ch.nakedcamethemanatee-第13部分

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！


d　after　a　spill　of　corn　flakes　from　a　thicket　of　hubcaps　and　vines。　Even　in　the　late　afternoon；　heat　shimmered　from　the　asphalt　like　a　mirage；　while　an　empty　Metrorail　car　glided　silently　above。　Over　the　boarded…up　storefronts　and　empty　lots　strewn　with　torn　mattresses　and　rusted；　red…tagged　chassis；　hung　the　smell　of　car　fumes　and　jasmine。
　They　pulled　up　in　Fay's　pickup　truck　in　front　of　a　sun…silvered　frame　bungalow。　A　boy　in　a　Marlins　baseball　cap　and　high…top　Air　Jordans　stood　on　a　cinder　block　spray…painting　a　wall　with　a　2。99　can　of　orange　Krylon。
　Watching　the　tagger　were　a　knot　of　children　of　varying　sizes。　All　movement　ceased　as　Britt；　Fay；　and　Jake　stepped　down　from　the　cab　of　the　truck。
　〃Something　must　be　gonna　happen；〃　said　one　child。
　〃Jump…outs！〃　yelled　another。
　The　boy　in　the　Marlins　cap　looked　down　in　disdain　from　his　surreal　abstraction　of　hypodermics　and　coffins。　〃They　look　like　undercover　to　you？　Since　when　do　undercover　swivel　they　heads？　More　like　they　came　to　get　a　bump　to　keep　them　awake。〃
　〃Watch　the　truck；〃　said　Jake；　pitching　a　five…dollar　bill。
　〃Five　is　for　the　cab；〃　said　the　boy　in　the　baseball　cap。　〃The　flatbed　and　the　aerial　is　gonna　cost　you　ten。〃
　
　Lilia　Sands's　skin　was　the　color　of　vanilla。　Tight　black；　gray…streaked　ringlets　molded　the　curve　of　her　well…shaped　skull。　Wrapped　in　a　flowered　silk　kimono；　she　had　clearly　once　been　beautiful。　Now　she　was　ely；　or　handsome；　or　whatever　euphemism　people　assign　to　women　who　are　over　the　hill。
　Lilia　Sands　regarded　Jake　in　frank　assessment。　〃Didn't　you　used　to　play　ball？〃
　〃Linebacker。〃
　〃You　look　more　like　a　tight　end　to　me；〃　she　said。
　Britt　smiled；　glad　that　Jake　was　getting　his　euppance；　then　decided　to　cut　to　the　chase。　〃Pupi　Alvarez　told　us　that　you　once　knew　Castro。〃
　〃Yes；　I　knew　him。　It　was　a　long　time　ago。　I　was　with　him　in　the　Sierra　Maestra　Mountains。　Hiding　out　from　Batista's　planes　in　ferns　higher　than　your　head；　with　the　smell　of　coffee　blossom　ing　from　somewhere　below。〃
　Fay　jumped　in　the　way　she　dove。　〃Forgive　the　question；　but　we　heard　。。。　someone　said　that　you　and　Castro　were　intimate。〃
　Lilia　laughed。　〃Did　you　ever　sleep　with　a　man　on　a　cot？　For　two　years？　You；　him；　and　his　hobnailed　bat　boots？　That's　more　than　intimate。　You　have　to　be　into　revolution　to　do　that。〃
　Fay　imagined　the　permutations　of　bedding　on　an　army　cot。　Jake　was　doing　the　same；　while　Britt　maintained　the　ferret's　focus　that　was　her　stock…in…trade。
　〃We　heard　you　saved　a　lock　of　hair；〃　said　Britt。　〃If　you　have　it；　it's　very　important。〃
　Jake　intercepted　the　ball。　〃We　need　it；〃　he　said。　〃It　could　be　evidence。〃
　〃What　kind　of　evidence　are　you　talking　about？〃
　The　throb　of　a　pumping　bass　rumbled　from　a　cruising　car。　Britt　glanced　outside；　then　stepped　away　from　the　window。　〃We　can't　tell　you。　We're　asking　you　to　trust　us。〃
　Lilia　continued　to　regard　her　visitors　with　a　jaundiced　eye。
　Britt　played　the　Latin　connection　card。　〃Trust　me。〃
　Lilia　Sands　evaluated　the　young　woman　before　her；　especially　the　tawny　skin　that　hinted　of　the　Caribbean。　She　remembered　that　the　crime　reporter　had　gone　to　bat　for　a　former　player　for　the　L。A。　Raiders　by　the　name　of　D。　Wayne　Hudson；　a　friend　of　Lilia's　son。
　〃I　might　have　what　you're　looking　for。　Somewhere　back　here。〃
　Britt　followed　Lilia　behind　a　tinkling　beaded　curtain　to　a　bedroom　with　a　chest　of　drawers。　In　the　second　drawer　was　a　cigar　box　that　smelled　of　patchouli。　Lilia　opened　the　box。　Nestled　in　tissue　paper　were　locks　of　hair　of　varying　lengths　and　colors。
　Lilia　smiled。　〃I　got　around；〃　she　said。　She　raked　the　locks　with　long；　well…manicured　fingernails　and　fished　out　a　strand　bound　in　a　red　and　gold　Montecristo　wrapper。
　There　was　a　knock　at　the　front　door。
　Lilia　called　through　the　beaded　curtain；　〃Somebody　see　who　it　is。〃
　Jake　and　Fay　exchanged　glances。　Could　Hector　or　whoever　he　worked　for　have　followed　them？　The　rap　was　sharp　and　insistent。
　〃I'll　get　it。〃　Tensing　his　body　for　a　straight　buck　up　the　middle；　Jake　threw　open　the　door。
　The　boy　in　the　Marlins　baseball　cap　and　high…top　Air　Jordans　stood　on　the　threshold。　〃Where's　Miss　Lilia　at？〃
　Lilia　swished　her　way　past　Jake。　〃What's　happening？〃
　The　boy　handed　her　a　crumpled　slip　of　paper。　〃Old　man　in　cutoffs　and　sandals　say　to　call　this　number。〃
　Lilia　turned　from　the　boy　and　slipped　the　paper　in　the　folds　of　her　kimono。　〃It's　a　message；〃　she　said。
　〃Who　from？〃　asked　Jake。
　〃Garcia；〃　she　replied。
　
　8。　STRANGE　FISH…Tananarive　Due
　Lilia　Sands　worked　her　overpainted　face　into　a　frown。　〃Garcia？　Which　Gar…cia？　Do　you　know　how　many　Garcias　there　are　in　the　Dade　County　phone　book？〃　She　studied　the　young　messenger；　who　was　orbiting　her　as　though　he　expected　a　tip。　I'll　give　you　a　tip；　all　right；　kid；　Jake　Lassiter　thought。　You'd　better　earn　that　ten　bucks　I　just　gave　you　and　go　back　outside　to　keep　an　eye　on　Fay's　pickup。
　〃What's　his　first　name？〃　she　asked　the　boy。
　He　shrugged。　〃He　said　you'd　know。〃
　Lilia　smiled；　then　delicately　raised　her　fingertips　to　her　temple　as　if　to　brush　away　imaginary　perspiration。
　〃Ah　。　。　。〃　she　said；　with　a　long；　rapturous　sigh。　〃That　Garcia。〃
　Jake　shifted　his　weight　from　one　sore　leg　to　the　other。　Time　out；　he　thought。　He；　Britt；　and　Fay　had　e　to　Lilia's　for　a　lock　of　Castro's　hair…the　real　Castro's　hair。　So；　they　had　what　they'd　e　for。　No　need　to　tango　here　all　day。　Even　a　pit　bull　reporter　like　Britt　had　to　know　when　it　was　time　to　move　on。
　〃Look；　Miss　Sands；〃　he　said；　surprised　at　his　own　politeness；　〃we　can　bail　out　of　here　if　you　need　to　catch　up　on　your　phone　calls。〃
　〃This　will　interest　you；〃　Lilia　said；　holding　up　her　index　finger　to　silence　Jake。　（Watching；　Fay　and　Britt　both　took　mental　note　of　this　tactic　in　case　it　might　e　in　handy　someday。）　Lilia　cradled　the　receiver　of　her　black　novelty　telephone；　which　was　shaped　like　a　baby　grand　piano。　Each　time　she　pressed　a　key；　a　tone　sounded；　she　was　dialing　a　laborious　version　of　〃When　the　Saints　Go　Marching　In。〃
　Long…distance；　Britt　noticed。
　Off　key；　Fay　decided。
　Damn　annoying；　Jake　thought。
　〃It's　me。　Put　him　on；〃　Lilia　said　abruptly；　in　Spanish；　and　then　she　smiled　and　nodded；　her　green…flecked　brown　eyes　wide　with　pleasure　as　she　listened　to　an　indiscernible　voice。　Hanging　up；　she　surveyed　her　waiting　audience　as　though　she　were　reliving　a　finale　number　onstage　at　the　Nacional。
　〃I　shouldn't　tell　you　this　。。。　〃　Lilia　began。
　But　you　will；　Britt　thought；　perking　up。　Sentences　that　began　with　〃I　shouldn't　tell　you　this〃　were　verbal　foreplay；　and　satisfaction　was　never　far　behind。
　〃You　didn't　hear　this　from　me；　and　don't　ask　who　told　me…but　Miami　is　about　to　have　an　important　visitor　from　Cuba。　Believe　me；　when　he　es；　the　people's　reaction　will　make　Nelson　Mandela's　reception　in　Miami　look　like　the　papal　visit。　He's　ing　soon；　within　days。　He　didn't　say　exactly　when。〃
　〃Give　me　a　break；〃　Jake　said；　not　buying　it。
　〃It　can't　be；〃　Fay　said。
　〃It　is；〃　Lilia　said；　beaming。
　Britt's　brain　was　turning　somersaults。　Not　one　head；　but　two；　and　Fidel　was　still　alive？　And；　apparently；　intending　to　set　foot　in　a　city　that　nourished　itself　on　fantasies　about　the　day　he　would　drop　dead？　Home　to　weekend　mandos　who　would　love　to　help　him　do　just　that；　with　a　million…dollar　price　tag　on　his　head？
　Castro　is　ing！　Britt　was　already　thinking　in　headlines。　This　was　top…strip；　front…page；　WW　II　type。　She'd　need　to　get　on　the　phone　and　pull　some　favors　with　her　sister…in…law's　bureaucrat　uncle　in　Havana　to　get　confirmation。
　Britt's　delight　at　the　whiff　of　a　huge　story　warred　with　her　disappointment　that　the　man　who　killed　her　father　was　still　breathing。　〃I　can't　believe　he's　alive；〃　she　said。
　〃Si；　o　no；〃　Lilia　said。　〃Of　course　he's　alive。　But　if　he's　planning　to　e　to　Miami；　he's　obviously　lost　his　head。〃
　Silence。　The　three　of　them　started。
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Britt　asked　first。
　Lilia　circled　her　finger　around　her　ear。　〃You　know　。。。　loco。〃
　The　proportions　of　this　story　were　growing　in　light…years；　Britt　realized。　They'd　been　fearing　riots　if　people　thought　Fidel　was　dead？　What　about　the　riots　when　word　got　out　that　he　was　about　to　enjoy　a　big　plate　of　arroz　con　polio　in　the