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well as fists； Maxwell had said so himself。 What had probably happened was that someone。。。 or more than one？。。。 had killed the man； leaving the body for the big wharf rats that had eaten through the dead flesh。 That made sense； but then how did Turk's body wind up in the water？
Kip was stunned by the brutality of the crime。 A murder on Coquina was practically unthinkable。 There were always barroom fights； of course； and often those got pretty damned ugly； but murder？ Who among the islanders would be capable of such a thing？ At once he thought of the Carib Indian men。 They were a rough； fierce breed； and whenever they came down to the village； which was fortunately rare； Kip had to wield a billyclub to break up the trouble。 The Caribs were hot…blooded people who…island rumor said…had practiced cannibalism on their enemies less than a hundred years before。 Was it possible Turk had run into one； or a group of them； who had e down from their settlement to see the submarine？ It was all speculation； of course； but maybe worth a drive over to Caribville to ask some questions。
No； he decided。 It was rats。 The rats had crept out and torn into the corpse's flesh； and that accounted for the teeth marks。
Kip saw David Moore's truck parked over by the hardware supply in the Square。 There was a stack of timber in the truck bed； and as Kip approached； Moore came out through the doorway； carrying another load of wood in his arms。 He laid the timber down； wiped sweat off his face； and started to go back inside when he saw the constable and raised a hand in greeting。
〃Business so good you're building an addition？〃 Kip asked him。
〃Not hardly。 I'm setting this aside in case we have another blow during the season。 The old roof might not take much more this year。〃
Kip nodded。 There were three elderly men on a porch in front of the hardware store； two smoking pipes and the third just sitting with a straw hat pulled low over his face。 They had been talking quietly until the constable had walked over； now they listened； eyes moving from Kip to Moore。 Kip greeted them politely and then said to Moore； 〃Anything I can help you with？〃
〃That should do it； except for paying my bill。 If you really want to help you can talk Yarling into extending my credit。〃
Kip tried to smile but found it difficult because he couldn't shake the image of Turk's dead face； the eyes of the old men were on him and he felt uneasy。 〃Sorry。 No favoritism。〃
〃That's what I was afraid of。〃 Moore dug for his wallet and then turned to go back into the hardware supply。
〃Constable；〃 said one of the three on the porch； a lanky man with snowy hair and teeth clamped around the bit of a pipe。 〃What happen' to that boy las' night？〃 He leaned forward in his chair； and Moore stopped where he was。
〃Never you mind about that；〃 Kip told him。
〃Is it true what they say？〃 one of the others asked。 〃About his neck bein' broke and all the blood gone out his veins？〃
〃Whoever told you that has got one hell of an imagination。 I'd have to go far to think up a better one。〃 Kip kept his voice light and easy； but he was fooling no one； the old men's eyes were sharp and direct。 Moore was watching him； his mouth half…open in astonishment。
〃Dan Miles saw the body；〃 the man in the straw hat said。 〃He say somethin' got hold o' that throat an'。。。〃
〃Dan Miles drinks too much； too；〃 Kip said； more sharply than he'd intended。 〃If listening to lies was a crime I'd throw all of you in jail。〃
〃They say somethin' e out the jungle；〃 the man continued。 〃Mebbe be somethin' nobody got the right to see。 I seen a jumbie back in there when I was a boy。 Him a mean thin'； a tall white thin' moved so fast you could hardly see。 Moved with the wind； and the wind around him go wheeooooo。。。 wheeooooo； like that。 I'd seen that face and I ain't never forgot。 Ugly thin'； with bright red eyes and teeth hangin' out the mouth。 I run and I run and I run 'cause I wasn't s'posed to be out there at night； you know？ But I seen that face and I ain't never forgot。〃
Kip leaned a hand against a porch slat； keeping his movements casual。 〃No such things as jumbies。〃
〃I seen the ghost of the Ritter woman long time back；〃 the first man who'd spoken added； his eyes wider and brighter。 〃Damn me if I didn't see her over on the fishin' wharf where her man's boat used to lie。 She wave her arms at me； and I seen the stars shinin' through her； and she say 'Follow me。 Follow me。' And then when I step back； she walk right on off the wharf into the sea and she gone。〃 He looked at the other two men； and they nodded appreciatively。
〃Kip；〃 Moore said； 〃what happened last night？〃
〃You'd best go pay your bill；〃 the constable told him。 〃Yarling's been known to get mean。〃
〃Young buck name o' Turk got hisself killed；〃 the one in the straw hat told Moore； sharing the secret。 〃It happen' over in the yard where that dam' boat be。 Thass a bad thin'； constable。 Unlucky as all hell。 That dead boat draw the jumbies out from the jungle； and they all flock around in there when everybody sleepin' and they have a hell of a party； all them dead thin's together。 And they laugh and scream and roll them eyes up and they look for the livin' man 'cause they jealous； and they hate the livin' man and want his soul。 And thass what happen' to that young Turk。〃
The other old men had settled back in their chairs； saying nothing； pipe smoke swirling about their heads。
〃What happened last night？〃 Moore asked again。
Kip said； 〃e over to my office when you're finished here。 We've got things to talk about。〃 He glanced again at the men on the porch and then turned away； crossing the Square toward his office。 Kip went inside； drew the blinds； and brought the dead man's belongings out of his back pocket； laying them together on the blotter on his desk。 He sat down； rolling himself a cigarette； and then snapped on his desk lamp。 Picking up each item in turn； he examined them under the light； when he came to the rotten cloth he felt a dull throbbing start somewhere inside him； at the pit of his stomach。 He traced a finger along the ridges of yellow fungus。 This is important； he told himself； but I don't know why。 This is important and I can't yet understand it。 And deep within him； in the hidden recesses； he felt the brick wall tremble； as if something were pushing against it from the dark side。
There was a knock on the door。 〃It's open； David；〃 Kip said。
Moore came in looking puzzled by the secrecy and intrigued by what the old men had been saying。 He stepped toward Kip's desk； seeing the items there on the blotter。 〃What's going on？〃 he asked quietly； noting the strained； tired look in his friend's eyes。
〃The submarine was torched open early this morning；〃 Kip said。 〃A welder for Langstree did it； a crazy fool by the name of Turk。〃
〃Did he say why？〃
Kip gazed at Moore through a blue haze of cigarette smoke and shook his head。 〃No。 Someone beat him to death over at the boatyard。 I know what he was looking for； though； because just yesterday afternoon he was rambling on about gold bars and a wrecked German ship。 I tell you； David； someone did a hell of a job on him；