ch.nativetongue-第64节

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his　corpulent　profile。
　Lou　said；　〃Since　I　know　you're　dyin'　to　ask；　what　happened　was　this：　the　asshole　bent　over。　Don't　ask　me　why；　but　he　bent　over　just　as　I　pulled　the　trigger。〃
　〃Bud　thought　you　probably　got　the　two　guys　mixed　up…〃
　〃I　didn't　get　nobody　mixed　up。〃　Lou's　upper　lip　curled　when　he　directed　this　bulletin　toward　Bud　Schwartz。　〃The　guy　leaned　over　is　all。　Otherwise　he'd　be　dead　right　now；　trust　me。〃
　Despite　his　doubts　about　Lou's　marksmanship；　Bud　Schwartz　didn't　want　him　to　leave　Miami　with　hard　feelings。　He　didn't　want　any　hit　man；　even　a　clumsy　one；　to　be　sore　at　him。
　〃Could've　happened　to　anybody；〃　Bud　Schwartz　said　supportively。　〃Sounds　like　one　hell　of　a　tough　shot　from　the　water；　anyway。〃
　A　voice　on　the　inter　announced　that　the　Delta　flight　to　LaGuardia　was　boarding　at　Gate　7。　Lou　said；　〃The　guy　that　got　hit；　I　heard　he's　hanging　on。〃
　〃Yeah；　some　golfer　named　Harp；〃　said　Danny　Pogue。　〃Serious　but　stable。〃
　〃Maybe　he'll　make　it；〃　Lou　said。　〃That　would　be　good。〃
　Bud　Schwartz　asked　what　would　happen　when　Lou　returned　to　Queens。
　〃Have　a　sitdown　with　my　people。　Find　out　what　they　want　to　do　next。　Then　I　got　this　big　birthday　party　for　my　wife's　fortieth。　I　bought　her　one　a　them　electric　woks…she　really　likes　Jap　food；　don't　ask　me　why。〃
　Danny　Pogue　said；　〃Are　you　in　big　trouble？〃
　Lou's　chest　bounced　when　he　laughed。　〃With　my　wife　or　the　boys？　Ask　me　which　is　worse。〃
　He　picked　up　his　carry…on　and　the　blue　umbrella；　and　waddled　for　the　gate。
　Bud　Schwartz　waved。　〃Sorry　it　got　so　screwed　up。〃
　〃What　the　hell；〃　said　Lou；　still　laughing。　〃I　got　me　a　nice　boat　ride　outta　the　deal。〃
　
　Joe　Winder　and　Carrie　Lanier　met　Trooper　Jim　Tile　at　the　Snapper　Creek　Plaza　on　the　Turnpike　extension。　They　took　a　booth　at　the　Roy　Rogers　and　ordered　burgers　and　shakes。　Winder　found　the　atmosphere　more　pleasant　than　it　had　been　at　Ocean　Reef。　Carrie　asked　Jim　Tile　if　he　had　phoned　Rikers　Island。
　〃Yeah；　I　called；〃　the　trooper　said。　They　thought　it　was　crazy；　but　they　said　they'd　watch　for　anything　out　of　the　ordinary。〃
　〃Out　of　the　ordinary　hardly　begins　to　describe　him。〃
　〃New　Yorkers；〃　said　Jim　Tile；　〃think　they've　cornered　the　market　on　psychopaths。　They　don't　know　Florida。〃
　Joe　Winder　said；　〃I　don't　think　he's　going　to　Rikers　Island。　I　think　he's　still　here。〃
　〃I　heard　about　Harp；〃　said　Jim　Tile；　〃and　my　opinion　is　no；　it　wasn't　the　governor。　I'll　put　money　on　it。〃
　〃How　can　you　be　so　sure？〃　asked　Carrie。
　〃Because　（a）　it's　not　his　style；　and　（b）　he　wouldn't　have　missed。〃
　Winder　said；　〃Mr。　X　was　the　target。〃
　〃Had　to　be；〃　agreed　Jim　Tile。　〃Who'd　waste　a　perfectly　good　bullet　on　a　golfer？〃
　Carrie　speculated　that　it　could　have　been　a　disgruntled　fan。　Joe　Winder　threw　an　arm　around　her　and　gave　her　a　hug。　He'd　been　in　a　good　mood　since　trashing　Pedro　Luz's　steroid　den。
　The　trooper　was　saying　Skink　might've　headed　upstate。　〃This　morning　somebody　shot　up　a　Greyhound　on　the　interstate　outside　Orlando。　Sixty…seven　Junior　Realtors　on　their　way　to　Epcot。〃
　Panic　at　Disney　World！　Winder　thought。　Kingsbury　will　e　in　his　pants。
　〃Nobody　was　hurt；〃　Jim　Tile　said；　〃which　leads　me　to　believe　it　was　you…know…who。〃　He　pried　the　plastic　cap　off　his　milkshake　and　spooned　out　the　ice　cream。　〃Eight　rounds　into　a　speeding　bus　and　nobody　even　gets　nicked。　That's　one　hell　of　a　decent　shot。〃
　Carrie　said；　〃I'm　assuming　they　didn't　catch　the　culprit。〃
　〃Vanished　without　a　trace；〃　said　the　trooper。　〃If　it's　him；　they'll　never　even　find　a　footprint。　He　knows　that　area　of　the　state　very　well。〃
　Winder　said　it　was　a　long　way　to　go　for　a　man　with　two　fresh　gunshot　wounds。
　Jim　Tile　shrugged。　〃I　called　Game　and　Fish。　The　panther　plane　hasn't　picked　up　the　radio　signal　for　days。〃
　〃So　he's　really　gone；〃　Carrie　said。
　〃Or　hiding　in　a　bomb　shelter。〃
　〃Joe　thinks　we　should　go　ahead　and　make　a　move。　He's　got　a　plan　all　worked　out。〃
　Jim　Tile　raised　a　hand。　〃Don't　tell　me；　please。　I　don't　want　to　hear　it。〃
　〃Fair　enough；〃　Winder　said；　〃but　I've　got　to　ask　a　small　favor。〃
　〃The　answer　is　no。〃
　〃But　it's　nothing　illegal。〃
　The　trooper　used　the　corner　of　a　paper　napkin　to　polish　the　lenses　of　his　sunglasses。　〃This　falls　into　the　general　category　of　pressing　your　luck。　Just　because　the　governor　gets　away；　don't　think　it's　easy。　Or　even　right。〃
　〃Please；〃　said　Carrie；　〃just　listen。〃
　〃What　is　it　you　want　me　to　do？〃
　〃Your　job；〃　Joe　Winder　replied。　That's　all。〃
　
　Later；　in　the　rental　boat；　Joe　Winder　said　he　almost　felt　sorry　for　Charles　Chelsea。　〃Getting　your　sports　celebrity　shot　with　the　press　watching；　that's　tough。〃
　Carrie　Lanier　agreed　that　Chelsea　was　earning　his　salary。　She　was　at　the　helm　of　the　outboard；　expertly　steering　a　course　toward　the　ocean　shore　of　North　Key　Largo。　A　young　man　named　Oscar　sat　shirtless　on　the　bow；　dangling　his　brown　legs　and　drinking　a　root　beer。
　Carrie　told　Joe　he　had　some　strange　friends。
　〃Oscar　thinks　he　owes　me　a　favor；　that's　all。　Years　ago　I　left　his　name　out　of　a　newspaper　article　and　it　wound　up　saving　his　life。〃
　Carrie　looked；　doubtful；　but　said　nothing。　Her　hair　was　tied　back　in　a　ponytail。　She　wore　amber　sunglasses　with　green　Day…Glo　frames　and　a　silver　one…piece　bathing　suit。　Oscar　didn't　stare；　not　even　once。　His　mind　was　on　business；　and　the　soccer　game　he　was　missing　on　television。　Most　Thursdays　he　was　on　his　way　to　Belize；　only　this　morning　there'd　been　a　minor　problem　with　Customs；　and　the　flight　was　canceled。　When　Joe　Winder　called　him　at　the　warehouse；　Oscar　felt　honor…bound　to　lend　a　hand。
　〃He　thinks　I　cut　him　a　break；〃　Winder　whispered　to　Carrie；　〃but　the　fact　is；　I　did　use　his　name　in　the　story。　It　just　got　edited　out　for　lack　of　space。〃
　〃What　was　the　article　about？〃
　〃Gunrunning。〃
　From　the　bow；　Oscar　turned　and　signaled　that　they　were　close　enough　now。　Kneeling　on　the　deck；　he　opened　a　canvas　duffel　and　began　to　arrange　odd　steel　parts　on　a　chamois　cloth。　The　first　piece　that　Carrie　saw　was　a　long　gray　tube。
　〃Oscar's　from　Colombia；〃　Joe　Winder　explained。　〃His　brother's　in　the　M…19。　They're　leftist　rebels。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Professor　Kissinger。〃　Carrie　smeared　the　bridge　of　her　nose　with　mauve…colored　zinc　oxide。　It　was　clear　from　her　attitude　that　she　had　reservations　about　this　phase　of　the　plan。
　She　said；　〃What　makes　you　think　Kingsbury　needs　another　warning？　I　mean；　he's　got　the　mob　after　him；　Joe。　Why　should　he　care　about　a　couple　of　John　Deeres？〃
　〃He's　a　developer。　He〃ll　care。〃　Winder　leaned　back　and　squinted　at　the　sun。　〃Keep　the　pressure　on；　that's　the　key。〃
　Carrie　admired　the　swiftness　with　which　Oscar　went　about　his　task。　She　said　to　Winder：　〃Tell　me　again　what　they　call　that。〃
　〃An　RPG。　Rocket…propelled　grenade。〃
　〃And　you're　positive　no　one's　going　to　get　hurt？〃
　〃It's　lunch　hour；　Carrie。　You　heard　the　whistle。〃　He　took　out　a　pair　of　waterproof　Zeiss　binoculars　and　scanned　the　shoreline　until　he　found　the　stand　of　pigeon　plums　that　Molly　McNamara　had　told　him　about。　The　dreaded　bulldozers　had　multiplied　from　two　to　five；　they　were　parked　in　a　semicircle；　poised　for　the　mission　against　the　plum　trees。
　〃Everybody's　on　their　break；〃　Winder　reported。　〃Even　the　deputies。〃　At　the　other　end　of　the　boat；　Oscar　assembled　the　grenade　launcher　in　well…practiced　silence。
　Carrie　cut　the　twin　Evinrudes　and　let　the　currents　nudge　the　boat　over　the　grassy　shallows。　She　took　the　field　glasses　and　tried　to　spot　the　bird　nest　that　Molly　had　mentioned。　She　couldn't　see　anything；　the　hardwoods　were　so　dense。
　〃I'm　not　sure　I　understand　the　significance　of　this　gesture；〃　she　said。　〃Mockingbirds　aren't　exactly　endangered。〃
　〃These　ones　are。〃　Winder　peeled　off　his　T…shirt　and　tied　it　around　his　forehead　like　a　bandanna。　The　air　stuck　to　his　chest　like　a　hot　rag；　the　temperature　on　the　water　was　ninety…four　degrees；　and　no　breeze。　〃You　don't　approve；〃　he　said　to　Carrie。　〃I　can　tell。〃
　〃What　bothers　me　is　the　lack　of　imagination；　Joe。　You　could　be　blowing　up　bulldozers　the　rest　of　your　life。〃
　The　words　stung；　but　she　was　right。　Clever　this　was　not；　merely　loud。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　said；　〃but　there　wasn't　time　to　e　up　with　something　more　creative。　The　old　lady　said　they　were　taking　out　the　plum　trees　this　afternoon；　and　it　looks　like　she　was　right。〃
　Oscar　gave　the　okay　sign　from　the　bow。　The　boat　had　drifted　close　enough　so　they　could　hear　the　voices　and　lunchtime　banter　of　the　Falcon　Trace　construction　crew。
　〃Which　dozer　you　want？〃　Oscar　inquired；　raising　the　weapon　to　his　shoulder。
　〃Take　your　pick。〃
　〃Joe；　wait！〃　Carrie　handed　him　the　binoculars。　〃Over　there；　check　it　out。〃
　Winder　beamed　when　he　spotted　it。　〃Looks　like　they're　pouring　the　slab　for　the　clubhouse。〃
　〃That's　a　large　cement　mixer；〃　Carrie　noted。
　〃Sure　is。　A　very　large　cement　mixer。〃　Joe　Winder　snapped　his　fingers　and　motioned　to　Oscar。　Spying　the　new　target；　the　young　Colombian　smiled　broadly　and　readjusted　his　aim。
　In　a　low　voice　Carrie　said；　〃I　take　it　he's　done　this　sort　of　thing　before。〃
　〃I　believe　so；　yes。〃
　Oscar　grunted　something　in　Spanish；　then　pulled　the　trigger。　The　RPG　took　out　the　cement　truck　quite　nicely。　An　orange　gout　of　flame　shot　forty　feet　into　the　sky；　and　warm　gray　gobs　of