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work. Over the years Muzzy had set him up with Family when Jerry needed freelancing. He had even procured the phony detective ID. Jerry was obliged to him. But more importantly, Muzzy had recently moved his business into the space age so that he could lay those fat little sausages on information Jerry needed. |
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"You hear what's on tonight?" Muzzy asked. |
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"Your kind of thing." Muzzy beamed. "Jackals." |
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Though most of the matches were pit bulls, for kicks they would pit other breedsDobermans, chows, German shepherds and Rottweilers. Sometimes they would hold "Mixy-Matchies." |
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"How did they get jackals into the country?" |
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"They were already here." Muzzy said. "The Fig got 'em from a zoo in Atlanta." |
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Muzzy sent Mooch to save their seats, then took Jerry out back to the two cages separated from the rest. |
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The lights were low but Jerry could make out the creatures. They looked like dogs Satan might keeplean, snouty things with long, pointed ears, vicious teeth and hot eyes. As Jerry bent closer to one cage, the dog let out a savage growl. It laid its ears back and bared its teeth. Jerry felt a ripple of excitement. |
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"'Black-backed male jackalCanis mesomelas, or whatever the fuck. Three-year-old male, from Kenya,'" Muzzy said. He was reading from a card on top of the cage. "They're the biggest of the jackals, and the meanest. Feed on antelopes. Name's Carlos." He laughed. "Pretty good, huh? The other guy's Joe. Joe Jackal." |
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He punched the cage, and the animal let out a volley of sharp, high-pitched barks. |
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"Fucking dogs from hell, is all." |
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The animal's ears flattened back, its hackles stood up, and maroon eyes blazed at Jerry with savage cunning. Deep, jungle eyes that buzzed to get at the fat man's flesh. For a moment Jerry lost himself in them. He wanted to put his face against that sharp little muzzle to take in that hot Serengeti breath. "Beautiful," he whispered. |
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The last-call bells went off, sending them to their seats. |
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"The next time, the Fig says, he's gonna try to get a couple |
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