ch.nativetongue- 第54部分

　〃What　if　he's　a　hunchback？　What　if　he's　got　pubic　lice？〃　Joe　Winder　was　reeling。　〃Nina；　don't　you　see　how　sick　this　is？　You're　falling　in　love　with　a　stranger's　voice！〃
　〃He's　very　sensual；　Joe。　I　can　tell。〃
　〃For　God's　sake；　the　man's　calling　on　the　e　line。　What　does　that　tell　you？〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　get　into　it；〃　Nina　said。　〃You　asked　if　I　was　interested　in　anyone；　and　I　told　you。　I　should've　known　you'd　react　this　way。〃
　〃Just　tell　me；　is　he　paying　for　the　telephone　calls？〃
　〃We've　agreed　to　split　the　cost。〃
　〃Sweet　Jesus。〃
　〃And　we're　meeting　for　dinner　Tuesday　up　in　the　Gables。〃
　〃Wonderful；〃　said　Joe　Winder。　〃What　color　trench　coat　did　he　say　he'd　be　wearing？〃
　〃I　hate　you；〃　Nina　remarked。
　They　hung　up　on　each　other　at　precisely　the　same　instant。
　
　Pedro　Luz　slithered　beneath　Carrie's　mobile　home。　Lying　on　his　back　in　the　cool　dirt；　he　listened　to　the　shower　running　and　laughed　giddily。　He　placed　both　hands　on　a　wooden　floor　beam　and　pushed　with　all　his　strength；　he　was　certain　that　he　felt　the　double…wide　rise　above　him；　if　only　a　few　millimeters。　With　a　bullish　snort；　he　tried　again。　To　bench…press　a　mobile　home！　Pedro　Luz　grimaced　in　ecstasy。
　He　was　proud　of　himself　for　tracing　the　car；　even　if　the　detective　work　entailed　only　the　pushing　of　three　lousy　buttons　on　a　puter。　He　was　equally　proud　of　himself　for　locating　the　address　in　the　dark　and　remaining　invisible　to　the　occupants　of　the　trailer。　At　dawn　he　had　watched　the　woman　drive　off　to　work；　leaving　him　alone　with　that　crazy　doomed　bastard；　Joe　Winder。
　Pedro　Luz　had　spent　a　long　time　fueling　himself　for　the　task。　He　had　strung　the　intravenous　rigs　in　the　storage　room　of　the　Security　Department　at　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills。　There；　stretched　on　a　cot；　he　had　dripped　large　quantities　of　horse　steroids　into　both　arms。　Afterwards；　Pedro　Luz　had　guzzled　nine　Heinekens　and　studied　himself　naked　in　a　full…length　mirror。
　The　mirror　examination　had　bee　a　ritual　to　make　sure　that　his　penis　and　testicles　were　not　shrinking；　as　Churrito　had　warned　they　would。　Pedro　Luz　had　bee　worried　when　his　security…guard　uniform　had　gotten　baggy　in　the　crotch；　so　every　night　he　took　a　measuring　tape　and　checked　his　equipment。　Then　he　would　leaf　through　some　pornographic　magazines　to　make　sure　he　could　still　get　a　hard…on；　on　some　evenings；　when　he　was　particularly　anxious；　he　would　even　measure　the　angle　of　his　erection。
　On　the　night　he　went　after　Joe　Winder；　the　angle　was　exactly　zero　degrees。　Pedro　Luz　blamed　it　on　the　beer。
　Inside　the　trailer；　Winder　finished　typing　another　counterfeit　press　release；　which　said：
　
　The　widow　of　a　young　scientist　killed　at　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills　has　been　offered　a　settlement　of　2。8　million；　officials　of　the　popular　amusement　park　have　announced。
　The　payment　would　be　made　in　a　single　installment　to　Deborah　Koocher；　age　31；　of　New　York。　Her　husband；　Dr。　William　Bennett　Koocher；　was　a　noted　wildlife　biologist　who　helped　supervise　the　Endangered　Species　Program　at　the　Amazing　Kingdom。　Dr。　Koocher　died　two　weeks　ago　in　a　tragic　drowning　at　the　park's　outdoor　whale　tank。　That　incident　is　still　under　investigation。
　Charles　Chelsea；　vice　president　of　publicity；　said　the　cash　offer　to　Mrs。　Koocher　〃demonstrates　our　sense　of　loss　and　sorrow　over　the　untimely　death　of　her　husband。〃
　Added　Chelsea：　〃Will　was　instrumental　in　our　rare…animal　programs；　and　his　heroic　efforts　to　save　the　blue…tongued　mango　vole　won　international　acclaim。〃
　In　a　statement　released　Sunday　morning；　Francis　X。　Kingsbury；　founder　and　chairman　of　the　Amazing　Kingdom；　said　that　Dr。　Koocher's　death　〃was　a　tragedy　for　all　of　us　at　the　park。　We　had　e　to　love　and　admire　Will；　who　was　as　much　a　part　of　our　family　as　Robbie　Raccoon　or　Petey　Possum。〃
　The　2。8　million　settlement　offer　is　〃a　gesture　not　only　of　passion；　but　fairness；〃　Mr。　Kingsbury　added。　〃If　Dr。　Koocher's　family　isn't　satisfied；　we　would　certainly　consider　increasing　the　payment。〃
　
　Joe　Winder　reread　the　announcement；　inserted　the　word　〃pletely〃　before　〃satisfied；〃　and　fed　the　paper　into　the　fax　machine。　He　considered　phoning　Nina　again；　but　decided　it　was　no　use；　the　woman　was　groping　recklessly　for　male　panionship。　What　else　could　explain　her　irrational　attraction　to　a　disembodied　masculine　voice？
　Besides；　Joe　had　Carrie　now…or　she　had　him。　The　dynamics　of　the　relationship　had　yet　to　be　calibrated。
　Winder　was　in　the　mood　for　acoustic　guitar；　so　he　put　on　some　Neil　Young　and　fixed　himself　four　eggs；　scrambled；　and　two　English　muffins　with　tangerine　marmalade。　Glancing　out　the　kitchen　window；　he　noticed　a　tow　truck　parked　crookedly　on　the　shoulder　of　the　dirt　lane。　He　didn't　see　a　driver。
　The　shower　had　been　running　for　some　time。　Winder　cracked　the　door　and　saw　Skink　curled　in　a　fetal　snooze；　cold　water　slapping　on　the　blaze　weather　suit。　Winder　decided　not　to　wake　him。
　Suddenly　he　heard　a　pop　like　a　car　backfiring；　and　a　hole　the　size　of　a　nickel　appeared　in　the　tile　six　inches　above　Skink's　face。　Then　came　another　bang；　another　hole。
　Joe　Winder　yelled　and　dived　out　of　the　doorway。
　
　In　a　way；　Carrie　Lanier　was　glad　that　the　Amazing　Kingdom　was　closed。　It　meant　an　extra　day　to　work　on　her　singing；　which　was　still　rusty；　and　to　design　a　new　costume　for　Princess　Golden　Sun。
　Driving　back　toward　the　mainland；　she　couldn't　wait　to　tell　Joe　about　all　the　TV　trucks　and　helicopters　at　the　park's　main　gate。　A　reporter　from　Channel　10　had　approached　the　car　and　thrust　a　microphone　in　her　face　and　asked　if　she　had　seen　any　snakes。　Quickly　Carrie　had　improvised　a　story　about　a　teeming　herd…she　wasn't　sure　it　was　the　right　term…slithering　across　County　Road　905　near　Carysfort。　The　fellow　from　Channel　10　had　marshaled　his　camera　crew　and　sprinted　off　toward　the　van。
　Carrie　was　impressed　by　the　immediate　and　dramatic　effect　of　Joe　Winder's　hoax：　everyone　was　wearing　sturdy　rubber　hip　boots。
　On　the　way　home；　she　practiced　another　song　from　the　show。
　You　took　our　whole　Indian　nation；　Stuck　us　on　this　reservation。　Took　away　our　way　of　life；　The　garfish　gig　and　the　gator　knife。　Seminole　people！　Seminole　tribe！
　It　was　a　variation　of　a　song　called　〃Indian　Reservation；〃　which　was　recorded　by　Paul　Revere　and　the　Raiders；　a　band　not　generally　remembered　for　its　biting　social　mentary。　Carrie　Lanier　thought　the　new　lyrics　were　insipid；　but　she　liked　the　simple　tune　and　tom…tom　rhythms。　She　was　singing　the　third　verse　when　she　turned　into　the　trailer　park　and　spotted　a　bloated　bodybuilder　firing　a　pistol　into　the　side　of　her　double…wide。
　Without　hesitating；　without　even　honking　the　horn；　Carrie　Lanier　took　aim。
　
　Pedro　Luz　was　so　thoroughly　engrossed　in　assassinating　Joe　Winder　in　the　shower　that　he　didn't　hear　the　1979　Buick　Electra　until　it　mowed　a　row　of　garbage　cans　ten　feet　behind　him。　Pedro　Luz　started　to　run　but　tripped　over　a　garden　hose　and　pitched　forward；　arms　outstretched；　it　seemed　as　if　he　were　tumbling　in　slow　motion。　When　he　stopped；　the　Buick　was　parked　squarely　on　his　left　foot。
　He　lay　there　for　a　full　minute；　bracing　for　agony　that　never　came：　Each　of　the　twenty…six　bones　in　Pedro　Luz's　foot　had　been　pulverized；　yet　the　only　sensation　was　a　mildly　annoying　throb。　Four　thousand　pounds　of　ugly　Detroit　steel　on　his　toes　and　not　even　a　twinge　of　pain。　Incredible；　Pedro　thought；　the　ultimate　result　of　supreme　physical　conditioning！　Or　possibly　the　drugs。
　Apparently　the　driver　had　abandoned　the　Buick　with　the　engine　running。　Steroids　and　all；　Pedro　Luz　could　not　budge　the　sedan　by　himself。　Meanwhile；　the　gunfire　and　crash　had　awakened　other　denizens　of　the　trailer　park；　bulldogs　yapped；　doors　slammed；　babies　wailed；　a　rooster　cackled。　Probably　somebody　had　phoned　the　police。
　Pedro　Luz　probed　at　the　bloody　burrito　that　was　now　his　left　foot；　protruding　beneath　a　Goodyear　white…wall；　and　made　a　fateful　decision。
　What　the　hell；　he　mused。　Long　as　I'm　feeling　no　pain。
　
　Dr。　Richard　Rafferty's　assistant　called　him　at　home　to　say　there　was　an　emergency；　he'd　better　e　right　away。　When　he　arrived　at　the　office；　the　doctor　sourly　observed　a　tow　truck　parked　in　the　handicapped　zone。　Inside　the　examining　room；　a　husky　one…eyed　man　with　a　radio　collar　lay　prone　on　the　steel　table。
　Dr。　Rafferty　said：　〃Is　this　some　kind　of　joke？〃
　The　couple　who　had　brought　the　injured　man　said　he　had　been　shot　at　least　twice。
　〃Then　he's　got　a　big　problem；〃　said　Dr。　Rafferty；　〃because　I'm　a　veterinarian。〃
　The　couple　seemed　to　know　this　already。　〃He　won't　go　to　a　regular　doctor；〃　Joe　Winder　explained。
　Carrie　Lanier　added；　〃We　took　him　to　the　hospital　but　he　refused　to　get　out　of　the　truck。〃
　Dr。　Rafferty's　assistant　pulled　him　aside。　〃I　believe　I　saw　a　gun；〃　he　whispered。
　Skink　opened　his　good　eye　and　turned　toward　the　vet。　〃Richard；　you　remember　me？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure。〃
　〃The　night　that　panther　got　nailed　by　the　liquor　truck。〃
　Dr。　Rafferty　leaned　closer　and　studied　the　face。　〃Lord；　yes；〃　he　said。　〃I　do　remember。〃　It　was　the　same　fellow　who'd　charged　into　the　office　with　a　hundred…pound　wildcat　in　his　bare　arms。　The　doctor　remembered　how　the　dying　panther　had　clawed　bloody　striations　on　the　man's　neck　and　shoulders。
　Skink　sai