ch.nativetongue-第53章

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　The　burglars…and　it　had　to　be　them；　greasy…looking　rednecks…were　sitting　on　a　bench。　Nobody　else　was　around。
　Pedro　Luz　whispered　to　Churrito：　〃Remember　to　get　their　car　keys。　They　left　the　damn　files　in　the　car。〃　
　〃What　if　they　dint？〃　
　〃They　did。　Now　be　quiet。〃
　Danny　Pogue　wasn't　paying　attention。　He　was　talking　about　a　TV　program　that　showed　a　male　baboon　killing　a　zebra；　that's　how　strong　they　were。　A　monkey　that　could　kill　something　as　big　as　a　horse！　Bud　Schwartz　was　tuned　out　entirely；　he　was　sizing　up　the　two　new　men。　The　tall　one；　God　Almighty；　he　was　trouble。　Built　like　a　grizzly　but　that　wasn't　the　worst　of　it；　the　worst　was　the　eyes。　Bud　Schwartz　could　spot　a　doper　two　miles　away；　this　guy　was　buzzing　like　a　yellow　jacket。　The　other　one　was　no　prize；　dull…eyed　and　cold；　but　at　least　he　was　of　normal　dimensions。　What　caught　Bud　Schwartz's　eye　was　the　Cordovan　briefcase　that　the　smaller　man　was　carrying。
　〃Get　ready；〃　he　said　to　Danny　Pogue。
　〃But　that　ain't　Kingsbury。〃
　〃You　don't　miss　a　trick。〃
　〃Bud；　I　don't　like　this。〃
　〃Really？　I'm　having　the　time　of　my　life。〃　Bud　Schwartz　stood　up　and　approached　the　two　strangers。　〃Where's　the　old　man？〃
　〃Where's　the　files？〃　asked　Pedro　Luz。
　〃Where's　the　money？〃
　Churrito　held　up　the　briefcase。　It　was　plainly　stuffed　with　something；　possibly　fifty　thousand　in　cash。
　〃Now；〃　said　Pedro　Luz；　〃where's　the　damn　files？〃
　〃We　give　'em　to　the　old　man　and　nobody　else。〃
　Pedro　Luz　checked　over　both　shoulders　to　make　sure　there　were　no　tourists　around。　In　the　same　motion　his　right　hand　casually　fished　into　the　waistband　of　his　trousers　for　the　Colt。　Before　he　could　get　to　it；　something　dug　into　his　right　ear。　It　was　another　gun。　A　burglar　with　a　gun！　Pedro　Luz　was　consumed　with　fury。
　Bud　Schwartz　said；　〃Don't　move。〃　The　words　fluttered　out。　Danny　Pogue　gaped　painfully。
　Churrito　laughed。　〃Good　work；〃　he　said　to　Pedro　Luz。　〃Excellent。〃
　〃I'm　gonna　be　straight　about　this；〃　said　Bud　Schwartz；　〃I　don't　know　shit　about　guns。〃
　The　veins　in　Pedro　Luz's　neck　throbbed　like　a　tangle　of　snakes。　He　was　seething；　percolating　in　hormones；　waiting　for　the　moment。　The　gun　barrel　cut　into　his　earlobe　but　he　didn't　feel　a　thing。　Trying　not　to　snarl；　he　said；　〃Don't　push　it；　chico。〃
　〃I　ain't　kidding；〃　Bud　Schwartz　said　in　a　voice　so　high　he　didn't　recognize　it　as　his　own。　〃You　even　fart；　I　may　blow　your　brains　out。　Explain　that　to　your　friend。〃
　Churrito　seemed　indifferent　to　the　idea。　He　shrugged　and　handed　the　briefcase　to　Danny　Pogue。　〃Open　it；〃　Bud　Schwartz　told　him。　Again　Pedro　Luz　asked；　〃Where　are　the　files？〃　He　anticipated　that　the　burglars　would　soon　be　unable　to　answer　the　question；　since　he　intended　to　kill　them。　And　possibly　Churrito　while　he　was　in　the　mood。
　Even　the　baboons　sensed　trouble；　for　they　had　fallen　silent　in　the　boughs　of　the　ficus。　Danny　Pogue　opened　the　Cordovan　briefcase　and　showed　Bud　Schwartz　what　was　inside：　sanitary　napkins。
　〃Too　bad；〃　said　Bud　Schwartz。　And　it　was　too　bad。　He　had　no　clue　what　to　do　next。　Danny　Pogue　took　one　of　the　maxi…pads　out　of　the　briefcase　and　examined　it；　as　if　searching　for　insight。
　Pedro　Luz's　steroid…marinated　glands　were　starting　to　cook。　Infused　with　the　strength　of　a　thousand　warriors；　he　announced　that　he　wouldn't　let　a　mere　bullet　spoil　Mr。　Kingsbury's　plan。　He　told　Bud　Schwartz　to　go　ahead　and　fire；　and　went　so　far　as　to　reach　up　and　seize　the　burglar's　arm。
　As　they　struggled；　Pedro　Luz　said；　〃Shoot　me；　you　pussy！　Shoot　me　now！〃
　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　Bud　Schwartz　spotted　Danny　Pogue　running　away　in　the　general　direction　of　the　gorilla　pound…moving　impressively　for　someone　fresh　off　crutches。
　Just　as　Pedro　Luz　was　preparing　to　snap　Bud　Schwartz's　arm　like　a　matchstick；　Mrs。　Kingsbury's　chrome…plated　pistol　shook　loose　from　the　burglar's　fingers　and　flew　over　the　moat。　The　gun　landed　in　a　pile　of　dead　leaves　at　the　foot　of　the　ficus　tree；　where　it　was　retrieved　by　a　laconic　baboon　with　vermilion　buttocks。　Bud　Schwartz　wasn't　paying　attention；　what　with　Pedro　Luz　hurling　him　to　the　ground　and　kneeling　on　his　neck　and　trying　to　twist　his　head　off。　Meanwhile　the　other　man　was　going　through　Bud　Schwartz's　trousers　in　search　of　the　car　keys。
　When　Bud　Schwartz　tried　to　shout　for　help；　Pedro　Luz　slapped　a　large　moist　hand　over　his　mouth。　It　was　then　that　Bud　Schwartz　spotted　the　bandaged　nub　of　the　right　index　finger；　and　assimilated　in　his　dying　deoxygenated　consciousness　the　probability　that　this　was　the　same　goon　who　had　brutalized　Molly　McNamara。　The　burglar　decided；　in　the　hastening　gray　twilight　behind　his　eyeballs；　that　the　indignity　of　being　found　mugged　and　dead　in　a　monkey　park　might　be　mitigated　by　a　final　courageous　deed；　such　as　disfiguring　a　murderous　steroid　freak…which　Bud　Schwartz　attempted　to　do　by　sucking　Pedro　Luz's　hand　into　his　jaws　and　chomping　down　with　heedless　ferocity。
　The　wailing　of　Pedro　Luz　brought　the　baboon　colony　to　life；　and　a　hellish　chorus　enveloped　the　three　men　as　they　fought　on　the　ground。　A　gunshot　was　heard；　and　the　monkeys　scattered　adroitly　to　the　highest　branches　of　the　graceful　old　tree。
　Pedro　Luz　rolled　off　Bud　Schwartz　and　groped　with　his　bloody　paw　for　the　Colt。　It　was　still　in　his　waistband。　Only　two　things　prevented　him　from　shooting　the　burglar：　the　sight　of　fifty　chattering　children　skipping　toward　him　down　the　monkey　trail；　and　the　sight　of　Churrito　lying　dead　with　a　grape…sized　purple　hole　beneath　his　left　eye。
　Pedro　Luz　pushed　himself　to　his　feet；　stepped　over　the　body　and　ran。　Bud　Schwartz　did　the　same…much　more　slowly　and　in　the　opposite　direction…but　not　before　pausing　to　contemplate　the　visage　of　the　dead　Nicaraguan。　Judging　by　the　ironic　expression　on　Churrito's　face；　he　knew　exactly　what　had　happened　to　him。
　Now　the　killer　was　halfway　up　the　ficus　tree；　barking　and　slobbering　and　shaking　the　branches。　Mrs。　Kingsbury's　gun　glinted　harmlessly　in　the　brackish　shallows；　where　the　startled　baboon　had　dropped　it。
　The　oxygen　returning　to　Bud　Schwartz's　head　brought　a　chilling　notion　that　maybe　the　monkey　had　been　aiming　the　damn　thing。　Maybe　he'd　even　done　it　before。　Stranger　things　had　occurred　in　Miami。
　Bud　Schwartz　lifted　the　keys　to　the　Cutlass　from　the　dead　man's　hand　and　jogged　away　just　as　Miss　Juanita　Pedrosa's　kindergarten　class　marched　into　the　plaza。
　
　TWENTY…THREE
　Francis　X。　Kingsbury　was　on　the　thirteenth　green　at　the　Ocean　Reef　Club　when　Charles　Chelsea　caught　up　with　him　and　related　the　problem。
　〃Holy　piss；〃　said　Kingsbury　as　Jake　Harp　was　about　to　putt。　〃If　it's　not　one　thing；　it's…hell；　you　deal　with　it；　Charlie。　Isn't　that　what　I　pay　you　for；　to　deal　with　this　shit？〃
　Jake　Harp　pushed　the　putt　to　the　right。　He　looked　up　stonily　and　said；　〃Thank　you　both　very　much。〃
　〃Sorry；〃　Chelsea　said。　〃We've　got　a　little　emergency　here。〃
　Kingsbury　said；　〃If　you're　gonna　be　a　crybaby；　Jake；　then　do　it　over。　Take　another　putt。　And　you；　Charlie；　what　emergency？　This　is　nothing；　a　goddamn　prank。〃
　Charles　Chelsea　suggested　that　it　was　considerably　more　serious　than　a　prank。　〃Every　television　station　in　South　Florida　received　a　copy；　Mr。　Kingsbury。　Plus　the　Herald　and　the　New　York　Times。　We'll　be　getting　calls　all　day；　I　expect。〃
　He　followed　Kingsbury　and　Jake　Harp　to　the　fourteenth　tee。　〃The　reason　I　say　it's　serious；　we've　got　less　than　a　week　until　the　Summerfest　Jubilee。〃　It　was　set　for　August　6；　the　day　Kingsbury　had　rescheduled　the　arrival　of　the　phony　five…millionth　visitor　to　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills。　The　postponement　caused　by　the　truck　accident　had　been　a　blessing　in　one　way…it　had　given　Charles　Chelsea　time　to　scout　for　a　flashy　new　giveaway　car。　The　〃classic〃　Corvair　had　been　junked　in　favor　of　a　jet…black　300…Z；　which　had　been　purchased　at　bargain　price　from　the　estate　of　a　murdered　amphetamine　dealer。　Chelsea　was　further　buoyed　by　the　news　that　NEC　weatherman　Willard　Scott　had　tentatively　agreed　to　do　a　live　broadcast　from　the　Kingdom　on　Jubilee　morning；　as　long　as　Risk　Management　cleared　it　with　the　network。
　Overall；　the　publicity　chief　had　been　feeling　fairly　positive　about　Summerfest　until　some　worm　from　the　Herald　called　up　to　bust　his　hump　about　the　press　relea