hung the first bag than he had felt the surge； the heat； the tingling glory of muscles in rapture。 Even at ease； his prodigious biceps twitched and rippled as if prodded by invisible electrodes。
Joe Winder wondered why Pedro Luz kept staring down at himself； smiling as he admired the dimensions of his own broad chest and log…sized arms。
〃Are you feeling all right？〃 Winder asked。
Pedro Luz looked up from his reverie and blinked； toadlike。
Affably； Winder remarked； 〃You're working mighty late tonight。〃
Pedro Luz grunted： 〃I feel fine。〃 He walked up to the desk and grabbed the briefcase。 〃You got no authorization to be here after hours。〃
〃Mr。 Chelsea won't mind。〃
Invoking Charlie's name made no impression on Pedro Luz； who plucked a leaf out of Joe Winder's hair。 〃Look at this shit on your head！〃
〃I spent some time in the mangroves；〃 Winder said。 〃Ate snake…on…a…stick。〃
Pedro Luz announced： 〃I'm keeping your damn briefcase。〃 He tucked it under his right arm。 〃Until I see some fucking authorization。〃
〃What's in the IV bag？〃 Joe Winder asked。
〃Vitamins；〃 said Pedro Luz。 〃Now get the hell out。〃
〃You know what I think？ I think Will Koocher was murdered。〃
Pedro Luz scrunched his face as if something toxic were burning his eyes。 His jaw was set so rigidly that Joe Winder expected to hear the teeth start exploding one by one； like popcorn。
Winder said； 〃Well； I guess I'll be going。〃
Pedro Luz followed him out the door； the IV rig squeaking behind them。 To the back of Winder's neck； he growled； 〃You dumb little shit； now I gotta do a whole report。〃
〃Pedro； you need some rest。〃
〃The doctor wasn't murdered。 He killed hisself。〃
〃I don't think so。〃
〃Man； I used to be a cop。 I know the difference between murder and suicide。〃
Pedro Luz turned around to lock the laboratory door。 Joe Winder thought it would be an excellent moment to snatch his briefcase from the security man and make a run for it。 He figured Pedro Luz could never catch him as long as he was attached to the cumbersome IV rig。 Winder pondered the daring maneuver too long。
Pedro Luz glanced over his shoulder and caught him staring at the briefcase。
〃Go ahead；〃 the big man taunted。 〃Just go ahead and try。〃
Francis X。 Kingsbury and Jake Harp had an early starting time at the Ocean Reef Club； up the road a few miles from the Amazing Kingdom of Thrills。 Kingsbury played golf two or three times a week at Ocean Reef； even though he was not a member and would never be a member。 A most exclusive outfit； the Ocean Reef board had voted consistently to blackball Kingsbury because it could not verify several important details of his biography； beginning with his name。 Infuriated by the rejection； Kingsbury made himself an unwele presence by wheedling regular golf invitations from all acquaintances who happened to be members； including the famous Jake Harp。
Reluctantly Jake Harp had agreed to play nine holes。 He didn't like golf with rich duffers but it was part of the deal； playing with Francis X。 Kingsbury； though； was a special form of torture。 All he talked about was Disney this and Disney that。 If the stock had dropped a point or two； Kingsbury was euphoric； if the stock was up； he was bellicose and depressed。 He referred to the Disney mascot as Mickey Ratface； or sometimes simply The Rat。 〃The Rat's updating his pathetic excuse for a jungle cruise；〃 Kingsbury would report with a sneer。 〃The fake hippos must be rusting out。〃 Another time； while Jake Harp was lining up a long putt for an eagle； Kingsbury began to cackle。 〃The Rat's got a major problem at the Hall of the Presidents！ Heard they had to yank the Nixon robot because his jowls were molting！〃
Jake Harp； a lifelong Republican； had suppressed the urge to take a Ping putter and clobber Francis X。 Kingsbury into a deep a。 Jake Harp had to remain civil because of the Falcon Trace gig。 It was his second chance at designing a golf course and he didn't want to screw up again； over on Sanibel they were still searching for that mysterious fourteenth tee； the one Jake Harp's architects had mistakenly located in the middle of San Carlos Bay。
As for his title of Falcon Trace 〃touring pro；〃 it was spending money； that's all…tape a couple of television spots； get your face on a billboard； play a couple of charity tournaments in the winter。 Hell； no one seriously expected you to actually show up and give golf lessons。 Not the great Jake Harp。
In the coffee shop Francis X。 Kingsbury announced that he was in a hurry because he was leaving town later in the day。 The sooner the better； thought Jake Harp。
Standing on the first tee； Kingsbury spotted two of the Ocean Reef board members waiting in a foursome behind them。 The men smiled thinly and nodded at him。 Kingsbury placidly flipped them the finger。 Jake Harp grimaced and reached for his driver。
〃Love it；〃 said Kingsbury。 〃Think they're such hot snots。〃
Jake Harp knocked the ball two hundred and sixty yards down the left side of the fairway。 Kingsbury hit it about half as far and shrugged as if he didn't care。 Once he got in the golf cart； he drove like a maniac and cursed bitterly。
〃Our club'll make this place look like a buffalo latrine。〃 The cart jounced heedlessly along the asphalt path。 〃Like fucking Goony Golf…I can't wait。〃
Jake Harp； who was badly hung over； said： 〃Let's take it easy； Frank。〃
〃They're dying to know how I did it；〃 Kingsbury went on； full tilt。 〃This island； it's practically a goddamn nature preserve。 I mean； you can't mow your lawn without a permit from the fucking EPA。〃
He stomped the brake； got out and lined up his second shot。 Jake Harp asked： 〃You gonna use the driver again？〃
Kingsbury swung like a canecutter； topping the ball noisily。 It skidded maybe eighty yards； cutting a bluish vector through the dew…covered grass。
〃Keep your head down；〃 advised Jake Harp。
Kingsbury hopped back in the cart and said： 〃Grand…fathering； that's how I did it。 The guy I bought from； he'd had his permits since '74。 I'm talking Army Corps； Fish and Wildlife； even Interior。 The state…well； yeah； that was a problem。 For that I had to spread a little here and there。 And Monroe County； forget it。〃
He shut up long enough to get out and hit again。 This time he switched to a four…wood； which he skied into a liver…shaped bunker。 〃Fuck me；〃 muttered Francis Kingsbury。 He remained silent as Jake Harp casually knocked his second shot thirty feet from the pin。
〃What was that； a five…iron？ A six？〃
〃A six；〃 replied Jake Harp； pinching the bridge of his nose。 He figured if he could just cut off circulation； it would starve the pain behind his eyeballs and make his hangover go away。
Kingsbury punched the accelerator and they were off again。 〃You know how I got the county boys？ The ones giving me a bad time； I promised 'em units。 Not raw lots； no fucking way…town houses is all； the one…bedrooms with no garage。〃
〃Oh；〃 said Jake Harp； feeling privileged。 He'd been given a double lot； oceanfront； plus first option on one of the spec homes。
〃Townhouses；〃 Kingsbury repeated with a laugh。 〃And they were happy as clams。 All I got to do； it's easy； is sit on the titles until Phase One is built。 You know； keep it off the tax rolls for a few months。 〃Case some damn reporter shows up at the courthouse and starts looking up names。〃
Jake Harp didn't understand the nuances of Francis Kingsbury's scheme。 The man was proud of himself； that much was obvious。
When they pulled up to the sand trap； they saw that Kingsbury's golf ball was practically buried under the lip。 It appeared to have landed at the approximate speed and trajectory of a mortar round。
Kingsbury stood over the ball for a long time； as if waiting for it to make a move。 Finally he said to Jake Harp： 〃You're the pro。 What the hell now； a wedge？ A nine； maybe？〃
〃Your only prayer；〃 said Jake Harp； forcing a rheumy chuckle； 〃is a stick of dynamite。〃 Miraculously； Kingsbury needed only three swings to blast out of the bunker； and two putts to get down。
While waiting on the next tee； Jake Harp said he thought it would be better if he didn't do any more speaking engagements on behalf of Falcon Trace。
Kingsbury scowled。 〃Yeah；