ch.nativetongue-第46节

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t　swept　over　Pedro　Luz　every　few　hours。　To　Francis　Kingsbury　he　said；　〃Should　see　the　zits　on　his　cholders。〃
　〃Some　other　time；〃　Kingsbury　said。　〃You　guys；　now；　don't　get　into　it。　There's　work　to　do…I　want　these　assholes　off　my　back；　these　fucking　burglars；　and　I　want　the　files。　So　don't　start　up　with　each　other；　I　mean；　save　your　energy　for　the　job。〃
　Pedro　Luz　said；　〃Don't　worry。〃
　The　phone　rang　and　Kingsbury　snatched　it。　The　call　obviously　was　long…distance　because　Kingsbury　began　to　shout。　Something　about　a　truck　accident　ruining　an　important　shipment　of　fish。　The　caller　kept　cutting　in　on　Kingsbury；　and　Kingsbury　kept　making　half…assed　excuses；　meaning　some　serious　money　already　had　changed　hands。
　When　Kingsbury　hung　up；　he　said；　〃That　was　Hong　Kong。　Some　cat…food　outfit；　I　set　up　this　deal　and　it　didn't　work　out。　What　the　hell；　they'll　get　their　dough　back。〃
　〃My　uncle　had　a　fish　market；〃　remarked　Pedro　Luz。　〃It's　a　very　hard　business。〃
　Without　warning　Mrs。　Kingsbury　came　into　the　room。　She　wore　terry…cloth　tennis　shorts　and　the　top　half　of　a　lime…colored　bikini。　She　nodded　at　Churrito；　who　emitted　a　low　tomcat　rumble。　Pedro　Luz　glowered　at　him。
　She　said；　〃Frankie；　I　need　some　money　for　my　lessons。〃
　Under　his　breath；　Churrito　said；　〃I　give　her　some　lessons。　Chew　bet　I　will。〃
　Kingsbury　said；　〃I　just　gave　you…was　it　yesterday？…like　two　hundred　bucks。〃
　〃That　was　yesterday。〃　Mrs。　Kingsbury's　eyes　shifted　to　Pedro　Luz；　and　the　bottle　of　fluid　on　the　hanger。　〃What's　the　matter　with　him？〃　she　asked。
　〃One　of　them　crash　diets；〃　said　her　husband。
　Churrito　said；　〃Yeah；　make　your　muscles　get　big　and　your　dick　shrivel　up　like　a　noodle。〃
　Pedro　Luz　reddened。　〃It's　vitamins；　that's　all。〃　He　gnawed　anxiously　on　the　end　of　the　tube；　as　if　it　were　a　piece　of　beef　jerky。
　〃What　kind　of　vitamins？〃　asked　Kingsbury's　wife。
　〃For　men；〃　said　Pedro　Luz。　〃Men…only　vitamins。〃
　As　always；　it　was　a　test　to　be　in　the　same　room　with　Mrs。　Kingsbury　and　her　phenomenal　breasts。　Pedro　Luz　had　given　up　sex　three　years　earlier　in　the　misinformed　belief　that　ejaculation　was　a　waste　of　precious　hormones。　Somehow；　Pedro　Luz　had　acquired　the　false　notion　that　semen　was　one…hundred…percent　pure　testosterone；　and　consequently　he　was　distraught　when　a　popular　weightlifter　magazine　reported　that　the　average　sexually　active　male　would　squirt　approximately　19。6　gallons　in　a　lifetime。　For　a　fitness　fiend　such　as　Pedro　Luz；　the　jism　statistic　was　a　shocker。　To　expend　a　single　pearly　drop　of　masculine　fuel　on　a　recreational　pleasure　was　frivolous　and　harmful　and　plainly　against　God's　plan；　how　could　it　do　anything　but　weaken　the　body？
　As　it　happened；　Pedro　Luz's　fruit…and…steroid　diet　had　taken　the　edge　off　his　sex　drive　anyway。　Abstinence　had　not　proved　to　be　difficult；　except　when　Mrs。　Kingsbury　was　around。
　〃I　don't　like　needles；〃　she　announced。　〃I　don't　like　the　way　they　prick。〃
　Again　Churrito　began　to　growl　lasciviously。　Pedro　Luz　said；　〃After　a　while；　you　don't　even　notice。〃　He　showed　Mrs。　Kingsbury　how　the　IV　rig　moved　on　wheels。
　〃Like　a　shopping　cart；〃　she　said　gaily。　Her　husband　handed　her　a　hundred…dollar　bill　and　she　waved　goodbye。
　There　she　goes；〃　Kingsbury　said。　〃Pedro；　did　you　show　your　little　buddy　the　golf　painting？　The　one　we　did　at　Biltmore？〃
　〃I　saw；〃　Churrito　said。　〃In　the　living　room。〃
　〃Those　are　the　real　McCoys；〃　said　Kingsbury。
　Churrito　looked　perplexed。　〃McCoys？〃
　〃Her　tits；　I　mean。　How　you　say；　hoot…aires？　Kingsbury　cackled。　〃Now；　about　this　afternoon；　these　assholes…I'm　not　interested　in　details。　Not　at　all　interested。〃
　That　was　fine　with　Pedro　Luz。　He'd　skipped　the　details　the　last　time；　too；　when　they　had　roughed　up　the　old　lady　at　the　condo。　Although　Churrito　had　nagged　him　to　lighten　up；　the　beating　had　been　therapeutic　for　Pedro；　a　venting　of　toxic　brain　fumes。　Like　the　rush　he　got　while　pinching　the　heads　off　Joe　Winder's　goldfish。
　〃I　doubt　this　monkey　place　will　be　crowded；〃　Kingsbury　was　saying；　〃except　for　the　baboons。〃
　〃We'll　be　careful；〃　Pedro　Luz　assured　him。
　〃You　get　caught；　no　offense；　but　I　don't　know　you。　Never　seen　you　bastards　before　in　my　life。〃
　〃We　won't　get　caught。〃
　Kingsbury　snapped　his　fingers。　〃The　files；　I'll　give　you　a　list。　Don't　do　anything　till　you　get　my　files　back。　After　that；　it's　your　call。〃
　Pedro　Luz　looked　at　his　wristwatch　and　said　it　was　time　to　go。　The　wheels　on　the　IV　rig　twittered　as　it　followed　him　to　the　door。
　〃I　wanted　to　ask；〃　Churrito　said；　〃is　it　okay　I　look　at　the　pitcher　again？　The　one　with　your　wife　and　those　real　McCoys。〃
　〃Be　my　guest；〃　said　Kingsbury；　beaming。　〃That's　what　it's　there　for。〃
　
　One　problem；　Bud　Schwartz　realized；　was　that　he　and　his　partner　had　never　done　a　blackmail　before。　In　fact；　he　wasn't　sure　if　it　was　blackmail　or　extortion；　technically　speaking。
　〃Call　it　a　trade；〃　said　Danny　Pogue。
　Bud　Schwartz　smiled。　Not　bad；　he　thought。　A　trade　it　is。
　They　were　waiting　in　the　rented　Cutlass　in　the　parking　lot　of　Monkey　Mountain。　Mrs。　Kingsbury's　chrome…plated　pistol　lay　on　the　seat　between　them。　Neither　of　them　wanted　to　handle　it。
　〃Christ；　I　hate　guns；〃　said　Bud　Schwartz。
　〃How's　your　hand？〃
　〃Getting　there。　How's　your　foot？〃
　〃Pretty　good。〃　Danny　Pogue　opened　a　bag　of　Burger　King　and　the　oily　smell　of　hot　fries　filled　the　car。　Bud　Schwartz　rolled　down　the　window　and　was　counter…assailed　by　the　overpowering　odor　of　monkeys。
　Chewing；　Danny　Pogue　said；　〃I　can't　get　over　that　guy　in　the　house；　Molly's　friend。　Just　e　right　in。〃
　〃Bigfoot；〃　said　Bud　Schwartz；　〃without　the　manners。〃
　〃I　just　hope　he　don't　e　back。〃
　〃You　and　me　both。〃
　Bud　Schwartz　was　watching　out　for　Saabs。　Over　the　phone　Kingsbury　had　told　him　he'd　be　driving　a　〃navy　Saab　with　tinted　windows；　so　far；　no　sign　of　the　car。
　He　asked　his　partner：　〃You　ever　done　a　Saab？〃
　〃No；　they　all　got　alarms；〃　said　Danny　Pogue。　〃Like　radar　is　what　I　heard。　Just　look　at　'em　funny；　and　they　go　off。　Same　with　the　Porsches；　I　fucking　whisper　just　walkin'　by　the　damn　things。〃
　At　two　minutes　after　four；　Bud　Schwartz　said　it　was　time　to　get　ready。　Gingerly　he　put　the　gun　in　his　pocket。　〃Leave　the　files　under　the　seat；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　make　the　trade　after　we　got　the　money。〃
　At　the　ticket　window　they　got　a　map　of　Monkey　Mountain。　It　wasn't　exactly　a　sprawling　layout。
　〃Hey；　they　even　got　a　gorilla；〃　said　Danny　Pogue；　〃name　of　Brutus。　From　the　picture　it　looks　like　an　African　silverback。〃
　〃Fascinating；〃　Bud　Schwartz　said。　He'd　had　about　enough　of　animal　lore。　Lately　Danny　Pogue　had　been　spending　too　many　hours　watching　wildlife　documentaries　on　the　Discovery　Channel。　It　was　all　he　talked　about；　he　and　Molly；　and　it　was　driving　Bud　Schwartz　up　the　wall。　One　night；　instead　of　the　Cubs　game；　he　had　to　sit　through　ninety　minutes　of　goddamn　hummingbirds。　To　Bud　Schwartz　they　resembled　moths　with　beaks；　he　got　dizzy　watching　the　damn　things；　even　the　slow…motion　parts。　Danny　Pogue；　on　the　other　hand；　had　been　enthralled。　The　fact　that　hummingbirds　also　inhabited　North　Key　Largo　heightened　his　sense　of　mission　against　Francis　X。　Kingsbury。
　As　they　set　out　for　the　Baboon　Tree；　Danny　Pogue　said；　〃Why'd　you　pick　this　place；　Bud？〃
　〃Cause　it's　out　in　public。　That's　how　you　do　these　things；　extortions。〃
　〃Are　you　sure？〃
　The　visitor　paths　through　Monkey　Mountain　were　enclosed　by　chicken　wire；　giving　the　effect　that　it　was　the　humans　who　were　encaged　while　the　wild　beasts　roamed　free。　Bud　Schwartz　was　unfortable　with　this　arrangement。　Above　his　head；　screeching　monkeys　loped　along　the　mesh；　begging　for　peanuts　and　crackers　that　Bud　Schwartz　had　neglected　to　purchase　at　the　concession　stand。　The　impatient　animals…howlers；　gibbons；　rhesus　and　spider　monkeys…got　angrier　by　the　second。　They　bared　yellow　teeth　and　spit　maliciously　and　shook　the　chicken　wire。　When　Danny　Pogue　reached　up　to　give　one　of　them　a　shiny　dime；　it　defecated　in　his　hair。
　〃You　happy　now？〃　said　Bud　Schwartz。　〃Damn；　I　can't　believe　it。〃　Danny　Pogue　stopped　to　stick　his　head　under　a　water　fountain。　〃Don't　they　ever　feed　these　goddamn　things？〃　he　said。
　Above　them；　the　gang　of　furry；　shrieking；　incontinent　beggars　had　swollen　to　three　dozen。　Bud　Schwartz　and　Danny　Pogue　shielded　their　heads　and　jogged　the　rest　of　the　way　to　the　Baboon　Tree；　an　ancient　ficus　in　the　hub　of　a　small　plaza。　Bud　Schwartz　was　relieved　to　escape　the　yammering　din　and　the　rain　of　monkey　feces。　With　a　sigh　he　sat　next　to　a　Japanese　family　on　a　concrete　bench。　A　moat　of　filmy　brown　water　separated　them　from　the　bustling　baboon　colony　in　the　big　tree。　Danny　Pogue　said：　〃Know　why　they　don't　let　the　other　monkeys　together　with　the　baboons？〃　
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃Because　the　baboons'd　eat　'em。〃　
　〃What　a　loss　that　would　be。〃　
　〃Let's　go　see　Brutus。〃
　〃Danny；　we're　here　on　business。　Now　shut　the　fuck　up；　if　you　don't　mind。〃
　The　Japanese　husband　apparently　understood　at　least　one　word　of　English；　because　he　gave　Bud　Schwartz　a　sharp　look。　The　Japanese　wife；　who　hadn't　heard　the　profane　remark；　signaled　that　she　would　like　a　photograph　of　the　whole　family　in　front　of　the　moat。　Bud　Schwartz　motioned　that　his　partner　would　do　the　honors；　Danny　Pogue　had　stolen　many　Nikons；　but　he'd　never