ch.nakedcamethemanatee-第5部分

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　There　was　a　splash；　and　suddenly　Fay　was　behind　the　boat。　She　spit　out　the　regulator　and　slid　her　face　mask　on　top　of　her　head；　and　once　again　Deal　had　the　powerful　sense　that　he　knew　her　from　somewhere。　It　had　been　itching　at　him　since　they'd　first　met；　but　。。。　well；　it'd　e　to　him。　With　her　free　hand；　she　slung　a　net　onto　the　dive　platform。　Inside　the　net　was　a　round　metal　canister　wrapped　in　plastic。　Lassiter　hobbled　toward　the　stern；　his　foot　throbbing；　and　Deal　walked　stiffly　to　meet　him。　Fay　came　halfway　up　the　dive　ladder。　〃It　was　just　where　you　said　it　would　be；　John；　in　three　feet　of　sand　just　under　the　cockpit。〃
　Fay　pulled　herself　onto　the　dive　platform；　removed　her　tank；　mask　and　flippers；　then；　without　a　word；　peeled　off　her　one…piece　suit。　She　was　a　lithe；　tanned；　athletic　woman　in　her　early　thirties；　with　sun…bleached　hair　tied　back　in　a　ponytail。　〃Jake；　I'm　going　to　take　a　swim；〃　Fay　said。　〃The　water's　beautiful。〃
　〃Don't　you　want　to　see　what's…〃
　〃No；　you　boys　play　treasure　salvors。　There's　a　big　old　manatee　out　there　who　wants　some　pany。　Just　yell　when　you　want　to　head　back　in。〃
　She　slipped　gracefully　into　the　water；　the　moonlight　reflecting　off　her　long　limbs　as　she　swam　into　the　darkness。　〃I　must　be　getting　old；〃　Lassiter　said；　〃　'cause　I'd　rather　see　what's　in　that　box　than　go　skinny…dipping　with　Fay　Leonard。〃
　〃As　I　recall；　she　didn't　exactly　invite　you。〃
　〃Sure　she　did；　John；　in　a　woman's　roundabout　way。〃
　〃The　way　I　heard　it；　she'd　rather　swim　naked　with　a　manatee。〃
　Lassiter　thought　about　it　a　moment　and　said；　〃Fay　was　always　partial　to　linemen。〃
　〃C'mon；〃　Deal　said。　〃Let's　do　it。〃
　They　huddled　over　their　prize；；　Deal　unwrapping　the　plastic；　Lassiter　holding　a　flashlight。　It　took　less　than　a　minute。　Underneath　the　plastic；　a　shiny　steel　canister　the　size　of　a　hatbox。　A　wheel　lock　secured　a　door　built　into　the　top。　Deal　strained　to　turn　the　wheel　counterclockwise。　〃It's　stuck；〃　he　said；　his　face　reddening。
　Together　they　pulled；　and　after　a　moment；　the　wheel　turned　and　the　small　door　opened　with　a　whoosh。　Inside；　a　circle　of　tiny　green　lights　immediately　flashed　red；　and　a　blast　of　frigid　air　escaped。　In　the　center　of　the　lights；　a　second　door　with　a　simple　slide　latch　led　to　another　partment。
　〃Well；　counselor；　here　goes；〃　Deal　said。
　They　both　held　their　breath。　They　were　unaware　of　Fay　Leonard　swimming　fifty　yards　away　in　the　darkness；　the　giant　manatee　Booger　alongside。　They　were　unaware　of　the　Boston　Whaler　with　two　men　aboard；　anchored　directly　in　Fay's　path。　They　were　unaware　of　anything　and　everything　in　the　whole　wide　world　and　the　deep　blue　sea；　except　what　treasure　might　rest　in　front　of　them。
　Deal　slid　the　latch　and　opened　the　interior　door　as　Lassiter　shone　the　flashlight　inside。
　〃Uh…oh；〃　Lassiter　said。
　〃Oh　Lord；〃　Deal　said。
　Lassiter　exhaled　a　tense　breath。　〃Turn　it　over。〃
　〃No；　you。〃
　〃C'mon。　It's　not　alive。〃
　〃You're　the　ambulance　chaser；　Jake。　You've　seen　stuff　like　this　before。〃
　〃No　I　haven't。〃
　Wincing；　Lassiter　reached　into　the　partment　and　grabbed　the　human　head　by　its　thick；　graying　hair。　〃It's　cold；〃　Lassiter　said。　〃Like　it's　being　preserved。〃
　He　turned　the　head　over；　faceup；　then　dropped　it　back　into　the　canister。
　And　there　it　was。
　Bushy　beard　and　all。
　Staring　at　them　with　wide…open　eyes；　a　startled　look　on　that　familiar　face。
　The　face　of　Fidel　Castro。
　
　4。　THE　L。A。　CONNECTION…Edna　Buchanan
　Moments　earlier；　Britt　Montero　had　been　hungry　and　feverish；　battling　deadlines　and　the　blues；　yearning　to　go　home；　desperate　and　exhausted；　her　brain　an　overloaded　puter　about　to　crash。　But　she　never　could　resist　a　ringing　telephone。　And　Jake　Lassiter　knew　exactly　what　to　say。
　〃Have　I　got　a　story　for　you！〃
　She　felt　the　adrenaline　pump　and　her　brain　cells　kick　back　into　life。　Her　blood　began　to　tingle。　She　loved　to　hear　those　words；　but　still；　she　reacted　with　caution。
　〃Have　you　been　drinking；　Jake？〃
　〃Hell；　yeah；〃　he　said。　〃You　would　be　too。　I've　got　John　Deal　here　。。。　〃
　She　pinched　the　bridge　of　her　upturned　nose　and　tried　to　ignore　the　distant　drumbeat　of　an　impending　headache。　〃Isn't　he　the　one　that　wrecked　that　entire　showroom　full　of　exotic　cars　。。。　？〃
　〃Yep；　that's　him；　he's　a　client　of　mine。〃
　It　did　not　surprise　Britt　that　John　Deal　needed　a　lawyer。
　〃Did　your　jury　just　e　in？〃
　〃No　。。。　〃
　〃Then　call　me　tomorrow。〃
　〃This　isn't　about　him；　not　directly　anyway。〃　Jake　lowered　his　deep　voice　for　dramatic　effect。　〃This　story　is　so　big　that　when　word　gets　out；　there　will　be　riots　in　the　streets；　power　grabs；　and　the　whole　damn　revolution　will　e　down。〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃You've　got　to　see　this　to　believe　it。〃
　〃Where　are　you？〃
　〃Crandon　Park　Marina。　Can　you　meet　us　here　right　away？　And；　uh；　could　you　grab　a　couple　of　recent　pictures；　close…ups；　of　Fidel　Castro　from　the　newspaper　morgue　and　bring　them　with　you？〃
　〃Castro？　What　is　this？　If　you're　putting　me　on；　Jake　。。。　〃
　〃Scout's　honor；　this　is　dead　serious；　in　fact　it　could　be　a　matter　of　life　or　death。　Uh；　check　the　wires　too；　before　you　leave。　See　if　anything　unusual　is　ing　out　of　Havana。〃
　Britt　hung　up　and　punched　the　send　button　on　her　puter　terminal；　booting　into　the　editing　system　her　story　about　the　lovesick　bag　boy　who　had　taken　an　entire　Kendall　supermarket　and　its　shoppers　hostage　with　his　father's　12…gauge　shotgun。
　Beyond　the　big　bayfront　windows　of　the　Miami　News　building；　the　panoramic　Miami　Beach　skyline　and　its　twinkling　lights　beckoned　alluringly；　but　she　knew　there　was　no　going　home　soon。　Her　apartment　on　the　Beach　might　as　well　have　been　a　thousand　miles　away。　The　west　drawbridge　of　the　Venetian　Causeway　had　been　stuck　in　the　open　position　since　noon。　On　the　MacArthur　span；　the　remains　of　a　house　and　several　cars　were　scattered　across　the　eastbound　lanes。　In　order　to　save　one　of　the　last　historic　pioneer　homes　from　demolition；　the　city　had　decided　to　move　it　to　a　new　location；　but　the　house　had　toppled　off　the　wide…load　flatbed　and　smashed　into　a　million　pieces。　Several　South　Beach…bound　motorists；　startled　by　a　house　dead　ahead　as　they　ascended　a　fast…lane　rise　at　fifty…five　miles　an　hour；　lost　control；　pounding　the　problem。　The　Julia　Tuttle　Causeway；　two　miles　north；　was　also　closed　to　traffic。　A　Hollywood　movie　crew　had　rented　it　for　the　night　to　shoot　a　high…speed　chase　scene　for　a　new　action　epic。
　Maybe　Jake　really　had　a　great　story；　Britt　thought　hopefully。　She　loved　this　job。　Every　day　was　like　Christmas　morning。　Full　of　surprises；　stories　unfolding；　always　the　possibility　that　the　big　one　would　break　today。　So　far；　today　had　brought　only　two　threatening　letters　and　three　obscene　calls　from　faithful　readers；　while　another　had　left　chicken　entrails　on　the　hood　of　her　new　T…Bird　in　the　News　parking　lot。　She　fervently　hoped　they　were　chicken　entrails。　Then　came　the　assignment；　followed　by　a　major　skirmish　with　the　assistant　city　editor　from　hell。
　Still　steamed　about　the　assignment；　she　drove　south　through　the　soft　night　to　meet　Jake；　half　listening　to　the　crackle　of　her　portable　police　scanner。　Enthralled　city；　tourism；　and　newspaper　executives　were　eager　to　cooperate　with　the　moviemakers　on　location。
　Final　Deadline；　a　major　action　flick；　would　star　movie　hero　Dash　Brandon　as　a　government　agent　under　cover　as　a　newsman　for　a　major　Miami　newspaper。　Britt's　assignment；　and　she　had　been　given　no　choice　but　to　accept；　was　to　help　the　star　research　his　role　by　having　him　acpany　her　on　the　police　beat　for　a　week。
　Unimpressed　by　Hollywood　types；　Britt　resented　the　intrusion。　But　so　far；　the　assignment　hadn't　been　too　bad；　she　thought；　turning　east　across　the　Rickenbacker　Causeway；　windows　open；　the　salt　breeze　bracing。　The　jet…lagged　star　wearied　quickly。　Summoning　his　limo；　he　had　departed　between　the　mini…riot　that　had　broken　out　during　a　police　raid　on　a　Hialeah　cockfight　and　the　high…speed　pursuit　of　three　carloads　of　teenage　smash…and…grabbers　across　the　Broad　Causeway　from　Bal　Harbour。
　
　Fay　had　fought　hard；　but　Hector　and　Phil；　despite　the　obvious　difficulties　in　holding　on　to　a　slippery；　wet；　naked　body；　had　succeeded　in　wrestling　her　aboard。　Before　Lassiter　and　Deal；　stunned　by　the　contents　of　the　shiny　steel　canister；　realized　what　was　happening；　Fay　was　shrieking　and　struggling　on　the　deck　of　the　Boston　Whaler。　Hector　managed　to　cuff　the　surprisingly　strong　and　agile　woman　to　the　handrail；　but　as　he　grinned　victoriously；　she　landed　a　vicious　kick　to　his　crotch。　He　dropped　to　his　knees；　moaning。　Phil　gunned　the　engines；　cut　the　running　lights；　and　throttled　into　the　darkness；　as　Lassiter　and　Deal　collided　painfully；　cursing　and　fumbling　in　their　haste　to　start　the　engine　of　their　dive　boat。
　〃Did　you　see　that　big　feesh？〃　groaned　Hector；　still　sitting　dazed　and　wet　on　the　deck。
　〃That　shows　how　much　you　know　about　fishing；〃　Phil　jeered。　〃That　was　a　barrel。〃
　〃It　was　a　manatee；　you　jerks；〃　Fay　gasped。　〃Touch　me　and　I'll　rip　your　faces　off。　Who　the　hell　are　you？〃
　〃Your　friends　have　something　that　belongs　to　us；〃　Hector　said。　〃Here；　cover　yourself　with　this。〃　He　blushed　and　looked　away　as　he　draped　something　around　her　shoulders。
　〃This　is　a　fishing　net；　you　idiot！　Where　are　we　going？〃　she　demanded。
　Booger；　buffeted　about　by　the　wake；　experienced　a　vague　sense　of　something　amiss。　It　had　begun　as　Fay　flailed　and　grappled　on　the　deck　of　the　dive　boat；　thrashing　about　like　a　slick　mermaid　in　the　moonlight。　Then　he　was　alone；　with　neither　a　playmate　nor　a　swimming　partner。　Miffed　and　lonely；　he　followed　at　a　distance；　hoping　she　would　e　back。
　
　Britt　spotted　Jake　on　the　dock。　The　tall；　sandy…haired　ex…football　jock　was　limping；　and　lugging　a　metal　canister　the　size　of　a　hatbox　and　what　appeared　to　be　a　woman's　one…piece　bathing　suit　slung　over　his　arm。　The　man　in　a　neck　brace　who　was　trailing　behind　him　had　to　be　Deal；　she　thought。　Both　looked　grim。
　〃What　happened　to　you　two？〃
　〃That's　not　important；〃　Jake　said；　wincing　as　he　led　the　way。　〃Did　you　bring　the　pictures？〃
　〃Kidnapping？〃　Britt　said；　as　they　trooped　into　Jake's　kitchen。　He　lived　in　the　Grove；　in　a　small　coral　rock　house　with　no　air…conditioning。　They　had　gone　there　in　her　T…Bird　after　a　brief　but　vicious　argu