ch.doublewhammy-第2章

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ds　of　largemouth　bass；　including　a　nine…pounder。　Normally　a　catch　like　this　would　have　won　a　tournament　hands　down；　and　Gault　was　posing　proudly　with　his　string　offish　when　the　last　boat　roared　up　to　the　dock。　A　man　named　Dickie　Lockhart　hopped　out　holding　a　monster　bass…eleven　pounds；　seven　ounces…which　of　course　won　first　place。
　〃That　fish；〃　Dennis　Gault　recalled　angrily；　〃had　been　dead　for　two　days。〃
　〃How　do　you　know？〃
　〃Because　I　know　a　stiff　when　I　see　one。　That　fish　was　cold；　Mr。　Decker；　icebox…type　cold。　You　follow？〃
　〃A　ringer？〃　It　was　all　Decker　could　do　not　to　laugh。
　〃I　know　what　you're　thinking：　Who　cares　if　some　dumb　shitkicker　redneck　cheats　with　a　fish？　But　think　about　this：　Of　the　last　seven　big…money　tournaments　held　in　the　United　States；　Dickie　Lockhart　has　won　five　and　finished　second　twice。　That's　two　hundred　sixty　thousand　bucks；　which　makes　him　not　such　a　dumb　shitkicker　after　all。　It　makes　him　downright　respectable。　He's　got　his　own　frigging　TV　show；　if　you　can　believe　that。〃
　Decker　said；　〃Did　you　confront　him　about　the　ringer？〃
　〃Hell；　no。　That's　a　damn　serious　thing；　and　I　had　no　solid　proof。〃
　〃Nobody　else　was　suspicious？〃
　〃Shit；　everybody　else　…was　suspicious；　but　no　one　had　the　balls　to　say　boo。　Over　beers；　sure；　they　said　they　knew　it　was　a　stiff。　But　not　to　Dickie's　face。〃
　〃This　Lockhart；　he　must　be　a　real　tough　guy；〃　Decker　said；　needling。
　〃Not　tough；　just　powerful。　Most　bass　pros　don't　want　to　piss　him　off。　If　you　want　to　get　asked　to　the　invitationals；　you'd　better　be　pals　with　Dickie。　If　you　want　product　endorsements；　you　better　kiss　Dickie's　ass。　Same　goes　if　you　want　your　new　outboard　wholesale。　It　adds　up。　Some　guys　don't　like　Dickie　Lockhart　worth　a　shit；　but　they　sure　like　to　be　on　TV。〃
　Decker　said；　〃He's　the　only　one　who　cheats？〃
　Gault　hooted。
　〃Then　what's　the　big　deal？〃　Decker　asked。
　〃The　big　deal〃…Gault　sneered…〃is　that　Lockhart　cheats　in　the　big　ones。　The　big　deal　is　that　he　cheats　against　me。　It's　the　difference　between　a　Kiwanis　softball　game　and　the　fucking　World　Series；　you　understand？〃
　〃Absolutely；〃　Decker　said。　He　had　heard　enough。　〃Mr。　Gault；　I　really　don't　think　I　can　help　you。〃
　〃Sit　down。〃
　〃Look；　this　is　not　my　strong　suit　。。。　〃
　〃What　is　your　strong　suit？　Divorces？　Car　repos？　Workmen's　p？　If　you're　doing　so　hot；　maybe　you　wouldn't　mind　telling　me　why　you're　moonlighting　at　that　shyster　insurance　agency　where　I　tracked　you　down。〃
　Decker　headed　for　the　door。
　〃The　fee　is　fifty　thousand　dollars。〃
　Decker　wheeled　and　stared。　Finally　he　said；　〃You　don't　need　a　P。I。；　you　need　a　doctor。〃
　〃The　money　is　yours　if　you　can　catch　this　cocksucker　cheating；　and　prove　it。〃
　〃Prove　it？〃
　Gault　said；　〃You　were　an　ace　photographer　once。　Couple　big　awards…I　know　about　you；　Decker。　I　know　about　your　crummy　temper　and　your　run…in　with　the　law。　I　also　know　you'd　rather　sleep　in　a　tent　than　a　Hilton；　and　that's　fine。　They　say　you're　a　little　crazy；　but　crazy　is　exactly　what　I　need。〃
　〃You　want　pictures？〃　Decker　said。　〃Of　fish。〃
　〃What　better　proof？〃　Gault　glowed　at　the　idea。　〃You　get　me　a　photograph　of　Dickie　Lockhart　cheating；　and　I'll　get　you　published　in　every　blessed　outdoors　magazine　in　the　free　world。　That's　a　bonus；　too；　on　top　of　the　fee。〃
　The　cover　of　Field　and　Stream；　Decker　thought；　a　dream　e　true。　〃I　told　you；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　know　anything　about　tournament　fishing。〃
　〃If　it　makes　you　feel　any　better；　you　weren't　my　first　choice。〃
　It　didn't　make　Decker　feel　any　better。
　〃The　first　guy　I　picked　knew　plenty　about　fishing；〃　Dennis　Gault　said；　〃a　real　pro。〃
　〃And？〃
　〃It　didn't　work　out。　Now　I　need　a　new　guy。〃
　Dennis　Gault　looked　unfortable。　〃Distracted〃　was　the　word　for　it。　He　set　down　his　drink　and　reached　inside　the　desk。　Out　came　a　fake…lizardskin　checkbook。　Or　maybe　it　was　real。
　〃Twenty…five　up　front；〃　Gault　said；　reaching　for　a　pen。
　R。　J。　Decker　thought　of　the　alternative　and　shrugged。　〃Make　it　thirty；〃　he　said。
　
　To　Dr。　Michael　Pembroke　fell　the　task　of　dissecting　the　body　of　Robert　Clinch。
　The　weight　of　this　doleful　assignment　was　almost　unbearable　because　Dr。　Pembroke　by　training　was　not　a　coroner；　but　a　clinical　pathologist。　He　addressed　warts；　cysts；　tumors；　and　polyps　with　ease　and　certitude；　but　corpses　terrified　him；　as　did　forensics　in　general。
　Most　Florida　counties　employ　a　full…time　medical　examiner；　or　coroner；　to　handle　the　flow　of　human　dead。　Rural　Harney　County　could　not　justify　such　a　luxury　to　its　taxpayers；　so　each　year　the　county　mission　voted　to　retain　the　part…time　services　of　a　pathologist　to　serve　as　coroner　when　needed。　For　the　grand　sum　of　five　thousand　dollars　Dr。　Michael　Pembroke　was　taking　his　turn。　The　job　was　not　unduly　time…consuming；　as　there　were　only　four　thousand　citizens　in　the　county　and　they　did　not　die　often。　Most　who　did　die　had　the　courtesy　to　do　so　at　the　hospital；　or　under　routine　circumstances　that　required　neither　an　autopsy　nor　an　investigation。　The　few　Harney　Countians　who　expired　unnaturally　could　usually　be　classified　as　victims　of　（a）　domestic　turmoil；　（b）　automobile　accidents；　（c）　hunting　accidents；　（d）　boating　accidents；　or　（e）　lightning。　Harney　County　had　more　fatal　lightning　strikes　than　any　other　place　in　Florida；　though　no　one　knew　why。　The　local　fundamentalist　church　had　a　field　day　with　this　statistic。
　When　news　of　Robert　Clinch's　death　arrived　at　the　laboratory；　Dr。　Pembroke　was　staring　at　a　mon　wart　（verruca　vulgaris）　that　had　e　from　the　thumb　of　a　watermelon　farmer。　The　scaly　brown　lump　was　not　a　pleasant　sight；　but　it　was　infinitely　preferable　to　the　swollen　visage　of　a　dead　bass　fisherman。　The　doctor　tried　to　stall　and　pretend　he　was　deeply　occupied　at　the　microscope；　but　the　sheriffs　deputy　waited　patiently；　leafing　through　some　dermatology　pamphlets。　Dr。　Pembroke　finally　gave　up　and　got　in　the　back　of　the　squad　car　for　the　short　ride　to　the　morgue。
　〃Can　you　tell　me　what　happened？〃　Dr。　Pembroke　asked；　leaning　forward。
　〃It's　Bobby　Clinch；〃　the　deputy　said　over　his　shoulder。　〃Musta　flipped　his　boat　in　the　lake。〃
　Dr。　Pembroke　was　relieved。　Now　he　had　a　theory；　soon　he'd　have　a　cause…of…death。　In　no　time　he　could　return　to　the　wart。　Maybe　this　wouldn't　be　so　bad。
　The　police　car　pulled　up　to　a　low　red…brick　building　that　served　as　the　county　morgue。　The　building　had　once　been　leased　out　as　a　Burger　King　restaurant；　and　had　not　been　refurbished　since　the　county　bought　it。　While　the　Burger　King　sign　had　been　removed　（and　sold　to　a　college　fraternity　house）；　the　counters；　booths；　and　drive…up　window　remained　exactly　as　they　had　been　in　the　days　of　the　Whopper。　Dr。　Pembroke　once　wrote　a　letter　to　the　county　mission　suggesting　that　a　fast…food　joint　was　hardly　the　proper　site　for　a　morgue；　but　the　missioners　tersely　pointed　out　that　it　was　the　only　place　in　Harney　with　a　walk…in　freezer。
　Peering　through　the　plate…glass　window；　Dr。　Pembroke　saw　a　pudgy　man　with　a　ruddy；　squashed…looking　face。　It　was　Culver　Rundell；　whose　shoulders　（the　doctor　remembered）　had　been　covered　with　brown　junctional　moles。　These　had　been　expertly　biopsied　and　found　to　be　nonmalignant。
　〃Hey；　doc！〃　Culver　Rundell　said　as　Dr。　Pembroke　came　through　the　door。
　〃Hello；〃　the　pathologist　said。　〃How　are　those　moles？〃　Pathologists　seldom　have　to　deal　with　whole　patients　so　they　are　notoriously　weak　at　making　small　talk。
　〃The　moles　are　ing　back；〃　Culver　Rundell　reported；　〃by　the　hundreds。　My　wife　takes　a　Flair　pen　and　plays　connect…the…dots　from　my　neck　to　my　butthole。〃
　〃Why　don't　you　e　by　the　office　and　I'll　take　a　look。〃
　〃Naw；　doc；　you　done　your　best。　I'm　used　to　the　damn　things；　and　so's　Jeannie。　We　make　the　best　of　the　situation；　if　you　know　what　I　mean。〃
　Culver　Rundell　ran　a　fish　camp　on　Lake　Jesup。　He　was　not　much　of　a　fisherman　but　he　loved　the　live…bait　business；　worms　and　wild　shiners　mainly。　He　also　served　as　official　weighmaster　for　some　of　America's　most　prestigious　bass　tournaments；　and　this　honor　Culver　Rundell　owed　to　his　lifelong　friendship　with　Dickie　Lockhart；　champion　basser。
　〃Are　you　the　one　who　found　the　deceased？〃　Dr。　Pembroke　asked。
　〃Nope；　that　was　the　Davidson　boys。〃
　〃Which　ones？〃　Dr。　Pembroke　asked。　There　were　three　sets　of　Davidson　boys　in　Harney　County。
　〃Daniel　and　Desi。　They　found　Bobby　floating　at　the　bog　and　hauled　him　back　to　the　fish　camp。　The　boys　wanted　to　go　back　out　so　I　told　'em　I'd　take　care　of　the　body。　We　didn't　have　no　hearse　so　I　used　my　four…by…four。〃
　Dr。　Pembroke　climbed　over　the　counter　into　what　once　had　been　the　kitchen　area　of　the　Burger　King。　With　some　effort；　Culver　Rundell　followed。
　The　body　of　Robert　Clinch　lay　on　a　long　stainless…steel　table。　The　stench　was　dreadful；　a　mixture　of　wet　death　and　petrified　french　fries。
　〃Holy　Jesus；〃　said　Dr。　Pembroke。
　〃I　know　it；〃　said　Rundell。
　〃How　long　was　he　in　the　water？〃　the　doctor　asked。
　〃We　were　kind　of　hoping　you'd　tell　us。〃　It　was　the　deputy；　standing　at　the　counter　as　if　waiting　for　a　vanilla　shake。
　Dr。　Pembroke　hated　floaters　and　this　was　a　beaut。　Bobby　Clinch's　eyes　were　popping　out　of　his　face；　milkballs　on　springs。　An　engorged　tongue　poked　from　the　dead　man's　mouth　like　a　fat　coppery　eel。
　〃What　happened　to　his　head？〃　Dr。　Pembroke　asked。　It　appeared　that　numerous　patches　of　Robert　Clinch's　hair　had　been　yanked　raw　from　his　scalp；　leaving　the　checker…skulled　impression　of　an　under…dressed　punk　rocker。
　〃Ducks；〃　said　Culver　Rundell。　〃A　whole　flock。〃
　〃They　thought　it　was　food；〃　the　deputy　explained。
　〃It　looks　like　pickerel　weeds；　hair　does。　Especially　hair　like　Bobby's；〃　Rundell　went　on。　〃In　the　water　it　looks　like　weeds。〃
　〃This　time　of　year　ducks'll　eat　anything；〃　the　deputy　added。
　Dr。　Pembroke　felt　queasy。　Sometimes　he　wished　he'd　gone　into　radiology　like　his　dumb　cousin。　With　heavy　stainless　surgical　shears　he　began　to　cut　Robert　Clinch's　clothes　off；　a　task　made　more　arduous　by　the　swollen　condition　of　the　limbs　and　torso。　As　soon　as　Clinch's　waterlogged　dungarees　were　cut　away　and　more　purple　flesh　was　revealed；　both　Culver　Rundell　and　the　sheriffs　deputy　decided　to　wait　on　the　other　side　of　the　counter；　where　they　took　a　booth　and　chatted　about　the　latest　scandal　with　the　University　of　Florida　football　team。
　Fifteen　minutes　later；　Dr。　Pembroke　came　out　with　a　chart　on　a　clipboard。　He　was　scribbling　as　he　talked。
　〃The　body　was　in　the　water　at　least　twenty…four　hours；〃　he　said。　〃Cause　of　death　was　drowning。〃
　〃Was　he　drunk？〃　Rundell　asked。
　〃I　doubt　it；　but　I　won't　get　the　blood　tests　back　for　about　a　week。〃
　〃Should　I　tell　the　sheriff　it　was　an　accident？〃　the　deputy　said。
　〃It　looks　that　way；　yes；〃　Dr。　Pembroke　said。　〃There　was　a　head　wound　consistent　with　impact　in　a　high…speed　crash。〃
　A　bad　bruise　is　what　it　was；　consistent　with　any　number　of　things；　but　Dr。　Pembroke　preferred　to　be　definitive。　Much　of　what　he　knew　about　forensic　medicine　came　from　watching　reruns　of　the　television　show　Quincy；　M。E。　Quincy　the　TV　coroner　could　always　glance　at　an　injury　and　announce　what　exactly　it　was　consistent　with；　so　Dr。　Pembroke　tried　to　do　the　same。　The　truth　was　that　after　the　other　two　men　had　left　the　autopsy　table；　Dr。　Pembroke　had　worked　as　hastily　as　possible。　He　had　drawn　blood；　made　not