璇玑之心刃·冷血悍将-第150章

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n　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‘m　supposed　to　keep　an　eye　on　you；‘　Sandy　replied。　‘Trying　to　show　us　how　tough　you　are？‘
Kelly　had　been　a　touch　lighthearted；　but　turned　serious。　‘Mrs　O‘Toole；　I‘m　supposed　to　get　my　mind　off　my　troubles；　right？　Exercise　does　that　for　me。　I　can‘t　run　with　one　arm　tied　up；　I　can‘t　do　push…ups；　and　I　can‘t　lift　weights。　I　can　ride　a　bike。　Okay？‘
‘You　have　me　there。　Okay。‘　She　pointed　to　the　door。　Out　in　the　bustling　anonymity　of　the　corridor；　she　said；　‘I‘m　very　sorry　about　your　friend。‘
‘Thank　you；　ma‘am。‘　He　turned　his　head；　slightly　dizzy　from　the　exertion；　as　they　walked　along　in　the　crowd。　‘We　have　rituals　in　uniform。　The　bugle；　the　flag；　the　guys　with　rifles。　It　works　fairly　well　for　the　men。　It　helps　you　to　believe　that　it　all　meant　something。　It　still　hurts；　but　it‘s　a　formal　way　to　say　goodbye。　We　learned　to　deal　with　it。　But　what　happened　to　you　is　different；　and　what　just　happened　to　me　is　different。　So　what　did　you　do？　Get　more　involved　in　work？‘
‘I　finished　my　masters。　I‘m　a　nurse…practitioner。　I　teach。　I　worry　about　patients。‘　And　that　was　her　whole　life　now。
‘Well；　you　don‘t　have　to　worry　about　me；　okay？　I　know　my　limits。‘
‘Where　are　the　limits？‘
‘A　long　way　off；‘　Kelly　said　with　the　beginnings　of　a　smile　that　he　quickly　extinguished。　‘How　am　I　doing？‘
‘Very　well。‘
It　hadn‘t　gone　all　that　smoothly；　and　both　knew　it。　Donald　Madden　had　flown　to　Baltimore　to　claim　the　body　of　his　daughter　from　the　coroner‘s　office；　leaving　his　wife　home；　never　meeting　with　anyone　despite　pleas　from　Sarah　Rosen。　He　wasn‘t　interested　in　talking　to　a　fornicator；　the　man　had　said　over　the　phone；　a　remark　that　Sandy　knew　about　but　which　neither　medic　had　passed　on。　The　surgeon　had　filled　her　in　on　the　background　of　the　girl；　and　it　was　merely　a　final　sad　chapter　to　a　brief　and　sad　life；　something　the　patient　didn‘t　need　to　know。　Kelly　had　asked　about　funeral　arrangements；　and　both　had　told　him　that　he　would　be　unable　to　leave　the　hospital　in　any　case。　Kelly　had　accepted　that　in　silence；　surprising　the　nurse。
His　left　shoulder　was　still　immobilized；　and　there　had　to　be　pain；　the　nurse　knew。　She　and　others　could　see　the　occasional　wince；　especially　close　to　the　time　for　a　new　pain　medication；　but　Kelly　wasn‘t　the　type　to　plain。　Even　now；　still　breathing　hard　from　a　murderous　thirty　minutes　on　the　bike；　he　was　making　quite　a　point　of　walking　as　rapidly　as　he　could；　cooling　himself　down　like　a　trained　athlete。
‘Why　the　big　show？‘　she　asked。
‘I　don‘t　know。　Does　there　have　to　be　a　reason　for　everything？　It‘s　the　way　I　am；　Sandy。‘
‘Well；　your　legs　are　longer　than　mine。　Slow　down；　okay？‘
‘Sure。‘　Kelly　eased　off　his　pace　as　they　reached　the　elevator。　‘How　many　girls　are　there　…　like　Pam　I　mean？‘
‘Too　many。‘　She　didn‘t　know　the　numbers。　There　were　enough　that　they　were　noticed　as　a　class　of　patient；　enough　that　you　knew　they　were　there。
‘Who　helps　them？‘
The　nurse　pushed　the　elevator　button。　‘Nobody。　They‘re　starting　up　programs　for　dealing　with　the　drug　habits；　b