my　bucket　caught　the　garbage　bag；　the　one　you　see　there。　It　tore　and　the　body　fell　out　to　where　it　is　now。'　He　paused；　wiping　his　face　on　his　sleeve　and　swatting　at　flies。
　'But　you　don't　know　for　sure　where　this　came　from；'　I　tried　again；　while　Grigg　listened；　even　though　he　probably　had　already　taken　their　statements。
　'I　could've　dug　it　up；'　Pleasants　conceded。　'I'm　not　saying　it's　impossible。　I　just　don't　think　I　did。'
　'That's　'cause　you　don't　want　to　think　it。'　The　driver　glared　at　him。
　'I　know　what　I　think。'　Pleasants　didn't　flinch。　'The　bucket　grabbed　it　off　your　packer　when　I　was　unloading　it。'
　'Man；　you　don't　know　it　came　from　me；'　the　driver　snapped　at　him。
　'No；　I　don't　know　it　for　a　fact。　Makes　sense；　that's　all。'
　'Maybe　to　you。'　The　driver's　face　was　menacing。
　'Believe　that　will　be　about　enough；　boys；'　Grigg　warned；　moving　close　again；　his　presence　reminding　them　he　was　big　and　wore　a　gun。
　'You　got　that　right；'　said　the　driver。　'I've　had　enough　of　this　shit。　When　can　I　get　out　of　here？　I'm　already　late。'
　'Something　like　this　inconveniences　everyone；'　Grigg　said　to　him　with　a　steady　look。
　Rolling　his　eyes　and　muttering　profanity；　the　driver　stalked　off　and　lit　a　cigarette。
　I　removed　the　thermometer　from　the　body；　and　held　it　up。　The　core　temperature　was　eighty…four　degrees；　the　same　as　the　ambient　air。　I　turned　the　torso　over　to　see　what　else　was　there　and　noted　a　curious　crop　of　fluid…filled　vesicles　over　the　lower　buttocks。　As　I　checked　more　carefully；　I　found　evidence　of　others　in　the　area　of　the　shoulders　and　thighs；　at　the　edges　of　deep　cuts。
　'Double…pouch　her；'　I　directed。　'I　need　the　trash　bag　it　came　in；　including　what's　caught　on　the　bucket　up　there。　And　I　want　the　trash　immediately　around　and　under　her；　send　all　of　it　in。'
　Grigg　unfolded　a　twenty…gallon　trash　bag　and　shook　it　open。　He　pulled　gloves　out　of　a　pocket；　squatted　and　started　grabbing　up　garbage　by　the　handful　while　paramedics　opened　the　back　of　the　ambulance。　The　driver　of　the　packer　was　leaning　against　his　cab；　and　I　could　feel　his　fury　like　heat。
　'Where　was　your　packer　ing　from？'　I　asked　him。
　'Look　at　the　tags；'　he　replied　in　a　surly　tone。
　'Where　in　Virginia？'　I　refused　to　be　put　off　by　him。
　It　was　Pleasants　who　said；　'Tidewater　area；　ma'am。　The　packer　belongs　to　us。　We　got　a　lot　of　them　we　lease。'
　
　The　landfill's　administrative　headquarters　overlooked　the　fire　pond　and　was　quaintly　out　of　sync　with　the　loud；　dusty　surroundings。　The　building　was　pale　peach　stucco；　with　flowers　in　window　boxes　and　sculpted　shrubs　bordering　the　walk。　Shutters　were　painted　cream；　a　brass　pineapple　knocker　on　the　front　door。　Inside；　I　was　greeted　by　clean；　chilled　air　that　was　a　wonderful　relief　and　I　knew　why　Investigator　Percy　Ring　had　chosen　to　conduct　his　interviews　here。　I　bet　he　had　not　even　been　to　the　scene。
　He　was　in　the　break　room；　sitting　with　an　older　man　in　shirtsleeves；　drinking　Diet　Coke　and　looking　at　puter…printed　diagrams。
　'This　is　Dr　Scarpetta。　Sorry；'　Pleasants　said；　adding　to　Ring；　'I　don't　know　your　first　name。'
　Ring　gave　me　a　big　smile　and　a　wink。　'The　doc　and　I　go　way　back。'
　He　was　in　a　crisp　blue　suit；　blond　and　exuding　pure　youthful　innocence　that　was　easy　to　believe。　But　he　had　never　fooled　me。　He　was　a　big…talking　charmer　who　basically　was　lazy；　and　it　had　not　escaped　me　that　the　moment　he　had　bee　involved　in　these　cases；　we　had　been　besieged　by　leaks　to　the　press。
　'And　this　is　Mr　Kitchen；'　Pleasants　was　saying　to　me。　'The　owner　of　the　landfill。'
　Kitchen　was　simple　in　jeans　and　Timberland　boots；　his　eyes　gray　and　sad　as　he　offered　a　big　rough　hand。
　'Please　sit　down；'　he　said；　pulling　out　a　chair。　'This　is　a　bad；　bad　day。　Especially　for　whoever　that　is　out　there。'
　'That　person's　bad　day　happened　earlier；'　Ring　said。　'Right　now；　she's　feeling　no　pain。'
　'Have　you　been　up　there？'　I　asked　him。
　'I　just　got　here　about　an　hour　ago。　And　this　isn't　the　crime　scene；　just　where　the　body　ended　up；'　he　said。　'Number　five。'　He　peeled　open　a　stick　of　Juicy　Fruit。　'He's　not　waiting　as　long；　only　two　months　in　between　'em　this　time。'
　I　felt　the　usual　rush　of　irritation。　Ring　loved　to　jump　to　conclusions　and　voice　them　with　the　certainty　of　one　who　doesn't　know　enough　to　realize　he　could　be　wrong。　In　part　this　was　because　he　wanted　results　without　work。
　'I　haven't　examined　the　body　yet　or　verified　gender；'　I　said；　hoping　he　would　remember　there　were　other　people　in　the　room。　'This　is　not　a　good　time　to　be　making　assumptions。'
　'Well；　I'll　leave　ya；'　Pleasants　said　nervously；　on　his　way　out　the　door。
　'I　need　you　back　in　an　hour　so　I　can　get　your　statement；'　Ring　loudly　reminded　him。
　Kitchen　was　quiet；　looking　at　diagrams；　and　then　Grigg　walked　in。　He　no