Chapter 19

continued to be impressed with the tremendous discipline and hard work of Jamilla Hughes. What drove her? Something buried in her past? Something more obvious in the present? The fact that she was one of two women homicide inspectors¹ in the San Francisco Police Department? Maybe all of the above? Jamilla had already told me that she hadn’t taken a day of comp time in almost two years.  That sounded kind of familiar.
A couple of times during the next day at the Hall of Justice I mentioned her incredible work ethic², but she shrugged³ it off. She was well respected by the other homicide inspectors. She was a regular person. No false airs. No bullshit about her. I found out that she had a nickname. It suited her - Jam.
I spent a couple of hours in the afternoon rinding out what I could
about tigers. Area zoos and shelters were being canvassed⁴ in an attempt to locate every single tiger in California. The murderous cat
was our best lead so far.
I was keeping my own list of facts, different things that struck me.  Someone had been able to command and control the tiger before and after it had attacked and bitten Davis O’Hara in Golden Gate Park. An animal trainer? A vet⁵?
The jaw⁶ of a tiger was so strong that it could crush bone, and then pulverize⁷ it. And yet, someone had been able to call the tiger off its prey⁸.  All tiger species were considered endangered. Their existence was being challenged by both loss of habitat and poaching. Could the killers⁹ also be environmentalists ?
Tigers were being poached for their suspected healing powers. Almost every part of the cat was considered valuable, and in some cases, sacred.  Tigers had magical significance in some cultures, especially in parts of Asia. Could that be important to the case?
I had lost track of the time, and when I looked up from my note-taking it was already getting dark outside. Jamilla was striding down the corridor in my direction.
She had on a long black leather jacket, and looked ready to leave.
She’d put on lipstick¹⁰. Maybe she had a date. She looked terrific.
‘Tyger, Tyger, burning bright,’ she recited a line from Blake’s poem.  I answered with the only other line I could remember. ‘Did He who made the Lamb make thee?’
She looked pensive¹¹, then she smiled. ‘What a team. The poet detectives. Let’s get a beer.’
‘I’m pretty beat and I have a few more files to check. I think I’m still jet-lagged.’Even as I was saying the words, I wasn’t sure why the hell I was saying them.
She put up her hand.’All right already. You could have just said no, you’re not my type. Jeez, man. I’ll see you in the morning. But thanks for all your help. I mean that.’ I saw her smile as she turned, then walked away, down the long hall to the elevators. But then I saw her shake her head.
After she was gone, I sat at the desk overlooking the streets of San Francisco. I sighed, and then I shook my head. I could feel a familiar weariness settling in. I was alone again and I had no one to blame.  Why had I turned Jamilla down for a couple of beers? I liked her company. I didn’t have any other plans; and I wasn’t that jet-lagged.  But I thought I knew the reason. It wasn’t too complicated. I had gotten close to my last two partners on homicide cases. Both Patsy and Betsey were women I liked. Both had died.
The Mastermind was still out there.
Could he be in San Francisco right now?
Was Jamilla Hughes safe in her own city?

1 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 ethic   

n.道德标准，行为准则

参考例句：

• They instilled the work ethic into their children.他们在孩子们的心中注入了职业道德的理念。
• The connotation of education ethic is rooted in human nature's mobility.教育伦理的内涵根源于人本性的变动性。

3 shrugged   

vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
• She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 canvassed   

v.（在政治方面）游说( canvass的过去式和过去分词 )；调查（如选举前选民的）意见；为讨论而提出（意见等）；详细检查

参考例句：

• He canvassed the papers, hunting for notices of jobs. 他仔细查阅报纸，寻找招工广告。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The stirring event was well canvassed. 那桩惊人的事情已经是满城风雨。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

5 vet   

n.兽医，退役军人；vt.检查

参考例句：

• I took my dog to the vet.我把狗带到兽医诊所看病。
• Someone should vet this report before it goes out.这篇报道发表之前应该有人对它进行详查。

6 jaw   

n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训

参考例句：

• He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。
• A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。

7 pulverize   

v.研磨成粉；摧毁

参考例句：

• A factory making armaments had been bombed the night before and a residential area not far away had been pulverized.前天晚上，一家兵工厂被炸，不远处的居民区也被夷为平地。
• He is set to pulverise his two opponents in the race for the presidency.他决心在总统竞选中彻底击垮他的两个对手。

8 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

9 killers   

凶手( killer的名词复数 )； 消灭…者； 致命物； 极难的事

参考例句：

• He remained steadfast in his determination to bring the killers to justice. 他要将杀人凶手绳之以法的决心一直没有动摇。
• They were professional killers who did in John. 杀死约翰的这些人是职业杀手。

10 lipstick   

n.口红，唇膏

参考例句：

• Taking out her lipstick,she began to paint her lips.她拿出口红，开始往嘴唇上抹。
• Lipstick and hair conditioner are cosmetics.口红和护发素都是化妆品。

11 pensive   

a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的

参考例句：

• He looked suddenly sombre,pensive.他突然看起来很阴郁，一副忧虑的样子。
• He became so pensive that she didn't like to break into his thought.他陷入沉思之中,她不想打断他的思路。