ch.nativetongue-第12节

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a　cot　for　himself　in　the　office。
　Which　is　where　he　snoozed　at　one…thirty　in　the　afternoon　when　he　heard　a　knock　on　the　bulletproof　glass。
　Pedro　Luz　sat　up　slowly　and　swung　his　thick　legs　off　the　bed。　He　stood　up；　strapped　on　his　gun；　straightened　the　shoulders　of　his　uniform　shirt。　The　knocking　continued。
　Through　the　glass；　Pedro　Luz　saw　a　wiry　brown　man　in　a　sweaty　tank　top。　The　man　battled　a　spastic　tic　on　one　side　of　his　face；　it　looked　as　if　a　wasp　were　loose　in　one　cheek。
　Pedro　Luz　opened　the　door　and　said；　〃What　do　you　want？〃
　〃I'm　here　for　the　money；〃　the　man　said；　twitching。　He　clutched　a　grocery　bag　to　his　chest。　〃The　million　dollars。〃
　〃Go　away；〃　said　Pedro　Luz。
　〃Don't　you　even　want　to　see？〃
　〃The　voles　are　dead。〃
　The　wiry　man　said；　〃But　I　heard　on　the　news…〃
　〃Go　away；〃　said　Pedro　Luz；　〃before　I　break　your　fucking　legs。〃
　〃But　I　found　the　mango　voles。　I　want　my　money。〃
　Pedro　Luz　stepped　out　of　the　office　and　closed　the　door。　He　stood　a　full　foot　taller　than　the　man　with　the　grocery　bag；　and　outweighed　him　by　a　hundred　pounds。
　〃You　don't　listen　so　hot；〃　Pedro　Luz　said。
　The　man's　face　twitched　uncontrollably　as　he　tried　to　open　the　bag。　〃Just　one　look；〃　he　said；　〃please。〃
　Pedro　Luz　seized　the　man　by　the　throat　and　shook　him　like　a　doll。　The　grocery　bag　fell　to　the　ground　and　tore　open。　Pedro　Luz　was　so　involved　in　assaulting　the　derelict　that　he　didn't　notice　what　came　out　of　the　bag：　two　half…starved；　swaybacked　ferrets；　eyes　glazed　and　bluish；　lips　flecked　with　foam。　Instantly　they　settled　in　chewing　on　Pedro　Luz's　right　ankle；　and　did　not　stop　until　he　tore　them　off；　bare…handed；　and　threw　them　with　all　his　might　against　the　nearest　wall。
　One　hour　later；　the　Publicity　Department　of　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills　faxed　the　following　statement　to　all　media；　under　the　caption　〃Rare　Voles　Now　Believed　Dead〃：
　
　Police　authorities　reported　today　that　the　blue…tongued　mango　voles　stolen　this　week　from　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills　are　probably　dead。　According　to　the　Florida　Highway　Patrol　and　the　Federal　Bureau　of　Investigation；　the　rare　mammals…believed　to　be　the　last　of　the　species…were　killed　while　crossing　a　highway　after　being　abandoned　by　the　robbers　who　took　them。
　Francis　X。　Kingsbury；　founder　and　chairman　of　the　Amazing　Kingdom；　expressed　shock　and　sorrow　at　the　news。　〃This　is　a　tragedy　for　all　of　us　at　the　park；〃　he　said　Wednesday。　〃We　had　e　to　love　and　admire　Vance　and　Violet。　They　were　as　much　a　part　of　our　family　as　Robbie　Raccoon　or　Petey　Possum。〃
　Mr。　Kingsbury；　who　had　offered　1　million　for　the　safe　return　of　the　missing　animals；　said　he　will　use　part　of　the　money　as　a　reward　for　information　leading　to　the　arrest　and　conviction　of　those　responsible　for　the　crime。
　A　radical　outlaw　group　calling　itself　the　Wildlife　Rescue　Corps　has　claimed　responsibility　for　the　robbery　at　the　popular　amusement　resort。　Mr。　Kingsbury　said　he　was　〃shocked　and　dismayed　that　anyone　claiming　to　support　such　a　cause　would　mit　crimes　of　violence…crimes　that　ultimately　led　not　only　to　the　animals'　deaths；　but　to　the　extinction　of　an　entire　species。〃
　Charles　Chelsea；　vice　president　in　charge　of　public　relations；　said　that　the　blue…tongued　mango　voles　were　provided　with　the　best　possible　care　while　in　captivity　at　the　Amazing　Kingdom。　Only　last　year；　the　Florida　Audubon　Society　praised　the　Vole　Project　as　〃a　shining　example　of　private　enterprise　using　its　vast　financial　resources　to　save　a　small　but　precious　resource　of　nature。〃
　Next　week；　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills　will　present　a　multi…media　retrospective　featuring　slides　and　videotapes　of　the　voles　during　their　time　at　the　park。　Entitled　〃Vance　and　Violet：　The　Final　Days；〃　the　presentation　will　be　shown　three　times　daily　at　the　Rare　Animal　Pavilion。
　Tickets　will　be　4　for　adults；　2。75　for　children　and　senior　citizens。
　
　In　the　cafeteria；　Charles　Chelsea　handed　Joe　Winder　the　fax　and　said；　〃Nice　job；　big　guy。〃
　Winder　stopped　on　the　last　sentence。　〃You're　charging　money？　For　a　goddamn　slide　show？〃
　〃Joey；　we're　running　a　business　here。　We're　not　the　National　Geographic；　okay？　We're　not　a　charity。〃
　〃A　rodent　slide　show。〃　Joe　Winder　wadded　up　the　press　release。　〃The　amazing　thing　is　not　that　you'd　do　it；　because　I　think　you'd　charge　tourists　twenty　bucks　to　watch　the　pelicans　fuck；　if　they'd　let　you。　The　amazing　thing　is；　people　will　actually　e　and　pay。〃　He　clapped　his　hands　once；　loudly。　〃I　love　this　business；　Charlie。　Every　day　I　learn　something　new。〃
　Chelsea　tightened　his　necktie。　〃Christ；　here　we　go　again。　I　try　to　pay　you　a　pliment；　and　you　twist　it　into　some　sort　of　cynical。。mentary。〃
　〃Sorry；〃　said　Winder。　He　could　feel　his　sinuses　filling　up　like　a　bathtub。
　〃For　your　information；〃　said　Chelsea；　〃I　got　people
　calling　all　the　way　from　Alaska；　wanting　to　buy　Vance…and…Violet　T…shirts。〃　Chelsea　sighed；　to　show　how　disappointed　he　was　in　Joe　Winder's　attitude。　Then　he　said；　with　an　edge　of　reluctance；　〃You　did　some　nice　writing　on　this　piece；　Joe。　Got　us　all　off　the　hook。〃
　〃Thanks；　boss。　And　you're　right…it　was　a　piece。〃
　Chelsea　sat　down；　eyeing　the　fast…food　debris　on　Joe　Winder's　tray。　One　of　Uncle　Ely's　Elves；　sitting　at　the　other　end　of　the　table；　belched　sonorously。　Charles　Chelsea　pretended　not　to　notice。　He　said；　〃Not　to　brag；　Joey；　but　I　think　I　did　a　pretty　fair　job　with　this　ditty　myself。　Mr。　X　loved　his　quotes。　He　said　I　made　him　sound　like　a　real　human　being。〃
　With　the　tips　of　his　fingers；　Joe　Winder　began　to　rub　both　his　temples　in　a　ferocious　circular　motion。
　Chelsea　asked；　〃Now　what's　the　matter？〃
　〃Headache。〃　Winder　squinted　as　tightly　as　he　could；　to　wring　the　pain　out　of　his　eyeballs。　〃Listen；　I　called　Dr。　Koocher's　house。　He　didn't　go　home　last　night。　His　wife　is　scared　out　of　her　mind。〃
　〃Maybe　he　just　got　depressed　and　tied　one　on。　Or　maybe　he's　got　a　girlfriend。〃
　Joe　Winder　decided　not　to　tell　Chelsea　that　Koocher　had　tried　to　reach　him。　〃His　wife's　eight　months　pregnant；　Charlie。　She　says　he　usually　calls　about　nineteen　times　an　hour；　but　she　hasn't　heard　a　word　since　yesterday。〃
　〃What　would　you　like　me　to　do？〃
　〃Worry　like　hell；〃　said　Winder。　He　stood　up。　〃Also；　I'd　like　your　permission　to　talk　to　Pedro　Luz。　I　think　he's　hiding　something。〃
　Charles　Chelsea　said；　〃You　can't　talk　to　him；　Joe。　He's　in　the　hospital。〃　He　paused　wearily　and　shook　his　head。　〃Don't　ask。〃
　〃e　on；　Charlie。〃
　〃For　rabies　shots。〃
　〃I　should've　guessed；〃　Winder　said。　〃My　condolences　to　the　dog。〃
　〃It　wasn't　a　dog；〃　Chelsea　said。　〃Can't　this　wait　till　tomorrow？　Pedro's　in　a　lot　of　pain。〃
　〃No；〃　said　Joe　Winder；　〃that's　perfect。〃
　
　Pedro　Luz　had　been　taken　to　the　closest　emergency　room；　which　was　Mariners'　Hospital　down　on　Plantation　Key。　The　nurse　on　duty　remembered　Pedro　Luz　very　well；　and　directed　Joe　Winder　to　a　private　room　on　the　second　floor。
　He　didn't　bother　to　knock；　just　eased　the　door　open。　The　impressive　bulk　of　Pedro　Luz　was　propped　up　in　bed；　watching　a　Spanish…language　soap　opera　on　Channel　23。　He　was　sucking　on　one　end　of　the　plastic　IV　tube；　which　he　had　yanked　out　of　his　arm。
　〃That　doesn't　go　in　your　mouth；〃　Winder　told　him。
　〃Yeah；　well；　I'm　thirsty。〃
　〃You're　bleeding　all　over　the　place。〃
　〃What　do　you　care？〃　said　Pedro　Luz。　With　a　corner　of　the　sheet　he　swabbed　the　blood　from　his　arm。　〃You　better　get　out　of　here。　I　mean　right　now。〃
　Joe　Winder　pulled　a　chair　close　to　the　bed　and　sat　down。　Pedro　Luz　smelled　like　a　fifty…five…gallon　drum　of　rubbing　alcohol。　His　luxuriant　hair　stood　in　oily　black　spikes；　and　his　massive　neck　was　covered　with　angry　purple　acne；　a　side　effect　of　the　fruit…and…steroid　body…building　diet。
　〃You　like　your　job？〃　Winder　asked　him。
　〃What　do　you　mean…at　the　Kingdom？　Sure；　I　guess。〃　The　security　man　pulled　the　covers　off　his　legs；　so　Joe　Winder　could　see　the　bandages　on　his　ferret…gnawed　ankle。　〃Except　for　shit　like　this；〃　said　Pedro　Luz。　〃Otherwise；　it's　an　okay　job　most　of　the　time。〃
　Winder　said；　〃So　you　really　wouldn't　want　to　get　fired。〃
　〃The　hell　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃For　lying。　I　think　you're　lying。〃
　〃What　about？〃
　Joe　Winder　said；　〃Don't　play　dumb　with　me。〃　As　if　the　guy　had　a　choice。　〃Tell　me　why　you　sent　a　man　to　Koocher's　lab　yesterday。　I　know　you　did；　because　he　called　me　about　it。〃
　Pedro　Luz　got　red　in　the　cheeks。　The　cords　in　his　neck　stood　out　like　a　rutting　bull's。　〃I　already　told　you；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　have　no　report　on　that　guy。〃
　〃He's　missing　from　the　park。〃
　〃Then　I'll　do　up　a　report；〃　Pedro　Luz　said。　He　breathed　deeply；　as　if　trying　to　calm　himself。　〃Soon　as　I　get　outta　here；　I'll　make　a　report。〃　He　took　the　IV　tube　out　of　his　mouth。　〃This　stuff's　not　so　bad；〃　he　said　thoughtfully。　〃Tastes　like　sugar　syrup。〃　He　replaced　the　tube　between　his　lips　and　sucked　on　it　loudly。
　Joe　Winder　said；　〃You're　a　moron。〃
　〃What　did　you　say？〃
　〃Make　that　a　submoron。〃
　Pedro　Luz　shrugged。　〃I'd　beat　the　piss　out　of　you；　if　I　didn't　feel　so　bad。　They　gave　me　about　a　million　shots。〃　He　leered　woozily　and　opened　his　gown。　〃See；　they　broke　two　needles　on　my　stomach。〃
　Joe　Winder　couldn't　help　but　admire　Pedro　Luz's　physique。　He　could　see　the　bright　crimson　spots　where　the　hypod