ch.nativetongue-第11节

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　Nina　climbed　off　his　back。　〃I　love　you；〃　she　said；　slipping　her　long　legs　under　the　sheets；　〃but　at　this　moment　I　don't　have　a　single　muscle　that's　the　least　bit　interested。〃
　This；　from　the　same　wonderful　woman　who　once　left　fingernail　grooves　in　the　blades　of　a　ceiling　fan。　Winder　groaned　in　self…pity。
　From　the　other　side　of　the　bed　came　Nina's　delicious　voice：　〃Tell　me　the　weirdest　thing　that　happened　to　you　today。〃
　It　was　a　bedtime　ritual；　exchanging　anecdotes　about　work。　Joe　Winder　said：　〃Some　creep　claimed　he　found　the　missing　voles；　except　they　weren't　voles。　They　were　baby　rabbits。　He　was　trying　to　con　us。〃　Winder　left　out　the　grisly　details。
　〃That's　a　tough　one　to　beat；〃　Nina　remarked。
　〃Also；　I　got　slugged　in　the　head。〃
　〃Really？〃　she　said。　〃Last　night　I　had　a　caller　jerk　himself　off　in　eleven　seconds　flat。　Miriam　said　it　might　be　a　new　world's　record。〃
　〃You　timed　it？〃
　〃Sort　of。〃　Playfully　she　reached　between　his　legs　and　tweaked　him。　〃Miriam　has　an　official　Olympic　stopwatch。〃
　〃Nina；　I　want　you　to　get　another　job。　I'm　serious。〃
　She　said；　〃That　reminds　me…some　strange　guy　phoned　for　you　this　afternoon。　A　doctor　from　the　park。　He　called　twice。〃
　〃Koocher？〃
　〃Yeah；〃　said　Nina。　〃Interesting　name。　Anyway；　he　made　it　sound　important。　I　told　him　to　try　you　at　the　office；　but　he　said　no。　He　wouldn't　leave　a　message；　either；　just　said　he'd　call　back。　The　second　time　he　said　to　tell　you　a　man　from　Security　was　in　the　lab。〃
　Joe　Winder　lifted　his　head　off　the　pillow。　〃A　man　from　Security？〃
　〃That's　what　he　said。〃
　〃Anything　else？〃　Winder　was　thinking　about　the　empty　laboratory：　lights　on；　phone　ringing。　Maybe　he　should've　tried　the　back　door。
　〃I　told　him　you'd　be　home　soon；　but　he　said　he　couldn't　call　back。　He　said　he　was　leaving　with　the　guy　from　Security。〃　Nina　propped　herself　on　one　elbow。　〃Joe；　what's　going　on　over　there？〃
　〃I　thought　I　knew；〃　said　Winder；　〃but　obviously　I　don't。〃
　With　a　fingertip　she　traced　a　feathery　line　down　his　cheek。　〃Do　me　a　favor；〃　she　said。
　〃I　know　what　you're　going　to　say。〃
　She　scooted　closer；　under　the　covers；　and　pressed　against　him。　〃But　things　are　going　so　great。〃
　Winder　kissed　her　on　the　tip　of　the　nose；　and　started　to　roll　out　of　bed。
　〃Joe；　don't　go　crazy　on　me；〃　Nina　said。　〃Please。〃
　He　rolled　back；　into　her　arms。　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃Not　just　yet。〃
　
　SIX
　The　next　morning；　in　the　hallway　by　the　water　fountain；　Charles　Chelsea　seized　Joe　Winder　by　the　sleeve　and　tugged　him　into　the　office。　Two　men　shared　opposite　ends　of　Chelsea's　leather　sofa…one　was　the　immense　Pedro　Luz；　chief　of　Security　for　the　Amazing　Kingdom；　and　the　other　was　a　serious…looking　fellow　with　a　square　haircut　and　a　charcoal　suit。
　〃Joe；〃　Chelsea　said；　〃this　gentleman　is　from　the　FBI。〃
　〃I　can　see　that。〃
　Chelsea　cleared　his　throat。　〃This　is　Agent　Hawkins。〃
　Joe　Winder　stuck　out　his　hand。　〃Billy；　isn't　it？　You　worked　a　Coral　Gables　Savings　job　about　four　years　back。〃
　The　agent　smiled　cautiously。　〃And　you　were　with　the　Herald。〃
　〃Right。〃
　〃Dated　one　of　the　tellers。〃
　〃Right　again。〃
　Charles　Chelsea　was　trying　to　set　some　sort　of　record　for　clearing　his　throat。　〃What　a　coincidence　that　you　two　guys　know　each　other。〃
　Joe　Winder　sat　down　and　stretched　his　legs。　〃Bank　robbery。　Billy　here　was　the　lead　agent。　Funny　story；　too　it　was　the　Groucho　guy。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　said　Hawkins；　loosening　up。　〃Wore　the　big　nose　and　the　eyebrows；　even　carried　a　cigar。　We　finally　caught　up　with　him　in　Clearwater。〃
　〃No　kidding？〃　Winder　said；　knowing　that　it　was　driving　Chelsea　crazy；　all　this　friendly　conversation　with　a　real　FBI　man。　〃All　the　way　up　in　Clearwater？〃
　〃Gentlemen；〃　Chelsea　cut　in；　〃if　you　don't　mind。〃
　〃What　is　it；　Charlie？〃
　〃Agent　Hawkins　is　here　at　Mr。　Kingsbury's　personal　request。〃　Chelsea　lowered　his　voice。　〃Joe；　there　were　three　notes　delivered　to　employees　in　the　park。　Each　was　signed　by　this　Wildlife　Rescue　Corps。〃
　Winder　reached　in　his　pocket。　〃You　mean　like　this？〃　He　handed　his　copy　to　Billy　Hawkins。　He　told　him　what　had　happened　at　the　Rare　Animal　Pavilion…the　old　lady　in　the　Easter　bonnet；　the　phantom　punch。　Hawkins　took　it　all　down　in　a　notebook。
　Chelsea　tried　to　contain　his　irritation。　〃Why　didn't　you　report　this　to　Security？〃　he　asked　Joe　Winder。
　〃Because　I　didn't　want　to　interrupt　Pedro's　nap。〃
　Pedro　Luz　darkened。　Every　now　and　then　he　dozed　off　in　the　security　office。　〃All　you　had　to　do　was　ring　the　buzzer；〃　he　snapped　at　Winder。　He　glanced　at　the　FBI　man；　whose　expression　remained　impassive　and　nonjudgmental。　〃I've　had　a　touch　of　the　flu；〃　Pedro　Luz　added　defensively。　〃The　medicine　makes　me　sleepy。〃　For　a　large　man　he　had　a　high　tinny　voice。
　〃Never　mind。〃　said　Charles　Chelsea。　〃The　point　is；　everybody's　calling　up　for　ment。　The　networks。　The　wires。　We're　under　siege；　Joe。〃
　Winder　felt　his　headache　ing　back。　Agent　Billy　Hawkins　admitted　that　the　federal　government　didn't　know　much　about　the　Wildlife　Rescue　Corps。
　〃Most　of　these　groups　seem　to　specialize　in　rodents；〃　the　agent　said。　〃Laboratory　rats；　mostly。　Universities；　pharmaceutical　houses…those　are　the　mon　targets。　What　usually　happens；　they　break　in　at　night　and　free　the　animals。〃
　〃But　we　weren't　doing　experiments。〃　Chelsea　was　exasperated。　〃We　treated　Vance　and　Violet　as　royalty。〃
　〃Who？〃　the　agent　said。
　〃The　voles；〃　Joe　Winder　explained　cheerfully。
　Charles　Chelsea　continued　to　whine。　〃Why　have　they　singled　out　the　Amazing　Kingdom？　We　didn't　abuse　these　creatures。　Quite　the　opposite。〃
　〃You　do　any　vivisections　here？〃　asked　Agent　Hawkins。　〃These　groups　are　quite　vocal　against　vivisection。〃
　Chelsea　paled。　〃Vivisection？　Christ；　we　gave　the　little　bastards　fresh　corn　on　the　cob　every　morning。　Sometimes　even　citrus！〃
　〃Well；　this　is　what　we've　got。〃　Hawkins　flipped　backwards　in　his　notebook。　〃Two　white　males　ages　twenty…five　to　thirty…five；　fleeing　the　scene　in　a　1979　blue　Ford　pickup；　license　GPP…B06。　The　registration　es　back　to　a　convicted　burglar　whose　current　alias　is　Buddy　Michael　Schwartz。　I　might　add　that　Mr。　Schwartz's　rap　sheet　shows　no　history　of　a　social　conscience　with　regard　to　animal　rights；　or　any　other。〃
　〃Somebody　hired　him；〃　Joe　Winder　said。
　〃Most　likely；〃　agreed　the　FBI　man。　〃Anyway；　they　dragged　the　truck　out　of　a　rock　pit　this　morning。　No　bodies。〃
　〃Any　sign　of　the　voles？〃
　Billy　Hawkins　allowed　himself　a　slight　frown。　〃We　believe　the　animals　are　dead。〃　He　handed　Winder　copies　of　the　highway　patrol　reports；　which　described　the　incident　with　the　tourist　family　in　the　red　LeBaron；　as　well　as　the　subsequent　Winnebago　attack。　As　Winder　scanned　the　reports；　Charles　Chelsea　reminded　him　to　keep　the　news　under　his　hat。
　Agent　Hawkins　said；　〃I　heard　something　on　the　radio　about　a　million…dollar　reward。〃
　〃Right！〃　Winder　said。
　〃How　can　you　do　that；〃　the　〃FBI　man　said；　〃when　you　know　these　animals　are　dead？〃
　Joe　Winder　was　having　a　wonderful　time。　〃Go　ahead；〃　he　said　to　Charles　Chelsea。　〃Explain　to　the　gentleman。〃
　〃Where's　Koocher？〃　Chelsea　grumbled。　〃I　left　about　a　dozen　messages。〃
　〃Let's　ask　Pedro；〃　said　Joe　Winder。　〃He　sent　one　of　his　boys　over　to　the　lab　yesterday。　Must've　had　a　reason。〃
　Charles　Chelsea　folded　his　hands　on　the　desk；　waiting。　Agent　Billy　Hawkins　turned　slightly　on　the　couch　to　get　a　better　angle　on　the　security　chief。　Joe　Winder　arched　his　eyebrows　and　said；　〃How　about　it；　Pedro？　Something　else　happen　at　the　Rare　Animal　Pavilion？〃
　Pedro　Luz　scowled；　his　tiny　black　eyes　receding　under　the　ledge　of　his　forehead。　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about；〃　he　said。　〃Nothing　happened　nowhere。〃　He　fumbled　with　his　clipboard。　〃See？　There　is　no　report。〃
　
　The　Security　Department　at　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills　was　staffed　exclusively　by　corrupt　ex…policemen；　of　which　there　was　a　steady　supply　in　South　Florida。　The　chief　of　Security；　Pedro　Luz；　was　a　black…haired　pinheaded　giant　of　a　young　man　who　had　been　fired　from　the　Miami　Police　for　stealing　cash　and　cocaine　from　drug　dealers；　then　pushing　them　out　of　a　Beech…craft　high　over　the　Everglades。　Pedro　Luz's　conviction　had　been　overturned　by　an　appeals　court；　and　the　charges　ultimately　dropped　when　the　government's　key　witness　failed　to　appear　for　the　new　trial。　The　witness's　absence　was　later　explained　when　bits　and　pieces　of　his　body　were　found　in　a　shrimper's　net　off　Key　West；　although　there　was　no　evidence　linking　this　sad　turn　of　events　to　Pedro　Luz　himself。
　Once　the　corruption　and　murder　charges　had　been　dismissed；　Pedro　Luz　promptly　sued　the　police　department　to　reclaim　his　old　job；　plus　back　wages　and　vacation　time。　Meanwhile；　to　keep　his　hand　in　law　enforcement；　Pedro　Luz　went　to　work　at　Francis　X。　Kingsbury's　vacation　theme　park。　The　pay　was　only　8。50　an　hour；　but　as　a　perk　Pedro　was　given　free　access　to　the　executive　gym；　where　he　spent　hours　of　pany　time　lifting　weights　and　taking　anabolic　steroids。　This　leisurely　regimen　was　interrupted　by　the　embarrassing　daylight　theft　of　the　prized　voles…and　a　personal　munication　of　urgency　from　Francis　X。　Kingsbury　himself。　Chief　Pedro　Luz　immediately　put　the　security　staff　on　double　shifts；　and　rented　a　cot　for　himself　in　the　office。
　Which　is　where　he　snoozed　at　one…thirty　in