ch.nativetongue-第38节

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　〃They're　very　colorful；〃　said　the　woman　who　called　herself　Rachel　Lark。
　〃Ugly　is　out　of　the　question；〃　Kingsbury　stated　firmly。　〃Ugly　scares　the　kiddies。〃
　〃Not　all　reptiles　are　ugly；　Frankie。　In　fact；　some　are　very　beautiful。〃
　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃See　what　you　can　do。〃
　The　woman　who　called　herself　Rachel　Lark　hung　up　the　phone　and　closed　her　eyes。　When　she　awoke；　the　masseur　was　gone　and　the　man　from　Singapore　was　knocking　on　the　door。　In　one　hand　was　a　small　bouquet　of　yellow　roses；　and　in　the　other　was　a　tan　briefcase　holding　a　large　down　payment　for　a　shipment　of　rare　albino　scorpions。　Real　ones。
　
　EIGHTEEN
　On　the　morning　of　July　23；　a　semi…tractor　truck　leaving　North　Key　Largo　lost　its　brakes　on　the　Card　Sound　Bridge。　The　truck　plowed　through　the　tollbooth；　jack…knifed　and　overturned；　blocking　both　lanes　of　traffic　and　effectively　severing　the　northern　arm　of　the　island　from　the　Florida　mainland。　The　gelatinous　contents　of　the　container　were　strewn　for　ninety…five　yards　along　the　road；　and　within　minutes　the　milky…blue　sky　filled　with　turkey　buzzards…hundreds　of　them；　wheeling　counterclockwise　lower　and　lower；　only　the　noisy　throng　of　gawkers　kept　the　hungry　scavengers　from　landing　on　the　crash　site。　The　first　policeman　to　arrive　was　Highway　Patrol　Trooper　Jim　Tile；　who　nearly　flipped　his　Crown　Victoria　cruiser　when　he　tried　to　stop　on　the　freshly　slickened　pavement。　The　trooper　tugged　the　truck　driver　from　the　wreckage　and；　while　splinting　the　man's　arm；　demanded　to　know　what　godforsaken　cargo　he'd　been　hauling。
　〃A　dead　whale；〃　moaned　the　driver；　〃and　that's　all　I'm　saying。〃
　
　Charles　Chelsea　was　summoned　to　Francis　X。　Kingsbury's　office　at　the　unholy　hour　of　seven　in　the　morning。
　Kingsbury　looked　as　if　he　hadn't　slept　since　Easter。　He　asked　Chelsea　how　long　it　would　take　to　get　the　TV　stations　out　to　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills。
　〃Two　hours；〃　Chelsea　said　confidently。
　〃Do　it。〃　Kingsbury　blew　his　nose。　〃On　the　horn；　now。〃
　〃What's　the　occasion；　if　I　might　ask？〃
　Kingsbury　held　up　five　fingers。　〃Today's　the　big　day。　Our　five…millionth　visitor。　Arrange　something；　a　fucking　parade；　I　don't　care。〃
　Charles　Chelsea　felt　his　stomach　yaw。　〃Five　million　visitors；〃　he　said。　〃Sir；　I　didn't　realize　we'd　reached　that　milestone。〃
　〃We　haven't。〃　Kingsbury　hacked　ferociously　into　a　monogrammed　handkerchief。　〃Damn　my　hay　fever；　I　think　it's　the　mangroves。　Every　morning　my　whole　head's　fulla　snot。〃　He　pushed　a　copy　of　the　Wall　Street　Journal　at　Chelsea。　A　column　on　the　front　page　announced　that　Walt　Disney　World　was　expanding　its　empire　to　build　a　mammoth　retail　shopping　center；　one　of　the　largest　in　the　Southeastern　United　States。
　〃See；　we　can't　just　sit　here；〃　Kingsbury　said。　〃Got　to　e　back　strong。　Big　media　counterpunch。〃
　Chelsea　skimmed　the　Journal　article　and　laid　it　on　his　lap。　Tentatively　he　said；　〃It's　hard　to　pete　with　something　like　this。　I　mean；　it　goes　so　far　beyond　the　realm　of　a　family　theme　park…〃
　〃Bullshit；〃　said　Kingsbury。　〃The　Miami…Lauderdale　TV　market　is…what；　three　times　the　size　of　Orlando。　Plus　CNN；　don't　they　have　a　bureau　down　here？〃　Kingsbury　spun　his　chair　and　gazed　out　the　window。　〃Hell；　that　new　dolphin　I　bought…can't　you　work　him　into　the　piece？　Say　he　rescued　somebody　who　fell　in　the　tank。　A　pregnant　lady　or　maybe　an　orphan。　Rescued　them　from　drowning…that's　your　story！　'Miracle　Dolphin　Saves　Drowning　Orphan。'　〃
　〃I　don't　know　if　that's　such　a　good　plan；〃　said　Chelsea；　though　inwardly　he　had　to　admit　it　would　have　been　one　helluva　headline。
　〃This　celebration；　make　it　for　noon；〃　Kingsbury　said。　〃Whoever　es　through　the　turnstiles；　strike　up　the　band。　But　make　sure　it's　a　tourist；　no　goddamn　locals。　Number　five　million；　okay？　In　giant　letters。〃
　His　gut　tightening；　Chelsea　said；　〃Sir；　it　might　be　wiser　to　go　with　two　million。　It's　closer　to　the　real　number。。。just　in　case　somebody　makes　an　issue　of　it。〃
　〃No；　two　is…chickenshit；　really。　Five's　better。　And　the　parade；　too；　I'm　serious。〃　Kingsbury　stood　up。　He　was　dressed　for　golf。　〃A　parade；　that's　good　video；〃　he　said。　〃Plenty　of　time　to　get　it　for　the　six…o'clock　news。　That's　our　best　demographic；　am　I　right？　Fucking　kids；　they　don't　watch　the　eleven。〃
　Chelsea　nodded。　〃What　do　we　give　the　winner？　Mr。　Five　Million；　I　mean。〃
　〃A　car；　Jesus　Christ。〃　Kingsbury　looked　at　him　as　if　he　were　an　idiot。　A　few　years　earlier；　Disney　World　had　given　away　an　automobile　every　day　for　an　entire　summer。　Kingsbury　had　never　gotten　over　it。　〃Make　it　a　Corvette；〃　he　told　Chelsea。
　〃All　right；　but　you're　looking　at　forty　thousand　dollars。　Maybe　more。〃
　Kingsbury　extended　his　lower　lip　so　far　that　it　seemed　to　touch　his　nose；　for　a　moment　he　wore　the　pensive　look　of　a　caged　orangutan。　〃Forty　grand；〃　he　repeated　quietly。　〃That's　brand　new；　I　suppose。〃
　〃When　you　give　one　away；　yes。　Ordinarily　the　cars　should　be　new。〃
　〃Unless　they're　classics。〃　Kingsbury　winked。　〃Make　it　a　classic。　Say；　a　1964　Ford　Falcon。　You　don't　see　many　of　those　babies。〃
　〃Sure　don't。〃
　〃A　Falcon　convertible；　geez；　we　could　probably　pick　one　up　for　twenty…five　hundred。〃
　〃Probably；〃　agreed　Chelsea；　not　even　pretending　enthusiasm。
　〃Well；　move　on　it。〃　Francis　X。　Kingsbury　thumbed　him　out　of　the　office。　〃And　tell　Pedro；　get　his　ass　in　here。〃
　Pedro　Luz　was　in　the　executive　gym；　bench…pressing　a　bottle　of　stanozolol　tablets。　He　was　letting　the　tiny　pink　pills　drop　one　by　one　into　his　mouth。
　A　man　named　Churrito；　lounging　on　a　Nautilus；　said：　〃Hiss　very　bad　for　liver。〃
　〃Very　good　for　muscles；〃　said　Pedro　Luz；　mimicking　the　accent。
　Churrito　was　his　latest　hire　to　the　security　squad　at　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills。　He　had　acpanied　Pedro　Luz　on　his　mission　to　Miami；　but　had　declined　to　participate　in　the　beating。　Pedro　Luz　was　still　miffed　about　what　had　happened…the　old　lady　chomping　off　the　top　joint　of　his　right　index　finger。
　〃You're　useless；〃　he　had　told　Churrito　afterward。
　〃I　am　a　soldier；〃　Churrito　had　replied。　〃I　dun　hit　no　wooman。〃
　Unlike　the　other　security　guards　hired　by　Pedro　Luz；　Churrito　had　not　been　a　crooked　cop。　He　was　a　Nicaraguan　contra　who　had　moved　to　Florida　when　things　were　bleak；　and　had　not　gotten　around　to　moving　back。
　While　Churrito　was　pleased　at　the　prospect　of　democracy　taking　seed　in　his　homeland；　he　suspected　that　true　economic　prosperity　was　many　years　away。　Elections　notwithstanding；　Churrito's　buddies　were　still　stuck　in　the　border　hills；　frying　green　bananas　and　dynamiting　the　rivers　for　fish。　Meanwhile　his　uncle；　formerly　a　sergeant　in　Somoza's　National　Guard；　now　lived　with　a　twenty…two…year…old　stewardess　in　a　high…rise　condo　on　Key　Biscayne。　To　Churrito　this　seemed　like　a　pretty　good　advertisement　for　staying　right　where　he　was。
　Pedro　Luz　had　hired　him　because　he　looked　mean；　and　because　he'd　said　he　had　killed　people。
　〃unistas；〃　Churrito　had　specified；　that　night　at　the　old　lady's　apartment。　〃I　only　kill　moonists。　And　I　dun　hit　no　wooman。〃
　And　now　here　he　was；　lecturing　Pedro　Luz　about　the　perils　of　anabolic　steroids。
　〃Make　you　face　like　balloon。〃
　〃Shut　up；〃　said　Pedro　Luz。　He　was　wondering　if　the　hospital　in　Key　Largo　would　sell　him　extra　bags　of　dextrose　water　for　the　IV。　Grind　up　the　stanozolols；　drop　them　in　the　mix　and　everything　would　be　fine　again。
　〃Make　you　bulls　shrink；　too。〃
　〃That's　enough；〃　Pedro　Luz　said。
　Churrito　held　up　two　fingers。　〃Dis　big。　Like　BBs。〃
　〃Quiet；〃　said　Pedro　Luz；　〃or　I　call　a　friend　a　mine　at　INS。〃　He　couldn't　decide　whether　to　fire　the　guy　or　beat　him　up。　He　knew　which　would　give　more　pleasure。
　〃They　got；　like；　three　flights　a　day　to　Managua；〃　he　said　to　Churrito。　〃You　getting　homesick？〃
　The　Nicaraguan　grimaced。
　〃I　didn't　think　so；〃　said　Pedro　Luz。　〃So　shut　up　about　my　medicines。〃
　Charles　Chelsea　appeared　at　the　foot　of　the　weight　bench。　He　had　never　seen　Pedro　Luz　without　a　shirt；　and　couldn't　conceal　his　awe　at　the　freakish　physique…the　hairless　bronze　trunk　of　a　chest；　cantaloupe　biceps；　veins　as　thick　as　a　garden　hose。　Chelsea　didn't　recognize　the　other　fellow…shorter　and　sinewy；　with　skin　the　color　of　nutmeg。
　〃I'm　working　out；〃　said　Pedro　Luz。　
　〃Mr。　Kingsbury　needs　to　see　you。〃　
　〃Who　ees　that？〃　Churrito　said。　
　Pedro　Luz　sat　up。　〃That　be　the　boss。〃　
　〃Right　away；〃　said　Charles　Chelsea。　
　〃Can　I　go？〃　asked　Churrito。　He　didn't　want　to　miss　an　opportunity　to　meet　the　boss；　according　to　his　uncle；　that's　what　success　in　America　was　all　about。　Kissing　ass。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　Chelsea　said；　〃but　Mr。　Kingsbury　wants　to　see　Chief　Luz　alone。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　said　Pedro　Luz。　As　he　rolled　off　the　bench；　he　made　a　point　of　clipping　Churrito　with　a　casual　forearm。　Churrito　didn't　move；　didn't　make　a　sound。　His　eyes　grew　very　small　and　he　stared　at　Pedro　Luz　until　Pedro　Luz　spun　away；　pretending　to　hunt　for　his　sweatshirt。
　Churrito　pointed　at　the　scarlet　blemishes　on　Pedro　Luz's　shoulder　blades　and　said：　〃You　all　broke　out；　man。〃　
　〃Shut　up　before　I　yank　your　nuts　off。〃　
　Backing　away；　Charles　Chelsea　thought：　Where　do　they　get　these　guys？
　
　Francis　X。　Kingsbury　offered　a　Bloody　Mary　to　Pedro　Luz；　who　guzzled　it　like　Gatorade。
　〃So；　Pedro；　the　job's　going　all　right？〃
　The　security　chief　was　startle