chiaasen.stormyweather-第68章

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　Edie　said；　〃Touch　my　hair　again。　Just　try。〃
　
　He　swung　the　。357　until　the　barrel　came　to　rest　on　the　tip　of　Edie's　nose。　He　cocked　the　hammer　and　said：　〃e　on。　Somebody　talk　me　out　of　it。〃
　
　Bonnie　thought：　Oh　God；　please　don't。　She　shivered　in　sweat。
　
　Snapper　took　another　sloppy　swig　of　whiskey。　The　one…eyed　man　reminded　him　of　the　ammunition　shortage。　〃Shoot　her；　that'd　leave　only　one　bullet　for　the　rest　of　us。〃
　
　〃There's　other　ways　besides　the　gun。〃
　
　Skink　let　loose　an　avalanche　of　laughter。　〃Son；　I'm　fairly　immune　to　blunt　objects　and　sharp　instruments。〃
　
　Edie's　pitch　was　more　blunt。　〃Pull　the　trigger；〃　she　said　to　Snapper；　〃and　kiss　your　hurricane　money　goodbye。　Forty…seven　grand　goes　out　the　window　with　my　brains。〃
　
　Snapper's　bad　mandible　began　to　creak；　a　sign；　Skink　hoped；　of　possible　cogitation。　The　moron　was　deciding　between　the　long…term　rewards　from　the　money　and　the　short…term　satisfaction　from　shooting　her。　Apparently　it　wasn't　an　easy　choice。
　
　Skink　said；　〃Consider　it　an　IQ　test；　chief。〃
　
　Impulsively　Bonnie　Lamb　opened　the　cold　Dr　Pepper　and　poured　it　under　her　blouse；　a　fizzing　caramel　torrent　from　the　cleft　of　her　neck　to　her　tummy。
　
　〃Stop！〃　Snapper　yelled。　〃You　stop　that　crazy　shit！〃
　
　〃I'm　suffocating　in　here…〃
　
　〃I　don't　care！　I　don't　fucking　care。〃
　
　Bonnie　was　so　light…headed　from　the　heat　that　Snapper's　fury　didn't　register。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　she　said；　〃I'm　really　sorry；　but　it's　a　hundred　degrees　in　this　stupid　truck。〃
　
　The　soda　pop　soaked　through　her　top；　so　that　Snapper　could　see　the　lacy　outline　of　a　bra　and　a　pale　damp　oval　of　bare　belly。　Skink　asked　Edie　Marsh　to　put　on　the　air　conditioner。
　
　〃I　tried。　It's　broken。〃　Edie's　voice　was　empty。
　
　〃Don't　even　think　about　getting　naked；〃　Snapper　warned　Bonnie；　〃or　I'll　kill　you。〃　His　head　jangled　with　loud　voices；　some　his　own。　In　exasperation　he　shouted：　〃You　don't　think　I'd　shoot　all　you　crazy　shits？　You　don't　believe　me？　Check　the　fuckin'　hole　in　the　roof　a　this　Jeep！〃
　
　Yeah；　Edie　thought。　Matches　the　one　between　your　ears。
　
　〃Can　we　get　on　with　this？〃　she　said　sourly。　〃It　is　awfully　damn　humid。〃
　
　As　Bonnie's　skin　cooled　off；　she　heard　herself　apologizing　repeatedly。　Yet　it　was　absurd　to　be　ashamed。　Why　should　she　care　what　two　mon　criminals　thought　of　her？
　
　But　she　did　care。　She　couldn't　help　herself。　It　was　the　way　she'd　been　raised：　A　proper　young　woman　did　not　douse　herself　with　soda　pop　in　front　of　total　strangers；　even　felons。
　
　〃It's　all　right；〃　Skink　said。　〃You're　scared；　that's　all。〃
　
　〃I　guess　I　am。〃
　
　Snapper　heard　her。　With　a　vulgar　chuckle；　he　said；　〃Good。　Scared　is　damn　well　what　you　ought　to　be。〃　He　was　halfway　to　shitfaced。
　
　Edie　drove　slowly；　fretfully。　The　man　was　a　keeling　wreck。　How　could　they　possibly　pull　this　off？　She　devised　a　fantasy　scenario：　If　Snapper　passed　out　drunk；　she'd　push　him　from　the　Jeep。　Then　she'd　tell　the　eccentric　couple　in　the　back　seat　that　she　was　very；　very　sorry…it　was　all　a　terrible　misunderstanding。　She'd　promise　them　Snapper's　share　of　the　Midwest　Casualty　settlement　if　they'd　forget　the　whole　dreadful　evening。　She　would　drive　them　back　to　Miami　without　delay　and　（to　prove　she　was　basically　a　decent　person）　offer　to　replace　the　gold　ring　stolen　from　the　lady　trooper。　The　unconscious　Snapper　would　be　run　over　on　the　highway　by　a　passing　shrimp　truck　and　no　longer　pose　a　menace　to　society；　or　to　Edie's　future。
　
　Unfortunately；　Snapper　wasn't　nodding　off。　The　Johnnie　Walker　bottle　lay　capped　on　the　dashboard。　Now　he　was　playing　with　the　gun；　spinning　the　cylinder　and　humming　mischievously。
　
　Edie　Marsh　said；　〃Could　you　please　not　do　that？〃
　
　Snapper　gurgled　crapulously；　his　jaw　jutting　like　a　window　box。　〃You're　so　hot　and　sweaty；　Edie；　you　oughta　do　what　she　almost　done。　Take　off　your　clothes。〃
　
　〃You'd　like　that；　wouldn't　you。〃
　
　〃I　would　love　it。　Wouldn't　y'all？〃　He　waggled　the　。357　at　Skink　and　Bonnie　Lamb。　〃e　on；　wouldn't　ya　like　to　see　Edie's　tits？　They're　cuties。〃
　
　Bonnie　felt　crummy　that　she'd　given　Snapper　the　idea。
　
　Skink　said；　〃Speaking　for　myself；　yes；　I'm　sure　they're　delightful。　But　some　other　time。〃
　
　Edie　Marsh　felt　herself　blush。　Nobody　spoke。　Snapper　began　to　hum　again；　acpanied　by　the　metered　squeak　of　the　windshield　wipers。　Ahead；　on　the　ocean　side　of　the　highway；　Edie　saw　the　electric…blue　sign　for　the　Paradise　Palms　Resort　Motel。
　
　Skink　shook　Levon　Stichler　out　of　the　carpet；　dumping　him　like　a　sack　of　flour　on　the　terrazzo。　Somebody　yanked　off　the　gag　and　the　blindfold。
　
　The　old　man's　eyes　watered　at　the　sudden　brightness。
　
　A　woman's　voice：　〃You　again。〃
　
　Levon　blinked　until　a　face　came　into　focus…the　redhead　from　the　hurricane　house　at　Turtle　Meadow。　The　chiffon　scarf；　Levon's　blinder；　dangled　from　her　festively　painted　fingernails。　Standing　next　to　the　redhead　was　a　wild…looking　blonde。　She　said；　〃What's　your　name；　sweetheart？〃
　
　The　redhead　wore　a　diaphanous　black　bustier；　fishnet　stockings　and　stiletto　heels。　The　blonde　wore　a　silver　lame　teddy　that　made　her　shimmer　like　the　hood　ornament　on　a　Silver　Shadow。　The　air　was　sugary　with　perfume；　pure　heaven；　after　three　hours　of　gagging　on　mildew　and　carpet　fuzz。　When　Levon　Stichler　sat　up；　he　found　himself　in　the　center　of　an　attentive　circle：　the　two　prostitutes；　the　thug　in　the　pinstriped　suit；　the　pretty　long…haired　brunette；　another　young　woman；　with　creamy　skin　and　delicate　features；　and　a　large　bearded　man　wearing　a　flowered　shower　cap。　The　bearded　man　was　polishing　a　glass　eye　on　the　sleeve　of　his　jacket。
　
　They　were　gathered　in　a　small　motel　room。　Levon　Stichler　said：　〃What's　this　all　about？〃　The　prostitutes　introduced　themselves。　Bridget　and　Jasmine。
　
　Snapper　dropped　to　a　crouch。　Roughly　he　pinched　the　back　of　the　old　man's　neck。　〃You　tried　to　kill　me；　'member？〃
　
　〃It　was　a　mistake。　I　told　you。〃
　
　〃Here's　the　deal：　You're　gone　stay　down　here　two；　maybe　three　days　with　the　girls。　They're　gone　fuck　ya　and　blow　ya　till　you　can't　walk。　Plus　they　gone　take　some　pitchers。〃
　
　Levon　was　skeptical。　The　man　reeked　of　liquor　and　spoke　as　if　he　had　a　mouthful　of　marbles。
　
　〃Just　shoot　me　and　get　it　over　with。〃
　
　〃We're　not　shooting　anybody。〃　It　was　the　pretty　brunette。　〃Honest；〃　she　said；　〃long　as　you　behave。〃
　
　Snapper　said；　〃Maybe　you're　too　old　to　get　it　up　or　maybe　you　like　guys…I　don't　fuckin'　care。　Point　is；　you　stay　here　with　these　girls　till　I　call　and　say　it's　OK　to　leave。　Then　what　you　do；　you　take　your　sweet　time　gettin'　back　to　Miami。　By　that　I　mean；　stand　on　the　highway　with　your　thumb　out。　Unnerstand？〃
　
　Levon　stammered　and　blinked。　Snapper　swatted　him　twice　across　the　face。
　
　Edie　Marsh　said：　〃I　don't　think　Mister　Stichler　realizes　the　alternative。　The　alternative　is　we　go　to　the　cops　and　tell　how　you　tried　to　murder　Snapper　and　rape　me　with　that　trailer　spike。　Your　family'll　think　you've　gone　senile。　The　photographs　won't　help…Grandpa　doing　pony　rides　with　two　call　girls。〃
　
　Levon　glanced　up　at　Bridget　and　Jasmine。　They　were　large　and　scary。　He　could　tell　they'd　worked　together　before。
　
　〃Think　of　it　as　a　vacation；〃　said　Edie。　〃Hey；　you're　allowed　to　have　fun；〃
　
　〃I　wish　I　could。〃
　
　〃Uh…oh。〃　Bridget　knelt　beside　him。　〃Prostate？〃
　
　The　old　man　nodded　somberly。　〃It　was　removed　last　year。〃
　
　Jasmine　told　him　to　cheer　up。　〃We'll　think　of　something。〃
　
　Skink；　fitting　his　glass　eye　into　its　socket；　advised　Levon　Stichler　to　do　what　he　was　told。　〃It's　still　better　than　getting　shot。〃
　
　Bridget　said；　〃Gee；　thanks。〃
　
　Snapper　paid　the　prostitutes　from　a　wad　of　the　stolen　roofing　money；　which　they　counted；　divided　and　put　away。　They　turned　their　backs　so　he　wouldn't　peek　inside　their　pocketbooks；　which　bulged　with　the　other　cash　given　to　them　ten　minutes　earlier　by　Avila；　and　ten　minutes　before　that　by　the　good…looking　young　man　with　the　。38　Special。
　
　〃Is　there　ice　in　the　bucket？〃　Bonnie　Lamb　asked。　The　hooker　named　Jasmine　told　her　to　help　herself。　Bonnie　scooped　two　handfuls　of　cubes　and　pressed　them　to　her　cheeks。
　
　The　one…eyed　ma