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！
〃So I did it as a favor。 Plus you know how I feel about wasting meat。〃
Jim Tile said； 〃What in the world were you doing at a circus？〃
Skink grinned； the same charming matinee…idol grin that had gotten him elected。 〃Romance； Lieutenant。 It didn't last long； but it was fairly wonderful for a while。〃
〃She do the beard？〃
〃Yessir。 You like it？〃 Skink stroked his lush silvery braids。 〃The beaks were my touch。 They're fresh。〃
〃So I noticed。〃
〃Had a little run…in with these two birds。 They took an unhealthy interest in my llama。〃
Jim Tile shook his head。 〃But you know the law on buzzards。 They're protected。〃
〃Not too effectively； in my experience。〃 Skink flipped the steaks in the pan and stepped back from the sizzle。 He used a corner of the kilt to wipe a spatter of hot grease off his glass eye。 〃You're here about the Japanese； right？〃
〃No；〃 said the trooper； 〃but I am curious。〃
〃You know who they worked for？ Matsibu； those greedy； forest…nuking； river…wrecking bastards。 But they're strong little buggers； one…on…one； even the ladies。 Fiberglass canoes are heavier than you think； Jim。 Two miles they hauled 'em on their shoulders； through some pretty thick cover。〃
〃What exactly did you do to those folks； Governor？〃
〃Nothing。 We talked。 We hiked。 Went for a ride。 Nibbled on some llama cutlets。 I showed them a few sights； too。 Immature bald eagle。 Butterfly hatch。 Baby crocs。〃 Skink shrugged。 〃I believe I broadened their horizons。〃
〃They didn't have much to say when they got back。〃
〃I should hope not。 I explained to them how seriously I value my privacy。 Hey； all we got for refreshments is good old H…two…oh。 That OK？〃
〃Perfect；〃 said Jim Tile。 It had been a long time since he had seen the man so talkative。 〃It's nice to find you in a civilized mood。〃
〃Afterglow； brother。〃 Skink spoke wistfully。 〃The Human Slinky…that was her circus name。 Said she was limber in places other women don't even have places。 She made me laugh； Jim。 I've gotten to where that counts more than 。。。 well； that other stuff。 Which means I'm either getting real old or real smart。 Brenda make you laugh？〃
〃All the time。〃
〃Fantastic。 How about we shut up now and eat？〃
Cooked well done； the llama tasted fine。 After lunch Skink snatched up his assault rifle and led the trooper at a brisk pace down a sparse trail； past an abandoned cockfighting ring and across County 905 to his new base camp。 He had set it up in the buggy shade of an ancient mangrove canopy； within earshot of the ocean。 There was no tent but there was a genuine NASCAR Dodge； number 77； blue and gold and plastered bumper…to…bumper with colorful decals： Purolator； Delco； Firestone； Rain…X； Autolite； Bose； BellSouth； Outback Steak House； Sudafed and more。 The governor caught Jim Tile staring and said： 〃From that obscene racetrack up in Homestead。 Fifty million dollars of tax money they spent。 The car came from there。〃
〃You swiped it。〃
〃Correct。〃
〃Because 。。。 〃
〃The godawful noise； Jim。 You could hear it all the way across Card Sound。 Gave me the worst migraine…you know how I get。〃
Dumbstruck； the trooper walked a circle around the stolen stock car。
〃It's just the body；〃 Skink said。 〃No engine block or tranny。〃
〃Then how'd you manage？〃
〃It was on an eighteen…wheeler。 The crew parked it behind the Mutineer after the race…the dopes； though I guess they were bright enough to win。 They hung the checkered flag off the CB antenna； bless their little hillbilly hearts。〃 Skink paused to admire his new kilt。 〃Anyhow； the car is where I sleep these days。〃
The auto theft was one more thing Jim Tile wished he didn't know about。 〃Where's the truck rig？〃 he asked uneasily。
〃Farther down the shore； toward the abandoned marina。 That's where I keep all my books； except for the Graham Greene。 Those； I'm traveling with。〃 Skink slid his butt up on the shiny hood of the N AS CAR Dodge。 Idly he twirled the buzzard beaks on the ends of his beard。 〃So let's hear the bad news； Jim。〃
The trooper eyed him squarely。 〃They want you to hunt down a man。 Some wild young kid who's hiding out in the boonies。 Seems he reminds them of a junior Clinton Tyree。〃
〃They being 。。。 〃
〃Our current governor； the Honorable Dick Artemus。〃
Skink snorted。 〃Never heard of him。〃
〃Well； he's heard of you。 Wants to meet you someday。〃
At this； Skink hooted。 The trooper went on： 〃This boy they want you to find； he's been trying to stop a new bridge from getting built。〃
〃I expect he's got a name。〃
〃Unknown。〃
〃Where are they putting this bridge？〃
〃Place called Toad Island； up on the Gulf。 The boy's kidnapped the pet dog of some important guy； some asshole buddy of the governor。 And now the governor's pal is receiving pooch parts via Federal Express。〃
Skink's eyebrows arched。 〃FedEx？ That could run into some money； depending on the size of the animal。〃
〃It's a Labrador； I'm told。〃 Jim Tile reached for his friend's canteen and took a swig of water。 〃The point is； Governor Artemus is keen on getting this bridge built…〃
〃Like I care…〃
〃…and he wants this disturbed young fellow tracked down and apprehended at your earliest convenience。 Please don't look at me that way。〃
Skink said； 〃I'm no damn bounty hunter。〃
〃I'm aware of that。〃
〃And； furthermore； I wouldn't know Dick Artemus from an elephant hemorrhoid。 I don't give two shits about him and I don't give two shits about his bridge； though I do feel badly about the dismembered canine。 Now〃…Skink； boosting himself off the hood of the race car…〃you may return to Tallahassee； my large Negro friend； and advise the governor to go fuck himself； repeatedly and without lubricants； at my behest。〃
〃Not so fast。〃 The trooper reached under his shirt for the brown envelope； damp with sweat。 〃He told me to give this to you。 He thought it might change your mind。 I'm afraid he's right。〃
〃What the hell is it？〃
〃See for yourself。〃
〃You peeked？〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Jim Tile。
Inside the envelope was a single piece of paper； to which The Honorable Richard Artemus had been wise enough not to affix his name。 The man known as Skink read the paper twice； silently。 He looked up and said； 〃The bastard might be bluffing。〃
〃He might be。〃
〃On the other hand 。。。 〃 Skink turned； and for several moments he gazed off through the mangroves； toward the sounds of the waves on the coral。 〃Goddammit； Jim。〃
〃Yeah。〃
〃I don't see another way but to do this thing。〃
〃Not one you could live with； I agree。〃
〃So now what？〃
〃Take me back to wherever the hell I parked that little boat。 I'll go up to Ocean Reef and make some calls。 Then we'll meet up tonight outside the Last Chance； say ten o'clock。〃
〃All right。〃 For once Skink sounded old and worn…out。 He slung the AK…47 over his shoulder and adjusted his shower cap。
Jim Tile said； 〃I got a feeling you'll get another uninvited guest today。 A fat…assed Cracker rent…a…badge…Gale would be his name。 He'll be lost and thirsty and chewed up； and he'll be screaming bloody murder about some crazy nigger cop ditching him on Steamboat Creek。 Otherwise he's mostly harmless。〃
〃I'll show him the way to the road。〃
〃I'd appreciate that； Governor。〃