ch.nakedcamethemanatee-第25节

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　No　one　was　less　surprised　than　Lilia　when　Reyes's　DNA　expert　matched　with　。9999995　certainty　the　hair　from　Lilia's　cigar　box　with　the　severed　head　in　the　red　Gott　cooler。　Her　secret　glee　at　fooling　the　munchkin…sized　millionaire　was　tempered　by　a　pang　of　wistfulness；　for　of　all　the　Castro　doubles　Lilia　had　slept　with；　Jose　Paz…Gutierrez　had　been　the　best…the　one　whose　embrace　most　reminded　her　of　Fidelito　himself；　the　one　whose　earlobe　she　had　once　chomped　off　in　ecstasy；　just　as　she　had　Fidel's。
　In　fact；　though　Lilia　wouldn't　dare　confess　it；　Jose　Paz…Gutierrez　definitely　had　Castro　beat　in　one　department；　lovemaking…wise。　The　ardent　Jose　had　a　much　longer　。。。　attention　span；　if　you　will。　Lilia　wondered　if　that's　what　had　gotten　him　killed；　as　Castro's　jealous　streak　was　well　known。
　So　she　had　mixed　feelings　on　this　special　Friday　morning。　Oh；　she　was　glad　to　be　back　in　Havana；　holding　Fidel's　hand　as　a　fussy　gringo　tried　to　restore　the　illusion　of　vitality…gluing　on　the　frizzy　beard；　aligning　a　new　toupee；　ruddying　the　cheeks；　powdering　the　shadows　around　the　hollowing　eyes。
　Still；　Lilia　took　no　joy　in　knowing　that　across　the　Florida　Straits；　the　head　of　poor　Jose　Paz…Gutierrez　soon　would　be　boorishly　displayed　for　all　to　see；　like　a　taxidermied　fish。　Oh　well；　Lilia　thought；　it's　all　for　the　cause。
　As　she　stroked　Fidel's　arm；　hairless　from　chemotherapy；　she　observed　a　pale　stripe　on　his　wrist。
　〃Where　is　your　watch？〃　she　asked。
　〃Miami；〃　Castro　said　sullenly。
　〃What　happened？〃
　〃I　got　mugged；〃　he　said；　grimacing　at　the　memory；　〃by　a　Marielito。　Go　ahead　and　laugh。〃
　〃I'm　not　laughing。〃　Lilia　turned；　covered　her　mouth。　〃Honestly；　Fidel；　I'm　not。〃
　
　The　massive　televised　rally　arranged　at　Miami's　Torch　of　Friendship　by　Juan　Carlos　Reyes　was　not　seen　by：
　？　Britt　Montero　and　Fay　Leonard；　who　were　sharing　bare　cinder…block　quarters　at　the　South　Bimini　airfield；　under　the　supervision　of　an　armed　Bahamas　customs　officer；
　？　Mickey　Schwartz；　who　was　gambling　away　his　ten…thousand…dollar　payday　on　Paradise　Island；　where　none　of　the　cute　croupiers　seemed　remotedly　amused　by　his　stand…up　impression　of　Howard　Stern；
　？　Jake　Lassiter；　who　was　in　a　Flagler　Street　hot　tub　with　the　lukewarm　ex…wife　of　his　ex…client　John　Deal；
　？　John　Deal；　who　was　on　Bird　Road　shopping　for　a　red　Testarossa　to　go　with　his　black　Bentley　convertible；
　？　Marlis　and　Franklin；　who　were　literally　mopping　up　after　a　fatal　cocaine　dispute　at　a　FEMA　trailer　court　in　Homestead；
　？　Joe　Sereno；　who　was　thanking　a　police　review　board　for　reinstating　him；　and　promising　to　be　more　careful　when　arresting　incontinent　tourists；
　？　and　Jimmy　Carter；　who　was　in　Havana　for　a　rare　public　appearance　and　historic　announcement　by　Fidel　Castro。
　So　absorbed　in　the　pomp　of　his　〃preinauguration〃　was　Juan　Carlos　Reyes　that　he　remained　unaware　of　events　unfolding　simultaneously　in　Cuba；　unaware　he　was　about　to　share　a　TV　screen　five　stories　high　with　the　same　man　whose　severed　noggin　he　intended　to　unveil；　unaware　that　local　television　stations　were　already　receiving　a　live　satellite　feed　from　the　presidential　palace　in　Havana。
　So　that　at　the　climactic　moment　when　Juan　Carlos　Reyes　victoriously　hoisted　a　bearded　head　for　all　America　to　see；　a　very　similar　but　undead　head　emerged　on　a　sun…bleached　balcony　in　Cuba。　There　the　real　Castro　announced　a　liberal　new　human　rights　policy　that　freed　every　political　prisoner；　including　（not　coincidentally）　two　of　Lilia　Sands's　nephews。
　In　Miami；　the　cheers　at　the　Torch　of　Friendship　ebbed　into　a　confused　mass　murmuring　as　the　crowd　struggled　to　understand　what　they　were　seeing　on　the　huge　split　screen。　On　one　side　was　Reyes；　waving　the　goggle…eyed　head　and　proclaiming　himself　the　harbinger　of　a　new　democracy　in　Cuba。　On　the　other　side；　flanked　by　former　president　Carter；　was　a　person　who　looked　very　much　like　Castro；　and　very　much　like　he　was　still　breathing。
　Juan　Carlos　Reyes　sensed　the　audience　was　no　longer　enthralled　by　his　oratory。　He　spun　around　and　saw　what　they　saw　on　the　giant　TV　screen。
　〃Noooooo！〃　The　millionaire　wheeled；　bellowing　into　the　thicket　of　microphones。　〃It's　a　trick！　Can't　you　see；　here　is　Castro！〃　He　shook　the　head　like　a　tambourine。　〃I　can　prove　it；　I　can　prove　this　is　Fidel's　head！〃
　Reyes　was　handicapped　by　the　fact　that；　despite　his　wealth　and　power；　he　was　not　very　popular　in　the　exile　munity。　For　many　years；　Cuban…Americans　had　endured　his　grandiose　promises；　vituperative　politics；　and　heavy…handed　fund…raising　tactics。　Now　this：　a　phony　Castro　head！　It　was　too　much。
　Members　of　the　crowd　registered　their　scorn　by　hurling　rocks；　bottles；　and　ripe　coconuts　at　Juan　Carlos　Reyes；　who　fled　the　stage　at　a　dead　run。　He　showed　fair　speed　for　a　short…legged　fellow；　but　the　mob　chasing　him　through　Bayfront　Park　was　fueled　by　outrage。　When　Reyes　reached　the　seawall；　he　hesitated　only　briefly　before　diving　into　Biscayne　Bay。　The　bearded　head　went　with　him。
　
　While　Booger　didn't　know　much；　he　did　know　where　human　idiots　liked　to　run　their　speedboats。　From　traumatic　experience　he'd　learned　to　remain　submerged　in　the　busiest　lanes　of　the　bay；　especially　the　waters　between　Dodge　Island　and　Bayfront　Park。
　Thus　Booger　and　his　new　female　friend；　having　taken　a　prodigious　breath；　were　safely　coasting　across　the　bottom　when　the　yellow　Donzi　full　of　would…be　playboys　roared　out　of　Bayside　Marketplace。　The　boat　swung　south　at　the　ridiculous　speed　of　fifty…eight　knots。　At　its　helm　was　a　seventeen…year…old　trust　fund　troglodyte；　culturally　intoxicated　by　his　first　visit　to　Hooter's。
　Reflexively；　Booger　glanced　upward　at　the　approaching　growl　of　the　Donzi。　Fifteen　feet　above　him；　haplessly　flailing　into　the　boat's　path；　was　a　man　in　a　business　suit。　One　of　his　hands　clutched　something　round　and　mossy…looking；　though　it　definitely　wasn't　a　head　of　lettuce。
　The　Booger　of　forty…eight　hours　before…the　febrile；　erratic　Booger　with　Flipperian　fantasies…might　have　been　reminded　of　poor　old　Marion；　might　have　shot　upward　to　rescue　this　wallowing　specimen　from　the　deadly　propellers　that　had　claimed　so　many　of　Booger　's　dearest　manatee　panions。
　But　the　new　Booger　knew　better。　The　notion　of　playing　hero　never　entered　his　unconvoluted　brain；　which　at　the　moment　was　singularly　focused　on　procreation。　Thirteen　hundred　pounds　of　saucy　sea　cow　nooky　had　paddled　into　Booger's　life；　and　he　was　serene　beyond　distraction。
　So　he　dismissed　the　human　motion　on　the　surface　of　the　bay；　lowered　his　shoe　button　eyes　and　swam　onward；　nudging　and　nuzzling　his　slippery　new　mate。　Booger　might　have　flinched　slightly　at　the　familiar　thud　of　the　impact　above；　the　sickening　whine　of　cavitating　props；　but　he　didn't　look　up　a　second　time。
　Every　mammal　for　himself。