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two to Nina and Joe Winder。
Before taking a drink； Nina wiped the top of the can on the sleeve of Winder's shirt。 She touched a hand to her neck and said； 〃So what's with the collar？〃
〃Telemetry。〃 Skink pointed a finger at the sky。 〃Every week or so； a plane es around。〃
〃They think he's a panther；〃 Joe Winder explained。 〃See； it's a radio collar。 He took it off a dead panther。〃
Skink quickly added： 〃But I'm not the one who killed it。 It was a liquor truck out of Marathon。 Didn't even stop。〃
Nina wasn't plugging in。 After a pause she said； 〃Joe； don't forget about our movie。〃
Winder nodded。 Sometimes he felt they were oceans apart。 〃The panther's all but extinct；〃 he said。 〃Maybe two dozen left alive。 The Game and Fish Department uses radio collars to keep track of where they are。〃
Skink drained his beer。 〃Two nights later； here es the liquor truck again。 Only this time he blows a tire on some barbed wire。〃
〃In the middle of the road？〃 Nina said。
〃Don't ask me how it got there。 Anyway； I had a good long talk with the boy。〃
Winder said； 〃Jesus； don't tell me。〃
〃Cat's blood was still on the headlights。 Fur； too。〃 Skink spat into the fire。 〃Cracker bastard didn't seem to care。〃
〃You didn't。。。〃
〃No； nothing permanent。 Nothing his insurance wouldn't cover。〃
In her smoothest voice Nina asked； 〃Did you eat the panther； too？〃
〃No； ma'am；〃 said Skink。 〃I did not。〃
The big cat was buried a half…mile up the trail； under brilliant bougainvilleas that Skink himself had planted。 Joe Winder thought about showing Nina the place； but she didn't act interested。 Darkness was settling in； and the mosquitoes had arrived by the billions。 Nina slapped furiously at her bare arms and legs； while Joe Winder shook his head to keep the little bloodsuckers out of his ears。
Skink said； 〃I got some goop if you want it。 Great stuff。〃 He held his arms out in the firelight。 The left one was engulfed by black mosquitoes； the right one was untouched。
〃It's called EDTIAR；〃 Skink said。 〃Extended Duration Topical Insect/Arthropod Repellent。 I'm a field tester for the U。S。 Marines； they pay me and everything。〃 Studiously he began counting the bites on his left arm。
Nina； on the shrill edge of misery； whacked a big fat arthropod on Joe Winder's cheek。 〃We've got to get going；〃 she said。
〃They're nasty tonight；〃 Skink said sympathetically。 〃I just took seventeen hits in thirty seconds。〃
Winder himself was getting devoured。 He stood up； flailing his own torso。 The bugs were humming in his eyes； his mouth； his nostrils。
〃Joe； what's the point of all this？〃 Nina asked。
〃I'm waiting for him to tell me who killed Will Koocher。〃
〃Oh； for God's sake。〃
Skink said； 〃We're in dangerous territory now。〃
〃I don't care；〃 Winder said。 〃Tell me what happened。 It had something to do with the mango voles； I'm sure。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Skink。
Nina announced that she was leaving。 〃I'm getting eaten alive； and we're going to miss the movie。〃
〃Screw the movie；〃 said Joe Winder； perhaps too curtly。
For Nina was suddenly gone…down the trail； through the woods。 Snapping twigs and muffled imprecations divulged her path。
〃Call me Mr。 Charm；〃 Winder said。
Skink chuckled。 〃You'd better go。 This can wait。〃
〃I want to know more。〃
〃It's the voles； like you said。〃 He reached into his secondhand trousers and took out a bottle so small it couldn't have held more than four ounces。 He pressed it into the palm of Joe Winder's right hand。
〃Ah； the magic bug goop！〃
〃No；〃 Skink said。 〃Now take off； before Snow White gets lost in the big bad forest。〃
Blindly Winder jogged down the trail after his girlfriend。 He held one arm across his face to block the branches from slashing him； and weaved through the low viny trees like a halfback slipping tacklers。
Nina had given up her solo expedition forty yards from Skink's campsite； and that's where Winder found her； leaning against the slick red trunk of a gumbo…limbo。
〃Get us out of here；〃 she said； brushing a squadron of plump mosquitoes from her forehead。
Out of breath； Winder gave her a hug。 She didn't exactly melt in his arms。 〃You were doing fine；〃 he said。 〃You stayed right on the trail。〃
They were in the car； halfway to Homestead； when she spoke again： 〃Why can't you leave it alone？ The guy's nothing but trouble。〃
〃He's not crazy； Nina。〃
〃Oh right。〃
〃A man was murdered。 I can't let it slide。〃
She picked a buttonwood leaf from her sleeve； rolled down the window and flicked the leaf away。 She said； 〃If he's not crazy； then how e he lives the way he does？ How e he wears that electric collar？〃
〃He says it keeps him on his toes。〃 Joe Winder plugged a Zevon tape in the stereo。 〃Look； I'm not saying he's normal。 I'm just saying he's not crazy。〃
〃Like you would know；〃 Nina said。
FIFTEEN
On Sunday； July 22； Charles Chelsea got up at eight…thirty； showered； shaved； dressed （navy slacks； Cordovan loafers； blue oxford shirt； burgundy necktie）； trimmed his nose hairs； splashed on about three gallons of Aramis and drove off to work in his red Mazda Miata； for which he had paid thirty…five hundred dollars over dealer invoice。
Chelsea had two important appointments at the Amazing Kingdom of Thrills。 One of them would be routine； and one promised to be unpleasant。 He had not slept well； but he didn't feel exceptionally tired。 In fact； he felt surprisingly confident； posed； tough； if only he could remain that way until his meeting with Joe Winder。
A crew from Channel 7 was waiting outside the main gate。 The reporter was an attractive young Latin woman wearing oversized sunglasses。 Chelsea greeted her warmly and told her she was right on time。 They all got in a van； which was driven by a man wearing a costume of bright neoprene plumes。 The man introduced himself as Baldy the Eagle； and said he was happy to be their host。 He began a long spiel about the Amazing Kingdom of Thrills until Charles Chelsea flashed his ID badge； at which point the bird man shrugged and shut up。 Chelsea slapped his arm when he tried to bum a Marlboro off the Channel 7 cameraman。
When they arrived at the killer…whale tank； Chelsea stepped from the van and held the door for the reporter； whose first name was Maria。 Chelsea led the way inside the marine stadium； where the TV crew unpacked and began to set up the equipment。 Chelsea sat next to Maria in the front row； facing the empty blue pool。 Above them； men on scaffolds were sandblasting the word 〃Orky〃 from the coral…colored wall。
Chelsea said； 〃I guess the others will be along soon。〃
Maria removed her sunglasses and brushed her hair。 She took out a spiral notebook and flipped to a blank page。
〃The other stations；〃 Chelsea said； 〃they must be running a little late。〃
Five others had received the same fax as Channel 7 had。 Surely more crews would show up…it was Sunday； after all； the slowest news day of the week。
Maria said； 〃Before we go on the air…〃
〃You want some background；〃 Chelsea said helpfully。 〃Well； to be perfectly frank； Orky's death left us with a rather large vacancy。 Here we have this beautiful saltwater tank； as you see； and a scenic outdoor stadium。 A facility like this is too special to waste。 We thought about getting another whale； but Mr。 Kingsbury felt it would be inappropriate。 He felt Orky was irreplaceable。〃
Charles Chelsea glanced over Maria's shoulder to see the Minicam pointed at him。 Its red light winked innocuously as the tape rolled。 The cameraman was on his knees。 Squinting through the viewfinder； he signaled for Chelsea to keep talking。
〃Are we on？〃 the PR man said。 〃What about the mike？ I don't have a mike。〃
The cameraman pointed straight up。 Chelsea raised his eyes。 A gray boom microphone； the size of a fungo bat； hung over his head。 The boom was controlled by a sound man standing to Chelsea's right。 The man wore earphones and a Miami Dolphins warm…up jacket。
Maria said； 〃You mentioned Orky。 Could you tell us what your staff has learned about the whale's death？ What exactly killed it？〃
Chelsea fought to keep his Adam's apple from bobbing spasmodically； as it often did when he lied。 〃The tests；〃 he said； 〃are still inplete。〃
Maria's warm brown eyes blinked inquisitively。 〃There's a rumor that the whale died during an encounter with an employee of the Amazing Kingdom。〃
〃Oh； that's a good one。〃 Chelsea laughed stiffly。 〃Where did you hear that？〃
〃Is it true？〃
The camera's blinking red light no longer seemed harmless。 Charles Chelsea said； 〃I'm not going to dignify such a question by responding。〃
The reporter said nothing； just let the tape roll。 Let him choke on the silence。 It worked。
〃We did have a death that night；〃 Chelsea admitted； toying with his cuffs。 〃An employee of the park apparently took his own life。 It was very； very tragic…〃
〃What was the name of this employee？〃
Chelsea's tone became cold； reproachful。 〃It is our strict policy not to discuss such matters publicly。 There is an issue of privacy； and respect for the family。〃
Maria said； 〃The rumor is…〃
〃We don't respond to rumors； Ms。 Rodriguez。〃 Now Chelsea was leaning forward； lecturing。 The boom mike followed him。 〃Would you like to hear about our newest attraction； or not？〃
She smiled like a moray eel。 〃That's why we're here。〃
Oh no it isn't； thought Chelsea； trying not to glare； trying not to perspire； trying not to look like the unvarnished shill he was。
〃I brought a bathing suit；〃 Maria said； 〃as you suggested。〃
〃Maybe we should wait for the others。〃
〃I think we're it； Mr。 Chelsea。 I don't think any of the other stations are ing。〃
〃Fine。〃 He tried not to sound disappointed。
The cameraman stopped taping。 Chelsea dabbed his forehead in relief； he needed to collect himself； recover from the ambush。 Everybody wants to be Mike Wallace； he thought bitterly。 Everybody's a hardass。
Maria picked up a tote bag and asked directions to the lady's room。 When she returned； she was wearing a tight melon…colored tonga that required continual adjustment。 At the sight of her； Charles Chelsea inadvertently licked the corners of his mouth。 It wasn't so bad after all； ing to work on a Sunday。
〃Should I get in？〃 Maria asked。
〃Sure。〃 Chelsea signaled across the pool to a young man dressed in khaki shorts。 This was one of the trainers。
Maria slipped into the whale pool； dipped her head underwater； and smoothed her hair straight back。 The tape was rolling again。
Eyes twinkling； she smiled up at the camera。 The guy with the boom mike leaned over the wall of the tank to capture her words。
〃Hi； this is Maria Rodriguez。 Today we're visiting the Amazing Kingdom of Thrills in North Key Largo。 As you can see； it's a gorgeous summer day…〃
Chelsea was thinking： Good girl； stick to the fluff。
〃…and we're about to meet the newest star of the Kingdom's outdoor marine show。 His name is Dickie the Dolphin。。。cut！ Hold it； Jimmy。〃
The cameraman stopped the tape。 Bobbing in the whale pool； Maria groped beneath the surface； frowned and spun away。 Chelsea could see that she was struggling to realign the bathing suit。
〃Damn thing's riding up my crack。〃
〃Take your time；〃 said the cameraman。 〃We got plenty of light。〃
Moments later； Maria was ready again； fresh； sleek； languid。 She splashed herself lightly in the face so that droplets glistened in her eyelashes； Charles Chelsea was transfixed。
〃Hi； this is Maria Rodriguez reporting from the Amazing Kingdom of Thrills in North Key Largo。 As you can see； it's a gorgeous summer day in South Florida…perfect for a swim with the newest star of the Amazing Kingdom's marine show。 His name is Dickie the Dolphin and； starting tomorrow； you can swim with him； too！〃
Chelsea cued the trainer； who pulled the pin on the gate to the whale pool。 Pushing a V…shaped wake； the dolphin charged from the holding tank and sounded。
The TV reporter continued： 〃It's the latest concept in marine theme parks…customer participation。 Instead of sitting in the bleachers and watching these remarkable mammals do tricks； you can actually get in the water and play with them。 It costs a little more； but…believe me…it's worth it。〃
A few yards behind her； Dickie the Dolphin rolled； blowing air noisily。 Maria kept her poise； glancing over