ch.nativetongue-第48章

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advertisement　but　as　a　warning　to　local　drivers　that　a　disoriented　tourist　was　nearby。　On　this　night；　though；　the　bright　stickers　had　betrayed　their　unsuspecting　drivers。　Each　of　the　vehicles　bore　a　single　。45…caliber　bullet　hole　in　the　left…front　fender　panel。
　Jim　Tile　knew　exactly　what　had　happened。　He　took　brief　statements　from　the　motorists；　who　seemed　agitated　by　the　suggestion　that　anyone　would　fire　at　them　simply　because　they　were　tourists。　Jim　Tile　assured　them　that　this　sort　of　thing　didn't　happen　every　day。　Then　he　called　Homestead　for　tow　trucks　to　get　the　three　rental　cars　whose　engine　blocks　had　been　mortally　wounded　by　the　sniper　in　the　mangroves。
　One　of　the　drivers；　a　French…Canadian　textile　executive；　used　a　cellular　phone　to　call　the　Alamo　desk　at　Miami　International　Airport　and　explain　the　situation。　Soon　new　cars　were　on　the　way。
　It　took　Jim　Tile　several　hours　to　clear　the　scene。　A　pair　of　Monroe　County　deputies　stopped　by　and　helped　search　for　shell　casings　until　the　mosquitoes　drove　them　away。　After　the　officers　had　fled；　and　after　the　tourists　had　motored　north　in　a　wary　caravan　of　Thunderbirds；　Skylarks　and　Zephyrs；　Jim　Tile　got　in　his　patrol　car　and　mashed　on　the　horn　with　both　fists。　Then　he　rolled　up　the　windows；　turned　up　the　air　conditioner　and　waited　for　his　sad　old　friend　to　e　out　of　the　swamp。
　〃I'm　sorry。〃　Skink　offered　the　trooper　a　stick　of　EDTIAR　insect　repellent。
　〃You　promised　to　behave；〃　said　Jim　Tile。　〃Now　you've　put　me　in　a　tough　position。〃
　〃Had　to　blow　off　some　steam；〃　Skink　said。　〃Anyway；　I　didn't　hurt　anybody。〃　He　took　off　his　sunglasses　and　tinkered　unabashedly　with　the　fake　eyeball。　〃Haven't　you　ever　had　days　like　this？　Days　where　you　just　had　to　go　out　and　shoot　the　shit　out　of　something；　didn't　matter　what？〃
　Jim　Tile　sighed。　〃Rental　cars？〃
　〃Why　the　hell　not。〃
　The　tension　dissolved　into　weary　silence。　The　men　had　talked　of　such　things　before。　When　Clinton　Tyree　was　the　governor　of　Florida；　Jim　Tile　had　been　his　chief　bodyguard…an　unusually　prestigious　assignment　for　a　black　state　trooper。　After　Clinton　Tyree　resigned；　Jim　Tile　immediately　lost　his　job　on　the　elite　security　detail。　The　new　governor；　it　was　explained；　felt　more　fortable　around　peckerwoods。　By　the　end　of　that　fateful　week；　Jim　Tile　had　found　himself　back　on　road　patrol；　Harney　County；　night　shifts。
　Over　the　years　he　had　stayed　close　to　Clinton　Tyree；　partly　out　of　friendship；　partly　out　of　admiration　and　partly　out　of　certitude　that　the　man　would　need　police　assistance　now　and　then；　which　he　had。　Whenever　Skink　got　restless　and　moved　his　hermitage　to　deeper　wilderness；　Jim　Tile　would　quietly　put　in　for　a　transfer　and　move；　too。　This　meant　more　rural　two…lanes；　more　night　duty　and　more　ignorant　mean…eyed　crackers…but　the　trooper　knew　that　his　friend　would　have　done　the　same　for　him；　had　fortunes　been　reversed。　Besides；　Jim　Tile　was　confident　of　his　own　abilities　and　believed　that　one　day　he'd　be　in　charge　of　the　entire　highway　patrol…dishing　out　a　few　special　night　shifts　himself。
　Usually　Skink　kept　to　himself；　except　for　the　occasional　public　sighting　when　he　dashed　out　of　the　pines　to　retrieve　a　fresh　opossum　or　squirrel　off　the　road。　Once　in　a　while；　though；　something　triggered　him　in　a　tumultuous　way　and　the　results　were　highly　visible。　Standing　on　the　crowded　Fort　Lauderdale　beach；　he'd　once　put　four　rounds　into　the　belly　of　an　inbound　Eastern　727。　Another　time　he'd　crashed　the　Miss　Florida　pageant　and　tearfully　heaved　a　dead　baby　manatee　on　stage　to　dramatize　the　results　of　waterfront　development。　It　was　fortunate；　in　such　instances；　that　no　one　had　recognized　the　hoary　cyclopic　madman　as　Clinton　Tyree；　it　was　even　more　fortunate　that　Jim　Tile　had　been　around　to　help　the　ex…governor　slip　away　safely　and　collect　what　was　left　of　his　senses。
　Now；　sitting　in　the　trooper's　patrol　car；　Skink　polished　his　glass　eye　with　a　bandanna　and　apologized　for　causing　his　friend　so　much　inconvenience。　〃If　you've　got　to　arrest　me；〃　he　said；　I'll　understand。〃
　〃Wouldn't　do　a　damn　bit　of　good；〃　said　Jim　Tile。　〃But　I　tell　you　what…I'd　appreciate　if　you'd　let　me　know　what's　going　on　down　here。〃
　〃The　usual；〃　Skink　said。　〃The　bad　guys　are　kicking　our　collective　ass。〃
　〃We　got　a　dead　body　off　the　bridge；　a　guy　named　Angel　Gaviria。　You　know　about　that；　right？〃　The　trooper　didn't　wait　for　an　answer。　〃The　coroner　is　saying　suicide　or　accident；　but　I　was　there　and　I　don't　think　it's　either　one。　The　deceased　was　a　well…known　scum…bucket　and　they　don't　usually　have　the　decency　to　kill　themselves。　Usually　someone　else　does　the　honor。〃
　〃Jim；　we　live　in　troubled　times。〃
　〃The　other　day　I　pull　over　a　blue　Ford　sedan　doing　eighty…six　down　the　bridge。　Turns　out　to　be　a　Feeb。〃
　〃FBI？〃　Skink　perked　up。　〃All　the　way　down　here？〃
　〃Hawkins　was　his　name。　He　badges　me；　we　get　to　chatting。　Turns　out　he's　working　a　case　at　the　Amazing　Kingdom。　Something　to　do　with　militant　bunny　buggers　and　missing　blue…tongued　rats。〃　Jim　Tile　gave　a　lazy　laugh。　〃Now　this　is　the　FBI；　interviewing　elves　and　cowboys　and　fairy　princesses。　I　don't　suppose　you　can　fill　me　in。〃
　Skink　was　pleased　that　the　feds　had　taken　notice　of　events　in　North　Key　Largo。　He　said；　〃All　I　know　is　bits　and　pieces。〃
　〃Speaking　of　which；　what　can　you　tell　me　about　killer　whales？　This　morning　a　semi　rolls　over　and　I　got　stinking　gobs　of　dead　whale　all　over　my　nice　clean　blacktop。　I'm　talking　tonnage。〃
　Skink　said；　〃That　would　explain　the　buzzard　shit　on　this　state　vehicle。〃　Secretly　he　wished　he　could　have　been　there　to　witness　the　spectacle。
　〃You　think　it's　funny？〃
　〃I　think；〃　said　Skink；　〃you　should　prepare　for　the　worst。〃
　Jim　Tile　took　off　his　Stetson　and　lowered　his　face　in　front　of　the　dashboard　vents；　the　cool　air　felt　good　on　his　cheeks。　A　gumdrop…shaped　sports　car　blew　by　doing　ninety…plus；　and　the　trooper　barely　glanced　up。　He　radioed　the　dispatcher　in　Miami　and　announced　he　was　going　off　duty。　〃I'm　tired；〃　he　said　to　Skink。
　〃Me；　too。　You　haven't　seen　anybody　from　Game　and　Fish；　have　you？〃
　〃The　panther　patrol？　No；　I　haven't。〃　Jim　Tile　sat　up。　〃I　haven't　seen　the　plane　in　at　least　a　month。〃
　Skink　said；　〃Must've　broken　down。　Else　they're　working　the　Fokahatchee。〃
　〃Listen；〃　the　trooper　said；　〃I　won't　ask　about　the　dead　guy　on　the　bridge；　and　I　won't　ask　about　the　whale…〃
　〃I　had　nothing　whatsoever　to　do　with　the　whale。〃
　〃Fair　enough；〃　said　Jim　Tile；　〃but　what　about　torching　those　bulldozers　up　on　905？　Were　you　in　on　that？〃
　Skink　looked　at　him　blankly。　The　trooper　described　what　had　happened　that　very　afternoon　at　the　Falcon　Trace　construction　project。　〃They're　looking　for　a　guy　who　used　to　work　at　the　Kingdom。　They　say　he's　gone　nuts。　They　say　he's　got　a　gun。〃
　〃Is　that　right？〃　Skink　tugged　pensively　at　his　beard。
　〃Do　you　know　this　person？〃
　〃Possibly。〃
　〃Then　could　you　possibly　get　him　a　message　to　stop　this　shit　before　it　gets　out　of　hand？〃
　〃It's　already　out　of　hand；〃　Skink　said。　〃The　sons…of…bitches　are　beating　up　little　old　ladies。〃
　〃Damn。〃　The　trooper　stared　out　the　window　of　the　car。　A　trio　of　mosquitoes　bounced　off　the　glass　and　circled　his　head。　Skink　reached　over　and　snatched　the　insects　out　of　the　air。　Then　he　opened　the　window　and　let　them　buzz　away　into　the　thick　fragrant　night。
　Jim　Tile　said；　〃I'm　worried　about　you。〃
　Skink　grinned。　〃That's　a　good　one。〃
　〃Maybe　I　should　haul　you　in　after　all。〃
　〃Wouldn't　stick。　No　one　saw　me　do　it；　and　no　one　found　the　gun。　Hell；　they　wouldn't　even　hold　me　overnight。〃
　〃Yeah；　they　would；〃　Jim　Tile　said；　〃on　my　word。〃
　Skink's　smile　went　away。
　The　trooper　said；　〃The　charge　wouldn't　stick；　that's　true。　But　I　could　take　you　out　of　circulation　for　a　month　or　two。　Let　the　situation　simmer　down。〃
　〃Why？〃　Skink　demanded。　〃You　know　I'm　right。　You　know　what　I'm　doing　is　right。〃
　〃Not　shooting　rental　cars。〃
　〃A　lapse　of　judgment；〃　Skink　admitted。　〃I　said　I　was　sorry；　for　God's　sake。〃
　Jim　Tile　put　a　hand　on　his　friend's　shoulder。　〃I　know　you　think　it's　the　right　thing；　and　the　cause　is　good。　But　I'm　afraid　you're　gonna　lose。〃
　〃Maybe　not；〃　Skink　said。　〃I　think　the　Mojo's　rising。〃
　The　trooper　always　got　lost　when　Skink　started　quoting　old　roc