Dearly Devoted Dexter (Vintage Crime

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

humbly and held up the bag. Greetings, Sensei, I said. I bring gifts.
Greetings, Grasshopper, he said. There is a thing called time. You must explore its mysteries. He
held up his wrist and pointed to his watch. I m on my way to lunch, and now you bring me my
breakfast?
Better late than never, I said, but he shook his head.
Nah, he said. My mouth has already changed gears. I m gonna go get some ropa vieja and
pl�tanos.
If you spurn my gift of food, I said, I will give you the finger. He raised an eyebrow, and I handed
him Deb s package. Can I have half an hour of your time before lunch?
He looked at the small box. I don t think I want to open this on an empty stomach, do I? he said.
Well then, how about a doughnut?
It took more than half an hour, but by the time Vince left for lunch we had learned that there was
nothing to learn from Kyle s finger. The cut was extremely clean and professional, done with a very
sharp instrument that left no trace behind in the wound. There was nothing under the fingernail except
a little dirt that could have come from anywhere. I removed the ring, but we found no threads or hairs
or telltale fabric swatches, and Kyle had somehow failed to etch an address or phone number onto the
inside of the ring. Kyle s blood type was AB positive.
I put the finger into cold storage, and slipped the ring into my pocket. That wasn t exactly standard
procedure, but I was fairly sure that Deborah would want it if we didn t get Kyle back. As it was, it
72 of 147
looked like if we did get him back it would be by messenger, one piece at a time. Of course, I m not a
sentimental person, but that didn t seem like something that would warm her heart.
By now I was very tired indeed, and since Debs hadn t called yet I decided that I was well within my
rights to head for home and take a nap. The afternoon rain started as I climbed into my car. I shot
straight down LeJeune in the relatively light traffic and got home after being screamed at only one
time, which was a new record. I dashed in through the rain and found Deborah gone. She had scribbled
a note on a Post-it saying she would call later. I was relieved, since I had not been looking forward to
sleeping on my half-size couch. I crawled right into my own bed and slept without interruption until a
little after six o clock in the evening.
Naturally, even the mighty machine that is my body needs a certain amount of maintenance, and when I
sat up in bed I felt very much in need of an oil change. The long night with so little sleep, the missed
breakfast, the tension and suspense of trying to think of something besides There there to say to
Deborah all these things had taken their toll. I felt as though someone had snuck in and packed my
head with beach sand, even including the bottle caps and cigarette butts.
There is only one solution to this occasional condition, and that is exercise. But as I decided that what
I really needed was a pleasant two- or three-mile jog, I remembered again that I had misplaced my
running shoes. They were not in their usual spot by the door, and they were not in my car. This was
Miami, so it was possible that someone had broken into my apartment and stolen them; they were,
after all, very nice New Balance shoes. But I thought it more likely that I had left them over at Rita s.
For me, to decide is to act. I toddled down to my car and drove over to Rita s house.
The rain was long gone it seldom lasts even an hour and the streets were already dry and filled with
the usual cheerfully homicidal crowd. My people. The maroon Taurus showed up behind me at Sunset,
and stayed with me all the way. It was nice to see Doakes back on the job. I had felt just a little bit
neglected. Once again he parked across the street as I knocked on the door. He had just turned off the
engine when Rita opened the door. Well, she said. What a surprise! She lifted her face for a kiss.
I gave her one, putting a little extra English on it to entertain Sergeant Doakes. There s no easy way
to say this, I said, but I ve come for my running shoes.
Rita smiled. Actually, I just put mine on. Care to get sweaty together? And she held the door wide
for me.
That s the best invitation I ve had all day, I said.
I found my shoes in her garage beside the washing machine, along with a pair of shorts and a sleeveless
sweatshirt, laundered and ready to go. I went into the bathroom and changed clothes, leaving my work
clothes folded neatly on the toilet seat. In just a few minutes Rita and I were trotting up the block
together. I waved to Sergeant Doakes as we went by. We ran down the street, turned right for a few
blocks, and then around the perimeter of the nearby park. We had run this route together before, had
even measured it out at just under three miles, and we were used to each other s pace. And so about
half an hour later, sweaty and once again willing to face the challenges of another evening of life on
Planet Earth, we stood at the front door of Rita s house.
If you don t mind, I ll take the first shower, she said. That way I can start dinner while you clean
up.
73 of 147
Absolutely, I said. I ll just sit out here and drip.
Rita smiled. I ll get you a beer, she said. A moment later she handed me one and then went in and
closed the door. I sat on the step and sipped my beer. The last few days had gone by in a savage blur,
and I had been so entirely upended from my normal life that I actually enjoyed the moment of peaceful
contemplation, calmly sitting there and drinking a beer while somewhere in the city Chutsky was
shedding spare parts. Life whirled on around me with its sundry slashings, strangulations, and
dismemberings, but in Dexter s Domain it was Miller Time. I raised the can in a toast to Sergeant
Doakes.
Somewhere in the house I heard a commotion. There was shouting and a little bit of squealing, as if
Rita had just discovered the Beatles in her bathroom. Then the front door slammed open and Rita
grabbed me around the neck in a stranglehold. I dropped my beer and gasped for air. What? What did
I do? I said. I saw Astor and Cody watching from just inside the door. I m terribly sorry, and I ll
never do it again, I added, but Rita kept squeezing.
Oh, Dexter, she said, and now she was crying. Astor smiled at me and clasped her hands together
under her chin. Cody just watched, nodding a little bit. Oh, Dexter, Rita said again.
Please, I said, struggling desperately to get some air, I promise it was an accident and I didn t mean
it. What did I do? Rita finally relented and loosened her death grip.
Oh, Dexter, she said one more time, and she put her hands on my face and looked at me with a
blinding smile and a faceful of tears. Oh, YOU! she said, although to be honest it didn t seem very
much like me at the moment. I m sorry, it was an accident, she said, snuffling now. I hope you
didn t have anything really special planned.
Rita. Please. What is going on?
Her smile got bigger and bigger. Oh, Dexter. I really it was just Astor needed to use the toilet, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Tematy