ch.nativetongue-第37节

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　It　made　sense　to　Winder。　A　scandal　at　the　Amazing　Kingdom　would　not　only　be　bad　for　business；　it　might　jeopardize　Francis　Kingsbury's　plans　for　developing　Falcon　Trace。　If　anyone　revealed　that　he'd　lied　about　the　〃endangered〃　voles；　the　feds　might　roll　in　and　halt　the　whole　show。　The　EPA；　the　Army　Corps　of　Engineers；　the　Department　of　Interior…they　could　jerk　Kingsbury　around　until　he　died　of　old　age。
　〃Look　at　the　big　picture；〃　Skink　said。　With　a　tin　fork　he　cleaned　out　the　insides　of　the　turtle　shell。　The　wind　was　dying　quickly；　and　the　rain　was　turning　soft　on　the　leaves。　The　clouds　broke　out　west；　revealing　raspberry　patches　of　summer　sunset。　The　coolness　disappeared　and　the　air　turned　muggy　again。
　Skink　put　down　the　fry　pan　and　wiped　his　mouth　on　the　sleeve　of　his　rainsuit。　〃It's　beautiful　out　here；〃　he　remarked。　〃That　squall　felt　damn　good。〃
　〃It　might　be　too　late；〃　Joe　Winder　said。　〃Hell；　they've　started　clearing　the　place。〃
　〃I　know。〃　The　muscles　in　Skink's　neck　tightened。　〃They　tore　down　an　eagle　nest　the　other　day。　Two　little　ones；　dead。　That's　the　kind　of　bastards　we're　talking　about。〃
　〃Did　you　see…〃
　〃I　got　there　after　the　fact；〃　Skink　said。　〃Believe　me；　if　I　could've　stopped　them。。。〃
　〃What　if　we're　too　late？〃
　〃Are　you　in　or　not？　That's　all　I　need　to　know。〃
　〃I'm　in；〃　said　Winder。　〃Of　course　I　am。　I'm　just　not　terribly　optimistic。〃
　Skink　smiled　his　matinee　smile；　the　one　that　had　gotten　him　elected　so　many　years　before。　〃Lower　your　sights；　boy；〃　he　said　to　Joe　Winder。　〃I　agree；　justice　is　probably　out　of　the　question。　But　we　can　damn　sure　ruin　their　day。〃
　He　reached　under　the　flap　of　his　rainsuit；　grunted；　fumbled　inside　his　clothing。　Finally　his　hand　came　out　holding　a　steel…blue　semi…automatic　pistol。
　〃Don't　worry；〃　he　said。　〃I've　got　an　extra　one　for　you。〃
　
　The　woman　who　called　herself　Rachel　Lark　was　receiving　a　vigorous　massage　when　Francis　X。　Kingsbury　phoned。　She'd　been　expecting　to　hear　from　him　ever　since　she'd　read　in　the　Washington　Post　about　the　theft　of　the　blue…tongued　mango　voles　in　Florida。　Her　first　thought；　a　natural　one；　was　that　Kingsbury　would　try　to　talk　her　into　giving　some　of　the　money　back。　Rachel　Lark　braced　for　the　worst　as　she　sat　up；　naked；　and　told　the　masseur　to　give　her　the　damn　telephone。
　On　the　other　end；　Kingsbury　said：　〃Is　this　my　favorite　redhead？〃
　〃Forget　it；〃　said　the　woman　who　called　herself　Rachel　Lark；　though　it　was　not　her　true　name。
　Kingsbury　said；　〃Can　you　believe　it；　babe？　My　luck；　the　goddamn　things　get　swiped。〃
　〃I've　already　spent　the　money；〃　Rachel　Lark　said；　〃and　even　if　I　didn't；　a　deal's　a　deal。〃
　Instead　of　protesting；　Kingsbury　said；　〃Same　here。　I　spent　mine；　too。〃
　〃Then　it's　a　social　call；　is　it？〃
　〃Not　exactly。　Are　you　alone；　babe？〃
　〃Me　and　a　nice　young　man　named　Sven。〃
　The　image　gave　Kingsbury　a　tingle。　Rachel　was　an　attractive　woman；　a　bit　on　the　heavy　side；　but　a　very　hot　dresser。　They　had　met　years　before　in　the　lobby　of　a　prosecutor's　office　in　Camden；　where　both　of　them　were　waiting　to　cut　deals　allowing　them　to　avert　unpleasant　prison　terms。　Frankie　King　had　chosen　to　drop　the　dime　on　the　Zubonis；　while　the　woman　who　now　called　herself　Rachel　Lark　（it　was　Sarah　Hunt　at　that　time）　was　preparing　to　squeal　on　an　ex…boyfriend　who　had　illegally　imported　four　hundred　pounds　of　elephant　ivory。　In　the　lobby　that　day；　the　two　informants　had　amiably　traded　tales　about　life　on　the　lam。　Later　they'd　exchanged　phone　numbers　and　a　plete　list　of　aliases；　and　promised　to　keep　in　touch。
　Rachel's　specialty　was　wildlife；　and　Kingsbury　phoned　her　soon　after　opening　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills。　Before　then；　he　had　never　heard　of　the　Endangered　Species　Act；　never　dreamed　that　an　obscure　agency　of　the　federal　government　would　casually　fork　over　two　hundred　thousand　dollars　in　grant　money　for　the　purpose　of　preserving　a　couple　of　lousy　rodents。　Rachel　Lark　had　offered　to　provide　the　animals　and　the　documentation；　and　Kingsbury　was　so　intrigued　by　the　plan…not　just　the　dough；　but　the　radiant　publicity　for　the　Amazing　Kingdom…that　he　didn't　bother　to　inquire　if　the　blue…tongued　mango　voles　were　real。
　The　government　check　had　arrived　on　time；　they'd　split　it　fifty…fifty　and　that　was　that。　Francis　Kingsbury　paid　no　further　attention　to　the　creatures　until　customers　started　noticing　that　the　voles〃　tongues　were　no　longer　very　blue。　Once　children　openly　began　grilling　the　Amazing　Kingdom　tour　guides　about　how　the　animals　got　their　name；　Kingsbury　ordered　Pedro　Luz　to　get　some　food　coloring　and　touch　the　damn　things　up。　Unfortunately；　Pedro　had　neither　the　patience　nor　the　gentle　touch　required　to　be　an　animal　handler；　and　one　of　the　voles…the　female…was　crushed　accidentally　during　a　tongue…painting　session。　Afraid　for　his　job；
　Pedro　Luz　had　told　no　one　of　the　mishap。　To　replace　the　deceased　vole；　he　had　purchased　a　dwarf　hamster　for　nine　dollars　from　a　pet　store　in　Perrine。　After　minor　modifications；　the　hamster　had　fooled　both　the　customers　and　the　male　vole；　which　repeatedly　attempted　to　mount　its　chubby　new　panion。　Not　only　had　the　hamster　rejected　these　advances；　it　had　counterattacked　with　such　ferocity　that　Pedro　Luz　had　been　forced　to　hire　a　night　security　guard　to　prevent　a　bloodbath。
　Matters　were　further　plicated　by　the　appearance　of　an　ill…mannered　pinhead　from　U。S。　Fish　and　Wildlife；　who　had　barged　into　the　theme　park　and　demanded　follow…up　data　from　the　〃project　manager。〃　Of　course　there　was　no　such　person　because　there　was　no　project　to　manage；　research　consisted　basically　of　making　sure　that　the　rodents　were　still　breathing　every　morning　before　the　gates　were　opened。　With　the　feds　suddenly　asking　questions；　Charles　Chelsea　had　quietly　put　out　an　all…points　bulletin　for　a　legitimate　biologist…a　recruiting　effort　that　eventually　induced　Dr。　Will　Koocher　to　e　to　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills。
　
　Kingsbury　decided　not　to　burden　Rachel　Lark　with　the　details　of　the　doctor's　grisly　demise；　it　was　irrelevant　to　the　purpose　of　his　call。
　〃Forget　the　money；〃　Kingsbury　told　her。
　〃I　must　be　hearing　things。〃
　〃No；　I　mean　it。〃
　〃Then　what　do　you　want？〃
　〃More　voles。〃
　〃You're　joking。〃
　〃My　customers；　hell；　they　go　nuts　for　the　damn　things。　Now　I　got　spin…offs；　merchandise…a　major　warehouse　situation；　if　you　follow　me。〃
　〃Sorry；〃　Rachel　Lark　said；　〃it　was　a　one…time　deal。〃　She'd　pulled　off　the　endangered…species　racket　on　two　other　occasions…once　for　a　small　Midwestern　zoo；　and　once　for　a　disreputable　reptile　farm　in　South　Carolina。　Neither　deal　made　as　much　money　as　the　mango…vole　scam；　but　neither　had　wound　up　in　the　headlines　of　the　Washington　Post；　either。
　Kingsbury　said；　〃Look；　I　know　there's　no　more　mango　voles…〃
　〃Hey；　sport；　there　never　were　any　mango　voles。〃
　〃So　what　you're　saying；　we　defrauded　the　government。〃
　〃God；　you're　quick。〃
　〃I'm　wondering；〃　said　Kingsbury；　〃those　fucking　fur…balls　I　paid　for…what　were　they？　Just　out　of　curiosity。〃
　Rachel　Lark　said；　〃Give　me　some　credit；　Frankie。　They　were　voles。　Microtus　pitymys。　mon　pine　voles。〃
　〃Not　endangered？〃
　〃There's　billions　of　the　darn　things。〃
　It　figures；　Kingsbury　thought。　The　blue　tongues　were　a　neat　touch。　〃So　get　me　some　more；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　call　'em　something　else；　banana　voles　or　whatever。　The　name's　not　important；　long　as　they're　cute。〃
　The　woman　who　called　herself　Rachel　Lark　said：　〃Look；　I　can　get　you　other　animals…rare；　not　endangered…but　my　advice　is　to　stay　away　from　the　feds　for　a　while。　You　put　in　for　another　big　grant；　it's　a　swell　way　to　get　audited。〃
　Again　Kingsbury　agreed　without　objection。　〃So　what　else　have　you　got；　I　mean；　in　the　way　of　a　species？〃
　〃Lizards　are　your　best　bet。〃　Rachel　Lark　stretched　on　her　belly　and　motioned　the　masseur；　whose　real　name　was　Ray；　to　do　her　spine。
　〃Christ　on　a　Harley；　who　wants　goddamn　lizards！〃　Kingsbury　cringed　at　the　idea；　he　had　been　thinking　more　along　the　lines　of　a　panda　or　a　koala　bear。　〃I　need　something；　you　know；　soft　and　furry　and　all　that。　Something　the　kiddies'll　want　to　take　home。〃
　Rachel　Lark　explained　that　the　Florida　Keys　were　home　to　a　very　limited　number　of　native　mammals；　and　the　sudden　discovery　of　a　new　species　（so　soon　after　the　mango…vole　announcement）　would　attract　more　scientific　scrutiny　than　the　Amazing　Kingdom　could　withstand。
　〃You're　saying；　I　take　it；　forget　about　pandas。〃
　〃Frank；　they'd　die　of　heatstroke　in　about　five　minutes。〃
　Exasperated；　Kingsbury　said；　〃I　got　problems　down　here　you　wouldn't　believe。〃　He　nearly　told　her　about　the　blackmailing　burglars。
　〃A　new　lizard　you　can　get　away　with；〃　she　said；　〃especially　in　the　tropics。〃
　〃Rachel；　what'd　I　just　say？　Fuck　the　lizards。　I　can't　market　lizards。〃
　Rachel　Lark　moaned　blissfully　as　the　masseur　kneaded　the　muscles　of　her　neck。　〃My　advice；〃　she　said　into　the　phone；　〃is　stay　away　from　mammals　and　birds…it's　too　risky。　Insects　are　another　story。　Dozens　of　species　of　insects　are　discovered　every　year。　Grasshoppers；　doodlebugs；　you　name　it。〃
　There　was　a　grumpy　pause　on　the　other　end。　Finally；　Francis　X。　Kingsbury　said；　〃Getting　back　to　the　lizards。　I　mean；　for　the　sake　of　argument。。。〃
　〃They're　very　colorful；〃　said　the　woman　who　called　herself　R