chiaasen.stormyweather-第47章

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　He　resumed　singing；　in　a　nasal　pitch　imposed　by　tiny　fingers　pinching　his　nostrils。
　
　And　it's　fust　a　box　of　rain；　Or　a　ribbon　in　your　hair。　Such　a　long；　long　time　to　be　gone　And　a　short　time　to　be　there。
　
　The　child　clapped。　Skink　kissed　him　lightly　on　the　forehead。　He　said；　〃You're　good　pany；　sonny。　How's　your　spirit　of　adventure？〃
　
　〃No！〃　Bonnie　Lamb　stepped　forward。　〃We're　not　taking　him。　Don't　even　think　about　it。〃
　
　〃He'd　enjoy　himself；　would　he　not？〃
　
　〃Captain；　please。〃　Augustine　lifted　the　boy　and　handed　him　to　Bonnie；　who　hurried　to　find　the　parents　before　the　wild　man　changed　his　mind。
　
　The　pewter　sky　filled　with　a　loud　thwocking　drone。　People　in　the　Evian　line　pointed　to　a　covey　of　drab　military　helicopters；　flying　low。　The　choppers　began　to　circle；　causing　the　tents　to　flutter　and　snap。　Quickly　a　procession　of　police　cars；　government　sedans；　black　Chevy　Blazers　and　TV　trucks　entered　the　pound。
　
　Skink　said；　〃Ha！　Our　mander　in　Chief。〃
　
　Five　Secret　Service　types　piled　out　of　one　of　the　Blazers；　followed　by　the　President。　He　wore；　over　a　shirt　and　necktie；　a　navy…blue　rain　slicker　with　an　emblem　on　the　breast。　He　waved　toward　the　television　cameras；　then　pulsively　began　to　shake　the　hands　of　every　National　Guardsman　and　Army　soldier　he　saw。　This　peculiar　behavior　might　have　continued　until　dusk　had　not　one　of　the　President's　many　aides　（also　in　a　blue　slicker）　whispered　in　his　ear。　At　that　point　a　family　of　authentic　hurricane　refugees；　carefully　screened　and　selected　from　the　sweltering　masses；　was　brought　to　meet　and　be　photographed　with　the　President。　Included　in　the　family　was　the　obligatory　darling　infant；　over　whom　the　leader　of　the　free　world　labored　to　coo　and　fuss。　The　photo　opportunity　lasted　less　than　three　minutes；　after　which　the　President　resumed　his　obsessive　fraternizing　with　anyone　wearing　a　uniform。　These　unnatural　affections　were　extended　to　a　snowy…haired　officer　of　the　local　Salvation　Army；　around　whom　the　mander　in　Chief　flung　a　ropy　arm。　〃So；〃　he　chirped　at　the　befuddled　old…timer；　〃what　outfit　you　with？〃
　
　A　short　distance　away；　Augustine　stood　with　his　arms　folded。　〃Pathetic；〃　he　said。
　
　Skink　agreed。　〃Check　the　glaze　in　his　eyes。　There's　nothing　worse　than　a　Republican　on　Halcion。〃
　
　As　soon　as　Bonnie　Lamb　returned；　they　left　for　Turtle　Meadow。
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　EIGHTEEN
　
　
　Skink　had　gotten　the　address　from　the　police　report；　courtesy　of　Jim　Tile。　The　mailboxes　and　street　signs　were　down；　so　it　took　some　searching　to　find　the　house。　Because　of　his　respectable　and　clean…cut　appearance；　Augustine　was　chosen　to　make　the　inquiry。　Skink　waited　in　the　back　of　the　pickup　truck；　singing　the　chorus　from　〃Ventilator　Blues。〃　Bonnie　Lamb　wasn't　familiar　with　the　song；　but　she　enjoyed　Skink's　bluesy　bass　voice。　She　stood　by　the　truck；　keeping　an　eye　on　him。
　
　Augustine　was　met　at　the　door　by　a　tired…looking　woman　in　a　pink　housedress。　She　said；　〃The　trooper　mentioned　you'd　be　by。〃　Her　tone　was　as　lifeless　as　her　stare；　she'd　been　whipped　by　the　hurricane。
　
　〃It's　been；　like；　three　days　since　I　called　the　cops。〃
　
　〃We're　stretched　pretty　thin；〃　Augustine　said。
　
　The　woman's　entire　family…husband；　four　children；　two　cats…was　bivouacked　in　the　master　bedroom；　beneath　the　only　swatch　of　roof　that　the　hurricane　hadn't　blown　away。　The　husband　wore　a　lime　mesh　tank　top；　baggy　shorts；　sandals　and　a　Cleveland　Indians　cap。　He　had　a　stubble　of　gray…flecked　beard。　He　tended　a　small　Sterno　stove　on　the　dresser；　six　cans　of　pork　and　beans　were　lined　up；　the　lids　removed。　The　kids　were　preoccupied　with　battery…operated　Game　Boys；　beeping　like　miniature　radars。
　
　〃We　still　got　no　electric；〃　the　woman　said　to　Augustine。　She　told　her　husband　it　was　the　man　the　Highway　Patrol　sent　about　the　stolen　license　plate。　The　husband　asked　Augustine　why　he　wasn't　wearing　a　police　uniform。
　
　〃Because　I'm　a　detective；〃　Augustine　said。　〃Plainclothes。〃
　
　〃Oh。〃
　
　〃Tell　me　what　happened。〃
　
　〃These　four　kids　pulled　up　and　took　the　tag　off　my　Camaro。　I　was　out'n　the　yard；　burying　the　fish…see；　when　the　power　went　off　it　took　care　of　the　aquarium；　so　we　had　dead　guppies…〃
　
　〃Sailfin　mollies！〃　interjected　one　of　the　kids。　〃Anyway；　I　had　to　bury　the　damn　things　before　they　stunk　up　the　place。　That's　when　this　Jeep　es　up；　four　colored　guys；　stereo　cranked　full　blast。　They　take　a　screwdriver　and　set　to　work　on　the　Camaro。　Me　standin'　right　there！〃
　
　The　woman　said；　〃I　knew　something　was　wrong。　I　brought　the　children　inside　the　bedroom。〃
　
　Her　husband　dumped　two　cans　of　pork　and　beans　into　a　small　pot；　which　he　held　over　the　royal…blue　flame　of　the　Sterno。　〃So　I　run　over　with　a　shovel　and　say　what　do　you　think　you're　up　to；　and　one　of　the　brothers　flashes　a　gun　and　tells　me　to　you…know…what。　I　didn't　argue；　I　backed　right　off。　Getting　shot　over　a　damn　license　plate　was　not　on　my　agenda；　you　understand。〃
　
　Augustine　said；　〃Then　what　happened？〃
　
　〃They　slapped　the　tag　on　the　Jeep　and　hauled　ass。
　
　You　could　hear　that　so…called　music　for　about　five　miles。〃
　
　The　wife　added；　〃David's　got　a　pistol　and　he　knows　how　to　use　it。　But…〃
　
　〃Not　over　a　thirty…dollar　license　plate；〃　said　her　husband。
　
　Augustine　mended　David　for　being　so　levelheaded。　〃Let　me　double…check　the　tag　number。〃　He　took　out　the　folded　piece　of　paper　and　read　it　aloud：　〃BZQ…42F。〃
　
　〃Right；〃　said　David；　〃but　it's　not　on　that　Jeep　no　more。〃
　
　〃How　do　you　know？〃
　
　〃I　saw　it　the　other　day；　goin'　down　Calusa。〃
　
　〃The　same　one？〃
　
　〃Black　Cherokee。　Mags；　tinted　windows。　I'd　bet　the　farm　it's　the　same　truck。　I　could　tell　by　the　mud　flaps。〃
　
　The　woman　frowned。　〃Tell　him　about　those。〃
　
　〃Mud　flaps　like　what　you　see　on　them　eighteen…wheelers。　You　know；　fancy；　with　naked　ladies。〃
　
　〃In　chrome；〃　the　woman　said。　〃That's　how　we　knew　it　was　the　same　one…〃
　
　Augustine　said；　〃Where's　Calusa？〃
　
　〃…only　some　white　guy　was　driving　it。〃
　
　〃What'd　he　look　like？〃
　
　〃Not　friendly；〃　said　the　husband。
　
　The　wife　said；　〃Watch　the　beans；　David。　And　tell　him　about　the　music。〃
　
　〃That's　the　other　thing；〃　David　said；　stirring　the　pot。　〃He　had　that　damn　stereo　all　the　way　loud；　same　as　the　colored　kids。　Only　it　wasn't　rap　music；　it　was　Travis　Tritt。　I　thought　it　was　weird；　this　guy　in　a　business　suit　and　a　niggered…up　Jeep；　listenin'　to　Travis　Tritt。〃
　
　〃David！〃　The　woman　reddened　with　genuine　offense。　Augustine　liked　her。　He　surmised　that　she　was　the　strength　of　the　outfit。
　
　Her　husband；　halfway　apologizing　for　the　slur：　〃Aw；　you　know　what　I　mean。　All　that　chrome　and　tint；　the　guy　didn't　fit。〃
　
　Augustine　recalled　Brenda　Rourke's　description　of　the　attacker。　〃You're　sure　about　the　suit？〃
　
　〃Clear　as　day。〃
　
　The　woman　said；　〃We　figured　maybe　he's　the　boss。　Maybe　the　kids　who　stole　our　license　plate　work　for　him。〃
　
　〃It's　possible；〃　said　Augustine。　He　sort　of　enjoyed　playing　a　cop；　ferreting　fresh　trails。
　
　〃You　say　he　looked　unfriendly。　What　do　you　mean？〃
　
　David　spooned　the　pork　and　beans　into　matching　ceramic　bowls。　〃His　face；〃　he　said。　〃You　wouldn't　forget　it。〃
　
　The　wife　said；　〃We　were　on　our　way　to　the　Circle　K　for　ice。　At　first　I　thought　he　had　on　a　Halloween　mask；　the　man　in　the　Jeep。　That's　how　odd　he　was…wait；　Jeremy；　that's　too　hot！〃　She　intercepted　her　youngest　son；　lunging　for　the　beans。
　
　Augustine　thanked　them；　on　behalf　of　the　Metropolitan　Dade　County　Police；　for　their　cooperation。　He　promised　to　do　his　best　to　retrieve　the　stolen　license　plate。　〃I've　only　got　one　more　question。〃
　
　〃Where's　Calusa？〃　said　David；　smiling。
　
　〃Exactly。〃
　
　〃Margo　can　do　you　a　map。　Use　one　them　napkins。〃
　
　Avila's　wife　found　him　writhing　on　the　floor　of　the　garage；　near　the　Buick。　He　was　bleeding　from　a　large　puncture　in　the　groin。　One　of　the　sacrificial　billy　goats；　anticipating　its　fate；　had　gored　him。
　
　〃Where　are　they？〃　demanded　Avila's　wife；　in　Spanish。
　
　Through　clenched　teeth；　Avila　confessed　that　both　goats　had　escaped。
　
　〃I　tole　you！　I　tole　you！〃　his　wife　cried；　switching　to　English。　She　rolled　Avila　on　his