ch.nativetongue-第84章

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　〃Cretins。〃
　〃Oh；　she　knew；〃　Winder　said　fondly。　〃She　knew　they　wouldn't　like　it　one　bit。〃
　Skink　grinned。　〃Bless　her　heart。〃　He　began　to　applaud　rambunctiously；　〃Bravo！　Bravo！〃　His　clapping　and　shouting　caught　the　attention　of　spectators　in　the　lower　rows；　who　looked　up　toward　the　VIP　box　with　curious　annoyance。　Carrie　spotted　both　of　them　in　Kingsbury's　booth；　and　waved　anxiously。　Then　she　gathered　herself　and；　with　a　deep　breath；　began　the　first　verse　again。
　〃What　a　trouper。〃　Joe　Winder　was　very　proud。
　Skink　straightened　his　rain　cap　and　said；　〃Go　get　her。〃
　〃Now？〃
　〃Right　now。　It's　time。〃　Skink　reached　out　to　shake　Winder's　hand。　〃You've　got　about　an　hour；〃　he　said。
　Winder　told　him　to　be　careful。　〃There's　lots　of　kids　out　there。〃
　〃Don't　you　worry。〃
　〃What　about　Kingsbury？〃
　Skink　said；　〃Without　the　park；　he's　finished。〃
　〃I　intended　to　make　him　famous。　You　should've　heard　my　plan。〃
　〃Some　other　time；〃　Skink　said。　〃Now　go。　And　tell　her　how　great　she　was。　Tell　her　it　was　absolutely　wonderful。　Giao　would've　been　proud。〃
　〃Arrivederci！〃　said　Joe　Winder。
　
　From　his　third…floor　office　above　Sally's　Cimarron　Saloon；　Francis　X。　Kingsbury　heard　the　parade　go　by。　Only　Princess　Golden　Sun's　dolorous　aria　brought　him　to　the　window；　where　he　parted　the　blinds　to　see　what　in　the　name　of　Jesus　H。　Christ　had　gone　wrong。　The　disposition　of　the　crowd　had　changed　from　festive　to　impatient。　Unfuckingbelievable；　thought　Kingsbury。　It's　death；　this　music。　And　what's　with　the　evening　gown；　the　Kitty　Carlisle　number。　Where's　the　buckskin　bikini？　Where's　the　tits　and　ass？　The　tourists　looked　ready　to　bolt。
　Carrie　hit　the　final　note　and　held　it…held　it　forever；　it　seemed　to　Kingsbury。　The　girl　had　great　pipes；　he　had　to　admit；　but　it　wasn't　the　time　or　place　for　Italian　caterwauling。　And　God；　this　song；　when　would　it　end？
　As　the　float　trundled　by；　Kingsbury　was　surprised　to　see　that　Princess　Golden　Sun　wasn't　singing　anymore；　in　fact；　she　was　drinking　from　a　can　of　root　beer。　Yet　her　final　melancholy　note　still　hung　in　the　air！
　Or　was　it　something　else　now？
　The　fire　alarm；　for　instance。
　Kingsbury　thought：　Please；　don't　let　it　be。　He　tried　to　call　Security　but　no　one　answered…that　fucking　Pedro；　he　should've　been　back　from　his　errand　hours　ago。
　Outside；　the　alarm　had　tripped　a　prerecorded　message　on　the　public…address　system；　urging　everyone　to　depart　the　Amazing　Kingdom　in　a　calm　and　orderly　fashion。　When　Kingsbury　peeked　out　the　window　again；　he　saw　customers　streaming　like　ants　for　the　exits；　the　performers　and　concessionaires　ran；　as　well。　Baldy　the　Eagle　ripped　off　his　wings　and　sprinted　from　the　park　at　Olympic　speed；　the　animal　trainers　fled　together　in　a　hijacked　Cushman；　but　not　before　springing　the　hinge　on　the　lion's　cage　and　shooing　the　wobbly；　tranquilized　beast　toward　the　woods。
　Kingsbury　ran；　too。　He　ran　in　search　of　Pedro　Luz；　the　only　man　who　knew　how　to　turn　off　the　fire　alarm。　Golf　spikes　clacking　on　the　concrete；　Kingsbury　jogged　from　the　security　office　to　King　Arthur's　Food　Court　to　The　Catabs；　where　he　found　Spence　Mooher　limping　in　mopey　addled　circles；　like　a　dog　who'd　been　grazed　by　a　speeding　bus。
　But　there　was　no　trace　of　Pedro；　and　despair　clawed　at　Kingsbury's　gut。　People　now　were　pouring　out　of　the　park；　and　taking　their　money　with　them。　Even　if　they　had　wished　to　stop　and　purchase　one　last　overpriced　souvenir；　no　one　was　available　to　sell　it　to　them。
　Chickenshits！　Kingsbury　raged　inwardly。　All　this　panic；　and　no　fire。　Can't　you　idiots　see　it's　a　false　alarm？
　Then　came　the　screams。
　Kingsbury's　throat　tightened。　He　ducked　into　a　photo　kiosk　and　removed　the　laminated　ID　card　from　his　belt。　Why　risk　it　if　the　crowd　turned　surly？
　The　screaming　continued。　In　a　prickly　sweat；　Kingsbury　tracked　the　disturbance　to　the　whale　tank；　where　something　had　caught　the　attention　of　several　families　on　their　way　out　of　the　park。　They　lined　the　walkway；　and　excitedly　pointed　to　the　water。　Assuming　the　pose　of　a　fellow　tourist；　Kingsbury　nonchalantly　joined　the　others　on　the　rail。　He　overheard　one　man　tell　his　wife　that　there　wasn't　enough　light　to　use　the　video　camera；　she　encouraged　him　to　try　anyway。　A　young　girl　cried　and　clutched　at　her　mother's　leg；　her　older　brother　told　her　to　shut　up；　it's　just　a　plastic　dummy。
　It　wasn't　a　dummy。　It　was　the　partially　clothed　body　of　Pedro　Luz；　facedown　in　the　Orky　tank。　His　muscular　buttocks　mooned　the　masses；　and　indeed　it　was　this　sight…not　the　fact　he　was　dead…that　had　shocked　customers　into　shrieking。
　Francis　X。　Kingsbury　glared　spitefully　at　the　corpse。　Pedro's　bobbing　bare　ass　seemed　to　mock　him…a　hairy　faceless　smile；　taunting　as　it　floated　by。　So　this　is　how　it　goes；　thought　Kingsbury。　Give　a　man　a　second　chance；　this　is　how　he　pays　you　back。
　Suddenly；　and　without　warning；　Dickie　the　Dolphin　rocketed　twenty　feet　out　of　the　water　and　performed　a　perfect　triple…reverse　somersault。
　The　tourists；　out　of　pure　dumb　reflex；　broke　into　applause。
　
　The　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills　emptied　in　forty　minutes。　Two　hook…and…ladder　rigs　arrived　from　Homestead；　followed　by　a　small　pumper　truck　from　the　main　fire　station　in　lower　Key　Largo。　The　fire　fighters　unrolled　the　hoses　and　wandered　around　the　park；　but　found　no　sign　of　a　fire。　They　were　preparing　to　leave　when　three　green　Jeeps　with　flashing　lights　raced　into　the　empty　parking　lot。　The　fire　fighters　weren't　sure　what　to　make　of　the　Game　and　Fish　officers；　an　amusement　park　seemed　an　unlikely　hideout　for　gator　poachers。　Sergeant　Mark　Dyerson　flagged　down　one　of　the　departing　fire　trucks　and　asked　the　captain　if　it　was　safe　to　take　dogs　into　the　area。　The　captain　said　sure；　be　my　guest。　Almost　immediately　the　hounds　struck　a　scent；　and　the　old　tracker　turned　them　loose。　The　wildlife　officers　loaded　up　the　dart　guns　and　followed。
　Francis　Kingsbury　happened　to　be　staring　out　the　window　when　he　spotted　the　lion　loping　erratically　down　Kingsbury　Lane；　a　pack　of　dogs　trailed　closely；　snapping　at　its　tail。　The　doped…up　cat　attempted　to　climb　one　of　the　phony　palm　trees；　but　fell　when　its　claws　pulled　loose　from　the　Styrofoam　bark。　Swatting　at　the　hounds；　the　cat　rose　and　continued　its　disoriented　escape。
　Lunacy；　thought　Kingsbury。
　Someone　knocked　twice　on　the　office　door　and　came　in…a　short　round　man　with　thin　brown　hair　and　small　black　eyes。　A　hideous　polyester…blend　shirt　identified　him　as　a　valued　customer。　Pinned　diagonally　across　the　man's　chest　was　a　wrinkled　streamer　that　said　〃OUR　FIVE…MILLIONTH　SPECIAL　GUEST！〃　In　the　crook　of　each　arm　sat　a　stuffed　toy　animal　with　reddish　fur；　pipestem　whiskers　and　a　merry　turquoise　tongue。
　Vance　and　Violet　Vole。
　〃For　my　nieces；〃　the　man　explained。　〃I　got　so　much　free　stuff　I　can　hardly　fit　it　in　the　car。〃
　Kingsbury　smiled　stiffly。　〃The　big　winner；　right？　That's　you。〃
　〃Yeah；　my　wife　can't　fuckin〃　believe　it。〃　
　〃Didn't　you　hear　it；　the　fire　alarm？　Everybody　else；　I　mean；　off　they　went。〃
　〃But　I　didn't　see　no　fire；〃　the　man　said。　〃No　smoke；　neither。〃　He　arranged　the　stuffed　animals　side　by　side　on　Kingsbury's　sofa。
　The　guy's　a　total　yutz；　Kingsbury　thought。　Does　he　want　my　autograph　or　what？　Maybe　a　snapshot　with　the　big　cheese。
　〃What's　that　you　got　there？〃　the　man　asked。　〃By　the　way；　the　name's　Rossiter。〃　He　nodded　toward　a　plaid　travel　bag　that　lay　open　on　Kingsbury's　desk。　The　bag　was　full　of　cash；　mostly　twenties　and　fifties。
　The　man　said；　〃Looks　like　I　wasn't　the　only　one　had　a　lucky　day。〃
　Kingsbury　snapped　the　bag　closed。　I'm　very　busy；　Mr。　Rossiter。　What's　the　problem…something　with　the　new　car；　right？　The　color　doesn't　match　your　wife's　eyes　or　whatever。〃
　〃No；　the　car's　great。　I　got　no　plaints　about　the　car。〃
　Then　what？〃　Kingsbury　said。　〃The　parade；　I　bet。　That　last　song；　I　swear　to　Christ；　I　don't　know　where　that　shit　came　from…〃
　〃You　kiddin'　me？　It　was　beautiful。　It　was　Puccini。〃
　Kingsbury　threw　up　his　hands。　〃Whatever。　Not　to　be　rude；　but　what　the　fuck　do　you　want？〃
　The　man　said；　〃I　got　a　confession　to　make。　I　cheated　a　little　this　morning。〃　He　shrugged　sheepishly。　〃I　cut　in　line　so　we　could　be　the　first　ones　through　the　gate。　That's　how　I　won　the　car。〃
　It　figures；　though