Homophobia

Hardboiled Lt. Pete Marino is a dyed-in-the-wool homophobe, within the context of hating all forms of "perversion," particularly pedophilia. He cannot conceive of any difference. At every opportunity he speaks contemptuously about "fags," looking for any evidence to assign the label. Throughout the novel, Pete is Dr. Kay Scarpetta's "guardian angel," but his homophobia clearly annoys her. She argues with Pete rarely, for they have known one another for years. Nothing changes by arguing with him.

Pete labels Al Hunt a "fag" because he formerly worked as a male nurse. Hunt's father, a tough slumlord, treats Al no differently; he is ashamed to have produced such a son. Watching Pete intimidate Al on videotape, Kay considers how often tough men like Pete and Mr. Hunt drive their sons into homosexuality, and then recalls that Pete's only son lives far away, out of touch. Al, it turns out, is...