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Now Deal told him everything。 The traffic jam that turned into bedlam in Coconut Grove； then wheeling the Hog down a side street； the specterlike vision of the man draped in the shrimp net； then the plunge and crunching descent into the black； brackish water。 By the time he told about the manatee； the old woman； and the box； it was a three…beer story。
〃What should we do； Jake？〃 Deal asked； finally。
〃Shula would go with the play…action fake； get the corner to bite； then throw deep。 But me； I just buckle up the chin strap； lower the head； and slog straight ahead。〃
〃What the hell's that supposed to mean？〃
〃Watch。〃
Lassiter stood and headed to the guy's table； carrying a fresh Grolsch； a sixteen…ouncer with the porcelain stopper。 〃Hey； buddy； I wonder if you would move。〃
The guy glared at him and looked around。 There were no empty tables。 〃Move？ Where？〃
〃Hialeah； Sopchoppy； I don't care。 You're crowding my friend。〃
The guy stood up； barely reaching Lassiter's shoulders。 He had the thick neck and sloping shoulders of a bodybuilder。 A tattoo of a scorpion was visible on his right forearm。 〃My name is Hector；〃 he said； without smiling； 〃and your friend has something I want very much。〃
〃What； a personality？〃
At the next table； one of the Yuppie lawyers was boasting about tossing out a paraplegic's lawsuit because the statute of limitations had expired。
〃Your thieving friend stole something from me；〃 Hector said angrily。
〃Yeah； well； under the law of the sea； the Treaty of Versailles； and the doctrine of finders keepers； what he found belongs to him。〃
Hector grinned； but there was no humor in it。 〃No； cabron； it belongs to me。〃
〃Look； Hector； I'm going to count to ten； and when I get there； you're gone。 One 。。。 two 。。。 three 。。。 C'mon； make yourself scarce。 Cuatro 。。。 cinco 。。。 seis 。。。 Hey； Hector； vete！ Seven 。。。 eight 。。。 nine 。。。 〃
Suddenly； Hector slammed a size 10…EEE cowboy boot on Lassiter's instep。 The pain shot through his ankle and radiated up his leg。 Before Lassiter could recover； Hector threw a short right back； sinking it deep into his gut。 The lawyer doubled over； retched； and an explosion of grilled dolphin； coleslaw； and beer showered the Yuppie lawyers。
Deal got painfully to his feet and hobbled over； but Hector was already halfway to the dock； where a Boston Whaler sat idling； a young man at the wheel。 Hector leapt into the boat； which took off； engine roaring in the no…wake zone。
Deal knelt down next to Lassiter； who was on one knee。 〃You look worse than I do； counselor。〃
〃On the other hand；〃 Lassiter said； wheezing； 〃there is something to be said for the play…action fake。〃
The moonlight streaked across the dark water； a highway reaching toward the horizon。 A light breeze blew from the southeast； and the dive boat rocked gently at anchor。 The twinkling lights of Key Biscayne condos were visible to the west。 Jake Lassiter sat in the captain's chair； his bandaged foot resting inside an open cooler filled with beer and ice。 John Deal removed his cervical collar and kneaded the muscles of his aching neck； then popped three Advil。 It had been a long day。
〃I can't believe you didn't even open it；〃 Lassiter said。
〃The old woman told me not to； said I'd be better off just to get rid of it。〃
〃It could be jewels； drugs。〃
〃Ebola virus；〃 Deal added。
Lassiter shook his head。 〃No。 It's gotta be something valuable。 Why else would Hector want it so much？〃
Deal shrugged and looked over the rail into the water。 Seventy feet below； a Boeing 727 sat on the sandy bottom； an artificial reef for the fishermen and divers。 〃If the storms last month haven't stirred up everything； we'll know soon enough。〃 In the dark water below； a light was growing brighter。 〃Can you trust her？〃 Deal asked。
〃I've known Fay Leonard since she was a kid catching lobsters bare…handed off Islamorada。 She's a good diver and a good friend。〃
〃So the two of you aren't 。。。 〃
He let it hang there。
〃Ancient history； John。 Ancient history。〃
There was a splash； and suddenly Fay was behind the boat。 She spit out the regulator and slid her face mask on top of her head； and once again Deal had the powerful sense that he knew her from somewhere。 It had been itching at him since they'd first met； but 。。。 well； it'd e to him。 With her free hand； she slung a net onto the dive platform。 Inside the net was a round metal canister wrapped in plastic。 Lassiter hobbled toward the stern； his foot throbbing； and Deal walked stiffly to meet him。 Fay came halfway up the dive ladder。 〃It was just where you said it would be； John； in three feet of sand just under the cockpit。〃
Fay pulled herself onto the dive platform； removed her tank； mask and flippers； then； without a word； peeled off her one…piece suit。 She was a lithe； tanned； athletic woman in her early thirties； with sun…bleached hair tied back in a ponytail。 〃Jake； I'm going to take a swim；〃 Fay said。 〃The water's beautiful。〃
〃Don't you want to see what's…〃
〃No； you boys play treasure salvors。 There's a big old manatee out there who wants some pany。 Just yell when you want to head back in。〃
She slipped gracefully into the water； the moonlight reflecting off her long limbs as she swam into the darkness。 〃I must be getting old；〃 Lassiter said； 〃 'cause I'd rather see what's in that box than go skinny…dipping with Fay Leonard。〃
〃As I recall； she didn't exactly invite you。〃
〃Sure she did； John； in a woman's roundabout way。〃
〃The way I heard it； she'd rather swim naked with a manatee。〃
Lassiter thought about it a moment and said； 〃Fay was always partial to linemen。〃
〃C'mon；〃 Deal said。 〃Let's do it。〃
They huddled over their prize；； Deal unwrapping the plastic； Lassiter holding a flashlight。 It took less than a minute。 Underneath the plastic； a shiny steel canister the size of a hatbox。 A wheel lock secured a door built into the top。 Deal strained to turn the wheel counterclockwise。 〃It's stuck；〃 he said； his face reddening。
Together they pulled； and after a moment； the wheel turned and the small door opened with a whoosh。 Inside； a circle of tiny green lights immediately flashed red； and a blast of frigid air escaped。 In the center of the lights； a second door with a simple slide latch led to another partment。
〃Well； counselor； here goes；〃 Deal said。
They both held their breath。 They were unaware of Fay Leonard swimming fifty yards away in the darkness； the giant manatee Booger alongside。 They were unaware of the Boston Whaler with two men aboard； anchored directly in Fay's path。 They were unaware of anything and everything in the whole wide world and the deep blue sea； except what treasure might rest in front of them。
Deal slid the latch and opened the interior door as Lassiter shone the flashlight inside。
〃Uh…oh；〃 Lassiter said。
〃Oh Lord；〃 Deal said。
Lassiter exhaled a tense breath。 〃Turn it over。〃
〃No； you。〃
〃C'mon。 It's not alive。〃
〃You're the ambulance chaser； Jake。 You've seen stuff like this before。〃
〃No I haven't。〃
Wincing； Lassiter reached into the partment and grabbed the human head by its thick； graying hair。 〃It's cold；〃 Lassiter said。 〃Like it's being preserved。〃
He turned the head over； faceup； then dropped it back into the canister。
And there it was。
Bushy beard and all。
Staring at them with wide…open eyes； a startled look on that familiar face。
The face of Fidel Castro。
4。 THE L。A。 CONNECTION…Edna Buchanan
Moments earlier； Britt Montero had been hungry and feverish； battling deadlines and the blues； yearning to go home； desperate and exhausted； her brain an overloaded puter about to crash。 But she never could resist a ringing telephone。 And Jake Lassiter knew exactly what to say。
〃Have I got a story for you！〃
She felt the adrenaline pump and her brain cells kick back into life。 Her blood began to tingle。 She loved to hear those words； but still； she reacted with caution。
〃Have you been drinking； Jake？〃
〃Hell； yeah；〃 he said。 〃You would be too。 I've got John Deal here 。。。 〃
She pinched the bridge of her upturned nose and tried to ignore the distant drumbeat of an impending headache。 〃Isn't he the one that wrecked that entire showroom full of exotic cars 。。。 ？〃
〃Yep； that's him； he's a client of mine。〃
It did not surprise Britt that John Deal needed a lawyer。
〃Did your jury just e in？〃
〃No 。。。 〃
〃Then call me tomorrow。〃
〃This isn't about him； not directly anyway。〃 Jake lowered his deep voice for dramatic effect。 〃This story is so big that when word gets out； there will be riots in the streets； power grabs； and the whole damn revolution will e down。〃
〃What are you talking about？〃
〃You've got to see this to believe it。〃
〃Where are you？〃
〃Crandon Park Marina。 Can you meet us here right away？ And； uh； could you grab a couple of recent pictures； close…ups； of Fidel Castro from the newspaper morgue and bring them with you？〃
〃Castro？ What is this？ If you're putting me on； Jake 。。。 〃
〃Scout's honor； this is dead serious； in fact it could be a matter of life or death。 Uh； check the wires too； before you leave。 See if anything unusual is ing out of Havana。〃
Britt hung up and punched the send button on her pu