ch.nativetongue-第57节

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Namara　and　the　two　burglars　already　had　been　rounded　up；　another　ranger；　with　a　clipboard；　was　questioning　them。　There　was　no　sign　of　Skink。
　Sergeant　Mark　Dyerson　introduced　himself　and　asked　to　see　some　identification。　Joe　Winder　and　Carrie　Lanier　showed　him　their　driver's　licenses。　The　ranger　was　copying　down　their　names　when　a　gaunt　old　cracker；　pulled　by　three　lean　hounds；　came　out　of　the　woods。
　〃Any　luck？〃　Sergeant　Dyerson　asked。　
　〃Nope；〃　said　the　tracker。　〃And　I　lost　me　a　dog。〃　
　〃Maybe　the　panther　got　him。〃　
　〃They　ain't　no　panther　out　there。〃　
　〃Hell；　Jackson；　the　radio　don't　lie。〃　The　ranger　turned　back　to　Joe　Winder　and　Carrie　Lanier。　〃And　I　suppose　you're　bird…watchers；　too。　Just　like　Mrs。　McNamara　and　her　friends。〃
　Beautiful；　thought　Winder。　We're　bird…watchers　now。　Playing　along；　Carrie　informed　the　ranger　they　were　following　a　pair　of　nesting　kestrels。
　〃No　kidding？〃　Sergeant　Dyerson　said。　〃I've　never　met　a　birder　who　didn't　carry　binoculars…and　here　I　get　five　of　'em；　all　at　one　time。〃
　〃We're　thinking　of　forming　a　club；〃　said　Carrie。　Joe　Winder　bit　his　lip　and　looked　away。　Molly's　Cadillac　took　off；　eastbound…a　crown　of　white　hair　behind　the　wheel；　the　burglars　slouched　in　the　back　seat。
　〃I'll　give　you　this　much；〃　the　ranger　said；　〃you　sure　don't　look　like　poachers。〃　A　Florida　Highway　Patrol　car　pulled　up　and　parked　beside　Sergeant　Dyerson's　Jeep。　A　muscular　black　trooper　got　out　and　tipped　his　Stetson　at　the　ranger。
　〃Whatcha　know？〃　the　trooper　said　affably。
　〃Tracking　a　panther。　These　folks　got　in　the　way。〃　
　〃A　panther？　You　got　to　be　kidding。〃　
　The　trooper's　laughter　boomed。　〃I've　been　driving　this　stretch　for　three　years　and　never　saw　a　bobcat；　much　less　a　panther。〃
　〃They're　very　secretive；〃　Sergeant　Dyerson　said。　〃You　wouldn't　necessarily　spot　them。〃　He　wasn't　in　the　mood　for　a　nature　lesson。　He　turned　to　the　old　tracker　and　told　him　to　run　the　frigging　dogs　one　more　time。
　〃Ain't　no　point。〃
　〃Humor　me；〃　said　Sergeant　Dyerson。　〃e　on；　let's　go　find　your　other　hound。〃
　Once　the　wildlife　officers　were　gone；　the　trooper's　easygoing　smile　dissolved。　〃You　folks　need　a　lift。〃
　〃No；　thanks；〃　Joe　Winder　said。
　〃It　wasn't　a　question；　friend。〃　The　trooper　opened　the　back　door　of　the　cruiser；　and　motioned　them　inside。
　
　TWENTY…SEVEN
　The　trooper　took　them　to　lunch　at　the　Ocean　Reef　Club。　The　clientele　seemed　ruffled　by　the　sight　of　a　tall　black　man　with　a　sidearm。
　〃You're　making　the　folks　nervous；〃　Joe　Winder　observed。
　〃Must　be　the　uniform。〃
　Carrie　popped　a　shrimp　into　her　mouth。　〃Are　we　under　arrest？〃
　〃I'd　be　doing　all　three　of　us　a　favor；〃　Jim　Tile　said；　〃but　no；　unfortunately；　you're　not　under　arrest。〃
　Winder　was　working　on　a　grouper　sandwich。　Jim　Tile　had　ordered　the　fried　dolphin　and　conch　fritters。　The　dining　room　was　populated　by　rich　Republican　golfers　with　florid　cheeks　and　candy…colored　Izod　shirts。　The　men　shot　anxious　squinty…eyed　glances　toward　the　black　trooper's　table。
　Jim　Tile　motioned　for　iced　tea。　〃I　can't　imagine　why　I've　never　gotten　a　membership　application。　Maybe　it　got　lost　in　the　mail。〃
　〃What's　the　point　of　all　this？〃　Winder　asked。
　〃To　have　a　friendly　chat。〃
　〃About　what？〃
　Jim　Tile　shrugged。　〃Flaming　bulldozers。　Dead　whales。　One…eyed　woodsmen。　You　pick　the　subject。〃
　〃So　we've　got　a　mutual　friend。〃
　〃Yes；　we　do。〃　The　trooper　was　enjoying　the　fish　platter　immensely；　despite　the　stares；　he　seemed　in　no　hurry　to　finish。　He　said；　〃The　plane　scared　him　off；　right？〃
　〃It　doesn't　make　sense；〃　Winder　said。　〃They're　not　after　him；　they're　after　a　cat。　Why　does　he　run？〃
　Jim　Tile　put　down　the　fork　and　wiped　his　mouth。　〃My　own　opinion…he　feels　a　duty　to　hide　because　that's　what　the　panther　would've　done。　He　wears　that　damn　collar　like　a　sacred　obligation。〃
　〃To　the　extreme。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　the　trooper　said。　〃I　don't　expect　they'll　find　that　missing　dog。　You　understand？〃
　Carrie　said；　〃He's　a　very　interesting　person。〃
　〃A　man　to　be　admired　but　not　imitated。〃　Jim　Tile　paused。　〃I　say　that　with　no　disrespect。〃
　Winder　chose　not　to　acknowledge　the　warning。　〃Where　do　you　think　he　went？〃　he　asked　the　trooper。
　〃I'm　not　sure；　but　it's　a　matter　of　concern。〃
　The　manager　of　the　restaurant　appeared　at　the　table。　He　was　a　slender　young　man　with　bleached　hair　and　pointy　shoulders　and　brand　new　teeth。　In　a　chilly　tone　he　asked　Jim　Tile　if　he　were　a　member　of　the　club；　and　the　trooper　said　no；　not　yet。　The　manager　started　to　say　something　else　but　changed　his　mind。　Jim　Tile　requested　a　membership　application；　and　the　manager　said　he'd　be　back　in　a　jiffy。
　〃That's　the　last　we'll　see　of　him；〃　the　trooper　predicted。
　Joe　Winder　wanted　to　learn　more　about　Skink。　He　decided　it　was　safe　to　tell　Jim　Tile　what　the　group　had　been　doing　in　the　hammock　before　the　airplane　came：　〃We　were　hatching　quite　a　plot。〃
　〃I　figured　as　much；〃　the　trooper　said。　〃You　know　much　about　rock　and　roll？〃
　Carrie　pointed　at　Winder　and　said；　〃Hard　core。〃
　〃Good；〃　said　Jim　Tile。　〃Maybe　you　can　tell　me　what's　a　Mojo？　The　other　day　he　was　talking　about　a　Mojo　flying。〃
　〃Rising；〃　Winder　said。　〃Mojo　rising。　It's　a　line　from　The　Doors…I　believe　it's　got　phallic　connotations。〃
　〃No；〃　Carrie　jumped　in。　〃I　think　it's　about　drugs。〃
　The　trooper　looked　exasperated。　〃White　people's　music；　I　swear　to　God。　Sinatra's　all　right；　but　you　can　keep　the　rest　of　it。〃
　〃Shall　we　discuss　rap？〃　Joe　Winder　said　sharply。　〃Shall　we　examine　the　lyrical　genius　of；　say；　2　Live　Crew？〃　He　could　be　very　defensive　when　it　came　to　rock。　Carrie　reached　under　the　table　and　pinched　his　thigh。　She　told　him　to　lighten　up。
　〃Rikers　Island；〃　Jim　Tile　said。　〃Is　there　a　song　about　Rikers　Island？〃
　Winder　couldn't　think　of　one。　〃You　sure　it's　not　Thunder　Island？〃
　〃No。〃　Jim　Tile　shook　his　head　firmly。　〃Our　friend　said　he'd　be　leaving　Florida　one　day。　Go　up　to　Rikers　Island　and　see　to　some　business。〃
　〃But　that's　a　prison；〃　Carrie　said。
　〃Yeah。　A　prison　in　New　York　City。〃
　Joe　Winder　remembered　something　Skink　had　told　him　the　first　day　at　the　campsite。　If　it　was　a　clue；　it　foreshadowed　a　crime　of　undiluted　madness。
　Winder　said；　〃Rikers　is　where　they　keep　that　idiot　who　shot　John　Lennon。〃　He　cocked　an　eyebrow　at　Jim　Tile。　〃You　do　know　who　John　Lennon　was？〃
　〃Yes；　I　do。〃　The　trooper's　shoulders　sagged。　This　could　be　trouble；〃　he　added　emptily。
　〃Our　mutual　friend　never　got　over　it；〃　Winder　said。　〃The　other　night；　he　asked　me　about　the　Dakota。〃
　〃Wait　a　minute。〃　Carrie　Lanier　made　a　time…out　signal　with　her　hands。　〃You　guys　aren't　serious。〃
　Gloomily　Jim　Tile　stirred　the　ice　in　his　tea。　〃The　man　gets　his　mind　set　on　things。　And　these　days；　I've　been　noticing　he　doesn't　handle　stress　all　that　well。〃
　Joe　Winder　said；　〃Christ；　it　was　only　an　airplane。　It's　gone　now；　he'll　calm　down。〃
　〃Let's　hope。〃　The　trooper　called　for　the　check。
　Carrie　looked　sadly　at　Winder。　〃And　here　I　thought　you　were　bonkers；〃　she　said。
　
　Agent　Billy　Hawkins　told　Molly　McNamara　that　the　house　was　simply　beautiful。　Old…time　Florida；　you　don't　see　pine　floors　like　this　anymore。　Dade　County　pine。
　Molly　said；　〃I've　got　carpenter　ants　in　the　attic。　All　this　wet　weather's　got　'em　riled。〃
　〃You'd　better　get　that　seen　to；　and　soon。　They　can　be　murder　on　the　beams。〃
　〃Yes；　I　know。　How　about　some　more　lemonade？〃
　〃No；　thank　you；〃　said　Agent　Hawkins。　〃We　really　need　to　talk　about　this　telephone　call。〃
　Molly　began　to　rock　slowly。　〃I'm　pletely　stumped。　As　I　told　you　before；　I　don't　know　a　living　soul　in　Queens。〃
　Hawkins　held　a　notebook　on　his　lap；　a　blue　Flair　pen　in　his　right　hand。　He　said；　〃Salvatore　Delicato　is　an　associate　of　the　John　Gotti　crime　family。〃
　〃Goodness！〃　Molly　exclaimed。
　〃Prior　arrests　for　racketeering；　extortion　and　ine…tax　evasion。　The　phone　call　to　his　number　was　made　from　here。　It　lasted　less　than　a　minute。〃
　〃There　must　be　some　mistake。　Did　you　check　with　Southern　Bell？〃
　〃Miss　McNamara；〃　Hawkins　said；　〃can　we　please　cut　the　crap。〃
　Molly's　grandmotherly　expression　turned　glacial。　〃Watch　your　language；　young　man。〃
　Flushing　slightly；　the　agent　continued：　〃Have　you　ever　met　a　Jimmy　Nardoni；　otherwise　known　as　Jimmy　Noodles？　Or　a　man　named　Gino　Ricci；　otherwise　known　as　Gino　The　Blade？〃
　〃Such　colorful　names；〃　Molly　remarked。　〃No；　I've　never　heard　of　them。　Do　you　have　my　telephone　bugged；　Agent　Hawkins？〃
　He　resisted　the　impulse　to　tell　her　that　Sal　Delicato's　telephone　was　tapped　by　a　squadron　of　eavesdroppers…not　only　the　FBI；　but　the　New　York　State　Police；　the　U。S。　Drug　Enforcement　Administration；　the　Tri…State　Task　Force　on　Organized　Crime　and　the　Bureau　of　Alcohol；　Tobacco　and　Firearms。　The　New　York　Telephone　box　on　the　utility　pole　behind　The　Salamander's　butcher　shop　sprouted　so　many　extra　wires；　it　looked　like　a　pigeon's　nest。
　〃Let　me　give　you　a　scenario；〃　Agent　Hawkins　said　to　Molly。　〃A　man　used　your　phone　to　call　Sal　Delicate　for　the　purpose　of　revealing　the　whereabouts　of　a　federally　protected　witness　now　living　in　Monroe　County；　Florida。〃
　〃That's　outlandish；〃　Molly　said。　〃Who　is　this　federal　witness？〃
　〃I　imagine　you　already　know。〃　Hawkins　jotted　something　in　the　notebook。　〃The　man　who　made　the　phone　call；　we　believe；　was　Buddy　Mi