chiaasen.stormyweather-第3部分

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　Bonnie　Lamb　couldn't　stand　her　husband's　lordly　tone。　She　couldn't　stand　it　so　much　that　she'd　have　done　anything　to　shut　him　up。
　
　〃All　right；　Max。　Bring　me　my　robe。〃
　
　He　kissed　her　noisily　on　the　forehead。　〃Thatta　girl。〃
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　TWO
　
　
　Snapper　and　Edie　Marsh　got　two　rooms　at　the　Best　Western　in　Pembroke　Pines；　thirty　miles　north　of　where　the　storm　was　predicted　to　e　ashore。　Snapper　told　the　motel　clerk　that　one　room　would　be　enough；　but　Edie　said　not　on　your　damn　life。　The　relationship　had　always　been　strictly　business；　Snapper　being　an　occasional　fence　of　women's　wear　and　Edie　being　an　occasional　thief　of　same。　Their　new　venture　was　to　be　another　entrepreneurial　partnership；　more　ambitious　but　not　more　intimate。　Up　front　Edie　alerted　Snapper　that　she　couldn't　imagine　a　situation　in　which　she'd　have　sex　with　him；　even　once。　He　did　not　seem　poleaxed　by　the　news。
　
　She　went　to　bed　covering　her　ears；　trying　to　shut　out　the　hellish　moan　of　the　storm。　It　was　more　than　she　could　bear　alone。　During　the　brief　calm　of　the　eye；　she　pounded　on　the　door　to　Snapper's　room　and　said　she　was　scared　half　to　death。　Snapper　said　e　on　in；　we're　having　ourselves　a　time。
　
　Somewhere　in　the　midst　of　a　hurricane；　he'd　found　a　hooker。　Edie　was　impressed。　The　woman　clutched　a　half…empty　bottle　of　Barbancourt　between　her　breasts。　Snapper　had　devoted　himself　to　vodka；　he　wore　a　Marlins　cap　and　red　Jockey　shorts；　inside　out。　Candles　gave　the　motel　room　a　soft；　religious　lighting。　The　electricity　had　been　out　for　two　hours。
　
　Edie　Marsh　introduced　herself　to　the　prostitute；　whom　Snapper　had　procured　through　a　telephone　escort　service。　Here　was　a　dedicated　employee！　thought　Edie。
　
　The　back　side　of　the　storm　came　up；　a　roar　so　unbearable　that　the　three　of　them　huddled　like　orphans　on　the　floor。　The　candles　flickered　madly　as　the　wind　sucked　at　the　windows。　Edie　could　see　the　walls　breathing…Christ；　what　a　lousy　idea　this　was！　A　large　painting　of　a　pelican　fell；　grazing　one　of　the　hooker's　ankles。　She　cried　out　softly　and　gnawed　at　her　artificial　fingernails。　Snapper　kept　to　the　vodka。　Occasionally　his　free　hand　would　turn　up　like　a　spider　on　Edie's　thigh。　She　smashed　it；　but　Snapper　merely　sighed。
　
　By　dawn　the　storm　had　crossed　inland；　and　the　high　water　was　falling　fast。　Edie　Marsh　put　on　a　conservative　blue　dress　and　dark　nylons；　and　pinned　her　long　brown　hair　in　a　bun。　Snapper　wore　the　only　suit　he　owned；　a　slate　pinstripe　he'd　purchased　two　years　earlier　for　an　ex…cellmate's　funeral；　the　cuffed　trousers　stopped　an　inch　shy　of　his　shoetops。　Edie　chuckled　and　said　that　was　perfect。
　
　They　dropped　the　prostitute　at　a　Denny's　restaurant　and　took　the　Turnpike　south　to　see　what　the　hurricane　had　done。　Traffic　was　bumper…to…bumper　lunacy；　fire　engines　and　cop　cars　and　ambulances　everywhere。　The　radio　said　Homestead　had　been　blown　off　the　map。　The　governor　was　sending　the　National　Guard。
　
　Snapper　headed　east　on　152nd　Street　but　immediately　got　disoriented。　All　traffic　signals　and　street　signs　were　down；　Snapper　couldn't　find　Sugar　Palm　Hammocks。
　
　Edie　Marsh　became　agitated。　She　kept　repeating　the　address　aloud：　14275　Noriega　Parkway。　One…four…two…seven…five。　Tan　house；　brown　shutters；　swimming　pool；　two…car　garage。　Avila　had　guessed　it　was　worth　185；000。
　
　〃If　we　don't　hurry；〃　Edie　told　Snapper；　〃if　we　don't　get　there　soon…〃
　
　Snapper　instructed　her　to　shut　the　holy　fuck　up。
　
　〃Wasn't　there　a　Dairy　Queen？〃　Edie　went　on。　〃I　remember　him　turning　at　a　Dairy　Queen　or　something。〃
　
　Snapper　said；　〃The　Dairy　Queen　is　gone。　Every　goddamn　thing　is　gone；　case　you　didn't　notice。　We're　flying　blind　out　here。〃
　
　Edie　had　never　seen　such　destruction；　it　looked　like　Castro　had　nuked　the　place。　Houses　without　roofs；　walls；　windows。　Trailers　and　cars　crumpled　like　foil。　Trees　in　the　swimming　pools。　People　weeping；　Sweet　Jesus；　and　everywhere　the　plonking　of　hammers　and　the　growling　of　chain　saws。
　
　Snapper　said　they　could　do　another　house。　〃There's　only　about　ten　thousand　to　choose　from。〃
　
　〃I　suppose。〃
　
　〃What's　so　special　about　1…4…2…7…5？〃
　
　〃It　had　personality；〃　Edie　Marsh　said。
　
　Snapper　drummed　his　knuckles　on　the　steering　wheel。　〃They　all　look　the　same。　All　these　places；　exactly　the　same。〃
　
　His　gun　lay　on　the　seat　between　them。
　
　〃Fine；〃　said　Edie；　unsettled　by　the　change　of　plans；　the　chaos；　the　grim　dripping　skies。　〃Fine；　we'll　find　another　one。〃
　
　Max　and　Bonnie　Lamb　arrived　in　Dade　County　soon　after　daybreak。　The　roads　were　slick　and　gridlocked。　The　gray　sky　was　growling　with　TV　helicopters。　The　radio　said　two　hundred　thousand　homes　were　seriously　damaged　or　destroyed。　Meanwhile　the　Red　Cross　was　pleading　for　donations　of　food；　water　and　clothing。
　
　The　Lambs　exited　the　Turnpike　at　Quail　Roost　Drive。　Bonnie　was　stunned　by　the　devastation；　Max　himself　was　aglow。　He　held　the　Handycam　on　his　lap　as　he　steered。　Every　two　or　three　blocks；　he　slowed　to　videotape　spectacular　rubble。　A　flattened　hardware　store。　The　remains　of　a　Sizzler　steak　house。　A　school　bus　impaled　by　a　forty…foot　pine。
　
　〃Didn't　I　tell　you？〃　Max　Lamb　was　saying。　〃Isn't　it　amazing！〃
　
　Bonnie　Lamb　shuddered。　She　said　they　should　stop　at　the　nearest　shelter　and　volunteer　to　help。
　
　Max　paid　no　attention。　He　parked　in　front　of　an　exploded　town　house。　The　hurricane　had　thrown　a　motorboat　into　the　living　room。　The　family…a　middle…aged　Latin　man；　his　wife；　two　little　girls…stood　in　a　daze　on　the　sidewalk。　They　wore　matching　yellow　rain　slickers。
　
　Max　Lamb　got　out　of　the　car。　〃Mind　if　I　get　some　video？〃
　
　The　man　numbly　consented。　Max　photographed　the　wrecked　building　from　several　dramatic　angles。　Then；　stepping　through　the　plaster　and　broken　furniture　and　twisted　toys；　he　casually　entered　the　house。　Bonnie　couldn't　believe　it：　He　walked　right　through　the　gash　that　was　once　the　front　door！
　
　She　apologized　to　the　family；　but　the　man　said　he　didn't　mind；　he'd　need　pictures　anyway；　for　the　insurance　people。　His　daughters　began　to　sob　and　tremble。　Bonnie　Lamb　knelt　to　fort　them。　Over　her　shoulder　she　caught　sight　of　her　husband　with　the　camera　at　his　eye；　recording　the　scene　through　a　broken　window。
　
　Later；　in　the　rental　car；　she　said：　〃That　was　the　sickest　thing　I　ever　saw。〃
　
　〃Yes；　it's　very　sad。〃
　
　〃I'm　talking　about　you；〃　Bonnie　snapped。
　
　〃What？〃
　
　〃Max；　I　want　to　go　home。〃
　
　〃I　bet　we　can　sell　some　of　this　tape。〃
　
　〃Don't　you　dare。〃
　
　Max　said：　〃I　bet　we　can　sell　it　to　C…SPAN。　Pay　for　the　whole　honeymoon！〃
　
　Bonnie　closed　her　eyes。　What　had　she　done？　Was　her　mother　right　about　this　man？　Latent　asshole；　her　mother　had　whispered　at　the　wedding。　Was　she　right？
　
　At　dusk　Edie　Marsh　swallowed　two　Darvons　and　reviewed　the　plan　with　Snapper；　who　was　having　second　thoughts。　He　seemed　troubled　at　the　idea　of　waiting　weeks　for　the　payoff。　Edie　said　there　wasn't　much　choice；　the　way　insurance　worked。　Snapper　said　he　planned　to　keep　his　options　open；　just　the　same。　Edie　Marsh　took　it　to　mean　he'd　bug　out　on　a　moment's　notice。
　
　They　had　picked　a　house　in　a　flattened　development　called　Turtle　Meadow；　where　the　hurricane　had　peeled　away　all　the　roofs。　Snapper　said　it　was　probably　one　of　Avila's　routes。　He　said　Avila　had　bragged　of　inspecting　eighty　new　homes　a　day　without　leaving　the　truck。　〃Rolling　quotas；〃　is　what　Avila　called　them。　Snapper　allowed　that　Avila　wasn't　much　of　a　roof　inspector；　as　he　was　deathly　afraid　of　heights　and　therefore　refused　to　take　a　ladder　on　his　rounds。　Consequently；　Avila's　roof　certifications　were　done　visually；　from　a　vehicle；　at　speeds　often　exceeding　thirty…five　miles　an　hour。　Snapper　said　Avila's　swiftness　and　trusting　attitude　had　made　him　a　favorite　among　the　local　builders　and　contractors；　especially　at　Christmastime。
　
　Scanning　the　debris；　Edie　Marsh　said　Avila　was　damn　lucky　not　to　be　in　jail。　That's　why　he　quit　when　he　did；　Snapper　explained。　The　bones　told　him　it　was　time。　That；　and　a　grand　jury。
　
　Bones？　said　Edie。
　
　You　don't　want　to　know；　Snapper　said。　Honestly。
　
　They　were　walking　along　the　sidewalk；　across　the　street　from　the　house　they　had　chosen　on　the　drive…by　that　morning。　Now　the　neighborhood　was　pitch　black　except　for　the　erratic　flicker　of　flashlights　and　the　glow　of　a　few　small　bonfires。　Many　families　had　abandoned　the　crumbled　shells　of　their　homes　for　nearby　motels；　but　a　few　men　had　stayed　to　patrol　against　looters。　The　men　wore　pinched　tense　expressions　and　carried　shotguns。　Snapper　was　glad　to　be　white　and　wearing　a　suit。
　
　The　house　he　and　Edie　Marsh　had　chosen　wasn't　empty；　dark　or　quiet。　A　bare　light　bulb　had　been　strung　from　the　skeletal　remains　of　the　roof；　and　the　gray…blue　glow　of　a　television　set　pulsed　against　the　plaster。　These　luxuries　were　explained　by　the　rumble　of　a　portable　generator。　Edie　and　Snapper　had　seen　a　fat　man　gassing　it　up　earlier　in　the　day。
　
　The　street　was　either　Turtle　Meadow　Lane　or　Calusa　Drive；　depending　on　which　of　the　fallen　street　signs　was　accurate。　The　number　〃15600〃　was　sprayed　in　red　paint　on　an　outside　wall　of　the　house；　as　was　the　name　of　the　insurance　pany：　〃Midwest　Casualty。〃
　
　A　big　outfit；　Edie　noted。　She'd　seen　the　mercials　on　television；　the　pany's　symbol　was　a　badger。
　
　〃A　badger？〃　Snapper　frowned。　〃The　fuck　does　a　badger　have　to　do　with　insurance？〃
　
　〃I　dunno。〃　Edie's　mouth　was　dry。　She　felt　sleepy。　〃What　does　a　cougar　have　to　do　with　cars？　It's　just　advertising　is　all。〃
　
　Snapper　said；　〃The　only　thing　I　know　about　badgers　is　they're　stubborn。　And　the　last　goddamn　thing　we　need's　a　stubborn　insurance　pany。〃
　
　Edie　said；　〃For　heaven's　sake…〃
　
　〃Let's　find　another　house。〃
　
　〃No！〃　Weaving　slightly；　she　crossed　the　street　toward　15600。
　
　〃You　hear　me？〃　Snapper　called；　then　started　after　her。
　
　Edie　wheeled　in　the　driveway。　〃Let's　do　it！〃　she　said。　〃Right　now；　while　it's　quiet。〃
　
　Snapper　hesitated；　working　his　jaw　like　a　dazed　boxer。
　
　〃e　on！〃　Edie　tugged　her　hair　out　of　the　bun　and　mussed　it　into　a　nest　in　front　of　her　face。　Then　she　hitched　her　dress　and　raked　her　fingernails　up　both　thighs；　tearing　tracks　in