p&c.thunderhead-第32部分

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with　a　slight　smile。　The　room　had　fallen　silent。　
　〃Skip　Kelly？〃　he　asked　in　a　low；　calm　baritone。　
　〃Yes；〃　said　Skip；　going　cold；　his　mind　racing　through　a　dozen　possibilities；　all　of　them　unpleasant。　That　asshole　neighbor　must　have　plained。　Or　maybe　it's　that　woman　with　the　dachshund。　Christ；　I　only　ran　over　its　back　leg；　and…　
　〃Could　I　speak　with　you　outside；　please？〃　
　In　the　solemn　darkness　of　the　anteroom；　the　man　flipped　open　an　ID　wallet　and　aimed　it　in　Skip's　direction。　〃I'm　Lieutenant　Detective　Al　Martinez；　Santa　Fe　Police　Department。〃　
　Skip　nodded。　
　〃You're　a　hard　man　to　reach；〃　Martinez　said　in　a　voice　that　managed　to　be　both　friendly　and　neutral　at　the　same　time。　〃I　wonder　if　I　could　have　a　bit　of　your　time。〃　
　〃My　time？〃　Skip　managed　to　say。　〃Why？〃　
　〃We'll　get　to　that　at　the　station；　Mr。　Kelly；　if　you　don't　mind。〃　
　〃The　station；〃　Skip　repeated。　〃When？〃　
　〃Let's　see；〃　said　Martinez；　glancing　first　at　the　floor；　then　at　the　ceiling；　then　back　at　Skip。　〃Right　about　now　would　be　nice。〃　
　Skip　swallowed。　Then　he　nodded　toward　the　open　laboratory　door。　〃I'm　at　work　right　now。　Can't　it　wait　until　later？〃　
　There　was　a　brief　pause。　〃No；　Mr。　Kelly；〃　the　policeman　replied。　〃e　to　think　of　it；　I　don't　believe　it　can。〃　
　
　
21
　
　SKIP　FOLLOWED　THE　POLICEMAN　OUT　OF　THE　building　to　a　waiting　car。　The　detective　was　enormous；　with　a　neck　like　a　redwood　stump；　yet　his　movements　were　light；　even　gentle。　Martinez　stopped　at　the　passenger　side　and；　to　Skip's　surprise；　held　the　door　open　for　him。　As　the　car　pulled　away；　Skip　glanced　in　the　rearview　mirror。　He　could　see　a　pair　of　white　faces　framed　by　the　open　door　of　the　Artifactual　Assemblages　building；　watching　motionlessly；　dwindling　at　last　to　invisibility。　
　〃My　first　day　on　the　job；〃　Skip　said。　〃Great　impression。〃　
　They　pulled　through　the　gates　of　the　pound　and　began　to　accelerate。　Martinez　slipped　a　stick　of　gum　out　of　his　breast　pocket　and　offered　it　to　Skip。　
　〃No　thanks。〃　
　The　detective　folded　the　stick　into　his　own　mouth　and　began　to　chew；　muscles　in　his　jaw　and　neck　working　slowly。　The　irregular　form　of　the　La　Fonda　Hotel　loomed　on　his　right。　Then　they　passed　the　plaza　and　the　Palace　of　the　Governors；　Indians　selling　jewelry　under　the　portal；　the　sunlight　glinting　off　the　polished　silver　and　turquoise。　
　〃Am　I　going　to　need　a　lawyer？〃　Skip　asked。　
　Martinez　chewed　his　gum　diligently。　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　he　said；　〃'Course；　you're　wele　to　one　if　you　want。〃　
　The　car　moved　past　the　library　and　pulled　around　behind　the　old　police　building。　Several　Dumpsters　sat　in　front；　filled　with　broken　pieces　of　drywall。　
　〃Renovating；〃　Martinez　explained　as　they　entered　a　lobby　draped　in　plastic。　The　lieutenant　stopped　at　a　desk　and　took　a　folder　offered　by　a　uniformed　woman。　He　led　Skip　along　a　hallway　smelling　of　paint；　down　a　flight　of　stairs。　Opening　a　scratched　door；　he　ushered　Skip　in。　Beyond　lay　a　bare　room；　devoid　of　furniture　except　for　three　wooden　chairs；　a　desk；　and　a　dark　mirror。　
　Skip　had　never　been　in　such　a　place　before；　but　he'd　seen　enough　television　to　instantly　recognize　its　purpose。　〃This　looks　like　some　kind　of　interrogation　room；〃　he　said。　
　〃It　is。〃　Martinez　took　a　seat　with　a　protest　of　wood。　He　laid　the　folder　on　the　table　and　offered　Skip　a　chair。　Then　he　pointed　to　the　ceiling。　Skip　glanced　up　to　see　a　lens；　pointed　almost　insolently　at　him。　〃We're　going　to　videotape　you。　Okay？〃　
　〃Do　I　have　a　choice？〃　
　〃Yes。　If　you　say　no；　the　interview　will　be　over；　and　you'll　be　free　to　go。〃　
　〃Great；〃　said　Skip；　starting　to　get　up。　
　〃Of　course；　then　we'd　have　to　subpoena　you；　and　you'd　spend　money　on　that　lawyer。　Right　now；　you're　not　a　suspect。　So　why　don't　you　just　relax　and　answer　a　few　questions？　If　at　any　time　you　want　a　lawyer　or　want　to　terminate　the　interview；　you　can。　How　does　that　sound？〃　
　〃Did　you　say　suspect？〃　Skip　asked。　
　〃Yes。〃　Martinez　looked　at　him　with　uninformative　black　eyes。　Skip　realized　the　man　was　waiting　for　an　answer。　
　〃Okay；〃　he　said；　sighing　mightily。　〃Roll　'em。〃　
　Martinez　nodded　to　someone　behind　the　one…way　glass；　then　turned　back　to　Skip。　〃Please　state　your　name；　address；　and　birthdate。〃　They　rapidly　went　through　the　preliminaries。　Then　Martinez　asked：　
　〃Are　you　the　owner　of　an　abandoned　ranch　house　beyond　Fox　Run；　address　Rural　Route　Sixteen；　Box　Twelve；　Santa　Fe；　New　Mexico？〃　
　〃Yes。　My　sister　and　I　own　it　together。〃　
　〃And　your　sister　is　Nora　Waterford　Kelly？〃　
　〃That's　right。〃　
　〃And　what　are　the　whereabouts　of　your　sister　at　the　moment？〃　
　〃She's　on　an　archaeological　expedition　to　Utah。〃　
　Martinez　nodded。　〃When　did　she　leave？〃　
　〃Three　days　ago。　She　won't　be　back　for　a　couple　of　weeks；　at　least。〃　Once　again；　Skip　began　to　stand。　〃Does　this　have　to　do　with　her？〃　
　Martinez　make　a　suppressing　motion　with　one　palm。　〃Your　parents　are　both　deceased；　correct？〃　
　Skip　nodded。　
　〃And　you　are　currently　employed　at　the　Santa　Fe　Archaeological　Institute。〃　
　〃I　was　until　you　showed　up。〃　
　Martinez　smiled。　〃And　how　long　have　you　been　employed　by　the　Institute？〃　
　〃I　told　you　in　the　car。　This　was　my　first　day。〃　
　Martinez　nodded　again；　more　slowly　this　time。　〃And　prior　to　today；　where　were　you　employed？〃　
　〃I've　been　job　hunting。〃　
　〃I　see。　And　when　were　you　last　employed？〃　
　〃Never。　Not　since　I　graduated　from　college　last　year；　anyway。〃　
　〃Do　you　know　a　Teresa　Gonzales？〃　
　Skip　licked　his　lips。　〃Yeah。　I　know　Teresa。　She　was　our　neighbor　out　at　the　ranch。〃　
　〃When　did　you　last　see　Teresa？〃　
　〃God；　I　don't　know。　Ten　months　ago；　maybe　eleven。　Shortly　after　I　graduated。〃　
　〃How　about　your　sister？　When　did　she　last　see　Ms。　Gonzales？〃　
　Skip　shifted　in　his　chair。　〃Let's　see。　A　couple　of　days　ago；　I　think。　She　helped　Nora　out　at　the　ranch。〃　
　〃You　mean　Nora；　your　sister？〃　Martinez　asked。　〃Helped　her　how？〃　
　Skip　hesitated。　〃She　was　attacked；〃　he　said　slowly。　
　Martinez's　neck　muscles　stopped　working　for　a　moment。　〃Care　to　tell　me　about　it？〃　
　〃Teresa　used　to　call　my　sister　when　she　heard　noises　at　the　old　place。　Vandals；　kids；　that　kind　of　stuff。　Lately　there's　been　a　lot　of　messing　around　over　there；　she's　called　my　sister　several　times。　Nora　went　over　about　a　week　ago。　Said　she　was　attacked。　Teresa　heard　the　racket；　came　over　with　a　shotgun；　scared　them　off。〃　
　〃Did　she　say　anything　more？　A　description　of　the　attackers？〃　
　〃Nora　said　。　。　。〃　Skip　thought　for　a　moment。　〃Nora　said　it　was　two　people。　Two　people；　dressed　up　as　animals。〃　He　decided　not　to　mention　the　letter。　Whatever　was　going　on　here　didn't　need　any　more　plications。　
　〃Why　didn't　she　e　to　us？〃　Martinez　asked　at　last。　
　〃Can't　say　for　sure。　Going　to　the　police　really　isn't　her　style。　She　always　wants　to　do　everything　for　herself。　I　think　she　was　concerned　it　might　delay　her　expedition。〃　
　Martinez　seemed　to　ponder　something。　〃Mr。　Kelly；〃　he　began　again。　〃Can　you　account　for　your　whereabouts　over　the　last　forty…eight　hours？〃　
　Skip　stopped　short。　Then　he　sat　back；　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Except　for　showing　up　at　the　Institute　this　morning；　I　was　at　my　apartment　all　weekend。〃　
　Martinez　consulted　a　piece　of　paper。　〃2113　Calle　de　Sebastian；　number　two…B？〃　
　〃Yes。〃　
　〃And　did　you　see　anybody　during　that　time？〃　
　Skip　swallowed。　〃Larry；　at　Eldorado　Liquors；　saw　me　Saturday　afternoon。　My　sister　phoned　me　late　Saturday　night。〃　
　〃Anybody　else？〃　
　〃Well；　my　neighbor　called　me　three　or　four　times。〃　
　〃Your　neighbor？〃　
　〃Yeah。　Reg　Freiburg；　in　the　apartment　next　door。　Doesn't　like　loud　music。〃　
　Martinez　sat　back；　running　his　fingers　through　his　close…cropped　black　hair。　He　stayed　silent　for　what　seemed　like　a　long　time。　At　last　he　sat　forward。　〃Mr。　Kelly；　Teresa　Gonzales　was　found　dead　last　night　at　your　ranch　house。〃　
　Suddenly；　Skip's　body　felt　strangely　heavy。　〃Teresa？〃　
　Martinez　nodded。　〃Every　Sunday　afternoon；　she　gets　a　delivery　of　feed　for　the　farm　animals。　Last　Sunday；　she　didn't　answer　the　door。　The　man　noticed　the　animals　hadn't　been　fed；　and　that　her　dog　was　locked　in　the　house。　When　she　still　didn't　answer　the　next　morning；　he　got　worried　and　called　us。〃　
　〃Oh；　my　God。〃　Skip　shook　his　head。　〃Teresa。　I　can't　believe　it。〃　
　The　lieutenant　shifted　in　his　chair；　eyes　on　Skip。　〃When　we　went　out　there；　we　found　her　bed　unmade；　clothes　set　out。　The　dog　was　terrified。　It　looked　like　something　had　gotten　her　up　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　But　there　was　no　sign　of　her　on　the　property；　so　we　decided　to　visit　the　neighboring　ranches。　Your　place　was　our　first　stop。〃　He　took　a　slow　breath。　〃We　saw　movement　inside。　Turned　out　to　be　dogs；　fighting　over　something。〃　He　stopped；　pursed　his　lips。　
　But　Skip　barely　heard　this。　He　was　thinking　of　Teresa；　trying　to　remember　the　last　time　he'd　seen　her。　He　and　Nora　had　gone　out　to　the　house　to　pick　up　a　few　things　to　decorate　her　apartment。　Teresa　had　been　outside　in　her　yard；　seen　them；　and　waved　her　enthusiastic　wave。　He　could　see　her　still；　jogging　down　the　path　to　their　house；　brown　careless　hair　flapping　and　dancing　in　the　breeze。　
　Then　his　eyes　fell　upon　the　single　folder　lying　in　the　center　of　the　desk。　GONZALES；　T。　was　written　along　one　side。　The　glossy　edge　of　a　black…and…white　picture　peeke