chiaasen.stormyweather-第42章

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　〃。。。I　didn't　go。〃
　
　〃You're　shittin'me。〃
　
　〃No。　I'm　very；　very　sorry。〃
　
　The　expression　on　Ira　Jackson's　face　caused　Avila　to　reevaluate　his　decision　to　be　candid。　Evidently　the　doughnut　man　intended　to　torture　him；　no　matter　what。　Ira　Jackson　bent　over　the　crucifix　and　went　back　to　work。
　
　Raising　his　voice　over　the　racket；　Avila　said；　〃Christ；　if　I　knew　what　he　was　doing　with　those　trailers；　he　never　woulda　got　permits。　You　gotta　believe　me；　there's　no　amount　of　money　would　make　me　take　a　pass　on　cut　augers。　No　way！〃
　
　〃Shut　up。〃　Ira　Jackson　carried　the　cross　to　the　backyard　and　began　nailing　it　to　the　trunk　of　a　pine。　It　had　been　a　tall　lush　tree　until　the　hurricane　sheared　off　the　top　thirty　feet；　now　it　was　merely　a　bark…covered　pole。
　
　With　each　plonk　of　the　hammer；　Avila's　spirits　sank。　He　said　a　prayer　to　Change；　then　tried　a　〃Hail　Mary〃　in　the　wan　hope　that　traditional　Catholic　entreaty　would　be　more　potent　in　staving　off　a　crucifixion。
　
　As　the　man　from　New　York　dragged　him　to　the　tree；　Avila　cried；　〃Please；　I'll　do　anything　you　want！〃
　
　〃OK；〃　said　Ira　Jackson；　〃I　want　you　to　die。〃
　
　He　positioned　Avila　upright　against　the　cross　and　wrapped　duct　tape　around　his　ankles　and　wrists　to　minimize　the　squirming。　Avila　shut　his　eyes　when　he　saw　the　doughnut　man　snatch　up　the　hammer。　The　moment　the　cold　point　of　the　nail　punctured　his　palm；　Avila　emitted　a　puppy　yelp　and　fainted。
　
　When　he　awoke；　he　saw　that　Chango　had　answered　his　prayers　with　a　fury。
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　SIXTEEN
　
　
　At　nine　sharp　on　the　morning　of　August　31；　an　attractive　brunette　woman　carrying　two　miniature　dachshunds　walked　into　a　Hialeah　branch　of　the　Barnett　Bank　and　opened　an　account　under　the　name　of　〃Neria　G。　Torres。〃
　
　For　identification；　the　woman　provided　an　expired　automobile　registration　and　a　handful　of　soggy　mail。　The　bank　officer　politely　requested　a　driver's　license　or　passport；　any　document　bearing　a　photograph。　The　woman　said　her　most　personal　papers；　including　driver's　license；　were　washed　away　by　the　hurricane。　As　the　bank　officer　questioned　her　more　closely；　the　woman　became　distraught。　Soon　her　little　dogs　began　to　bark　plangently；　one　of　them　squirted　from　her　arms　and　dashed　in　circles　around　the　lobby；　nipping　at　other　customers。　To　quiet　the　scene；　the　banker　agreed　to　accept　the　woman's　auto　registration　as　identification。　His　own　aunt　had　lost　all　her　immigration　papers　in　the　storm；　so　Mrs。　Torres's　excuse　seemed　plausible。　To　open　the　account　she　gave　him　one　hundred　dollars　cash；　and　said　she'd　be　back　in　a　few　days　to　deposit　a　large　insurance　check。
　
　〃You're　lucky　they　settled　so　fast；〃　the　banker　remarked。　〃My　aunt's　having　a　terrible　time　with　her　pany。〃
　
　The　woman　said　her　homeowner　policy　was　with　Midwest　Casualty。　〃I've　got　a　great　insurance　man；〃　she　added。
　
　Later；　when　Edie　Marsh　told　the　story　to　Fred　Dove；　he　reacted　with　the　weakest　twitch　of　an　ironic　smile。　Under　the　woeful　circumstances；　it　was　as　good　as　a　cartwheel。
　
　Edie；　Snapper　and　the　two　noisy　wiener　dogs　had　moved　into　his　room　at　the　Ramada。　No　other　acmodations　were　available　for　a　radius　of　sixty　miles；　because　the　hotels　were　jammed　full　of　displaced　families；　relief　volunteers；　journalists；　construction　workers　and　insurance　adjusters。　Fred　Dove　felt　trapped。　His　fear　of　getting　arrested　for　fraud　was　now　pounded　by　a　fear　that　his　wife　would　call　the　motel　room；　then　Edie　Marsh　or　Snapper　would　answer　the　phone　and　the　wiener　dogs　would　start　howling；　leaving　Fred　Dove　to　invent　an　explanation　that　no　sensible　woman　in　Omaha；　Nebraska；　would　ever　accept。
　
　〃Cheer　up；〃　Edie　told　him。　〃We're　all　set　at　the　bank。〃
　
　〃Good；〃　he　said　in　a　brittle　tone。
　
　The　long　tense　weekend　had　abraded　the　insurance　man's　nerves…Snapper；　gimping　irritably　around　the　small　motel　room；　slugging　down　vodka；　threatening　to　blast　the　yappy　dachshunds　with　a　massive　black　handgun　he　claimed　to　have　stolen　from　a　police　officer。
　
　No　wonder　I'm　edgy；　thought　Fred　Dove。
　
　To　deepen　the　gloom；　sharing　the　cramped　room　with　Snapper　and　the　dogs　left　the　insurance　man　no　opportunity　for　intimacy　with　Edie　Marsh。　Not　that　he　could　have　availed　himself　of　a　sexual　invitation；　the　withering　effect　of　Snapper's　previous　coital　interruption　endured；　as　Snapper　continued　to　tease　Fred　Dove　about　the　red　condom。
　
　Also　looming　large　was　the　question　of　Edie's　aptitude　for　violence…a　disconcerting　vision　of　the　crowbar　episode　was　scorched　into　Fred　Dove's　memory。　He　worried　that　she　or　Snapper　might　endeavor　to　murder　each　other　at　any　moment。
　
　Edie　stretched　out　next　to　him　on　the　bed。　〃You're　miserable；〃　she　observed。
　
　〃Yes　indeed；〃　said　the　insurance　man。
　
　With　his　bum　leg　elevated；　Snapper　was　stationed　in　an　armchair　three　and　one　half　feet　from　the　television　screen。　Every　so　often　he　would　take　a　futile　swipe　at　Donald　or　Maria；　and　tell　them　to　shut　the　holy　fuck　up。
　
　〃Sally　Jessy；〃　Edie　whispered。　Fred　Dove　sighed。
　
　On　the　TV；　a　woman　in　a　dreadful　yellow　wig　was　accusing　her　gap…toothed　white…trash　husband　of　screwing　her　younger　sister。　Instead　of　denying　it；　the　husband　said　damn　right；　and　it　was　the　best　nooky　I　ever　had。　Instantly　the　sister；　also　wearing　a　dreadful　wig　and　lacking　in　teeth；　piped　up　to　say　she　couldn't　get　enough。　Sally　Jessy　exhaled　in　weary　dismay；　the　studio　audience　hooted；　and　Snapper　let　out　a　war　whoop　that　set　off　the　dogs　once　again。
　
　〃If　the　phone　rings；〃　Fred　Dove　said；　〃please　don't　answer。〃
　
　Edie　Marsh　didn't　need　to　ask　why。
　
　〃You　got　any　kids？〃　she　asked。
　
　The　insurance　man　said　he　had　two；　a　boy　and　a　girl。　He　thought　Edie　might　follow　up　and　ask　about　their　ages；　what　grades　they　were　in；　and　so　on。　But　she　showed　no　interest。
　
　She　said；　〃Cheer　up；　OK？　Think　about　your　cruise　to　Bimini。〃
　
　〃Look；　I　was　wondering…〃
　
　Snapper；　growling　over　one　shoulder：　〃You　two　mind？　I'm　tryin'　to　watch　the　fuckin'　show。〃
　
　Edie　signaled　for　Fred　Dove　to　follow　her　to　the　bathroom。　He　perked　up；　anticipating　a　discreet　blow　job　or　something　along　those　lines。
　
　But　Edie　only　wanted　a　quiet　place　to　chat。　They　perched　their　butts　on　the　edge　of　the　bathtub。　She　stroked　his　hand　and　said；　〃Tell　me；　sugar。　What's　on　your　mind？〃
　
　〃OK；　the　pany　sends　me　the　check…〃
　
　〃Right。〃
　
　〃I　give　it　to　you；〃　said　Fred　Dove；　〃and　you　deposit　it　in　the　bank。〃
　
　〃Right。〃
　
　〃And　then？〃
　
　Edie　Marsh　answered　with　exaggerated　clarity；　like　a　schoolteacher　coaxing　an　exceptionally　dull…witted　pupil。　〃Then；　Fred；　I　go　back　to　the　bank　in　a　couple　days　and　cut　three　separate　cashier's　checks　for　forty…seven　thousand　each。　Just　like　we　agreed。〃
　
　Undeterred　by　the　condescension；　he　said：　〃Don't　forget　the　hundred　dollars　I　gave　you　to　open　the　account。〃
　
　Edie　let　go　of　his　hand　and　brushed　it；　like　a　cockroach；　off　her　lap。　Lord；　what　an　anal　dweeb！　〃Yes；　Freddie；　I'll　make　absolutely　sure　your　check　says　forty…seven　thousand　one　hundred。　OK？　Feel　better？〃
　
　The　insurance　man　grunted　unhappily。　〃I　won't　feel　better　till　it's　over。〃
　
　Edie　Marsh　didn't　inform　Fred　Dove　about　the　phone　call　from　the　real　Neria　Torres。　She　didn't　want　to　spook　him　out　of　the　scam。
　
　〃The　best　part　about　this　deal；〃　she　said；　〃is　that　nobody's　in　a　position　to　screw　anyone　else。　You've　got　shit　on　me；　I've　got　shit　on　you；　and　we've　both　got　plenty　of　shit　on　Snapper。　That's　why　it's　going　down　so　clean。〃
　
　Fred　Dove　said；　〃That　gun　of　his　scares　me　to　death。〃
　
　〃Not　much　we　can　do。　The　asshole　digs　guns。〃
　
　Outside；　Donald　and　Maria　began　scratching　at　the　bathroom　door　in　the　frenetic　manner　of　deranged　badgers。
　
　〃Let's　get　out　there；〃　Edie　Marsh　said；　〃before　Snapper　loses　it。〃
　
　〃This　is　nuts！〃
　
　Edie　mechanically　guided　Fred　Dove's　head　to　her　bosom。　〃Don't　you　worry；〃　she　said；　and　he　was　momentarily　transported　to　a　warm；　fragrant　valley；　where　no　harm　could　ever　e。
　
　Then；　on　the　other　side　of　the　door；　a　gun　went　off；　the　dachshunds　bayed　and　Snapper　bellowed　profanely。
　
　〃Jesus！〃　Edie　exclaimed。