ch.nakedcamethemanatee-第10节

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　Britt　tossed　back　her　wavy　hair；　away　from　her　forehead；　she　needed　to　lay　out　a　plan。　The　caffeine　finally　kicked　in；　and　the　hive　on　her　left　arm　began　to　itch。　It　always　itched　when　she　was　deep　into　a　good　story。
　Suddenly；　she　decided　what　to　do。　She　picked　up　the　phone　and　dialed　the　number…a　number　everyone　wanted　and　only　she　possessed。　Just　like　the　man　whose　number　it　was：　Big　Joey　G。；　pudgy　and　bald；　yet　unassailable。　Last　seen　ing　out　of　the　house　of　his　private　masseuse　off　Biscayne　Boulevard。　If　this　was　as　big　as　she　thought　it　was；　he　would　know　something；　she　thought。　And　he　owed　her　one。
　It　only　took　three　international　calls　and　two　beeper　pages　for　him　to　answer　her　on　his　cellular。　He　wouldn't　divulge　much；　yet　she　was　sure　he　knew　more　than　he　let　on。　But　he　did　say　something　that　jolted　her。　There　wasn't　one　canister；　he'd　heard；　there　were　two。　And　Big　People　were　after　them。　He　wouldn't　explain　any　more；　but　he　warned　her　to　be　careful。
　Britt　thought　it　was　just　like　Big　Joey　G。；　always　saying　just　enough；　never　pleting　the　picture。　That　was　his　modus　operandi：　leave　them　curious。
　After　hanging　up；　Britt　immediately　called　Jake。
　〃Lassiter；　this　is　Britt。　I　need　to　see　you　and　Deal　ASAP。〃
　〃Deal　is　out；〃　answered　Lassiter。
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃I　mean　he's　out。　We　won！　The　city　was　afraid　of　a　big　loss；　and　settled　his　suit　for　nine　point　two　million。　Deal　took　the　deal。〃
　〃Did　you　say　nine　million？〃
　〃That's　what　I　said。　Anyway；　he　decided　this　other　thing　was　a　bad　omen…he　doesn't　want　anything　to　do　with　it。　He　left　it　with　me　and　wouldn't　even　tell　me　where　he　was　going。〃
　〃Incredible。　Where　was　his　sense　of　civic　duty？〃　said　Britt。　〃In　any　case；　I　have　news　for　you。　Can　you　e　down　to　the　office？〃
　〃No；　I'm　too　far。　Give　me　thirty　minutes　and　I'll　meet　you　at　the　Fishbone　Grill；　in　the　Grove；〃　said　Lassiter。
　〃I'll　give　you　forty…five。〃
　Britt　hung　up　the　phone；　distraught　and　exhilarated　at　the　same　time。
　Forty…five　minutes　gave　her　just　enough　time　to　stop　at　the　city　morgue　first。　She　had　an　idea。　But　as　she　grabbed　her　purse；　the　phone　rang。
　〃Montero；　Miami　News。〃
　〃Is　this　Miss　Britt　Montero？〃
　〃Yes；　can　I　help　you？〃　answered　Britt　impatiently。
　〃Miss　Montero；　this　is　Fay　Leonard。　You　don't　know　me　well；　but　I　have　something　to　tell　you。　It's　about…a　head。〃
　This　was　getting　to　be　a　busy　night；　Britt　thought。　She　sat　down　to　listen。
　
　7。　THE　LOCK　&　KEY…Evelyn　Mayerson
　Britt　found　Fay　Leonard　in　the　back　of　the　Fishbone　Grill　beside　a　chalkboard　that　announced　Chilean　salmon　as　the　catch　of　the　day。　Except　for　a　few　grizzled　men　with　creased　and　sunburnt　necks　speculating　on　the　depths　to　which　Pat　Riley　would　ream　out　the　Heat；　the　restaurant　was　empty。
　Fay　rapped　her　rugged　nails　on　a　polyurethane　table。　She　and　Britt　knew　each　other　slightly　through　their　pioneer　families。　The　difference　between　them　was　one　of　strata。　While　Fay's　mother　and　father　were　able　to　trace　their　Miami　roots　respectively　to　a　wrecker　who　had　created　his　own　wrecks　by　placing　decoy　lights　and　to　a　carpenter　who　had　fashioned　driftwood　coffins；　Britt's　claim　to　founder　status　was　only　matrilineal。
　〃I　thought　it　would　be　better；〃　said　Fay；　〃if　we　did　this　before　Jake　got　here。　He　plicates　things；　if　you　know　what　I　mean。　It's　all　that　busted　cartilage。　Whenever　he　moves；　he　clicks。　It's　distracting　when　you're　trying　to　have　a　conversation。〃
　Britt　slung　the　wooden　chair　away　from　the　table　and　sat　astride　it。　〃You　sounded　pretty　frantic；　Fay。　What　is　it　you　want　to　tell　me？〃　And　weren't　you　supposed　to　be　kidnapped？　she　thought　to　herself。
　〃My　ex　is　missing。〃
　〃I'd　say　that's　good　news。〃
　Fay　looked　around　her；　then　leaned　across　the　table。　〃This　is　serious；　Britt。　Before　his　disappearance；　Phil　told　me　that　he　was　afraid　that　Cubans　were　ing　after　him。〃
　〃Tell　him　to　stop　renting　leaky　flotilla　boats。〃
　〃It's　nothing　like　that。　Phil　is　afraid　of　Cuban　Cubans。　The　last　time　I　saw　him；　he　was　talking　crazy　about　karate…trained　guys　in　black　shirts　and　some　kind　of　business　deal　gone　sour。　I　know　what　you're　thinking；　it　sounded　crazy　to　me；　too。　Except　that　what　he　did　to　me　was　even　crazier。〃
　The　pieces　of　Fay's　abduction　suddenly　came　together　like　metal　filings　on　a　magnet。　〃Wait　a　minute。　You　mean　it　was　your　ex…husband　who　kidnapped　you？〃
　Fay　leaned　back。　〃How　did　you　find　out　that　I　was　kidnapped？〃　Her　eyes　narrowed。　〃Of　course。　Jake。　I　should　have　figured。　Look；　Britt；　it's　a　long　story。　Let's　just　say　that　I　have　this　head　that　came　out　of　a　canister。　And　it　resembles　Castro。　My　grandmother's　got　it　on　ice；　but　it's　beginning　to　thaw。　She　says　she　saw　another　one　just　like　it；　but　I　don't　know　whether　to　believe　her。　Old　people　get　confused。　On　the　other　hand；　I　retrieved　another　canister　myself。　Whatever　it's　all　about；　it's　big。　Miami　could　lose　half　its　population。　And　dummy　Phil　is　somehow　connected。　I'm　scared。　I'm　scared　for　Phil。〃
　Britt　struggled　to　maintain　a　poker　face；　hoping　that　her　eyebrows　had　not　given　her　away。　Big　Joey　G。　was　right。　There　really　were　two　canisters。　But　that　was　the　least　of　it。　Britt　had　seen　more　gore　and　carnage　than　most　doctors。　She　had　heard　more　startling　confessions　than　most　priests。　But　this　one　had　grabbed　her　right　in　the　throat。　It　was　a　minute　before　she　could　make　herself　say　anything。　She　wanted　it　to　sound　as　hard…boiled　as　possible。
　〃People　usually　want　to　give　me　a　story。　It　looks　like　you're　here　to　get　one。〃
　Fay　bit　open　a　cellophane　package　of　oyster　crackers。　〃I　can　scuba…dive　to　three　hundred　feet；　Britt；　but　I'm　over　my　head　with　this。　I　didn't　know　who　else　to　talk　to。　I　thought　of　the　cops；　except　with　Phil's　rap　sheet；　they'll　drag　their　feet　and　that　could　get　him　killed。　And　it　all　sounds　so　bizarre。〃
　〃Can　you　trust　your　grandmother　not　to　talk？〃
　〃My　grandmother　is　very　closemouthed。　She's　kept　more　secrets　about　Miami　than　a　scow　has　barnacles。〃
　〃Exactly　how　do　I　e　into　this　picture？〃
　〃You're　on　the　street；　Britt。　And　Jake　trusts　you。　I　was　hoping　you　would　know　what　to　do。〃
　Britt　knew　only　that　the　safest　course　was　to　play　it　out；　see　where　it　led；　treat　the　whole　scary　series　of　events　as　a　developing　story。　She　collected　her　facts。　Joey　G。　had　also　said　there　were　two　canisters。　Britt　had　seen　a　head　herself。　Was　it　the　same　head；　or　were　there　two？
　The　evening　was　warm。　Britt　rolled　the　sleeves　of　her　T…shirt；　revealing　slender　yet　well…muscled　arms。　〃And　a　manatee　found　it；　right？〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Fay。　〃Sort　of　a　pet。　We　call　him　Booger。　Poor　guy　got　tangled　up　in　it。　He's　always　into　one　jam　or　another。　The　way　we　met；　Booger　swam　west　through　a　canal　and　got　trapped　in　the　Everglades。　My　grandmother　strong…armed　the　water　management　people　to　slow　the　current　of　the　canal。　That's　how　he　was　able　to　retrace　his　swim　back　into　Biscayne　Bay。〃　She　paused。　〃Britt；　how　could　there　be　two　heads　of　Castro？〃
　〃Two　heads　that　look　like　Castro；〃　Britt　corrected。　〃Castro　has　at　least　two　doubles。〃
　Fay　removed　the　rubber　band　from　her　ponytail　and　shook　her　hair　free。　〃If　you　were　going　to　kill　Castro；　why　would　you　need　to　kill　his　double？〃
　〃Maybe　you　didn't　want　his　double　to　capitalize　on　his　death。〃
　〃And；〃　said　Fay；　〃why　preserve　the　heads　in　canisters？〃
　Britt　shrugged；　then　stood　and　slung　her　purse　over　her　shoulder。　〃Actually；　when　you　called　I　was　on　my　way　to　the　morgue　to　see　if　there　were　any　headless　bodies。〃
　〃You　think　。。。　〃
　〃I　don't　know　what　I　think。　Follow　me　in　your　car。　It's　easy　to　find；　One　Bob　Hope　Road。　You　can't　miss　it。〃
　Britt　turned　to　the　blackboard；　picked　up　a　piece　of　chalk；　and　beneath　the　catch　of　the　day　wrote：　〃JAKE；　MEET　US　AT　THE　MORGUE。　TRY　NOT　TO　THROW　UP　LIKE　YOU　DID　LAST　TIME。〃
　
　Jimmy's　Bronx　Cafe　was　packed　to　the　gills　and　rocking。　Fidel　Castro　sat　at　the　head　table；　threw　up　his　hands　and　smiled。　〃Life　changes；〃　he　said；　and　the　crowd　roared。
　When　it　was　over；　his　aides　whisked　him　away　to　a　stretch。　He　waved　as　the　car　pulled　out。　〃I　love　these　people；〃　he　said。　〃Fat　cats　snubbed　me；　true。　But　I　took　my　case　to　the　people。　Angela　Davis；　Danny　Glover；　Mortimer　Zuckerman；　Ramsey　Clark；　Spike　Lee；　they　can't　all　be　wrong。〃
　〃And　that　lawyer　woman。　Don't　forget　her；〃　said　the　aide　beside　him。
　〃Is　she　still　here？〃
　〃We　can't　get　her　to　leave。〃
　〃Charm　can　be　a　burden。　What　about　the　other　matter？〃
　〃There　are　difficulties；　Jefe。　The　cargo　is　missing。〃
　〃Missing？　You　mean　like　Che's　hands？〃
　〃Something　like　that。〃
　〃Don't　talk　missing！　Don't　use　that　word。　It's　been　thirty　years　since　Che　was　captured　and　killed。　I　will　never　forget　the　photograph　of　that　beautiful；　restless　Argentine；　the　bloody　desecrated　stumps　of　his　hands。〃
　The　aide　felt　sweat　running　down　his　shirt。　〃The　situation　of　the　misdirected　items　is　temporary；　Fidel。　Let　me　assure　you　that　we　expect　immediate　retrieval。〃
　〃Must　I　do　everything　myself？〃　Fidel　pounded　his　chest　with　a　sharp　rap。　It　hurt。　He　reminded　himself　of　what　the　doctor　had　said；　that　now　that　he　was　close　to　seventy；　chest　pounding　could　lead　to　arrhythmia。　Life　changes；　he　thought。
　He　remembered　that　The　New　York　Times　had　called