chiaasen.stormyweather-第67章

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　The　agent　said；　〃Is　Augustine　home？〃
　
　〃No；　he　isn't。〃
　
　〃Who　are　you？〃
　
　〃Could　I　see　some　ID？〃　Max　asked。
　
　The　agent　showed　him　a　badge　in　a　billfold。　Max　told　him　to　e　in。　They　sat　in　the　living　room。　Max　asked　what　was　in　the　bag；　and　the　agent　said　it　was　drill　bits。　〃Storm　sucked　the　cabinets　right　out　of　my　kitchen；〃　he　explained。
　
　〃Black　and　Decker？〃
　
　〃Makita。〃
　
　〃That's　a　first…rate　tool；〃　said　Max。
　
　The　agent　was　exceedingly　patient。　〃You're　a　friend　of　Augustine's？〃
　
　〃Sort　of。　My　name　is　Max　Lamb。〃
　
　〃Really？　I'm　glad　to　see　you're　all　right。〃
　
　Max's　eyebrows　hopped。
　
　〃From　the　kidnapping；〃　the　agent　said。　〃You're　the　one　who　was　kidnapped；　right？〃
　
　〃Yes！〃　Max's　spirits　skied；　realizing　that　Bonnie　had　been　so　concerned　that　she'd　called　the　FBI。　It　was　proof　of　her　devotion。
　
　The　agent　said；　〃She　played　the　tape　for　me；　the　message　you　left　on　the　answering　machine。〃
　
　〃Then　you　heard　his　voice…the　guy　who　snatched　me。〃　Max　got　a　Michelob　from　the　refrigerator。　The　FBI　man　accepted　a　Sprite。
　
　〃Where's　your　wife？〃　he　asked。
　
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　
　Excitedly　Max　Lamb　related　the　whole　story；　from　his　kidnapping　on　Calusa　Drive　to　the　midnight　rescue　in　Stiltsville；　up　to　Bonnie's　disappearance　with　Augustine　and　the　deranged　one…eyed　governor。　The　FBI　man　listened　with　what　seemed　to　be　genuine　interest；　but　took　no　notes。　Max　wondered　if　they　were　specially　trained　to　remember　everything　they　heard。
　
　〃These　are　dangerous　men；〃　he　told　the　agent；　portentously。
　
　〃Was　your　wife　taken　against　her　will？〃
　
　〃No；　sir。　That's　why　they're　so　dangerous。〃
　
　〃You　say　he　put　a　collar　on　your　neck。〃
　
　〃A　shock　collar；〃　Max　said　gravely；　〃the　kind　used　to　train　hunting　dogs。〃
　
　The　FBI　man　asked　if　the　kidnapper　had　done　the　same　thing　to　Bonnie。　Max　said　he　didn't　think　so。　〃She's　very　trusting　and　impressionable。　They　took　advantage　of　that。〃
　
　〃What's　Augustine's　role　in　all　this？〃
　
　〃I　believe；〃　said　Max；　〃the　kidnapper　has　brainwashed　him；　too。〃　He　got　another　beer　and　tore　into　a　bag　of　pretzels。
　
　The　agent　said；　〃Prosecution　won't　be　easy。　It's　your　word　against　his。〃
　
　〃But　you　believe　me；　don't　you？〃
　
　〃Mister　Lamb；　it　doesn't　matter　what　I　believe。　Put　yourself　in　the　jury　box。　This　is　a　very　weird　story　you'll　be　asking　them　to　swallow。。。。〃
　
　Max　shot　to　his　feet。　His　cheeks　were　stuffed　with　pretzel　fragments。　〃Jeshush　Chritht；　mahh　wife's　misshing！〃
　
　〃I　understand。　I'd　be　upset；　too。〃　The　FBI　man　was　maddeningly　agreeable　and　polite。　〃And　I'm　not　trying　to　tell　you　what　to　do。　But　you　need　to　know　what　you're　up　against。〃
　
　Max　sat　down；　glowering。
　
　The　agent　explained　that　the　Bureau　seldom　got　involved　unless；　a　ransom　demand　was　issued。　〃There　was　none　in　your　case。　There's　been　none　for　your　wife。〃
　
　〃Well；　I　think　her　life's　in　danger；〃　Max　said；　〃and　I　think　you　people　are　in　deep　trouble　if　something　happens　to　her。〃
　
　〃Believe　me；　Mister　Lamb；　I　understand　your　frustration。〃
　
　No　you　don't；　Max　fumed　silently；　or　you　wouldn't　talk　to　me　like　I　was　ten　years　old。
　
　The　agent　said；　〃Have　you　spoken　to　the　police？〃
　
　Max　told　him　about　the　black　state　trooper　who　was　acquainted　with　the　kidnapper。　〃He　said　I　was　entitled　to　press　charges。　He　said　he'd　take　me　down　to　the　station。〃
　
　The　FBI　man　nodded。　〃That's　the　best　way　to　go；　if　you've　got　your　mind　made　up。〃
　
　Max　told　the　agent　there　was　something　he　definitely　ought　to　see。　He　led　him　to　Augustine's　guest　room　and　showed　him　the　wall　of　skulls。　〃Tell　me　honestly；〃　he　said　to　the　FBI　man；　〃wouldn't　you　be　worried？　He　juggles　those　damn　things。〃
　
　〃Augustine？　Yeah。〃
　
　〃You　know？〃
　
　〃He　won't　hurt　your　wife；　Mister　Lamb。〃
　
　〃Gee；　I　feel　so　much　better。〃
　
　The　agent　seemed　impervious　to　sarcasm。　〃You'll　hear　from　Mrs。　Lamb　sooner　or　later。　That's　my　guess。　If　you　don't；　call　me。　Or　call　me　even　if　you　do。〃　He　handed　his　card　to　Max；　who　affected　hard…bitten　skepticism　as　he　studied　it。　Then　he　walked　toward　the　kitchen；　the　agent　following。
　
　〃I　was　wondering；〃　the　FBI　man　said；　〃did　Augustine　give　you　a　key？〃
　
　Max　turned。
　
　〃To　the　house；〃　the　agent　said。　〃No；　sir。　The　sliding　door　was　open。〃
　
　〃So　you　just　walked　in。　He　doesn't　know　you're　here？〃
　
　〃Well　。。。〃　It　hadn't　occurred　to　Max　Lamb　that　he　was　breaking　the　law。　For　one　infuriating　moment；　he　thought　the　FBI　man　was　preparing　to　arrest　him。
　
　But　the　agent　said：　〃That's　a　swell　way　to　get　your　head　shot　off…being　in　somebody's　house　without　them　knowing。　Especially　here　in　Miami。〃
　
　Max；　grinding　his　teeth；　realized　the　impossibly　upside…down　nature　of　the　situation。　He　was　wasting　his　breath。　A　state　trooper　is　friends　with　the　kidnapper；　an　FBI　man　is　friends　with　the　skull　collector。
　
　〃You　know　what　I　really　want？〃　Max　drained　his　beer　with　a　flourish；　set　the　bottle　down　hard　on　the　counter。　〃All；　I　want　is　to　find　my　wife；　put　her　on　a　plane　and　go　home　to　New　York。　Forget　about　this　fucked…up　place；　forget　about　this　hurricane。〃
　
　The　agent　said；　〃That's　a　damn　good　plan；　Mister　Lamb。〃
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY…SIX
　
　
　Snapper　made　Edie　Marsh　pull　over　at　a　liquor　store　in　Islamorada。
　
　〃Not　now；〃　she　said。
　
　〃I　got　to。〃
　
　〃We're　almost　there。〃
　
　A　rumble　from　the　back　seat：　〃Let　the　man　have　a　drink。〃
　
　She　parked　behind　the　store；　away　from　the　road。　Jim　Tile　didn't　see　the　black　Cherokee　as　he　sped　past。　Neither　did　Avila；　ten　minutes　later。
　
　Snapper　wouldn't　be　talked　out　of　his　craving；　and　Edie　was　worried。　She　knew　firsthand　the　folly　of　mixing　booze　with　Midols。　Double　dosed；　Snapper　might　hibernate　for　a　month。
　
　The　woman　named　Bonnie　asked　for　a　cold　Coke。　〃I'm　burning　up。〃
　
　〃Wele　to　Florida；〃　said　Edie。
　
　Snapper　tossed　three　ten…dollar　bills　on　her　lap。　〃Johnnie　Red；〃　he　said。
　
　〃Bad　idea　when　you're　full　of　codeines。〃
　
　〃Shit；　I've　handled　ten　times　worse。　Besides；　it　don't　feel　like　codeine　you　gave　me。〃
　
　Edie　said；　〃Your　knee　quit　hurting；　right？　The　bottle　said　'codeine。'〃
　
　Snapper　switched　the　。357　to　his　left　hand。　With　his　right　hand　he　twisted　Edie's　hair；　as　if　he　were　uprooting　a　clump　of　weeds。　When　she　cried　out；　he　said：　〃I　don't　give　a　fuck　if　the　medicine　bottle　said　turpentine。　Go　get　my　Johnnie　Walker。〃
　
　Edie　pulled　free　and　jumped　out　of　the　Jeep。　She　flipped　him　the　finger　as　she　went　through　the　door　of　the　liquor　store。　Snapper　said；　〃Stubborn　bitch。〃
　
　〃Feisty；〃　Skink　agreed。
　
　Bonnie　Lamb　felt　like　her　skin　was　sizzling。　She　thought　it　would　be　glorious　to　bury　herself　in　fresh　snow。　〃Honest　to　God；　it's　so　hot。　I　feel　like　taking　off　my　clothes。〃
　
　She　couldn't　believe　she'd　said　it　aloud。
　
　Snapper　was　startled；　and　too　confused　for　lust。　〃Jesus　Christ；　what's　a　matter　with　you　people。〃
　
　Bonnie　said；　〃I'm　smothering。〃
　
　His　eyes　wandered　to　the　young　woman's　chest。　Nothing　like　a　pair　of　tits　to　fuck　up　the　balance　of　power。　He　knew　that　if　she　flashed　those　babies；　his　position　instantly　would　be　weakened；　his　authority　diminished。　It　was　a　lost　advantage　that　even　the　。357　could　not　restore。
　
　〃Keep　your　goddamn　shirt　on；〃　he　told　her。
　
　〃Don't　worry。〃　Bonnie　fanned　herself　in　nervous　embarrassment。　In　the　back　of　the　Jeep；　Levon　Stichler　mewled　inquiringly；　trussed　in　his　cocoon　of　moldy　carpet。　Skink　figured　the　old　man　must　have　been　listening；　wondering　if　he　was　missing　something。
　
　Edie　Marsh　returned　from　the　store。　Her　hair　sparkled　with　tiny　raindrops。　She　handed　Bonnie　a　can　of　Dr　Pepper。　〃The　Cokes　weren't　cold。　Here；　asshole。〃
　
　She　shoved　a　brown　paper　bag　at　Snapper。　He　took　out　the　Johnnie　Walker　bottle　and　opened　it　with　one　hand。　He　threw　back　his　head　and　chugged；　as　if　from　a　canteen。
　
　〃Take　it　easy；〃　Edie　admonished。
　
　Contemptuously　he　smacked　his　lips。　〃I　bet　you'd　look　good　pletely　bald；〃　he　said　to　her。　〃That　guy　on　the　new　Star　Trek；　Gene　Luke…you　and　him　could　pass　for　twins。〃
　
　Edie　said；　〃Touch　my　hair