chiaasen.stormyweather-第40部分

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n。
　
　Good　or　bad；　jobs　in　journalism　were　hard　to　e　by。　Like　many　of　her　classmates；　Bonnie　Brooks　wound　up　writing　publicity　blurbs　and　press　releases。　She　went　to　work　first　for　the　City　of　Chicago　Parks　Department　and　then　for　a　baby…food　pany　that　was　eventually　purchased　by　Crespo　Mills　Internationale。　There　Bonnie　was　promoted　to　the　job　of　assistant　corporate　publicist。　The　title　was　attached　to　a　salary　that　ten　tough　years　in　most　city　newsrooms　wouldn't　have　earned。　As　for　the　writing；　it　was　as　elementary　as　it　was　unsatisfying。　In　addition　to　pabulums　and　breakfast　cereals；　Crespo　Mills　manufactured　whipped　condiment　spreads；　peanut　butter；　granola　bars；　cookies；　crackers；　trail　mix；　flavored　popcorn；　bread　sticks　and　three　styles　of　croutons。　In　no　time；　Bonnie　Brooks　ran　out　of　appetizing　adjectives。　Attempts　at　lyrical　originality　were　discouraged　by　her　Crespo　supervisors；　during　one　especially　dreary　streak；　she　was　required　to　use　the　word　〃tasty〃　in　fourteen　consecutive　press　releases。　When　Max　Lamb　asked　her　to　marry　him　and　move　to　New　York；　Bonnie　didn't　hesitate　to　quit　her　job。
　
　Max　could　take　only　a　few　days　off　from　work；　so　they　decided　to　take　their　honeymoon　at　Disney　World…　a　corny　choice；　but　Bonnie　figured　anything　was　better　than　Niagara　Falls。　She　knew　that　a　waterfall；　no　matter　how　grandiose；　wouldn't　hold　Max's　interest。　Neither；　it　turned　out；　did　Mickey　Mouse。　Two　days　at　the　Magic　Kingdom　and　Max　was　as　antsy　as　a　cat　burglar。
　
　Then　the　hurricane　blew　in；　and　he　just　had　to　go　see。。。。
　
　Bonnie　had　wanted　to　stay　in　Orlando；　stay　cuddled　under　the　scratchy　motel　sheets　and　make　love　while　the　rain　drummed　on　the　windows。　Why　wasn't　that　enough　for　him？
　
　She'd　almost　asked　that　very　question　as　they　sat　in　the　dark　on　Augustine's　patio　after　the　adventure　in　Stiltsville。　And　later；　on　the　way　to　the　airport。　And　again；　standing　at　the　Delta　gate；　when　he'd　hugged　her　in　a　loose　and　distracted　way；　his　hair　and　shirt　reeking　of　cigarets。
　
　But　Bonnie　hadn't　asked。　The　moment　wasn't　right；　he　was　a　man　with　a　purpose。　A　grown…up　man；　just　like　her　mother　wanted　her　to　find。　Except　her　mother　thought　Max　was　an　asshole。　Her　father；　well；　he　thought　Max　Lamb　was　a　fine　young　fella。　He　thought　all　Bonnie's　boyfriends　had　been　fine　young　fellas。
　
　She　wondered　what　her　father　would　think　of　her　now；　on　the　way　to　a　hospital；　scrunched　in　the　front　seat　of　a　pickup　truck　between　a　one…eyed；　toad…smoking　kidnapper　and　a　plane…crash　survivor　who　juggled　skulls。
　
　Brenda　Rourke's　head　was　fractured　in　three　places；　and　one　of　her　cheeks　needed　reconstruction。　She　was　bleeding　under　the　right　temporal　bone；　but　doctors　had　managed　to　stanch　it。　A　plastic　surgeon　had　repaired　a　U…shaped　gash　on　her　forehead；　stitching　the　loose　flap　above　the　hairline。
　
　Bonnie　Lamb　had　never　seen　such　terrible　wounds。　Even　the　governor　seemed　shaken。　Augustine　fastened　his　eyes　on　his　shoetops…the　sounds　and　smells　of　the　hospital　were　too　familiar。　He　felt　parched。
　
　Jim　Tile　held　both　of　Brenda's　hands　in　one　of　his　own。　Her　eyes　were　open　but　unfocused；　she　had　no　sense　of　anyone　besides　Jim　at　her　bedside。　She　was　trying　to　talk　through　the　drugs　and　the　pain；　he　leaned　closer　to　listen。
　
　After　a　while　he　straightened；　announcing　in　a　low；　angry　voice；　〃The　bastard　stole　her　ring。　Her　mother's　wedding　ring。〃
　
　Skink　slipped　from　the　room　so　quietly　that　Bonnie　and　Augustine　didn't　notice　immediately。　There　was　no　trace　of　him　outside　the　door；　but　a　rush　of　blue　and　white　uniforms　attracted　them　to　the　end　of　the　hall。　The　governor　was　in　the　nursery；　strolling　among　the　newborns。　He　carried　an　infant　in　the　crook　of　each　arm。　The　babies　slept　soundly；　and　he　studied　them　with　profound　sadness。　To　Bonnie　Lamb　he　appeared　harmless；　despite　the　rebellious　beard　and　the　grubby　bat　pants　and　the　army　boots。　A　trio　of　husky　orderlies　conferred　at　a　water　fountain；　apparently　a　negotiation　had　already　been　attempted；　with　poor　results。　Calmly　Jim　Tile　entered　the　nursery　and　returned　the　infants　to　their　glass　cribs。
　
　Nobody　intervened　when　the　trooper　led　Skink　out　of　the　hospital；　because　it　looked　like　a　routine　arrest；　another　loony　street　case　hauled　to　the　stockade：　Jim　Tile；　his　arm　around　the　madman；　walking　him　briskly　down　the　maze　of　pale…green　corridors；　the　two　of　them　talking　intently；　Bonnie　and　Augustine　dodging　wheel…chairs　and　gurneys　and　trying　to　keep　up。
　
　When　they　reached　the　parking　lot；　Jim　Tile　said　he　had　to　go　to　work。　〃The　President's　ing；　and　guess　who　gets　to　clear　traffic。〃
　
　He　folded　a　piece　of　paper　into　Skink's　hand　and　got　into　the　patrol　car。　Wordlessly　Skink　settled　in　the　bed　of　Augustine's　pickup　and　lay　down。　His　good　eye　was　fixed　on　the　clouds；　and　his　arms　were　folded　across　his　chest。　。
　
　Augustine　asked　Jim　Tile：　〃What　do　we　do　with　him？〃
　
　〃That's　entirely　up　to　you。〃　The　trooper　sounded　exhausted。
　
　Bonnie　Lamb　asked　about　Brenda　Rourke。　Jim　Tile　said　the　doctors　expected　her　to　pull　through。
　
　〃What　about　the　guy　who　did　it？〃
　
　〃They　haven't　caught　him；〃　the　trooper　replied；　〃and　they　won't。〃　He　strapped　on　the　seat　belt；　locked　the　door；　adjusted　his　sunglasses。　〃Place　used　to　be　something　special；〃　he　said　absently。　〃Long；　long　time　ago。〃
　
　A　feral　cry　rose　from　the　bed　of　the　pickup　truck。　Jim　Tile　blinked　over　the　rims　of　his　shades。　〃It　was　nice　meeting　you；　Mrs。　Lamb。　You　and　your　husband　do　what's　right。　The　captain；　he'll　understand。〃
　
　Then　the　trooper　drove　off。
　
　On　the　way　to　the　airport　hotel；　where　Max　Lamb　had　reserved　a　day　room　for　her；　Bonnie　slid　across　the　front　seat　and　rested　her　cheek　on　Augustine's　shoulder。　He　was　dreading　this　part；　saying　good…bye。　It　was　always　easier　as　a　bitter　cleaving；　when　suitcases　snapped　shut；　doors　slammed；　taxis　screeched　out　of　the　driveway。　He　checked　the　dashboard　clock…less　than　three　hours　until　her　flight。
　
　Through　the　back　window　of　the　truck；　Bonnie　saw　that　Skink　had　pulled　the　flowered　cap　over　his　face　and　drawn　himself　into　a　loose…jointed　variation　of　a　fetal　curl。
　
　She　said；　〃I　wonder　what's　on　that　piece　of　paper。〃
　
　〃My　guess；〃　said　Augustine；　〃it's　either　a　name　or　an　address。〃
　
　〃Of　what？〃
　
　〃It's　just　a　guess；〃　he　said；　but　he　told　her　anyway。
　
　That　night　he　didn't　have　to　say　good…bye；　because　Bonnie　Lamb　didn't　go　home　to　New　York。　She　canceled　her　flight　and　returned　to　Augustine's　house。　Her　phone　messages　for　Max　were　not　returned　until　after　midnight；　when　she　was　already　asleep　in　the　skull　room。
　
　Shortly　after　noon　on　August　28；　the　telephone　in　Tony　Torres's　kitchen　started　ringing。
　
　Snapper　told　Edie　Marsh　to　get　it。
　
　〃You　get　it；〃　she　said。
　
　〃Real　funny。〃
　
　Snapper　couldn't　walk；　the　blow　from　the　crowbar　had　messed　up　his　right　leg。　He　was　laid　out　in　the　BarcaLounger　with　his　knee　packed　in　three　bags　of　ice；　which　Edie　had　purchased　for　fifty　dollars　on　Quail　Roost　Drive　from　some　traveling　bandit　in　a　fish　truck。　The　fifty　bucks　came　out　of　Snapper's　big　score　against　the　Whitmarks。　He　didn't　tell　Edie　Marsh　how　much　money　remained　in　his　pocket。　He　also　didn't　mention　the　trooper's　gun　in　the　Cherokee；　in　the　event　she　blew　her　top　again。
　
　The　phone　continued　ringing。　〃Answer　it；〃　Snapper　said。　〃Maybe　it's　your　Santy　Claus　boyfriend。〃
　
　Edie　picked　up　the　phone。　On　the　other　end；　a　woman's　voice　said：　〃Hullo？〃
　
　Edie　hung　up。　〃It　wasn't　Fred；〃　she　said。
　
　〃The　fuck　was　it？〃
　
　〃I　didn't　ask；　Snapper。　We're　not　supposed　to　be　here；　remember？〃　She　said　it　sounded　like'　long　distance。
　
　〃What　if　it's　the　insurance　pany？　Maybe　the　check's　ready。〃
　
　Edie　said；　〃No。　Fred　would　tell　me。〃
　
　Snapper　hacked　out　a　laugh。　〃Fred's　gone；　you　dumb　twat。　You　scared　him　off！〃
　
　〃How　much　you　wanna　bet。〃
　
　〃Right；　he　can't　stay　away；　you're　such　a　fantastic　piece　a　ass。〃
　
　〃You　can't　even　imagine；〃　Edie　said；　showing　some　tongue。　Maybe　she　wasn't　hot　enough　for　a　young　Kennedy；　but　she　was　the　best　thing　young　Mr。　Dove　had　ever　seen。　Besides；　he　couldn't　back　out　of　the　deal