ch.nativetongue-第57章

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　〃Put　on　some　Stones；〃　said　Skink。
　〃And　some　panties；〃　Winder　whispered。
　She　told　him　to　hush　and　quit　acting　like　an　old　prude。
　
　While　the　tow　truck　hooked　up　the　Saab；　Pedro　Luz　forced　himself　to　reflect　on　events。
　There　he　was；　waiting　for　Winder　to　e　out　of　the　apartment　when　here　es　this　big　spade　highway　patrolman　knocking　on　the　window　of　the　car。
　〃Hey；　there；〃　he　says　from　behind　those　damn　reflector　shades。
　〃Hey；〃　says　Pedro　Luz；　giving　him　the　slight　macho　nod　that　says；　I'm　one　of　you；　brother。
　But　the　spade　doesn't　go　for　it。　Asks　for　Pedro's　driver's　license　and　also　for　the　registration　of　the　Saab。　Looks　over　the　papers　and　says；　〃So　who's　Ramex　Global？〃
　〃Oh；　you　know；〃　Pedro　says；　flashing　his　old　Miami　PD　badge。
　Trooper　goes　〃Hmmm。〃　Just　plain　〃Hmmm。〃　And　then　the　fucker　jots　down　the　badge　number；　like　he's　going　to　check　it　out！
　Pedro　resists　the　urge　to　reach　under　the　seat　for　his　gun。　Instead　he　says；　〃Man；　you're　burning　me。　I'm　silting　on　a　dude　out　here。〃
　〃Yeah？　What's　his　name？〃
　Pedro　Luz　says；　〃Smith。　Jose　Smith。〃　It's　the　best　he　can　do　on　short　notice；　with　his　brain　twitching　all　crazy　inside　his　skull。　〃Man；　you　and　that　marked　unit　are　burning　me　bad。〃
　Trooper　doesn't　act　too　damn　concerned。　〃So　you're　a　police　officer；　is　that　right？〃
　〃Hell；〃　Pedro　says；　〃you　saw　the　badge。〃
　〃Yes；　I　sure　did。　You're　a　long　way　from　the　city。〃
　〃Hey；　chico；　we're　in　a　war；　remember。〃
　〃Narcotics？〃　The　trooper　sounds　positively　intrigued。　〃This　man　Smith；　he's　some　big…time　dope　smuggler；　eh？〃
　〃Was；〃　Pedro　says。　〃He　sees　your　car　sitting　out　here；　he's　back　in　wholesale　footwear。〃
　〃Hmmm；〃　the　spade　trooper　says　again。　Meanwhile　Pedro's　fantasizing　about　grabbing　him　around　the　middle　and　squeezing　his　guts　out　both　ends；　like　a　very　large　tube　of　licorice　toothpaste。
　〃Don't　tell　me　you're　gonna　run　my　tag；〃　Pedro　says。
　〃Nah。〃　But　the　trooper's　still　leaning　his　thick　black　arms　against　the　door　of　the　Saab；　his　face　not　a　foot　from　Pedro〃s；　so　that　Pedro　can　see　himself　twice　in　the　mirrored　sunglasses。　Now　the　trooper　says：　〃What　happened　to　your　finger？〃
　〃Cat　bite。〃
　〃Looks　like　it　took　the　whole　top　joint。〃
　〃That's　right；〃　says　Pedro；　aching　all　over；　wishing　he'd　brought　his　intravenous　bag　of　Winstrol…V。　Talking　high…octane。　Same　stuff　they　use　on　horses。　One　thousand　dollars　a　vial；　and　worth　every　penny。
　Trooper　says；　〃Must've　been　some　cat　to　give　you　a　bite　like　that。〃
　〃Yeah；　I　ought　to　put　the　damn　thing　to　sleep。〃
　〃Sounds　like　a　smart　idea；〃　says　the　trooper；　〃before　he　bites　you　someplace　else。〃
　And　then　the　sonofabitch　touches　the　brim　of　his　Stetson　and　says　so　long。　Like　John　Fucking　Wayne。
　And　here　es　Winder；　cruising　out　of　the　apartment　with　an　armful　of　clothes。　Gets　in　the　car…not　his　car；　somebody　else's；　somebody　with　an　employee　sticker　from　the　Kingdom…and　drives　off　with　the　radio　blasting。
　Pedro　Luz　lays　back　cool　and　sly；　maybe　half　a　mile；　waiting　until　the　cocky　bastard　reaches　that　long　empty　stretch　on　Card　Sound　Road；　south　of　the　Carysfort　Marina。　That's　where　Pedro　aims　to　make　the　big　move。
　Until　the　Saab　dies。　Grinds　to　a　miserable　wheezing　halt。　A　Saab！
　Pedro　Luz　is　so　pissed　he　yanks　the　steering　wheel　off　its　column　and　heaves　it　into　a　tamarind　tree。　Only　afterwards　does　it　dawn　on　him　that　Mr。　X　isn't　going　to　appreciate　having　a　35；000　automobile　and　no　way　to　steer　it。
　An　hour　later；　here　es　Pascual's　Wrecker　Service。
　Guy　lifts　the　hood；　can't　find　a　thing。　Slides　underneath；　zero。　Then　he　says　maybe　Pedro　ran　out　of　gas；　and　Pedro　says　don't　be　an　asshole。　Guy　pulls　off　the　gas　cap；　closes　one　eye　and　looks　inside；　like　he　can　actually　see　something。
　Then　he　sniffs　real　hard；　rubs　his　nose；　sniffs　again。　Then　he　starts　laughing　like　a　fruit。
　〃Your　friends　fucked　you　up　real　good；〃　he　says。
　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃e　here　and　take　a　whiff。〃
　〃No；　thanks；〃　Pedro　says。
　Guy　hoots。　〃Now　I　seen　everything。〃
　Pedro's　trying　to　figure　out　when　it　happened。　Figures　somebody　snuck　up　and　did　it　while　he　was　talking　to　that　hardass　trooper。　Which　means　the　trooper　was　in　on　it。
　〃Did　a　number　on　your　engine；〃　says　the　tow…truck　man；　chuckling　way　too　much。
　Pedro　Luz　grabs　him　by　the　arm　until　his　fingers　lock　on　bone。　He　says；　〃So　tell　me。　What　exactly's　in　the　gas　tank？〃
　〃Jack　Daniels；〃　the　guy　says。　〃I　know　that　smell　anywhere。〃
　So　now　Pedro's　watching　him　put　the　hook　to　Mr。　Kingsbury's　Saab　and　wondering　what　else　could　go　wrong。　Thinking　about　the　monkeys　and　shithead　burglars　and　what　happened　to　Churrito。　Thinking　about　the　black　state　trooper　busting　his　balls　for　no　reason；　and　how　somebody　managed　to　pour　booze　in　the　tank　without　Pedro　even　knowing　it。
　Pedro　thinks　he'd　better　shoot　some　horse　juice　in　his　arms　as　soon　as　possible；　and　get　tight　on　Joe　Winder's　ass。
　In　one　of　his　pockets　he　finds　the　scrap　of　paper　where　he　wrote　the　decal　number　off　the　car　Winder　was　driving。　It's　not　much；　but　it's　the　only　thing　he's　got　to　show　for　a　long　sorry　morning。
　So　Pedro　tells　the　tow…truck　guy　he's　going　to　ride　in　the　busted　Saab　on　the　way　to　the　shop。　Use　Kingsbury's　car　phone　to　make　a　few　calls。
　Guy　says　no　way；　it's　against　pany　policy。　Gotta　sit　up　front　in　the　truck。
　Which　is　not　what　Pedro　wants　to　hear　after　such　a　shitty　day。　So　he　tackles　the　guy　and　yanks　his　arms　out　of　the　sockets　one　at　a　time；　pop…pop。　Leaves　him　thrashing　in　the　grass　by　the　side　of　the　road。
　Jumps　in　the　tow　truck　and　heads　for　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills。
　
　The　Mothers　of　Wilderness　listened　solemnly　as　Molly　McNamara　recounted　the　brutal　assault。　They　were　gathered　in　the　Florida　room　of　Molly's　old　house；　where　a　potluck　supper　had　been　arranged　on　a　calico　tablecloth。　Normally　a　hungry　bunch；　the　Mothers　scarcely　touched　the　food；　a　huge　bacon…cheese　ball　lay　undisturbed　on　a　sterling　platter…a　sure　sign　that　the　group　was　distracted。
　And　no　wonder：　Molly's　story　was　appalling。　No　one　dreamed　that　the　battle　against　Falcon　Trace　would　ever　e　to　violence。　That　Molly　had　been　attacked　by　thugs　in　her　own　apartment　was　horrifying；　equally　unsettling　was　her　lurid　description　of　the　finger…biting　episode。　In　disbelief；　several　of　the　older　members　fiddled　frenetically　with　the　controls　to　their　hearing　aids。
　〃Obviously　we've　struck　a　nerve　with　Kingsbury；〃　Molly　was　saying。　〃Finally　he　considers　us　a　serious　threat。〃
　One　of　the　Mothers　asked　why　Molly　had　not　called　the　police。
　〃Because　I　couldn't　prove　he　was　behind　it；〃　she　replied。　〃They'd　think　I　was　daffy。〃
　The　members　seemed　unsatisfied　by　this　explanation。　They　clucked　and　whispered〃　among　themselves　until　Molly　cut　in　and　asked　for　order。　The　lawyer；　Spacci；　stood　up　and　said　it　was　a　mistake　not　to　notify　the　authorities。
　〃You're　talking　about　a　felony；〃　he　said。　〃Aggravated　assault；　possibly　even　attempted　murder。〃
　One　of　the　Mothers　piped　up：　〃It's　not　worth　dying　for；　Molly。　They're　already　clearing　the　land。〃
　Molly's　gray　eyes　flashed　angrily。　〃It　is　not　too　late！〃　She　wheeled　on　Spacci。　〃Did　you　file　in　federal　court？〃
　〃These　things　take　time。〃
　〃Can　you　get　an　injunction？〃
　〃No；〃　said　the　lawyer。　〃You　mean；　to　stop　construction？　No；　I　can't。〃
　Molly　drummed　her　fingers　on　the　portable　podium。　Spacci　was　preparing　to　sit　down　when　she　jolted　him　back　to　attention：　〃Give　us　a　report　on　the　blind　trust。〃
　〃Yes；　well；　I　talked　to　a　fellow　over　in　Dallas。　He　tells　me　the　paperwork　es　back　to　a　pany　called　Ramex　Global；　which　is　really　Francis　Kingsbury…〃
　〃We　know。〃
　〃…but　the　bulk　of　the　money　isn't　his。　It's　from　some　S　&　L　types。　Former　S　&　L　types；　I　should　say。　Apparently　they　were　in　a　hurry　to　invest。〃
　〃I'll　bet；〃　said　one　of　the　Mothers　in　the　front　row。
　〃They　moved　the　funds　through　Nassau；〃　Spacci　said。　〃Not　very　original；　but　effective。〃
　Molly　folded　her　arms。　〃Perfect；〃　she　said。　〃Falcon　Trace　is　being　built　with　stolen　savings　accounts。　And　you　people　are　ready　to　give　up！〃
　〃Our　options；〃　the　lawyer　noted；　〃are　extremely　limited。〃
　〃No；　they're　not。　We're　going　to　kill　this　project。〃　A　worried　murmuring　swep