cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第5部分

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　Kitchen　was　quiet；　looking　at　diagrams；　and　then　Grigg　walked　in。　He　nodded　at　us　and　took　a　chair。
　'I　don't　think　it's　an　assumption　to　say　that　what　we　got　here　is　a　homicide；'　Ring　said　to　me。
　'That　you　can　safely　say。'　I　held　his　gaze。
　'And　that　it's　just　like　the　other　ones。'
　'That　you　can't　safely　say。　I　haven't　examined　the　body　yet；'　I　replied。
　Kitchen　shifted　unfortably　in　his　chair。　'Anybody　want　a　soda。　Maybe　coffee？'　he　asked。　'We　got　rest　rooms　in　the　hall。'
　'Same　thing；'　Ring　said　to　me　as　if　he　knew。　'Another　torso　in　a　landfill。'
　Grigg　was　watching　with　no　expression；　restlessly　tapping　his　notebook。　Clicking　his　pen　twice；　he　said　to　Ring；　'I　agree　with　Dr　Scarpetta。　Seems　we　shouldn't　be　connecting　this　case　to　anything　yet。　Especially　not　publicly。'
　'Lord　help　me。　I　could　do　without　that　kind　of　publicity；'　Kitchen　said；　blowing　out　a　deep　breath。　'You　know；　when　you're　in　my　business；　you　accept　this　can　happen；　especially　when　you're　getting　waste　from　places　like　New　York；　New　Jersey；　Chicago。　But　you　never　think　it's　going　to　land　in　your　yard。'　He　looked　at　Grigg。　'I'd　like　to　offer　a　reward　to　help　catch　whoever　did　this　terrible　thing。　Ten　thousand　dollars　for　information　leading　to　the　arrest。'
　'That's　mighty　generous；'　Grigg　said；　impressed。
　'That　include　investigators？'　Ring　grinned。
　'I　don't　care　who　solves　it。'　Kitchen　wasn't　smiling　as　he　turned　to　me。　'Now　you　tell　me　what　I　can　do　to　help　you；　ma'am。'
　'I　understand　you　use　a　satellite　tracking　system；'　I　said。　'Is　that　what　these　diagrams　are？'
　'I　was　just　explaining　them；'　Kitchen　said。
　He　slid　several　of　them　to　me。　Their　patterns　of　wavy　lines　looked　like　cross　sections　of　geode；　and　they　were　marked　with　coordinates。
　'This　is　a　picture　of　the　landfill　face；'　Kitchen　explained。　'We　can　take　it　hourly；　daily；　weekly；　whenever　we　want；　to　figure　out　where　waste　originated　and　where　it　was　deposited。　Locations　on　the　map　can　be　pinpointed　by　using　these　coordinates。'　He　tapped　the　paper。　'Sort　of　similar　to　how　you　plot　a　graph　in　geometry　or　algebra。'　Looking　up　at　me；　he　added；　'I　reckon　you　suffered　through　some　of　that　in　school。'
　'Suffer　is　the　operative　word。'　I　smiled　at　him。　'Then　the　point　is　you　can　pare　these　pictures　to　see　how　the　landfill's　face　changes　from　load　to　load。'
　He　nodded。　'Yes；　ma'am。　That's　it　in　a　nutshell。'
　'And　what　have　you　determined？'
　He　placed　eight　maps　side　by　side。　The　wavy　lines　in　each　were　different；　like　different　wrinkles　on　the　faces　of　the　same　person。
　'Each　line；　basically；　is　a　depth；'　he　said。　'So　we　can　pretty　much　know　which　truck　is　responsible　for　which　depth。'
　Ring　emptied　his　Coke　can　and　tossed　it　in　the　trash。　He　flipped　through　his　notepad　as　if　looking　for　something。
　'This　body　could　not　have　been　buried　deep；'　I　said。　'It's　very　clean；　considering　the　circumstances。　There　are　no　postmortem　injuries；　and　based　on　what　I　observed　out　there；　the　Cats　grab　bales　off　the　trucks；　smash　them　open。　They　spread　the　trash　on　the　ground　so　the　pactor　can　doze　it　with　the　straight　blade；　chopping　and　pressing。'
　'That's　pretty　much　it。'　Kitchen　eyed　me　with　interest。　'You　want　a　job？'
　I　was　preoccupied　with　images　of　earth…moving　machines　that　looked　like　robotic　dinosaurs；　claws　biting　into　plastic…shrouded　bales　on　trucks。　I　was　intimately　acquainted　with　the　injuries　in　the　earlier　cases；　with　human　remains　crushed　and　mauled。　Except　for　what　the　killer　had　done；　this　victim　was　intact。
　'Hard　to　find　good　women；'　Kitchen　was　saying。
　'You　ain't　kidding；　brother；'　Ring　said　as　Grigg　watched　him　with　growing　disgust。
　'Seems　like　a　good　point；'　Grigg　said。　'If　that　body　had　been　on　the　ground　for　any　time　at　all；　it　would　be　pretty　chewed　up。'
　'The　first　four　were；'　Ring　said。　'Mangled　like　cube　steak。'　He　eyed　me。　'This　one　look　pacted？'
　'The　body　doesn't　appear　crushed；'　I　replied。
　'Now　that's　interesting；　too；'　he　mused。　'Why　wouldn't　it　be？'
　'It　didn't　start　out　at　a　transfer　station　where　it　was　pacted　and　baled；'　Kitchen　said。　'It　started　in　a　Dumpster　that　was　emptied　by　the　packer。'
　'And　the　packer　doesn't　pack？'　Ring　dramatically　asked。　'Thought　that's　why　they　were　called　packers。'　He　shrugged　and　grinned　at　me。
　'It　depends　on　where　the　body　was　in　relation　to　the　other　garbage　when　the　pacting　was　done；'　I　said。　'It　depends　on　a　lot　of　things。'
　'Or　if　it　was　pacted　at　all；　depending　on　how　full　the　truck　was；'　Kitchen　said。　'I'm　thinking　it　was　the　packer。　Or　at　most；　one　of　the　two　trucks　before　it；　if　we're　talking　about　the　exact　coordinates　where　the　body　was　found。'
　'I　guess　I'm　going　to　need　the　names　of　those　trucks　and　where　they're　from；'　Ring　said。　'We　gotta　interview　the　drivers。'
　'So　you're　looking　at　the　drivers　as　suspects；'　Grigg　said；　coolly；　to　him。　'Got　to　give　you　credit；　that's　original。　The　way　I　look　at　it；　the　trash　didn't　originate　with　them。　It　originated　with　the　folks　who　pitched　it。　And　I　expect　one　of　those　folks　is　who　we　need　to　find。'
　Ring　stared　at　him；　not　the　least　bit　perturbed。　'I'd　just　like　to　hear　what　the　drivers　have　to　say。　You　never　know。　It'd　be　a　good　way　to　stage　something。　You　dump　a　body　in　a　place　that's　on　your　route　and　make　sure　you　deliver　it　yourself。　Or；　hell；　you　load　it　into　your　own　truck。　No　one　suspects　you；　right？'
　Grigg　pushed　back　his　chair。　He　loosened　his　collar　and　worked　his　jaw　as　if　it　hurt。　His　neck　popped；　then　his　knuckles。　Finally；　he　slapped　his　notebook　down　on　the　table　and　everybody　looked　at　him　as　he　glared　at　Ring。
　'You　mind　if　I　work　this　thing？'　he　said　to　the　young　investigator。　'I'd　sure　hate　not　to　do　what　the　county　hired　me　for。　And　I　believe　this　is　my　case；　not　yours。'
　'Just　here　to　help；'　Ring　said　easily　as　he　shrugged　again。
　'I　didn't　know　I　needed　help；'　Grigg　replied。
　'The　state　police　formed　the　multijurisdictional　task　force　on　homicides　when　the　second　torso　showed　up　in　a　different　county　than　the　first　one；'　Ring　said。　'You're　a　little　late　in　the　game；　good　buddy。　Seems　like　you　might　want　some　background　from　somebody　who's　not。'
　But　Grigg　had　tuned　him　out；　and　he　said　to　Kitchen；　'I'd　like　that　vehicle　information；　too。'
　'How　about　I　get　it　for　the　last　five　trucks　that　were　up　there；　to　be　safe；'　Kitchen　said　to　all　of　us。
　'That　will　help　a　lot；'　I　said　as　I　got　up　from　the　table。　'The　sooner　you　could　do　that；　the　better。'
　'What　time　you　going　to　work　on　it　tomorrow？'　Ring　asked　me；　remaining　in　his　chair；　as　if　there　were　little　to　do　in　life　and　so　much　time。
　'Are　you　referring　to　the　autopsy？'　I　asked。
　'You　bet。'
　'I　may　not　even　open　this　one　up　for　several　days。'
　'Why's　that？'
　'The　most　important　part　is　the　external　examination。　I　will　spend　a　very　long　time　on　that。'　I　could　see　his　interest　fade。　'I'll　need　to　go　through　trash；　search　for　trace；　degrease　and　deflesh　bones；　get　with　an　entomologist　on　the　age　of　the　maggots　to　see　if　I　can　get　an　idea　of　when　the　body　was　dumped；　et　cetera。'
　'Maybe　it's　better　if　you　just　let　me　know　what　you　find；'　he　decided。
　Grigg　followed　me　out　the　door　and　was　shaking　his　head　as　he　said　in　his　slow；　quiet　way；　'When　I　got　out　of　the　army　a　long　time　ago；　state　police　was　what　I　wanted　to　be。　I　can't　believe　they　got　a　bozo　like　that。'
　'Fortunately；　they're　not　all　like　him；'　I　said。
　We　walked　out　into　the　sun　as　the　ambulance　slowly　made　its　way　down　the　landfill　in　clouds　of　dust。　Trucks　were　chugging　in　line　and　getting　washed；　as　another　layer　of　shredded　modern　America　was　added　to　the　mountain。　It　was　dark　out　when　we　reached　our　cars。　Grigg　paused　by　mine；　looking　it　over。
　'I　wondered　whose　this　was；'　he　said　with　admiration。　'One　of　these　days　I'm　going　to　drive　something　like　that。　Just　once。'
　I　smiled　at　him　as　I　unlocked　my　door。　'Doesn't　have　the　important　things　like　a　siren　and　lights。'
　He　laughed。　'Marino　and　me　are　in　the　same　bowling　league。　His　team's　the　Balls　of　Fire；　mine's　the　Lucky　Strikes。　That　ole　boy's　about　the　worst　sport　I　ever　seen。　Drinks　beer　and　eats。　Then　thinks　everybody's　cheating。　He　brought　a　girl　the　last　time。'　He　shook　his　head。　'She　bowled　like　the　damn　Flintstones；　dressed　like　them；　too。　In　this　leopard…skin　thing。　All　that　was　missing　was　a　bone　in　her　hair。　Well；　tell　him　we'll　talk。'
　He　walked　off；　his　keys　jingling。
　'Detective　Grigg；　thanks　for　your　help；'　I　said。
　He　gave　me　a　nod　and　climbed　into　his　Caprice。
　
　When　I　designed　my　house；　I　made　sure　the　laundry　room　was　directly　off　the　garage　because　after　working　scenes　like　this　one；　I　did　not　want　to　track　death　through　the　rooms　of　my　private　life。　Within　minutes　of　my　getting　out　of　my　car；　my　clothes　were　in　the　washing　machine；　shoes　and　boots　in　an　industrial　sink；　where　I　scrubbed　them　with　detergent　and　a　stiff　brush。
　Wrapping　up　in　a　robe　I　kept　hanging　on　the　back　of　the　door；　I　headed　to　the　master　bedroom　and　took　a　long；　hot　shower。　I　was　worn　out　and　discouraged。　Right　now；　I　did　not　have　the　energy　to　imagine　her；　or　her　name；　or　who　she　had　been；　and　I　pushed　images　and　odors　from　my　mind。　I　fixed　myself　a　drink　and　a　salad；　staring　dismally　at　the　big　bowl　of　Halloween　candy　on　the　counter　as　I　thought　of　plants　waiting　to　be　potted　on　the　porch。　Then　I　called　Marino。
　'Listen；'　I　said　to　him　when　he　answered　the　phone。　'I　think　Benton　should　be　here　for　this　in　the　morning。'
　There　was　a　long　pause。　'Okay；'　he　said。　'Meaning　you　want　me　to　tell　him　to　get　his　ass　to　Richmond。　Versus　your　telling　him。'
　'If　you　wouldn't　mind。　I'm　beat。'　'No　problem。　What　time？'
　'Whenever　he　wants。　I'll　be　down　there　all　day。'
　I　went　back　to　the　office　in　my　house　to　check　e…mail　before　I　went　to　bed。　Lucy　rarely　called　when　she　could　use　the　puter　to　tell　me　how　and　where　she　was。　My　niece　was　an　FBI　agent；　the　technical　specialist　for　their　Hostage　Rescue　Team；　or　HRT。　She　could　be　sent　anywhere　in　the　world　at　a　moment's　notice。
　Like　a　fretful　mother；　I　found　myself　frequently　checking　for　messages　from　her；　dreading　the　day　her　pager　went　off；　sending　her　to　Andrews　Air　Force　Base　with　the　boys；　to　board　yet　another　C…141　cargo　plane。　Stepping　aroun