ch.nakedcamethemanatee-第7节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ritt　passed；　no　longer　hungry；　or　thirsty。　Her　mind　was　racing。　Maybe　this　was　the　big　one。
　〃Well；　I　tell　you；〃　she　said；　after　peering　again　into　the　metal　container。　〃It's　either　him　or　Mickey　Schwartz。〃
　〃Why　would　those　guys　so　desperately　want　the　head　of　Mickey　Schwartz？〃　Jake　asked。
　They　stared　at　one　another。
　〃Unless　they　want　to　pass　it　off　as　Castro；〃　she　said。　〃Every　time　there　are　rumors　of　Castro's　demise；　Little　Havana　erupts。　Juan　Carlos　Reyes　has　offered　a　million…dollar　reward　for　proof　that　Castro　is　dead。〃
　Reyes；　a　politically　connected　Miami　millionaire；　was　determined　to　bee　the　next　president　of　Cuba。
　〃W7hat　exactly　happened　when　they　took　Fay？〃　Britt　was　taking　notes。
　〃She　went　skinny…dipping　with　a　manatee。〃
　Deal　interrupted。　〃Do　you　think　it　could　be　the　same　manatee　。。。　？〃
　〃What？〃
　They　told　Britt　the　story　of　Deal's　near…death　experience　and　his　amazing　rescue　from　a　watery　grave。　〃Not　too　many　manatees　left　these　days；〃　she　said；　〃especially　ones　that　would　rescue　a　human。〃
　〃Doesn't　the　Navy　use　them？〃　Deal　said。
　〃No；　that's　dolphins。　They're　smarter；〃　Britt　answered；　noticing　that　his　pupils　appeared　dilated。
　〃The　old　lady　that　pulled　me　out　said　she　chats　with　him。〃
　〃That　manatee　is　our　only　witness；〃　Jake　said。　〃Maybe　we　ought　to　go　get　the　dive　boat　and　find　him。〃
　Britt　rolled　her　eyes。　〃What　do　you　plan　to　do；　let　him　sniff　her　bathing　suit？〃
　Jake　shrugged。　〃It　works　with　police　dogs。〃
　
　Marion　McAlister　Williams　was　rocking　in　the　dark　on　her　front　porch　when　they　arrived；　almost　as　though　she　had　been　expecting　them。　〃He's　out　there；〃　she　said；　nodding；　〃and　something's　wrong。〃
　They　went　to　the　grotto。　Booger　was　there；　circling；　in　a　state　of　agitation。
　Booger　experienced　an　unreasoning　feeling　of　dread。　He　sensed　trouble；　cries　for　help；　mortal　danger。　He　swam　as　fast　as　he　could；　powerful　flips　of　his　tail　propelling　him　southward。　Dawn　streaked　the　sky　as　the　trio　in　the　dive　boat　trailed　him　around　a　mangrove　outcropping　to　a　wooden　boat　dock　with　a　million…dollar　yacht　appended　to　it。
　Britt　felt　an　odd　sense　of　deja　vu。　Like　a　Lassie　movie；　she　thought；　with　Timmy　trapped　down　the　well。
　〃I　know　who　lives　here；〃　she　said；　squinting　at　the　house。　〃I　think　it's　some　city　official。〃
　Jake　idled　down　the　Evinrude。　As　they　let　the　boat　coast；　they　heard　a　splash　as　something　hit　the　water。
　〃Hurry！〃　Britt　cried　out。
　Booger　dove　nose…down　to　where　a　burlap　bag　was　sinking　to　the　silty　bottom。
　Burrowing　beneath　the　sack；　the　gentle　giant　rose；　bursting　through　the　surface　of　the　shining　water；　showering　those　aboard　with　spray。
　〃Oh；　shit；〃　Lassiter　said。
　If　Booger　had　found　Fay；　or　what　was　left　of　her；　it　wasn't　much。
　Deal　reached　out；　caught　it；　then　gingerly　dropped　the　sopping　sack　onto　the　floor　of　the　dive　boat。
　They　gasped　collectively　when　it　moved。
　Something　inside　was　alive。
　〃Could　be　a　snake；〃　Jake　warned。
　Cautiously；　he　loosened　the　thick　twist　tie　that　sealed　the　sack。　Small；　high…pitched　sounds　emerged。
　Then　he　upended　the　bag　and　dumped　the　contents　onto　the　deck。
　Six　drenched　calico　kittens　crawled　in　all　directions；　mewing　loudly　for　their　mother。
　〃That's　who　lives　here！〃　Britt　said。　〃The　Miami　Beach　city　manager！　I　should　have　known。〃　The　man　had　been　seething　ever　since　his　scheme　to　pay　bounty　hunters　thirty…five　dollars　a　head　to　exterminate　the　city's　stray　cat　population　had　gone　awry。　〃Damn；〃　said　Lassiter。
　Booger　dove　and　surfaced；　dove　and　surfaced　again；　then　struck　out　for　open　water；　as　though　somehow　aware　that　he　had　saved　the　furry　little　creatures　now　using　the　back　seat　of　Britt　Montero's　new　T…Bird　for　a　litter　box。
　
　After　a　pit　stop　for　Kitten　Chow　at　an　all…night　convenience　store；　it　was　nearly　eight　a。m。　Britt　would　only　have　time　for　a　shower　and　a　cup　of　coffee。　She　was　not　tired；　she　had　never　been　more　awake。　This　could　be　the　big　one；　the　event　Miami　had　awaited　for　more　than　three　decades。　The　phone　rang　just　as　she　was　leaving。
　Hoping　it　was　Jake　with　word　on　Fay；　she　felt　her　heart　sink　when　she　heard　the　deep…throated　growl　that　had　launched　a　thousand　fan　clubs。　Damn；　she　had　forgotten　screen　star　Dash　Brandon。
　〃You're　up　early；〃　she　said；　trying　grimly　to　shake　off　a　kitten　fastened　by　its　needle…sharp　claws　to　the　right　leg　of　her　linen　slacks。
　〃Tell　you　the　truth；　dollface；　I　haven't　slept　yet。　Been　partying　in　South　Beach　since　I　left　you。　You　been　to　one　a　these　foam　parties？　A　trip。　I　met　up　with　some　of　the　crew；　and　we　need　your　help。〃
　〃You　must　be　too　exhausted　to　join　me　today；〃　she　said；　trying　without　success　to　sound　regretful。
　〃Yeah；　but　we　need　to　see　you。　It's　important。〃　He　sounded　serious。　〃Meet　us　for　lunch　tomorrow。〃
　〃I　usually　don't　eat　lunch；〃　Britt　said。　〃It's　tough　to　eat　anything　on　deadline。〃　She　pushed　back　her　hair　impatiently；　watching　a　kitten　dig　industriously　in　her　potted　begonia。　〃And　I'm　pretty　busy　right　now。〃
　The　movie　star　refused　to　take　no　for　an　answer。　〃Didn't　they　say　you　were　assigned　to　help　me？〃　he　pouted。
　
　5。　THE　OLD　WOMAN　AND　THE　SEA…James　W。　Hall
　Marion　McAlister　Williams　was　naked　in　the　moonlight。　Her　body　wasn't　what　it　used　to　be。　But　name　something　that　was。　Especially　something　102　years　old。　She　was　ankle…deep　in　Biscayne　Bay　standing　in　the　soft　marl　of　her　own　small　beach；　gazing　out　at　a　prairie　of　moonlight　that　glazed　the　still　water。　It　was　two　in　the　morning　on　Tuesday。　The　Grove　was　quiet；　the　sky　was　densely　salted　with　stars；　there　was　no　breeze；　no　mosquitoes；　no　boats　moving　across　the　water；　no　birds　coasting　low；　not　even　the　plaintive　warble　of　the　owl　who　lived　in　her　stand　of　gumbo…limbos　and　strangler　figs。
　Marion　waded　deeper　into　the　bay。　The　water　was　the　same　heat　as　her　flesh。　She　might　have　been　melting　into　a　sea　of　warm　blood；　dissolving；　as　she　went　deeper；　the　water　to　her　deflated　breasts；　to　her　neck；　lifting　her。　She　lay　back；　let　it　hold　her　up　to　the　moon；　an　offering；　this　woman　who　had　seen　enough　of　this　world；　what　it　had　bee；　its　garish　pleasures；　its　quick　and　easy　gratifications；　its　incessant　noise　pulsing　like　fevered　blood。　She　let　the　tide　carry　her　body；　buoyant　as　a　funeral　pyre；　let　it　take　her　out　into　that　luminous　water；　so　bright　tonight　it　was　as　if　a　tablecloth　of　iridescent　silk　were　floating　on　the　surface　of　the　bay；　a　cloth　that　was　miles　across。
　Marion　McAlister　Williams　was　nearly　the　oldest　thing　in　Miami。　Older　than　any　tree；　older　than　any　building　or　car　or　house　or　boat　or　stick　of　wood。　She　was　older　than　the　streets；　older　than　the　bridges　or　boardwalks　or　seawalls。　She　was　older　than　anything　but　the　water　or　the　rocks　or　the　land。　Though　she　had　to　admit；　one　or　two　sea　turtles　still　lurking　in　the　bay　might　be　nearly　as　old。
　Marion　drifted　farther　out；　nearly　a　mile　from　the　shore；　effortless　and　serene；　her　arms　spread　wide；　taking　the　last　of　the　outgoing　tide。　She　would　float　out　there　during　the　slack　hour；　then　ride　back　in　with　the　welling　tide。　She　might　have　to　swim　a　stroke　or　two　to　reach　her　shoreline　again；　but　usually　not。　She　knew　the　currents；　the　small　silent　streams　and　eddies　that　snaked　through　the　bay。　She　knew　the　cycling　seasons　of　their　movements。　As　regular　as　airplane　schedules；　step　aboard；　ride　out；　hover　for　a　while；　and　ride　back　in。　She　had　been　doing　it　for　most　of　a　century。　One　of　the　virtues　of　age。　What　you　knew；　you　knew　well。　What　you　didn't；　no　longer　mattered。
　Ears　underwater；　she　could　hear　the　ripples　of　noise；　the　subtle　pings　and　gurgles　of　passing　creatures。　She　knew　some　of　their　names；　some　family　lineages。　There　was　also　a　deeper　sound；　a　nearly　mystical　hum　in　the　bay　that　vibrated　far　below　the　surface；　a　quiet　throb　of　power　that　somehow　fed　her；　renewed　her　strength　on　these　nightly　swims。　She'd　dared　to　reveal　this　to　her　granddaughter　some　months　back；　calling　it　a　〃soft　drumroll　of　energy；〃　and　the　girl；　a　modern　woman；　skeptical　and　tough…minded；　had　fired　back　that　Marion　was　probably　only　hearing　the　chug　of　sewage　as　it　pumped　from　the　city's　vast　network　of　toilets　and　drainpipes　beneath　the　bay　across　to　Virginia　Key。
　The　slack　hour　passed　without　event；　and　Marion　sculled　the　water；　readjusted　her　body　into　a　fast…moving　channel　so　she　could　begin　her　return　voyage。　As　she　glided　back　toward　the　shore　she　was　joined；　as　she　so　often　was；　by　Booger。
　Tonight　Booger　pressed　close　to　her；　scraped　her　arm　with　one　of　his　barnacles；　drew　blood。　Her　skin　was　papery　these　days；　easily　torn。　They　glided　along　together；　soundless；　and　the　fleshy　sea　cow　continued　to　bump　her；　continued　to　urge　her　forward　with　something　like　impatience。　Marion　did　not　resist。　Long　ago　she'd　abandoned　the　need　for　overmanaging　her　destiny。
　There　was　nothing　she　absolutely　needed　to　do　anymore。　She　had　won　her　prizes；　taken　her　bows；　had　shaken　the　hands　of　a　half…dozen　presidents。　Now　her　most　reliable　pleasures　came　from　these　nightly　rides；　from　giving　herself　over　to　the　vagaries　of　the　natural　world。　So　she　let　Booger　speed　her　along　to　the　shallows　just　off　her　beach。　It　was　there　that　she　had　made　a　habit　of　grooming　Booger；　clearing　him