按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Chelsea stiffened。 He shifted in his chair。 〃I don't know what to make of a remark like that。〃
Joe Winder imagined his eyeballs pulsating in the sockets； as if jolted by a hot wire。
Charles Chelsea said； 〃You mean； punch me？ Actually punch me？〃
〃Repeatedly；〃 said Winder； 〃until you are no longer conscious。〃
The publicity man's voice was plaintive； but it held no fear。 〃Do you know what kind of day I've had？ I've dealt with two dead bodies…first the man on the bridge； and now the vole doctor。 Plus I've been up to my knees in whale guts。 I'm drained； Joe； physically and emotionally drained。 But if it makes you feel better to beat me up； go ahead。〃
Joe Winder said he was a reasonable man。 He said he would reconsider the beating if Charles Chelsea would show him the suicide note allegedly written by Dr。 Will Koocher。
Chelsea unlocked a file drawer and took out a sheet of paper with block printing on it。 〃It's only a Xerox；〃 he said； handing it to Winder； 〃but still it breaks your heart。〃
It was one of the lamest suicide notes that Joe Winder had ever seen。 In large letters it said：
〃TO MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY；
I SORRY BUT I CAN'T GO ON。 NOW THAT MY WORKS IS OVER； SO AM I。〃
The name signed at the bottom was 〃William Bennett Koocher； PhD。〃
Winder stuffed the Xerox copy in his pocket and said； 〃This is a fake。〃
〃I know what you're thinking； Joey； but it wasn't only the voles that got him down。 There were problems at home； if you know what I mean。〃
〃My goodness。〃 Winder whistled。 〃Problems at home。 I had no idea。〃
Chelsea continued： 〃And I know what else you're thinking。 Why would anybody kill himself in this。。。extreme fashion？ Jumping in a whale tank and all。〃
〃It struck me as a bit unorthodox； yes。〃
〃Well； me too；〃 said Chelsea； regaining some of his starch； 〃until I remembered that Koocher couldn't swim a lick。 More to the point； he was deathly afraid of sharks。 It's not so surprising that he chose to drown himself here； indoors； rather than the ocean。〃
〃And the green shirt？〃
〃Obviously he wasn't aware of Orky's； ah； problem。〃
Joe Winder blinked vigorously in an effort to clear his vision。 He said； 〃The man's spine was snapped like a twig。〃
〃I am told；〃 said Charles Chelsea； 〃that it's not as bad as it appears。 Very quick； and nearly painless。〃 He took out a handkerchief and discreetly dried the palms of his hands。 〃Not everyone has the stomach for using a gun；〃 he said。 〃Myself； I'd swallow a bottle of roach dust before I'd resort to violence。 But； anyway； I was thinking： Maybe this was Koocher's way of joining the lost voles。 A symbolic surrender to Nature； if you will。 Sacrificing himself to the whale。〃
Chelsea squared the corners of the handkerchief and tucked it into a pants pocket。 He looked pleased with his theory。 Sagely he added； 〃In a sense； what happened that night in Orky's tank was a purely natural event： Dr。 Koocher became part of the food chain。 Who's to say he didn't plan it that way？*
Joe Winder stood up； clutching the corners of Charles Chelsea's desk。 〃It wasn't a suicide；〃 he said； 〃and it wasn't an accident。〃
〃Then what； Joe？〃
〃I believe Koocher was murdered。〃
〃Oh； for God's sake。 At the Amazing Kingdom？〃
Again Winder felt the sibilant whisper from a valve letting off pressure somewhere deep inside his skull。 He reached across the desk and got two crisp fistfuls of Chelsea's blue oxford shirt。 〃I sorry but I can't go on？〃
Perplexed； Chelsea shook his head。
Joe Winder said； 〃The man was a PhD； Charlie。 I sorry but I can't go on？ Tonto might write a suicide note like that； but not Dr。 Koocher。〃
Chelsea pulled himself free of Winder's grip and said： 〃It was probably just a typo； Joe。 Hell； the man was terribly depressed and upset。 Who proofreads their own damn suicide note？〃
Pressing his knuckles to his forehead； Winder said； 〃A typo？ With a Magic Marker； Charlie？ I sorry is not a bummed…out scientist making a mistake； it's an illiterate moron trying to fake a suicide note。〃
〃I've heard just about enough。〃 Chelsea circled the desk and made for the door。 He stepped around Winder as if he were a rattlesnake。
Chelsea didn't leave the office。 He held the door open for Joe Winder； and waited。
〃I see；〃 said Winder。 On his way out； he stopped to smooth the shoulders of Chelsea's shirt； where he had grabbed him。
〃No more talk of murder；〃 Charles Chelsea said。 〃I want you to promise me。〃
〃All right； but on the more acceptable subject of suicide…who was the dead guy hanging from the Card Sound Bridge？〃
〃I've no idea； Joe。 It doesn't concern us。〃
〃It concerns me。〃
〃Look； I'm starting to worry。 First you threaten me with physical harm； now you're blabbing all these crazy theories。 It's alarming； Joe。 I hope I didn't misjudge your stability。〃
〃I suspect you did。〃
Warily； Chelsea put a hand on Winder's arm。 〃We've got a tough week ahead。 I'd like to be able to count on you。〃
〃I'm a pro； Charlie。〃
〃That's my boy。 So you'll give me Orky by four o'clock？〃
〃No sweat；〃 Winder said。 〃Three hundred words。〃
〃Max；〃 reminded Charles Chelsea； 〃and keep it low key。〃
〃My middle name；〃 said Joe Winder。
In the first draft of the press release； he wrote：
Orky the killer whale； a popular but unpredictable performer at the Amazing Kingdom of Thrills； died suddenly last night after asphyxiating on a foreign object。
Chelsea sent the press release back； marked energetically in red ink。
In the second draft； Joe Winder wrote：
Orky the whale； one of the most colorful animal stars at the Amazing Kingdom of Thrills； passed away last night of sudden respiratory plications。
Chelsea returned it with a few editing suggestions in blue ink。
In the third draft； Winder began：
Lovable Orky the whale； one of the most colorful and free…spirited animal stars at the Amazing Kingdom of Thrills； was found dead in his tank this morning。 While pathologists conducted tests to determine the cause of death； Francis X。 Kingsbury； founder of the popular family theme park； expressed deep sorrow over the sudden loss of this majestic creature。
〃We had e to love and admire Orky；〃 Kingsbury said。 〃He was as much a part of our family as Robbie Raccoon or Petey Possum。〃
Joe Winder sent the press release up to Charles Chelsea's office and decided not to wait for more revisions。 He announced that he was going home early to have his testicles reattached。
Before leaving the park； Winder stopped at a pay phone near the Magic Mansion and made a few calls。 One of the calls was to an old newspaper source who worked at the Dade County Medical Examiner's Office。 Another call was to the home of Mrs。 Will Koocher； where a friend said she'd already gone back to Ithaca to await her husband's coffin。 A third phone call went to Nina at home； who listened to Joe Winder's sad story of the dead vole doctor； and said： 〃So the new job isn't working out； is that what you're saying？〃
〃In a nutshell； yes。〃
〃If you ask me； your attitude is contributing to the problem。〃
Joe Winder spotted the acne…speckled face of Pedro Luz； peering suspiciously from behind a Snappy…the…Troll photo gazebo； where tourists were lined up to buy