深沉无怜悯：湖中遗体发现与处置过程.pdfVIP

deepwithout

pity

bylewisshiner

iseyeswereopenandhisheadbobbedaroundatanimpossible

angle.Hewassittinginaboutfortyfeetofwater,stonedead,onearm

H

pinnedweentherocks.AsbestIcouldtell,hehadbeendeadwhenhe

landedthere.Themudandoozearoundhimwereassereneandsmoothashe

was.

Thecopwhowasassistingmeswamoverandmadeapalmsupgesture.I

shruggedbackathimandbegantoworkthebodyloose.Thecorpsehadonly

oneleg,andasIworkedIwonderedwhathehadbeendoinginthelake.Igot

thearmfreeandkickedtowardthequicksilversurfaceaboveme.Thebody

turnedbloatedandheavywhenIbrokewaterwithit,andittookthreeofus

toloaditintothelaunch.

Idriedoffandgotacokeoutofthecooler.Itwasgettingtobeanother

Texasscorcher,andthesunlightbouncingoffthesurfaceofthelakefeltlikeit

hadneedinit.Mymouthwasdryfrombreathingcannedairandthe

carbonationburnedlikefire.Winslow,fromthesheriff’soffice,satdownnext

tome.“Iappreciatethis,Dan,”hesaid.

“Noproblem.”SamWinslowandIhadgrownuptogetherabouttwenty

mioutsideAustininalittletowncalledCound.We’dfoughtalotas

kids,andtherewerestillplentyofdifferencesinourpoliticsandeducations.

Butbeingontheandfirerescuesquadhadbroughtmeclosertohim

again,andIwasgladofit.Aprivatedetectiveneedsallthefriendshecanget.

“Whatdoyoumakeofit?”Iaskedhim.

“Accidentaldrowning,lookslike.”Iraisedaneyebrowbutdidn’tsay

anything.“He’sgotabumpontheheadthatcouldhavecomeoffarock.

We’llseewhatthecoronersays.”

“Anyideawhoheis?”

Winslowshookhishead.He’dgainedweightinhisfacerecentlyandhis

jowlsvibratedwiththegesture.“Noone-leggedmen