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〃 'Bye； Tom。〃
The Indian walked briskly to the pickup truck。 An ancient Seminole with thin gray hair and a walnut face sat behind the wheel。
〃Let's go； Uncle Billie；〃 Tommy said。
They could see Skip Wiley toiling at the console of the sleek boat； warming the big engine。 He was singing in a stentorian cannon that crashed out over the carping gulls and the slap of the waves。
Rode a tank； held a general's rank； when the blitzkrieg raged and the bodies stank 。。。
〃Who is the strange one with the beard？〃 the old Seminole wanted to know。
〃With any luck；〃 Tommy Tigertail said affectionately； 〃the last white man I'll ever see。〃
When they reached the toll booth to the Rickenbacker Causeway； Jenna sat up and asked； 〃Where we going？〃
〃For a boat ride；〃 Brian Keyes replied。
〃I thought we were going to the police。 Don't you think that's a better idea？〃
〃The goddamn marines would be a better idea； if I had that kind of time。〃
Keyes knew exactly what the cops were doing…setting up a vast and worthless perimeter around the Orange Bowl。 The city was howling with sirens； every squad car in Dade County was in motion。 There were no helicopters up because of the bad weather…and without choppers； Keyes knew； the cops could forget about catching the Indian。
Jenna shifted apprehensively。 She said； 〃I think you ought to drop me off here。 This whole thing is between you and Skip。〃
Keyes drove faster down the causeway。 Years ago…a lifetime ago…he and Jenna used to park there at night and make love under the trees； and afterward marvel at how the skyscrapers glittered off the bay。 Since then； the causeway had bee extremely popular with ski…mask rapists and icepick murderers； and not many unarmed couples went there to neck anymore。 Jenna said； 〃Why don't you let me out？〃
〃Not here； it's way too dangerous；〃 he said。 〃I'm curious…why'd you stop by the office today？〃
〃Just lonely；〃 Jenna said。 〃And I was worried sick about Skip 。。。 I thought you might know something。〃
Keyes glanced at her and said； 〃Your little chore was to keep me pany； right？〃
〃That's the dumbest thing I ever heard。〃
〃You were in on the whole thing。〃
〃I hate you like this；〃 Jenna said angrily。 〃So damn smug； you think you've got it all figured out。 Well； you don't 。。。 there's one thing you never figured out： why I left you for Skip。〃
〃That's true；〃 Keyes said； remembering how nasty she could get。 She sat ramrod straight in the seat； chin out； a portrait of defiance。
〃The choice was easy； Brian。 You're a totally passive person； an incurable knothole peeper； a spy。〃
Keyes thought： This is going to be a beaut。
Jenna said； 〃You're a follower and a chaser and chronicler of other human lives； but you will not fucking participate。 I wanted somebody who would。 Skip isn't afraid to dance on the big stage。 He's the sort of person you love to watch but would hate to be； because he takes chances。 He's a leader； and leaders don't just get followed…they get chased。 That's not your style； Brian； getting chased。 The thing about Skip； he makes things happen。〃
〃So did Juan Corona。 You two would make a swell couple。〃
Keyes found himself strangely unperturbed by Jenna's emasculatory harangue； maybe there was hope for him yet。 He hit the brakes and the MG skidded off the road into some gravel。 He backed up to the gate of the Virginia Key marina。
〃I believe that's your car；〃 he said to Jenna。
〃Where？〃
He pointed。 〃Next to the boat ramp。 The white Mercury。〃
〃My car's in the shop；〃 Jenna snapped。
〃Really？ Shall we go check the license tag？〃
Jenna turned away。
〃Skip borrowed it；〃 she said almost inaudibly。
Keyes saw her hand move to the door handle。 He reached across the seat and slapped the lock down。
〃Not yet；〃 he warned her。 〃You're not going anywhere。〃
〃Hey； what is this？〃
〃It's called deep trouble； and you're in the middle； Miss Granola Bar。〃
〃All I ever knew were bits and pieces； that's all；〃 she insisted。 〃Skip didn't tell me everything。 He was always dropping little hints but I was scared to ask for more。 I didn't know about the new boat and I sure don't know where he is right now。 Honest； Brian； I thought the stunt with the ocean liner was it； his big plan。 I didn't know anything about tonight； I swear。 I wasn't even sure he was still alive。〃
Her eyes couldn't get more liquid； her voice more beseeching。 A metamorphosis in thirty seconds。
Keyes said； 〃You promised he wasn't going to hurt Kara Lynn。〃
〃Maybe he's not；〃 Jenna said ingenuously。 〃Maybe he's already let her go。〃
〃Yeah； and maybe I'm the Prince of Wales。〃
Keyes drove past the Miami Marine Stadium and turned down a winding two…lane macadam。 The shrimper's dock was at the dead end of the road； on a teardrop…shaped lagoon。
The shrimper's name was Joey and he owned three small trawlers that harvested Biscayne Bay by night。 He worked out of a plywood shack lighted by bare bulbs and guarded by a pair of friendly mutts。
Joey was dipping shrimp when Keyes drove up。
〃I don't know if you remember me；〃 Keyes said。 〃I interviewed you a few years back for a newspaper story。〃
〃Sure；〃 said Joey； peering past the end of his cigar。 〃You were askin' about pollution； some damn thing。〃
〃Right。 Look； I need a boat。 It's sort of an emergency。〃
Joey glanced over at Jenna sitting in the car。
〃Damn fine emergency；〃 he said。 〃But you don't need a boat； you need a water bed。〃
〃Please；〃 Keyes said。 〃We need a ride to Osprey Island。〃
〃You and the girl？〃
〃That's right。 It's worth a hundred bucks。〃
Joey hung the net on a nail over the shrimp tank。 〃That island's private property； son。〃
〃I know。〃
〃It's black as a bear's asshole and fulla bugs。 Why the hell you wanna go over there on a night like this？〃
〃Like I said； it's an emergency；〃 Keyes said。 〃Life and death。〃
〃Naturally；〃 Joey muttered。 He took the hundred dollars and struggled into his oilskin raingear。 〃There's more weather on the way；〃 he said。 〃Go fetch your ladyfriend。 We'll take the Tina Marie。〃
Osprey Island was a paddle…shaped outcrop in east Biscayne Bay； about five miles south of the Cape Florida lighthouse。 There were no sandy beaches； for the island was mostly hard coral and oolite rock…a long…dead reef； thrust barely above sea level。 The shores were collared with thick red mangrove； farther inland； young buttonwoods； gumbo…limbo； sea grape； and mahogany。 An old man who had lived there for thirty years had planted a row of royal palms and a stand of pines； and these rose majestically from the elevated plot that had been his homestead； before he fell ill and moved back to the mainland。 All that remained of the house was a concrete slab and four cypress pilings and a carpet of broken pink stucco； a bare fifty…foot flagpole stood as a salt…eaten legacy to the old man's patriotism and also to his indelible fear that someday the Russians would invade Florida； starting with Osprey Island。
Like almost everything else in South Florida； the islet was dishonestly named。 There were no white…hooded ospreys； or fish eagles； living on Osprey Island because the nesting trees were not of sufficient height or maturity。 A few of the regal birds