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chiaasen.stormyweather-第44部分

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 A reedy howl rose from the palmettos; diffusing into a creepy rumble of laughter。
 
 Bufo madness; thought Augustine。 Bonnie stiffened in his embrace。 Firmly she said; 〃I'm not leaving now。 No way。〃
 
 He lifted her chin。 〃This is not a well person。 This is a man who put a shock collar on your husband; a man who gets high off frog slime。 He's done things you don't want to know about; probably even killed people。〃
 
 〃At least he believes in something。〃
 
 〃Good Lord; Bonnie。〃
 
 〃Then why are you here? If he's so dangerous; if he's so crazy…〃
 
 〃Who said he was crazy。〃
 
 〃Answer the question; Senor Herrera。〃
 
 Augustine blinked at the firelight。 〃I'm not so tightly wrapped myself。 That should be obvious。〃
 
 Bonnie Lamb pressed closer。 She wondered why she so enjoyed the fact that both of these new men were unpredictable and impulsive…opposites of the man she'd married。 Max was exceptionally reliable; but he was neither deep nor enigmatic。 Five minutes with Max and you had the whole menu。
 
 She said; 〃I suppose I'm rebelling。 Against what; I don't know。 It's a first for me。〃
 
 Augustine rebuked himself for showing off with the skulls; what woman could resist such charm? Bonnie laughed softly。
 
 〃Seriously;〃 he said; 〃there's a big difference between your situation and mine。 You've got a husband and a life。 I've got nothing else to do; and nothing to lose by not doing it。〃
 
 〃Your uncle's animals?〃
 
 〃Long gone;〃 he said。 〃Anyway; there's worse places than Miami to be for a monkey。 They'll make out fine。〃 After a rueful pause: 〃I do feel lousy about the water buffalo。〃
 
 Bonnie said there was no point trying to analyze motivation。 Both of them were rational; mature; intelligent adults。 Certainly they knew what they were doing; even if they didn't know why。
 
 From the thicket; another penetrating wail。
 
 Bonnie stared toward the palmettos。 〃I get the feeling he could take us or leave us。〃
 
 〃Exactly。〃 Augustine came right out and asked her if she truly loved her husband。
 
 She answered unhesitantly: 〃I don't know。 So there。〃
 
 Without warning; the governor crashed shirtless out of the trees。 He was feverish; drenched in sweat。 His good eye was as bright as a radish; the glass one was turned askew; showing yellowed bone in the socket。 Bonnie hurried to his side。
 
 〃Damn;〃 he wheezed; 〃was that some bad toad!〃
 
 Augustine doubted Skink's technique for removing the toxin and processing it for inhalation。 Based on the man's present state; it seemed likely that he'd bungled the pharmacology。
 
 〃Sit here by the fire;〃 Bonnie told him。
 
 He held out his hands; which were filled with leathery; lightly freckled eggs。 Augustine counted twelve in all。 Skink palmed them like golf balls。
 
 〃Supper! 〃he exulted。
 
 〃What are they?〃
 
 〃Eggs; my boy!〃
 
 〃Of what?〃
 
 〃I don't have a clue。〃 The governor stalked toward the laborers' camp; returning five minutes later with a fry pan and a squeeze bottle of ketchup。
 
 Regardless of species; the eggs tasted dandy scrambled。 Augustine was impressed; watching Bonnie dig in。
 
 When they finished eating; Skink said it was time to hit the rack。 〃Big day ahead。 You take the sleeping bags; I'll be in the scrub。〃 And he was gone。
 
 Augustine returned the fry pan to the Ohio contingent; which was amiably drunk and nonthreatening。 He and Bonnie stayed up watching the flames die; sitting close but saying little。 At the first onslaught of mosquitoes; they dove into one of the sleeping bags and zipped it over their heads。 Like two turtles; Bonnie said; sharing the same shell。
 
 They hugged each other in the blackness; laughing uncontrollably。 After Bonnie caught her breath; she said; 〃God; it's hot in here。〃
 
 〃August in Florida。〃
 
 〃Well; I'm taking off my clothes。〃
 
 〃You aren't。〃
 
 〃Oh yes。 And you're going to help。〃
 
 〃Bonnie; we should get some sleep。 Big day tomorrow。〃
 
 〃I need a big night to take my mind off it。〃 She got tangled while wriggling out of her top。 〃Give me a hand; kjnd sir。〃
 
 Augustine did as he was told。 They were; after all; rational; mature; intelligent adults。
 
 
 
 CHAPTER NINETEEN
 
 
 The death of Tony Torres did not go unnoticed by homicide detectives; crucifixions being rare even in Miami。 However; most murder investigations were stuck on hold in the frenetic days following the hurricane。 With the roadways in disorder; the police department was precariously shorthanded; every available officer of every rank was put to work directing traffic; chasing looters or escorting relief convoys。 In the case of Juan Doe #92…312 (the whimsical caption on Tony Torres's homicide file); the lack of urgency to investigate was reinforced by the fact that no friends or relatives appeared to identify the corpse; which indicated to police that nobody was searching for him; which further suggested that nobody much cared he was dead。
 
 Two days after the body was found; a fingerprint technician faxed the morgue to say that a proper name now could be attached to the crucified man: Antonio Rodrigo Guevara…Torres; age forty…five。 The prints of the late Mr。 Torres were on file because he had; during one rocky stretch of his adult life; written thirty…seven consecutive bum checks。 Had one of those checks not been made out to the Police Benevolent Association; Tony Torres likely would have escaped prosecution。 To avoid jail; he pleaded guilty and swore to make full restitution; a pledge quickly forgotten amid the pressure of his demanding new job as a junior sales associate at a trailer…home franchise called A…Plus Affordable Homes。
 
 Because the arrest report was old; the home address and telephone number listed for Tony Torres were no good。 The current yellow pages showed no listing for A…Plus Affordable。 Three fruitless inquiries sufficiently discouraged the young detective to whom the case of the crucified check…kiter had been assigned。 He was relieved when his lieutenant ordered him to put the homicide file aside and drive down to Cutler Ridge; where he parked squarely in the center of the intersection of Eureka Drive and 117th Avenue; in order to block traffic for the presidential motorcade。
 
 The young detective didn't think again of the murdered check…bouncing mobile…home salesman until two days later; when the police department got a call from an agitated woman claiming to be the victim's wife。
 
 Avila phoned the Gentlemen's Choice escort service and asked for Morganna。 She got on the line and said; 〃I haven't used that name in six months。 It's Jasmine now。〃
 
 〃OK。 Jasmine。〃
 
 〃Do I know you; honey?〃
 
 Avila reminded her of their torrid drunken night at the motel on West Flagler Street。
 
 〃Gee;〃 she said; 〃that narrows it down to about ninety guys。〃
 
 〃You had a friend。 Daphne; Diane; something like that。 Redhead with a tattoo on her left tit。〃
 
 Jasmine said; 〃What kinda tattoo?〃
 
 〃I think it was a balloon or something。〃
 
 〃Don't ring a bell。〃
 
 Avila said; 〃The guy you were with; you'd definitely remember。 Scary dude with a seriously fucked…up face。〃
 
 〃Little Pepe that got burned?〃
 
 〃No; it wasn't Pepe with the burns。 Man's name was Snapper。 His jaws stuck out all gross and crooked。 You remember。 It was a party before he went upstate。〃
 
 〃Nope; still no bell;〃 said Jasmine。 〃What're you doing tonight; sweetheart? You need a date?〃
 
 What a cold shitty world; thought Avila。 There was no such thing as a friendly favor anymore; everybody had their greedy paws out。
 
 〃Meet me at Cisco's;〃 he told her tersely。 〃Nine o'clock at the bar。〃
 
 〃That's my boy。〃
 
 〃You still a blonde?〃
 
 〃If you want。〃
 
 Avila arrived twenty minutes late; he had taken a long hot shower following another furtive raid on the buried Tupperware stash。 The stitches in his groin still stung from the soaking。
 
 Jasmine sat at the bar; sipping Perrier from the bottle。 She wore a subtle scarlet miniskirt and an alarming Carol Channing…style wig。 Her perfume smelled like a fruit stand。 Avila sat down carefully and ordered a beer。 He folded a hundred…dollar bill into Jasmine's empty hand。
 
 She siriiled。 〃I do remember you now。〃
 
 〃What about Snapper?〃
 
 〃You're a squeaker。〃
 
 〃o?〃
 
 〃You squeak when you fuck。 Like a happy little hamster。〃
 
 Avila flushed; and lunged for his beer。
 
 〃Don't be embarrassed;〃 Jasmine said。 She took his left wrist and examined the beads of his santeria bracelet。 〃I remember this; too。 Some sorta voodoo。〃
 
 Avila pulled away。 〃Has Daphne heard from Snapper lately?〃
 
 〃It's not Daphne anymore。 It's Bridget。〃 Jasmine dug a pack of Marlboros out of her purse。 〃Matter of fact; she spent the hurricane with him。 Drunk as a skunk at some motel up in Broward。〃
 
 Avila made no move to light her cigaret。 He said; 〃When's the last time she saw him?〃
 
 〃Just yesterday。〃
 
 〃Yesterday!〃
 
 It was too good to be true! Thank you; mighty Change! Avila was awestruck and humbled。
 
 Jasmine said; 〃That Snapper calls all the time; ever since he got 
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