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With simian arms Skink reached out and seized the Minicam and pulled it to his face。
〃Squeeze my lemon； baby！〃 he moaned； mashing his lips to the lens。
In the crowd； thirteen women fainted heavily out of their folding chairs。
This time it was for real。
〃Want a beer？〃 Lanie asked。
〃No；〃 said Dennis Gault。
〃A Perrier？〃 Lanie dug into the ice chest。
〃Quiet；〃 her brother said。
He had been casting at the brushpile for a long time without a nibble。 He had tried every gizmo in the tacklebox； plus a few experimental hybrids； but returned to the Double Whammy out of stubbornness。 It had been Dickie Lockhart's secret lure； everybody knew that； so Dennis Gault was dying to win the tournament with it。 Flaunt it。 Rub it in。 Show the cracker bastards that their king was really dead。
Gault knew he was in the right spot； for the sonic depth…finder provided a detailed topography of the canal bottom。 The brushpile came across as a ragged black spike on an otherwise featureless chart； an elliptical red blip shone beneath it。
That was the fish。
From the size of the blip； Dennis Gault could tell the bass was very large。
It did not stay in one place； but moved slowly around the fringes of the submerged crates。 Gault aimed his casts accordingly。
〃Why won't the damn thing eat？〃 Lanie asked。
〃I don't know；〃 Gault said； 〃but I wish you'd be quiet。〃
Lanie made a face and went back to her magazines。 She wanted her brother to win the tournament as much as he did； but she didn't fully understand why he took it so seriously…especially since he didn't need the money。 At least Bobby Clinch had had good reasons to get tense over fishing tournaments； he was trying to keep groceries on Clarisse's table and gas in Lanie's Corvette。
She spun in the pedestal seat so the sun was at her back； and flipped to an article on bulimia。
Thirteen feet beneath the bass boat； in a tea…colored void； the great fish sulked restively。 A primitive alarm had gone off somewhere in its central nervous system； a survival warning； powerful but unse…lective。 The great fish could not know what triggered the inner response…acute oxygen depletion； brought about by toxins in the water…but she reacted as all largemouth bass do when sensing a change in the atmosphere。
She decided to gorge herself。
Loglike； she rose off the bottom and hung invisible beneath the floating shadow。 She waited under the boat for the familiar rhythmic slapping noise； and peered through liquid glass for the friendly face of the creature who always brought the shiners。 The hunger had begun to burn in her belly。
Glancing at the screen of the depth…finder； Dennis Gault said： 〃My God； the damn thing's right under us。〃
〃I sure don't see it；〃 Lanie said。
〃Under the boat；〃 her brother said。 〃Right there on the sonar。〃
The fish was so close that he didn't need to cast。 He merely dropped the spinnerbait straight down； counted to twelve； and began the slow retrieve。 The lure swam unmolested past the brushpile and rattled up； up； up toward the surface。 Its rubber skirt shimmied； and its twin spoons twirled。 Its mechanical agitation exuded the fear of the pursued； yet it did not behave like a frog or a minnow or even a crawdad。 In fact； it resembled absolutely nothing in nature…yet the great fish engulfed it savagely。
Dennis Gault had never felt such a force。 When the fish struck； he answered three times； jerking with all his might。 The rod bowed and the line twanged； but the thing did not budge。 It felt like a cinderblock。
〃Sweet Jesus；〃 Gault said。 〃Elaine； I've got it！〃
She dropped her magazine and went fumbling for the landing net。
〃No； not yet！〃 Her brother was panting so heavily that Lanie wondered if she should get a brown bag ready。
The great fish had begun to do something that no bass had ever been able to do to Dennis Gault…it was taking line。 Not just in a few heady spurts； either； but in a sizzling streak。 Gault pressed his thumb to the spool and yelped as the flesh burned raw before his eyes。 The bass never slowed。
With his free hand Gault turned on the ignition and put the boat in reverse： he would back down on the beast； as if it were a marlin or a tuna。
〃What should I do？〃 Lanie asked； moving to the back of the boat。
〃Take the wheel when I say so。〃
Forty yards away； the fish broke the surface。 Too heavy to clear the water； it thrashed its maw in seismic rage； the lure jingling in its lower lip。 To Dennis Gault the freakish bass seemed as murky and ominous as a bull alligator。 He couldn't even guess at the weight； its mouth looked as broad as a basketball hoop。
〃Holy shit；〃 Lanie said； dazzled。
〃Here； take it。〃 Gault motioned her to the steering wheel。 〃Take it straight back on top of this bitch。〃 He stood up and stuck the butt of the rod in his belly； levering his back and thigh muscles into the fight。 The fish seemed oblivious。 For every foot of line Dennis Gault gained； the giant bass would reclaim two。
〃Faster；〃 Gault told his sister； who nudged the throttle。 She had never driven a Ranger before； but figured it couldn't be much different from the Vette。
Motoring in reverse； the boat gradually ate up the distance between Dennis Gault and the thing on the end of his line。 After several brief surges； the bass bore deep and hunkered on the bottom to regain its wind。
Gault held such faith in his expensive tackle and in his knowledge offish behavior that he felt confident tightening the drag on his reel。 The purpose was to prevent the bass from running out any more line； and for any other hawg the strategy might have worked： the twenty…pound monofilament was extremely strong； the graphite rod pliant but stout。 Finally； and most important to Gault's reasoning； the fish should have rightfully been exhausted after such an extraordinary battle。
Gault twisted the drag down so that nothing smaller than a Mack truck could have stolen more line。 Then he began to reel。
〃I think it's ing；〃 he announced。 〃By God； the fucker's giving up。〃
The great fish bucked its head and resisted surrender； but Gault was able to lift her off the bottom。 Unlike the wily old lunkers of well…traveled farm ponds and tourist lakes； this bass had never before felt the sting of the hook； had never struggled against invisible talons。 She had acquired no tricks to use on Dennis Gault and his powerful noise machine； all she had was her strength； and in the bad water there was little of it left。
Gault savored the feel of the fish weakening； and a faint smile came over his face。 If Dickie weren't already dead； he thought； the sight of this monster hanging at the dock would kill him。 Gault checked to make sure the landing net was within reach。
Then the line went slack。
For a sickening moment Gault thought the bass had broken off； but then he figured it out。 The bass was ing in fast。 He reeled frenetically； trying to bring the line tight。
〃Elaine； it's running at us…go the other way！〃
She jammed the engine in gear and the boat churned forward； roiling the water to a foam。
The great fish came to the top； a big bronze drainpipe； hovering behind the stern。 It was dark enough and deep enough to be the shadow of something； not the thing itself。 For the first time Dennis Gault realized its true dimensions and felt a hot rush。 This fish was undoubtedly a world record； already he could see his name on the plaque。 Already he could picture the bass mounted on the wall behind his desk； the taxidermist would brighten its flanks； touch up the gills； put some fury back in the dull purple eyes。
The fury was there now； only Dennis Gault couldn't see it。
When he pulled on the line； the bass obligingly swam toward the boat。 〃Get the net；〃 he shouted at his sister。 〃Give me the goddamn net。〃
Then； with a kick of its tail； the fish sounded。
〃Reverse！〃 Dennis Gault cried。
Lame jerked on the throttle as hard as she could； and the big outboard cavitated loudly as it backed up。 It was then； with the boat directly overhead； that the fish exhibited what little guile nature had invested in her pebble…sized brain。 She changed direction。
〃No…no…no…no！〃 Dennis Gault was shrieking。
The boat was heading one way； the bass was going the other。 Gault braced his knees against the gunwale。 He clutched the butt of the rod with both hands。
The line came tight。
The rod doubled until the tip pricked the water。 〃Stop！〃 Dennis Gault grunted。 〃Stop； you sorry…dumb…dirty…fat…mother…〃
The great fish did not stop。
With the drag cranked down； Dennis Gault could give her no line。 All he could do was hang on。
〃Let go！〃 Lanie pleaded。
〃No fucking way；〃 said Dennis。 〃This fish is mine。〃
Lanie watched helplessly as her brother pitched over the transom。 The last she saw of him were the soles of his Top…Siders。
The splash was followed by a dreadful low whine； but it was not Dennis' scream。 His scream had died when he hit the propeller； which was turning （according to the dash…mounted tachometer） at precisely four thousand revolutions per minute。 The propeller happened to be a brand…new turbo model SST； so the three cupped stainless blades were as sharp as sabers。 Dennis Gault might as well have fallen facefirst into a two…hundred…horsepower garbage disposal。 Grinding was the sound that his sister had heard。
Lanie cut off the engine and stood up to see what had happened。
〃Dennis？〃 Timorously she peered into the cloudy water； darkening from tea to rust。
A rag…size swatch of sky…blue fabric floated up； a piece of Dennis Gault's official Bass Blasters jumpsuit。 When Lanie saw it； she knew there was no point in diving in after her brother。 She held on to the side of the boat with both hands； leaned over； and daintily tossed her croissants。
A hundred yards away； at the point where Charlie Weeb's canal met the dike； the great fish crashed to the surface； shook its head； and threw the hook。
They sat on the hood of the car； parked among the bass trucks。 They had a good view of the stage； the weigh…in station； the ramp； and the dock。 The sun was starting to slip behind a low bank of copper clouds； and some of the boats were heading in。
〃You all right？〃 Catherine asked。 She had showered and brushed out her hair and changed clothes。 Decker had stopped at a shopping mall and bought her some slacks and a kelly…green blouse； she'd been touched that he still remembered her size。
〃I'm fine；〃 Decker said。 His mental lens had preserved Thomas Curl in three frames； none of them pretty。
Catherine said； 〃James'll never believe all this。〃
Decker looked at her in an odd way。 Immediately she felt rotten about mentioning her husband。
Decker said； 〃See the excitement you're missing； not being married to me？〃
〃I don't remember it quite like this。〃
〃I do；〃 Decker said； 〃just like this。〃 He smiled and gave her hand a little squeeze。 Catherine felt relieved； he'd be all right。 She slid off the car and went to scout the food at the buffet； which was set up near the stage。
From out of somewhere Skink materialized and stole Catherine's place on the hood。
〃Nice threads；〃 Decker said。
〃First suit I've worn in years。〃
〃The hat's a treat too。〃
Skink shrugged。 〃You missed the show。〃
〃What happened？〃
〃Preacher tried to heal me。〃
Decker laughed a little as Skink told the story。
〃That explains where the crowd went；〃 he said。
〃Scattered like hamsters；〃 Skink said。 〃Worst part is； I lost the damn eye。 Just kept rolling。〃
〃We'll get you a new one。〃
〃Not an owl this time； either。 I'd prefer a boar…one of those big nasty bastards。〃
Up to this moment； Decker had been watching the boats race in。 Now he turned to Skink and in a quiet voice said； 〃I'm in some trouble； captain。〃
Skink clicked his tongue against his teeth。
〃I killed that man；〃 Decker said。
〃Figured as much。〃
〃There was no other way。〃
Skink asked what happened to the body； and Decker told him。 〃Don't worry about it；〃 he said。 〃You did good。〃
〃Don't worry about it？〃
〃You heard me。〃
Decker sighed。 He felt detached and fuzzy； as if he were having an out…of…body experience。 He felt as if he were in a tall tree looking down on himself and this hoary character in a straw hat； a bad suit； and sunglasses。 From this vantage Skink woul