ch.doublewhammy-第19部分

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lack　Ferrari。　Or　maybe　you　figure　I'm　too　old　for　a　coke　whore。　Maybe　you　see　me　on　the　arm　of　some　silver…haired　geezer　playing　the　ponies　out　at　Hialeah。〃
　〃Anybody　but　Bobby　Clinch；〃　Decker　said。　〃Steve　and　Eydie　you　weren't。〃
　Of　course　then　the　tears　came；　and　the　next　thing　Decker　knew　he　had　moved　to　the　bed　and　put　his　arms　around　Lanie　and　told　her　to　knock　off　the　crying。　Please。　In　his　mind's　eye　he　could　see　himself　in　this　cheesy　scene　out　of　a　cheap　detective　movie；　acting　like　the　gruff　cad；　awkwardly　consoling　the　weepy　long…legged　knockout；　knowing　deep　down　he　ought　to　play　it　as　the　tough　guy　but　feeling　pelled　to　show　this　warm　sensitive　side。　Decker　knew　he　was　a　fool　but　he　certainly　didn't　feel　like　letting　go　of　Lanie　Gault。　There　was　something　magnetic　and　forting　and　entirely　natural　about　holding　a　sweet…smelling　woman　in　a　silken　nightie　on　a　strange　bed　in　a　strange　motel　room　in　a　strange　town　where　neither　one　of　you　belonged。
　
　A　Bell　Jet…Ranger　helicopter　awaited　the　Reverend　Charles　Weeb　at　the　Fort　Lauderdale　Executive　Airport。　Weeb　wore　a　navy　pinstriped　suit；　designer　sunglasses；　and　lizard　boots。　He　was　traveling　with　a　vice…president　of　the　Outdoor　Christian　Network　and　a　young　brunette　woman　who　claimed　to　be　a　secretary；　and　who　managed　to　slip　her　phone　number　to　the　chopper　pilot　during　the　brief　flight。
　The　helicopter　carried　the　Reverend　Charles　Weeb　to　a　narrow　dike　on　the　edge　of　the　Florida　Everglades。　Looking　east　from　the　levee；　Weeb　and　his　associates　had　a　clear　view　of　a　massive　highway　construction　site。　The　land　had　been　bulldozed；　the　roadbed　had　been　poured；　the　pilings　had　been　driven　for　the　overpasses。　Dump　trucks　hauled　loose　fill　back　and　forth；　while　graders　crawled　in　dusty　clouds　along　the　medians。
　〃Show　me　again；〃　Weeb　said　to　the　vice…president。
　〃Our　property　starts　right　about　there；〃　the　vice…president　said；　pointing；　〃and　abuts　the　expressway　for　five　miles　to　the　south。　The　state　highway　board　has　generously　given　us　three　interchanges。〃
　Generously　my　ass；　thought　Weeb。　Twenty　thousand　in　bonds　to　each　of　the　greedy　fuckers。
　〃Give　me　the　binoculars；〃　Weeb　said。
　〃I'm　sorry；　sir；　but　I　left　them　at　the　airport。〃
　〃I'm　going　to　go　sit　in　the　helicopter；〃　the　brunette　woman　whined。
　〃Stay　right　here；〃　Weeb　growled。　〃How'm　I　supposed　to　see　the　lake　system　without　the　binoculars？〃
　〃We　can　fly　over　it　on　the　way　back；〃　the　vice…president　said。　〃The　canals　are　almost　done。〃
　Vigorously　Weeb　shook　his　head。　〃Dammit；　Billy；　you　did　it　again。　People　don't　buy　townhouses　on　canals。　'Canal'　is　a　dirty　word。　A　canal　is　where　raw　sewage　goes。　A　canal　is　where　ducks　fuck　and　cattle　piss。　Who　wants　to　live　on　a　damn　canal！　Would　you　pay　a　hundred…fifty　grand　to　do　that？　No；　you'd　want　to　live　on　a　lake；　a　cool　scenic　lake；　and　lakes　is　what　we're　selling　here。〃
　〃I　understand；〃　said　the　vice…president。　Lakes　it　is。　Straight；　narrow　lakes。　Lakes　you　could　toss　a　stone　across。　Lakes　of　identical　fingerlike　dimensions。
　The　pany　that　OCN　had　hired　was　a　marine　dredging　firm　whose　foremen　were；　basically；　linear…minded。　They　had　once　dredged　the　mouths　of　Port　Everglades　and　Government　Cut；　and　a　long　stretch　of　the　freighter　route　in　Tampa　Bay。　They　had　worked　with　impressive　speed　and　efficiency；　and　they　had　worked　in　a　perfectly　straight　line…which　is　desirable　if　you're　digging　a　ship　channel　but　rather　a　handicap　when　you're　digging　a　lake。　This　problem　had　been　mentioned　several　times　to　Reverend　Charles　Weeb；　who　had　merely　pointed　out　the　fiscal　foolishness　of　having　big　round　lakes。　The　bigger　the　lake；　the　more　water。　The　more　water；　the　less　land　to　sell。　The　less　land　to　sell；　the　fewer　townhouses　to　build。
　〃Lakes　don't　have　to　be　round；〃　the　Reverend　Weeb　said。　〃I'm　not　going　to　tell　you　again。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　Weeb　turned　to　the　west　and　stared　out　at　the　Glades。　〃Reminds　me　of　the　fucking　Sahara；〃　he　said；　〃except　with　muck。〃
　〃The　water　rises　in　late　spring　and　early　summer；〃　the　vice…president　reported。
　〃Dickie　promises　bass。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；　some　of　the　best　fishing　in　the　South。〃
　〃He'd　better　be　right。〃　Weeb　walked　along　the　dike；　admiring　the　spine　of　the　new　highway。　The　vice…president　walked　a　few　steps　behind　him　while　the　secretary　stayed　where　she　was；　casting　glances　toward　the　blue…tinted　cockpit　of　the　Jet…Ranger。
　〃Twenty…nine　thousand　units；〃　Weeb　was　saying；　〃twenty…nine　thousand　families。　Our　very　own　Christian　city！〃
　〃Yes；〃　the　vice…president　said。　It　was　the　name　of　the　development　that　gnawed　at　him。　Lunker　Lakes。　The　vice…president　felt　that　the　name　Lunker　Lakes　presented　a　substantial　marketing　problem；　too　colloquial；　too　red　behind　the　neck。　The　Reverend　Charles　Weeb　disagreed。　It　was　his　audience；　he　said；　and　he　damn　well　knew　what　they　would　and　would　not　buy。　Lunker　Lakes　was　perfect；　he　insisted。　It　couldn't　miss。
　Charlie　Weeb　was　heading　back　to　the　chopper。　〃Billy；　we　ought　to　start　thinking　about　shooting　some　mercials；〃　he　said。　〃Future　Bass　Capital　of　America；　something　like　that。　Fly　Dickie　down　and　get　some　tape　in　the　can。　He　can　use　his　own　crew；　but　I'd　like　you　or　Deacon　Johnson　to　supervise。〃
　The　vice…president　said；　〃There's　no　fish　in　the　lakes　yet。〃
　Weeb　climbed　into　the　chopper　and　the　vice…president　squeezed　in　beside　him。　The　secretary　was　up　front　next　to　the　pilot。　Weeb　didn't　seem　to　care。
　〃I　know　there's　no　fucking　fish　in　the　lakes。　Tell　Dickie　to　go　across　the　dike　and　shoot　some　tape　on　the　other　side。　He'll　know　what　to　do。〃
　The　Jet…Ranger　lifted　off　and　swung　low　to　the　east。
　〃Head　over　that　way；〃　the　vice…president　told　the　pilot；　〃where　they're　digging　those　lakes。〃
　〃What　lakes？〃　the　pilot　asked。
　
　Skink　was　late　to　the　airport。　R。　J。　Decker　was　not　the　least　bit　surprised。　He　slipped　into　a　phone　booth　and　called　the　Harney　Sentinel　to　see　if　anything　had　broken　loose　about　the　shootings。　He　had　a　story　all　made　up　about　going　to　meet　Ott　at　the　pancake　house　but　Ott　never　showing　up。
　Sandy　Kilpatrick　got　on　the　phone。　He　said；　〃I've　got　some　very　bad　news；　Mr。　Decker。〃
　Decker　took　a　breath。
　〃It's　about　Ott；〃　Kilpatrick　said。　His　voice　was　a　forced　whisper；　like　a　priest　in　the　confessional。
　〃What　happened？〃　Decker　said。
　〃A　terrible　car　accident　early　this　morning；〃　Kilpatrick　said。　〃Out　on　the　Gilchrist　Highway。　Ott　must　have　gone　to　sleep　at　the　wheel。　His　truck　ran　off　the　road　and　hit　a　big　cypress。〃
　〃Oh　Jesus；〃　Decker　said。　They'd　set　up　the　wreck　to　cover　the　murder。
　〃It　burned　for　two　hours；　started　a　mean　brushfire；〃　Kilpatrick　said。　〃By　the　time　it　was　over　there　wasn't　much　left。　The　remains　are　over　at　the　morgue　now；　but　。。。　well；　they're　hoping　to　get　enough　blood　to　find　out　if　he'd　been　drinking。　They're　big　on　DUI　stats　around　here。〃
　Ott's　body　would　be　scorched　to　a　cinder。　No　one　would　ever　suspect　it　had　been　in　the　water；　just　as　no　one　would　guess　what　had　really　killed　him。　The　cheapest　trick　in　the　book；　but　it　would　work　in　Harney。　Decker　could　imagine　them　already　repainting　the　death's…head　billboard　on　Route　222：　〃DRIVE　SAFELY。　DON'T　BE　FATALITY　NO。　5。〃
　He　didn't　know　what　to　say　now。　Conversations　about　the　newly　dead　made　him　unfortable；　but　he　didn't　want　to　seem　uncaring。　〃I　didn't　think　Ott　was　a　big　drinker；〃　he　said　lamely。
　〃Me　neither；〃　Kilpatrick　said；　〃but　I　figured　something　was　wrong　when　he　didn't　show　up　for　the　basketball　game　night　before　last。　He　was　the　team　mascot；　you　know。〃
　〃Davey　Dillo。〃
　〃Right。〃　There　was　a　pause　on　the　end　of　the　line；　Kilpatrick　pondering　how　to　explain　Ott's　armadillo　suit。　〃It's　sort　of　an　unwritten　rule　here　at　the　newspaper；〃　the　editor　said；　〃that　everybody　gives　to　the　United　Way。　Just　a　few　bucks　out　of　each　paycheck…you　know；　the　pany's　big　in　civic　charity。〃
　〃I　understand；〃　Decker　said。
　〃Well；　Ott　refused　to　donate　anything；　said　he　didn't　trust　'em。　I'd　never　seen　him　so　adamant。〃
　〃He　always　watched　his　pennies；〃　Decker　said。　Ott　Pickney　was　one　of　the　cheapest　men　he'd　ever　met。　While　covering　the　Dade　County　courthouse　he'd　once　missed　the　verdict　in　a　sensational　murder　trial　because　he　couldn't　find　a　parking　spot　with　a　broken　meter。
　Sandy　Kilpatrick　went　on：　〃Our　publisher　has　a　rigid　policy　about　the　United　Way。　When　he　heard　Ott　was　holding　back；　he　ordered　me　to　fire　him。　To　save　Ott's　job　I　came　up　with　this　promise。〃
　〃Davey　Dillo？〃
　〃The　school　team　needed　a　mascot。〃
　〃It　sure　doesn't　sound　like　Ott；〃　Decker　said。
　〃He　resisted　at　first；　but　he　got　to　where　he　really　enjoyed　it。　I　heard　him　say　so。　He　was　dynamite　on　that　skateboard；　too；　even　in　that　bulky　costume。　Someone　his　age…the　kids　said　he　should　have　been　a　surfer。〃
　〃Sounds　like　quite　a　show；〃　Decker　said；　trying　to　imagine　it。
　〃He　never　missed　a　game；　that's　why　I　was　worried　the　other　night　when　he　didn't　show。　Only　thing　I　could　figure　is　that　he'd　gone　out　Saturday　night　and　tied　one　on。　Maybe　went　up　to　Cocoa　Beach；　met　a　girl；　and　just　decided　to　stay　the　weekend。〃
　Ott　sacked　out　with　a　beach　bunny…the　story　probably　was　all　over　Harney　by　now。　〃Maybe　that's　it；〃　Decker　said。　〃He　was　probably　on　his　way　home　when　the　accident　happened。〃　This　was　Ott's　old　pal　from　Miami；　lying　through　his　teeth。　If　Kilpatrick　only　knew　the　truth；　Decker　thought。　He　said；　〃Sandy；　I'm　so　sorry。　I　can't　believe　he's　dead。〃　That　part　was　almost　true；　and　the　regret　was　genuine。
　〃The　service　is　tomorrow；〃　Kilpatrick　said。　〃Cremation　seemed　the　best　way　to　go；　considering。〃
　Decker　said　good…bye　and　hung　up。　Then　he　called　a　florist　shop　in　Miami　and　asked　them　to　wire　an　orchid　to　Ott　Pickney's　funeral。　The　best　orchid　they　had。
　
　Jim　Tile　was　born　in　the　town　of　Wilamette；　Florida；　a　corrupt　and　barren　flyspeck　untouched　by　the　alien　notions　of　integration；　fair　housing；　and　equal　rights。　Jim　Tile　was　one　of　the　few　blacks　ever　to　have　escaped　his　miserable　neighborhood　without　benefit　of　a　bus　ride　to　Raiford　or　a　football　scholarship。　He　attributed　his　success　to　good　steady　parents　who　made　him　stay　in　school；　and　also　to　his　awesome　physical　abilities。　Most　street　kids　thought　punching　was　the　cool　way　to　fight；　but　Jim　Tile