chiaasen.stormyweather-第3章

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e　asked　the　one…eyed　man。
　
　〃By　all　means。〃
　
　〃What　about　the　squirrel；　sir？〃
　
　〃It's　all　yours；〃　the　stranger　said。　〃Enjoy。〃
　
　Jack　Fleming　coasted　the　car　downhill。　At　the　foot　of　the　bridge；　he　veered　off　the　pavement　to　get　clear　of　the　traffic。　Webo　Drake　found　a　rusty　curtain　rod　in　a　pile　of　trash；　and　Jack　used　it　to　hoist　the　animal　carcass　out　of　his　father's　Lexus。　Webo　stood　back；　trying　to　light　a　cigaret。
　
　Back　on　the　bridge；　under　a　murderous　dark　sky；　the　kneeling　stranger　raised　both　arms　to　the　pulsing　gray　clouds。　Bursts　of　hot　wind　made　the　man's　hair　stand　up　like　a　halo　of　silver　sparks。
　
　〃Crazy　fucker；〃　Jack　Fleming　rasped。　He　stepped　over　the　dead　squirrel　and　threw　the　curtain　rod　into　the　mangroves。　〃You　think　he　had　a　gun？　Because　that's　what　I'm　telling　my　old　man：　Some　nut　with　a　gun　kicked　out　the　car　window。〃
　
　Webo　Drake　pointed　with　the　cigaret　and　said；　〃Jack；　you　know　what　he's　waiting　for？　That　crazy　idiot；　he's　waiting　on　the　hurricane。〃
　
　Although　the　young　men　stood　two　hundred　yards　away；　they　could　see　the　one…eyed　stranger　grinning　madly　into　the　teeth　of　the　rising　wind。　He　wore　a　smile　that　blazed。
　
　〃Brother；〃　Jack　said　to　Webo；　〃let's　get　the　hell　out　of　here。〃　The　tollbooth　was　unmanned；　so　they　blew　through　at　fifty　miles　an　hour；　skidded　into　the　parking　lot　of　Alabama　Jack's。　There　they　used　the　one…eyed　man's　ten…dollar　bill　to　purchase　four　cold　cans　of　Cherry　Coke；　which　they　drank　on　the　trip　up　Card　Sound　Road。　When　they　were　finished；　they　did　not　toss　the　empties　from　the　car。
　
　A　noise　awakened　Bonnie　Lamb。　It　was　Max；　snapping　open　a　suitcase。　She　asked　what　in　the　world　he　was　doing；　fully　dressed　and　packing　his　clothes　at　four　in　the　morning。　He　said　he　wanted　to　surprise　her。
　
　〃You're　leaving　me？〃　she　asked。　〃After　two　nights。〃　Max　Lamb　smiled　and　came　to　the　bed。　〃I'm　packing　for　both　of　us。〃
　
　He　tried　to　stroke　Bonnie's　cheek；　but　she　buried　her　face　in　the　pillow；　to　block　out　the　light。　The　rain　was　ing　harder　now；　slapping　horizontally　against　the　windows　of　the　high…rise　hotel。　She　was　glad　her　husband　had　e　to　his　senses。　They　could　do　Epcot　some　other　time。
　
　She　peered　out　of　the　pillow　and　said；　〃Honey；　is　the　airport　open？〃
　
　〃I　don't　honestly　know。〃
　
　〃Shouldn't　you　call　first？〃
　
　〃Why？〃　Max　Lamb　patted　the　blanket　where　it　followed　the　curve　of　his　wife's　hips。
　
　〃We're　flying　home；　aren't　we？〃　Bonnie　Lamb　sat　up。　〃That's　why　you're　packing。〃
　
　Her　husband　said　no；　we're　not　flying　home。　〃We're　going　on　an　adventure。〃
　
　〃I　see。　Where；　Max？〃
　
　〃Miami。〃
　
　〃That's　the　surprise？〃
　
　〃That's　it。〃　He　tugged　the　covers　away　from　her。　〃e　on；　we've　got　a　long　drive…〃
　
　Bonnie　Lamb　didn't　move。　〃You're　serious。〃
　
　〃…and　I　want　to　teach　you　how　to　use　the　video　camera。〃
　
　She　said；　〃I've　got　a　better　idea。　Why　don't　we　stay　here　and　make　love　for　the　next　three　days。　Dawn　to　dusk；　OK？　Tear　the　room　to　pieces。　I　mean；　if　it's　adventure　you　want。〃
　
　Max　Lamb　was　up　again；　stuffing　the　suitcases。　〃You　don't　understand。　This　is　a　once…in…a…lifetime　chance。〃
　
　Right；　Bonnie　said；　a　chance　to　drown　on　our　honeymoon。　〃I'd　rather　stay　where　it's　warm　and　dry。　I'll　even　watch　Emmanuelle　VI　on　the　Spectravision；　like　you　wanted　last　night。〃　This　she　regarded　as　a　significant　concession。
　
　〃By　the　time　we　get　to　Miami；〃　said　Max；　〃the　dangerous　part　will　be　over。　In　fact；　it's　probably　over　already。〃
　
　〃Then　what's　the　point？〃
　
　〃You'll　see。〃
　
　〃Max；　I　don't　want　to　do　this。　Please。〃
　
　He　gave　her　a　stiff；　fatherly　hug。　She　knew　he　was　about　to　speak　to　her　as　if　she　were　six　years　old。　〃Bonnie；〃　Max　Lamb　said　to　his　new　wife。　〃My　beautiful　little　Bonnie；　now　listen。　Disney　World　we　can　do　anytime。　Anytime　we　want。　But　how　often　does　a　hurricane　hit？　You　heard　the　weatherman；　honey。　'The　Storm　of　the　Century；'　he　called　it。　How　often　does　a　person　get　to　see　something　like　that！〃
　
　Bonnie　Lamb　couldn't　stand　her　husband's　lordly　tone。　She　couldn't　stand　it　so　much　that　she'd　have　done　anything　to　shut　him　up。
　
　〃All　right；　Max。　Bring　me　my　robe。〃
　
　He　kissed　her　noisily　on　the　forehead。　〃Thatta　girl。〃
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　TWO
　
　
　Snapper　and　Edie　Marsh　got　two　rooms　at　the　Best　Western　in　Pembroke　Pines；　thirty　miles　north　of　where　the　storm　was　predicted　to　e　ashore。　Snapper　told　the　motel　clerk　that　one　room　would　be　enough；　but　Edie　said　not　on　your　damn　life。　The　relationship　had　always　been　strictly　business；　Snapper　being　an　occasional　fence　of　women's　wear　and　Edie　being　an　occasional　thief　of　same。　Their　new　venture　was　to　be　another　entrepreneurial　partnership；　more　ambitious　but　not　more　intimate。　Up　front　Edie　alerted　Snapper　that　she　couldn't　imagine　a　situation　in　which　she'd　have　sex　with　him；　even　once。　He　did　not　seem　poleaxed　by　the　news。
　
　She　went　to　bed　covering　her　ears；　trying　to　shut　out　the　hellish　moan　of　the　storm。　It　was　more　than　she　could　bear　alone。　During　the　brief　calm　of　the　eye；　she　pounded　on　the　door　to　Snapper's　room　and　said　she　was　scared　half　to　death。　Snapper　said　e　on　in；　we're　having　ourselves　a　time。
　
　Somewhere　in　the　midst　of　a　hurricane；　he'd　found　a　hooker。　Edie　was　impressed。　The　woman　clutched　a　half…empty　bottle　of　Barbancourt　between　her　breasts。　Snapper　had　devoted　himself　to　vodka；　he　wore　a　Marlins　cap　and　red　Jockey　shorts；　inside　out。　Candles　gave　the　motel　room　a　soft；　religious　lighting。　The　electricity　had　been　out　for　two　hours。
　
　Edie　Marsh　introduced　herself　to　the　prostitute；　whom　Snapper　had　procured　through　a　telephone　escort　service。　Here　was　a　dedicated　employee！　thought　Edie。
　
　The　back　side　of　the　storm　came　up；　a　roar　so　unbearable　that　the　three　of　them　huddled　like　orphans　on　the　floor。　The　candles　flickered　madly　as　the　wind　sucked　at　the　windows。　Edie　could　see　the　walls　breathing…Christ；　what　a　lousy　idea　this　was！　A　large　painting　of　a　pelican　fell；　grazing　one　of　the　hooker's　ankles。　She　cried　out　softly　and　gnawed　at　her　artificial　fingernails。　Snapper　kept　to　the　vodka。　Occasionally　his　free　hand　would　turn　up　like　a　spider　on　Edie's　thigh。　She　smashed　it；　but　Snapper　merely　sighed。
　
　By　dawn　the　storm　had　crossed　inland；　and　the　high　water　was　falling　fast。　Edie　Marsh　put　on　a　conservative　blue　dress　and　dark　nylons；　and　pinned　her　long　brown　hair　in　a　bun。　Snapper　wore　the　only　suit　he　owned；　a　slate　pinstripe　he'd　purchased　two　years　earlier　for　an　ex…cellmate's　funeral；　the　cuffed　trousers　stopped　an　inch　shy　of　his　shoetops。　Edie　chuckled　and　said　that　was　perfect。
　
　They　dropped　the　prostitute　at　a　Denny's　restaurant　and　took　the　Turnpike　south　to　see　what　the　hurricane　had　done。　Traffic　was　bumper…to…bumper　lunacy；　fire　engines　and　cop　cars　and　ambulances　everywhere。　The　radio　said　Homestead　had　been　blown　off　the　map。　The　governor　was　sending　the　National　Guard。
　
　Snapper　headed　east　on　152nd　Street　but　immediately　got　disoriented。　All　traffic　signals　and　street　signs　were　down；　Snapper　couldn't　find　Sugar　Palm　Hammocks。
　
　Edie　Marsh　became　agitated。　She　kept　repeating　the　address　aloud：　14275　Noriega　Parkway。　One…four…two…seven…five。　Tan　house；　brown　shutters；　swimming　pool；　two…car　garage。　Avila　had　guessed　it　was　worth　185；000。
　
　〃If　we　don't　hurry；〃　Edie　told　Snapper；　〃if　we　don't　get　there　soon…〃
　
　Snapper　instructed　her　to　shut　the　holy　fuck　up。
　
　〃Wasn't　there　a　Dairy　Queen？〃　Edie　went　on。　〃I　remember　him　turning　at　a　Dairy　Queen　or　something。〃
　
　Snapper　said；　〃The　Dairy　Queen　is　gone。　Every　goddamn　thing　is　gone；　case　you　didn't　notice。　We're　flying　blind　out　here。〃
　
　Edie　had　never　seen　such　destruction；　it　looked　like　Castro　had　nuked　the　place。　Houses　without　roofs；　walls；　windows。　Trailers　and　cars　crumpled　like　foil。　Trees　in　the　swimming　pools。　People　weeping；　Sweet　Jesus；　and　everywhere　the　plonking　of　hammers　and　the　growling　of　chain　saws。
　
　Snapper　said　they　could　do　another　house。　〃There's　only　about　ten　thousand　to　choose　from。〃
　
　〃I　suppose。〃
　
　〃What's　so　special　about　1…4…2…7…5？〃
　
　〃It　had　personality；〃　Ed