ch.doublewhammy-第43部分

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erine。　She　was　right：　they　had　to　get　Skink　back　to　the　woods。
　From　the　hallway　came　sounds　of　men　talking　but　trying　not　to　be　heard。　Then　a　knock　on　the　door　to　the　next　room；　another　knock　across　the　hall。
　〃Hotel　security；〃　a　male　voice　said。
　R。　J。　Decker　motioned　Skink　toward　the　bathroom。　He　nodded　and　crab…walked　across　the　floor；　shutting　the　door　behind　him。　Quickly　Decker　peeled　off　his　shirt　and　drew　the　shades。　〃Take　off　your　shoes；〃　he　whispered　to　Catherine；　〃and　lie　down　here　on　the　bed。〃　She　figured　out　the　plan　immediately。　She　was　down　to　bra　and　panties　and　under　the　covers　before　Decker　even　got　a　good　peek。
　A　man　knocked　three　times　on　the　door。
　〃Whoze　it？〃　Decker　hollered。　〃Go　'way。〃
　〃Hotel　security；　please　open　up。〃
　〃We're　sleeping！〃
　Another　voice：　〃Police！〃
　Decker　stomped　to　the　door　as　noisily　as　possible。　He　cracked　it　just　enough　to　give　the　men　a　narrow　view　of　Catherine　in　the　bed。
　〃What's　the　problem？〃　Decker　demanded。
　A　blue…suited　young　man　with　a　walkie…talkie　stood　next　to　a　disinterested　uniformed　cop。　The　security　man　said；　〃Sir；　there　was　an　incident　out　on　the　beach。　A　man　with　a　gun…nobody　was　hurt。〃
　〃That's　damn　good　to　hear；〃　Decker　said　impatiently。
　The　cop　said；　〃You　haven't　seen　anyone　unusual　up　on　this　floor？〃
　〃For　the　last　couple　hours　I　haven't　seen　nuthin'；〃　Decker　said；　〃except　stars。〃　He　nodded　over　his　shoulder；　toward　Catherine。　The　security　man　looked　a　little　embarrassed。
　The　policeman　said；　〃Big　scruffy　guy　with　a　bright　hat　and　pony…tail。　Witnesses　saw　him　run　into　this　hotel；　so　we're　suggesting　that　all　guests　stay　in　their　rooms　for　a　while。〃
　〃Don't　you　worry；〃　Decker　said。
　〃Just　for　a　while；〃　the　security　man　added；　〃until　they　catch　him。〃
　When　Decker　shut　the　door；　Catherine　sat　up　in　bed　and　said；　〃Stars？　You　saw　stars？〃
　〃Don't　you　dare　move；〃　Decker　said；　diving　headfirst　into　the　sheets。
　
　Thomas　Curl　was　not　a　happy　man。　In　the　past　few　weeks　he　had　made　more　money　than　he　or　three　previous　generations　of　Curls　had　ever　seen；　yet　Thomas　was　not　at　peace。　First　of　all；　his　brother　Lemus　was　dead；　and　for　a　while　Thomas　had　been　stuck　with　the　body。　Since　he　had　told　everyone；　including　his　daddy；　that　Lemus　had　accidentally　drowned　on　a　fishing　trip　to　Florida；　there　was　no　way　he　could　bring　back　a　body　with　a　bullet　hole　in　the　head。　People　would　ask　many　questions；　and　answering　questions　was　not　Thomas　Curl's　strong　suit。　So；　after　discovering　Lemus'　turtle…eaten　corpse　on　the　fish　stringer　in　Morgan　Slough；　and　mulling　it　over　for　two　days；　Thomas　decided　what　the　hell　and　just　buried　his　brother　in　a　dry　sandy　grave　on　some　pastureland　east　of　the　Gilchrist。　The　whole　time　he　worked　with　the　shovel；　he　had　a　feeling　that　every　turkey　buzzard　in　Florida　was　wheeling　in　the　sky　overhead；　waiting　to　make　a　smorgasbord　of　Lemus'　remains。　Afterward　Thomas　took　off　his　bass　cap　and　stood　by　the　grave　and　tried　to　remember　a　prayer。　The　only　one　he　could　think　of　began：　〃Now　I　lay　me　down　to　sleep　。。。　〃　Close　enough。
　Almost　every　night　Thomas　Curl　reflected　sadly　on　how　Lemus　had　died；　how　he　had　let　him　dash　off　into　the　scrub　by　himself；　and　how　all　of　a　sudden　he　didn't　hear　Lemus'　Ruger　anymore。　And　how　Thomas　had　panicked　and　leapt　into　the　green　pickup　and　taken　off；　pretty　sure　that　his　brother　was　already　dead…and　how　he'd　returned　with　a　borrowed　coon　dog　and　found　some　heavy　tracks　and　blood；　but　no　body。　At　that　moment　he　had　expected　never　to　see　his　brother　again；　and　later　at　the　slough　was　horrified　to　the　point　of　nausea。　On　orders　Thomas　had　gone　there　to　check　on　things；　just　to　make　sure　the　nigger　cop　hadn't　found　Ott　Pickney's　body。　But　there　was　poor　Lemus；　strung　up　in　the　black　water　with　the　other　one；　and　it　was　then　Thomas　Curl　realized　the　dangerous　magnitude　of　the　opposition。　Thomas　was　not　the　brightest　human　being　in　the　world；　but　he　knew　a　message　when　he　saw　one。
　So　he　had　buried　Lemus；　torched　Ott　Pickney's　body　in　a　phony　truck　accident；　and　driven　straight　back　to　New　Orleans；　where；　again；　things　didn't　go　as　smoothly　as　he'd　hoped。　Thomas　expressed　the　view　that　he　shouldn't　be　blamed　for　every　little　loose　end；　and　was　curtly　instructed　to　return　to　Florida　immediately。　Not　Harney；　either；　but　Miami。
　Thomas　Curl　was　not　wild　about　Miami。　Back　when　he　was　still　boxing　he　had　trained　one　summer　at　the　Fifth　Street　Gym；　out　on　the　beach。　He　remembered　staying　in　a　ratty　pink　hotel　with　two　other　middleweights；　and　he　remembered　getting　drunk　on　Saturday　nights　and；　out　of　sheer　boredom；　beating　the　shit　out　of　skinny　Cuban　refugees　who　lived　in　the　city　parks。　Thomas　remembered　Miami　as　a　hot　and　unfriendly　place；　but　then　again；　he　was　young　and　homesick　and　broke。　Now　he　was　grown…up；　thirty…five　pounds　heavier；　and　rolling　in　new　money。
　To　boost　his　spirits；　Thomas　Curl　splurged　and　got　a　room　at　the　Grand　Bay　Hotel。　The　room　came　with　a　fruit　basket　and　a　sunken　bathtub。　He　was　sucking　on　a　nectarine　and　soaking　in　the　tub　when　Dennis　Gault　called　back。
　Thomas　Curl　said；　〃Hey；　they　got　a　phone　in　the　goddamn　John。〃
　〃Wele　to　the　city；　Jethro。〃　Gault　was　in　a　brusque　mood。　Dealing　with　this　moron　was　at　least　two　notches　below　dealing　with　Decker。　Gault　said；　〃A　cop　came　to　see　me。〃
　Thomas　Curl　spit　the　nectarine　pit　into　his　soapy　hand。　〃Yeah？　They　caught　'em　yet？〃
　〃No；〃　Gault　said；　〃but　the　way　things　are　shaping　up；　maybe　it's　best　if　they　don't。〃
　〃Hell　you　mean？〃
　Gault　said；　〃This　cop；　fucking　Cuban；　he　doesn't　believe　a　word　I　say。〃
　〃Who　cares；　long　as　New　Orleans　believes　you。〃
　〃Ever　heard　of　extradition？〃　Gault　snapped。　〃This　guy　can　cause　us　major　problems；　son。　He　can　keep　Decker　away　from　the　Louisiana　people　a　long　time。　Sit　on　him　for　weeks；　listen　to　his　story；　maybe　even　buy　it。〃
　〃No　way；〃　Curl　said。
　〃We　can't　take　the　chance；　Thomas。〃
　〃I　done　enough　for　you。〃
　Gault　said；　'This　one's　not　for　me；　it's　for　your　brother。〃
　In　the　tub　Thomas　reached　over　and　turned　on　the　hot　water。　He　was　careful　not　to　get　the　telephone　wet；　in　case　it　might　electrocute　him。
　Gault　said；　〃I　need　you　to　find　Decker。　Before　the　cops。〃
　〃What　about　that　crazy　gorilla？〃
　〃They　probably　split　up　by　now。〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　fuck　with　him。　Culver　said　he's　mean　as　a　moccasin。〃
　Gault　said；　〃Culver's　afraid　of　a　tit　in　the　dark。　Besides；　from　what　Elaine　says；　Skink　isn't　the　type　to　stick　with　Decker。　They　probably　split　up；　like　I　said。〃
　Thomas　Curl　was　not　convinced。　He　remembered　the　neatly　centered　bullet　hole　in　his　brother's　forehead。
　〃What's　the　pay？〃
　〃Same　as　before；〃　Gault　said。
　〃Double　if　I　got　to　deal　with　the　gorilla。〃
　〃Hell；　you　ought　to　do　it　for　free；〃　Gault　said。　Greed　was　truly　a　despicable　vice；　he　thought。　〃For　Christ's　sake；　Thomas；　these　are　the　guys　who　killed　Lemus。　One　or　both；　it's　up　to　you。　Decker's　the　one　that　worries　me　most。　He's　the　one　that　could　hurt　us　in　court。　We're　talking　hard　time；　too。〃
　Thomas　Curl　did　not　like　the　idea　of　being　sent　to　the　state　penitentiary　even　for　a　day。　There　was　also　something　powerfully　attractive；　even　romantic；　about　avenging　his　brothers　death。
　〃Where　do　I　start？〃　he　asked。
　〃Way　behind；　unfortunately；〃　Gault　said。　〃Decker's　already　running。　The　trick　is　to　find　out　where；　because　he　sure　as　hell　won't　be　ing　your　way。〃
　〃Not　unless　I　got　somethin'　he　wants；〃　said　Thomas　Curl。
　
　Catherine　said：　〃This　won't　work；　not　with　him　in　the　bathroom。〃　She　got　out　of　bed　and　began　to　dress。
　From　behind　the　bathroom　door；　a　voice　grumped：　〃Pay　no　attention　to　me。〃
　Decker　dolefully　watched　Catherine　button　her　blouse。　This　is　what　I　get；　he　thought；　exactly　what　I　deserve。　He　said　to　her；　〃This　man's　a　distraction；　you're　right。〃
　〃I　don't　know　what　I　was　thinking；〃　Catherine　said；　stepping　into　a　pink　slip。　〃James　is　furious　as　it　is；　and　now　I'm　an　hour　late。〃
　〃Sorry；〃　Decker　said。
　〃Here；　give　me　a　hand　with　this　zipper。〃
　〃Nice　skirt；〃　Decker　said。　〃It's　silk；　isn't　it？〃
　〃I　can't　stand　these　damn　zippers　on　the　side。〃
　Decker　peeked　at　the　label。　〃Jesus；　Catherine；　a　Gucci。〃
　She　frowned。　〃Stop　it；　R。J。　I　know　what　you're　up　to。〃
　As　always。
　Decker　rolled　out　of　bed　and　groped　around　the　floor　for　his　jeans。　It　was　dark　outside；　time　to　go。　Muffled　scraping　noises　emanated　from　the　bathroom。　Decker　couldn't　imagine　what　Skink　was　doing　in　there。
　Catherine　brushed　out　her　hair；　put　on　some　pale　pink　lipstick。
　〃You　look　positively　beatific；〃　Decker　said。　〃Pure　as　the　driven　snow。〃
　〃No　thanks　to　you。〃　She　turned　from　the　mirror　and　took　his　hands。　〃I'd　give　anything　to　forget　about　you；　you　bastard。〃
　Decker　said；　〃Could　try　hypnosis。　Or　hallucinogens。〃
　Catherine　put　her　arms　around　him。　〃Cut　the　bullshit；　pal；　it's　all　right　to　be　scared。　This　is　the　most　trouble　you've　ever　been　in。〃
　〃I　believe　so；〃　Decker　said。
　Catherine　kissed　him　on　the　neck。　〃Watch　out　for　yourself；　Rage。　And　him　too。〃
　〃We'll　be　fine。〃　He　handed　Catherine　her　Louis　Vuitton　purse　and　her　one…hundred…percent…cashmere　sweater。
　Before　she　walked　out　the　door　she　said；　〃I　just　want　you　to　know；　it　wouldn't　have　been　a　mercy　f