chiaasen.stormyweather-第13节

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　He　stepped　toward　Max　Lamb　and　lifted　him　by　the　shirt；　causing　Max　to　drop　the　soup　he　had　not　touched。
　
　Skink　hoisted　him　to　eye　level　and　said：　〃Twenty　years　I　waited　for　that　storm。　We　were　so　close；　so　goddamn　close。　Two　or　three　degrees　to　the　north；　and　we're　in　business。。。。〃
　
　Max　Lamb　dangled　in　the　stranger's　iron　clasp。　Skink's　good　eye　glistened　with　a　furious；　dreamy　passion。　〃You're　down　to　one　question；〃　he　said；　returning　Max　to　his　feet。
　
　After　settling　himself；　Max　asked：　〃What　happens　now？〃
　
　Skink's　stormy　expression　dissolved　into　a　smile。　〃What　happens　now；　Max；　is　that　we　travel　together；　sharing　life's　lessons。〃
　
　〃Oh。〃　Max's　eyes　cut　anxiously　to　the　airboat。
　
　The　governor　barked　a　laugh　that　scattered　a　flock　of　snowy　egrets。　He　tousled　his　prisoner's　hair　and　said；　〃We　go　with　the　tides！〃
　
　But　a　despairing　Max　Lamb　couldn't　face　the　prospect　of　true　adventure。　Now　that　it　seemed　he　would　not　be　murdered；　he　was　burdened　by　another　primal　concern：　If　I　don't　get　back　to　New　York；　I'm　going　to　lose　my　job。
　
　Edie　Marsh　was　daydreaming　about　teak　sailboats　and　handsome　young　Kennedys　when　she　felt　the　moist　hand　of　Tony　Torres　settle　on　her　left　breast。　She　cracked　an　eyelid　and　sighed。
　
　〃Quit　squeezing。　It's　not　a　tomato。〃
　
　〃Can　I　see？〃　Tony　asked。
　
　〃Absolutely　not。〃　But　she　heard　the　squeaky　shift　of　weight　as　the　salesman　edged　the　chaise　closer。
　
　〃Nobody's　around；〃　he　said；　fumbling　with　her　buttons。　Then　an　oily　laugh：　〃I　mean；　you　are　my　wife。〃
　
　〃Jesus。〃　Edie　felt　the　sun　on　her　nipples　and　looked　down。　Well；　there　they　were…the　pig　had　undone　her　blouse。　〃Don't　you　understand　English？〃
　
　Tony　Torres　contentedly　appraised　her　breasts。　〃Yeah；　darling；　but　who's　got　the　shotgun。〃
　
　〃That's　so　romantic；〃　Edie　Marsh　said。　〃Threaten　to　shoot　me…there's　no　better　way　to　put　a　girl　in　the　mood。　Fact；　I'm　all　wet　just　thinking　about　it。〃　She　pushed　his　hand　away　and　rebuttoned　her　blouse。　〃Where's　my　shades；〃　she　muttered。
　
　Tony　cradled　the　Remington　across　his　belly。　Sweat　puddled　at　his　navel。　He　said；　〃You　will　think　about　it。　They　all　do。〃
　
　〃I　think　about　cancer；　too；　but　it　doesn't　make　me　horny。〃　To　Edie；　the　only　attractive　thing　about　Tony　Torres　was　his　gold　Cartier　wristwatch；　which　was　probably　engraved　in　such　a　gaudy　way　that　it　could　not　be　prudently　fenced。
　
　He　asked　her：　〃Have　you　ever　been　with　a　bald　man？〃
　
　〃Nope。　You　ever　seen　venereal　warts？〃
　
　The　salesman　snorted；　turning　away。　〃Somebody's　in　a　pissy　mood。〃
　
　Edie　Marsh　dug　the　black　Ray…Bans　out　of　her　purse　and　disappeared　behind　them。　The　shotgun　made　her　nervous；　but　she　resolved　to　stay　cool。　She　tried　to　shut　out　the　summer　glare；　the　ceaseless　drone　of　chain　saws　and　dump　trucks；　and　the　rustle　of　Tony　Torres　reading　the　newspaper。　The　warmth　of　the　sun　made　it　easy　for　Edie　Marsh　to　think　of　the　duned　shores　at　the　Vineyard；　or　the　private　beaches　of　Manalapan。
　
　Her　reverie　was　interrupted　by　footsteps　on　the　sidewalk　across　the　street。　She　hoped　it　was　Snapper；　but　it　wasn't。　It　was　a　man　walking　two　small　dachshunds。
　
　Edie　felt　Tony's　hand　on　hers　and　heard　him　say；　〃Darling；　would　you　squirt　some　Coppertone　on　my　shoulders？〃
　
　Quickly　she　rose　from　the　chair　and　crossed　the　road。　The　man　was　watching　his　dachshunds　pee　on　the　stem　of　a　broken　mailbox。　He　held　both　leashes　in　one　hand；　loosely。　There　was　a　melancholy　slump　to　his　shoulders　that　should　have　disappeared　with　the　approach　of　a　pretty　woman；　but　did　not。
　
　Edie　Marsh　told　him　the　dogs　were　adorable。　When　she　stooped　to　pet　them；　the　dachshunds　simultaneously　rolled　over　and　began　squirming　like　worms　on　a　griddle。
　
　〃What're　their　names？〃
　
　〃Donald　and　Maria；〃　the　man　replied。　He　wasn't　tall；　but　he　was　built　like　a　furnace。　He　wore　a　peach　knit　shirt　and　khaki　slacks。　He　said　to　Edie：　〃You　live　at　that　house？〃
　
　She　saw　Tony　Torres　eyeing　them　from　the　chaise。　She　asked　the　stranger　if　he　was　from　the　Midwest　Casualty　insurance　pany。　He　motioned　sarcastically　toward　the　dogs　and　said；　〃Sure。　And　my　associates　here　are　from　Merrill　Lynch。〃
　
　The　dachshunds　were　up；　wagging　their　butts　and　licking　at　Edie's　bare　ankles。　The　man　jerked　his　double　chin　toward　Tony　Torres　and　said；　〃You　related　to　him？　A　wife　or　sister　maybe。〃
　
　〃Please；〃　Edie　Marsh　said；　with　an　exaggerated　shudder。
　
　〃OK；　then　I　got　some　advice。　Take　a　long　fuckine　walk。〃
　
　Edie's　mind　began　to　race。　She　looked　in　both　directions　down　the　street；　but　didn't　see　Snapper。
　
　The　man　said；　〃The　hell　you　waiting　for？〃　He　handed　her　the　two　leashes。　〃Go　on；　now。〃
　
　Augustine　awoke　to　the　smell　of　coffee　and　the　sounds　of　a　married　woman　fixing　breakfast　in　his　kitchen。　It　seemed　a　suitable　time　to　assess　the　situation。
　
　His　father　was　in　prison；　his　mother　was　gone；　and　his　dead　uncle's　wild　animals　had　escaped　among　unsuspecting　suburbanites。　Augustine　himself　was　free；　too；　in　the　truest　and　saddest　sense。　He　had　absolutely　no　personal　responsibilities。　How　to　explain　such　a　condition　to　Bonnie　Lamb？
　
　My　father　was　a　fisherman。　He　ran　drugs　on　the　side；　until　he　was　arrested　near　the　island　of　Andros。　My　mother　moved　to　Las　Vegas　and　remarried。　Her　new　husband　plays　tenor　saxophone　in　Tony　Bennett's　orchestra。
　
　My　most　recent　ex…girlfriend　was　a　leg　model　for　a　major　hosiery　concern。　She　saved　her　modeling　money　and　bought　a　town　house　in　Brentwood；　California；　where　she　fellates　only　circumcised　movie　agents；　and　the　occasional　director。
　
　But　what　about　you？　Mrs。　Lamb　will　ask。　What　do　you　do　for　a　living？
　
　I　read　my　bank　statements。
　
　And　Mrs。　Lamb　will　react　with　polite　curiosity；　until　I　explain　about　the　airplane　accident。
　
　It　happened　three　years　ago　while　flying　back　from　Nassau　after　visiting　my　old　man　in　Fox　Hill　Prison。　I　didn't　realize　the　pilot　was　drunk　until　he　T…boned　the　twin　Beech　into　the　fuselage　of　a　Coast　Guard　helicopter；　parked　inside　a　hangar　at　the　Opa…Locka　airport。
　
　Afterwards　I　slept　for　three　months　and　seventeen　days　in　the　intensive　care　unit　of　Jackson　Hospital。　When　I　awoke；　I　was　rich。　The　insurance　carrier　for　the　charter…air　service　had　settled　the　case　with　an　attorney　whom　I　did　not　know　and　to　this　day　have　never　met。　A　check　for　eight　hundred　thousand　dollars　appeared；　and　much　to　my　surprise；　I　invested　it　wisely。
　
　And　Mrs。　Lamb；　if　I'm　reading　her　right；　will　then　say：　So　what　is　it　you　do？
　
　Honestly；　I'm　not　certain。。。。
　
　The　conversation；　over　bacon　and　French　toast；　didn't　go　precisely　as　Augustine　had　anticipated。　At　the　end　of　his　story；　Bonnie　Lamb　looked　over　the　rim　of　her　coffeecup　and　asked：　〃Is　that　where　you　got　the　scar…from　the　plane　crash？〃
　
　〃Which　scar？〃
　
　〃The　Y…shaped　one　on　your　lower　back。〃
　
　〃No；〃　said　Augustine；　guardedly。　〃That's　something　else。〃　He　made　a　mental　note　not　to　walk　around　without　a　shirt。
　
　Later；　clearing　the　kitchen　table；　Bonnie　asked　about　his　father。
　
　〃Extradited；〃　Augustine　reported；　〃but　he　much　prefers　Talladega　to　the　Bahamas。〃
　
　〃Are　you　two　close？〃
　
　〃Sure；〃　said　Augustine。　〃Only　seven　hundred　miles。〃
　
　〃How　often　do　you　go　to　see　him？〃
　
　〃Whenever　I　want　to　get　angry　and　depressed。〃
　
　Augustine　often　wished　that　the　plane　crash　had　wiped　out　his　memory　of　that　last　visit　at　Fox　Hill　Prison；　but　it　hadn't。　They　were　supposed　to　talk　about　the　extradition；　about　lining　up　a　half…decent　lawyer　in　the　States；　about　maybe　cutting　a　deal　with　prosecutors　so　that　the　old　man　might　actually　get　out　before　the　turn　of　the　century。
　
　But　Augustine's　father　wanted　to　talk　about　something　else　when　his　son　came　to　see　him。　He　wanted　a　favor。
　
　…Bollock；　you　remember　Bollock？　He　owes　me　a　piece　of　a　shipment。
　
　…The　answer　is　no。
　
　…e　on；　A。G。　I　got　lawyers　to　pay。　Take　Leaker　and　Ape　along。　They'll　handle　Bollock。　Not　the　money；　though。　That　I　want　in　your　hands　only。
　
　…Dad；　I　don't　believe　this。　I　just　don't　believe　it。。。。
　
　…Hey；　go　down　to　Nassau　harbor。　See　what　they　done　to　my　boat！　Ape　says　they　stripped　the　radar　and　all　the　electric。
　
　…So　what。　You　didn't　know　how　to　use　it　anyway。
　
　…Listen；　wiseass；　I　was　taking　fire。　It　was　the　middle　of　the　goddamn　night。
　
　…Still；　it's　not　easy　to　park　a　sixty…foot　long…liner　in　nine　inches　of　water。　How　exactly　did　you　manage　that？
　
　…Watch　your　tone；　son！
　
　…Grown　man；　hangin'　out　with　guys　called　Leaker　and　Ape。　Look　where　it　got　you。
　
　…A。G。；　I'd　love　to　keep　strollin'　down　memory　lane；　but　the　guard　says　we're　outta　time。　So　will　you　do　it？　Go　see　Henry　Bollock　down　on　Big　Pine。　Get　my　slice　and　stick　it　in　the　Caymans。　What's　the　harm？
　
　…Pathetic。
　
　…What？
　
　…I　said；　you're　pathetic。
　
　…So　I'll　take　that　as　a　〃no；〃　you　won't　do　this　for　me？
　
　…Jesus　Christ。
　
　…You　disappoint　me；　boy。
　
　…And　I'm　proud　of　you；　too；　Dad。　I　bust　my　buttons　every　time　your　name　es　up。
　
　And　Augustine　recalled　thinking；　as　he　sat　in　the　Beechcraft　on　the　runway　at　Nassau：　He's　hopeless；　my　old　man。　He