ch.nativetongue-第12章
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〃That was prescription medicine；〃 Molly said sternly。
She went back to the kitchen and got her handbag。 It was the largest handbag that Bud Schwartz or Danny Pogue had ever seen。 Molly took out another plastic bottle of codeine pills and handed them to Danny Pogue。 Then she took out her gun and shot Bud Schwartz once in the left hand。
He fell down； shaking his arm as if it were on fire。
In a whisper Danny Pogue said； 〃Oh Lord Jesus。〃 He felt the blood flooding out of his brain； and saw the corners of the room get fuzzy。
Molly said； 〃Am I getting through to you fellows？〃 She returned the gun to her purse。 〃There will be no illegal drug activity in this condominium； is that clear？ The owners' association has very strict rules。 Here； take this。〃 She handed Danny Pogue two packets of cash。 Each packet was held together with a fresh bank wrapper。
〃That's one thousand each； just like I promised；〃 she said。 Then； turning to Bud Schwartz： 〃Does it hurt？〃
〃The fuck do you think？〃 He was squeezing the wounded purple hand between his knees。 〃Damn right it hurts！〃
〃In that case； you may borrow your friend's pills。 But only as needed。〃 Then Molly McNamara put on her floppy pink Easter hat and said good night。
Nina was naked； kneeling on Joe Winder's back and rubbing his shoulders。 〃See； isn't this better than sex？〃
〃No；〃 he said； into the pillow。 〃Good； but not better。〃
〃It's my night off；〃 Nina said。 〃All week long； all I do is talk about it。〃
〃We don't have to talk；〃 Joe Winder mumbled。 〃Let's just do。〃
〃Joe； I need a break from it。〃 She kneaded his neck so ferociously that he let out a cry。 〃You understand； don't you？〃
〃Sure；〃 he said。 It was the second time in a week that they'd had this conversation。 Winder had a feeling that Nina was burning out on her job； practically nothing aroused her lately。 All she wanted to do was sleep； and of course she talked in her sleep； said the most tantalizing things。
It was driving Joe Winder crazy。 〃I had a particularly lousy day；〃 he said。 〃I was counting on you to wear me out。〃
Nina climbed off his back。 〃I love you；〃 she said； slipping her long legs under the sheets； 〃but at this moment I don't have a single muscle that's the least bit interested。〃
This； from the same wonderful woman who once left fingernail grooves in the blades of a ceiling fan。 Winder groaned in self…pity。
From the other side of the bed came Nina's delicious voice： 〃Tell me the weirdest thing that happened to you today。〃
It was a bedtime ritual； exchanging anecdotes about work。 Joe Winder said： 〃Some creep claimed he found the missing voles； except they weren't voles。 They were baby rabbits。 He was trying to con us。〃 Winder left out the grisly details。
〃That's a tough one to beat；〃 Nina remarked。
〃Also； I got slugged in the head。〃
〃Really？〃 she said。 〃Last night I had a caller jerk himself off in eleven seconds flat。 Miriam said it might be a new world's record。〃
〃You timed it？〃
〃Sort of。〃 Playfully she reached between his legs and tweaked him。 〃Miriam has an official Olympic stopwatch。〃
〃Nina； I want you to get another job。 I'm serious。〃
She said； 〃That reminds me…some strange guy phoned for you this afternoon。 A doctor from the park。 He called twice。〃
〃Koocher？〃
〃Yeah；〃 said Nina。 〃Interesting name。 Anyway； he made it sound important。 I told him to try you at the office； but he said no。 He wouldn't leave a message； either； just said he'd call back。 The second time he said to tell you a man from Security was in the lab。〃
Joe Winder lifted his head off the pillow。 〃A man from Security？〃
〃That's what he said。〃
〃Anything else？〃 Winder was thinking about the empty laboratory： lights on； phone ringing。 Maybe he should've tried the back door。
〃I told him you'd be home soon； but he said he couldn't call back。 He said he was leaving with the guy from Security。〃 Nina propped herself on one elbow。 〃Joe； what's going on over there？〃
〃I thought I knew；〃 said Winder； 〃but obviously I don't。〃
With a fingertip she traced a feathery line down his cheek。 〃Do me a favor；〃 she said。
〃I know what you're going to say。〃
She scooted closer； under the covers； and pressed against him。 〃But things are going so great。〃
Winder kissed her on the tip of the nose； and started to roll out of bed。
〃Joe； don't go crazy on me；〃 Nina said。 〃Please。〃
He rolled back； into her arms。 〃All right；〃 he said。 〃Not just yet。〃
SIX
The next morning； in the hallway by the water fountain； Charles Chelsea seized Joe Winder by the sleeve and tugged him into the office。 Two men shared opposite ends of Chelsea's leather sofa…one was the immense Pedro Luz； chief of Security for the Amazing Kingdom； and the other was a serious…looking fellow with a square haircut and a charcoal suit。
〃Joe；〃 Chelsea said； 〃this gentleman is from the FBI。〃
〃I can see that。〃
Chelsea cleared his throat。 〃This is Agent Hawkins。〃
Joe Winder stuck out his hand。 〃Billy； isn't it？ You worked a Coral Gables Savings job about four years back。〃
The agent smiled cautiously。 〃And you were with the Herald。〃
〃Right。〃
〃Dated one of the tellers。〃
〃Right again。〃
Charles Chelsea was trying to set some sort of record for clearing his throat。 〃What a coincidence that you two guys know each other。〃
Joe Winder sat down and stretched his legs。 〃Bank robbery。 Billy here was the lead agent。 Funny story； too it was the Groucho guy。〃
〃Yeah；〃 said Hawkins； loosening up。 〃Wore the big nose and the eyebrows； even carried a cigar。 We finally caught up with him in Clearwater。〃
〃No kidding？〃 Winder said； knowing that it was driving Chelsea crazy； all this friendly conversation with a real FBI man。 〃All the way up in Clearwater？〃
〃Gentlemen；〃 Chelsea cut in； 〃if you don't mind。〃
〃What is it； Charlie？〃
〃Agent Hawkins is here at Mr。 Kingsbury's personal request。〃 Chelsea lowered his voice。 〃Joe； there were three notes delivered to employees in the park。 Each was signed by this Wildlife Rescue Corps。〃
Winder reached in his pocket。 〃You mean like this？〃 He handed his copy to Billy Hawkins。 He told him what had happened at the Rare Animal Pavilion…the old lady in the Easter bonnet； the phantom punch。 Hawkins took it all down in a notebook。
Chelsea tried to contain his irritation。 〃Why didn't you report this to Security？〃 he asked Joe Winder。
〃Because I didn't want to interrupt Pedro's nap。〃
Pedro Luz darkened。 Every now and then he dozed off in the security office。 〃All you had to do was ring the buzzer；〃 he snapped at Winder。 He glanced at the FBI man； whose expression remained impassive and nonjudgmental。 〃I've had a touch of the flu；〃 Pedro Luz added defensively。 〃The medicine makes me sleepy。〃 For a large man he had a high tinny voice。
〃Never mind。〃 said Charles Chelsea。 〃The point is； everybody's calling up for ment。 The networks。 The wires。 We're under siege； Joe。〃
Winder felt his headache ing back。 Agent Billy Hawkins admitted that the federal government didn't know much about the Wildlife Rescue Corps。
〃Most of these groups seem to specialize in rodents；〃 the agent said。 〃Laboratory rats； mostly。 Universities； pharmaceutical houses…those are the mon targets。 What usually happens； they break in at night and free the animals。〃
〃But we weren't doing experiments。〃 Chelsea was exasperated。 〃We treated Vance and Violet as royalty。〃
〃Who？〃 the agent said。
〃The voles；〃 Joe Winder explained cheerfully。
Charles Chelsea continued to whine。 〃Why have they singled out the Amazing Kingdom？ We didn't abuse these creatures。 Quite the opposite。〃
〃You do any vivisections here？〃 asked Agent Hawkins。 〃These groups are quite vocal against vivisection。〃
Chelsea paled。 〃Vivisection？ Christ； we gave the little bastards fresh corn on the cob every morning。 Sometimes even citrus！〃
〃Well； this is what we've got。〃 Hawkins flipped backwards in his notebook。 〃Two white males ages twenty…five to thirty…five； fleeing the scene in a 1979 blue Ford pickup； license GPP…B06。 The registration es back to a convicted burglar whose current alias is Buddy Michael Schwartz。 I might add that Mr。 Schwartz's rap sheet shows no history of a social conscience with regard
