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The Shivers family lived in a beautiful old home next to a golf course in Coral Gables。 It was a two…story house； white Florida stucco with a red barrel…tile roof。 An ancient ficus tree cloaked the front lawn。 In the driveway were a BMW； a Lincoln； and a new Volkswagen。 Brian Keyes parked behind the VW。
A short man with a fresh tan and a pointy chin answered the door。 He was trim； almost youthful； and dressed stem…to…stern in L。 L。 Bean。 He definitely belonged to the BMW。
〃Reed Shivers；〃 he said with a collegiate handshake。 〃e in； Mr。 Keyes。〃
They sat in an elegant living room with plenty of soft camel furniture。 In one corner stood a tall； woodsy…smelling Christmas tree； some of its ornaments were made of blown glass。
〃Pumpkin！〃 Reed Shivers called。 〃e here！〃
At first Brian Keyes thought Shivers might be shouting to a pet beagle。
〃My daughter；〃 Shivers said。 〃She'll be down in a minute； I'm。 sure。 Would you like coffee？〃
'Thanks；〃 Keyes said。 〃No sugar。〃
〃Not in this house；〃 Shivers said。 〃We watch our diets。 You'll see for yourself。〃
Shivers poured the coffee from a silver pot。
〃So you're a private detective。〃
〃Yes；〃 Keyes said restlessly。
〃I'm a tax lawyer； myself。〃
〃So I heard。〃
Shivers waited； thinking the private eye would ask about what it's like to be an important tax attorney in Miami。 Keyes sipped at his coffee and said nothing。
〃I'm just curious；〃 Shivers said。 〃How much money do private investigators make？〃
〃At least a million a year；〃 Keyes said。 〃Sometimes two million。 I lose track。〃
Reed Shivers whistled。 〃Wow！ You've got good shelters； I presume。〃
〃The best。〃
〃Oil； right？〃
〃Concrete。〃
〃Hmmm…mmm；〃 said Reed Shivers。
Keyes wondered how this clown ever made it through Yale Law。
〃Pumpkin pie！〃 Shivers hollered again。 〃I don't know what's keeping her； Mr。 Keyes。〃
〃Before your daughter gets here； I'd like to offer some advice。〃
〃Certainly。〃
〃Don't let her ride that float in the Orange Bowl Parade。〃
〃You're joking。〃
〃Not at all；〃 Keyes said。 〃The people who've made this threat are very violent。 And ingenious。 No one knows what they might do。〃
〃Sergeant Garcia said it was a kidnapping plot。〃
'It's a bit more plicated than that。〃
〃You think they might try to harm Kara Lynn？〃
〃It's very possible；〃 Keyes said。
〃But there'll be cops all over the place！〃
Keyes put down his coffee cup； aiming for a linen doily。 〃Mr。 Shivers； I just want you to be aware of the risks。 The risks are substantial。〃
Reed Shivers looked annoyed。 〃Some risk。 An Injun； a Cuban； and a washed…up spade ballplayer。 Don't tell me a hundred well…armed policemen can't stop a bunch of losers like that！〃
〃Mr。 Shivers； losers get lucky。 If one nut can shoot the damn President in Dealey Plaza； a whole gang of nuts can sure as hell snatch your precious little Pumpkin off Biscayne Boulevard。〃
〃Shhhh。〃
Kara Lynn Shivers stood at the French doors。
〃Sugar doll！ e here and meet Mr。 Keyes。〃
Reed Shivers whispered： 〃Isn't she spectacular？〃
She was。 She wore tight jeans； white sneakers； and a gray Miami Hurricanes sweatshirt。 Kara Lynn Shivers greeted Brian Keyes with an expert smile。 It was one of the best smiles he'd seen in a long time。
〃So you're my bodyguard；〃 she said。
〃It wasn't my idea；〃 Keyes said。
〃I can think of worse assignments；〃 Reed Shivers said with a locker…room wink。
Keyes said； 〃Kara Lynn； I'm going to tell you what I told your dad： I think you ought to drop out of the parade next week。 I think you're in serious danger。〃
Kara Lynn looked at her father。
〃I already told him；〃 Shivers said。 〃It's out of the question。〃
〃Do I get a choice？〃
〃Of course； buttercup。〃
〃Then I want to hear what Mr。 Keyes has to say。〃
Kara Lynn Shivers was quite beautiful； which wasn't surprising； one did not get to be Orange Bowl queen by looking like a wood…chuck。 What did surprise Brian Keyes was the wit in Kara Lynn's gray…green eyes and the steel in her voice。 He had expected a chronic case of airheadedness but found just the opposite。 Kara Lynn seemed very self…assured for nineteen； and canny…light…years ahead of her old man。 Still； Keyes was wary。 He had stopped falling in love with beauty queens when he was twenty…six。
〃One reason Sergeant Garcia asked me to keep an eye on you；〃 Keyes said； 〃is because I'm the only person who's seen the terrorists face…to…face。 At least； I'm the only one still alive。 They're treacherous and unpredictable。 And clever…I can't overemphasize that。 These guys are damn clever。 Now； your father's right： there will be scores of plainclothes police all up and down the parade route。 You won't see them； and neither will the folks watching on TV； but they'll be there； with guns。 Let's hope Las Noches know it； then maybe they'll think twice before trying anything。〃
〃Dad； suppose something happens；〃 Kara Lynn said。
〃We pay the ransom； of course。 I've already called Lloyd's about a kidnap policy and arranged the very best…the same one all the top multinationals have on their executives。〃
〃That's not what I meant；〃 Kara Lynn said sharply。 〃Suppose there's a shoot…out during the parade； with all those little kids in the crowd。 Somebody might get killed。〃
〃Now； darling； these police are expert marksmen。〃
〃Mr。 Shivers；〃 Keyes said； 〃you've been watching way too much TV。〃
Kara Lynn started to smile； then caught herself。
〃In the first place； this gang doesn't ask for ransoms。 They don't need your money；〃 Keyes said。 〃And your daughter's absolutely right about the shooting。 Once it starts； somebody's going to die。 As for all those cops being crack shooters； I guarantee you that half of them couldn't hit the SS Norway with a bazooka at ten paces。〃
〃Thank you； Mr。 Keyes；〃 Reed Shivers said acidly； 〃for your reassurance。〃
〃I'm not paid to give pep talks。〃
〃Dad…〃 Kara Lynn said。
〃Sweetie； it's the Orange Bowl Parade。 Forty million people will be watching； including all the top talent agents in Hollywood and New York。 Jane Pauley's going to be there。 In person。〃
Kara Lynn knew the forty…million figure was a crock。
〃Dad； it's a parade； not a moon shoot。〃
Reed Shivers' voice quavered。 〃It's the most important moment in your whole life！〃
〃And maybe the last；〃 Keyes said。 〃But what the hell。 It'd be worth it just to see little Pumpkin's face in People magazine； right？〃
〃Shut up； you creep！〃 Pink in the face； Shivers bounced to his feet and assumed a silly bative stance。 With one hand Brian Keyes shoved him back into the folds of the camel sofa。
〃Don't be an asshole；〃 Keyes said。 〃This is your daughter's life we're talking about。〃
Reed Shivers was so angry his body seemed to twitch。 It was not an image the L。 L。 Bean people would have chosen for the spring catalog。
〃If it's so damn dangerous；〃 Shivers rasped； 〃why won't they just cancel the parade？〃
Keyes chuckled。 〃You know Miami better than that。 Christ himself could carry the cross down Biscayne Boulevard and they'd still run the Orange Bowl Parade； right over his body。〃
〃Mr。 Keyes；〃 Kara Lynn said； 〃can I talk to my father for a minute； alone？〃
Keyes walked out to the game room； which was walled