chiaasen.stormyweather-第24部分

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　Max　Lamb　was　impressed　that　the　odor　of　horseshit　could　not　be　vanquished　by　a　mere　Force　Four　hurricane。　On　a　positive　note；　the　fragrance　of　dung　pletely　neutralized　the　aroma　of　boiled　opossum　and　pan…fried　snake。　After　supper　Skink　stripped　to　his　boxer　shorts　and　did　two　hundred　sit…ups　in　a　cloud　of　ancient　manure　dust。　Then　he　retrieved　the　large　cardboard　box　from　the　car　and　brought　it　inside　the　barn。　He　asked　Max　if　he　wanted　a　cigaret。
　
　〃No；　thanks；〃　Max　said。　〃I　don't　smoke。〃
　
　〃You're　kidding。〃
　
　〃Never　have；〃　Max　said。
　
　〃But　you　sell　the　stuff…〃
　
　〃We　do　the　advertising。　That's　it。〃
　
　〃Ah；〃　Skink　said。　〃Just　the　advertising。〃　He　picked　his　trousers　off　the　floor　and　went　through　the　pockets。　Max　Lamb　thought　he　was　looking　for　matches；　but　he　wasn't。　He　was　looking　for　the　remote　control　to　the　shock　collar。
　
　When　Max　regained　his　senses；　he　lay　in　wet　molder…ing　hay。　His　eyeballs　were　jumping　in　their　sockets；　and　his　neck　felt　tingly　and　hot。　He　sat　up　and　said；　〃What'd　I　do？〃
　
　〃Surely　you　believe　in　the　products　you　advertise。〃
　
　〃Look；　I　don't　smoke。〃
　
　〃You　could　learn。〃　With　a　pocketknife；　Skink　opened　the　cardboard　box。　The　box　was　full　of　Bronco　cigarets；　probably　four　dozen　cartons。　Max　Lamb　failed　to　conceal　his　alarm。
　
　The　kidnapper　asked　how　he　could　be　sure　of　a　product　until　he　tested　it　himself。　Grimly　Max　responded：　〃I　also　do　the　ads　for　raspberry…scented　douche；　but　I　don't　use　the　stuff。〃
　
　〃Careful；〃　said　Skink；　brightly；　〃or　you'll　give　me　another　brainstorm。〃　He　opened　a　pack　of　Broncos。　He　tapped　one　out　and　inserted　it　between　Max's　lips。　He　struck　a　match　on　the　wall　of　the　barn　and　lit　the　cigaret。
　
　〃Well？〃
　
　Max　spit　out　the　cigaret。　〃This　is　ridiculous。〃
　
　Skink　retrieved　the　soggy　Bronco　and　replaced　it　in　Max's　frowning　mouth。　〃You　got　two　choices；〃　he　said；　fingering　the　remote　control；　〃smoke　or　be　smoked。〃
　
　Reluctantly　Max　Lamb　took　a　drag　on　the　cigaret。　Immediately　he　began　to　cough。　It　worsened　as　Skink　tied　him　upright　to　a　post。　〃You　people　are　a　riddle　to　me；　Max。　Why　you　e　down　here。　Why　you　act　the　way　you　do。　Why　you　live　such　lives。〃
　
　〃For　God's　sake…〃
　
　〃Shut　up　now。　Please。〃
　
　Skink　dug　through　the　backpack　and　took　out　a　Walkman。　He　chose　a　damp　corner　of　the　barn　and　put　on　the　headphones。　He　lighted　what　appeared　to　be　a　joint；　except　it　didn't　smell　like　marijuana。
　
　〃What's　that？〃　Max　asked。
　
　〃Toad。〃　Skink　took　a　hit。　After　a　few　minutes；　his　good　eye　rolled　back　in　his　head　and　his　neck　went　limp。
　
　Max　Lamb　went　through　the　Broncos　like　a　machine。　Whenever　Skink　opened　an　eye；　he　tapped　a　finger　to　his　neck…a　menacing　reminder　of　the　shock　collar。　Max　smoked　and　smoked。　He　was　finishing　number　twenty…three　when　Skink　shook　out　of　the　stupor　and　rose。
　
　〃Damn　good　toad。〃　He　plucked　the　Bronco　from　Max's　mouth。
　
　〃I　feel　sick；　captain。〃
　
　Skink　untied　him　and　told　him　to　rest　up。　〃Tomorrow　you're　going　to　leave　a　message　for　your　wife。　You're　going　to　arrange　a　meeting。〃
　
　〃What　for？〃
　
　〃So　I　can　observe　the　two　of　you　together。　The　chemistry；　the　starry　eyes；　all　that　shit。　OK？〃
　
　Skink　went　outside　and　crawled　under　the　station　wagon；　where　he　curled　up　and　began　to　snore。　Max　coughed　himself　to　sleep　in　the　barn。
　
　Bonnie　Lamb　awoke　in　Augustine's　arms。　Her　guilt　was　diluted　by　the　observation　that　he　was　wearing　jeans　and　a　T…shirt。　She　didn't　remember　him　dressing　during　the　night；　but　obviously　he　had。　She　was　reasonably　sure　that　no　sex　had　occurred；　plenty　of　tears；　yes；　but　no　sex。
　
　Bonnie　wanted　to　pull　away　without　waking　him。　Otherwise　there　might　be　an　awkward　moment；　the　two　of　them　lying　there　embraced。　Or　maybe　not。　Maybe　he'd　know　exactly　what　not　to　say。　Clearly　he　was　experienced　with　crying　women；　because　he　was　exceptionally　good　at　hugging　and　whispering。　When　she　found　herself　thinking　about　how　nice　he　smelled；　Bonnie　knew　it　was　time　to　sneak　out　of　bed。
　
　As　she'd　hoped；　Augustine　had　the　good　manners　to　pretend　to　stay　asleep　until　she　was　safely　in　the　kitchen；　making　coffee。
　
　When　he　walked　in；　she　felt　herself　blush。　〃I'm　so　sorry；〃　she　blurted；　〃for　last　night。〃
　
　〃Why？　Did　you　take　advantage　of　me？〃　He　went　to　the　refrigerator　and　took　out　a　carton　of　eggs。　〃I'm　a　heavy　sleeper；〃　he　said。　〃Easy　prey　for　sex…crazed　babes。〃
　
　〃Especially　newlyweds。〃
　
　〃Oh；　they're　the　worst；〃　said　Augustine。　〃Ravenous　harlots。　You　want　scrambled　or　fried？〃
　
　〃Fried。〃　She　sat　at　the　table。　She　tore　open　a　packet　of　NutraSweet　and　managed　to　miss　the　coffee　cup　entirely。　〃Please　believe　me。　I　don't　usually　sleep　with　strange　men。〃
　
　〃Sleeping　is　fine。　It's　the　screwing　you　want　to　watch　out　for。〃　He　was　peeling　an　orange　at　the　sink。　〃Relax；　OK？　Nothing　happened。〃
　
　Bonnie　smiled。　〃Can　I　at　least　say　thanks；　for　being　a　friend。〃
　
　〃You're　very　wele；　Mrs。　Lamb。〃　He　glanced　over　his　shoulder。　〃What's　so　funny？〃
　
　〃The　jeans。〃
　
　〃Don't　tell　me　there's　a　hole。〃
　
　〃No。　It's　just…well；　you　got　up　in　the　middle　of　the　night　to　put　them　on。　It　was　a　sweet　gesture。〃
　
　〃Actually；　it　was　more　of　a　precaution。〃　The　eggs　sizzled　when　Augustine　dropped　them　into　the　hot　pan。　〃I'm　surprised　you　even　noticed；〃　he　said；　causing　Bonnie　to　redden　once　more。
　
　In　the　middle　of　breakfast；　the　phone　rang。　It　was　the　Medical　Examiner's　Office…another　John　Doe　was　being　hauled　to　the　county　morgue。　The　coroner　on　duty　wanted　Bonnie　to　stop　by　for　a　look。　Augustine　said　she'd　call　him　back。　He　put　the　phone　down　and　told　her。
　
　〃Can　they　make　me　go？〃
　
　〃I　don't　think　so。〃
　
　〃Because　it's　not　Max；〃　Bonnie　said。　〃Max　is　too　busy　talking　to　Rodale　and　Burns。〃
　
　〃A　white　male　is　all　they　said。　Apparent　homicide。〃
　
　The　last　word　hung　in　the　air　like　sulfur。　Bonnie　put　down　her　fork。　〃It　can't　be　him。〃
　
　〃Probably　not；〃　Augustine　agreed。　〃We　don't　have　to　go。〃
　
　She　got　up　and　went　to　the　bathroom。　Soon　Augustine　heard　the　shower　running。　He　was　washing　the　dishes　when　she　came　out。　She　was　dressed。　Her　wet　hair　was　brushed　back；　and　she'd　found　the　intern's　rose　lipstick　in　the　medicine　chest。
　
　〃I　guess　I　need　to　be　sure；〃　she　said。
　
　Augustine　nodded。　〃You'll　feel　better。〃
　
　Snapper's　real　name　was　Lester　Maddox　Parsons。　His　mother　named　him　after　a　Georgia　politician　best　known　for　scaring　off　black　restaurant　customers　with　an　ax　handle。　Snapper's　mother　believed　Lester　Maddox　should　be　President　of　the　United　States　and　the　whole　white　world；　Snapper's　father　leaned　toward　James　Earl　Ray。　When　Snapper　was　barely　seven　years　old；　his　parents　took　him　to　his　first　Ku　Klux　Klan　rally；　for　the　occasion；　Mrs。　Parsons　dressed　her　son　in　a　costume　sewn　from　white　muslin　pillowcases；　she　was　especially　proud　of　the　pointy　little　hood。　The　other　Klansmen　and　their　wives　fawned　over　Lester；　remarking　on　the　youngster's　handsome　Southern　features…baffling　praise；　because　all　that　was　visible　of　young　Lester　were　his　beady　brown　eyes；　peeping　through　the　slits　of　his　sheet。　He　thought：　I　could　be　a　Negro；　for　all　they　know！
　
　Still；　the　boy　enjoyed　Klan　rallies　because　there　was　great　barbecue　and　towering　bonfires。　He　was　disappointed　when　his　family　stopped　attending；　but　he　couldn't　argue　with　his　parents'　reason　for　quitting。　They　referred　to　it　as　The　Accident；　and　Lester　would　never　forget　the　night。　His　father　had　gotten　customarily　shitfaced　and；　when　the　climactic　moment　came　to　light　the　cross；　accidentally　ignited　the　local　Grand　Kleagle　instead。　In　the　absence　of　a　fire　hose；　the　frantic　Klansmen　were　forced　to　save　their　blazing　rade　by　spritzing　him　with　well…shaken　cans　of　Schlitz　beer。　Once　the　fire　was　extinguished；　they　placed　the　charred　Kleagle　in　the　bed　of　Lester's　father's　pickup　and　drove　to　the　hospital。　Although　the　man　survived；　his　precious　anonymity　was　lost　forever。　A　local　television　crew　happened　to　be　outside　the　emergency　room　when　the　Kleagle…hoodless；　his　sheet　in　scorched　tatters…　arrived。　Once　his　involvement　in　the　Klan　was　exposed　on　TV；　the　man　resigned　as　district　att