chiaasen.stormyweather-第30部分

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　〃Nice　talk；〃　Edie　said。　God　Almighty；　her　head　hurt。
　
　The　insurance　man　fought　to　steady　his　nerves。　He　was　flabbergasted　to　find　himself　in　the　middle　of　something　so　ugly；　plicated　and　dangerous。　Only　hours　ago　the　arrangement　seemed　foolproof　and　exciting：　a　modestly　fraudulent　claim；　a　beautiful　and　uninhibited　co…conspirator；　a　wild　fling　in　an　abandoned　hurricane　house。
　
　A　bright…red　condom　seemed　appropriate。
　
　Then　out　of　nowhere　appeared　this　Snapper　person；　a　hard…looking　sort　and　an　authentic　criminal；　judging　by　what　Fred　Dove　had　seen　and　heard。　The　insurance　man　didn't　want　such　a　violent　character　for　a　third　partner。　On　the　other　hand；　he　didn't　want　to　die　or　be　harmed　seriously　enough　to　require　hospitalization。　Blue　Cross　would　demand　facts；　as　would　Fred　Dove's　wife。
　
　So　he　offered　Snapper　forty…seven　thousand　dollars。　〃That's　how　it　splits　three　ways。〃
　
　Snapper　swung　the　flashlight　to　Fred　Dove's　face。　He　said；　〃You　figured　that　up　in　your　head？　No　pencil　and　paper；　that's　pretty　good。〃
　
　Yeah；　thought　Edie　Marsh。　Thank　you；　Dr　Einstein。
　
　Fred　Dove　said　to　Snapper：　〃Do　we　have　a　deal？〃
　
　〃Fair　is　fair。〃　He　rose　from　the　BarcaLounger　and　made　his　way　to　the　garage。　Within　moments　the　portable　generator　belched　to　life。　Snapper　returned　to　the　living　room　and　turned　on　the　solitary　lightbulb。　Then；　kneeling　beside　Fred　Dove　and　Edie　Marsh；　he　cut　the　curtain　sash　off　their　wrists。
　
　〃Let's　go　eat；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　fuckin'　starved。〃
　
　Fred　Dove　rose　shakily。　He　modestly　locked　his　hands　in　front　of　his　crotch。　〃I'm　taking　this　thing　off；〃　he　declared。
　
　〃The　rubber？〃　Snapper　gave　him　a　thumbs…up。　〃You　do　that。〃　He　glanced　at　Edie；　who　made　no　effort　to　cover　her　breasts　or　anything　else。　She　eyed　Snapper　in　a　dark　poisonous　way。
　
　He　said；　〃That's　how　you　goin'　to　Denny's？　Fine　by　me。　Maybe　we'll　get　a　free　pie。〃
　
　Wordlessly　Edie　walked　behind　the　Naugahyde　recli…ner；　picked　up　the　crowbar　she'd　left　there；　took　two　steps　toward　Snapper；　and　swung　at　him　with　all　her　strength。　He　went　down　squalling。
　
　Weapon　in　hand；　Edie　Marsh　straddled　him。　Her　damp　and　tangled　hair　had　fallen　to　cover　the　bruised　half　of　her　face。　To　Fred　Dove；　she　looked　untamed　and　dazzling　and　alarmingly　capable…of　homicide。　He　feared'　he　was　about　to　witness　his　first。
　
　Edie　inserted　the　sharp　end　of　the　crowbar　between　Snapper's　deviated　jawbones；　pinning　his　bloodless　tongue　to　his　teeth。
　
　〃Kick　me　again；〃　she　said；　〃and　I'll　have　your　balls　in　a　blender。〃
　
　Fred　Dove　snatched　his　pants　and　his　briefcase；　and　ran。
　
　They　returned　the　borrowed　speedboat　to　the　marina　and　went　back　to　Coral　Gables。　With　great　effort　they　carried　the　man　known　as　Skink　into　Augustine's　house。
　
　Max　Lamb　was　unnerved　by　the　wall　of　grinning　skulls；　but　said　nothing　as　he　made　his　way　down　the　hall　to　the　shower。　Augustine　got　on　the　telephone　to　sort　out　what　had　happened　with　his　dead　uncle's　Cape　buffalo。　Bonnie　fixed　a　pot　of　coffee　and　took　it　to　the　guest　room；　where　the　governor　was　recovering　from　the　animal　dart。　He　and　Jim　Tile　were　talking　when　Bonnie　walked　in。　She　wanted　to　stay　and　listen　to　this　improbable　stranger；　but　she　felt　she　was　intruding。　The　men's　conversation　was　serious；　held　in　low　tones。　She　heard　Skink　say：　〃Brenda's　a　strong　one。　She'll　make　it。〃
　
　Then；　Jim　Tile：　〃I've　tried　every　prayer　I　know。〃
　
　As　Bonnie　slipped　out　the　door；　she　encountered　Max；　sucking　on　a　cigaret　as　he　emerged　from　the　bathroom。　She　resolved　to　be　forbearing　about　her　husband's　odious　new　habit；　which　he　blamed　on　the　battlefield　stress　of　the　abduction。
　
　She　followed　him　to　the　living　room　and　sat　beside　him　on　the　sofa。　There；　in　sensational　detail；　he　described　the　torture　he'd　received　at　the　hands　of　the　one…eyed　misfit。
　
　〃The　dog　collar；〃　Bonnie　Lamb　said。
　
　〃That's　right。　Look　at　my　neck。〃　Max　opened　the　top　buttons　of　his　shirt；　which　he'd　borrowed　from　Augustine。　〃See　the　burns？　See？〃
　
　Bonnie　didn't　notice　any　marks；　but　nodded　sympathetically。　〃So　you　definitely　want　to　prosecute。〃
　
　〃Absolutely！〃　Max　Lamb　detected　doubt　in　his　wife's　voice。　〃Christ；　Bonnie；　he　could've　murdered　me。〃
　
　She　squeezed　his　hand。　〃I　still　don't　understand　why…why　he　did　it　in　the　first　place。〃
　
　〃With　a　fruitcake　like　that；　who　knows。〃　Max　Lamb　purposely　didn't　mention　Skink's　disgust　with　the　hurricane　videos；　he　remembered　that　Bonnie　felt　the　same　way。
　
　She　said；　〃I　think　he　needs　professional　help。〃
　
　〃No；　sweetheart；　he　needs　a　professional　jail。〃　Max　lifted　his　chin　and　blew　smoke　at　the　ceiling。
　
　〃Honey；　let's　think　about　this…〃
　
　But　he　pulled　away　from　her；　bolting　for　the　phone；　which　Augustine　had　just　hung　up。　〃I'd　better　call　Pete　Archibald；〃　Max　Lamb　said　over　his　shoulder；　〃let　everyone　at　Rodale　know　I'm　OK。〃
　
　Bonnie　Lamb　got　up　and　went　to　the　guest　room。　The　governor　was　sitting　upright　in　bed；　but　his　eyes　were　half　shut。　His　ragged　beard　was　finely　crusted　with　ocean　salt。　Jim　Tile；　his　Stetson　tucked　under　one　arm；　stood　near　the　window。
　
　Bonnie　poured　each　of　them　another　cup　of　coffee。　〃How's　he　feeling？〃　she　whispered。
　
　Skink's　good　eye　blinked　open。　〃Better；〃　he　said；　thickly。
　
　She　set　the　coffeepot　on　the　bedstand。　〃It　was　monkey　tranquilizer；〃　she　explained。
　
　〃Never　to　be　bined　with　psychoactive　drugs；〃　said　Skink；　〃particularly　toad　sweat。〃
　
　Bonnie　looked　at　Jim　Tile；　who　said；　〃I　asked　him。〃
　
　〃Asked　me　what？〃　Skink　rasped。
　
　〃About　the　dead　guy　in　the　TV　dish；〃　the　trooper　said。　Then；　to　Bonnie：　〃He　didn't　do　it。〃
　
　〃Though　I　do　admire　the　style；〃　said　Skink。
　
　Bonnie　Lamb　did　a　poor　job　of　masking　her　doubt。　Skink　peered　sternly。　〃I　didn't　kill　that　fellow；　Mrs。　Lamb。　But　I　damn　sure　wouldn't　tell　you　if　I　had。〃
　
　〃I　believe　you。　I　do。〃
　
　The　governor　finished　the　coffee　and　asked　for　another　cup。　He　told　Bonnie　it　was　the　best　he'd　ever　tasted。　〃And　I　like　your　boy；〃　he　said；　gesturing　toward　the　wall　of　skulls。　〃I　like　what　he's　done　with　the　place。〃
　
　Bonnie　said：　〃He's　not　my　boy。　Just　a　friend。〃
　
　Skink　nodded。　〃We　all　need　one　of　those。〃　With　difficulty　he　rolled　out　of　bed　and　began　stripping　off　his　wet　clothes。　Jim　Tile　led　him　to　the　shower　and　started　the　water。　When　the　trooper　returned；　carrying　the　governor's　plastic　cap；　he　asked　Bonnie　Lamb　what　her　husband　intended　to　do。
　
　〃He　wants　to　prosecute。〃　She　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　listening　to　the　shower　run。
　
　Augustine　came　into　the　room　and　said；　〃Well？〃
　
　〃I　can　arrest　him　tonight；〃　Jim　Tile　told　Bonnie；　〃if　your　husband　es　to　the　substation　and　files　charges。　What　happens　then　is　up　to　the　State　Attorney。〃
　
　〃You'd　do　that…arrest　your　own　friend？〃
　
　〃Better　me　than　a　stranger；〃　the　trooper　said。　〃Don't　feel　bad　about　this；　Mrs。　Lamb。　Your　husband's　got　every　right。〃
　
　〃Yes；　I　know。〃　Prosecuting　the　governor　was　the　right　thing…a　person　couldn't　be　allowed　to　run　around　kidnapping　tourists；　no　matter　how　offensively　they　behaved。　Yet　Bonnie　was　saddened　by　the　idea　of　Skink's　going　to　jail。　It　was　naive；　she　knew；　but　that's　how　she　felt。
　
　Jim　Tile　was　questioning　Augustine　about　the　skulls　on　the　wall。　〃Cuban　voodoo？〃
　
　〃No；　nothing　like　that。〃
　
　〃Nineteen　is　what　I　count；〃　the　trooper　said。　〃I　won't　ask　where　you　got　'em。　They're　too　clean　for　homicides。〃
　
　Bonnie　Lamb　said；　〃They're　medical　specimens。〃
　
　〃Whatever　you　say。〃　After　twenty　years　of　attending　head…on　collisions；　Jim　Tile　had　a　well…earned　aversion　to　human　body　parts。　〃Specimens　it　is；〃　he　said。
　
　Augustine　removed　five　of　the　skulls　from　the　shelves　and　lined　them　up　on　the　hardwood　floor；　at　his　feet。　Then　he　picked　up　three　and　began　to　juggle。
　
　The　trooper　said；　〃I'll　be　damned。〃
　
　As　he　juggled；　Augustine　thought　about　the　drunken　young　fool　who　tried　to　shoot　his　uncle's　Cape　buffalo。　What　a　sad；　dumb　way　to　die。　Fluidly　he　snatched　a　fourth　skull　off　the　floor　and　put　it　in　rotation；　then　the　fifth。
　
　Bonnie　Lamb　found　herself　smiling　at　the　performance　in　spite　of　its　creepiness。　The　governor　emerged　from　the　shower　in　a　cloud　of　steam；　naked　except　for　a　sky…blue　towel　around　his　neck。　His　thick　silver　hair　sent　snaky　tails　of　water　down　his　chest。　He　used　a　corner　of　the　towel　to　dab　the　condensation　off　his　glass　eye。　He　beamed　when　he　saw　Augustine's　juggling。
　
　Jim　Tile　felt　dizzy；　watching　the　skulls　fly。　Max　Lamb　appeared　in　the　doorway。　His　expression　instantly　changed　from　curiosity　to　revulsion；　as　if　a　switch　had　been　flipped　inside　his　head。　Bonnie　knew　what　he　was　going　to　say　before　the　words　left　his　lips：　〃You　think　this　is　funny？〃
　
　Augustine　continued　juggling。　It　was　unclear　whether　he；　or　the　governor's　nudity；　was　the　object　of　Max　Lamb's　disapproval。
　
　The　trooper　said；　〃It's　been　a　long　night；　man。〃
　
　〃Bonnie；　we're　leaving。〃　Max's　tone　was　patronizing　and　snarky。　〃Did　you　hear　me？　Playtime　is　over。〃
　
　She　was　infuriated　that　her　husband　would　speak　to　her　that　way　in　front　of　strangers。　She　stormed　from　the　room。
　
　〃Oh；　Max？〃　Skink；　wearing　a　sly　smile；　touched　a　finger　to　his　own　throat。　Max　Lamb's　neck　tingled　the　old　Tri…Tronics　tingle。　He　jumped　reflexively；　banging　against　the　door。
　
　From　the　backpack　Skink　retrieved　Max's　billfold　and　the　keys　to　the　rental　car。　He　dropped　them　in　Max's　hand。　Max　mumbled　a　thank…you　and　went　after　Bonnie。
　
　Augustine　stopped　juggling；　catching　the　skulls　one　by　one。　Carefully　he　returned　them　to　their　place　on　the　wall。
　
　The　governor　tugged　the　towel　from　his　neck　and　began　drying　his　arms　and　legs。　〃I　like　that　girl；〃　he　said　to　Augustine。　〃How　about　you？〃
　
　〃What's　not　to　like。〃
　
　〃You've　got　a　big　decision　to　make。〃
　
　〃That's　very　funny。　She's　married。〃
　
　〃Love　is　just　a　kiss　away。　So　the　song　says。〃　Playfully　Skink　seized　Jim　Tile　by　the　elbows。　〃Tell　me；　Officer。　Am　I　arrested　or　not？〃
　
　〃That's　up　to　Mister　Max　Lamb。〃
　
　〃I　need　to　know。〃
　
　〃They're　talking　it　over；〃　Jim　Tile　said。
　
　〃Because　if　I'm　not　bound　for　jail；　I'd　de