ch.nativetongue-第10节

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rybody　at　the　park　is　talking　about　it。〃
　Chelsea　said；　〃Mr。　X　is　adamant。　He　considers　the　money　a　symbolic　gesture　of　his　mitment　to　preserving　the　environment。〃
　〃Did　you　write　that　yourself？〃　Winder　asked。　〃That's　fucking　awful；　Charlie。　Symbolic　gesture！　You　ought　to　be　shot。〃
　〃Joey；　don't　talk　to　me　that　way。　This　thing　was　your　idea；　offering　a　reward。〃
　〃I　was　wrong；〃　Winder　said。　〃It　was　a　big　mistake。〃
　〃No；　it　was　genius。　The　AP　had　it　all　over　the　wires。〃
　〃Look；　I'm　trying　to　save　your　ass；〃　Winder　said。　〃And　mine；　too。　Listen　to　me。　This　morning；　a　man　with　a　cardboard　box　showed　up　at　the　front　gate　of　the　Amazing　Kingdom。　Said　he'd　found　the　missing　voles。　Said　he'd　e　to　collect　his　ten…thousand…dollar　reward。　Listen　to　me；　Charlie。　Know　what　was　in　the　box？　Rabbits。　Two　baby　rabbits。〃
　〃So　what？　They　don't　look　anything　like　a　vole。〃
　〃They　do　when　you　cut　their　ears　off；　Charlie。　That's　what　the　sonofabitch　had　done。　Cut　the　ears　off　a　couple　of　little　tiny　bunny　rabbits。〃
　Charles　Chelsea　gasped。
　〃I　know；　I　know；〃　Winder　said；　〃Think　about　what's　going　to　happen　we　dangle　a　million　bucks　out　there。　Think　of　the　freaks　and　sadists　and　degenerates　stampeding　this　place。〃
　〃Holy　Christ；〃　said　Chelsea。
　〃Now；〃　said　Joe　Winder；　〃think　of　the　headlines。〃
　〃I'll　talk　to　Kingsbury。〃
　〃Good。〃
　〃Maybe　I'll　bring　you　along。〃
　〃No　thank　you。〃
　〃You　owe　me；〃　said　Chelsea。　〃Please。　I've　been　good　to　you；　Joe。　Remember　who　hired　you　in　the　first　place。〃
　Thanks　for　reminding　me；　Winder　thought；　for　the　two…thousandth　time。　〃I'm　not　the　right　man　to　deal　with　Mr。　X；〃　he　said。　〃I　make　a　lousy　first　impression。〃
　〃You're　right；〃　said　Chelsea；　rethinking　his　plan。　〃Tell　me　one　thing…that　sicko　with　the　bunny　rabbits。。。what　happened？〃
　〃Don't　worry；〃　said　Winder。　〃We　paid　him　to　go　away。〃
　〃How　much？　Not　the　whole　ten　grand？〃
　〃No；　not　ten　grand。〃　Winder　sighed。　〃Try　fifty　bucks。　And　he　was　delighted；　Charlie。　Positively　thrilled。〃
　〃Thank　God　for　that。〃　There　was　a　brittle　pause　on　Chelsea's　end。　〃Joe？〃
　〃What？〃
　〃This　is　turning　into　something　real　bad；　isn't　it？〃
　
　Late　in　the　afternoon；　Joe　Winder　decided　to　drive　down　to　the　Rare　Animal　Pavilion　and　find　out　more　about　the　voles。　He　needed　someone　to　take　his　mind　off　the　rabbit　episode；　which　made　him　heartsick。　He　should've　seen　it　ing…naturally　some　greedy　psychopath　would　mutilate　helpless　bunny　rabbits　for　ten　lousy　thousand　fucking　dollars。　It's　South　Florida；　isn't　it？　Winter　should've　anticipated　the　worst。　That's　why　Chelsea　had　hired　him；　for　his　native　instinct。
　The　door　to　the　vole　lab　was　locked　but　the　lights　were　on。　Winder　knocked　twice　and　got　no　answer。　He　could　hear　a　telephone　ringing　on　the　other　side　of　the　door。　It　stopped　briefly；　then　began　ringing　again。　He　used　his　car　keys　to　rap　sharply　on　the　glass；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　Koocher。　Winder　figured　the　doctor　was　taking　a　late　lunch。
　He　strolled　out　to　the　pavilion；　where　he　found　a　group　of　tourists　milling　around　the　empty　mango…vole　exhibit。　A　tarpaulin　had　been　hung　to　cover　the　mess；　but　somebody　had　lifted　a　corner　to　peek　inside　the　enclosure；　which　was　littered　with　glass　and　smudged　with　fingerprint　dust。　A　yellow　police　ribbon　lay　crumpled　like　a　dead　snake　on　the　porch　of　the　vole　hutch。　Some　of　the　tourists　were　snapping　pictures　of　the　scene　of　the　crime。
　A　voice　behind　Joe　Winder　said；　〃You　work　here？〃
　It　was　an　old　woman　wearing　a　floppy　pink　Easter　hat　and　a　purse　the　size　of　a　saddlebag。　She　eyed　Joe　Winder's　ID　badge；　which　was　clipped　to　his　belt。
　〃You　a　security　man？〃　the　woman　asked。
　Winder　tried　to　remember　what　Chelsea　had　told　him　about　speaking　to　park　visitors；　some　gooey　greeting　that　all　employees　were　supposed　to　say。　Wele　to　the　Amazing　Kingdom。　How　can　I　help　you？　Or　was　it：　How　may　I　help　you？　No；　that　wasn't　it。　How　can　we　help　you？
　Eventually　Joe　Winder　said；　〃I　work　in　Publicity。　Is　something　wrong？〃
　The　old　lady　made　a　clucking　noise　and　foraged　in　her　enormous　purse。　〃I've　got　a　little　something　for　you。〃
　In　a　helpful　tone　Winder　said；　〃The　Lost　and　Found　is　down　by　the　killer…whale　tank。〃
　〃This　isn't　lost　and　it　isn't　found。〃　The　old　lady　produced　an　envelope。　〃Here；〃　she　said；　pressing　it　into　Joe　Winder's　midsection。　〃And　don't　try　to　follow　me。〃
　She　turned　and　scuttled　off；　one　hand　atop　her　head；　holding　the　Easter　hat　in　place。　Winder　stuffed　the　envelope　into　his　pocket　and　started　after　her。　〃Hey！　Wait　a　second。〃
　He　had　taken　only　three　steps　when　a　fist　came　out　of　somewhere　and　smashed　him　behind　the　right　ear。　He　pitched　forward　on　the　walkway；　skidding　briefly　on　his　face。　When　he　awoke；　Joe　Winder　was　staring　at　shoes：　Reeboks；　loafers；　sandals；　Keds；　orthopedics；　Hush　Puppies；　flip…flops。　The　tourists　had　gathered　in　a　murmuring　semicircle　around　him。　A　young　man　knelt　at　his　side；　asking　questions　in　German。
　Winder　sat　up。　〃Did　anybody　see　who　hit　me？〃　His　cheek　stung；　and　he　tasted　Hood　on　his　lower　lip。
　〃Beeg　orange！〃　sputtered　a　woman　wearing　two　cameras　around　her　neck。　〃Beeg　orange　man！〃
　〃Swell；〃　Winder　said。　〃Did　he　have　a　cape？　A　ray　gun？〃
　The　young　German　tourist　patted　him　on　the　shoulder　and　said：　〃You　okay；　ja？〃
　〃Yah；〃　Winder　muttered。　〃Fall　down　go　boom。〃
　He　picked　himself　up；　waved　idiotically　at　his　audience　and　retreated　to　the　men's　room。　There　he　tore　open　the　old　lady's　envelope　and　studied　the　message；　which　was　typed　double…spaced　on　ordinary　notebook　paper。　It　said：　〃WE　DID　IT。　WE'RE　GLAD。　LONG　LIVE　THE　VOLES。〃
　It　was　signed　by　the　Wildlife　Rescue　Corps。
　With　copies；　Joe　Winder　noted　glumly；　to　every　major　news　organization　on　the　planet。
　
　Bud　Schwartz　shook　Danny　Pogue　awake　and　said；　〃Look　who's　here。　I　told　you　not　to　worry。〃
　Molly　McNamara　was　in　the　kitchen；　fussing　around。　Danny　Pogue　was　on　the　sofa　in　the　living　room。　He　had　fallen　asleep　watching　Lady　Chatterley　IV　on　Cinemax。
　Bud　Schwartz　sat　down；　grinning。　〃She　brought　the　money；　too；〃　he　said。
　〃All　of　it？〃
　〃No；　just　the　grand。　Like　she　said　before。〃
　〃You　mean　the　two　grand；〃　Danny　Pogue　said。　〃One　for　each　of　us。〃　He　didn't　entirely　trust　his　partner。
　Bud　Schwartz　said；　〃Yeah；　that's　what　I　meant。　A　thousand　bucks　each。〃
　〃Then　let's　see　it。〃
　Molly　came　in；　drying　her　hands　on　a　flowered　towel。　She　looked　at　Danny　Pogue　as　if　he　were　a　dog　that　was　supposed　to　stay　off　the　good　furniture。　She　said；　〃How's　that　foot？〃
　〃Hurts。〃　Danny　Pogue　frowned。　〃Hurts　like　a　bitch。〃
　〃He's　all　out　of　them　pills；〃　added　Bud　Schwartz。
　〃Already？〃　Molly　sounded　concerned。　〃You　finished　the　whole　bottle？〃
　〃Danny's　got　what　you　call　a　high　resistance　to　pharmaceuticals；〃　Bud　Schwartz　said。　〃We　had　to　double　the　dose。〃
　〃Bull；〃　said　Danny　Pogue。　〃Bud　here　just　helped　hisself。〃
　〃Is　that　true？〃　asked　Molly　McNamara。　〃Did　you　take　some　of　your　friend's　pills？〃
　〃Aw；　e　on；〃　said　Bud　Schwartz。　〃Jesus　Christ；　there's　nothing　else　to　do　around　here。　I　was　bored　stiff。〃
　〃That　was　prescription　medicine；〃　Molly　said　sternly。
　She　went　back　to　the　kitchen　and　got　her　handbag。　It　was　the　largest　handbag　that　Bud　Schwartz　or　Danny　Pogue　had　ever　seen。　Molly　took　out　another　plastic　bottle　of　codeine　pills　and　handed　them　to　Danny　Pogue。　Then　she　took　out　her　gun　and　shot　Bud　Schwartz　once　in　the　left　hand。
　He　fell　down；　shaking　his　arm　as　if　it　were　on　fire。
　In　a　whisper　Danny　Pogue　said；　〃Oh　Lord　Jesus。〃　He　felt　the　blood　flooding　out　of　his　brain；　and　saw　the　corners　of　the　room　get　fuzzy。
　Molly　said；　〃Am　I　getting　through　to　you　fellows？〃　She　returned　the　gun　to　her　purse。　〃There　will　be　no　illegal　drug　activity　in　this　condominium；　is　that　clear？　The　owners'　association　has　very　strict　rules。　Here；　take　this。〃　She　handed　Danny　Pogue　two　packets　of　cash。　Each　packet　was　held　together　with　a　fresh　bank　wrapper。
　〃That's　one　thousand　each；　just　like　I　promised；〃　she　said。　Then；　turning　to　Bud　Schwartz：　〃Does　it　hurt？〃
　〃The　fuck　do　you　think？〃　He　was　squeezing　the　wounded　purple　hand　between　his　knees。　〃Damn　right　it　hurts！〃
　〃In　that　case；　you　may　borrow　your　friend's　pills。　But　only　as　needed。〃　Then　Molly　McNamara　put　on　her　floppy　pink　Easter　hat　and　said　good　night。
　
　Nina　was　naked；　kneeling　on　Joe　Winder's　back　and　rubbing　his　shoulders。　〃See；　isn't　this　better　than　sex？〃
　〃No；〃　he　said；　into　the　pillow。　〃Good；　but　not　better。〃
　〃It's　my　night　off；〃　Nina　said。　〃All　week　long；　all　I　do　is　talk　about　it。〃
　〃We　don't　have　to　talk；〃　Joe　Winder　mumbled。　〃Let's　just　do。〃
　〃Joe；　I　need　a　break　from　it。〃　She　kneaded　his　neck　so　ferociously　that　he　let　out　a　cry。　〃You　understand；　don't　you？〃
　〃Sure；〃　he　said。　It　was　the　second　time　in　a　week　that　they'd　had　this　conversation。　Winder　had　a　feeling　that　Nina　was　burning　out　on　her　job；　practically　nothing　aroused　her　lately。　All　she　wanted　to　do　was　sleep；　and　of　course　she　talked　in　her　sleep；　said　the　most　tantalizing　things。
　It　was　driving　Joe　Winder　crazy。　〃I　had　a　particularly　lousy　day；〃　he　said。　〃I　was　counting　on　you　to　wear　me　out。〃
　Nina　climbed　off　his　back。　〃I　love　you；〃　she　said；　slipping　her　long　legs　under　the　sheets；　〃but　at　this　moment　I　don't