ch.doublewhammy-第68节

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　Weeb　attempted　several　explanations；　none　persuasive　and　none　contradicting　the　fact　that　he　had　promised　to　present　the　check　to　the　winners　on　national　television　on　the　day　of　the　tournament。　The　crowd；　especially　the　other　bass　anglers；　became　unruly　and　insistent；　as　much　as　they　resented　the　Tile　Brothers；　they　resented　even　more　the　idea　of　any　fisherman　getting　stiffed。　Even　the　sulking　Happy　Gland　contingent　joined　the　fracas。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　Weeb　said　finally；　raising　his　palms；　〃there's　been　a　slight　problem。〃
　Al　Garcia　and　Jim　Tile　looked　at　one　another　irritably。
　〃You　do　the　honors；〃　Garcia　said。
　Jim　Tile　dug　a　badge　and　some　handcuffs　out　of　his　jacket。
　Charlie　Weeb's　lushly　forested　eyebrows　seemed　to　wilt。　A　buzz　went　through　the　audience。
　〃Cut；　Rudy；　cut！〃　the　director　was　hollering　into　R。　J。　Decker's　ear；　but　Decker　let　it　roll。
　In　perfect　English；　Jim　Tile　said；　〃Mr。　Weeb；　you're　under　arrest　for　fraud…〃
　〃And　grand　larceny；〃　Garcia　interjected。　〃And　any　other　damn　thing　I　can　think　of。〃
　〃And　grand　larceny；〃　Jim　Tile　continued。　〃You　have　the　right　to　remain　silent…〃
　Just　then　a　sorrowful　cry　sheared　the　dusk。　It　rose　up　from　the　water　in　a　guttural　animal　pitch　that　made　Garcia　flinch　and　shiver。
　Jim　Tile　bowed　his　head。　He'd　tried　to　tell　him。
　Decker　dropped　the　Minicam　and　ran　toward　the　boat　ramp。
　Skink　was　on　his　knees　in　the　shallow　water。　All　around　him　fish　were　rising　in　convulsions；　finning　belly…up；　cutting　the　glassy　surface　in　jerky　zigzag　vectors。
　Skink　scooped　up　one　of　the　addled　bass　as　it　swam　by　and　held　it　up；　dripping；　for　Decker　and　the　others　to　see。
　〃They're　all　dying；〃　he　cried。
　〃Take　my　boat；〃　Eddie　Spurling　offered。　〃I　got　six　of　the　damn　things。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　Skink　said　hoarsely。　Decker　and　Catherine　climbed　in　after　him。
　〃I　hope　you　find　her；〃　Fast　Eddie　called　as　the　boat　pulled　away。　He　would　never　forget　the　sight　of　that　magnificent　beast　in　the　fish　cage；　he　couldn't　bear　the　thought　of　her　dying　in　bad　water；　but　it　seemed　inevitable。
　
　In　the　bass　boat　Skink　stood　up　and　opened　the　throttle。　First　the　straw　hat　blew　off；　then　the　sunglasses。　Skink　didn't　seem　to　care。　Nor　did　he　seem　to　notice　the　gnats　and　bugs　splatting　against　his　cheeks　and　forehead；　and　sticking　in　his　beard　by　the　glue　of　their　own　blood。　In　the　depthless　gray　of　early　night；　Skink　drove　wide　open　as　if　he　knew　the　canals　by　heart；　or　instinct。　The　boat　accelerated　like　a　rocket；　Decker　watched　the　speedometer　tickle　sixty　and　he　clenched　his　teeth；　praying　they　wouldn't　hit　an　alligator　or　a　log。　Catherine　turned　her　head　and　clung　to　his　chest　with　both　arms。　Except　for　the　bone…chilling　speed；　it　might　have　been　a　lovely　moment。
　Over　the　howl　of　the　engine；　Skink　began　to　shout。
　〃Confrontation；〃　he　declared；　〃is　the　essence　of　nature！〃
　He　shook　his　silvery　braid　loose　and　let　his　hair　stream　out　behind　him。
　〃Confrontation　is　the　rhythm　of　life；〃　he　went　on。　〃In　nature　violence　is　pure　and　purposeful；　one　species　against　another　in　an　act　of　survival！〃
　Terrific；　Decker　thought；　Marlin　Perkins　on　PCP。　〃Watch　where　you're　going；　captain！〃　he　shouted。
　〃All　I　did　with　Dennis　Gault；〃　Skink　hollered　back；　〃was　to　arrange　a　natural　confrontation。　No　different　from　a　thousand　other　confrontations　that　take　place　every　night　and　every　day　out　here；　unseen　and　uncelebrated。　Yet　I　knew　Gault's　instincts　as　well　as　I　knew　the　fish。　It　was　only　a　matter　of　timing；　of　matching　the　natural　rhythms。　Putting　the　two　species　within　striking　distance。　That's　all　it　was；　Miami。〃
　Skink　pounded　the　steering　wheel　ferociously　with　both　fists；　causing　the　speeding　boat　to　skitter　precipitously　off　its　plane。
　〃But　goddamn；〃　he　groaned。　〃Goddamn；　I　didn't　know　about　the　water。〃
　Decker　rose　beside　him　at　the　console　and　casually　edged　his　knee　against　the　wheel；　just　in　case。　〃Of　course　you　didn't　know！〃　Decker　shouted。　He　ducked；　unnecessarily；　as　they　roared　beneath　an　overpass　for　the　new　superhighway。
　〃We're　running　through　poison；〃　Skink　said；　incredulously。　〃They　built　a　whole　fucking　resort　on　poison　water。〃
　〃I　know；　captain。〃
　〃It's　my　fault。〃
　〃Don't　be　ridiculous。〃
　〃You　don't　understand！〃　Skink　turned　around　and　said　to　Catherine：　〃He　doesn't　understand。　Do　you　love　this　man？　Then　make　him　understand。　It's　my　fault。〃
　Shielding　her　face　from　the　cold；　Catherine　said；　〃You're　being　too　hard　on　yourself。　That's　what　I　think。〃
　Skink　smiled。　His　classic　anchorman　teeth　were　now　speckled　with　dead　gnats。　〃You're　quite　a　lady；〃　he　said。　〃I　wish　you'd　dump　your　doctor　and　go　back…〃
　Suddenly；　in　front　of　them；　another　boat　appeared。　Just　a　flat　shadow　hanging　in　the　darkness；　dead　across　the　middle　of　the　canal。　Someone　in　a　yellow　rain　slicker　was　sitting　in　the　bow　of　the　boat；　hunched　in　the　seat。
　Skink　wasn't　even　looking；　he　was　talking　to　Catherine；　who　had　opened　her　mouth　to　scream。　Desperately　Decker　leaned　hard　left　on　the　steering　wheel　and　drew　back　on　the　throttle。　Fast　Eddie's　boat　nearly　went　airborne　as　it　struck　the　other　craft　a　glancing　mushy　blow　on　the　stern。　They　spun　twice　before　Decker　found　the　kill　switch　that　cut　the　engine。
　Skink；　who　had　been　thrown　hard　against　the　engine；　got　to　his　feet　and　took　a　visual　survey。　〃This　is　the　place；〃　he　said。
　The　other　boat　had　been　bumped　up　against　the　bank。　Decker　waited　for　his　heart　to　stop　hammering　before　he　called　to　the　person　in　the　yellow　slicker：　〃You　all　right？〃
　〃Screw　you！〃
　〃Lanie？〃
　〃Always　the　vixen；〃　Skink　said。　He　was　stripping　off　the　cheap　sharkskin　suit　that　Deacon　Johnson　had　given　him　for　the　healing。
　〃Who　is　that　woman？〃　Catherine　asked。
　〃Gault's　sister；〃　Decker　replied。
　〃Screw　both　of　you！〃　Lanie　shouted。　She　was　standing　in　the　bow；　pointing　angrily　at　them。
　〃So；　where's　Dennis？〃　Decker　asked。
　〃Change　the　subject；〃　Skink　advised。　He　was　naked　now。　He　was　on　his　knees；　leaning　over　the　side　of　the　boat；　unwittingly　mooning　Decker　and　Catherine。　He　slapped　the　flat　of　his　palm　on　the　water。
　〃I　hope　your　fish　croaks；〃　Lanie　shouted　at　Skink；　〃like　all　the　rest。〃　Her　voice　broke。　〃Like　Dennis。〃
　Catherine　said；　〃Have　I　missed　something？〃
　Skink　furiously　pulled　a　dead　yearling　from　the　canal　and　heaved　it　to　shore。　He　slapped　and　slapped；　but　no　fish　rose　off　the　bottom；　no　fish　came　to　his　hand。
　Decker　rummaged　through　Eddie's　boat　until　he　found　a　spotlight；　which　plugged　into　the　boat's　cigarette　lighter。　With　Skink　still　hanging　over　the　side　calling　and　slapping　for　Queenie；　Decker　worked　the　beam　along　the　shoreline。　Once　he　inadvertently　flashed　it　in　Lanie's　direction；　she　cursed　and　spun　around　in　the　pedestal　seat　to　face　the　other　way。
　Decker　spotted　the　body　floating　at　the　end　of　the　canal；　near　the　flood　dike。　He　lowered　the　twin　trolling　motors　and　steered　Eddie's　boat　along　the　yellow　path　of　the　spotlight。
　Catherine　craned　to　see　what　it　was；　but　Decker　put　his　hand　on　her　shoulder。
　Dapper　Dennis　Gault　was　in　shreds。　He　floated　facedown；　snarled　in　twenty…pound　fishing　line。
　〃The　rhythm　of　confrontation；〃　Skink　said。　〃In　a　way；　I　almost　admire　the　sonofabitch。〃
　Decker　knew　there　was　nothing　to　be　done。
　〃This　is　some　sport；〃　Catherine　remarked。
　Skink　and　Decker　saw　the　great　fish　simultaneously。　She　surfaced　on　her　side；　feebly；　near　Gault's　bloated　legs。　Her　gills　had　bled　from　red　to　pink；　and　her　flanks　had　blackened。　She　was　dying。
　〃No；　you　don't；〃　Skink　said；　and　dove　in。　For　a　big　man　he　made　a　small　splash；　entering　the　water　like　a　needle。
　Catherine　stood　up　to　watch　with　Decker。　Their　breath　came　out　in　soft　frosty　puffs。
　〃I　got　her！〃　Skink　shouted。　〃But　damnation！〃
　Somehow　he　had　bee　entangled　in　Dennis　Gault's　body。　For　several　moments　the　water　churned　in　a　macabre　one…sided　duel；　stiff　dead　limbs　thrashing　against　the　living。　Catherine　was　terrified；　it　looked　as　if　Gault　had　e　back　to　life。　Skink　was　in　great　pain；　the　foul　brackish　water　searing　his　raw　eye　socket。　All　at　once　he　seemed　to　be　slipping　under。
　R。　J。　Decker　picked　up　Fast　Eddie's　fish　gaff　and　stuck　it　hard　in　the　meat　of　Gault's　shoulders。　He　pulled　brutishly　at　the　corpse　with　all　his　weight；　and　Skink　kicked　away；　free。　He　cradled　the　sluggish　fish　in　his　bare　arms。　He　swam　with　his　head　out；　on　his　back；　otter…style。　He　was　fighting　to　catch　his　breath。。y
　〃Thanks；　Miami；〃　he　wheezed。　〃Take　care。〃
　With　four　kicks　he　made　it　to　shore；　and　carried　the　great　fish　up　the　slope。　Decker　didn't　need　the　spotlight　to　track　him…a　naked　white　Amazon　running　splayfooted　along　the　embankment。　He　was　singing；　too；　though　the　melody　was　indistinct。
　Decker　gunned　the　engine　and　beached　the　bass　boat　with　a　jolt。　He　jumped　ashore　and　reached　out　his　hand　for　Catherine。　Together　they　jogged　toward　the　flood　dike；　but　Skink　was　far　ahead。　Even　toting　the　fish；　he　seemed　to　be　running　twice　as　fast。
　From　the　canal　behind　them；　Lanie　Gault　called　Skink's　name。　Decker　heard　two　shots　and　reflexively　he　dragged　Catherine　to　the　ground。　They　looked　up　to　see　two　small　flares　explode　overhead；　drenching　the　night　in　vermilion。　In　a　strange　way　it　reminded　Decker　of　the　warm　safe　light