chiaasen.stormyweather-第25节

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　〃We　can　start　this　afternoon；〃　Snapper　cut　in；　〃but　we　need　a　deposit。〃
　
　Mrs。　Whitmark　asked　how　much。　Snapper　pulled　a　figure　out　of　his　head：　seven　thousand　dollars。
　
　〃You　take　cash；　I　assume。〃
　
　〃Sure；〃　Snapper　said；　trying　to　sound　matter…of…fact；　like　all　his　customers　had　seven　grand　lying　around　in　cookie　jars。
　
　Mrs。　Whitmark　left　Snapper　alone　while　she　went　for　the　money。　He　raised　his　eyes　to　the　immense　hole　in　the　ceiling。　At　that　moment；　a　sunbeam　broke　through　the　bruised　clouds；　flooding　the　house　with　golden　light。
　
　Snapper　shielded　his　eyes。　Was　this　a　sign？
　
　When　Mrs。　Whitmark　returned；　she　was　flanked　by　two　blackand…silver　German　shepherds。
　
　Snapper　went　rigid。　〃Mother　of　Christ；〃　he　murmured。
　
　〃My　babies；〃　said　Mrs。　Whitmark；　fondly。　〃We　don't　have　a　problem　with　looters。　Do　we；　sugars？〃　She　stroked　the　larger　dog　under　its　chin。　On　mand；　both　of　them　sat　at　her　feet。　They　cocked　their　heads　and　gazed　expectantly　at　Snapper；　who　felt　a　spasm　in　his　colon。
　
　His　hands　trembled　so　severely　that　he　was　barely　able　to　write　up　the　contract。　Mrs。　Whitmark　asked　what　had　happened　to　his　face。　〃Did　you　fall　off　a　roof？〃
　
　〃No；〃　he　said　curtly。　〃Bungee　accident。〃
　
　Mrs。　Whitmark　gave　him　the　cash　in　a　scented　pink　envelope。　〃How　soon　can　you　start？〃
　
　Snapper　promised　that　the　crew　would　return　in　half　an　hour。　〃We'll　need　to　pick　up　some　lumber。　It's　a　big　place　you've　got　here。〃
　
　Mrs。　Whitmark　and　her　guard　dogs　acpanied　Snapper　to　the　front　door。　He　kept　both　hands　jammed　in　his　pockets；　in　case　one　of　the　vicious　bastards　lunged　for　him。　Of　course；　if　they　were　trained　like　police　K…9s；　they　wouldn't　bother　with　his　hands。　They'd　go　straight　for　the　balls。
　
　〃Hurry；〃　Mrs。　Whitmark　said；　scanning　the　clouds　with　dilated　pupils。　〃I　don't　like　the　looks　of　this　sky。〃
　
　Snapper　walked　to　the　truck　and　gave　the　crew　the　bad　news。　〃She　didn't　go　for　it。　Says　her　husband's　already　got　a　roofer　lined　up　for　the　job。　Some　pany　from　Palm　Beach；　she　said。〃
　
　〃Thank　God；〃　said　one　of　the　black　guys；　yawning。　〃I'm　beat；　boss。　How　about　we　call　it　a　day？〃
　
　〃Fine　by　me；〃　said　Snapper。
　
　Jim　Tile　rewound　the　tape　and　played　it　again。
　
　〃Honey；　I've　been　kidnapped…〃
　
　〃Abducted！　Kidnapping　implies　ransom；　Max。　Don't　fucking　flatter　yourself。。。。〃
　
　Bonnie　Lamb　said；　〃Well？〃
　
　〃It's　him；〃　the　trooper　said。
　
　〃You're　sure？〃
　
　〃I　love　you；　Bonnie。　Max　forgot　to　tell　you；　so　I　will。　By　enow。。。。〃
　
　〃Oh　yeah；〃　said　Jim　Tile。　He　popped　the　cassette　out　of　the　tape　deck。
　
　Bonnie　asked　Augustine　to　call　his　agent　friend　at　the　FBI。　Augustine　said　it　wasn't　such　a　hot　idea。
　
　The　trooper　agreed。　〃They'll　never　find　him。　They　don't　know　where　to　look；　they　don't　know　how。〃
　
　〃But　you　do？〃
　
　〃What　will　probably　happen；〃　Jim　Tile　said；　〃is　the　governor　will　keep　your　husband　until　he　gets　bored　with　him。〃
　
　〃Then　what？〃　Bonnie　demanded。　〃He　kills　him？〃
　
　〃Not　unless　your　husband　tries　something　stupid。〃
　
　Augustine　thought：　We　might　have　a　problem。
　
　The　trooper　told　Bonnie　Lamb　not　to　panic；　the　governor　wasn't　irrational。　There　were　ways　to　track　him；　make　contact；　engage　in　productive　dialogue。
　
　Bonnie　excused　herself　and　went　to　take　some　aspirin。　Augustine　walked　outside　with　the　trooper。　〃The　FBI　won't　touch　this；〃　Jim　Tile　said；　keeping　his　voice　low。　〃There's　no　ransom　demand；　no　interstate　travel。　It's　hard　for　her　to　understand。〃
　
　Augustine　observed　that　Max　Lamb　wasn't　helping　matters；　calling　New　York　to　check　on　his　advertising　accounts。　〃Not　exactly　your　typical　victim；〃　he　said。
　
　Jim　Tile　got　in　the　car　and　placed　his　Stetson　on　the　seat。　〃I'll　get　back　with　you　soon。　Meanwhile　go　easy　with　the　lady。〃
　
　Augustine　said；　〃You　don't　think　he's　crazy；　do　you？〃
　
　The　trooper　laughed。　〃Son；　you　heard　the　tape。〃
　
　〃Yeah。　I　don't　think　he's　crazy；　either。〃
　
　〃'Different'　is　the　word。　Seriously　different。〃　Jim　Tile　turned　up　the　patrol　car's　radio　to　hear　the　latest　hurricane　dementia。　The　Highway　Patrol　dispatcher　was　directing　troopers　to　the　intersection　of　U。S。　1　and　Kendall　Drive；　where　a　truck　loaded　with　ice　had　overturned。　A　disturbance　had　erupted；　and　ambulances　were　on　the　way。
　
　〃Lord；〃　Jim　Tile　said。　〃They're　murdering　each　other　over　ice　cubes。〃　He　sped　off　without　saying　good…bye。
　
　Back　in　the　house；　Augustine　was　surprised　to　find　Bonnie　Lamb　sitting　next　to　the　kitchen　phone。　At　her　elbow　was　a　notepad　upon　which　she　had　written　several　lines。　He　was　struck　by　the　elegance　of　her　handwriting。　Once；　he'd　dated　a　woman　who　dotted　her　i's　with　perfect　tiny　circles；　sometimes　she　drew　happy　faces　inside　the　circles；　sometimes　she　drew　frowns。　The　woman　had　been　a　cheerleader　for　her　college　football　team；　and　she　couldn't　get　it　out　of　her　system。
　
　Bonnie　Lamb's　handwriting　bore　no　trace　of　retired　cheerleader。　〃Directions；〃　she　replied；　waving　the　paper。
　
　〃Where？〃
　
　〃To　see　Max　and　this　Skink　person。　They　left　directions　on　my　machine。〃
　
　She　was　excited。　Augustine　sat　next　to　her。　〃What　else　did　they　say？〃
　
　〃No　police。　No　FBI。　Max　was　very　firm　about　it。〃
　
　〃And？〃
　
　〃Four　double…A　batteries　and　a　tape　of　Exile　on　Main　Street。　Dolby　chrome　oxide；　whatever　that　means。　And　a　bottle　of　pitted　green　olives；　no　pimientos。〃
　
　〃This　would　be　the　governor's　shopping　list？〃
　
　〃Max　hates　green　olives。〃　Bonnie　Lamb　put　her　hand　on　Augustine's　arm。　〃What　do　we　do？　You　want　to　hear　the　message？〃
　
　〃Let's　go　talk　to　them；　if　that's　what　they　want。〃
　
　〃Bring　your　gun。　I'm　serious。〃　Her　eyes　flashed。　〃We　can　kidnap　Max　from　the　kidnapper。　Why　not！〃
　
　〃Settle　down；　please。　When's　the　meeting？〃
　
　〃Midnight　tomorrow。〃
　
　〃Where？〃
　
　When　she　told　him；　he　looked　discouraged。　〃They'll　never　show。　Not　there。〃
　
　〃You're　wrong；〃　Bonnie　Lamb　said。　〃Where's　that　gun　of　yours？〃
　
　Augustine　went　to　the　living　room　and　switched　on　the　television。　He　channel…surfed　until　he　found　a　Monty　Python　rerun；　a　classic；　John　Cleese　buying　a　dead　parrot。　It　never　failed　to　make　Augustine　laugh。
　
　Bonnie　sat　beside　him　on　the　sofa。　When　the　Monty　Python　sketch　ended；　he　turned　to　her　and　said；　〃You　don't　know　a　damn　thing　about　guns。〃
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　ELEVEN
　
　
　Max　Lamb　awoke　to　these　words：　〃You　need　a　legacy。〃
　
　He　and　Skink　had　bummed　a　ride　in　the　back　of　a　U…Haul　truck。　They　were　bucking　down　U。S。　Highway　One　among　two　thousand　cans　of　Campbell's　broccoli　cheese　soup；　which　was　being　donated　to　hurricane　victims　by　a　Baptist　church　in　Pascagoula；　Mississippi。　What　the　shipment　lacked　in　variety　it　made　up　for　in　Christian　goodwill。
　
　〃This；〃　said　the　kidnapper；　waving　at　the　soup　boxes；　〃is　what　people　do　for　each　other　in　times　of　catastrophe。　They　give　help。　You；　on　the　other　hand…〃
　
　〃I　said　I　was　sorry。〃
　
　〃…you；　Max；　arrive　with　a　video　camera。〃
　
　Max　Lamb　lit　a　cigaret。　The　governor　had　been　in　a　rotten　mood　all　day。　First　his　favorite　Stones　tape　broke；　then　the　batteries　crapped　out　in　his　Walkman。
　
　Skink　said；　〃The　people　who　gave　this　soup；　they　went　through　Camille。　Please　assure　me　you　know　about　Camille。〃
　
　〃Another　hurricane？〃
　
　〃A　magnificent　shitkicker　of　a　hurricane。　Max；　I　believe　you're　making　progress。〃
　
　The　advertising　man　sucked　apprehensively　on　the　Bronco。　He　said；　〃You　were　talking　about　getting　a　boat。〃
　
　Skink　said；　〃Everyone　ought　to　have　a　legacy。　Something　to　be　remembered　for。　Let's　hear　some　of　your　slogans。〃
　
　〃Not　right　now。〃
　
　〃I　never　see　TV　anymore；　but　some　mercials　I　remember。〃　The　kidnapper　pointed　at　the　canyon　of　red…and…white　soup　cans。　〃'M'm；　m'm　good！'　That　was　a　classic；　no？〃
　
　Unabashedly　Max　Lamb　said；　〃You　ever　hear　of　Plum　Crunchies？　It　was　a　breakfast　cereal。〃
　
　〃A　cereal；〃　said　Skink。
　
　〃　'You'll　go　plum　loco　for　Plum　Crunchies！'〃
　
　The　kidnapper　frowned。　From　his　camo　trousers　he　produced　a　small　felt　box　of　the　type　used　by　jewelry　stores。　He　opened　it　and　removed　a　scorpion；　which　he　placed　on　his　bare　brown　wrist。　The　scorpion　raised　its　fat　claws；　pinching　the　air　in　confusion。　Max　stared　incredulously。　The　skin　on　his　neck　heated　beneath　the　shock　collar。　He　drew　up　his　legs；　preparing　to　spring　from　the　truck　if　Skink　tossed　the　awful　creature　at　him。
　
　〃This　little　sucker；〃　Skink　said；　〃is　from　Southeast　Asia。　Recognized　him　right　away。〃　With　a　pinkie　finger；　he　stroked　the　scorpion　until　it　arched　its　venomous　stinger。
　
　Max　Lamb　asked　how　a　Vietnamese　scorpion　got　all　the　way　to　Florida。　Skink　said　it　was　probably　smuggled　by　importers。　〃Then；　when　the　hurricane　struck；　Mortimer　here　made　a　dash　for　it。　I　found　him　in　the　horse　barn。　Remember　Larks？　'Show　us　your　Larks！'〃
　
　〃Barely。〃　Max　was　a　kid　when　the　Lark　campaign　hit　TV。
　
　Skink　said：　〃That's　what　I　mean　by　legacy。　Does　anyone　remember　who　thought　up　Larks？　But　the　Marl…boro　man；　Christ；　that's　the　most　successful　ad　campaign　in　history。〃
　
　It　was　a　fact。　Max　Lamb　wondered　how　Skink　knew。　He　noticed　that　the　scorpio