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When Joe Winder caught his breath； he said： 〃I work for Mr。 Kingsbury。 He owns this land。〃
〃Ain't the name on the permit。 The permit says Ramex Global。〃
The other driver spoke up： 〃Anyway； who gives a shit about some goddamn wolves？〃
〃Yeah；〃 the first driver said。 〃Bury 'em。〃
〃No；〃 said Joe Winder。 They weren't wolves； they were gray foxes…six of them； no larger than kittens。 The bulldozers had uprooted the den tree。 Half…blind； the little ones were crawling all over each other； squeaking and yapping in toothless panic。
Winder said； 〃If we leave them alone； the mother will probably e back。〃
〃What is this； 'Wild Kingdom'？〃
〃At least help me move them out of the way。〃
〃Forget it；〃 the smartass driver said。 〃I ain't in the mood for rabies。 e on； Bobby； let's roll it。〃
The men climbed back in the dozers and seized the gear sticks。 Instinctively Joe Winder positioned himself between the large machines and the baby foxes。 The drivers began to holler and curse。 The smartass lowered the blade of his bulldozer and inched forward； pushing a ridge of moist dirt over the tops of Joe Winder's shoes。 The driver grinned and whooped at his own cleverness until he noticed the gun pointed up at his head。
He quickly turned off the engine and raised his hands。 The other driver did the same。 In a scratchy whine he said； 〃Geez； what's your problem？〃
Winder held the semi…automatic steady。 He was surprised at how natural it felt。 He said； 〃Is this what it takes to have a civilized conversation with you shit…heads？〃
Quickly he checked over his shoulder to make sure the kits hadn't crawled from the den。 The outlandish…ness of the situation was apparent； but he'd mitted himself to melodrama。 With the gun on display； he was already deep into felony territory。
The smartass driver apologized profusely for burying Winder's shoes。 〃I'll buy you some new ones；〃 he offered。
〃Oh； that's not necessary。〃 Winder yearned to shoot the bulldozers but he didn't know where to begin； the heavy steel thoraxes looked impervious to cannon fire。
The lazy driver said： 〃You want us to get down？〃
〃Not just yet；〃 said Joe Winder； 〃I'm thinking。〃
〃Hey； there's no need to shoot。 Just tell us what the hell you want。〃
〃I want you to help me fuck up these machines。〃
It was nine o'clock when the knock came。 Joe Winder was sitting in the dark on the floor of the apartment。 He had the clip out of the gun； and the bullets out of the clip。 A full load； too； sixteen rounds； he had lined up the little rascals side by side on a windowsill； a neat row of identical copper…headed soldiers。
The knocking wouldn't go away。 Winder picked up the empty gun。 He went to the door and peeked out of the peephole。 He saw an orb of glistening blond； not Nina…style blond； this was lighter。 When the woman turned around； Winder flung open the door and pulled her inside。
In the darkness Carrie Lanier took a deep breath and said： 〃I hope that's you。〃
〃It's me；〃 Joe Winder said。
〃Was that a gun I saw？〃
〃I'm afraid so。 My situation has taken a turn for the worse。〃
Carrie said； 〃That's why I came。〃
Winder led her back to the living room； where they sat between two large cardboard boxes。 The only light was the amber glow from the stereo receiver； Carrie Lanier could barely hear the music from the speakers。
〃Where's your girlfriend？〃 she asked。
〃Moved out。〃
〃I'm sorry。〃 She paused； then； peering at him： 〃Is that a beret？〃
〃Panties；〃 Joe Winder said。 〃Can you believe it…that's all she left me。 Cheap ones； too。 The mail…order crap she sold over the phone。〃 He pulled the underwear off his head to show her the shoddy stitching。
〃You've had a rough time；〃 said Carrie Lanier。 〃I didn't know she'd moved out。〃
〃Yeah； well； I'm doing just fine。 Adjusting beautifully to the single life。 Sitting here in a dark apartment with a gun in my lap and underpants on my head。〃
Carrie squeezed his arm。 〃Joe； are you on drugs？〃
〃Nope；〃 he said。 〃Pretty amazing； isn't it？〃
〃I think you should e home with me。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because bad things will happen if you stay here。〃
〃Ah。〃 Winder scooped the bullets off the windowsill and fed them into the gun clip。 〃You must be talking about Pedro Luz。〃
〃It's all over the Magic Kingdom；〃 Carrie said； 〃about the reasons you were fired。〃
〃Mr。 X doesn't kill his former employees； does he？〃
She leaned closer。 〃It's no joke。 The word is； you're number one on Pedro's list。〃
〃So that's the word。〃
〃Joe； I get around。 Spend the day in a raccoon suit； people forget there's a real person inside。 I might as well be invisible…the stuff I pick up； you wouldn't believe。〃
The spy wore a tail！ 〃And now you hear Pedro's irritated。〃
〃I got it from two of the other guards on lunch break。 They were doing blow behind the Magic Mansion。〃
Winder was struck by how wonderful Carrie looked； her eyes all serious in the amber light。 Impulsively he kissed her on the cheek。 〃Don't worry about me；〃 he said。 〃You can go home。〃
〃You aren't listening。〃
〃Yes； I…〃
〃No； you aren't。〃 Her tone was one of motherly disapproval。 〃I warned you about this before。 About sticking your nose where it doesn't belong。〃
〃You did； yes。〃
〃Last time you were lucky。 You truly were。〃
〃I suppose so。〃 Joe Winder felt oppressively tired。 Suddenly the handgun weighed a ton。 He slid it across the carpet so forcefully that it banged into the baseboard of the opposite wall。
Carrie Lanier told him to hurry and pack some clothes。
〃I can't leave；〃 he said。 〃Nina might call。〃
〃Joe； it's not just Pedro you've got to worry about。 It's the police。〃
Winder's chin dropped to his chest。 〃Already？〃
〃Mr。 X swore out a warrant this afternoon；〃 Carrie said。 〃I heard it from his secretary。〃
Francis Kingsbury's secretary was a regular visitor to The Catabs； where she was conducting an athletic love affair with the actor who portrayed Bartholomew； the most shy and bookish of Uncle Ely's Elves。
Carrie said； 〃She mentioned something about destruction of private property。〃
〃There was an incident；〃 Joe Winder acknowledged； 〃but no shots were fired。〃
Under his supervision； the two bulldozers had torn down the three…dimensional billboard that proclaimed the future home of the Falcon Trace Golf and Country Club。 The bulldozers also had demolished the air…conditioned double…wide trailer （plete with beer cooler and billiard table） that served as an on…site office for the construction pany。 They had even wrecked the Port…O…Lets； trapping one of the foremen with his anniversary issue of Hustler magazine。
Afterwards Joe Winder had encouraged the bulldozer operators to remove their clothing； which he'd wadded in the neck of the gas tanks。 Then…after borrowing the smartass driver's cigarette lighter…Joe Winder had suggested that the men aim their powerful machines toward the Atlantic Ocean； engage the forward gear and swiftly exit the cabs。 Later he had proposed a friendly wager on which of the dozers would blow first。
〃They spotted the flames all the way from Homestead Air Base；〃 Carrie Lanier reported。 〃Channel 7 showed up in a helicopter； so Kingsbury made Chelsea write up a press release。〃
〃A freak const