chiaasen.stormyweather-第24节

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　Naively　the　Tallahassee　establishment　weled　the　new　chief　executive。　The　barkers；　pimps　and　fast…change　artists　who　controlled　the　legislature　assumed　that；　like　most　of　his　predecessors；　Clinton　Tyree　dutifully　would　slide　into　the　program。　He　was；　after　all；　a　local　boy。　Surely　he　understood　how　things　worked。
　
　But　behind　the　governor's　movie…star　smile　was　the　incendiary　fervor　of　a　terrorist。　He　brought　with　him　to　the　capital　a　passion　so　deep　and　untainted　that　it　was　utterly　unrecognizable　to　other　politicians；　they　quickly　decided　that　Clinton　Tyree　was　a　crazy　man。　In　his　first　post…election　interview；　he　told　The　New　York　Times　that　Florida　was　being　destroyed　by　unbridled　growth；　overdevelopment　and　pollution；　and　that　the　stinking　root　of　those　evils　was　greed。　By　way　of　illustration；　he　cited　the　Speaker　of　the　Florida　House　for　possessing　〃the　ethics　of　an　intestinal　bacterium；〃　merely　because　the　man　had　accepted　a　free　trip　to　Bangkok　from　a　Miami　Beach　high…rise　developer。　Later　Tyree　went　on　radio　urging　visitors　and　would…be　residents　to　stay　out　of　the　Sunshine　State　for　a　few　years；　〃so　we　can　gather　our　senses。〃　He　announced　a　goal　of　Negative　Population　Growth　and　proposed　generous　tax　incentives　for　counties　that　significantly　reduced　human　density。　Tyree　couldn't　have　caused　more　of　an　uproar　had　he　been　preaching　satanism　to　preschoolers。
　
　The　view　that　the　new　governor　was　mentally　unstable　was　reinforced　by　his　refusal　to　accept　bribes。　More　appallingly；　he　shared　the　details　of　these　illicit　offers　with　agents　of　the　Federal　Bureau　of　Investigation。　In　that　manner；　one　of　the　state's　richest　and　most　politically　connected　land　developers　got　shut　down；　indicted　and　convicted　of　corruption。　Clearly　Clinton　Tyree　was　a　menace。
　
　No　previous　governor　had　dared　to　disrupt　the　business　of　paving　Florida。　For　seventy　glorious　years；　the　state　had　shriveled　safely　in　the　grip　of　those　most　efficient　at　looting　its　resources。　Suddenly　this　reckless　young　upstart　was　inciting　folks　like　a　damn　munist。　Save　the　rivers。　Save　the　coasts。　Save　the　Big　Cypress。　Where　would　it　end？　Time　magazine　put　him　on　the　cover。　David　Brinkley　called　him　a　New　Populist。　The　National　Audubon　Society　gave　him　a　frigging　medal。。。。
　
　One　night；　in　a　curtained　booth　of　a　restaurant　called　the　Silver　Slipper；　a　pact　was　made　to　stop　the　madman。　His　heroics　in　Southeast　Asia　made　him　immune　to　customary　smear　tactics；　so　the　only　safe　alternative　was　to　neutralize　him　politically。　It　was　a　straightforward　plan：　No　matter　what　the　new　governor　wanted；　the　legislature　and　cabinet　would　do　the　opposite…a　voting　pattern　to　be　ensured　by　magnanimous　contributions　from　bankers；　contractors；　real　estate　brokers；　hoteliers；　farm　conglomerates　and　other　special…interest　groups　that　were　experiencing　philosophical　differences　with　Clinton　Tyree。
　
　The　strategy　succeeded。　Even　the　governor's　fellow　Democrats　felt　sufficiently　threatened　by　his　reforms　to　abandon　him　without　punction。　Once　it　became　clear　to　Glint　Tyree　that　the　freeze　was　on；　he　slowly　began　to　e　apart。　Each　defeat　in　the　legislature　hit　him　like　a　sledge。　His　public　appearances　were　marked　by　bilious　oratory　and　dark　mutterings。　He　lost　weight　and　let　his　hair　grow。　During　one　cryptic　press　conference；　he　chose　not　to　wear　a　shirt。　He　wrote　acidulous　letters　on　official　stationery；　and　gave　interviews　in　which　he　quoted　at　length　from　Carl　Jung；　Henry　Thoreau　and　David　Crosby。　One　night　the　state　trooper　assigned　to　guard　the　governor　found　him　creeping　through　a　graveyard；　Clinton　Tyree　explained　his　intention　was　to　dig　up　the　remains　of　the　late　Napoleon　Bonaparte　Broward；　the　governor　who　had　first　schemed　to　drain　the　Everglades。　Tyree's　idea　was　to　distribute　Governor　Broward's　bones　as　souvenirs　to　visitors　in　the　capitol　rotunda。
　
　Meanwhile　the　ravaging　of　Florida　continued　unabated；　as　did　the　ining　stampede。　A　thousand　fortune…seekers　took　up　residence　in　the　state　every　day；　and　there　was　nothing　Glint　Tyree　could　do　about　it。
　
　So　he　quit；　fled　Tallahassee　on　a　melancholy　morning　in　the　back　of　a　state　limousine；　and　melted　into　the　tangled　wilderness。　In　the　history　of　Florida；　no　governor　had　ever　before　resigned；　in　fact；　no　elected　officeholder　had　made　such　an　abrupt　or　eccentric　exit　from　public　life。　Journalists　and　authors　hunted　the　missing　Clinton　Tyree　but　never　caught　up　with　him。　He　moved　by　night；　fed　off　the　road；　and　adopted　the　solitary　existence　of　a　swamp　rattler。　Those　who　encountered　him　knew　him　by　the　name　of　Skink；　or　simply　〃captain；〃　a　solemn　hermitage　interrupted　by　the　occasional　righteous　arson；　aggravated　battery　or　highway　sniping。
　
　Only　one　man　held　the　runaway　governor's　plete　trust…the　Highway　Patrol　trooper　who　had　been　assigned　to　guard　him　during　the　gubernatorial　campaign　and　later　had　e　to　work　at　the　governor's　mansion；　the　same　trooper　who　was　driving　the　limousine　on　the　day　Clinton　Tyree　disappeared。　It　was　he　alone　who　knew　the　man's　whereabouts；　kept　in　touch　and　followed　his　movements；　who　was　there　to　help　when　Clinton　Tyree　went　around　the　bend；　which　he　sometimes　did。　The　trooper　had　been　there　soon　after　his　friend　lost　an　eye　in　a　vicious　beating；　again　after　he　shot　up　some　rental　cars　in　a　roadside　spree；　again　after　he　burned　down　an　amusement　park。
　
　Some　years　were　quieter　than　others。
　
　〃But　he's　been　waiting　for　this　hurricane；〃　Jim　Tile　said；　twirling　a　spoonful　of　spaghetti。　〃There's　cause　to　be　concerned。〃
　
　Augustine　said：　〃I've　heard　of　this　guy。〃
　
　〃Then　you　understand　why　I　need　to　talk　to　Mrs。　Lamb。〃
　
　〃Mrs。　Lamb；〃　Bonnie　said；　caustically；　〃can't　believe　what　she's　hearing。　You　think　this　lunatic's　got　Max？〃
　
　〃An　old　lady　in　the　neighborhood　saw　a　man　fitting　the　governor's　description　carrying　a　man　fitting　your　husband's　description。　Over　his　shoulder。　Buck　naked。〃　Jim　Tile　paused　to　allow　Mrs。　Lamb　to　form　a　mental　picture　of　the　scene。　He　said；　〃I　don't　know　about　the　lady's　eyesight；　but　it's　worth　checking　out。　You　mentioned　a　tape　you　made…the　kidnapper's　voice。〃
　
　〃It's　back　at　the　house；〃　said　Augustine。
　
　〃Would　you　mind　if　I　listened　to　it？〃
　
　Bonnie　said；　〃This　is　ludicrous；　what　you're　saying…〃
　
　〃Humor　me；〃　said　Jim　Tile。
　
　Bonnie　pushed　away　her　plate　of　lasagna；　half　eaten。　〃What's　your　interest？〃
　
　〃He's　my　friend。　He's　in　trouble；〃　the　trooper　said。
　
　〃All　I　care　about　is　Max。〃
　
　〃They're　both　in　danger。〃
　
　Bonnie　demanded　to　know　about　the　fat　man　in　the　morgue。　The　trooper　said　he'd　been　strangled　and　impaled　on　a　TV　satellite　dish。　The　motive　didn't　appear　to　be　robbery。
　
　〃Did　your　'friend'　do　that；　too？〃
　
　〃They're　talking　to　some　dumb　goober　from　Alabama；　but　I　don't　know。〃
　
　To　Bonnie；　it　was　all　incredible。　〃You　did　say　'impaled'？〃
　
　〃Yes；　ma'am。〃　The　trooper　didn't　mention　the　mock　crucifixion。　Mrs。　Lamb　was　plenty　upset　already。
　
　Through　clenched　teeth　she　said；　〃This　place　is　insane。〃
　
　Jim　Tile　was　in　full　agreement。　Tiredly　he　looked　at　Augustine。　〃I'm　just　tracking　down　a　few　leads。〃
　
　〃e　on　back　to　the　house。　We'll　play　that　tape　for　you。〃
　
　Ira　Jackson's　intention　had　been　to　kill　the　mobile…home　salesman　and　then　drive　home　to　New　York　and　arrange　that　came　naturally。　Avila　had　said　it　was　important　to　make　lots　of　noise；　like　legitimate　roofers；　so　the　black　guys　staged　a　truss…hammering　contest；　with　the　Latin　guy　as　referee。　The　white　crackhead　was　left　to　cut　plywood　for　the　decking。
　
　Snapper　waited　in　the　cab　of　the　truck；　which　smelled　like　stale　Coors　and　marijuana。　Mercifully　the　sky　darkened　after　about　an　hour；　and　a　hard　thunderstorm　broke　loose。　While　the　roofers　scrambled　to　load　the　truck；　Snapper　told　Nathaniel　Lewis　they'd　return　first　thing　in　the　morning。　Lewis　handed　him　a　cashier's　check　for　three　thousand　dollars。　The　check　was　made　out　to　Fortress　Roofing；　Avila's　bogus　pany。　Snapper　thought　it　was　a　very　amusing　name。
　
　He　got　in　the　stolen　Jeep　Cherokee　and　headed　south。　The　crew　followed　in　the　truck。　Avila　had　advised　Snapper　to　move　around；　don't　stay　in　one　area。　A　smart　strategy；　Snapper　agreed。　They　made　it　to　Cutler　Ridge　ahead　of　the　weather。　Snapper　found　an　expensive　ranch…style　house　sitting　on　two　acres　of　pinelands。　Half　the　roof　had　been　torn　off　by　the　hurricane。　A　Land　Rover　and　a　black　Infiniti　were　parked　in　the　tiled　driveway。
　
　Jackpot；　Snapper　thought。
　
　The　lady　of　the　house　let　him　in。　Her　name　was　Whitmark；　and　she　was　frantic　for　shelter。　She'd　been　scouting　the　rain　clouds　on　the　horizon；　and　the　possibility　of　more　flooding　in　the　living　room　had　sent　her　dashing　to　the　medicine　chest。　The　〃roofing　foreman〃　listened　to　Mrs。　Whitmark's　woeful　story：　〃The　pile　carpet　already　was　ruined；　as　was　Mr。　Whit…mark's　state…of…the…art　stereo　system；　and　of　course　mildew　had　claimed　all　the　drapery；　the　linens　and　half　her　winter　evening　wardrobe；　the　Italian　leather　sofa　and　the　cherry　buffet　had　been　moved　to　the　west　wing；　but…〃
　
　〃We　can　start　this　afternoon；〃　Snapper　cut　in；　〃but　we　need　a　deposit。〃
　
　Mrs。　Whitmark　asked　how　much。　Snappe