ch.nativetongue-第80章
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The haughtiness ebbed from Kingsbury's face。 Pensively he traced a pudgy finger along the lines of his infamous rodent tattoo。 〃Winder； what exactly is your problem？〃
〃The problem is you're mutilating a fine chunk of island so a bunch of rich people have a warm place to park their butts in the winter。 You couldn't have picked a worse location； Frankie； the last green patch of the Keys。 You're bulldozing next door to a national wildlife refuge。 And offshore； in that magnificent ocean； is the only living coral reef in North America。 I believe that's where you intended to flush your toilets…〃
〃No！〃 Kingsbury snapped。 〃We'll have deep…well sewage injection。 High…tech facilities…no runoff； no outfall。〃
〃Imagine；〃 Winder mused； 〃the shit of millionaires dappling our azure waters。〃
Kingsbury reddened and clenched his fists。 〃If I go along with this deal； what； it's some major victory for the environment？ You think the ghost of Henry Fucking Thoreau is gonna pin a medal or some such goddamn thing on your chest？〃
Joe Winder smiled at the thought。 〃I've got no illusions；〃 he said。 〃One less golf course is one less golf course。 I'll settle for that。〃
〃The lots； Jesus； they're worth millions。 That's what this goddamn piece of paper'll cost me。〃
〃I'll settle for that； too。〃
Kingsbury was still stymied。 He glared furiously at Charles Chelsea's final publicity release。
〃You'll never understand；〃 Winder said； 〃because you weren't born here。 pared to where you came from； this is always going to look like paradise。 Hell； you could wipe out every last bird and butterfly； and it's still better than Toledo in the dead of winter。〃
With a dark chuckle； Kingsbury said； 〃No kidding。〃
〃Don't read too much into this operation； Frankie。 I'm just sick of asshole carpetbaggers ing down here and fucking up the place。 Nothing personal。〃
It came out of the blue； Kingsbury saying； 〃There was a guy named Jack Winder。 Big…time land developer； this goes back a few years； before I was selling waterfront。 Winder Planned munities was the pany。〃
〃My father。〃
〃What？〃 said Kingsbury。 〃Quit whispering。〃
〃Jack Winder was my father。〃
〃Then what the hell are you doing？ Biting the hand is what I'd call it。 Dishonoring the family name。〃
〃Depends on your point of view。〃
Kingsbury sneered。 〃I hear this line of bullshit all the time： 〃We got our slice of sunshine； fine； now it's time to close the borders。〃 Selfish is what you are。〃
〃Maybe so；〃 Winder said。 〃I'd like to fish that shoreline again； that's for sure。 I'd like to see some tarpon out there next spring。〃
Dramatically； Francis Kingsbury straightened in the chair。 He began talking with his eyes and hands； unmistakably a sales pitch： 〃People e to the Amazing Kingdom； they might like to play some golf。 Mommy takes the kids to the theme park； Daddy hits the fairways。 So what？〃
Winder said nothing。 Kingsbury began to knead his jowls in exasperation。 〃What the hell's so wrong with that picture？ Eighteen lousy holes； I just don't see the crime。 It's what Disney did。 It's what everybody does with prime acreage。 This is Florida； for Chrissakes。〃
〃Not the way it ought to be； Frankie。〃
〃Then you're living in what they call a dreamworld。 This ain't Oz； son； and there's no fairy wizard to make things right again。 Down here the brick road's not yellow； it's green。 Plain and simple。 Case closed。〃
But Joe Winder wasn't changing his mind。 〃I hope the papers get your name right；〃 he said。
Bleakly Kingsbury thought of front…page headlines and multimillion…dollar lawsuits and minimum…security prisons with no driving range。 〃All right；〃 he said to Winder； 〃let's talk。〃
〃You've got my offer。 Read the press release； it's all tied up with a pretty ribbon。 You shut down Falcon Trace for the noblest of reasons and you're a hero； Frankie。 Isn't that what you want？〃
〃I'd rather have my oceanfront lots。〃
Then the door flew open and there； bug…eyed and seething； was Pedro Luz。 He aimed a large blue handgun at Joe Winder and grunted something unintelligible。
〃Nice of you to put in an appearance；〃 Kingsbury remarked。 His eyes flooded with a mixture of rage and relief。 〃This asshole； get him out of my sight！ For good this time。〃
〃Drop the gun；〃 Pedro Luz told Winder。 〃And put on your goddamn head。〃
Winder did as he was told。 Zipping himself in； he felt cumbersome and helpless and feverishly short of breath。
Kingsbury said； 〃He doesn't leave the park alive； you understand？〃
〃No problem；〃 said Pedro Luz。
〃No problem；〃 mimicked Kingsbury。 〃No problem； my ass。 This is Mr。 Crackerjack Bodyguard； right？ Mr。 Lightning Response Time。〃
For a moment Pedro Luz felt an overwhelming urge to turn the pistol on Francis X。 Kingsbury； something told him it would be every bit as satisfying as shooting Joe Winder。 Maybe another time； he decided。 After payday。
A muted voice inside the raccoon head said： 〃This is a big mistake； Frankie。〃
Kingsbury laughed mordantly and blew his nose。 〃Pedro； it's your last fucking chance。 I hope you still got enough brain cells to do this one simple chore。〃
〃No problem。〃 With the crutch he roughly shoved Joe Winder toward the door。
〃Hey； Pedro。〃
〃What； Mr。 Kingsbury？〃
〃That's a six…hundred…dollar animal costume。 Try not to mess it up。〃
THIRTY…FOUR
Carrie Lanier was practicing a song at the mirror as she dressed for the pageant。 The door opened behind her； and she saw a flash of orange。
〃Hey！ We thought you were headed for New York。〃
〃I seriously considered it。〃 Skink shut the door with his foot。
〃Your friend Officer Tile mentioned Orlando。 Somebody shot up a tour bus； he figured it might be you。〃
〃Another pale imitation； that's all。 Where's your boyfriend？〃
Carrie described Winder's plan to confront Francis Kingsbury。 〃Joe's got all the bases covered。〃
Skink shook his head。 〃It'll never work。〃
〃Where have you been； anyway？〃
〃Down here in the underground； away from all radio beams。 I needed a break from that damn plane。〃
Carrie moved closer to the mirror and began to put on her makeup。 〃What's with the gas cans？〃 she asked。
Skink carried one in each hand。 〃Let's pretend you didn't see these；〃 he said。 〃I just want to make sure you've got a way out of the park。〃
〃When？〃
〃Whenever。〃
〃What about Joe？〃
〃I expect he's in some trouble；〃 Skink said。 〃I've got a chore to do； then I'll check around。〃
〃Don't worry； Pedro's locked in the storage room。〃
〃How？ With what？〃
When Carrie told him； Skink frowned。 〃I guess I'd better get going。〃
She said； 〃Can you zip me up？ There's a little hook at the top。〃
Skink set down the gas cans and fastened the back of her gown。 He wondered what had happened to the Indian theme。
〃When do you go on？〃 he asked。
〃Half an hour。〃
〃The dress is lovely；〃 he said； stepping back。 〃Half an hour it is。〃
〃Thanks。 Wish me luck。〃
〃You'll do fine。〃
Carrie turned from the mirror。 〃Should I wait for Joe？〃
〃Of course；〃 said Skink； 〃but not too long。〃
When they got to the security office； Pedro Luz ordered Joe Winder to remove the raccoon costume and hang it neatly in the uniform closet。 Then Pedro Luz dragged Winder into the storage room； clubbed him to the floor and beat him seven or eight times with the crutch…Joe Winder lost count。 Every time Pedro Luz struck a blow； he emitted a queer high…pitched peep that sounded like a baby sparrow。 When he finally stopped to rest； he was panting heavily and his face shone with damp splotches。 Spying from a fetal position on the floor； Joe Winder watched Pedro Luz swallow two handfuls of small orange tablets。 Winder assumed these were not muscle relaxants。
〃I can kill you with my bare hands；〃 Pedro Luz said informatively。
Winder sat up； hugging his own chest to prevent pieces of broken ribs from snapping off like dead twigs。 He couldn't figure out why Pedro Luz kept a full…length mirror in the storage room。
〃It's raining outside；〃 Pedro Luz said。
〃That's what we're waiting for？〃
〃Yeah。 Soon as it stops； I'll take you out and kill you。〃
Pedro Luz stripped off his shirt and began to work out with a pair of heavy dumbbells； he couldn't take his eyes off his own glorious
