ch.doublewhammy-第54部分

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　foxes；　bobcats；　even　a　fat　old　female　otter。　Eddie　marveled　at　so　much　wildlife；　so　close　to　the　big　city。
　It　took　an　hour　to　make　the　full　circuit　back　to　where　the　flood　levee　abutted　Lunker　Lake　Number　Seven。　When　he　reached　the　designated　spot；　Eddie　Spurling　turned　off　the　engine；　killed　the　lights；　rolled　down　his　window；　and　gazed　off　to　the　west。　The　Everglades　night　was　glorious　and　immense；　the　sweep　of　the　sky　unlike　anything　he'd　seen　anywhere　in　the　South；　here　the　galaxy　seemed　to　spill　straight　into　the　shimmering　swamp。
　When　Eddie　looked　east　he　saw　blocked　and　broken　landscape；mthe　harsh　aura　of　downtown　lights；　the　pale　linear　scar　of　the　nascent　superhighway　and　its　three　interchanges；　built　especially　for　Charlie　Weeb's　development。　There　was　nothing　beautiful　about　it；　and　Eddie　turned　away。　He　put　on　his　cap；　snapped　his　down　vest；　and　stepped　out　of　the　truck　into　the　gentle　hum　of　the　marsh。
　Water　glistened　on　both　sides　of　the　dike。　Under　a　thin　fog；　Lunker　Lake　Number　Seven　lay　as　flat　and　dead　as　a　cistern；　by　contrast；　the　small　pool　on　the　Everglades　side　was　dimpled　with　darting　minnows　and　waterbugs。　The　pocket　was　lushly　fringed　with　cattails　and　sawgrass　and　crisp　round　lily　pads　as　big　as　pizzas。　Something　else　floated　in　the　pool…a　plastic　Clorox　bottle；　tied　to　a　rope。
　Eddie　Spurling　noticed　how　out　of　place　it　looked；　obscene；　really；　like　litter。　The　whole　idea　of　it　made　him　mad…Weeb　and　his　damn　Alabama　imports。　Eddie　carefully　made　his　way　down　the　slope　of　the　dike；　his　boots　sliding　in　the　loose　dirt。　At　the　edge　of　the　pool　he　found　a　long　stick；　which　he　used　to　snag　the　floating　bleach　bottle。
　He　got　hold　of　the　rope　and　pulled　it　hand　over　hand。　The　fish　trap　was　unexpectedly　heavy；　leaden　almost。　Must've　got　tangled　in　the　hydrilla　weed；　Eddie　thought。
　When　the　cage　finally　broke　the　surface；　he　dropped　the　stick　and　grabbed　the　mesh　with　his　fingers。　Then　he　pulled　it　to　shore。
　Eddie　shone　his　flashlight　in　the　cage　and　said；　〃My　God！〃　He　couldn't　believe　the　size　of　it…a　coppery…black　bass　of　grotesque　proportions；　so　huge　it　could've　been　a　deep…sea　grouper。　It　looked　thirty　pounds。　The　hawg　glared　at　Eddie　and　thrashed　furiously　in　its　wire　prison。　Eddie　could　only　stare；　awestruck。　He　thought：　This　is　impossible。
　On　the　other　side　of　the　pond　something　made　a　noise；　and　Eddie　Spurling　went　cold。　He　recognized　the　naked　click　of　a　rifle　hammer。
　A　deep　voice　said：　〃Put　her　back。〃
　Eddie　swallowed　dryly。　He　was　almost　too　terrified　to　move。
　The　gun　went　off　and　the　Clorox　bottle　exploded　at　his　feet。　After　the　echo　faded；　the　voice　said：　〃Now。〃
　Rubber…kneed；　Eddie　lowered　the　fish　cage　back　into　the　pool；　letting　the　wet　rope　pay　through　his　ringers。
　Across　the　pond；　the　rifleman　rose　from　the　cattails。　By　the　size　of　the　silhouette　Eddie　Spurling　saw　that　the　man　was　quite　large。　His　appearance　was　made　more　ominous　by　military　fatigues　and　some　sort　of　black　mask。　The　man　sloshed　through　the　marsh　and　hiked　up　the　side　of　the　dike。　Eddie　thought　about　running　but　there　was　no　place　to　go；　he　thought　about　swimming　but　there　was　a　problem　with　snakes　and　alligators。　So　he　just　stood　there；　trying　not　to　soil　himself。
　Soon　the　rifleman　loomed　directly　above　him；　on　the　dike。
　〃Kill　the　flashlight；〃　the　man　said。
　He　was　close　enough　for　Eddie　to　make　out　his　features。　He　had　long　dark　hair　and　a　ratty　beard　and　a　flowered　plastic　cap　on　his　head。　The　mask　turned　out　to　be　sunglasses。　The　rifle　was　a　Remington。
　〃I'm　Fast　Eddie　Spurling。〃
　〃Who　asked？〃
　〃From　television？〃
　〃I　watch　no　television；〃　said　the　rifleman。
　Eddie　tried　a　different　approach。　〃Is　it　money　you　want？　The　Jeep？　Go　ahead　and　take　it。〃
　Without　blinking；　the　rifleman　turned　and　blasted　the　tinted　windshield　out　of　Eddie　Spurling's　Wagoneer。　〃I　got　my　own　truck；　thanks；〃　he　said。　Then　he　shot　out　the　fog　lights；　too。
　Eddie　was　sweating　ice　water。
　The　man　said；　'That's　some　fish；　huh？〃
　Eddie　nodded　energetically。　〃Biggest　I　ever　saw。〃
　〃Name's　Queenie。〃
　〃Real　nice；〃　Eddie　said　desperately。　He　was　quite　certain　the　hairy　rifleman　was　going　to　kill　him。
　〃You're　probably　curious　what　happened　to　yours。〃
　〃They　weren't　really　mine；〃　Eddie　said。
　The　man　laughed　thinly。　〃You　just　came　all　the　way　out　here　to　say　hello。〃
　Eddie　said；　〃No；　sir；　I　came　to　let　'em　go。〃
　〃How　about　I　just　shoot　off　your　pecker　and　get　it　over　with？〃
　〃Please；〃　Eddie　cried。　〃I　mean　it；　I　was　about　to　set　them　fish　free。　Check　the　truck　if　you　don't　believe　it。　If　I　was　gonna　take　'em；　I'd　have　brung　a　livewell；　right？　I'd　have　brung　the　damn　boat；　wouldn't　I？〃
　The　rifleman　seemed　to　be　thinking　it　over。
　Eddie　went　on：　〃And　why　would　I　be　here　three　hours　before　the　tournament　and　risk　having　'em　croak　on　me？〃
　The　man　said；　〃You're　not　one　of　the　cheaters？〃
　〃No；　and　I　don't　aim　to　start。　I　couldn't　go　through　with　it；　so　screw　Charlie　Weeb。〃
　The　rifleman　lowered　his　gun。　〃I　let　those　ringer　bass　go。〃
　Eddie　Spurting　said；　〃Well；　I'm　glad　you　did。〃
　〃Three　hawgsters。　One　must've　gone　at　least　eleven…eight。〃
　〃Well；〃　said　Eddie；　〃maybe　I'll　catch　him　someday；　when　he's　bigger。〃
　The　man　said：　〃What　about　Queenie？　What　would　you　have　done　about　her？〃
　Without　hesitating　Eddie　said；　〃I'd　a　let　her　go　too　〃
　〃I　bet。〃
　〃What　would　be　the　point　of　killing　her；　mister？　Suppose　I　took　that　monster　home　and　stuffed　her。　Every　time　I'd　walk　in　the　den　she'd　be　staring　down　from　the　wall；　the　awful　truth　in　those　damn　purple　eyes。　I　couldn't　live　with　it；　mister。　That's　why　I　say；　you　didn't　need　the　gun。　I'd　a　let　her　go　anyway。〃
　The　rifleman　stood　there；　showing　nothing。　The　sunglasses　scared　the　hell　out　of　Eddie。
　〃I've　got　a　boy；　mister；　age　nine；〃　Eddie　said。　〃You　think　I　could　lie　to　my　boy　about　a　fish　like　that？　Say　I　caught　it　when　I　didn't？〃
　〃Some　men　could。〃
　〃Not　me。〃
　The　rifleman　said：　〃I　believe　you；　Mr。　Spurling。　Now；　get　the　fuck　out　of　here；　please。〃
　Eddie　obediently　scrambled　up　the　bank　of　the　dike。　He　hopped　in　the　Jeep　without　even　brushing　the　broken　glass　off　the　seat。
　〃Can　you　turn　this　thing　around　okay？〃
　〃Yeah；〃　Eddie　said；　〃I　got　four…wheel　drive。〃　In　the　dark　he　groped　nervously　for　the　keys。
　〃The　seam　of　the　universe；〃　the　rifleman　mused。　〃This　dike　is　like　the　moral　seam　of　the　universe。〃
　〃It's　narrow；　that's　for　sure；〃　Eddie　said。
　〃Evil　on　the　one　side；　good　on　the　other。〃　The　man　illustrated　by　pointing　with　the　Remington。
　Eddie　stuck　his　head　out　the　window　and　said　very　politely：　〃Can　I　ask　what　you　plan　to　do　with　that　big　beautiful　bass？〃
　〃I　plan　to　let　her　go；〃　the　man　said；　〃in　about　five　minutes。〃　He　didn't　say　where；　on　which　side　of　the　seam。
　Eddie　knew　he　shouldn't　press　his　luck；　knew　he　should　just　get　the　hell　away　from　this　lunatic；　but　he　couldn't　help　it。　The　fisherman　in　him　just　had　to　ask：　〃What's　she　weigh；　anyhow？〃
　〃Twenty…nine　even。〃
　〃Holy　moly。〃　Fast　Eddie　Spurling　gasped。
　〃Now　get　lost；〃　said　the　rifleman；　〃and　good　luck　in　the　tournament。〃
　After　Eddie　had　gone；　Skink　hauled　the　big　fish　out　of　the　pool。　He　propped　the　cage　yoke…style　across　his　shoulders　and　carried　it　across　the　dike　to　Lunker　Lakes。　He　put　it　back　in　the　water　while　he　searched　the　banks　until　he　found　the　two　beer　cans　marking　the　spot　where　Jim　Tile　and　Al　Garcia　had　sunk　the　brushpile。
　Skink　hoisted　the　cage　once　more　and　moved　it　to　the　secret　spot。　This　time　he　removed　the　big　bass；　pointed　her　toward　the　submerged　obstruction；　and　gently　let　her　go。　The　fish　kicked　once；　roiled；　and　was　gone。　〃See　you　tonight；〃　Skink　said。　〃Then　we　go　home。〃
　Rifle　in　hand；　he　stood　on　the　dike　for　two　hours　and　watched　the　night　start　to　fade。　On　the　Everglades　side；　a　heron　croaked　and　redwings　bickered　in　the　bulrushes；　the　other　side　of　the　dike　lay　mute　and　lifeless。　Skink　waited　for　something　to　show　in　Lunker　Lake　Number　Seven…a　turtle；　a　garfish；　anything。　He　waited　a　long　time。
　Then；　deep　in　worry；　he　trudged　down　the　dike　to　where　he'd　left　his　truck。　To　the　east；　at　the　dirty　rim　of　the　city；　the　sun　was　ing　up。
　
　At　that　moment　R。　J。　Decker　parked　his　car　behind　a　row　of　construction　trailers　at　Lunker　Lakes。　Dawn　was　the　best　time　to　move；　because　by　then　most　rent…a…cops　were　either　asleep　or　shooting　the　shit　around　the　timeclock；　waiting　to　punch　out。　Decker　spotted　only　one　uniformed　guard；　a　rotund　and　florid　fellow　who　emerged　from　one　of　the　trailers　just　long　enough　to　take　a　leak；　then　shut　the　door。
　Decker　checked　the　camera　again。　It　was　a　Minolta　Maxxum；　a　sturdy　thirty…five…millimeter　he'd　picked　up　at　a　West　Palm　Beach　discount　house　that　took　credit　cards。　He　was　thinking　that　a　Kodak　or　a　Sure…Shot　might　have　worked　just　as　well；　but　he'd　been　in　such　a　hurry。　He　opened　the　back　of　the　frame　and　inspected　the　loading　mechanism；　he　did　the　same　with　the　motor…drive　unit。
　Satisfied；　Decker　capped　the　lens；　closed　up　the　camera；　and　locked　it　in　the　glove　partment　of　Al　Garcia's　car。　Then　he　got　the　bolt…cutters　out　of　the　trunk　and　snuck　up　to　the　supply　shed；　where　he　went　to　work　on　the　padlock。
　
　The　blast…off　for　the　Dickie　Lockhart　Memorial　Bass　Blasters　Classic　was　set　for　six…thirty；　but　the　anglers　arrived　very　early　to　put　their　boats　in　the　water　and　test　their　gear　and　collect　free　goodies　from　tackle　reps　up　and　down　the　dock。　The　fishermen　knew　that　whoever　won　this　tournament　might　never　have　to　wet　a　line　again；　not　just　because　of　the　tremendous　purse　but　because　of　the　product　endorsements　to　follow。　The　bass　lure　that　took　first　prize　in　the　Lockhart　undoubtedly　would　be　the　hottest　item　in　freshwater　bait　shops　for　a　year。　There　was　no　logic　to　this　fad；　since　bass　will　eat　just　about　anything　（including　their　own　young）；　but　the　tackle　panies　did　everything　in　their　power　to　encourage　manic　buying。　Before　the　opening　gun　they　loaded　down　the　contestants　with　free　plugs；　jigs；　spinners；　and　of　course　rubber　worms；　displayed　in　giant　plastic　vats　like　so　much　hellish　purple　pasta。
　The　morning　was　cool　and　clear；　there　was　talk　it　might　hit　eighty　by　midafternoon。　Matronly　volunteers　from　The　First　Pentecostal　Church　of