ntle Tequesta Indians shared wild turkey and fresh coconut milk under the palms。 It was a testament to Charles Chelsea's imagination （and mortal fear of Kingsbury） that even the most shameful episodes were reinterpreted with a positive mercial spin。 A float titled 〃Migrants on a Mission〃 depicted a dozen cheery； healthful farm workers singing Jamaican folk songs and swinging their machetes in a precisely choreographed break…dance through the cane fields。 Tourists loved it。 So did the Okeechobee Sugar Federation； which had bankrolled the production in order to improve its image。
One of the highlights of the pageant was the arrival of 〃the legendary Seminole maiden〃 known as Princess Golden Sun。 No such woman and no such lore ever existed； Charles Chelsea had invented her basically as an excuse to show tits and ass； and pass it off as ethnic culture。 Traditional Seminole garb was deemed too dowdy for the parade； so Princess Golden Sun appeared in a micro…bikini made of simulated deerskin。 The authentic Green Corn Dance； a sacred Seminole rite； was politely discarded as too solemn and repetitious； instead Golden Sun danced the lambada； a pelvic…intensive Latin step。 Surrounded by ersatz Indian warriors wearing bright Brazilian slingshots； the princess proclaimed in song and mime her passionate love for the famous Seminole chieftain Osceola。 At the news of his death； she broke into tears and vowed to haunt the Everglades forever in search of his spirit。 The peak of the drama； and the parade； was the moment when Golden Sun mounted a wild panther （in this case； a heavily drugged African lioness） and disappeared from sight in a rising fog of dry ice。
It was the role most coveted among the female actors employed at the Amazing Kingdom； and for six months it had belonged to Annette Fury； a dancer of mountainous dimensions whose previous job was as a waitress at a topless doughnut shop in Fort Lauderdale。 A petent singer； Miss Fury had done so well with the role of Princess Golden Sun that the newspaper in Key Largo had done a nice write…up； including a photograph of Miss Fury straddling the bleary…eyed cat。 The reporter had been careful to explain that the spavined animal was not actually a Florida panther； since real panthers were all but extinct。 Given Princess Golden Sun's appearance； it was doubtful that a single reader even noticed the lion in the picture。 Miss Fury's pose…head flung back； eyes closed； tongue between the teeth…was suggestive enough to provoke indignant outcries from a fundamentalist church in Big Pine Key； as well as the entire Seminole Nation； or what was left of it。 At the first whiff of controversy； Charles Chelsea swiftly purchased the negatives from the newspaper and converted the most provocative one to a color postcard； which went on sale for 1。95 in all gift shops in the Amazing Kingdom of Thrills。 As far as Chelsea was concerned； a star had been born。
On the night of July 25； however； Annette Fury's stint as Princess Golden Sun ended abruptly in a scandal that defied even Chelsea's talents for cosmetic counter…publicity。 Shortly before the pageant； the dancer had ingested what were probably the last three Quaalude tablets in the entire continental United States。 She had scrounged the dusty pills from the stale linty recesses of her purse； and washed them down with a warm bottle of Squirt。 They had kicked in just as the float made the wide horseshoe turn onto Kingsbury Lane。 By the time it rolled past the Cimarron Saloon； Annette Fury was bottomless； having surrendered her deerskin costume to a retired postal worker who had brought his wife and family all the way from Providence； Rhode Island。 By the time the float reached the Wet Willy； the stone…faced Indian entourage of Princess Golden Sun had been augmented by nine rowdy Florida State fraternity men； who were taking turns balancing the drowsy young maiden on their noses； or so it must have appeared to the children in the audience。 Afterwards； several parents threatened to file criminal obscenity charges against the park。 They were appeased by a prompt written apology signed by Francis X。 Kingsbury； and a gift of laminated lifetime passes to the Amazing Kingdom。 Reluctantly； Charles Chelsea advised the Talent Manager to inform Annette Fury that her services were no longer required。 The following day； Carrie Lanier was told that the role of Princess Golden Sun was hers if she wanted it。 This was after they'd asked for her measurements。
So tonight she'd splurged on a bottle of Mondavi。
〃To the late Robbie Raccoon；〃 Carrie said； raising her glass。
〃No one did him better；〃 said Joe Winder。
He put on a tape of Dire Straits and they both agreed that it sounded pretty darn good； even with only one speaker。 The wine was tolerable； as well。
Carrie said； 〃I told them I want a new costume。〃
〃Something in beads and grass would be authentic。〃
〃Also； no lip…synching；〃 she said。 〃I don't care if the music's canned； but I want to do my own singing。〃
〃What about the lion？〃 Joe Winder asked。
〃They swear she's harmless。〃
〃Tranked out of her mind is more like it。 I'd be concerned； if I were you。〃
〃If she didn't maul Annette； I can't imagine why she'd go after me。〃
A police siren penetrated the aluminum husk of the trailer； Joe Winder could hear it even over the guitar music and the tubercular groan of the ancient air conditioner。 Parting the drapes； he watched one Metro squad car； and then another； enter the trailer park at high speed。 Throwing dust； they sped past the turnoff to Carrie's place。
〃Another domestic；〃 Winder surmised。
〃We average about four a week。〃 Carrie refilled the wineglasses。 〃People who take love too damn seriously。〃
〃Which reminds me。〃 He opened his wallet and removed twelve dollars and placed it on a wicker table。 〃I was a very bad boy。 I called her three times。〃
〃You shmuck。〃
The Nina Situation。 Every time he picked up the phone； it added four bucks to Carrie Lanier's bill。 Worse； Nina pretended not to recognize his voice…stuck to the script to the bitter end； no matter how much he pleaded for her to shut up and listen。
〃It is pathetic；〃 Winder conceded。
〃No other word for it。〃
〃Haven't you ever been like this？〃 Obsessed is what he meant。
〃Nope。〃 Carrie shrugged。 〃I've got to be honest。〃
〃So what's the matter with me？〃
〃You're just having a bad week。〃
She went to the bedroom and changed to a lavender nightshirt that came down to the knees…actually； a good four inches above the knees。 Her hair was pulled back in a loose； sandy…colored ponytail。
Winder said； 〃You look sixteen years old。〃 Only about three dozen other guys must have told her the same thing。 His heart was pounding a little harder than he expected。 〃Tomorrow I'll get a motel room；〃 he said。
〃No； you're staying here。〃
〃I appreciate it but…〃
〃Please；〃 Carrie said。 〃Please stay。〃
〃I've got serious plans。 You won't approve。〃
〃How do you know？ Besides； I'm a little nervous about this new job。 It's nice to have someone here at the end of the day； someone to talk with。〃
Gazing at her； Winder thought： God； don't do this to me。 Don't make me say it。
But he did： 〃You just want to keep an eye on me。 You're afraid I'll screw everything up。〃
〃You're off to a pretty good start。〃
〃It's only fair to warn you： I'm going after Kingsbury。〃
〃That's what I figured； Joe。 Call it a wild hunch。〃 She took his hand and led him toward the bedroom。
I'm not ready for this； Winder thought。 Sweat broke out in a linear pattern on the nape of his neck。 He felt as if he were back in high school； the day the prettiest cheerleader winked at him in biology class； at the time； he'd been examining frog sperm under a microscope； and the wink from Pamela Shaughnessy had fractured his concentration。 It had taken a month or two for Joe Winder to recover； and by then Pamela was knocked up by the co…captain of the junior wrestling squad。 The teacher said that's what she got for not paying attention in class。
The sheets in Carrie Lanier's bedroom were rose； the blanket was plum。 A novel by Anne Tyler was open on the bedstand； next to a bottle of nose drops。
A fuzzy stuffed animal sat propped on the pillow： shoe…button e