璇玑之心刃·冷血悍将-第133章

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de　of　town。　Two　black　males；　medium　size；　and　that‘s　all　we　have　for　a　description。　Their　МО　is　a　sawed…off　shotgun。　They　specialize　in　taking　down　people　ing　in　for　a　drug　buy；　and　they　particularly　like　the　gentry　customers。　Probably　most　of　their　robberies　don‘t　even　get　reported。　We　have　them　linked　to　two　killings。　This　might　be　number　three。‘　
‘That‘s　all？‘　Rosen　asked。　
‘Robbery　and　murder　are　major　crimes；　doctor。‘
‘But　that‘s　just　an　accident！‘
‘That‘s　one　way　of　looking　at　it；‘　Douglas　agreed；　turning　back　to　his　witness。　‘Mr　Kelly；　you　must　have　seen　something。　What　the　hell　were　you　doing　around　there？　Was　Miss　Madden　trying　to　buy　something　…‘
‘No！‘
‘Look；　it‘s　over。　She‘s　dead。　You　can　tell　me。　I　have　to　know。‘
‘Like　I　said；　she　was　linked　up　with　this　bunch；　and　I　…　dumb　as　it　sounds；　I　don‘t　know　shit　about　drugs。‘　I‘ll　be　finding　out；　though。
Alone　in　his　bed；　alone　with　his　mind；　Kelly‘s　eyes　calmly　surveyed　the　ceiling；　scanning　the　white　surface　like　a　movie　screen。
First；　the　police　are　wrong；　Kelly　told　himself。　He　didn‘t　know　how　he　knew；　but　he　did；　and　that　was　enough。　It　wasn‘t　robbers；　it　was　them；　the　people　Pam　were　afraid　of。
What　had　happened　fit　what　Pam　had　told　him。　It　was　something　they　had　done　before。　He　had　allowed　himself　to　be　spotted　…　twice。　His　guilt　was　still　quite　real；　but　that　was　history　now　and　he　couldn‘t　change　it。　Whatever　he　had　done　wrong；　it　was　done。　Whoever　had　done　this　to　Pam；　they　were　still　out　there；　and　if　they‘d　done　this　twice　already；　they　would　do　it　again。　But　that　was　not　really　what　occupied　his　mind　behind　the　blank　staring　mask。
Okay；　he　thought。　Okay。　They‘ve　never　met　anyone　like　me　before。
I　need　to　get　back　into　shape；　Chief　Bosun‘s　Mate　John　Terrence　Kelly　told　himself。
The　injuries　were　severe；　but　he‘d　survive　them。　He　knew　every　step　of　the　process。　Recovery　would　be　painful；　but　he‘d　do　what　they　told　him；　he‘d　push　the　envelope　a　little　bit；　enough　to　make　them　proud　of　their　patient。　Then　the　really　hard　part　would　start。　The　running；　the　swimming；　the　weights。　Then　the　weapons　training。　Then　the　mental　preparation　…　but　that　was　already　underway；　he　realized　。。。
Оh；　по。　Not　in　their　wildest　nightmares　have　they　ever　met　anyone　like　me。
The　name　they　had　given　him　in　Vietnam　boiled　up　from　the　past。
Snake。
Kelly　pushed　the　call　button　pinned　to　his　pillow。　Nurse　O‘Toole　appeared　within　two　minutes。
‘I‘m　hungry；‘　he　told　her。
‘I　hope　I　never　have　to　do　that　again；‘　Douglas　told　his　lieutenant；　not　for　the　first　time。
‘How　did　it　go？‘
‘Well；　that　professor　might　make　a　formal　plaint。　I　think　I　canned　him　down　enough；　but　you　never　know　with　people　like　that。‘　
‘Does　Kelly　know　anything？‘
‘Nothing　we　can　use；‘　Douglas　replied。　‘He‘s　still　too　messed　up　from　being　shot　and　all　to　be　coherent；　but　he　didn‘t　see　any　faces；　didn‘t　…　hell；　if　he　had　seen　anything；　he　would　probably　have　done　something。　I　even　showed　him　the　picture；　trying　to　shake　him　a　little。　I　thought　the　poor　bastard　would　have　a　heart　attack。　The　doctor　went　crazy。　I‘m　not　real　proud　of　that；　Em。　Nobody　should　have　to　see　something　like　that。‘
‘Including　us；　Tom；　including　us。‘　Lieutenant　Emmet　Ryan　looked　up　from　a　large　collection　of　photos；　half　taken　at　the　scene；　half　at　the　coroner‘s　office。　What　he　saw　there　sickened　him　despite　all　his　years　of　police　work；　especially　because　this　wasn‘t　a　crime　of　madness　or　passion。　No；　this　event　had　been　done　for　a　purpose　by　coldly　rational　men。　‘I　talked　to　Frank。　This　Kelly　guy　is　a　good　scout；　helped　him　clear　the　Gooding　case。　He‘s　not　linked　up　with　anything。　The　doctors　all　say　that　he‘s　clean；　not　a　user。‘
‘Anything　on　the　girl？‘　Douglas　didn‘t　need　to　say　that　this　could　have　been　the　break　they‘d　needed。　If　only　Kelly　had　called　them　instead　of　Allen；　who　didn‘t　know　about　their　investigation。　But　he　hadn‘t；　and　their　best　potential　source　of　information　was　dead。　‘The　prints　came　back。　Pamela　Madden。　She　was　picked　up　in　Chicago；　Atlanta；　and　New　Orleans　for　prostitution。　Never　came　to　trial；　never　did　any　time。　The　judges　just　kept　letting　her　go。　Victimless　crime；　right？‘
The　sergeant　suppressed　a　curse　at　the　many　idiots　on　the　bench。　‘Sure；　Em；　no　victims　at　all。　So　we‘re　not　any　closer　to　these　people　than　we　were　six　months　ago；　are　we？　We　need　more　manpower；‘　Douglas　said；　stating　the　obvious。
‘To　chase　down　the　murder　of　a　street　hooker？‘　the　Lieutenant　asked。　‘The　mayor　didn‘t　like　the　picture；　but　they‘ve　already　told　him　what　she　was；　and　after　a　week；　things　go　back　to　normal。　You　think　we‘ll　break　something　loose　in　a　week；　Tom？‘
‘You　could　let　him　know　…‘
‘No。‘　Ryan　shook　his　head。　‘He‘d　talk。　Ever　know　a　politician　who　didn‘t？　They‘ve　got　somebody　inside　this　building；　Tom。　You　want　more　manpower？　Tell　me；　where　do　we　get　it；　the　kind　we　can　trust？‘
‘I　know；　Em。‘　Douglas　conceded　the　point。　‘But　we‘re　not　getting　anywhere。‘
‘Maybe　Narcotics　will　shake　something　loose。‘
‘Sure。‘　Douglas　snorted。
‘Can　Kelly　help　us？‘
‘No。　Damned　fool　was　just　looking　the　wrong　way。‘
‘Then　do　the　usual　follow…up；　just　to　make　sure　everything　looks　okay　and　leave　it　at　that。　Forensics　isn‘t　in　yet。　Maybe　they‘ll　turn　something。‘
‘Yes；　sir；‘　Douglas　replied。　As　so　often　happened　in　police　work；　you　played　for　breaks；　for　mistakes　the　other　side　made。　These　people　didn‘t　make　many；　but　sooner　or　later　they　all　did；　both　officers　told　themselves。　It　was　just　that　they　never　seemed　to　e　soon　enough。
Lieutenant　Ryan　looked　back　down　at　the　photos。　‘They　sure　had　their　fun　with　her。　Just　like　the　other　one。‘
‘Good　to　see　you‘re　eating。‘
Kelly　looked　up　from　a　mostly　empty　plate。　‘The　cop　was　right；　Sam。　It‘s　over。　I　have　to　get　better；　have　to　focus　on　something；　right？‘
‘What　are　you　going　to　do？‘
‘I　don‘t　know。　Hell；　I　could　always　go　back　in　the　Navy　or　something。‘
‘You　have　to　deal　with　your　grief；　John；‘　Sam　said；　sitting　down　next　to　the　bed。
‘I　know　how。　I‘ve　had　to　do　that　before；　remember？‘　He　looked　up。　‘Oh　…　what　did　you　tell　the　police　about　me？‘
‘How　we　met；　that　sort　of　thing。　Why？‘
‘What　I　did　over　there。　It‘s　secret；　Sam。‘　Kelly　managed　to　look　embarrassed。　‘The　unit　I　belonged　to；　it　doesn‘t　officially　exist。　The　things　we　did；　well；　they　never　really　happened；　if　you　know　what　I。　mean。‘
‘They　didn‘t　ask。　Besides；　you　never　really　told　me；‘　the　surgeon　said；　puzzled　…　even　more　so　by　the　relief　on　his　patient‘s　face。
‘I　got　remended　to　them　by　a　pal　in　the　Navy；　mainly　to　help　train　their　divers。　What　they　know　is　what　I‘m　allowed　to　tell。　It‘s　not　what　I　really　did；　exactly；　but　it　sounds　good。‘
‘Okay。‘
‘I　haven‘t　thanked　you　for　taking　such　good　care　of　me。‘
Rosen　stood　and　walked　to　the　door；　but　he　stopped　dead　three　feel　short　of　it　and　turned。
‘You　think　you　can　fool　me？‘
‘I　guess　not；　Sam；‘　Kelly　answered　guardedly。
‘John；　I　have　spent　my　whole　damned　life　using　these　hands　to　fix　people。　You　have　to　stay　aloof；　you　can‘t　get　too　involved；　because　if　you　do　you　can　lose　it；　lose　the　edge；　lose　the　concentration。　I‘ve　never　hurt　anyone　in　my　life。　You　understand　me？‘
‘Yes；　sir；　I　do。‘
‘What　are　you　going　to　do？‘
‘You　don‘t　want　to　know；　Sam。‘
‘I　want　to　help。　I　really　do；‘　Rosen　said；　genuine　wonder　in　his　voice。　‘I　liked　her；　too；　John。‘
‘I　know　that。‘
‘So　what　can　I　do？‘　the　surgeon　asked。　He　was　afraid　that　Kelly　might　ask　for　something　he　was　unfitted　to　do；　more　afraid　still　that　he　might　agree。
‘Get　me　better。‘
C9
　　　　CHAPTER　9
Labor
It　was　almost　grim　to　watch；　Sandy　thought。　The　strange　thing　was　that　he　was　being　a　good　patient。　He　didn‘t　whine。　He　didn‘t　bitch。　He　did　just　what　they　told　him　to　do。　There　was　a　streak　of　the　sadist　in　all　physical　therapists。　There　had　to　be；　since　the　job　meant　pushing　people　a　little　further　than　they　wanted　to　go　…　just　as　an　athletic　coach　would　do　…　and　the　ultimate　aim　was　to　help；　after　all。　Even　so；　a　good　therapist　had　to　push　the　patient；　encourage　the　weak；　and　browbeat　the　strong；　to　cajole　and　to　shame；　all　in　the　name　of　health；　that　meant　taking　satisfaction　from　the　exertion　and　pain　of　others；　and　O‘Toole　could　not　have　done　that。　But　Kelly；　she　saw；　would　have　none　of　it。　He　did　what　was　expected；　and　when　the　therapist　asked　for　more；　more　was　delivered；　and　on；　and　on；　until　the　therapist　was　pushed　beyond　the　point　of　pride　in　the　result　of　his　efforts　and　began　to　worry。　
‘You　can　ease　off　now；‘　he　advised。　
‘Why？‘　Kelly　asked　somewhat　breathlessly。　‘Your　heart　rate　is　one…niy…five。‘　And　had　been　there　for　five　minutes。　
‘What‘s　the　record？‘
‘Zero；‘　the　therapist　replied　without　a　smile。　That　earned　him　a　laugh；　and　a　look；　and　Kelly　slowed　his　pace　on　the　stationary　bike；　easing　himself　down　over　a　period　of　two　minutes　to　a　reluctant　stop。　
‘I‘ve　e　to　take　him　back；‘　OToole　announced。　
‘Good；　do　that　before　he　breaks　something。‘　
Kelly　got　off　and　toweled　his　face；　glad　to　see　that　she　hadn‘t　brought　a　wheelchair　or　something　similarly　insulting。　‘To　what　do　I　owe　this　honor；　ma‘am？‘
‘I‘