chiaasen.stormyweather-第74章

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urricane　habitation。　Everything　else　was　standard　storm　debris。　Brickhouse　saw　no　obvious　bloodstains；　which　fit　his　original　theory　that　the　mobile…home　salesman　had　been　taken　elsewhere　to　be　crucified。
　
　The　detective　strolled　over　to　chat　with　the　snoopy　neighbor；　who　gave　his　name　as　Leonel　Varga。　He　told　a　jumbled　but　colorful　yarn　about　sinister…looking　visitors；　mysterious　leggy　women　and　insufferable　barking　dogs。　Brickhouse　took　notes　courteously。　Varga　said　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Torres　were　separated；　although　she'd　recently　phoned　to　say　she　was　ing　home。
　
　〃But　it's　a　secret；〃　he　added。
　
　〃You　bet；〃　Brickhouse　said。　Before　knocking　off　for　the　evening；　he　tacked　his　card　to　the　doorjamb　at　15600　Calusa。
　
　That's　where　Neria　Torres　found　it　at　dawn。
　
　Matthew's　pickup　truck　had　followed　her　all　the　way　from　Fort　Drum　to　the　house　at　Turtle　Meadow。　The　seven　Tennesseeans　swarmed　the　battered　building　in　orgiastic　wonderment　at　the　employment　opportunity　that　God　had　wrought。　Matthew　dramatically　announced　they　should　mence　repairs　immediately。
　
　Neria　said；　〃Not　just　yet。　You　help　me　find　my　husband；　then　I'll　let　you　do　some　work　on　the　house。〃
　
　〃I　guess；　sure。　Where's　he　at？〃
　
　〃First　I've　got　to　make　some　calls。〃
　
　〃Sure；〃　Matthew　said。　〃Meantime　we　should　get　a　jump　on　things。〃　He　asked　Neria's　permission　to　borrow　some　tools　from　the　garage。
　
　〃Just　hold　on；〃　she　told　him。
　
　But　they　were　already　ascending　the　roof　and　rafters；　like　a　troop　of　hairless　chimpanzees。　Neria　let　it　go。　The　sight　of　the　place　disturbed　her　more　than　she　had　anticipated。　She'd　seen　the　hurricane　destruction　on　CNN；　but　standing　ankle…deep　in　it　was　different；　overwhelming；　if　the　debris　once　was　your　home。　The　sight　of　her　mildewed　wedding　pictures　in　the　wreckage　brought　a　sentimental　pang；　but　it　was　quickly　deadened　by　the　discovery　of　flowers　and　a　bottle　of　wine　in　the　dining　room。　Neria　Torres　assumed　Tony　had　bought　them　for　a　bimbo。
　
　She　fingered　the　detective's　card。　She　hoped　it　meant　that　the　cops　had　tossed　her　asshole　husband　in　jail；　leaving　her　a　clear　path　toward　reclaiming　half　the　marital　property。　Or　possibly　more。
　
　She　heard　a　mechanical　roar　from　the　garage；　the　resourceful　Tennesseeans　had　found　fuel　for　the　generator。　A　bare　lightbulb　flickered　on　and　off　in　the　living　room。
　
　Leonel　Varga；　still　in　his　bathrobe；　came　over　to　say　hello。　He　assured　her　that　the　police　detective　was　a　nice　man。
　
　〃What　did　he　want？　Is　it　abput　Tony？〃
　
　〃I　think　so。　He　didn't　say。〃　Mr。　Varga　stared　up　at　the　busy　figures　of　the　men　on　the　roof　beams；　backlit　by　the　molten　sunrise。　〃You　found　some　roofers？〃
　
　Neria　Torres　said；　〃Oh；　I　seriously　doubt　it。〃
　
　She　dialed　the　private　number　that　Detective　Brick…house　had　penciled　on　the　back　of　the　business　card。　He　answered　the　phone　like　a　man　accustomed　to　being　awakened　by　strangers。　He　said；　〃I'm　glad　you　called。〃
　
　〃Is　it　about　Tony？〃
　
　〃Yeah；　I'm　afraid　it　is。〃
　
　〃Don't　tell　me　he's　in　jail；〃　said　Neria；　hoping　dearly　that　Brickhouse　would　tell　her　precisely　that。
　
　〃No；〃　the　detective　said。　〃Mrs。　Torres；　your　husband's　dead。〃
　
　〃Oh　God。　Oh　God。　Oh　God。〃　Neria's　mind　was　skipping　like　a　flat　rock　on　a　river。
　
　〃I'm　sorry…〃
　
　〃You　sure？〃　she　asked。　〃Are　you　sure　it's　Antonio？〃
　
　〃We　should　take　a　ride　up　to　the　morgue。　You're　home　now？〃
　
　〃Yes。　Yes；　I'm　back。〃
　
　Brickhouse　said；　〃I've　got　to　be　in　court　this　morning。　How　about　if　I　swing　by　around　noon？　We'll　go　together。　Give　us　some　time　to　chat。〃
　
　〃About　what？〃
　
　〃It　looks　like　Antonio　was　murdered。〃
　
　〃How？　Murdered？〃
　
　〃We'll　talk　later；　Mrs。　Torres。　Get　some　rest　now。〃
　
　Neria　didn't　know　what　she　felt；　or　what　she　ought　to　feel。　The　corpse　in　the　morgue　was　the　man　she'd　married。　A　corpulent　creep；　to　be　sure；　but　still　the　husband　she　had　once　believed　she　loved。　Shock　was　natural。　Curiosity。　A　selfish　stab　of　fear。　Maybe　even　sorrow。　Tony　had　his　piggish　side；　but　even　so　。。。
　
　Her　gaze　settled　for　the　first　time　on　the　purse。　A　woman's　purse；　opened；　on　the　kitchen　counter。　On　top　was　a　note　printed　in　block　letters　and　signed　with　the　initials　〃F。D。〃　The　note　said　the　author　was　keeping　the　dogs　at　the　motel。　The　note　began　with　〃My　Sexy　Darling〃　and　ended　with　〃Love　Always。〃
　
　Dogs？　Neria　Torres　thought。
　
　She　wondered　if　Tony　was　the　same　man　as　〃F。D。〃　and；　if　so；　what　insipid　nickname　the　initials　stood　for。　Fat　Dipshit？
　
　Curiously　she　went　through　the　contents　of　the　purse。　A　driver's　license　identified　the　owner　as　Edith　Deborah　Marsh。　Neria　noted　the　date　of　birth；　working　the　arithmetic　in　her　head。　Twenty…nine　years　old；　this　one。
　
　Tony；　you　dirty　old　pen。
　
　Neria　appraised　the　face　in　the　photograph。　A　ball…buster；　Tony　must've　had　his　fat　hands　full。　Neria　took　unaccountable　satisfaction　from　the　fact　that　young　Edith　was　a　dagger…eyed　brunette；　not　some　dippy　blonde。
　
　From　behind　her　came　the　sound　of　roupy　breathing。　Neria　wheeled；　to　find　Matthew　looming　at　her　shoulder。
　
　〃Christ！〃
　
　〃I　dint　mean　to　scare　ya。〃
　
　〃What　is　it？　What　do　you　want？〃
　
　〃It's　started　up　to　rain。〃
　
　〃I　noticed。〃
　
　〃Seemed　like　a　good　spot　for　a　break。　We　was　headed　to　a　hardware　store　for　some　roof　paper；　nails；　wood…　stuff　like　that。〃
　
　〃Lumber；〃　Neria　Torres　said　archly。　〃In　the　construction　business；　it's　called　'lumber。'　Not　wood。〃
　
　〃Sure。〃　He　was　scratching　at　his　Old　Testament　tattoos。
　
　She　said；　〃So　go　already。〃
　
　〃Yeah；　well；　we　need　some　money。　For　the　lumber。〃
　
　〃Matthew；　there's　something　I've　got　to　tell　you。〃
　
　〃Sure。〃
　
　〃My　husband's　been　murdered。　A　police　detective　is　ing　out　here　soon。〃
　
　Matthew　took　a　step　back　and　said；　〃Sweet　Jesus；　I'm　so　sorry。〃　He　began　to　improvise　a　prayer；　but　Neria　cut　him　off。
　
　〃You　and　your　crew；〃　she　said；　〃you　are　licensed　in　Dade　County；　aren't　you？　I　mean；　there　won't　be　any　problem　if　the　detective　wants　to　ask　some　questions　。。。　？〃
　
　The　Tennesseeans　were　packed　and　gone　within　fifteen　minutes。　Neria　found　the　solitude　relaxing：　a　light　whisper　of　rain；　the　occasional　whine　of　a　mosquito。　She　thought　of　Tony；　wondered　whom　he'd　pissed　off　to　get　himself　killed…maybe　tough　young　Edith！　Neria　thought　of　the　professor；　too；　wondered　how　he　and　his　Earth　Mother　blow…job　artist　were　getting　along　with　no　wheels。
　
　She　also　thought　of　the　many　things　she　didn't　want　to　do；　such　as　move　back　into　the　gutted　husk　at　15600　Calusa。　Or　be　interviewed　by　a　homicide　detective。　Or　go　to　the　morgue　to　view　her　estranged　husband's　body。
　
　Money　was　the　immediate　problem。　Neria　wondered　if　careless　Tony　had　left　her　name　on　any　of　the　bank　accounts；　and　what　（if　anything）　remained　in　them。　The　most　valuable　item　at　the　house　was　his　car；　untouched　by　the　hurricane。　Neria　located　the　spare　key　in　the　garage；　but　the　engine　wouldn't　turn　over。
　
　〃Need　some　help？〃
　
　It　was　a　clean…shaven　young　man　in　a　Federal　Express　uniform。　He　had　an　envelope　for　Neria　Torres。　She　signed　for　it；　laid　it　on　the　front　seat　of　Tony's　Chevy。
　
　The　kid　said；　〃I　got　jumpers　in　the　truck。〃
　
　〃Would　you　mind？〃
　
　They　had　the　car　started　in　no　time。　Neria　idled　the　engine　and　waited　for　the　battery　to　recharge。　The　FedEx　kid　said　it　sounded　good。　Halfway　to　the　truck；　he　stopped　and　turned。
　
　〃Hey；　somebody　swiped　your　license　plate。〃
　
　〃Shit。〃　Neria　got　out　to　see　for　herself。　The　FedEx　driver　said　it　was　probably　a　looter。
　
　〃Everybody　around　here's　getting　ripped　off；〃　he　explained。
　
　〃I　didn't　even　notice。　Thanks。〃
　
　As　soon　as　he　left；　Neria　opened　the　FedEx　envelope。　Her　delirious　shriek　drew　nosy　Mr。　Varga　to　his　front　porch。　He　was　shirtless；　a　toothbrush　in　one　cheek。　In　fascination　he　watched　his　neighbor　practically　bound　up　the　sidewalk　into　her　house。
　
　The　envelope　contained　two　checks　made　out　to　Antonio　and　Neria　Torres。　The　checks　were　issued　by　the　Midwest　Life　and　Casualty　pany　of　Omaha；　Nebraska。　They　totaled　201；000。　The　stubs　said：　〃Hurricane　losses。〃
　
　Shortly