ch.nativetongue-第74章

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e　person　who'd　e　out　of　a　hospital　in　better　shape　than　when　they'd　gone　in。
　〃What　about　babies？〃　Danny　Pogue　said。
　〃Babies　don't　count。〃
　〃What　about　your　boy？　Mike；　Jr。；　wasn't　he　borned　in　a　hospital？〃
　〃Matter　of　fact；　no。　It　was　the　back　of　a　Bronco。　And　his　name　is　Bud；　Jr。；　like　I　told　you。〃　Bud　Schwartz　rolled　down　the　window　and　tried　to　spit　the　toothpick　from　the　corner　of　his　mouth。　It　landed　on　his　arm。　〃A　hospital's　the　last　place　for　a　sick　person　to　go；〃　he　said。
　〃You　think　she'll　die　there？〃
　〃No。　I　don't　wanna　set　foot　in　the　place　is　all。〃
　〃Jesus；　you're　a　cold　shit。〃
　Bud　Schwartz　was　startled　by　his　partner's　anger。　Out　of　pure　guilt　he　relented　and　agreed　to　go；　but　only　for　a　few　minutes。　Danny　Pogue　seemed　satisfied。　〃Let's　get　some　roses　on　the　way。〃
　〃Fine。　A　lovely　gesture。〃
　〃Hey；　it'll　mean　a　lot　to　her。〃
　〃Danny；　this　is　the　same　woman　who　shot　us。　And　you're　talking　flowers。〃
　Molly　McNamara　had　driven　herself　to　Baptist　Hospital　after　experiencing　mild　chest　pains。　She　had　a　private　room　with　a　gorgeous　view　of　a　parking　deck。
　When　he　saw　her　shriveled　in　the　bed；　Danny　Pogue　gulped　desperately　to　suppress　the　tears。　Bud　Schwartz　also　was　jarred　by　the　sight…she　looked　strikingly　pallid　and　frail。　And　small。　He'd　never　thought　of　Molly　McNamara　as　a　small　woman；　but　that's　how　she　appeared　in　the　hospital：　small　and　caved…in。　Maybe　because　all　that　glorious　white　hair　was　stuffed　under　a　paper　cap。
　〃The　flowers　are　splendid；〃　she　said；　lifting　the　thin　plastic　tube　that　fed　extra　oxygen　to　her　nostrils。
　Danny　Pogue　positioned　the　vase　on　the　bedstand；　next　to　the　telephone。　〃American　Beauty　roses；〃　he　said。
　〃So　I　see。〃
　The　burglars　stood　on　opposite　sides　of　the　bed。　Molly　reached　out　and　held　their　hands。
　She　said；　〃A　touch　of　angina；　that's　all。　I'll　be　as　good　as　new　in　a　few　days。〃
　Danny　Pogue　wondered　if　angina　was　contagious；　it　sounded　faintly　sexual。　〃The　house　is　fine；〃　he　said。　〃The　disposal　jammed　this　morning；　but　I　fixed　it　myself。〃
　〃A　spatula　got　stuck；〃　Bud　Schwartz　added。　〃Don't　ask　how。〃
　Molly　said；　〃How　is　Agent　Hawkins？〃
　〃Same　as　ever。〃
　〃Are　you　feeding　him？〃
　〃Three　times　a　day；　just　like　you　told　us。〃
　〃Are　his　spirits　improved？〃
　〃Hard　to　tell；〃　Bud　Schwartz　said。　〃He　don't　talk　much　with　all　that　tape　on　his　face。〃
　〃I　heard　about　the　golfer　being　shot；〃　said　Molly。　〃Mr。　Kingsbury's　had　quite　a　run　of　bad　luck；　wouldn't　you　say？〃　She　asked　the　question　with　a　trace　of　a　smile。　Danny　Pogue　glanced　down　at　his　shoes。
　To　change　the　subject；　Bud　Schwartz　asked　if　there　was　a　cafeteria　in　the　hospital。　〃I　could　sure　use　a　Coke。〃
　〃Make　that　two；〃　said　Danny　Pogue。　〃And　a　lemonade　for　Molly。〃
　〃Yes；　that　would　hit　the　spot。　Or　maybe　a　ginger　ale；　something　carbonated。〃　She　patted　Danny　Pogue's　hand。　Again　he　looked　as　if　he　were　about　to　weep。
　
　In　the　elevator　Bud　Schwartz　couldn't　shake　the　vision　of　the　old　woman　sunken　in　bed。　It　was　all　Kingsbury's　fault…Molly　hadn't　felt　right　since　those　bastards　beat　her　up　at　the　condo。　That　one　of　them　had　been　gunned　down　later　by　a　baboon　was　only　a　partial　consolation；　the　other　goon；　the　one　with　nine　fingertips；　was　still　loose。　Joe　Winder　had　said　don't　worry；　they'll　all　pay…but　what　did　Winder　know　about　the　law　of　the　street？　He　was　a　writer；　for　Chrissakes。　A　goddamn　dreamer。　Bud　Schwartz　had　agreed　to　help　but　he　couldn't　pretend　to　share　Winder's　optimism。　As　a　lifelong　criminal；　he　knew　for　a　fact　that　the　bad　guys　seldom　get　what　they　deserve。　More　often　they　just　plain　get　away；　even　assholes　who　beat　up　old　ladies。
　Bud　Schwartz　was　so　preoccupied　that　he　got　off　on　the　wrong　floor　and　found　himself　standing　amidst　throngs　of　cooing　relatives　at　the　window　of　the　nursery。　He　couldn't　believe　the　number　of　newborn　babies…it　baffled　him；　left　him　muttering　while　others　clucked　and　pointed　and　sighed。　In　a　world　turning　to　shit；　why　were　so　many　people　still　having　children？　Maybe　it　was　a　fad；　like　CB　radios　and　Cabbage　Patch　dolls。　Or　maybe　these　men　and　women　didn't　understand　the　full　implications　of　reproduction。
　More　victims；　thought　Bud　Schwartz；　the　last　damn　thing　we　need。　He　gazed　at　the　rows　of　sleeping　infants；　crinkly　and　squinty…eyed　and　blissfully　innocent；　and　silently　foretold　their　future。　They　would　grow　up　to　have　automobiles　and　houses　and　apartments　that　would　all；　eventually；　be　burglarized　by　lowlifes　such　as　himself。
　When　Bud　Schwartz　returned　to　Molly　McNamara's　room；　he　sensed　he　was　interrupting　something　private。　Danny　Pogue；　who　had　been　talking　in　a　low　voice；　became　silent　at　the　sight　of　his　partner。
　Molly　thanked　Bud　Schwartz　for　the　cup　of　ginger　ale。　〃Danny's　got　something　to　tell　you；〃　she　said。
　〃Yeah？〃
　〃I　must　admit；〃　Molly　said；　〃he　left　me　speechless。〃
　〃So　let's　hear　it　already。〃
　Danny　Pogue　lifted　his　chin　and　thrust　out　his　bony　chest。　〃I　decided　to　give　my　share　of　the　money　to　Molly。〃
　〃Not　to　me　personally；〃　she　interjected。　〃To　the　Mothers　of　Wilderness。〃
　〃And　the　Wildlife　Rescue　Corps！〃
　〃Unofficially；　yes；〃　she　said。
　〃The　mob　money；〃　Danny　Pogue　explained。
　Bud　Schwartz　didn't　know　whether　to　laugh　or　scream。　〃Twenty…five　grand？　You're　just　givin'　it　away？〃
　Molly　beamed。　〃Isn't　that　a　magnificent　gesture？〃
　〃Oh；　magnificent；〃　said　Bud　Schwartz。　Magnificently　stupid。
　Danny　Pogue　picked　up　on　his　partner's　sarcasm　and　tried　to　mount　a　defense。　He　said；　〃It's　just　somethin'　I　wanted　to　do；　okay？〃
　〃Fine　by　me。〃
　Molly　said；　〃It　automatically　makes　him　a　Golden　Lifetime　Charter　Member！〃
　〃It　also　automatically　makes　him　broke。〃
　〃e　on；〃　Danny　Pogue　said；　〃it's　for　a　good　cause。〃
　Bud　Schwartz's　eyes　narrowed。　〃Don't　even　think　about　asking。〃
　〃Danny；　he's　right；〃　said　Molly。　〃It's　not　fair　to　pressure　a　friend。〃
　Warily　Bud　Schwartz　scanned　Molly's　bed　sheets　for　any　lumps　that　might　reveal　the　outline　of　a　pistol。　He　said；　〃Look；　I　wanna　go　straight。　That　money's　my　future。〃
　Danny　Pogue　rolled　his　eyes　and　snorted。　〃Cut　the　bull…I　mean；　don't　kid　yourself。　All　we're　ever　gonna　be　is　thieves。〃
　〃Now　there's　a　happy　thought。　That's　what　I　mean　about　you　and　your　fucking　attitude。〃
　To　Danny　Pogue's　relief；　Molly　barely　flinched　at　the　profane　adjective。　She　said；　〃Bud；　I　respect　your　ambitions。　I　really　do。〃
　But　Danny　Pogue　wasn't　finished　whining。　〃Man；　at　least　can't　you　spare　something？〃
　For　several　moments　the　only　sound　was　the　muted　whistle　of　Molly's　oxygen　machine。　Finally　she　said；　in　a　voice　creaky　with　fatigue；　〃Even　a　small　donation　would　be　appreciated。〃
　Bud　Schwartz　ground　his　molars。　〃How　does　a　grand　sound？　Is　that　all　right？〃　Christ；　he　must　be　insane。　One　thousand　dollars　to　a　bunch　of　blue…haired　bunny　huggers！
　Molly　McNamara　smiled　kindly。　Danny　Pogue　exuberantly　chucked　him　on　the　shoulder。
　Bud　Schwartz　said；　〃Why　don't　I　feel　wonderful　about　this？〃
　〃You　will；〃　Molly　replied；　〃someday。〃
　
　Among　the　men　hired　by　Pedro　Luz　as　security　officers　was　Diamond　J。　Love；　Diamond　being　his　given　name　and　the　〃J〃　standing　for　Jesus。　As　was　true　with　most　of　the　guards　at　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills；　Diamond　J。　Love's　personal　history　was　investigated　with　only　enough　diligence　to　determine　the　absence　of　outstanding　felony　warrants。　It　was　a　foregone　conclusion　that　Diamond　J。　Love's　career　in　law　enforcement　had　been　derailed　by　unpleasant　circumstances；　there　was　no　other　logical　reason　for　applying　as　a　private　security　guard　at　a　theme　park。
　Initially；　Diamond　J。　Love　was　apprehensive　about　his　employment　chances　at　the　Amazing　Kingdom。　He　knew　that　Disney　World　and　other　family　resorts　were　scrupulous　about　hiring　clean…cut；　enthusiastic；　All…American　types；　Diamond　J。　Love　was　worried　because　in　all　ways　he　defied　the　image；　but　he　need　not　have　worried。　Nobody　from　the　Amazing　Kingdom　bothered　to　check　with　previous　employers；　such　as　the　New　York　City　Police　Department；　to　inquire　about　allegations　of　bribery；　moral　turpitude；　substance　abuse；　witness　tampering　and　the　unnecessary　use　of　deadly　force；　to　wit；　the　pistol…whipping　of　a　young　man　suspected　of　shoplifting　a　bag　of　cheese…flavored　Doritos