ch.doublewhammy-第46节

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　〃And？〃
　〃Garbage。　Surveillance　stuff　for　that　insurance　case；　that's　all。　No　fish　pictures；　R。J。〃
　There　you　had　it。　Lanie　had　probably　swiped　the　good　stuff　out　of　his　bag　at　the　motel　in　Hammond。　Her　brother　would've　had　no　trouble　finding　a　good　lab　man　to　doctor　the　prints。　Decker　said；　〃Jesus；　Al；　what　the　hell　do　I　do　now？〃
　〃Well；　in　my　official　capacity　as　a　sworn　law…enforcement　officer　of　the　state　of　Florida；　I'd　advise　you　to　turn　yourself　in；　agree　to　the　extradition；　and　trust　your　fate　to　the　justice　system。　As　a　friend；　I'd　advise　you　to　stay　the　fuck　out　of　Louisiana　until　we　get　you　some　alibi　witnesses。〃
　〃We？〃　Decker　was　surprised。　〃Al；　you'll　get　in　all　kinds　of　trouble　if　they　find　out　you're　helping　me。　You're　probably　already　in　the　jackpot　for　taking　a　duty　car　out　of　Dade　County。〃
　Garcia　smiled。　〃Didn't　I　tell　you？　I　went　on　sick　leave　two　days　ago。　Indefinite…doctor　says　my　damn　shoulder's　out　of　whack　again。　The　lieutenant　wasn't　thrilled；　but　what's　he　gonna　do？　Half　the　guys　retire　they　get　a　lousy　hangnail。　Me；　I　get　popped　point…blank　with　a　sawed…off　and　I　only　miss　twenty…three　days。　They　can't　bitch　about　a　week　here　and　there　for　therapy。〃
　〃Sick　leave；〃　Decker　mused。　'That　explains　your　unusually　charming　disposition。〃
　〃Don't　be　a　smartass。　Right　now　I'm　the　only　friend　you　got。〃
　〃Not　quite；〃　Decker　said。
　
　According　to　Ozzie　Rundell；　Thomas　Curl's　Uncle　Shawn　lived　just　outside　of　Orlando。　He　ran　a　moldy　roadside　tourist　trap　called　Sheeba's　African　Jungle　Safari；　located　about　four　miles　west　of　the　Disney　World　entrance　on　U。S。　92。　Ozzie　had　offered　to　draw　a　map；　but　Jim　Tile　said　no　thanks；　he　didn't　need　directions。
　The　broken…down　zoo　wasn't　hard　to　find。　In　the　six　years　since　Shawn　Curl　had　purchased　the　place　from　Leroy　and　Sheeba　Barnwell；　the　once…exotic　menagerie　had　shrunk　to　its　current　cheerless　census　of　one　emaciated　lion；　two　balding　llamas；　three　goats；　a　blind　boa　constrictor；　and　seventeen　uncontrollably　nasty　raccoons。　A　big　red　billboard　on　U。S。　92　promised　a　〃DELIGHTFUL　CHILDREN'S　PETTING　zoo；〃　but　in　actuality　there　was　nothing　at　Sheeba's　to　pet；　not　safely；　anyway。　Shawn　Curl's　insurance　pany　had　summarily　canceled　his　policy　after　the　ninth　infectious　raccoon　bite；　so　Shawn　Curl　had　put　up　a　twelve…foot　hurricane　fence　to　keep　the　tourists　away　from　the　animals。　The　only　consistent　money…making　enterprise　at　the　African　Jungle　Safari　was　the　booth　with　plastic　palm　trees　where；　for　3。75；　tourists　could　be　photographed　draping　the　blind　boa　constrictor　around　their　necks。　Since　snakes　have　no　eyelids；　the　tourists　didn't　know　that　the　boa　constrictor　was　blind。　They　were　also　unaware　that；　except　for　a　tiny　space　where　the　feeding　tube　fit；　the　big　snake's　mouth　had　been　expertly　stitched　shut　with　a　Singer　sewing　machine。　In　these　litigious　times；　Shawn　Curl　wasn't　taking　any　more　chances。
　He　didn't　know　what　to　think　when　the　musclebound　black　state　trooper　walked　into　the　gift　shop；　Shawn　Curl　had　never　seen　a　black　trooper　in　Orlando　before。　He　noticed　that　the　man　walked　with　a　slight　limp；　and　thought　probably　he　had　been　hired　for　just　that　reason…to　fill　some　stupid　minority　handicap　quota。　Shawn　Curl　decided　he'd　better　be　civil；　or　else　the　big　spade　might　snitch　on　him　to　the　Fish　and　Game　Department　for　the　way　the　wild　animals　were　being　treated。
　〃What　ken　we　do　you　for；　officer？〃
　Jim　Tile　stood　at　the　counter　eyeing　a　display　of　bootleg　Mickey　Mouse　dolls。　Each　stuffed　Mickey　had　a　Confederate　flag　poking　out　of　its　paw。　Jim　Tile　picked　up　one　of　the　Mickeys　and　turned　it　over。
　〃　'Made　in　Thailand；'　〃　he　read　aloud。
　Shawn　Curl　coughed　nervously。
　〃Nine…fifty　for　one　of　these？〃　the　trooper　asked。
　Shawn　Curl　said；　〃Not　for　you。　For　you；　half…price。〃
　〃A　discount；〃　Jim　Tile　said。
　〃For　all　peace　officers；　yessir。　That's　our　standard　discount。〃
　Jim　Tile　put　the　mouse　doll　back　on　the　counter　and　said；　〃Does　Disney　know　you're　selling　this　crap？〃
　Shawn　Curl　worked　his　jaw　sideways。　〃Far　as　I　know　it's　all　legal；　officer。〃
　Jim　Tile　looked　around　the　gift　shop。　〃They　could　sue　you　for　everything；〃　he　said；　〃such　as　it　is。〃
　〃Hey；　I　ain't　dune　nuthin'　nobody　else　ain't　dune。〃
　After　scanning　the　shelves…cluttered　with　painted　coconut　heads；　rubber　alligators；　chipped　conch　shells；　bathtub　sharks；　and　other　made…for…Florida　rubbish…Jim　Tile's　disapproving　brown　eyes　settled　again　on　the　bogus　Mickey　Mouse　doll。　〃The　Disney　people；〃　he　said；　〃they　won't　go　for　this。　That　rebel　flag　is　enough　to　get　their　lawyers　all　excited。〃
　Exasperated；　Shawn　Curl　puffed　out　his　cheeks。　〃Who　sent　you　here；　anyway？〃
　〃I'm　looking　for　young　Thomas。〃
　〃He　ain't　here。〃
　The　trooper　said；　〃Tell　me　where　I　can　find　him。〃
　〃S'pose　you　got　a　warrant。〃
　〃What　I　got；〃　said　Jim　Tile；　〃is　his　uncle。　By　the　balls。〃
　A　family　of　tourists　walked　in；　the　kids　darting　underfoot　while　the　mother　eyed　the　merchandise　uneasily。　The　father　peered　tentatively　at　the　zoo　grounds　through　a　window　behind　the　cash　register。　Jim　Tile　guessed　they　wouldn't　stay　long。　They　didn't。　〃Raccoons；　that's　all；〃　the　father　had　reported　back　to　his　wife。　〃We've　got　zillions　of　raccoons　back　in　Michigan。〃
　When　they　were　alone　again；　Jim　Tile　said；　〃Shawn；　give　me　your　nephew's　address　in　New　Orleans。　Right　now。〃
　〃I'll　give　it　to　you；〃　Shawn　Curl　said；　scribbling　on　the　back　of　a　postcard；　〃but　he　ain't　there。〃
　〃Where　can　I　find　him？〃
　〃Last　time　he　e　through　he　was　on　his　way　to　Miami。〃
　〃When　was　that？〃
　〃Few　days　ago；〃　said　Shawn　Curl。
　〃Where's　he　staying？〃
　〃Some　big　hotel。〃
　〃You're　a　big　help；　Shawn。　I　guess　I'll　have　to　call　Disney　headquarters　after　all。〃
　Shawn　Curl　didn't　like　that　word。　Headquarters。　In　a　sulky　voice　he　said；　〃The　hotel　is　the　Grand　Biscayne　Something。　I　don't　remember　the　whole　name。〃
　〃Why　was　Thomas　going　down　to　Miami？〃
　〃Business；　he　said。〃
　〃What　business　is　he　in？〃
　Shawn　Curl　shrugged。　〃Promotion　is　what　he　calls　it。〃
　Jim　Tile　said；　〃I　couldn't　help　but　notice　that　big　Oldsmobile　out　front；　the　blue　Niney…Eight。　It　looks　brand…new。〃
　Warily　Shawn　Curl　looked　at　the　trooper。　〃No；　I　had　it　awhile。〃
　〃Still　got　the　sticker　in　the　window；〃　Jim　Tile　remarked；　〃and　the　paper　license　tag　from　the　dealer。〃
　〃So？〃
　〃Did　Thomas　give　you　that　new　car？〃
　Shawn　Curl　drew　a　deep　breath。　What　was　the　world　ing　to；　that　a　nigger　could　talk　to　him　like　this？　〃Maybe　he　did　give　it　to　me；〃　Shawn　Curl　said。　〃There's　no　law　'ginst　it。〃
　〃No；　there　isn't；〃　Jim　Tile　said。　He　thanked　Shawn　Curl　for　his　time；　and　walked　toward　the　door。　〃By　the　way；〃　the　trooper　said；　〃that　lion's　humping　one　of　your　llamas。〃
　〃Shit；〃　said　Shawn　Curl；　scrambling　to　find　his　pitchfork。
　
　The　three　boys　went　to　the　high…school　basketball　game　but　they　didn't　stay　long。　Kyle；　the　one　with　the　phony　drivers　license；　had　three　six…packs　in　the　trunk；　along　with　his　stepfather's　。22…caliber　rifle。　Jeff　and　Cole；　both　of　whom　were　on　the　verge　of　flunking　out　anyway；　cared　even　less　about　high…school　basketball　than　Kyle。　The　game　was　just　their　excuse　to　get　out　of　the　house；　something　to　tell　the　parents。　The　teenagers　left　before　the　first　half　was　over。　Kyle　drove　to　the　usual　spot；　a　county　dumpsite　miles　west　of　the　city；　and　there　they　gulped　down　the　six…packs　while　plinking　bottles；　soda　cans；　and　the　occasional　hapless　rat。　Once　the　beer　and　ammunition　were　used　up；　there　was　only　one　thing　left　to　do。　Jeff　and　Cole　called　it　〃bum…bashing；〃　though　it　was　Kyle；　the　biggest　one；　who　claimed　to　have　invented　both　the　phrase　and　the　sport。　That's　what　everyone　at　the　high　school　said；　anyway：　It　must　have　been　Kyle's　idea。
　Every　winter　transients　flock　to　Florida　as　sure　as　the　tourists　and　turkey　buzzards。　Their　numbers　are　not　so　great；　but　often　they　are　more　visible；　sleeping　in　the　parks　and　public　libraries；　panhandling　the　street　corners。　The　weather　is　so　mild　that　there　is　almost　no　outdoor　place　that　a　bum　would　find　uninhabitable　in　southern　Florida。　Paradise　is　how　many　of　them　would　describe　it。　Some　towns　address　the　problem　with　less　tolerance　than　others　（Palm　Beach；　for　example；　where　loitering　is　treated　the　same　as　ax…murder）；　but　usually　the　bums　get　by　with　little　fear　of　incarceration。　The　reason　is　simple；　and　in　it　lies　another　prime　attraction　for　the　nation's　wandering　winos：　there　is　no　room　for　them　in　South　Florida's　jails　because　the　jails　already　are　too　crowded　with　dangerous　criminals。
　Beginning　in　late　December；　then；　the　transients　start　appearing　on　the　streets。　Rootless；　solitary；　and　unwele；　they　are　ideal　victims　for　the　randomly　violent。　Kyle　and　his　high…school　friends　discovered　this　the　very　first　time。　On　a　five…dollar　bet　from　Cole；　Kyle　slugged　a　wino　under　a　bridge。　The　boys　ran　away；　but　nothing　happened。　Of　course　the　transient　never　reported　the　attack…the　local　cops　would　have　laughed　in　his　face。　A　week　later　the　teenagers　tried　it　again　when　they　discovered　an　old　longhair　sleeping　on　a　golf　course　in　Boca　Raton。　This　time　Jeff　and　Cole　pitched　in；　while　Kyle　added　a　few　whacks　with　his　stepfather's　four…iron。　This　time　when　they　ran　away；