ch.nakedcamethemanatee-第22部分

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　〃That's　ridiculous！〃　Fay　shouted。
　〃Maybe；　maybe　not。〃　Reyes　took　a　sip　of　rum。　〃Miss　Montero；　do　your　readers　know　how　little　your　newspaper　pays　you？　A　million　dollars　would　buy　lots　of　cat　food；　no？〃
　Britt　chewed　her　lower　lip；　and　thought　of　her　callow　young　editors。　Assuming　her　story　would　eventually　get　published；　she　wondered　what　she　could　possibly　write　about　the　severed　heads　that　would　make　any　sense。
　Juan　Carlos　Reyes　rose。　〃Randy　will　take　you　to　the　launch。〃　He　bowed　slightly　toward　Lilia。　〃I'm　sorry　your　heart　is　broken；　Miss　Sands；　but　I'm　not　at　all　sorry　your　infamous　lover　is　dead。　My　only　regret　is　that　I　didn't　kill　him　myself。〃
　〃As　if　you　could；〃　Lilia　said　venomously。　〃Little　cockroach　that　you　are。　Cowardly　limp…noodled…〃
　〃Enough；〃　Mickey　Schwartz　cut　in。
　〃…rotten　little　crook！〃
　Juan　Carlos　Reyes　wagged　a　mocking　finger　at　Lilia　Sands。　〃Now　is　that　any　way；〃　he　asked；　〃to　address　the　next　president　of　a　free　Cuba？〃
　It　was　a　good　plan；　a　solid　plan。　A　plan　that　would've　worked；　if　only　the　real　Fidel　Castro　had　not　been　insulted；　propositioned；　and　mugged　in　broad　daylight　on　Miami　Beach。
　
　The　messy　murders　of　the　two　men　in　room　105…that　hadn't　bothered　Castro；　for　he'd　known　of　it　in　advance。　He　even　knew　what　the　police　still　did　not　know：　the　victims'　names　（Hector　Pupo　and　Mike　Weston）；　and　why　they'd　had　to　die　（they　were　loud；　careless；　and　knew　too　much）。
　A　security　matter　handled　by　experts　who　made　it　look　amateurish…Fidel　understood　such　things。
　However；　the　arrival　of　the　perky　cleanup　crew　had　put　him　on　edge。　Castro　was　rattled　by　the　knowledge　that　murders　were　so　mon　in　South　Florida　that　swabbing　up　crime　scenes　was　a　full…time　trade；　and　evidently　a　lucrative　one。
　Franklin　and　Marlis；　the　workers　who　came　to　room　105；　were　too　talky　and　inquisitive。　They　stared　dubiously　at　Fidel's　Korean…made　toupee；　and　posed　snoopy　questions　disguised　as　banter。　Fidel；　as　usual；　pretended　not　to　understand　English。　It　was　all　he　could　do　not　to　retch　during　Franklin's　graphic　monologue　about　the　effects　of　gastric　acids　on　suede　upholstery。
　Castro　realized　that　if　Franklin　and　Marlis　somehow　recognized　him；　they　could　with　one　well…placed　phone　call　generate　more　business　for　themselves；　and　perhaps　even　the　gratuity　of　a　lifetime。　Once　Castro　gave　a　subtle　tug　on　his　good　earlobe；　three　stocky　men　in　guayaberas　materialized　to　escort　the　voluble　cleaners　off　the　premises。　Meanwhile　Fidel　slipped　into　his　room　and　changed　into　a　bathing　suit；　an　absurd　vermilion　slingshot　which　was　（Cuban　intelligence　had　assured　him）　the　prevailing　beachside　attire　of　old；　pallid；　pudgy　male　tourists。
　The　outfit　worked　too　well；　the　swimsuit　a　beacon。　Strolling　alone　on　the　sand；　Fidel　was　scarcely　a　hundred　yards　from　the　motel　when　a　gum…popping　prostitute　offered　to　〃rock　your　world；　Gramps；〃　for　fifty　U。S。　dollars。　Her　efforts　at　detaching　his　red　thong　were　interrupted　by　a　wiry　ferret…eyed　man　who　roughly　knocked　Castro　down；　stuck　a　pistol　in　his　belly；　and　stripped　off　the　gold　Cartier　wristwatch　he'd　received　as　a　gift　on　a　state　visit　to　Paris。
　Fidel　didn't　recognize　the　robber；　but　he　recognized　the　prison　tattoos　on　the　man's　grimy　knuckles。　binado　del　Este！　With　amazement　Castro　realized　he　was　being　mugged　by　a　thug　that　he　himself　had　sprung　from　prison　and　put　on　a　boat　to　Key　West　in　1980。　The　bleak　beautiful　irony　made　him　cough　up　blood。
　Numbed　by　the　morphine；　Fidel　felt　more　indignity　than　pain　as　the　mugger　ran　away。　Before　the　old　man　could　rise　to　his　knees；　a　red…haired　urchin　no　older　than　six　plucked　the　hairpiece　from　his　scalp　and　dashed　down　the　beach；　shouting　to　his　mother　that　he'd　found　a　dead　crow。
　Castro；　feeling　himself　hoisted　by　the　armpits；　reasonably　anticipated　dismemberment　or　evisceration。
　〃Easy；〃　said　the　voice；　which　belonged　to　a　motel　security　guard。　The　cheap　badge　on　his　shirt　said　〃Joe　Sereno。〃　Fidel　was　grateful　to　see　him。
　〃You　all　right？〃　Sereno　asked。　〃Man；　you　don't　look　so　good。〃
　In　perfect　English；　Castro　gasped；　〃What　is　this　craziness？　These　monsters？〃
　〃Just　another　day　at　the　beach。〃　Sereno　smiled　ruefully。　〃The　problem；　see；　it　started　when　they　went　to　topless。　The　guys；　old　tourist　guys　like　yourself；　e　down　here　to　stare　at　the　cuties。　Am　I　right？　The　gangs；　hookers；　scumbags…they　all　know　this。　So　they　hang　on　this　stretch；　just　waiting。〃
　Fidel　morosely　dusted　the　grit　from　his　chest。　Sereno　gently　led　him　back　toward　the　Odyssey。　〃I　mean；　you're　a　criminal　it's　not　such　a　bad　deal。　Get　a　tan。　Enjoy　the　naked　babes。　Mug　a　few　Germans　and　Canadians；　and　that's　your　day。〃
　〃Why；〃　rasped　Castro；　〃aren't　these　terrible　people　in　jail！〃
　Joe　Sereno　burst　out　laughing。　〃Where　you　from；　old…timer…Mars？　e　on；　let　me　take　you　back　to　your　room。〃
　〃Thank　you；　officer。〃
　〃By　the　way；　there's　something　I　gotta　ask。〃
　Fidel's　jaws　clenched。　The　security　guy　was　eyeing　him　closer　now；　the　way　the　cleaners　had。
　〃Your　name；〃　said　Sereno；　〃it's　not　really　Garcia；　is　it？〃
　Less　than　two　hours　later；　a　chartered　Gulfstream　jet　landed　at　the　Opa…Locka　airport；　where　it　was　met　by　a　black　Chevy　Blazer。　Four　men　got　out　and　moved　toward　the　plane。　The　tallest　one　walked　slowly；　as　if　in　pain。　The　others　could　be　seen　helping　him　up　the　stairs。　Minutes　later；　a　station　wagon　arrived　and　a　fifth　person；　a　woman　in　a　long　gown；　was　led　to　the　jet。
　The　flight　plan　indicated　the　Gulfstream　would　be　heading　nonstop　to　Kingston；　Jamaica。　This　was　a　fib。　The　destination　was　Havana。　Fidel　Castro　was　going　home　to　die。
　Miami　was　too　damn　scary。　The　deal　was　off。
　
　The　remaining　severed　head；　the　one　Juan　Carlos　Reyes　imagined　would　make　him　president　of　Cuba；　belonged　to　another　expendable　Castro　double；　Jose　Paz…Gutierrez。
　This　fact　was　known　to　Castro　himself；　Cuban　State　Security；　the　CIA；　and　of　course　Lilia　Sands；　who…on　numerous　long…ago　lonely　nights；　when　Fidel　was　away…had　slept　with　Jose　Paz…Gutierrez　at　a　farmhouse　in　Camagiiey。　Of　course　she'd　saved　a　lock　of　Jose's　hair；　as　she　did　for　all　her　lovers。
　No　one　was　less　surprised　than　Lilia　when　Reyes's　DNA　expert　matched　with　。9999995　certainty　the　hair　from　Lilia's　cigar　box　with　the　severed　head　in　the　red　Gott　cooler。　Her　secret　glee　at　fooling　the　munchkin…sized　millionaire　was　tempered　by　a　pang　of　wistfulness；　for　of　all　the　Castro　doubles　Lilia　had　slept　with；　Jose　Paz…Gutierrez　had　been　the　best…the　one　whose　embrace　most　reminded　her　of　Fidelito　himself；　the　one　whose　earlobe　she　had　once　chomped　off　in　ecstasy；　just　as　she　had　Fidel's。
　In　fact；　though　Lilia　wouldn't　dare　confess　it；　Jose　Paz…Gutierrez　definitely　had　Castro　beat　in　one　department；　lovemaking…wise。　The　ardent　Jose　had　a　much　longer　。。。　attention　span；　if　you　will。　Lilia　wondered　if　that's　what　had　gotten　him　killed；　as　Castro's　jealous　streak　was　well　known。
　So　she　had　mixed　feelings　on　this　special　Friday　morning。　Oh；　she　was　glad　to　be　back　in　Havana；　holding　Fidel's　hand　as　a　fussy　gringo　tried　to　restore　the　illusion　of　vitality…gluing　on　the　frizzy　beard；　aligning　a　new　toupee；　ruddying　the　cheeks；　powdering　the　shadows　around　the　hollowing　eyes。
　Still；　Lilia　took　no　joy　in　knowing　that　across　the　Florida　Straits；　the　head　of　poor　Jose　Paz…Gutierrez　soon　would　be　boorishly　displayed　for　all　to　see；　like　a　taxidermied　fish。　Oh　well；　Lilia　thought；　it's　all　for　the　cause。
　As　she　stroked　Fidel's　arm；　hairless　from　chemotherapy；　she　observed　a　pale　stripe　on　his　wrist。
　〃Where　is　your　watch？〃　she　asked。
　〃Miami；〃　Castro　said　sullenly。
　〃What　happened？〃
　〃I　got　mugged；〃　he　said；　grimacing　at　the　memory；　〃by　a　Marielito。　Go　ahead　and　laugh。〃
　〃I'm　not　laughing。〃　Lilia　turned；　covered　her　mouth。　〃Honestly；　Fidel；　I'm　not。〃
　
　The　massive　televised　rally　arranged　at　Miami's　Torch　of　Friendship　by　Juan　Carlos　Reyes　was　not　seen　by：
　？　Britt　Montero　and　Fay　Leonard；　who　were　sharing　bare　cinder…block　quarters　at　the　South　Bimini　airfield；　under　the　supervision　of　an　armed　Bahamas　customs　officer；
　？　Mickey　Schwartz；　who　was　gambling　away　his　ten…thousand…dollar　payday　on　Paradise　Island；　where　none　of　the　cute　croupiers　seemed　remotedly　amused　by　his　stand…up　impression　of　Howard　Stern；
　？　Jake　Lassiter；　who　was　in　a　Flagler　Street　hot　tub　with　the　lukewarm　ex…wife　of　his　ex…client　John　Deal；
　？　John　Deal；　who　was　on　Bird　Road　shopping　for　a　red　Testarossa　to　go　with　his　black　Bentley　convertible；
　？　Marlis　and　Franklin；　who　were　literally　mopping　up　after　a　fatal　cocaine　dispute　at　a　FEMA　trailer　court　in　Homestead；
　？　Joe　Sereno；　who　was　thanking　a　police　review　board　for　reinstating　him；　and　promising　to　be　more　careful　when　arresting　incontinent　tourists；
　？　and　Jimmy　Carter；　who　was　in　Havana　for　a　rare　public　appearance　and　historic　announcement　by　Fidel　Castro。
　So　absorbed　in　the　pomp　of　his　〃preinauguration〃　was　Juan　Carlos　Reyes　that　he　remained　unaware　of　events　unfolding　simultaneously　in　Cuba；　unaware　he　was　about　to　share　a　TV　screen　five　stories　high　with　the　same　man　whose　severed　noggin　he　intended　to　unveil；　unaware　that　local　television　stations　were　already　receiving　a　live　satellite　feed　from　the　presidential　palace　in　Havana。
　So　that　at　the　climactic　moment　when　Juan　Carlos　Reyes　victoriously　hoisted　a　bearded　head　for　all　America　to　see；　a　very　similar　but　undead　head　emerged　on　a　sun…bleached　balcony　in　Cuba。　There　the　real　Castro　announced　a　liberal　new　human　rights　policy　that　freed　every　political　prisoner；　including　（not　coincidentally）　two　of　Lilia　Sands's　nephews。
　In　Miami；　the　cheers　at　the　Torch　of　Friendship　ebbed　into　a　confused　mass　murmuring　as　the　crowd　struggled　to　understand　what　they　were　seeing　on　the　huge　split　screen。　On　one　side　was　Reyes；　waving　the　goggle…eyed　head　and　proclaiming　himself　the　harbinger　of　a　new　democracy　in　Cuba。　On　the　other　side；　flanked　by　former　president　Carter；　was　a　person　who　looked　very　much　like　Castro；　and　very　much　like　he　was　still　breathing。
　Juan　Carlos　Reyes　sensed　the　audience　was　no　longer　enthralled　by　his　oratory。　He　spun　around　and　saw　what　they　saw　on　the　giant　TV　screen。
　〃Noooooo！〃　The　millionaire　wheeled；　bellowing　into　the　thick