Moose came down the vestibule steps shortly after three o’clock, the fan over his shoulder. It was an ominous-looking chrome thing, over six feet in height and sporting half a dozen thirty-inch transparent blue plastic blades behind its nine-gauge wire screening. With its weighted base, it must have weighed close to two hundred pounds, Lockington figured. Moose eased it to the floor near an electrical outlet. He said, “It’s the biggest damn thing they had.”
Lockington nodded approval.
Moose said, “The guy told me that it’ll blow the balls off a buzzard.”
Lockington said, “Plug it in.”
Moose said, “Do buzzards got—”
“I don’t know, Moose, honest to God, I don’t.”
“Neither did he.”
“Plug it in.”
“If they do, they sure ain’t visible.”
“Plug it in.”
“’Course, I ain’t seen enough buzzards to qualify as an expert.”
“For Christ’s sake, plug it in, will you?”
Moose plugged it in. There was a menacing low-pitched sound, like the warning growl of a mama lion, Lockington thought. The rumble faded into a whine, the whine mounting in pitch to an almost inaudible whistle. Lockington’s cigarette flew from his mouth, a button was ripped from his shirt, the ashtray shot from the desk, the wastebasket capsized and the office was filled with flying papers wheeling like swallows in the gale until they were plastered against the north wall. Lockington was yelling, “Okay, turn it off!”
Moose was behind the fan, looking for the switch. He shouted, “I can’t find the little bastard!”
Lockington roared, “The plug! Pull the fucking plug!”
Moose lunged for the plug, jerking it from the outlet. The torrent subsided. Lockington said, “Jesus Christ Almighty!”
Moose said, “Hey, Lacey, I’ll bet this sonofabitch could blow the balls off an eagle!”
The phone was ringing. Edna Garson said, “I picked up baby back ribs and delicatessen garden salad and a coconut cream pie.”
Lockington said, “Okay.”
Edna said, “You like coconut cream pie?”
“Why not?”
“Is your broiler working?”
“I don’t know—I’ve never used it.”
“Maybe you better come to my place tonight.”
“All right.”
“My broiler works like a charm.”
“It sure does.”