chiaasen.stormyweather-第79部分

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　〃I'm　barefoot；〃　she　said。
　
　Finally　he　broke　a　smile。　〃I　don't　believe　there's　a　dress　code。〃
　
　Over　lunch；　Edie　Marsh　tried　again。　〃I　got　sick　when　Snapper　pulled　the　trigger；〃　she　said；　〃back　at　the　motel；　I　swear。　It's　the　last　thing　I　wanted。〃
　
　Jim　Tile　said　it　didn't　matter　one　way　or　the　other。　To　appear　friendly；　Edie　asked　how　long　he'd　been　assigned　to　Miami。
　
　〃Ten　days。〃
　
　〃You　came　for　the　hurricane？〃
　
　〃Just　like　you；〃　he　said；　letting　her　know　he　had　her　pegged。
　
　On　their　way　out　of　the　restaurant；　he　bought　her　an　extra　order　of　fries　and　a　Coke　for　the　road。　In　the　car；　Edie　tried　to　keep　the　conversation　moving。　She　felt　more　secure　when　he　was　talking；　instead　of　staring　ahead　like　a　sphinx；　working　that　damn　toothpick。
　
　She　asked　if　she　could　see　the　bulletproof　vest。　He　said　he'd　had　to　turn　it　in　at　headquarters；　for　evidence。　She　asked　if　the　bullet　made　a　hole　and　he　said　no；　more　of　a　dimple。
　
　〃Bet　you　didn't　think　hurricane　duty　would　be　so　hairy。〃
　
　Jim　Tile　fiddled　with　the　squelch　on　the　radio。
　
　Edie　said；　〃What's　the　craziest　thing　you've　seen　so　far？〃
　
　〃Besides　your　geek　partner　shooting　at　me？〃
　
　〃Yeah；　besides　that。〃
　
　〃The　President　of　the　United　States；〃　he　said；　〃trying　to　hammer　a　nail　into　a　piece　of　plywood。　Took　him　at　least　nine　tries。〃
　
　Edie　straightened。　〃You　saw　the　President！〃
　
　〃Yeah。　We　had　motorcade　duty。〃
　
　Thoughtfully　she　munched　on　a　French　fry。　〃Did　you　see　his　son；　too？〃
　
　〃They　were　riding　in　the　same　limo。〃
　
　〃I　didn't　know　he　lived　in　Miami；　the　President's　son。〃
　
　〃Lucky　him；〃　the　trooper　said。
　
　Edie　Marsh；　sipping　her　Coke；　trying　not　to　be　too　obvious：　〃I　wonder　where　his　house　is；　somebody　like　that。　Key　Biscayne　probably；　or　maybe　the　Gables。　Sometimes　I　wonder　about　famous　people。　Where　they　eat　out。　Where　they　get　their　cars　waxed。　Who's　their　dentist。　I　mean；　think　about　it：　The　President's　kid；　he　still　has　to　get　his　teeth　cleaned。　Don't　you　ever　wonder　about　stuff　like　that？〃
　
　〃Never。〃　Fat　raindrops　slapped　on　the　windshield。　Still　the　trooper　stayed　camped　behind　the　sunglasses。
　
　Edie　didn't　give　up。　〃You　got　a　girlfriend？〃　she　asked。
　
　'Yes。〃
　
　Finally；　Edie　thought。　Something　to　run　with。　〃Where　is　she？〃
　
　〃In　the　hospital；〃　Jim　Tile　said。　〃Your　buddy　beat　her　to　a　pulp。〃
　
　〃Oh　God；　no。。。。〃
　
　He　saw　that　she'd　spilled　the　Coke；　and　that　she　didn't　even　know　it。
　
　〃God；　I'm　so　sorry；〃　she　was　saying。　〃I　swear；　I　didn't…will　she　be　all　right？〃
　
　Jim　Tile　offered　a　handful　of　paper　napkins。　Edie　tried　to　sop　the　soda　off　her　lap。　Her　hands　were　shaky。
　
　〃I　didn't　know；〃　she　said；　more　than　once。　She　recalled　the　engraving　on　the　mother's　wedding　band；　the　one　that　Snapper　had　stolen。　〃Cynthia〃　was　the　name　on　the　ring；　the　mother　of　the　trooper's　girlfriend。
　
　Now　Edie　felt　close　to　the　crime。　Now　she　felt　truly　sick。
　
　Jim　Tile　said；　〃The　doctors　think　she'll　be　OK。〃
　
　All　Edie　could　do　was　nod；　she　was　tapped　out。　The　trooper　turned　up　the　volume　of　the　police　radio。　When　they　reached　the　mainland；　he　stopped　at　a　boarded…up　McDonald's。　The　hurricane　had　blown　out　the　doors　and　windows。
　
　A　teal…blue　pact　was　parked　under　a　naked　palm　tree。　A　man　in　a　green　Day…Glo　rain　poncho　was　sitting　on　the　hood；　from　the　sharp　creases；　it　appeared　that　his　poncho　was　brand…new。　The　man　hopped　down　when　he　saw　the　Highway　Patrol　car。
　
　〃Who's　that？〃　Edie　asked。
　
　〃Watch　out　for　broken　glass；〃　Jim　Tile　said。
　
　〃You're　leaving　me　here？〃
　
　〃Yes；　ma'am。〃
　
　When　Edie　Marsh　got　out；　the　man　got　in。　The　trooper　told　him　to　shut　the　door　and　fasten　his　seat　belt。　Edie　didn't　back　away　from　the　car；　she　just　stood　there；　crossing　her　arms　in　a　halfhearted　sulk。　The　effect　was　impaired　by　the　slashing　rain；　which　caused　her　to　blink　and　squint；　and　by　the　stormy　wind；　which　made　her　hair　thrash　like　a　pom…pom。
　
　Through　the　weather　she　shouted　at　Jim　Tile：　〃What　am　I　supposed　to　do　now？〃
　
　〃Count　your　blessings；〃　he　said。　Then　he　made　a　U…turn　and　headed　back　toward　Key　Largo。
　
　Bonnie　gave　Augustine　a　nervous　kiss　before　she　left　camp　with　Skink。　Her　husband　was　on　his　way。　They　were　to　meet　at　the　road。
　
　Alone；　Augustine　tried　to　read；　huddled　in　the　old　ambulance　to　keep　the　pages　dry。　But　he　couldn't　concentrate。　His　imagination　was　inventing　dialogue　for　Bonnie　and　Max's　reunion。　In　his　head　there　were　two　versions　of　the　script；　one　for　a　sad　good…bye；　one　for　I'm…sorry…let's…try…again。
　
　Part　of　him　expected　not　to　see　Bonnie　again；　expected　her　to　change　her　mind　and　fly　back　to　New　York。　Augustine　had　accustomed　himself　to　such　letdowns。
　
　On　the　other　hand；　none　of　his　three　ex…fiancees　would　have　lasted　so　long　in　the　deep　woods　without　a　tantrum　or　a　scene。　Bonnie　Lamb　was　very　different　from　the　others。　Augustine　hoped　she　was　different　enough　not　to　run　away。
　
　Despite　his　emotional　distress；　Augustine　kept　a　watch　on　Snapper；　still　zonked　from　the　monkey　tran…quilizer。　It　wouldn't　be　long　before　the　dumb　cracker　woke　up　blathering。　Except　for　the　cheap　pinstripe　suit；　he　reminded　Augustine　of　the　empty…eyed　types　his　father　used　to　hire　as　boat　crew。
　
　Another　thing　that　got　him　thinking　about　his　old　man　was　the　lousy　weather。　Augustine　recalled　a　gray　September　afternoon　when　his　father　had　dumped　sixty　bales　overboard　in　the　mistaken　belief　that　an　oning　vessel　was　a　Coast　Guard　patrol；　when　in　fact　it　was　a　Hatteras　full　of　hard…drinking　surgeons　on　their　way　to　Cat　Cay。　The　marijuana　bobbed　on　seven…foot　swells　in　the　Gulf　Stream　while　Augustine's　father　frantically　recruited　friends；　neighbors；　cousins；　dock　rats　and　Augustine　himself　for　the　salvage。　Using　boat　hooks　and　fish　gaffs；　they　retrieved　all　but　four　bales；　which　were　snatched　up　by　the　agile　crew　of　a　passing　Greek　tanker。　Later　that　night；　when　the　load　was　safe　and　drying　in　a　warehouse；　Augustine's　father　threw　a　party　for　his　helpers。　Everybody　got　stoned　except　Augustine；　who　was　only　twelve　years　old　at　the　time。　Already　he　knew　he　wasn't　cut　out　for　his　old　man's　fishing　business。
　
　Augustine　climbed　out　of　the　ambulance　and　stretched。　A　redtailed　hawk　hunted　in　tight　circles　above　the　campsite。　Augustine　walked　over　to　the　place　where　Snapper　slept。　The　governor　had　left　the　hurricane　money　lying　in　the　suitcase；　reeking　of　urine。　Augustine　nudged　Snapper　with　his　shoe。　Nothing。　He　grasped　The　Club　and　turned　the　man's　head　back　and　forth。　He　was　as　limp　as　a　rag　doll。　The　motion　caused　a　slight　stir　and　a　sleepy　gargle；　but　the　eyelids　remained　closed。　Augustine　lifted　one　of　Snapper's　hands　and　pinched　a　thumbnail；　very　hard。　The　guy　didn't　flinch。
　
　Dreamland；　thought　Augustine。　No　need　to　tie　him　up。
　
　He　found　the　sight　and　sound　of　Lester　Maddox　Parsons　particularly　depressing　when　married　to　the　fear　that　Bonnie　Lamb　wasn't　ing　back。　Sharing　camp　with　a　shitbird　criminal　had　no　appeal。　The　smell　of　fast…moving　rain；　the　high　coasting　of　the　hawk；　the　cool　green　embrace　of　the　hardwoods…all　spoiled　by　Snapper's　sour　presence。
　
　Augustine　couldn't　wait　there　anymore。　It　was　worse　than　being　alone。
　
　Jim　Tile　said；　〃Where's　the　young　man？〃
　
　〃Library；〃　said　Skink。
　
　They　were　in　the　trooper's　car；　near　the　trail　upon　which　Skink　had　led　Bonnie　to　the　road。　She　and　her　husband　were　sitting　side　by　side　on　one　of　the　metal　rails　that　ran　the　perimeter　of　Crocodile　Lakes。　The　police　car　was　parked　seventy…five　yards　away；　it　was　the　best　that　Jim　Tile　and　Skink　could　offer　for　privacy。　Even　from　that　distance；　in　the　rain；　Max　Lamb　was　highly　visible　in　the　neon　poncho。
　
　〃His　old　man's　in　prison。〃　Skink　was　still　talking　about　Augustine。　〃You'll　love　this：　She　says　he　was　conceived　in　a　hurricane。〃
　
　〃Which　one？〃
　
　〃Donna。〃
　
　Jim　Tile　smiled。　〃That's　something。〃
　
　〃Thirty…two　years　later：　another　storm；　another　beginning。　The　boy's　star…crossed；　don't　you　think？〃
　
　The　trooper　chuckled。　〃I　think　you're　full　of　it。〃　There　was　affection　in　the　remark。　〃What's　the　story　with　the　fath