chiaasen.stormyweather-第68节

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　He　took　Snapper　by　the　hair　and　dragged　him；　blubbering；　to　the　shore　of　a　broad　milky…green　creek。
　
　〃What　choice？〃　Skink　repeated；　softly。
　
　〃Unngh！　Unnnggghhhh！〃
　
　〃Sure。　Now　you're　sorry。〃
　
　Edie；　Bonnie　and　Augustine　appeared　on　the　bank。　Skink　crouched　in　the　mud　next　to　Snapper。
　
　〃Here's　the　deal。　Most　any　other　species；　you'd　have　been　dead　long　ago。　Ever　heard　of　Charles　Darwin？〃
　
　Mosquitoes　tickled　Snapper's　eyelids　as　he　nodded　his　head。
　
　〃Good；〃　Skink　said。　〃Then　you　might　understand　what's　about　to　happen。〃　He　turned　to　the　others。　〃Somebody　tell　Mister　Lester　Maddox　Parsons　where　we　are。〃
　
　Augustine　said：　〃Crocodile　Lakes。〃
　
　〃Yes　indeedy。〃　Skink　rose。　Once　more　he　displayed　the　chrome　key；　the　only　thing　that　could　unlock　The　Club　from　Snapper's　achingly　prolongated　jowls。
　
　Skink　threw　it　in　the　water。　He　said；　〃Crocodile　Lakes　Wildlife　Refuge。　Guess　how　it　got　its　name。〃
　
　Mournfully　Snapper　stared　at　the　circle　of　ripples　where　the　key　had　plopped　into　the　creek。
　
　They'd　stopped　once　along　County　Road　905；　so　Skink　could　snatch　a　dead　diamondback　off　the　blacktop。
　
　〃Don't　tell　me；〃　said　Edie。　〃It　tastes　just　like　chicken。〃
　
　The　governor；　coiling　the　limp　rattlesnake　at　his　feet；　pretended　to　be　insulted。　He　told　Edie　she　was　much　too　pretty　to　be　such　a　cynic。　He　snapped　off　the　snake's　rattle　and　presented　it　to　her　for　a　souvenir。
　
　〃Just　what　I　always　wanted。〃　She　dropped　it　in　the　ashtray。
　
　After　ditching　the　car；　Skink　made　a　torch　from　a　gummy　stump　of　pine。　For　nearly　two　hours　he　led　them　through　a　shadowed　canopy　of　buttonwoods；　poisonwoods；　figs；　pigeon　plums　and　mahogany。　He'd　slung　Snapper　over　his　shoulder　like　a　sack　of　oats。　In　his　right　hand　he　held　the　torch；　in　his　other　was　the　Bill　Blass　suitcase。　Edie　Marsh　followed　along　a　path　hardly　wide　enough　for　a　rabbit。　Bonnie　went　next；　with　Augustine　close　behind；　carrying　（at　Skink's　instruction）　the　tranquilizer　rifle　and　The　Club。　The　。38　Special　was　in　his　belt。
　
　Eventually　they　entered　a　small　clearing。　In　the　center　was　a　ring　of　sooty　stones；　a　campfire　site。　A　few　yards　away　sat　a　junked　truck　with　freckles　of　rust　and　a　faded　orange　stripe。　Bolted　to　the　roof　was　a　bar　of　cracked　red　lights。　Bonnie　and　Augustine　stepped　closer…it　was　an　old　Monroe　County　ambulance；　propped　on　cinder　blocks。　Augustine　opened　the　tailgate　and　whistled　appreciatively。　The　ambulance　was　full　of　books。
　
　The　governor　deposited　Snapper　on　the　ground；　propped　against　a　scabby　tree　trunk。　He　went　to　a　spot　on　the　other　side　of　the　clearing　and　kicked　at　the　leaves　and　loose　twigs；　exposing　an　olive…drab　tarpaulin。　Rummaging　beneath　it；　he　came　out　with　a　tin　of　bread　crumbs；　a　jar　of　vegetable　oil；　a　five…gallon　jug　of　fresh　water　and　a　waxy　stick　of　army　insect　repellent；　which　he　passed　around。
　
　While　he　collected　dry　wood　for　the　fire；　Edie　Marsh　came　up　beside　him。　〃Where　are　we？〃
　
　〃Middle　of　nowhere。〃
　
　〃Why？〃
　
　〃Because　there's　no　better　place　to　be。〃
　
　They　gathered　to　watch　him　skin　the　rattler。　Edie　was　impressed　by　his　enormous　hands；　sure　and　swift　and　pletely　at　ease　with　the　knife。
　
　As　the　fire　sparked　up；　Augustine　pulled　Bonnie　closer　and　buried　his　face　in　the　silkiness　of　her　hair。　He　was　soothed　by　the　soft　crackle　of　tinder；　the　owl　piping　on　a　distant　wire；　raccoons　trilling　and　fussing　in　the　shadows；　the　whoosh　of　nighthawks　scooping　insects　above　the　firelit　treetops。　The　sole　discordant　note　was　the　stuporous　snore　of　Lester　Maddox　Parsons。
　
　The　air　tasted　fresh；　the　rain　was　done　for　a　while。　Augustine　wouldn't　have　traded　places　with　another　soul。　Crocodile　Lakes　on　a　warm　September　night　was　fine。　He　kissed　Bonnie　lightly；　having　no　special　plans　beyond　the　moment。　He　willed　himself　not　to　worry　about　Max　Lamb；　who　would　be　ing　tomorrow　on　a　mission　to　retrieve　his　bride。
　
　Skink　began　spooning　out　chunks　of　pan…fried　snake。　Edie　Marsh　facetiously　said　it　was　impolite　not　to　save　some　for　Snapper。　Skink　declared　that　he　wouldn't　so　dishonor　the　memory　of　a　dead　reptile。
　
　That's　when　he'd　asked　Augustine　for　The　Club。
　
　He　turned　his　back　to　the　others　while　he　fitted　it　under　Snapper's　papery　gray　lips。　Bonnie　believed　the　procedure　would　have　been　physically　impossible；　were　it　not　for　the　preexisting　crookedness　of　those　saurian　jawbones。　Afterwards　nobody　said　a　word；　until　Snapper　made　a　groggy　inquisitive　murmur。
　
　Skink　bent　over　him。　〃Lester？〃
　
　〃Mmmmmfrrrttthh。〃
　
　〃Lester　Maddox　Parsons！〃
　
　Snapper's　eyelids　fluttered。　The　governor　asked　Augustine　to　take　a　bucket　down　to　the　creek　and　get　some　water　to　wake　up　the　sorry　sonofabitch。
　
　The　pink…orange　parfait　of　dawn　failed　to　elevate　Edie's　spirits。　She　was　sticky；　scratched；　hot；　parched；　filthy；　as　wretched　as　she'd　ever　been。　She　wanted　to　cry　and　pull　at　her　hair　and　scream。　She　wanted　to　make　a　scene。　Most　of　all　she　wanted　to　escape；　but　that　was　impossible。　She　was　trapped　on　all　sides　by　humming　crackling　wilderness；　it　might　as　well　have　been　a　twelve…foot　wall　of　barbed　wire。　Her　hands　and　feet　weren't　shackled。　The　governor　held　no　gun　to　her　head。　Nothing　whatsoever　prevented　her　from　running；　except　the　grim　certainty　that　she'd　never　find　her　way　out；　that　she'd　bee　blindly　lost　in　the　woods　and　starve；　and　that　her　emaciated　body　would　be　torn　apart　and　devoured　by　crocodiles；　rattlers　and　ravenous　tropical　ants。　The　prospect　of　an　anonymous　death　in　the　swamps　offended　Edie's　dignity。　She　didn't　want　her　sun…bleached　bones　to　be　found　by　hunters；　fishermen　or　bird…watchers；　pieced　together　by　wisecracking　medical　students　and　coroners；　identified　by　X…rays　from　her　childhood　orthodontist。
　
　She　approached　the　governor。　〃I　want　to　talk。〃
　
　He　was　mumbling　to　himself；　feeling　around　in　his　shirt。　〃Damn；〃　he　said。　〃Out　of　toad。〃　He　glanced　at　Edie：　〃You're　a　woman　of　the　world。　Ever　smoke　Bufo？〃
　
　〃We　need　to　talk；〃　she　said。　〃Alone。〃
　
　〃If　it's　about　the　suitcase；　forget　it。〃
　
　〃It's　not　that。〃
　
　〃All　right；　then。　Soon　as　I　finish　chatting　with　Lester。〃
　
　〃No；　now！〃
　
　Skink　cupped　her　chin　in　one　of　his　huge；　rough　palms。　Edie　Marsh　sensed　that　he　could　break　her　neck　as　effortlessly　as　twisting　the　cap　off　a　beer。　He　said；　〃You've　got　shitty　manners。　Go　sit　with　the　others。〃
　
　Bonnie　and　Augustine　were　kneeling　in　the　back　of　the　junked　ambulance；　poring　through　Skink's　library。　Edie　couldn't　understand　how　they　could　seem　so　unconcerned。
　
　She　said；　〃We've　got　to　do　something。〃　It　came　out　like　a　mand。
　
　Augustine　was　showing　Bonnie　a　first　edition　of　Absalom；　Absalom。　He　glanced　up　at　Edie　and　said；　〃It's　a　ride。　When　it's　over；　it's　over。〃
　
　〃But　who　is　he？〃　She　pointed　toward　Skink。　Then；　facing　Bonnie：　〃Aren't　you　afraid？　God；　am　I　the　only　one　with　brains　enough　to　be　scared？〃
　
　〃Last　night　I　was；〃　Bonnie　said。　〃Not　now。〃
　
　Augustine　told　Edie　to　quiet　down。　〃It'll　be　over　when　he　says　so。　In　the　meantime；　please　do　your　best　not　to　piss　him　off。〃
　
　Edie　was　jarred　by　the　harshness　of　Augustine's　tone。　He　jerked　a　thumb　toward　Snapper；　agape　by　the　campfire。　〃What're　you　doing　with　that　shitbird；　anyway？〃
　
　Bonnie　cut　in：　〃Let's　drop　the　whole　thing。〃
　
　〃No；　it's　all　right。　I　want　to　explain；〃　said　Edie。　〃It　was　just　business。　We　were　working　a　deal　together。〃
　
　〃A　scam。〃
　
　〃Insurance　money；〃　she　admitted；　〃from　the　hurricane。〃　She　caught　Bonnie　staring。　〃Wele　to　the　real　world；　princess。〃
　
　〃So　when's　the　big　payoff？〃　Augustine　asked。
　
　Edie　laughed　ruefully。　〃The　adjuster　said　any　day。　Said　it　was　ing　Federal　Express。　And　here　I　am；　lost　in　the　middle　of　the　fucking　Everglades。〃
　
　〃It's　not　the　Everglades；〃　said　Augustine。　〃In　fact；　this　is　Saint…Tropez　pared　to　the　Everglades。　But　I　can　see　why　you're　upset；　watching　two　hundred　grand　fly　away。〃
　
　Edie　Marsh　was　dumbfounded。　Bonnie　said；　〃You're　joking。　Two　hundred　thousand　dollars？〃
　
　〃Two　hundred　and　one。〃　Augustine　chided　Edie　with　a　wink。
　
　She　asked；　almost　inaudibly：　〃How'd　you　know？〃
　
　〃You　left　something　in　the　house　on　Calusa。〃
　
　〃Oh　shit。〃
　
　He　unfolded　the　pink　carbons　of　the　Midwest　Casualty　claim…Edie　recognized　the　cartoon　badger　at　the　top　of　the　page。　Augustine　ripped　the　carbons　into　pieces。　He　said；　〃I　were　you；　I'd　e　up　with　a　clever　excuse　why　your　pocketbook　might　be　in　that　particular　kitchen。　The　police'll　be　mighty　curious。〃
　
　〃Shit。〃
　
　〃What　I'm　saying　is；　don't　be　in　such　a　rush　to　get　back　to　civilization。〃　He　turned　back　to　the　governor's　books。
　
　Edie　bit　her　lower　lip。　Lord；　sometimes　it　was　tough　to　stay　cool。　She　felt　like　breaking　down　a'gain。　〃What's　this　all　about…some　kind　of　game？〃
　
　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　Bonnie　said。
　
　〃Jesus　Christ。〃
　
　〃Ride　it　out。　Hang　on　till　it's　over。〃
　
　Not　me；　thought　Edie。　No　fucking　way。
　
　The　Club　exaggerated　Snapper's　pre…exaggerated　features。　It　pushed　the　top　half　of　his　mug　into　pudgy　creases；　like　a　shar…pei　puppy；　the　eyes　were　moist　slits；　the　nose　pugged　nearly　to　his　brow。　The　rest　wa