ch.nakedcamethemanatee-第5节

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　Now　Deal　told　him　everything。　The　traffic　jam　that　turned　into　bedlam　in　Coconut　Grove；　then　wheeling　the　Hog　down　a　side　street；　the　specterlike　vision　of　the　man　draped　in　the　shrimp　net；　then　the　plunge　and　crunching　descent　into　the　black；　brackish　water。　By　the　time　he　told　about　the　manatee；　the　old　woman；　and　the　box；　it　was　a　three…beer　story。
　〃What　should　we　do；　Jake？〃　Deal　asked；　finally。
　〃Shula　would　go　with　the　play…action　fake；　get　the　corner　to　bite；　then　throw　deep。　But　me；　I　just　buckle　up　the　chin　strap；　lower　the　head；　and　slog　straight　ahead。〃
　〃What　the　hell's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　〃Watch。〃
　Lassiter　stood　and　headed　to　the　guy's　table；　carrying　a　fresh　Grolsch；　a　sixteen…ouncer　with　the　porcelain　stopper。　〃Hey；　buddy；　I　wonder　if　you　would　move。〃
　The　guy　glared　at　him　and　looked　around。　There　were　no　empty　tables。　〃Move？　Where？〃
　〃Hialeah；　Sopchoppy；　I　don't　care。　You're　crowding　my　friend。〃
　The　guy　stood　up；　barely　reaching　Lassiter's　shoulders。　He　had　the　thick　neck　and　sloping　shoulders　of　a　bodybuilder。　A　tattoo　of　a　scorpion　was　visible　on　his　right　forearm。　〃My　name　is　Hector；〃　he　said；　without　smiling；　〃and　your　friend　has　something　I　want　very　much。〃
　〃What；　a　personality？〃
　At　the　next　table；　one　of　the　Yuppie　lawyers　was　boasting　about　tossing　out　a　paraplegic's　lawsuit　because　the　statute　of　limitations　had　expired。
　〃Your　thieving　friend　stole　something　from　me；〃　Hector　said　angrily。
　〃Yeah；　well；　under　the　law　of　the　sea；　the　Treaty　of　Versailles；　and　the　doctrine　of　finders　keepers；　what　he　found　belongs　to　him。〃
　Hector　grinned；　but　there　was　no　humor　in　it。　〃No；　cabron；　it　belongs　to　me。〃
　〃Look；　Hector；　I'm　going　to　count　to　ten；　and　when　I　get　there；　you're　gone。　One　。。。　two　。。。　three　。。。　C'mon；　make　yourself　scarce。　Cuatro　。。。　cinco　。。。　seis　。。。　Hey；　Hector；　vete！　Seven　。。。　eight　。。。　nine　。。。　〃
　Suddenly；　Hector　slammed　a　size　10…EEE　cowboy　boot　on　Lassiter's　instep。　The　pain　shot　through　his　ankle　and　radiated　up　his　leg。　Before　Lassiter　could　recover；　Hector　threw　a　short　right　back；　sinking　it　deep　into　his　gut。　The　lawyer　doubled　over；　retched；　and　an　explosion　of　grilled　dolphin；　coleslaw；　and　beer　showered　the　Yuppie　lawyers。
　Deal　got　painfully　to　his　feet　and　hobbled　over；　but　Hector　was　already　halfway　to　the　dock；　where　a　Boston　Whaler　sat　idling；　a　young　man　at　the　wheel。　Hector　leapt　into　the　boat；　which　took　off；　engine　roaring　in　the　no…wake　zone。
　Deal　knelt　down　next　to　Lassiter；　who　was　on　one　knee。　〃You　look　worse　than　I　do；　counselor。〃
　〃On　the　other　hand；〃　Lassiter　said；　wheezing；　〃there　is　something　to　be　said　for　the　play…action　fake。〃
　
　The　moonlight　streaked　across　the　dark　water；　a　highway　reaching　toward　the　horizon。　A　light　breeze　blew　from　the　southeast；　and　the　dive　boat　rocked　gently　at　anchor。　The　twinkling　lights　of　Key　Biscayne　condos　were　visible　to　the　west。　Jake　Lassiter　sat　in　the　captain's　chair；　his　bandaged　foot　resting　inside　an　open　cooler　filled　with　beer　and　ice。　John　Deal　removed　his　cervical　collar　and　kneaded　the　muscles　of　his　aching　neck；　then　popped　three　Advil。　It　had　been　a　long　day。
　〃I　can't　believe　you　didn't　even　open　it；〃　Lassiter　said。
　〃The　old　woman　told　me　not　to；　said　I'd　be　better　off　just　to　get　rid　of　it。〃
　〃It　could　be　jewels；　drugs。〃
　〃Ebola　virus；〃　Deal　added。
　Lassiter　shook　his　head。　〃No。　It's　gotta　be　something　valuable。　Why　else　would　Hector　want　it　so　much？〃
　Deal　shrugged　and　looked　over　the　rail　into　the　water。　Seventy　feet　below；　a　Boeing　727　sat　on　the　sandy　bottom；　an　artificial　reef　for　the　fishermen　and　divers。　〃If　the　storms　last　month　haven't　stirred　up　everything；　we'll　know　soon　enough。〃　In　the　dark　water　below；　a　light　was　growing　brighter。　〃Can　you　trust　her？〃　Deal　asked。
　〃I've　known　Fay　Leonard　since　she　was　a　kid　catching　lobsters　bare…handed　off　Islamorada。　She's　a　good　diver　and　a　good　friend。〃
　〃So　the　two　of　you　aren't　。。。　〃
　He　let　it　hang　there。
　〃Ancient　history；　John。　Ancient　history。〃
　There　was　a　splash；　and　suddenly　Fay　was　behind　the　boat。　She　spit　out　the　regulator　and　slid　her　face　mask　on　top　of　her　head；　and　once　again　Deal　had　the　powerful　sense　that　he　knew　her　from　somewhere。　It　had　been　itching　at　him　since　they'd　first　met；　but　。。。　well；　it'd　e　to　him。　With　her　free　hand；　she　slung　a　net　onto　the　dive　platform。　Inside　the　net　was　a　round　metal　canister　wrapped　in　plastic。　Lassiter　hobbled　toward　the　stern；　his　foot　throbbing；　and　Deal　walked　stiffly　to　meet　him。　Fay　came　halfway　up　the　dive　ladder。　〃It　was　just　where　you　said　it　would　be；　John；　in　three　feet　of　sand　just　under　the　cockpit。〃
　Fay　pulled　herself　onto　the　dive　platform；　removed　her　tank；　mask　and　flippers；　then；　without　a　word；　peeled　off　her　one…piece　suit。　She　was　a　lithe；　tanned；　athletic　woman　in　her　early　thirties；　with　sun…bleached　hair　tied　back　in　a　ponytail。　〃Jake；　I'm　going　to　take　a　swim；〃　Fay　said。　〃The　water's　beautiful。〃
　〃Don't　you　want　to　see　what's…〃
　〃No；　you　boys　play　treasure　salvors。　There's　a　big　old　manatee　out　there　who　wants　some　pany。　Just　yell　when　you　want　to　head　back　in。〃
　She　slipped　gracefully　into　the　water；　the　moonlight　reflecting　off　her　long　limbs　as　she　swam　into　the　darkness。　〃I　must　be　getting　old；〃　Lassiter　said；　〃　'cause　I'd　rather　see　what's　in　that　box　than　go　skinny…dipping　with　Fay　Leonard。〃
　〃As　I　recall；　she　didn't　exactly　invite　you。〃
　〃Sure　she　did；　John；　in　a　woman's　roundabout　way。〃
　〃The　way　I　heard　it；　she'd　rather　swim　naked　with　a　manatee。〃
　Lassiter　thought　about　it　a　moment　and　said；　〃Fay　was　always　partial　to　linemen。〃
　〃C'mon；〃　Deal　said。　〃Let's　do　it。〃
　They　huddled　over　their　prize；；　Deal　unwrapping　the　plastic；　Lassiter　holding　a　flashlight。　It　took　less　than　a　minute。　Underneath　the　plastic；　a　shiny　steel　canister　the　size　of　a　hatbox。　A　wheel　lock　secured　a　door　built　into　the　top。　Deal　strained　to　turn　the　wheel　counterclockwise。　〃It's　stuck；〃　he　said；　his　face　reddening。
　Together　they　pulled；　and　after　a　moment；　the　wheel　turned　and　the　small　door　opened　with　a　whoosh。　Inside；　a　circle　of　tiny　green　lights　immediately　flashed　red；　and　a　blast　of　frigid　air　escaped。　In　the　center　of　the　lights；　a　second　door　with　a　simple　slide　latch　led　to　another　partment。
　〃Well；　counselor；　here　goes；〃　Deal　said。
　They　both　held　their　breath。　They　were　unaware　of　Fay　Leonard　swimming　fifty　yards　away　in　the　darkness；　the　giant　manatee　Booger　alongside。　They　were　unaware　of　the　Boston　Whaler　with　two　men　aboard；　anchored　directly　in　Fay's　path。　They　were　unaware　of　anything　and　everything　in　the　whole　wide　world　and　the　deep　blue　sea；　except　what　treasure　might　rest　in　front　of　them。
　Deal　slid　the　latch　and　opened　the　interior　door　as　Lassiter　shone　the　flashlight　inside。
　〃Uh…oh；〃　Lassiter　said。
　〃Oh　Lord；〃　Deal　said。
　Lassiter　exhaled　a　tense　breath。　〃Turn　it　over。〃
　〃No；　you。〃
　〃C'mon。　It's　not　alive。〃
　〃You're　the　ambulance　chaser；　Jake。　You've　seen　stuff　like　this　before。〃
　〃No　I　haven't。〃
　Wincing；　Lassiter　reached　into　the　partment　and　grabbed　the　human　head　by　its　thick；　graying　hair。　〃It's　cold；〃　Lassiter　said。　〃Like　it's　being　preserved。〃
　He　turned　the　head　over；　faceup；　then　dropped　it　back　into　the　canister。
　And　there　it　was。
　Bushy　beard　and　all。
　Staring　at　them　with　wide…open　eyes；　a　startled　look　on　that　familiar　face。
　The　face　of　Fidel　Castro。
　
　4。　THE　L。A。　CONNECTION…Edna　Buchanan
　Moments　earlier；　Britt　Montero　had　been　hungry　and　feverish；　battling　deadlines　and　the　blues；　yearning　to　go　home；　desperate　and　exhausted；　her　brain　an　overloaded　puter　about　to　crash。　But　she　never　could　resist　a　ringing　telephone。　And　Jake　Lassiter　knew　exactly　what　to　say。
　〃Have　I　got　a　story　for　you！〃
　She　felt　the　adrenaline　pump　and　her　brain　cells　kick　back　into　life。　Her　blood　began　to　tingle。　She　loved　to　hear　those　words；　but　still；　she　reacted　with　caution。
　〃Have　you　been　drinking；　Jake？〃
　〃Hell；　yeah；〃　he　said。　〃You　would　be　too。　I've　got　John　Deal　here　。。。　〃
　She　pinched　the　bridge　of　her　upturned　nose　and　tried　to　ignore　the　distant　drumbeat　of　an　impending　headache。　〃Isn't　he　the　one　that　wrecked　that　entire　showroom　full　of　exotic　cars　。。。　？〃
　〃Yep；　that's　him；　he's　a　client　of　mine。〃
　It　did　not　surprise　Britt　that　John　Deal　needed　a　lawyer。
　〃Did　your　jury　just　e　in？〃
　〃No　。。。　〃
　〃Then　call　me　tomorrow。〃
　〃This　isn't　about　him；　not　directly　anyway。〃　Jake　lowered　his　deep　voice　for　dramatic　effect。　〃This　story　is　so　big　that　when　word　gets　out；　there　will　be　riots　in　the　streets；　power　grabs；　and　the　whole　damn　revolution　will　e　down。〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃You've　got　to　see　this　to　believe　it。〃
　〃Where　are　you？〃
　〃Crandon　Park　Marina。　Can　you　meet　us　here　right　away？　And；　uh；　could　you　grab　a　couple　of　recent　pictures；　close…ups；　of　Fidel　Castro　from　the　newspaper　morgue　and　bring　them　with　you？〃
　〃Castro？　What　is　this？　If　you're　putting　me　on；　Jake　。。。　〃
　〃Scout's　honor；　this　is　dead　serious；　in　fact　it　could　be　a　matter　of　life　or　death。　Uh；　check　the　wires　too；　before　you　leave。　See　if　anything　unusual　is　ing　out　of　Havana。〃
　Britt　hung　up　and　punched　the　send　button　on　her　pu