ch.doublewhammy-第76章

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　〃What's　going　on；　jungle　man？〃
　〃Change　of　plans；〃　Skink　said。　〃Late…breaking　brainstorm。〃
　Jim　Tile　was　thinking　about　it。　〃The　Starcraft　isn't　one　of　the　tournament　boats。〃
　〃No；〃　Skink　said；　〃it's　not。　Ask　Decker　about　that　one。〃
　Garcia　said；　That　means　there's　another　guy　still　out　on　the　water。〃
　〃Right；〃　said　Jim　Tile。　〃Dennis　Gault。〃
　Skink　looked　pleased。　〃You　boys　are　pretty　sharp；　even　for　cops。〃
　Al　Garcia　remembered　what　Skink　had　taught　him　about　the　huge　fish。　〃Just　what　the　hell　have　you　done？〃　he　asked。
　〃It's　not　me；　senor。　I　just　arranged　things。〃　Skink　flipped　open　the　lid　of　the　Igloo　and　saw　Garcia's　little　bass；　darting　in　the　clean　water。　〃I'll　be　damned；　Sergeant；　I'm　proud　of　you。〃
　Jim　Tile　said；　〃Sir；　there's　something　you　ought　to　know。〃
　〃In　a　minute；　Trooper　Jim。　First　let's　get　this　little　scupper　to　the　weigh　station。〃　By　himself　Skink　hoisted　the　heavy　cooler　and　elbowed　his　way　through　the　crowd。　〃You　won't　believe　this；〃　he　was　saying　over　his　shoulder　to　Tile　and　Garcia；　〃but　I　believe　you're　the　only　boat　that　caught　fish。〃
　〃That's　what　we're　trying　to　tell　you；〃　Garcia　said；　huffing　behind。
　Skink　climbed　the　stage　and　carried　the　cooler　to　the　scale。　He　took　out　the　little　bass　and　carefully　set　him　in　the　basket。　Behind　them　onstage　the　digital　scale　lighted　up　with　glowing　six…foot　numerals：　〃14　oz。〃
　〃Ha…ha！〃　Skink　cawed。　He　found　the　stage　mike　and　boomed　into　the　PA　system：　〃Attention；　K…Mart　shoppers！　We've　got　a　winner。〃
　〃Shitfire；〃　Charlie　Weeb　muttered。　The　voice　on　the　PA　sounded　just　like　the　blind　man。　First　a　boatload　of　buzzards；　and　now　what？
　
　As　the　queasy　preacher　followed　the　OCN　camerman　to　the　weigh　station；　it　occurred　to　him　it　wasn't　red…haired　Rudy；　but　someone　else　with　the　Minicam；　someone　Weeb　didn't　recognize。　It　made　little　sense；　but　in　the　unremitting　chaos　of　the　day　it　seemed　a　negligible　mystery。
　The　blind　man　was　not　onstage　when　Charlie　Weeb　got　there；　but　another　nightmare　awaited　him。
　The　Tile　Brothers。
　〃Hola；〃　Jim　Tile　said　to　Charlie　Weeb。　〃muy　grande　fish；　no？〃
　〃Check　it　out；　bro；〃　Al　Garcia　said。
　Charlie　Weeb　got　a　bilious　taste　in　his　throat。　〃It　appears　that　you　are　indeed　the　winner；〃　he　said。　The　Minicam　was　right　in　his　face…all　America　was　watching。　Somehow　Weeb　posed　himself　and　raised　the　puny　bass　for　the　camera。　Two　girls　in　orange　bikinis　rolled　out　the　immense　trophy；　and　two　more　carried　out　a　giant　cardboard　facsimile　of　the　check　for　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　dollars。
　〃That's　righteous；〃　Al　Garcia　said；　causing　Jim　Tile　to　wince；　〃but　where　be　the　real　thing？〃
　〃Ah；〃　Weeb　said。　How　could　he　go　on　TV　and　say　that；　after　all　this；　the　check　was　missing？　That　he　and　Deacon　Johnson　were　the　only　two　human　beings　with　the　bination　to　the　safe；　and　now　Deacon　Johnson　was　gone？
　Sensing　trouble；　Jim　Tile　asked；　〃Donde　esta　el　cheque？〃
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　Reverend　Weeb　said；　〃but　I　don't　speak　Cubish。〃
　By　way　of　translation；　Al　Garcia　said：　〃Where's　the　fucking　bread；　por　favor？〃
　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　be