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！
〃Sweet Jesus。〃
〃C。O。D。〃
〃Asa； buddy； we got a serious problem。〃 Durgess explained that one of their best customers； Palmer Stoat； was bringing a bigshot business associate to Wilderness Veldt to shoot a cheetah； a full…grown African cheetah。
〃It's a big kill；〃 Durgess said gravely。 〃Big money。〃
Asa eyed the wiry cat。 〃Maybe we can fatten him up 'tween now and then。〃
〃Sure；〃 Durgess said。 〃Staple on a couple fake legs while we're at it。 Lord； Asa； sometimes I wonder 'bout you。〃
But the Supervisor of Game wasn't ready to admit failure。 〃Three hundred yards； Durge； one cat looks like another to these bozos。 Remember Gummy the Lion？〃
Durgess flicked his hand in disgust。 Formerly known as Maximilian III； Gummy the Lion had been the star of a trained…animal act at a roadside casino outside Reno； Nevada。 Old age and a lifelong affinity for chocolate…chip ice cream claimed first the big cat's canines and eventually all its teeth； so Max had been retired and sold to a wildlife wholesaler； who had in turn peddled the animal to the Wilderness Veldt Plantation。 Even Asa Lando had been aghast when they'd uncrated it。 Durgess had figured they were stuck with a new pet…who'd pay good money to shoot a senile； toothless lion？
A moron named Nick Teeble； it turned out。 Eighteen thousand dollars he'd paid。 That was how badly the retired tobacco executive had wanted a lion skin for the stone fireplace in his Costa Rican vacation chalet。 It had been Asa who had sized up Nick Teeble for the phony he was； Asa who had persuaded Durgess to use the enfeebled Gummy in the canned hunt。 And Asa had been right： Nick Teeble was both oblivious and inpetent； an ideal bination for Wilderness Veldt。 It had taken Nick Teeble seven shots to hit the lion； whose disinclination to run or even stir from its nap was attributable to a plete and irreversible deafness （brought about by twenty…one years of performing in front of a very loud； very bad casino brass bo）。
Durgess said to Asa London： 〃That was different。 Teeble was a chump。〃
〃All our customers are chumps；〃 Asa Lando pointed out。 〃They damn sure ain't hunters。 They just want somethin' large and dead for the wall。 Talk about chumps； you can start with your Mr。 Stoat。〃
〃The man he's bringing here has done real big…game trips。 He won't go for no Gummy routine；〃 Durgess asserted。 〃He ain't gonna buy it if we tell him he shot two legs off that cat。〃
Asa Lando said； unflaggingly： 〃Don't be so
sure。〃
〃Hey； the man wants a cheetah； which is the fastest land mammal in the whole entire world。 This poor critter here〃…Durgess gestured at the lopsided ocelot…〃couldn't outrun my granny's wheelchair。〃
As if on cue； the cat hip…hopped itself in a clockwise motion； hoisted its tail and sprayed through the mesh of the cage； dappling both men's pants。
〃Damn！〃 cried Asa Lando； jumping back from the stall。
Durgess turned and trudged out of the building。
Riding in silence； they crossed the old bridge in late afternoon。 Twilly Spree headed for the beach instead of the bed…and…breakfast； even though they were hungry。 He hoped a sunset would improve Desie's spirits。
But a front was pushing through； and the horizon disappeared behind rolling purple…tinged clouds。 A grayness fell suddenly over the shore and a cool； wet…smelling breeze sprung off the Gulf。 Twilly and Desie held hands loosely as they walked。 McGuinn loped ahead to harass the terns and gulls。
〃Rain's ing；〃 Twilly said。
〃It feels great。〃 Desie took a long deep breath。
〃At each end of this beach is where they want to put those condos；〃 said Twilly； 〃like sixteen…story bookends。 'Luxury units starting in the low two hundreds！' 〃 This was straight off a new billboard that Robert Clapley had erected on U。S。 19。 Twilly had noticed it that morning while driving back to the island。
Desie said； 〃I've got a question。 You don't have to answer if you don't want。〃
〃OK。〃
〃Two questions； actually。 Have you ever killed a person？〃
Twilly thought of Vecker Darby's house exploding in a chemical cloud with Vecker Darby； slow…footed toxic dumper； still inside。
〃Have you？〃 Desie asked。
〃Indirectly。〃
〃What kind of answer is that？〃
〃A careful one；〃 Twilly said。
〃Would you do it again？ Over toads？ Honey； you arrest somebody for mushing toads。 You don't murder them。〃
Twilly let her hand slip from his fingers。 〃Desie； it's not just the toads； and you know it。〃
〃Then what…over condos？ Two lousy high…rises？ You act like they're paving the whole coast。〃
〃And you're beginning to sound like your husband。〃
Desie stopped in her tracks； the tail of a wave washing over the tops of her feet。 A gust of wind blew the hair away from her neck； her astonishingly lovely neck； and Twilly fought the impulse to kiss her there。
She said； 〃This is all my fault。〃
〃What is？〃
〃I should never have told you about this island； about what they're planning to do。〃
〃Why not？ It's horrible what they're planning。〃
〃Yes； but now you're talking about killing people； which is also wrong；〃 said Desie； 〃not to mention a crime； and I don't particularly want to see you go to jail。 Jail would not be good for this relationship； Twilly。〃
He said； 〃If it wasn't Shearwater； it'd be something else。 If it wasn't this island； it would be another。 That's what you need to understand。〃
〃And if it wasn't me with you here on this beach； it would be someone else。 Right？〃
〃Please don't。〃 Twilly reached for her waist but she spun away； heading back （he assumed） toward the car。
〃Desie！〃
〃Not now；〃 she called over her shoulder。
From the other direction came an outburst of barking。 At first Twilly thought it was another big dog； because he'd never heard McGuinn make such a racket。
But it was him。 Twilly could see the familiar black hulk far down the beach； alternately crouching and dashing circles around somebody on the sand。 The behavior looked anything but playful。
Twilly broke into a run。 A nasty dog…bite episode was the last thing he needed to deal with…the ambulance； the cops； the wailing victim。 Just my luck； Twilly thought glumly。 How can you possibly piss off a Labrador retriever？ Short of hammering them with a baseball bat； they'd put up with just about anything。 Yet someone had managed to piss off ultra…mellow McGuinn。 Probably some idiot tourist； Twilly fumed； or his idiot kids。
He jogged faster； kicking up water whenever a wave slid across his path。 The run reminded him of his two dreams； without all the dead birds and the panic。 Ahead on the beach； McGuinn continued to carry on。 Twilly now could see what was upsetting the dog…a stocky； sawed…off guy in a suit。 The man was lunging with both arms at the Labrador； which kept darting out of reach。
What now？ Twilly wondered。
As he drew closer； he shouted for the dog to e。 But McGuinn was in manic mode and scarcely turned his head to acknowledge Twilly's voice。 The stranger reacted； though。 He stopped grabbing for the dog and arranged himself into a pose of calm and casual waitfulness。
Twilly prepared for trouble。 He pulled up and walked the last twenty yards； to catch his breath and assess the situation。 Immediately； McGuinn positioned himself b