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chiaasen.stormyweather-第23部分

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 An hour before dawn; Edie heard a terrible motion in the backyard。 She couldn't rise to investigate because she was pinned beneath the insurance man in the BarcaLounger。 Judging from the tumult outside; Donald and Maria had gone rabid。 The confrontation ended in a flurry of plaintive yips and a hair…raising roar。 Edie Marsh didn't move until the sun came up。 Then she stealthily roused Fred Dove; who panicked because he'd forgotten to phone his wife back in Omaha。 Edie told him to hush up and put on his pants。
 
 She led him to the backyard。 The only signs of the two miniature dachshunds were limp leashes and empty collars。 The Torres lawn was torn to shreds。 Several large tracks were visible in the damp gray soil; deep raking tracks; with claws。
 
 Fred Dove's left Hush Puppy fit easily one of the imprints。 〃Good Lord;〃 he said; 〃and I wear a ten and a half。〃
 
 Edie Marsh asked what kind of wild animal would make such a track。 Fred Dove said it looked big enough to be a lion or a bear。 〃But I'm not a hunter;〃 he added。
 
 She said; 〃Can I e stay with you?〃
 
 〃AttheRamada?〃
 
 〃What…they don't allow women?〃
 
 〃Edie; we shouldn't be seen together。 Not if we're going through with this。〃
 
 〃You expect me to stay out here alone?〃
 
 〃Look; I'm sorry about your dogs…〃
 
 〃They weren't my goddamn dogs。〃
 
 〃Please; Edie。〃
 
 With his round eyeglasses; Fred Dove reminded her of a serious young English teacher she'd known in high school。 The man had worn Bass loafers with no socks and was obsessed with T。 S。 Eliot。 Edie Marsh had screwed the guy twice in the faculty lounge; but he'd still given her a C on her final exam because (he claimed) she'd missed the whole point of 〃J。 Alfred Prufrock。〃 The experience had left Edie Marsh with a deep…seated mistrust of studious…looking men。
 
 She said; 〃What do you mean; if we go through with this? We made a deal。〃
 
 〃Yes;〃 Fred Dove said。 〃Yes; we did。〃
 
 As he followed her into the house; she asked; 〃How soon can you get this done?〃
 
 〃Well; I could file the claim this week…〃
 
 〃Hundred percent loss?〃
 
 〃That's right;〃 replied the insurance man。
 
 〃A hundred and forty…one grand。 Seventy…one for me; seventy for you。〃
 
 〃Right。〃 For somebody about to score the windfall of a lifetime; Fred Dove was subdued。 〃My concern; again; is Mister Torres…〃
 
 〃Like I told you last night; Tony's in some kind of serious jam。 I doubt he'll be back。〃
 
 〃But didn't you say Mrs。 Torres; the real Mrs。 Torres; might be returning to Miami…〃
 
 〃That's why you need to hurry;〃 Edie Marsh said。 〃Tell the home office it's an emergency。〃
 
 The insurance man pursed his lips。 〃Edie; every case is an emergency。 There's been a hurricane; for God's sake。〃
 
 Impassively; she watched him finish dressing。 He spent five full minutes trying to smooth the wrinkles out of his sex…rumpled Dockers。 When he asked to borrow an iron; Edie reminded him there was no electricity。
 
 〃How about taking me to breakfast;〃 she said。
 
 〃I'm already late for an appointment in Cutler Ridge。
 
 Some poor old man's got a Pontiac on top of his house。〃 Fred Dove kissed Edie on the forehead and followed up with the obligatory morning…after hug。 〃I'll be back tonight。 Is nine all right?〃
 
 〃Fine;〃 she said。 Tonight he'd undoubtedly bring condoms…one more ic speed bump on the highway to passion。 She made a mental note to haul one of Tony's mattresses out in the sun to dry; another strenuous session in the BarcaLounger might put poor Freddie in traction。
 
 〃Bring the claim forms;〃 she told him。 〃I want to see everything。〃
 
 He jotted a reminder on his clipboard and slipped it into the briefcase。
 
 〃Oh yeah;〃 Edie said。 〃I also need a couple gallons of gas from your car。〃
 
 Fred Dove looked puzzled。
 
 〃For the generator;〃 she explained。 〃A hot bath would be nice 。。。 since you won't let me share your tub at the Ramada。〃
 
 〃Oh; Edie…〃
 
 〃And maybe a few bucks for groceries。〃
 
 She softened up when the insurance man took out his wallet。 〃That's my boy。〃 She kissed him on the neck and ended it with a little bite; just to prime the pump。
 
 〃I'm scared;〃 he said。
 
 〃Don't be; sugar。 It's a breeze。〃 She took two twenties and sent him; on his way。
 
 
 
 CHAPTER TEN
 
 
 On the drive to the morgue; Augustine and Bonnie Lamb heard a news report about a fourteen…foot reticulated python that had turned up in the salad bar of a fast…food joint in Perrine。
 
 〃One of yours?〃 Bonnie asked。
 
 〃I'm wondering。〃 It was impossible to know if the snake had belonged to Augustine's dead uncle; Felix Mojack's handwritten inventory was vague on details。
 
 〃He had a couple big ones;〃 Augustine said; 〃but I never measured the damn things。〃
 
 Bonnie said; 〃I hope they didn't kill it。〃
 
 〃Me; too。〃 He was pleased that she was concerned for the welfare of a primeval reptile。 Not all women would be。
 
 〃They could give it to a zoo;〃 she said。
 
 〃Or turn it loose at the county mission。〃
 
 〃You're bad。〃
 
 〃I know;〃 Augustine said。 As legal custodian of the menagerie; he felt a twinge of responsibility for Bonnie Lamb's predicament。 Without a monkey to chase; her husband probably wouldn't have been abducted。 Maybe the culprit was one of Uncle Felix's rhesuses; maybe not。
 
 Without reproach; Bonnie asked: 〃What'll you do if one of those critters kills a person?〃
 
 〃Pray it was somebody who deserved it。〃
 
 Bonnie was appalled。 Augustine said; 〃I don't know what else to do; short of a safari。 You know how big the Everglades are?〃
 
 They rode in silence for a while before Bonnie said: 〃You're right。 They're free; and that's how it ought to be。〃
 
 〃I don't know how anything ought to be; but I know how it is。 Hell; those cougars could be in Key Largo by now。〃
 
 Bonnie Lamb smiled sadly。 〃I wish I was。〃
 
 Before entering the chill of the Medical Examiner's Office; she put on a baggy ski sweater that Augustine had brought for the occasion。 This time there were no preliminaries to the viewing。 The same young coroner led them directly to the autopsy room; where the newly murdered John Doe was the center of attention。 The corpse was surrounded by detectives; uniformed cops; and an unenthusiastic contingent of University of Miami medical students。 They parted for Augustine and Bonnie Lamb。
 
 A ruddy; gray…haired man in a lab coat stood at the head of the steel table。 He nodded cordially and took a step back。 Holding her breath; Bonnie lowered her eyes to the corpse。 The man was potbellied and balding。 His olive skin was covered from shoulder to toe with sprouts of shiny black hair。 In the center of the chest was a gaping; raspberry…hued wound。 His throat was a necklace of bruises that looked very much like purple fingerprints。
 
 〃It's not my husband;〃 Bonnie Lamb said。
 
 Augustine led her away。 A tall black policeman followed。
 
 〃Mrs。 Lamb?〃
 
 Bonnie; on autopilot; kept moving。
 
 〃Mrs。 Lamb; I need to speak with you。〃
 
 She turned。 The policeman was broadly muscled and walked with a hitch in his right leg。 He wore a state trooper's uniform and held a tan Stetson in his huge hands。 He seemed as relieved to be out of the autopsy room as they were。
 
 Augustine asked if there was a problem。 The trooper suggested they go someplace to talk。
 
 〃About what?〃 Bonnie asked。
 
 〃Your husband's disappearance。 I'm running down a few leads; that's all。〃 The trooper's manner was uncharacteristically informal for a cop in uniform。 He said; 〃Just a few questions; folks。 I promise。〃
 
 Augustine didn't understand why the Highway Patrol would take an interest in a missing…person case。 He said; 〃She's already spoken to the FBI。〃
 
 〃This won't take long。〃
 
 Bonnie said; 〃If you've got something new; anything; I'd like to hear about it。〃
 
 〃I know a great Italian place;〃 the trooper said。
 
 Augustine saw that Bonnie had made up her mind。 〃Is this official business?〃 he asked the trooper。
 
 〃Extremely unofficial。〃 Jim Tile put on his hat。 〃Let's go eat;〃 he said。
 
 In the mid…1970s; a man named Clinton Tyree ran for governor of Florida。 On paper he seemed an ideal candidate; a bold fresh voice in a cynical age。 He was a rare native son; handsome; strapping; an ex…college football sensation and a decorated veteran of Vietnam。
 
 On the campaign trail; he could talk smart in Palm Beach or play dumb in the Panhandle。 The media were dazzled because he spoke in plete sentences; spontaneously and without index cards。 Best of all; his private past was uncluttered by slimy business deals; the intricacies of which taxed the prehension of journalists and readers alike。
 
 Clinton Tyree's only political liability was a five…year stint as an English professor at the University of Florida; a job that historically would have marked a candidate as too thoughtful; educated and broad…minded for state office。 But; in a stunning upset; voters forgave Glint Tyree's erudition and elected him governor。
 
 Naively the Tallahassee establishment weled the new chief executive。 The barkers; pim
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