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He gave her a left…handed hug。 〃Did you put on some bug spray？〃 he asked。
〃Designer goo；〃 said Nina。 〃Some sort of weird enzyme。 The bugs gag on it。〃
Joe Winder pointed with the tip of the fishing rod。 〃See that？ They're mocking me。〃 Another school of bonefish cavorted； tails flashing； far out of human casting range。
〃I'll take your word for it；〃 said Nina； squinting。 〃Joe； what'd you do to your hair？〃
〃Cut it。〃
〃With what？〃
〃A steak knife。 I couldn't find the scissors。〃
Nina reached up and touched what was left。 〃For God's sake； why？〃
〃Chelsea said I looked like one of the Manson family。〃
Nina frowned。 〃Since when do you give a hoot what Charlie Chelsea thinks？〃
〃It's part of the damn dress code。 Kingsbury's cracking down； or so Charlie says。 I was trying to be a team player； like you wanted。〃 Joe Winder spotted a small bonnet shark cruising the shallows； and cast the jig for the hell of it。 The shark took one look and swam away arrogantly。
Joe Winder said； 〃So now I look like a Nazi。〃
〃No；〃 said Nina； 〃the Nazis had bs。〃
〃How's the new routine ing？ I assume that's why you're here。〃 It was the time of the week when the girls on the sex…phone line had to update their shtick。
Tell me what you think。〃 Nina reached into the breast pocket of the T…shirt and pulled out a folded piece of notebook paper。 Carefully she unfolded it。 〃Now； be honest；〃 she said to Winder。
〃Always。〃
〃Kay； here goes。〃 She cleared her throat。 〃You say 〃Hello。〃 〃
〃Hello！〃 Joe Winder sang out。
〃Hi； there；〃 said Nina； reading。 〃I was just thinking about you。 I was thinking it would be so nice to go on a train； just you and me。 A long； romantic train ride。 I love the way trains rock back and forth。 At first they start out so slow and hard； but then〃…here Nina had scripted a pause…〃but then they get faster and stronger。 I love the motion of a big lootive； it gets me so hot。〃
〃Gets me going；〃 suggested Joe Winder。 〃Hot is a cliche。〃
Nina nodded in agreement。 〃That's better； yeah。 I love the motion of a big lootive； it really gets me going。〃
Joe Winder noticed that the tide was slowing。 These fish would be gone soon。
But there was Nina in her black panties。 Knee deep in the Atlantic。 Blond hair tied back under her cap with a pink ribbon。 Reading some damn nonsense about sex on the Amtrak； in that killer voice of hers。 The words didn't matter； it was all music to Joe Winder； he was stirred by the sight of her in the water with the sun dropping behind the Keys。 At times like this he sure loved Florida。
Nina told him to quit staring at her all sappy and listen； so he did。
〃Sometimes； late at night； I dream that you're a lootive。 And I'm riding you on top； stretched out with my legs around your middle。 First we go uphill； real slow and hard and rough。 Then all of a sudden I'm riding the engine down； faster and harder and hotter until。。。〃
〃Until what？〃 Joe Winder said。
〃Until whatever；〃 said Nina with a shrug。 〃I figure I'd just leave the rest to their imagination。〃
〃No；〃 said Winder。 〃A metaphor like that； you need a big ending。〃 He slapped a mosquito that had penetrated the sheen of Cutter's on his neck。 〃How about： We're going downhill； out of control； faster and hotter。 I scream for you to stop but you keep pumping and pumping until I explode； melting against you。〃
From someplace…her bra？…Nina produced a ballpoint pen and began to scribble。 〃The pumping business is a bit much；〃 she said； 〃but I like the melting part。 That's good imagery； Joe； thanks。〃
〃Any time。〃
〃Miriam's writing up another hot…tub blowjob。〃
〃Not again；〃 said Joe Winder。
〃She says it's going to be a series。〃 Nina folded up the notebook paper and slipped it back in the pocket of her shirt。 〃I'm going to be late to work if I don't get a move on。 You ing in？〃
〃No； there's another school working that deep edge。 I'm gonna try not to brain 'em with this feather。〃
Nina said good luck and sloshed back toward shore。
Halfway there； she turned and said； 〃My God； I almost forgot。 I got one of those phone calls at home。〃
Winder stopped tracking the fish。 He closed the bail on his spinning reel； and tucked the rod in the crook of an elbow。 〃Was it Koocher？〃 he asked； across the flat。
Nina shook her head。 〃It was a different voice from last time。〃 She took a half…dozen splashy steps toward him； so she wouldn't have to yell so far。 〃But that's what I wanted to tell you。 The guy today said he was Dr。 Koocher； only he wasn't。 It was the wrong voice from before。〃
Joe Winder said； 〃You're sure？〃
〃It's my business； Joe。 It's what I do all night； listen to grown men lie。〃
〃What exactly did he say； Nina？ The guy who called。 Besides that he was Koocher。〃
〃He said all hell was breaking loose at the park。〃
〃All hell；〃 repeated Winder。
〃And he said he wanted to meet you tonight at the Card Sound Bridge。〃
〃When？〃
〃Midnight sharp。〃 Nina shifted her weight from one leg to the other； rippling the water。 〃You're not going；〃 she said。 〃Please？〃
Joe Winder looked back across the flats； lifeless in the empty auburn dusk。 〃No sign of those fish；〃 he said。 〃I believe this tide is officially dead。〃
EIGHT
Bud Schwartz didn't have to open his eyes to know where he was； the scent of jasmine room freshener assailed his nostrils。 He was in Molly McNamara's place； lying on the living…room sofa。 He could feel her stare； unblinking； like a stuffed owl。
〃I know you're awake；〃 she said。
He elected not to open his eyes right away。
〃Son； I know you're there。〃
It was the same tone she had used the first time they met； at one of the low points in Bud Schwartz's burglary career； he had been arrested after his 1979 Chrysler Cordoba stalled in the middle of 163rd Street； less than a block from the duplex apartment he had just burglarized with his new partner； Danny Pogue。 The victim of the crime had been driving home when he saw the stalled car； stopped to help and immediately recognized the Sony television； Panasonic clock radio； Amana microwave and Tandy laptop puter stacked neatly in the Cordoba's back seat。 The reason the stuff was lying in the back seat was because the trunk was full of stolen Neil Diamond cassettes that the burglars could not； literally； give away。
Bud Schwartz had been smoking in a holding cell of the Dade County Jail when Molly McNamara arrived。
At the time； she was a volunteer worker for Jackson Memorial Hospital and the University of Miami Medical School； her job was recruiting jail inmates as subjects for medical testing； a task that suited her talent for maternal prodding。 She had entered the holding cell wearing white rubber…soled shoes； a polyester nurse's uniform and latex gloves。
〃I'm insulted；〃 Bud Schwartz had said。
Molly McNamara had eyed him over the top of her glasses and said； 〃I understand you're looking at eighteen months。〃
〃Twelve； tops；〃 Bud Schwartz had said。
〃Well； I'm here to offer you a splendid opportunity。〃
〃And I'm here to listen。〃
Molly had asked if Bud Schwartz was interested in testing a new ulcer drug for the medical school。
〃I don't have no ulcers。〃
〃It doesn't matter；〃 Molly had said。 〃You'd be in the control gr