ch.doublewhammy-第67部分

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　〃One　of　these　bass　nuts？〃
　Jim　Tile　nodded。
　〃Well；　shit；〃　Garcia　said；　〃maybe　we　oughta　take　the　phone　calls　more　seriously。〃
　〃They're　just　trying　to　scare　us。〃
　The　phone　started　ringing　again。　Jim　Tile　watched　it　for　a　full　minute　before　picking　up。
　〃You're　gator　bait；　spook；〃　the　caller　drawled。
　The　trooper　hung　up。　His　jaw　was　set　and　his　eyes　were　hard。　〃I'm　beginning　to　take　this　personally。〃
　〃You　and　me　both。〃　Garcia　grabbed　his　pants　off　the　chair　and　dug　around　for　the　cigarette　lighter。　When　the　phone　rang　again；　the　detective　said；　〃My　turn。〃
　Another　Southern　voice：　〃Lucky　for　you；　grease　floats。〃
　Garcia　slammed　down　the　receiver　and　said；　〃You'd　think　one　of　us　would　have　the　brains　to　pull　the　plug　out　of　the　wall。〃
　〃No；〃　said　Jim　Tile。　He　was　worried　about　Skink；　and　Decker。　One　of　them　might　need　to　get　through。
　〃I　can't　imagine　these　jerks　are　actually　worried　about　us　winning；　not　after　seeing　the　boat；〃　Garcia　said。　〃Wonder　what　they're　so　damn　scared　of。〃
　〃The　sight　of　us；〃　Jim　Tile　said。　He　lay　back　on　his　pillow　and　stared　at　the　ceiling。　Garcia　lit　a　cigarette　and　thumbed　through　a　Lunker　Lakes　sales　brochure　that　some　lady　had　given　him　at　the　barbecue。
　It　was　half…past　two　when　somebody　outside　fired　a　rifle　through　their　window　and　ran。
　Angrily　Jim　Tile　picked　up　the　phone　and　started　dialing。
　As　he　shook　the　broken　glass　out　of　his　blanket；　Al　Garcia　asked；　〃So　who　you　calling；　chico；　the　Fish　and　Game？〃
　〃I　think　it's　important　to　make　an　impression；〃　the　trooper　said。　〃Don't　you？〃
　
　To　get　on　the　dike；　Eddie　Spurling　had　to　drive　to　the　west　end　of　Road　84；　then　zig　north　up　U。S。　27　to　the　Sawgrass　Fish　Camp。　Here　the　dike　was　accessible；　but　wide　enough　for　only　one　vehicle；　at　three　in　the　morning　Eddie　didn't　anticipate　oning　traffic。　He　drove　the　Wagoneer　at　a　crawl　through　a　crystal　darkness；　insects　whorling　out　of　the　swamp　to　cloud　the　headlights。　Every　so　often　he　had　to　brake　as　the　high…beams　froze　some　animal；　ruby…eyed；　on　the　rutted　track…rabbits；　raccoons；　foxes；　bobcats；　even　a　fat　old　female　otter。　Eddie　marveled　at　so　much　wildlife；　so　close　to　the　big　city。
　It　took　an　hour　to　make　the　full　circuit　back　to　where　the　flood　levee　abutted　Lunker　Lake　Number　Seven。　When　he　reached　the　designated　spot；　Eddie　Spurling　turned　off　the　engine；　killed　the　lights；　rolled　down　his　window；　and　gazed　off　to　the　west。　The　Everglades　night　was　glorious　and　immense；　the　sweep　of　the　sky　unlike　anything　he'd　seen　anywhere　in　the　South；　here　the　galaxy　seemed　to　spill　straight　into　the　shimmering　swamp。
　When　Eddie　looked　east　he　saw　blocked　and　broken　landscape；mthe　harsh　aura　of　downtown　lights；　the　pale　linear　scar　of　the　nascent　superhighway　and　its　three　interchanges；　built　especially　for　Charlie　Weeb's　development。　There　was　nothing　beautiful　about　it；　and　Eddie　turned　away。　He　put　on　his　cap；　snapped　his　down　vest；　and　stepped　out　of　the　truck　into　the　gentle　hum　of　the　marsh。
　Water　glistened　on　both　sides　of　the　dike。　Under　a　thin　fog；　Lunker　Lake　Number　Seven　lay　as　flat　and　dead　as　a　cistern；　by　contrast；　the　small　pool　on　the　Everglades　side　was　dimpled　with　darting　minnows　and　waterbugs。　The　pocket　was　lushly　fringed　with　cattails　and　sawgrass　and　crisp　round　lily　pads　as　big　as　pizzas。　Something　else　floated　in　the　pool…a　plastic　Clorox　bottle；　tied　to　a　rope。
　Eddie　Spurling　noticed　how　out　of　place　it　looked；　obscene；　really；　like　litter。　The　whole　idea　of　it　made　him　mad…Weeb　and　his　damn　Alabama　imports。　Eddie　carefully　made　his　way　down　the　slope　of　the　dike；　his　boots　sliding　in　the　loose　dirt。　At　the　edge　of　the　pool　he　found　a　long　stick；　which　he　used　to　snag　the　floating　bleach　bottle。
　He　got　hold　of　the　rope　and　pulled　it　hand　over　hand。　The　fish　trap　was　unexpectedly　heavy；　leaden　almost。　Must've　got　tangled　in　the　hydrilla　weed；　Eddie　thought。
　When　the　cage　finally　broke　the　surface；　he　dropped　the　stick　and　grabbed　the　mesh　with　his　fingers。　Then　he　pulled　it　to　shore。
　Eddie　shone　his　flashlight　in　the　cage　and　said；　〃My　God！〃　He　couldn't　believe　the　size　of　it…a　coppery…black　bass　of　grotesque　proportions；　so　huge　it　could've　been　a　deep…sea　grouper。　It　looked　thirty　pounds。　The　hawg　glared　at　Eddie　and　thrashed　furiously　in　its　wire　prison。　Eddie　could　only　stare；　awestruck。　He　thought：　This　is　impossible。
　On　the　other　side　of　the　pond　something　made　a　noise；　and　Eddie　Spurling　went　cold。　He　recognized　the　naked　click　of　a　rifle　hammer。
　A　deep　voice　said：　〃Put　her　back。〃
　Eddie　swallowed　dryly。　He　was　almost　too　terrified　to　move。
　The　gun　went　off　and　the　Clorox　bottle　exploded　at　his　feet。　After　the　echo　faded；　the　voice　said：　〃Now。〃
　Rubber…kneed；　Eddie　lowered　the　fish　cage　back　into　the　pool；　letting　the　wet　rope　pay　through　his　ringers。
　Across　the　pond；　the　rifleman　rose　from　the　cattails。　By　the　size　of　the　silhouette　Eddie　Spurling　saw　that　the　man　was　quite　large。　His　appearance　was　made　more　ominous　by　military　fatigues　and　some　sort　of　black　mask。　The　man　sloshed　through　the　marsh　and　hiked　up　the　side　of　the　dike。　Eddie　thought　about　running　but　there　was　no　place　to　go；　he　thought　about　swimming　but　there　was　a　problem　with　snakes　and　alligators。　So　he　just　stood　there；　trying　not　to　soil　himself。
　Soon　the　rifleman　loomed　directly　above　him；　on　the　dike。
　〃Kill　the　flashlight；〃　the　man　said。
　He　was　close　enough　for　Eddie　to　make　out　his　features。　He　had　long　dark　hair　and　a　ratty　beard　and　a　flowered　plastic　cap　on　his　head。　The　mask　turned　out　to　be　sunglasses。　The　rifle　was　a　Remington。
　〃I'm　Fast　Eddie　Spurling。〃
　〃Who　asked？〃
　〃From　television？〃
　〃I　watch　no　television；〃　said　the　rifleman。
　Eddie　tried　a　different　approach。　〃Is　it　money　you　want？　The　Jeep？　Go　ahead　and　take　it。〃
　Without　blinking；　the　rifleman　turned　and　blasted　the　tinted　windshield　out　of　Eddie　Spurling's　Wagoneer。　〃I　got　my　own　truck；　thanks；〃　he　said。　Then　he　shot　out　the　fog　lights；　too。
　Eddie　was　sweating　ice　water。
　The　man　said；　'That's　some　fish；　huh？〃
　Eddie　nodded　energetically。　〃Biggest　I　ever　saw。〃
　〃Name's　Queenie。〃
　〃Real　nice；〃　Eddie　said　desperately。　He　was　quite　certain　the　hairy　rifleman　was　going　to　kill　him。
　〃You're　probably　curious　what　happened　to　yours。〃
　〃They　weren't　really　mine；〃　Eddie　said。
　The　man　laughed　thinly。　〃You　just　came　all　the　way　out　here　to　say　hello。〃
　Eddie　said；　〃No；　sir；　I　came　to　let　'em　go。〃
　〃How　about　I　just　shoot　off　your　pecker　and　get　it　over　with？〃
　〃Please；〃　Eddie　cried。　〃I　mean　it；　I　was　about　to　set　them　fish　free。　Check　the　truck　if　you　don't　believe　it。　If　I　was　gonna　take　'em；　I'd　have　brung　a　livewell；　right？　I'd　have　brung　the　damn　boat；　wouldn't　I？〃
　The　rifleman　seemed　to　be　thinking　it　over。
　Eddie　went　on：　〃And　why　would　I　be　here　three　hours　before　the　tournament　and　risk　having　'em　croak　on　me？〃
　The　man　said；　〃You're　not　one　of　the　cheaters？〃
　〃No；　and　I　don't　aim　to　start。　I　couldn't　go　through　with　it；　so　screw　Charlie　Weeb。〃
　The　rifleman　lowered　his　gun。　〃I　let　those　ringer　bass　go。〃
　Eddie　Spurting　said；　〃Well；　I'm　glad　you　did。〃
　〃Three　hawgsters。　One　must've　gone　at　least　eleven…eight。〃
　〃Well；〃　said　Eddie；　〃maybe　I'll　catch　him　someday；　when　he's　bigger。〃
　The　man　said：　〃What　about　Queenie？　What　would　you　have　done　about　her？〃
　Without　hesitating　Eddie　said；　〃I'd　a　let　her　go　too　〃
　〃I　bet。〃
　〃What　would　be　the　point　of　killing　her；　mister？　Suppose　I　took　that　monster　home　and　stuffed　her。　Every　time　I'd　walk　in　the　den　she'd　be　staring　down　from　the　wall；　the　awful　truth　in　those　damn　purple　eyes。　I　couldn't　live　with　it；　mister。　That's　why　I　say；　you　didn't　need　the　gun。　I'd　a　let　her　go　anyway。〃
　The　rifleman　stood　there；　showing　nothing。　The　sunglasses　scared　the　hell　out　of　Eddie。
　〃I've　got　a　boy；　mister；　age　nine；〃　Eddie　said。　〃You　think　I　could　lie　to　my　boy　about　a　fish　like　that？　Say　I　caught　it　when　I　didn't？〃
　〃Some　men　could。〃
　〃Not　me。〃
　The　rifleman　said：　〃I　believe　you；　Mr。　Spurling。　Now；　get　the　fuck　out　of　here；　please。〃
　Eddie　obediently　scrambled　up　the　bank　of　the　dike。　He　hopped　in　the　Jeep　without　even　brushing　the　broken　glass　off　the