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fucking million dollars！〃
〃So what's he doing out here instead of the Galt Ocean Mile？〃
Wiley looked disappointed at the remark。 〃Tommy's out here；〃 he said； 〃because he believes in me。 He believes in what we're doing。〃
〃And what is that； Skip？〃
〃Well； in Tommy's case； we're launching the Fourth Great Seminole War。 In the case of my little Cuban friend； we are advancing the cause of international right…wing terrorism。 And as far as Mr。 Viceroy Wilson is concerned； we are kicking the living shit out of whitey。〃 Wiley bent over and dropped to a whisper again。 〃See； Brian； each of these guys has his own particular constituency。 My job； as I see it； is to make them feel equally important。 It's a delicate balance； believe me。 These are not the most stable human beings in the world； but they've got loads of energy。 It's damned inspiring。〃
Keyes said； 〃What about you； Skip？ What's your constituency？〃
〃e on！〃 Wiley's brow furrowed。 〃You don't know？〃
Somewhere in the brush an animal scampered； emitting a high…pitched trill。 Keyes glanced toward the darkness apprehensively。
〃Relax；〃 Wiley said。 〃Just a raccoon。 My constituency； Brian。 Along with the eagles； the opossums； the otters； the snakes； even the buzzards。 All of this belongs to them； and more。 Every goddamn acre； from here west to Miami Beach and north to the big lake； belongs to them。 It got stolen away； and what we're going to do 。。。 〃 Wiley made a fist and shook it。 〃 。。。 is get it back。〃
Keyes thought： A cross between Dr。 Dolittle and Che Guevara。 Wait'll I tell Cab Mulcahy。
〃Don't give me that you…poor…sick…boy look；〃 Wiley said。 〃I'm just fine； couldn't be better。 You're the one who's got a problem； Brian。 A big goddamn problem； I might add。 Before this is over you're gonna wish you were back at the Sun； covering the bozos in the mayor's race。〃
Keyes said； 〃I'll take some of that tea now。〃
He was trying to slow Wiley down； keep him from getting too wound up。 Keyes remembered what Wiley could be like on one of his fast burns； all reckless fury。
Wiley held the hot mug to Keyes's lips and let him sip。
〃Brian；〃 he said giddily。 〃We're gonna empty out this entire state。 Give it back to Tom and his folks。 Give it back to the bloody raccoons。 Imagine： all the condos； the cheesy hotels； the trailer parks； the motor courts； the town houses； fucking Disney World…a ghost town； old pal。 All the morons who thundered into Florida the past thirty years and made such a mess are gonna thunder right out again 。。。 the ones who don't die in the stampede。〃
Skip Wiley's brown eyes were steady and intense； he was perfectly serious。 Brian Keyes wondered if he was face to face with raw insanity。
〃How are you going to acplish this miracle？〃 he asked。
〃Publicity； old pal。 Bad publicity。〃 Wiley cackled。 〃It's my specialty； remember？ We're going to take all the postcard puffery and jam it in reverse。 The swaying palms； the murmuring surf； the tropical sun…from now on； Transylvania South。〃
A postcard to end all postcards； Keyes thought。
〃When I say bad publicity；〃 Wiley went on； 〃search the extreme limits of your imagination。 Think back to some of the planet's great disasters…the bubonic plague； Pompeii； Hiroshima。 Imagine being tourism director for the city of Hiroshima in 1946！ What would you do； Brian？ Or think modern times： try to sell time…shares in West Beirut！ Christ； that's a tall order； but it's nothing pared to what it's going to be like down here when we're finished； me and the guys。 By the time we're through； old pal； Marge and Fred and the kids will vacation in the fucking Arctic tundra before they'll set foot on Miami Beach。〃
Wiley was pacing before the fire； his voice booming through the copse。 Viceroy Wilson sat impassively on a tree stump； Kleenexing the lenses of his sunglasses。 Jesus Bernal swatted at gnats and moved herky…jerky in the firelight； tossing his knife at a tree。 Tommy Tigertail was out there somewhere； but Brian Keyes couldn't see him。
〃Did you kill Sparky Harper？〃 Keyes asked Skip Wiley。
〃Ho…ho…ho。〃
The suntan oil； the rubber alligator； the tacky Hawaiian shirt。 Keyes thought： Who else but Wiley？
〃And Ted Bellamy； the Shriner？〃
〃I'm afraid he's dead；〃 Wiley said； tossing a stick in the fire。
〃What about the girl at the Seaquarium？〃 Keyes asked。
〃Brian； settle down。 We're simply trying to establish credibility。 Nobody took us seriously after the Harper episode。 Jesus； amigo； get my briefcase。〃
〃My God； Skip； you're talking about murder！ Three innocent people…four； if you count Ernesto Cabal。 You set him up； didn't you？〃
〃It was Viceroy's idea； to get rid of the car；〃 Wiley acknowledged。 〃He was your client； I know； and I'm sorry he killed himself。 By the way； did you really stab his lawyer in the tongue with a shrimp fork？ That was wonderful； Brian； I was so goddamn proud when I heard about it。 Made me think you must've learned something； all that time sitting next to me。 For what it's worth； we had planned to spring little Ernesto when the time was right。〃
〃Es verdad；〃 Jesus said； delivering the briefcase。
〃Speak English； you shmuck；〃 Wiley snapped。 He turned to Keyes； plaining： 〃The man was born in Trenton and still he's doing Desi Arnaz。 Drives me nuts。〃
Jesus Bernal slouched away； pouting。 Wiley opened the briefcase and said； 〃Might as well get the preliminaries out of the way。 Pay attention； Brian。〃 Wiley held up a pair of plaid swim trunks。 〃Theodore Bellamy；〃 he said。
〃I believe you；〃 said Keyes。
Next Wiley produced a crimson halter top。 〃Renee What's…her…face； the Canadian girl。〃
Keyes nodded blankly。
With both hands Wiley dangled a man's silver necklace with a gaudy octagonal charm。 〃Sparky Harper was wearing this；〃 Wiley said； studying it in the firelight。 〃It says 'Sunshine State Booster of the Year； 1977。' Got his name engraved on the back。 Be sure to point that out。〃
Wiley dropped the articles into the briefcase and snapped it shut。 〃You'll take this back to Miami； please。〃
Keyes felt relieved。 He'd been contemplating the possibility of dying out here in the swamp and not liking the idea at all； dead in his underwear and covered with bug bites。
〃Saw Bloodworth's column；〃 Wiley said。 〃What a hack。〃
〃He's not in your league； that's for sure。〃
〃He's a dim…witted gerbil who can't write his name。 Strangled to death is redundant； doesn't he know that？〃 Wiley fumed。 〃If it'd been you； you would have put it together two days ago。 You'd have connected everything…Harper； Bellamy； Renee。 Hell； you would have printed our letters。〃
〃And you would have loved it；〃 Keyes said。
Wiley wasn't listening。 〃Brian； I know you've still got good police sources。 What do you hear？〃
Viceroy Wilson edged a little closer。 He was always interested in cop news。
〃Metro homicide closed the Harper case when Ernesto died；〃 Keyes said。 〃As for the other two； a big zero。 Missing persons； that's all。〃
〃Damn！〃 Wiley exploded。 〃Those silly shitheads have got murderous terrorists on the loose and they don't even know it！ See what I mean about credibility； Brian？ What do we have to do？ Tell me； Viceroy； you're the historian。 Did the SLA have this problem？〃
〃Naw； the