ch.nativetongue-第55节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


red　how　the　dying　panther　had　clawed　bloody　striations　on　the　man's　neck　and　shoulders。
　Skink　said；　〃You　did　a　fine　job；　even　though　we　lost　the　animal。〃
　〃We　gave　it　our　best。〃
　〃How　about　another　try？〃
　〃Look；　I　don't　work　on　humans。〃
　〃I　won't　tell　a　soul；〃　Skink　said。
　〃Please；〃　Joe　Winder　cut　in；　〃you're　the　only　one　he'll　trust。〃
　Skink's　chest　heaved；　and　he　let　out　a　groan。
　〃He's　lost　some　blood；〃　Carrie　said。
　Dr。　Rafferty　slipped　out　of　his　jacket　and　told　the　assistant　to　prepare　a　surgical　tray。　〃Oh；　we've　got　plenty　of　blood；〃　the　doctor　said；　〃but　unless　you're　a　schnauzer；　it　won't　do　you　much　good。〃
　〃Whatever；〃　Skink　mumbled；　drifting　light…headedly。　〃If　you　can't　fix　me　up；　then　put　me　to　sleep。　Like　you　would　any　old　sick　dog。〃
　
　TWENTY…SIX
　Charles　Chelsea　decided　that　〃dapper〃　was　too　strong　a　word　for　Francis　X。　Kingsbury's　appearance；　〃presentable〃　was　more　like　it。
　Kingsbury　wore　a　gray　silk　necktie；　and　a　long…sleeved　shirt　to　conceal　the　lewd　mouse　tattoo。　The　reason　for　the　sartorial　extravagance　was　an　invitation　to　address　the　Tri…County　Chamber　of　merce　luncheon；　Kingsbury　intended　to　use　the　occasion　to　unveil　a　model　of　the　Falcon　Trace　Golf　and　Country　Club　Resort　munity。
　Impatiently　he　pointed　at　Charles　Chelsea's　belly　and　said：　〃So？　The　damn　snake　situation…let's　hear　it。〃
　〃The　worst　is　over；〃　said　Chelsea；　with　genuine　confidence。　He　had　countered　Joe　Winder's　moccasin　attack　with　a　publicity　blurb　announcing　that　most　of　the　reptiles　had　turned　out　to　be　harmless　banded　water　snakes　that　only　looked　like　deadly　cottonmouths。　For　reinforcement　Chelsea　had　released　videotape　of　a　staged　capture；　peppered　with　reassuring　ments　from　a　local　zoologist。
　〃By　the　end　of　the　week；　we　can　send　back　all　those　boots；〃　Chelsea　said　in　conclusion。
　〃All　right；　that's　fine。〃　Kingsbury　swiveled　toward　the　window；　then　back　again。　Restlessly　he　kneaded　the　folds　of　his　neck。　〃Item　Number　Two；〃　he　said。　〃This　shit　with　the　doctor's　widow；　is　that　cleared　up　yet？〃
　Here　Chelsea　faltered；　for　Joe　Winder　had　stymied　him　with　the　Koocher　gambit。　The　publicity　man　was　at　a　loss　for　remedies。　There　was　no　clever　or　graceful　way　to　recant　a　2。8　million　settlement　offer　for　a　wrongful　death。
　Anxiety　manifested　itself　in　a　clammy　deluge　from　Chelsea's　armpits。　〃Sir；　this　one's　a　stumper；〃　he　said。
　〃I　don't　want　to　hear　it！〃　Kingsbury　clasped　his　hands　in　a　manner　suggesting　that　he　was　trying　to　control　a　homicidal　rage。　〃What　was　it；　two…point…eight？　There's　no　fucking　way…what；　do　I　look　like　Onassis？〃
　Chelsea's　jaws　ached　from　nervous　clenching。　He　pushed　onward：　〃To　rescind　the　offer　could　have　very　grave　consequences；　publicity…wise。　The　fallout　could　be　ugly。〃
　〃Grave　consequences？　I'll　give　you　grave；　Charlie。　Two　million　simoleons　outta　my　goddamn　pocket；　how's　that　for　grave？〃
　〃Perhaps　you　should　talk　to　the　insurance　pany。〃
　〃Ha！〃　Kingsbury　tossed　back　his　head　and　snorted　insanely。　〃They　just　jack　the　rates；　those　assholes；　every　time　some　putz　from　Boise　stubs　his　little　toe。　No　way；　Charlie；　am　I　talking　to　those　damn　insurance　people。〃
　In　recent　years　the　insurance　pany　had　tripled　its　liability　premium　for　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills。　This　was　due　to　the　unusually　high　incidence　of　accidents　and　injuries　on　the　main　attractions；　the　Wet　Willy　water　slide　alone　had　generated　seventeen　lawsuits；　and　out…of…court　settlements　totaling　nearly　three…quarters　of　a　million　dollars。　Even　more　costly　was　the　freakish　malfunction　of　a　mechanical　bull　at　the　Wild　Bill　Hiccup　Corral…an　elderly　British　tourist　had　been　hospitalized　with　a　90…degree　crimp　in　his　plastic　penile　implant。　The　jury's　seven…figure　verdict　had　surprised　no　one。
　There　was　no　point　rehashing　these　sad　episodes　with　Francis　Kingsbury；　for　it　would　only　appear　that　Charles　Chelsea　was　trying　to　defend　the　insurance　pany。
　〃I　think　you　should　be　aware；〃　he　said；　〃Mrs。　Koocher　has　retained　an　attorney。〃
　〃Good　for　her；〃　Kingsbury　rumbled。　〃Let　her　explain　to　a　judge　what　the　hell　her　old　man　was　doing；　swimming　with　a　damn　killer　whale　in　the　middle　of　the　night。〃
　Chelsea　was　now　on　the　precipice　of　anger　himself。　〃If　we　drag　this　out；　the　Herald　and　the　TV　will　be　all　over　us。　Do　we　really　want　a　pack　of　reporters　investigating　the　doctor's　death？〃
　Kingsbury　squinted　suspiciously。　〃What　are　you　getting　at？〃
　〃I'm　simply　advising　you　to　take　time　and　think　about　this。　Let　me　stall　the　media。〃
　The　swiveling　started　again；　back　and　forth；　Kingsbury　fidgeting　like　a　hyperactive　child。　〃Two…point…eight…million　dollars！　Where　the　hell　did　that　crazy　number　e　from？　I　guess　he　couldn't　of　made　it　a　hundred　grand；　something　do…able。〃　
　〃Winder？　No；　sir；　he　tends　to　think　big。〃　
　〃He's　trying　to　put　me　out　of　business；　isn't　he？〃　Francis　Kingsbury　stopped　spinning　the　chair。　He　planted　his　elbows　on　the　desk　and　dug　his　polished　fingernails　into　his　jowls。　〃The　fucker；　this　is　my　theory；　the　fucker's　trying　to　put　me　under。〃
　〃You　might　be　right；〃　Chelsea　admitted。
　〃What's　his…you　hired　him；　Charlie…what's　his　angle？〃
　〃I　couldn't　begin　to　tell　you。　For　now；　my　advice　is　to　get　the　insurance　pany　in　touch　with　Mrs。　Koocher's　lawyer。　Before　it　blows　up　even　worse。〃
　Kingsbury　gave　an　anguished　moan。　〃Worse？　How　is　that　possible？〃
　〃Anything's　possible。〃　Chelsea　was　alarmed　by　the　weariness　in　his　own　voice。　He　wondered　if　the　tempest　of　bad　news　would　ever　abate。
　The　phone　buzzed　and　Kingsbury　plucked　it　off　the　hook。　He　listened；　grunted　affirmatively　and　hung　up。　〃Pedro's　on　his　way　in；〃　he　said。　〃And　it　better　be　good　news　or　I'm　gonna　can　his　fat　ass。〃
　Pedro　Luz　did　not　look　like　a　cheery　bundle　of　good　tidings。　The　wheelchair　was　one　clue。　The　missing　foot　was　another。
　Kingsbury　sighed。　〃Christ；　now　what？〃　He　saw　a　whopper　of　a　worker's　p　claim　ing　down　the　pike。
　〃An　accident；〃　Pedro　Luz　said；　wheeling　to　a　stop　in　front　of　Kingsbury's　desk。　〃Hey；　it's　not　so　bad。〃
　Chelsea　noticed　that　the　security　man's　face　was　swollen　and　mottled　like　a　rotten　melon；　and　that　his　massive　arms　had　exploded　in　fresh　acne　sores。
　Kingsbury　drummed　on　a　marble　paperweight。　〃So？　Let's　hear　it。〃
　Pedro　Luz　said；　〃I　shot　the　bastard。〃
　〃Yeah？〃
　〃You　better　believe　it。〃
　Charles　Chelsea　deftly　excused　himself；　talk　of　felonies　made　him　unfortable。　He　closed　the　door　softly　and　nearly　sprinted　down　the　hall。　He　was　thinking：　Thank　God　it's　finally　over。　No　more　dueling　flacks。
　Kingsbury　grilled　Pedro　Luz　on　the　details　of　the　Joe　Winder　murder；　but　the　security　man　edited　selectively。
　〃He　was　in　the　shower。　I　fired　eleven　times；　so　I　know　damn　well　I　hit　him。　Besides；　I　heard　the　shouts。〃
　Kingsbury　asked；　〃How　do　you　know　he's　dead？〃
　〃There　was　lots　of　blood；〃　said　Pedro　Luz。　〃And　like　I　told　you；　I　fired　almost　a　dozen　goddamn　rounds。　Later　I　set　the　place　on　fire。〃
　〃Yeah？〃　Kingsbury　had　seen　footage　of　a　trailer　blaze　on　Channel　4；　there　had　been　no　mention　of　bodies。
　Pedro　Luz　said；　〃It　went　up　like　a　damn　torch。　One　of　them　cheap　mobile　homes。〃
　〃You're　sure　the　bastard　was　inside？〃
　〃Far　as　I　know。　And　the　bitch；　too。〃
　Francis　Kingsbury　said；　〃Which　bitch？　You're　losing　me　here。〃
　〃The　dumb　bitch　he　was　staying　with。　The　one　who　ran　me　over。〃
　Pedro　Luz　gestured　at　the　bandaged　stump　on　the　end　of　his　leg。　〃That's　what　she　did　to　me。〃
　The　puffy　slits　made　it　difficult　to　read　the　expression　in　Pedro　Luz's　eyes。　Kingsbury　said；　〃She　hit　you　with　a　car？〃
　〃More　than　that；　she　ran　me　down。　Parked　right　on　top　of　me。〃
　〃On　your　foot？　Jesus　Christ。〃　Kingsbury　winced　sympathetically。
　Pedro　Luz　said：　〃Good　thing　I'm　in　shape。〃　Self…consciously　he　folded　his　bulging　arms　and　spread　his　hands　in　a　way　that　covered　the　pimples。
　Kingsbury　said；　〃So　what　happened？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？　I　told　you　what　happened。〃　
　〃No；　I　mean　with　the　car　on　your　foot。　How'd　you　get　free？〃
　〃Oh；　I　chewed　it　off；〃　said　Pedro　Luz；　〃right　below　the　ankle。〃
　Kingsbury　stared　at　the　stump。　He　couldn't　think　of　anything　to　say。
　〃Animals　do　it　all　the　time；〃　Pedro　Luz　explained；　〃when　they　get　caught　in　traps。〃
　Francis　Kingsbury　nodded　unconsciously。　His　eyes　roamed　the　office；　searching　for　a　convenient　place　to　throw　up。
　〃The　hard　part　wasn't　the　pain。　The　hard　part　was　the　reach。〃　Pedro　Luz　bent　down　to　demonstrate。　
　〃Oh　Lord；〃　Kingsbury　muttered。　
　〃Like　I　said；　it's　a　good　thing　I'm　in　shape。〃
　
　At　the　campsite；　Joe　Winder　told　Molly　McNamara　it　was　nice　to　see　her　again。　Molly　congratulated　Joe　for　blowing　up　Kingsbury's　bulldozers。　Skink　thanked　Molly　for　the　bottle　of　Jack　Daniels；　and　briefly　related　how　it　had　been　utilized。　Carrie　Lanier　was　introduced　to　the　burglars；　whom　she　instantly　recognized　as　the　scruffy　vole　robbers。　Bud　Schwartz　and　Danny　Pogue　were　stunned　to　learn　that　Robbie　Raccoon　was　a　woman；　and　apologized　for　knocking　Carrie　down　during　the　heist。
　The　heat　was　throbbing　and　the　hammock　steamed。　No　breeze　stirred　off　the　water。　A　high　brown　haze　of　African　dust　muted　the　hues　of　the　broad　summer　sky。　Skink　handed　out　cold　sodas　and　tended　the　fire；　he　wore　cutoff　jeans；　the　panther　collar　and