chiaasen.stormyweather-第57章

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　〃This　was　the　baby's　room。　Did　you　notice？〃　she　said。
　
　Nothing。
　
　〃Are　you　awake？〃
　
　Still　no　response。
　
　A　yellowjacket　flew　through　the　broken…out　window　and　took　an　instant　liking　to　Skink's　pungent　mane。　Bonnie　shooed　it　away。　From　across　the　street；　at　15600　Calusa；　came　the　sound　of　dogs　barking。
　
　Eventually　the　governor　spoke。　〃Oh；　they'll　be　back。〃　He　didn't　raise　his　head　from　the　sill。
　
　〃Who？〃
　
　〃Folks　who　own　the　baby。〃
　
　〃How　can　you　be　sure？〃
　
　Silence。
　
　〃Maybe　the　hurricane　was　all　they　could　take。〃
　
　〃Optimist；〃　Skink　grumbled。
　
　Glancing　again　at　the　drowned　teddy　bear；　Bonnie　thought　that　no　family　deserved　to　have　their　life　shattered　in　such　a　harrowing　way。　The　governor　seemed　to　be　reading　her　mind。
　
　He　said；　〃I'm　sorry　it　happened　to　them。　I'm　sorry　they　were　here　in　the　first　place。〃
　
　〃And　you'll　be　even　sorrier　if　they　e　back。〃
　
　Skink　looked　up；　blinking　like　a　sleepy　porch　lizard。　〃It's　a　hurricane　zone；〃　he　said　simply。
　
　Bonnie　thought　he　ought　to　hear　an　outsider's　point　of　view。　〃People　e　here　because　they　think　it's　better　than　where　they　were。　They　believe　the　postcards；　and　you　know　what？　For　lots　of　them；　it　is　better　than　where　they　came　from；　whether　it's　Long　Island　or　Des　Moines　or　Havana。　Life　is　brighter；　so　it's　worth　the　risks。　Maybe　even　hurricanes。〃
　
　The　governor　used　his　functional　eye　to　scan　the　baby's　room。　He　said；　〃Fuck　with　Mother　Nature　and　she'll　fuck　back。〃
　
　〃People　have　dreams；　that's　all。　Like　the　settlers　of　the　old　West。〃
　
　〃Oh；　child。〃
　
　〃What？〃　Bonnie　said；　indignantly。
　
　〃Tell　me　what's　left　to　settle。〃　Skink　lowered　his　head　again。
　
　She　tugged　on　the　sleeve　of　his　camo　shirt。　〃I　want　you　to　show　me　what　you　showed　Max。　The　wildest　part。〃
　
　§kink　clucked。　〃Why？　Your　husband　certainly　wasn't　impressed。〃
　
　〃I'm　not　like　Max。〃
　
　〃Let　us　fervently　hope　not。〃
　
　〃Please。　Will　you　show　me？〃
　
　Once　more；　no　reply。　Bonnie　wished　Augustine　would　hurry　back。　She　returned　her　attention　to　the　house　where　the　black　Cherokee　was　parked；　and　thought　about　what　they'd　witnessed　during　the　long　hot　morning。
　
　A　half　hour　after　the　old　man　had　arrived；　a　taxi　pulled　up。　Out　the　doorway　of　15600　Calusa　had　scurried　a　redheaded　woman　in　a　tight　shiny　cocktail　dress　and　formidable　high　heels。　Augustine　and　Bonnie　agreed　she　looked　like　a　prostitute。　As　the　woman　had　wriggled　herself　into　the　back　of　the　cab；　Skink　remarked　that　her　bold　stockings　would　make　a　superb　mullet　seine。
　
　A　short　time　later；　a　teal…blue　Taurus　had　stopped　in　the　driveway。　The　governor　said　it　had　to　be　a　rental；　because　only　rental　panies　bought　teal…blue　cars。
　
　Two　men　had　gotten　out　of　the　Taurus；　neither　had　a　disfigured　jaw。　The　younger　one　was　a　trim…looking　blond　who　wore　eyeglasses　and　carried　a　tan　briefcase。　The　older；　heavier　one　had　cropped　dark　hair　and　carried　a　clipboard；　his　bearing　was　one　of　authority…probably　ex…military；　Skink　guessed；　a　sergeant　in　his　youth。　The　two　men　had　stayed　in　the　house　for　a　long　time。　Finally　the　older　one　had　e　out　alone。　He'd　sat　in　the　driver's　side　of　the　car；　with　the　door　open；　and　jotted　notes。　Soon　the　man　with　the　briefcase　had　appeared　around　the　corner　of　the　house；　from　the　backyard；　and　together　they'd　departed。
　
　While　the　visitors　didn't　appear　to　be　violent　desperadoes；　Skink　said　that　one　could　never　be　certain　in　Miami。　Augustine　got　the　hint；　and　went　to　fetch　the　guns　from　the　pickup　truck。
　
　Now　the　governor　had　his　forehead　on　the　sill；　and　he'd　begun　to　hum。　Bonnie　asked　the　name　of　the　song。
　
　〃　'Number　Nine　Dream；'〃。　he　said。
　
　〃I　don't　know　that　one。〃
　
　She　wanted　so　much　to　hear　about　his　life。　She　wanted　him　to　open　up　and　tell　the　most　thrilling　and　shocking　of　true　stories。
　
　〃Sing　it　for　me；〃　she　said。
　
　〃Some　other　time。〃　Skink　pointed　across　the　street。　A　man　and　a　woman　were　leaving　the　house。
　
　Bonnie　Lamb　stared。　〃What　in　the　world　are　they　doing？〃
　
　The　governor　rose　quickly。　〃e；　child；〃　he　said。
　
　After　the　Sally　Jessy　show　ended；　Snapper　made　a　couple　of　phone　calls　to　set　something　up。　Exactly　what；　Edie　Marsh　wasn't　sure。　Evidently　he'd　gotten　a　brainstorm　about　what　to　do　with　the　old　man；　short　of　murder。
　
　〃Gimme　hand；〃　he　said　to　Edie；　and　began　tearing　the　living…room　drapes　off　the　rods。　The　drapes　were　whorehouse　pink；　heavy　and　dank　from　rain。　They　spread　the　fabric　in　a　crude　square　on　the　floor。　Then　they　put　Levon　Stichler　in　the　middle　and　rolled　him　up　inside。
　
　To　Edie；　it　resembled　an　enormous　strawberry　pastry。　She　said；　〃I　hope　he　can　breathe。〃
　
　Snapper　punched　the　pink　bundle。　〃Hey；　asshole。　You　got　air？〃
　
　The　gagged　old　man　responded　with　an　expressive　groan。　Snapper　said；　〃He's　OK。　Let's　haul　his　ass　out　to　the　Jeep。〃
　
　Levon　Stichler　wasn't　easy　to　carry。　Snapper　took　the　heavy　end；　but　each　step　was　agony　to　his　shattered　knee。　They　dropped　the　old　man　several　times　before　〃they　made　it　to　the　driveway。　Each　time　it　happened；　Snapper　swore　vehemently　and　danced　a　tortured　one…legged　jig　around　the　pink　bundle。　Edie　Marsh　opened　the　rear　hatch　of　the　Cherokee；　and　somehow　they　managed　to　fold　Levon　Stichler　into　the　cargo　well。
　
　Snapper　was　leaning　against　the　bumper；　waiting　for　the　searing　pain　in　his　leg　to　ebb；　when　he　spotted　the　tall　stranger　ing　toward　them　from　the　abandoned　house　across　the　street。　The　man　was　dressed　in　army　greens。　His　long　wild　hair　looked　like　frosted　hemp。　At　first　Snapper　thought　he　was　a　street　person；　maybe　a　Vietnam　vet　or　one　of　those　cracked…out　losers　who　lived　under　the　interstate。　Except　he　was　walking　too　fast　and　purposefully　to　be　a　bum。　He　was　moving　like　he　had　food　in　his　stomach；　good　hard　muscles；　and　something　serious　on　his　mind。　Ten　yards　behind；　hurrying　to　catch　up；　was　a　respectable…looking　young　woman。
　
　Edie　Marsh　said；　〃Oh　shit；〃　and　slammed　the　hatch　of　the　Jeep。　She　told　Snapper　not　to　say　a　damn　word；　she'd　do　the　talking。
　
　As　the　stranger　approached；　Snapper　straightened　on　both　legs。　The　pain　in　his　injured　knee　caused　him　to　grind　his　mismatched　molars。　He　slipped　a　hand　inside　his　suit　jacket。
　
　〃Excuse　us；〃　said　the　stranger。　The　woman；　looking　nervous；　stood　behind　him。
　
　Edie　Marsh　said；　helpfully；　〃Are　you　lost？〃
　
　The　stranger　beamed…a　striking　smile；　full　of　bright　movie…star　teeth。　Snapper　tensed；　this　was　no　interstate　bum。
　
　〃What　a　fine　question！〃　the　man　said　to　Edie。　Then　he　turned　to　Snapper。　〃Sir；　you　and　I　have　something　in　mon。〃
　
　Snapper　scowled。　〃The　fuck　you　talkin'　about？〃
　
　〃See　here。〃　The　stranger　calmly　pried　out　one　of　his　eyeballs　and　held　it　up；　like　a　polished　gemstone；　for　Snapper　to　examine。　Snapper　felt　himself　keeling；　and　steadied　himself　against　the　truck。　The　sight　of　the　shrunken　socket　was　more　sickening　than　that　of　the　glistening　prosthesis。
　
　〃It's　glass；〃　the　man　said。　〃A　minor　disability；　just　like　your　jaw。　But　we　both　struggle　with　the　mirror；　do　we　not？〃
　
　〃I　got　no　problems　in　that　department；〃　Snapper　said；　though　he　could　not　look　the　stranger　in　the　face。　〃Are　you　some　fuckin'　preacher　or　what？〃
　
　Edie　Marsh　cut　in：　〃Mister；　I　don't　mean　to　be　rude；　but　we've　got　to　be　on　our　way。　We've　got　an　appointment　downtown。〃
　
　The　stranger　had　a　darkly　elusive　charm；　a　dangerous　and　disorganized　intelligence　that　put　Edie　on　edge。　He　appeared　content　at　the　prospect　of　physical　confrontation。　The　pretty　young　woman；　tame　and　fine…featured；　seemed　an　unlikely　partner；　Edie　wondered　if　she　was　a　captive。
　
　The　tall　stranger　cocked　back　his　head　and　deftly　reinserted　the　glass　eye。　Then；　blinking　for　focus；　he　said；　〃OK；　kids。　Let's　have　a　peek　in　that　snazzy　Jeep。〃
　
　Snapper　whipped　out　the　。357　and　pointed　it　at　a　button　in　the　center　of　the　man's　broad　chest。　〃Get　in；〃　he　snarled。
　
　Again　the　stranger　grinned。　〃We　thought　you'd　never　ask！〃　The　young　woman　clutched　one　of　his　arms　and　tried　to　suppress　her　trembling。
　
　Augustine　noticed　a　young　towheaded　boy；　rigid　in　a　shredded　patio　ch