ch.nakedcamethemanatee-第21节

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k　woman　approaching　in　her　plastic　coveralls；　hip…hop　ing　out　of　the　jam　box　she　was　carrying。
　〃Joe　Sereno；　security　officer。〃
　〃Serene；　yeah；〃　Marlis　said；　〃that's　a　cool　name；　Joe；〃　her　body　doing　subtle；　funky　things　like　it　was　plugged　into　the　beat。　She　said　to　Franklin；　〃Diggable　Planets　doing　'Rebirth　of　Slick。'　'It's　cool　like　dat。'　〃
　〃　'It's　chill　like　dat；'　〃　Franklin　said。　〃Yeah；　'it's　chill　like　dat。'　〃
　Franklin　bopping　now；　going　back　into　the　room。
　Joe　followed　him　in；　stopped　dead　at　the　sight；　and　said；　〃Oh；　my　God；〃　at　the　spectacle　of　blood：　on　the　carpet；　on　two　walls；　part　of　the　ceiling；　a　trail　of　blood　going　from　this　room　into　the　bathroom。　Joe　looked　in　there　and　said　it　again；　with　feeling；　〃Oh；　my　God。〃
　〃Like　they　was　skinnin'　game　in　here；〃　Franklin　said。　〃Shotgun　done　one　of　them　at　close　range。　The　other　one；　nine…millimeter　pistol；　they　believe。　Man　got　shot　four　times　through　and　through…see　the　holes　in　the　wall　there？　They　dug　out　the　bullets。　Made　it　to　the　bathroom；　got　three　more　pumped　into　him　and　bled　out　in　the　shower。　Thank　you；　Jesus。　We　still　have　to　clean　it；　though；　with　the　green　stuff；　get　in　between　the　tiles　with　a　toothbrush。　We　thankful　the　man　came　in　here；　didn't　go　flop　on　the　bed　to　expire。〃
　Joe　said；　〃Man；　the　smell。〃
　〃Yeah；　it's　what　your　insides　get　like　exposed　to　the　air　too　long；　you　know　what　I'm　saying？　Your　viscera；　it's　called。　It　ain't　too　bad　yet。　But　if　you　gonna　stay　in　here　and　watch；〃　Franklin　said；　〃better　breathe　through　your　mouth。〃
　Joe　said；　〃I　think　I'll　step　out　to　the　patio　for　a　minute。〃
　
　The　two　secretaries　from　Dayton；　Ohio；　their　bra　straps　hanging　loose；　were　out　by　the　pool　already；　this　early　in　the　morning；　to　catch　some　rays；　working　at　it；　not　wasting　a　minute　of　their　vacation。　Joe　took　a　few　deep　breaths；　inhaling　the　morning　air　to　get　that　smell　out　of　his　nose。　On　the　other　side　of　the　pool；　still　in　shade；　a　guy　sat　in　a　plastic　patio　chair　smoking　a　cigar　as　he　watched　the　girls。　Guy　in　his　sixties…he'd　be　tall　with　a　heavy　frame；　his　body　hadn't　seen　much　sun；　but　his　face　was　weathered。　Joe　believed　the　guy　was　wearing　a　rug。　Black　hair　that　had　belonged　to　a　Korean　woman　at　one　time。　A　retired　wigmaker　had　told　him　they　used　a　lot　of　Korean　hair。　This　one　looked　too　dark　for　a　guy　in　his　sixties。　Joe　had　never　noticed　the　guy　before…he　must've　checked　in　yesterday　or　last　night…but　for　some　reason　he　looked　familiar。　Joe　went　back　in　the　unit；　ducked　into　the　bedroom　and　picked　up　the　phone。
　〃Sereno；　security。　Who's　in　one…twenty？〃　The　day　guy's　voice　said；　〃Why　do　you　want　to　know？〃　I'm　doing　something　wrong；　Joe　thought。　I'm　failing　to　municate。　〃Listen；　it's　important。　The　guy；　there's　something　about　him　isn't　right。〃　'　〃Like　what？〃
　〃I　think　he's　using　the　Odyssey　as　a　hideout。〃　〃Is　this　the　guy　with　the　Steven　Seagal　hairpiece？〃　〃You　got　it。〃　〃Just　a　minute。〃　The　twink　was　gone　at　least　five　minutes　while　Joe　waited；　trying　to　breathe　through　his　mouth。　Finally　he　came　back　on。
　〃His　name's　Garcia。〃
　Franklin　was　working　on　the　ceiling　with　a　sponge　mop；　he　would　e　down　off　his　metal　ladder　and　squeeze　into　a　pail；　then　take　the　pail　into　the　bathroom　and　dump　it　in　the　toilet。　Marlis　was　scrubbing　a　wall　with　what　looked　like　a　big　scouring　pad；　moving　in　time　to　the　beat　ing　from　the　jam　box；　kind　of　spastic；　Joe　thought；　but　sexy　all　the　same。
　The　two　looked　like　they　were　dressed　up　in　moon　suits　they'd　made　for　Halloween：　the　white　plastic　coveralls；　goggles；　respiratory　masks；　covered　head　to　toe。　The　smell　of　the　chemicals　they　were　using　was　even　stronger　now　than　the　other　smell。　Joe　got　a　whiff　and　started　coughing　as　he　asked　Marlis　what　it　was　they　cleaned　with。
　She　said；　〃The　green　stuff　for　a　lot　of　heavy；　dried　blood；　the　pink　stuff　when　it　isn't　too　old　and　hard　to　get　off。〃
　〃Girl；〃　Franklin　said；　〃your　head　keeps　touching　the　wall　and　I　see　some　hair　sticking　out。〃
　〃I'll　fix　it　in　a　minute。〃
　Marlis　had　on　rubber　gloves　that　came　up　her　arms。　She　said　to　Joe　Sereno；　〃See　these　little　specks　here　in　the　wall？　They　from　the　man's　skull；　little　tiny　fragments　of　bone。　Sometime　I　have　to　use　pliers　to　pull　them　out。　This　dark　stuff　is　the　dude's　hair。　See　these　other　holes？　They　from　the　shotgun。〃　She　funked　around；　doing　steps　to　the　music　as　she　said　to　Franklin；　〃Coolio；　for　your　pleasure。〃
　Franklin　listened　and　said；　〃Ain't　Coolio。〃　Listened　some　more；　said；　〃You　got　your　Cools　confused。　It's　LL　Cool　J；　no　other；　'cause　that's　'Hey　Lover。'　〃　He　paused；　looking　past　Marlis　to　a　framed　print　on　the　wall。　〃Girl；　is　that　like　modern　art　on　there　or　something　else？〃
　Marlis　went　up　to　the　picture　for　a　close　look　and　said；　〃It's　something　else。〃
　Joe　looked　at　it　and　said；　〃Oh；　my　God。〃
　He　watched　Marlis　remove　the　print　and　drop　it　into　a　red　bag。　〃Ain't　worth　cleaning。　Anything　has　body　fluids；　tissue；　poo…poo；　you　know；　anything　biohazardous；　goes　in　these　bags。　We　give　them　to　a　pany　takes　care　of　medical　waste　to　get　rid　of。〃
　〃You　missed　a　speck　there；〃　Franklin　said；　pointing　at　the　wall。
　〃I'm　still　working　on　it；　baby。〃　Lowering　her　voice；　she　said　to　Joe；　〃He　don't　like　to　see　me　talking　to　other　men。〃
　〃Are　you　and　him　married？〃
　〃You'd　think　so　to　hear　him。〃
　〃I　was　wondering；　is　there　any　money　in　cleanup　work？　You　don't　mind　my　asking。〃
　〃We　quoted　this　job　at　fifteen　hundred。　Hey；　how　many　people　can　you　find　to　do　it？　Another　reason　it's　a　good　business；　recessions　don't　bother　it　none。　This　one　here　looks　worse'n　it　is。　Doesn't　smell　too　bad。　You　work　where　a　body's　been　deposing　awhile；　now　you　talking　about　smell。　Like　old　roadkill　up　close？　You　go　home　and　take　a　shower；　you　have　to　wash　out　your　nostrils　good。　The　smell　like　sticks　to　the　hairs　in　your　nose。〃
　〃What's　the　worst　one　you　ever　had　to　clean　up？〃
　〃The　worst　one。　Hmmmm。〃　She　said；　〃You　mean　the　very　worst　one？　Like　an　advanced　state　of　dep　has　set　in？　The　body's　in　a　dark；　damp　place　and　dung　beetles　have　found　it？〃
　Franklin　said；　〃Girl？〃
　〃I'm　ing；〃　Marlis　said。　She　got　a　scraper；　like　a　big　putty　knife；　from　a　box　of　tools　and　went　back　to　work。　She　said　to　Joe；　〃It　dries　on　here　it's　hard　to　get　off。〃
　〃What　is　that？〃
　She　was　scraping　at　something　crusted　on　there。　〃Little　piece　of　what　the　dude　used　to　use　to　think　with。　His　brain；　honey。　He　maybe　should've　thought　better　about　ing　here；　huh？　Two　dudes　die　and　nobody　even　knows　who　they　are。　Least　it's　what　I　heard。〃　She　looked　over　at　Joe　Sereno　standing　by　the　closet　door；　staring　at　the　knob。　〃Don't　touch　that；　baby。〃
　〃It　looks　like　candle　wax；〃　Joe　said；　〃but　I　don't　see　any　candles　in　the　room。〃
　〃It　ain't　wax；〃　Marlis　said；　〃it's　some　more　the　dude's　gray　matter。　Gets　waxy　like　that　outside　the　head。　See　how　the　wood's　splintered　right　above　it？　That's　from　skull　fragments　shot　in　there。　This　one　dude；　I　swear；　is　all　over　the　room。〃
　〃You　just　do　murders？〃
　〃Homicides；　suicides；　and　depositions。〃
　〃How　about　animals？〃
　〃Once　in　a　while。　We　cleaned　up　after　a　woman　poisoned　her　dogs；　fifteen　of　'em　she　couldn't　feed　no　more。　It　smelled　worse'n　a　dead　manatee　laying　in　the　sun　too　long。〃
　Joe　perked　up。　〃There's　a　manatee　over　on　the　bay　was　shot。　You　hear　about　it？〃
　Joe　thought　he　saw　a　look　pass　between　Marlis　and　Franklin　on　the　ladder　as　she　said　no；　she　didn't　think　so。　〃A　pretty　friendly　creature；〃　Joe　said；　〃used　to　play　with　that　old　woman　who　was　killed。　Marion　something？〃
　〃McAlister　Williams；〃　Marlis　said。　〃Yeah；　I've　heard　of　her。　Hundred　and　two　years　old　and　still　swimmin'　in　the　bay。〃
　Joe；　said；　〃And　there　was　that　guy　tried　to　jump　the　drawbridge　and　didn't　make　it。〃
　〃Name　was　Victor；〃　Franklin　said；　down　from　the　ladder；　heading　for　the　John　with　his　pail。　〃Actually　was　a　scuba　tank　I　understand　flew　out　of　a　truck；　hit　the　man's　car　and　blew　him　up。　Totaled　'em　both。　Yeah；　we　heard　about　that。　'Cool　like　dat。'　〃　He　said；　〃So…Lo　Jam；〃　and　right　away　said；　〃I　take　that　back。〃
　〃You　better；〃　Marlis　said。
　〃That's　from　Cold　Chillin'；　so　it　has　to　be　Kool　G。　Rap。　Yeah。〃
　Joe　had　to　wait；　not　having　any　idea　what　they　were　talking　about；　before　saying；　〃How　about　that　disaster　at　Club　Hell？　I　was　working　there　that　night。　It　was　horrible。〃
　〃Nobody　had　to　clean　that　one　up；〃　Franklin　said；　ing　out　of　the　John；　〃the　sharks　took　care　of　it。〃
　〃e　here　for　a　minute；　will　you？〃　Joe　motioned　them　over　to　the　sliding　glass　door　that　led　to　the　patio。
　〃See　that　guy　sitting　by　the　pool？　Over　on　the　other　side。　Who　does　he　look　like？〃
　〃I　can't　see　him　good；〃　Franklin　said。
　〃Take　your　goggles　off。〃
　Franklin　squinted　now；　eyes　uncovered。　He　said；　〃I　don't　know。　Who？〃
　Marlis　came　over　and　right　away　said；　〃The　dude　with　the　cigar？　He　looks　like　Castro。　Either　Castro　or　that　dude　goes　around　thinking　he　looks　like　Castro。　You　know　what　I'm　saying？　Mickey　Something…or…other's　his　name。　Yeah；　Mickey　Schwartz。〃
　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　Franklin　said；　still　squinting。　〃What　Castro　you　talking　about？〃
　〃Castro；　the　one　from　Cuba。〃
　〃They　all　from　Cuba。〃
　〃What's　his　name…Fidel；〃　Marlis　said。　〃Fidel　Castro；　Shaved　off　his　beard。〃　She　paused　and　hunch