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goddamn fact。〃
Keyes studied his unraveled friend and thought of the Ida Kimmelman ceremony。 Skip's threat of a massacre seemed deadly serious。
Keyes said； 〃If you've got them so mesmerized； convince them to call it off。〃
Wiley answered with a snort。 〃Never！ The cause is just。 The dream is pure。〃 He pointed a finger at Keyes。 〃It's up to you and Cab and the others to end the violence。 How？ Accept the Nights of December as a legitimate terrorist cell。 Give us a forum。 Pass the message that we're serious； that we'll continue the campaign until the exodus is fully under way。 Ha！ Imagine： bumper…to…bumper from Key West to Jacksonville： U…Hauls； Winnebagos； Air streams； station wagons； moving vans； buses； eighteen…wheelers。 All northbound！〃 Wiley sat up animatedly。 〃Brian； in the last hour we've been talking； 41。6 morons moved into the state of Florida。 They are arriving at the rate of a thousand a day。 One thousand each and every day！ There is no place to put them！ The land is shriveling beneath us； the water is poison； the air is rancid。〃 Wiley threw back his head。 〃Lord； such a simple equation。 Nature's trying to tell us it's time to move on。〃
〃The last of the Malthusians；〃 Keyes said。
〃Hell； Malthus only dreamed a nightmare like Interstate 95。 He never had to drive the fucking thing。〃
Keyes thought： He seems to have his mind made up。 Maybe I'll have to kill him after all。 Certainly not now； not on a crowded beach in the afternoon。 But maybe soon。
Wiley propped his fuzzy chin on his knuckles and grew silent。 He watched the arrival of a gleaming cruise ship across the harbor。 Its alabaster decks were lined with bright specks of tourists snapping pictures and flailing idiotic hellos toward the peddlers on the dock。 Wiley looked quite amused。 Brian Keyes wished he could penetrate his old friend's twisted swamp of a brain； he felt more helpless than ever。
Wiley said： 〃I suppose you want to hear what's next。〃
〃You bet。〃
〃It's a real beaut。〃
〃Let's have it。〃
〃Okay；〃 Wiley said。 〃We're going to violate the most sacred virgin in all Miami。〃
〃Can you be a little more specific？〃
〃Fraid not； Brian。 You're a bright young man； you figure it out。〃
〃When you say violate； you mean rape。〃
〃No！〃 Wiley was indignant。 〃I can't believe you'd think such a thing。 All the years we've known each other…Christ； do I look like a rapist？〃
Keyes didn't answer because sometimes Skip Wiley did look like a rapist。
〃The word 'Violate'…〃
〃Dust off your dictionary； Ace。 We're going to desecrate an immaculate princess。 That's all the clues for you。〃
Wiley dug into his jeans and came up with a silver traffic whistle； which he blew three times； loudly。
〃What the hell is that？〃 Keyes asked； realizing that it was too late。
〃Time for you to say good…bye to Goombay…land。〃
Keyes caught sight of four starch…shirted Bahamian cops running down the beach； kicking up sand with their black boots； and waving batons。
〃Oh shit；〃 Keyes muttered。
〃Look at them move；〃 Wiley marveled。 〃Isn't bribery wonderful？〃
Keyes quickly reviewed his options。 Physical resistance was out of the question； the policemen looked like four scowling black lootives。 Running also seemed futile…there was nowhere to go where he wouldn't shine like a two…hundred…watt bulb。 He considered plunging into the surf and swimming for freedom； but was dissuaded by the probability of being mortally gnawed by a bull shark； or mowed down by a ski boat。 In the end； Keyes meekly presented himself to the Bahamian officers。 The tropical sunshine seemed to evaporate as they encircled him。
〃Take it easy； men；〃 Skip Wiley said； unfurling from the beach chair。 〃He's obviously harmless。〃
Eight rock…hard hands clamped onto Brian Keyes。
〃I guess this means you and Jenna aren't inviting me up for conch chowder。〃
〃Fraid not； Brian。〃 Wiley yawned； stretching his ropy brown arms。 〃Have a safe trip home。〃
〃When am I gonna see you again； Skip？〃
〃Soon；〃 Wiley said。 〃On national TV。 Now； if you'll excuse me； I'm late for my windsurfing lesson。〃
〃Kara Lynn。〃
〃Yes； Mr。 Mayor。〃
〃What do you think about famine？〃
Kara Lynn Shivers considered the question carefully。 〃Which famine； Mr。 Mayor？〃
〃World famine；〃 the mayor said； 〃in general。〃
〃Well； in general；〃 Kara Lynn said； 〃I think famine is a truly terrible thing。〃
〃If you were selected our Orange Bowl queen；〃 the mayor went on； 〃would you work to end world famine？〃
〃Tirelessly； Mr。 Mayor。〃
The other judges nodded approvingly。 They liked Kara Lynn Shivers better than the other semifinalists； and they'd already made up their minds。 If only the mayor would hurry up with the last interview。
〃How would you do it？〃 the mayor asked。
〃Do what？〃 Kara Lynn said。
〃Stop famine。〃
〃I didn't say I could stop it；〃 Kara Lynn said with a trace of sarcasm。 In the third row she spotted her father； grimly making a slashing motion across his throat。
〃But I'd certainly try；〃 she said； softening。 〃As you know； I'm majoring in public relations； Mr。 Mayor； and I could use those special skills to bring the world's attention to the plight of its starving children。 I would consider that my first priority as Orange Bowl queen。〃
The mayor beamed。 Kara Lynn's father let out a sigh of relief。
〃Thank you； Kara Lynn；〃 the mayor said。 〃We'll adjourn until tonight。〃
〃Thank you； Mr。 Mayor；〃 Kara Lynn said。 Then； nodding sweetly toward the other judges； 〃Thank all of you。〃
And now； she thought； you can all go back to the Hyatt and whack off。
Kara Lynn Shivers； nineteen years old； blond； hazel…eyed； five…foot…eight； one hundred twenty pounds （Viceroy Wilson was on the money）； had bee a cynical young woman。 She despised beauty pageants and all the fraudulent insouciance they required。 Though she had won many titles…Little Miss Mass Transit； Miss Anglo Miami and； of course； Stone Crab Queen…each new tiara only added to Kara Lynn's deepening misery。 Offstage she had no smiles； no charms； no patience。 She was all used up。
It was her father's fault。 He was the one who'd made her learn 〃Eleanor Rigby〃 on the French horn。 〃The judges'll love it；〃 he'd said； and they always did。
It was her father who made her； at age six； change her name from Karen Noreen because 〃Noreen belongs in the 4…H； not Atlantic City。〃
It was her father who dragged her to Geneva； at age nine； to be ministered by 〃the greatest ambidextrous orthodontist in all Europe。〃
Kara Lynn Shivers suspected there was something seriously hinky with her father…not for wanting his little princess to be a star （a harmless fantasy）； but for suggesting that no price was too high。
It was her father who'd mailed off a stack of bikini Polaroids to Playboy magazine； then to Penthouse； then Oui； and after countless rejections announced that Kara Lynn needed bigger breasts。 Kara Lynn didn't want bigger breasts。 Her little breasts were just fine； round； perky； very cute。 No one ever plained about her breasts except her father； who hadn't seen them naked since she was a kid anyway。
One afternoon； a few months before the Orange Bowl pageant； Kara Lynn's father secretly invited a renowned plastic surgeon to the house。 Kara Ly