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！
〃We're taking this threat very seriously；〃 interjected the Dade County police chief； always jittery among civic…leader types。
〃We think it's going to happen during the parade；〃 Brian Keyes said； touching off another round of white…establishment gasping。
〃Good Lord！〃
〃They're going to kidnap the Orange Bowl queen in the middle of the parade？〃
〃On national goddamn TV？ In front of Jane fucking Pauley？〃
〃And Michael Landon？〃
〃 'Fraid so；〃 Al Garcia said。
Jane Pauley and Michael Landon were scheduled to host the King Orange Jamboree Parade from an elevated booth on Biscayne Boulevard。 Jane Pauley and Michael Landon were big celebrities； but Garcia tapped his cigarette ashes all over the orange walnut to let everyone know he didn't give a shit about that。 Brian Keyes admired the way Garcia had taken over the meeting from the guys in the blazers。
One of the vice…mayors turned to Keyes and said： 〃You've met these people。 What do you think…would they listen to reason？〃
〃Doubtful；〃 said Keyes。 〃Very doubtful。〃 If necessary； he was prepared to tell them wkat happened to Ida Kimmelman； just so they'd give up the idea of trying to bargain with El Fuego。
〃Mr。 Keyes；〃 a vice…mayor said； 〃what is it they want？〃
〃They want us to leave；〃 Keyes said。
〃All of us；〃 Garcia added； 〃from Palm Beach to Key West。〃
〃I don't understand；〃 the vice…mayor said。
〃They want Florida back；〃 Keyes said； 〃the way it was。〃
〃The way it was when？〃
〃When it wasn't fucked up with so many people；〃 Garcia said。
The table erupted in snorts and sniggering； and the men in the blazers seemed to shake their heads gravely in syncopation。 〃Why doesn't this kind of shit ever happen to Disney World？〃 one of them said mournfully。
The Orange Bowl chairman decided he'd heard enough dire news from the private eye and the rude detective； so he turned to the police chiefs for encouragement。
〃Gentlemen； surely you're not just going to sit and wait for these outlaws to show up and disrupt the parade。 They must be arrested as soon as possible； before New Year's Eve。 It's bad enough that the press already knows about them。〃
〃It's pretty tough to keep the lid on mass murder；〃 remarked the Miami police chief。 〃God knows we've tried。〃
〃We're doing all we can to find these people；〃 added the Dade County police chief。 〃We've got every available detective working the case； but it's tough。 Especially around Christmas。 Half the department's on leave。〃
The Orange Bowl chairman said grumpily； 〃I don't want your excuses。 I want to hear exactly what you're doing to catch these killers！〃
The police chiefs turned to Al Garcia； who'd been waiting patiently for the ball to bounce back his way。
〃Right now we've got six undercover guys in Little Havana looking for Jesus Bernal；〃 Garcia said。 〃We've got eight more over in Liberty City searching for Viceroy Wilson。 The Indian…well； he's a problem。 Looks like he just disappeared off the planet。 Anyhow； we got plenty of reward money out on the street…just how much； I can't say； but it's more than my whole damn pension。 We've doubled the patrols at every big South Florida tourist attraction…the Seaquarium； Ocean World； Six Flags； the racetracks； the beaches。 There was a rumor that the Monkey Jungle might be next so we've got a sniper team waiting upwind。 What's more； we got choppers and air…boats searching the Glades for El Fuego's camp。 We even hired our own Indian guide。〃
A nearsighted Miccosukee； Garcia noted silently； but he was better than nothing。
One of the vice…mayors suggested that warnings be posted in all the major tourist hotels。
〃Are you out of your mind？〃 screeched Sparky Harper's Chamber of merce successor。 〃Are you trying to cause panic？〃
〃No one would panic；〃 the vice…mayor said defensively； 〃if the warnings were worded properly。〃
〃Perhaps in small type；〃 the chairman suggested。
〃And perhaps in Chinese；〃 said Al Garcia。
The chairman glowered。 〃Sergeant； you don't seem to understand what's at stake here。〃
〃Human lives；〃 the detective said； raising his hands。 〃That's all； far as I'm concerned。〃
〃It's much more than that；〃 the Orange Bowl chairman snapped。 〃NBC is here！ Let's not forget that。 And let's not forget the theme of this year's parade： 'Tropical Tranquillity。' 〃
Brian Keyes desperately looked across the table at Cab Mulcahy。 The managing editor's eyelids closed slowly； like a dying iguana's。
〃Look；〃 Garcia said； 〃you guys have to put on a parade and I have to solve murders。 Maybe even prevent 'em； if possible。 So listen real good 'cause here's the plan： we're gonna have cops crawling all over Biscayne Boulevard on New Year's Eve。 We're gonna have the Orange Bowl queen so pletely surrounded by police that you might as well paint a badge on her goddamn float。 I don't care what it looks like on television。 Fuck NBC。 Fuck Jane Pauley。 Fuck Alf Landon。〃
〃Michael Landon；〃 Keyes whispered。
〃Him； too。〃
The Orange Bowl chairman looked like he'd have killed for a Maalox。 He said； 〃Sergeant； that's the worst plan I ever heard。 It would be a catastrophe； image…wise。〃
〃I agree；〃 said Sparky Harper's successor。
〃This is not a military parade；〃 scoffed another Chamber of merce man。
〃Now； wait a minute；〃 said one of the orange…blazer guys。 〃Maybe we can promise。 Suppose we have the police wave batons and march in lockstep behind the queen's float！ I'd say that would look mighty darn impressive。 And no one would suspect a thing。〃
〃How about screw the batons；〃 said Al Garcia。
〃Then plainclothes；〃 suggested the Dade County police chief。
〃Maybe；〃 Garcia said。
〃And have them hiding in the crowd；〃 the Orange Bowl chairman said。 〃Not in the blessed parade。〃
〃Won't work；〃 Keyes said。 〃I've been stuck in that crowd before； when I covered the parade for the Sun。 You can't move…it's like acres of human taffy。 Something happens and it'd take you five minutes to reach the float； and that's too long。〃
The Orange Bowl chairman was not persuaded。 He scrunched his blackberry eyes and said； 〃There will be no police marching in this parade！ We're selling Tropical Tranquillity； not Dragnet〃
〃Okay； if that's the way you want it；〃 Garcia said。 〃How about we just stash a midget with a MAC…10 underneath the queen's gown？〃
〃Al； please；〃 groaned the Dade County police chief。
〃No one would notice a thing；〃 Garcia said mischieviously； 〃except maybe the midget。〃
〃Don't you have another plan？〃 pleaded one of the blazers。
〃Yeah； matter of fact； I do。〃 Garcia winked at Brian Keyes。 〃I sure do。〃
Skip Wiley's Christmas column arrived from Nassau by telex on Saturday； December 22。
Cab Mulcahy read it carefully before he summoned Ricky Bloodworth to his office。
〃You've been doing a fine job on the terrorist story；〃 Mulcahy said。 This was a shameless lie； but Mulcahy had no choice。 Bloodworth was a sucker for phony pliments。
'Thanks； Cab；〃 he said。 〃Did you hear？ Time magazine called。〃
〃Really。〃
〃Yup。 Wanted all my clips on Las Nachos〃
〃Las Noches；〃 Mulcahy corrected。
〃Right。 But isn't that great？ About Time magazine？〃
〃Terrific；〃 Cab Mulcahy said； thinking： Does this chowderhead really believe Time magazine