chiaasen.stormyweather-第70节

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r　go…which　meant　the　sex…in…the…creek　had　been　unnecessary。
　
　Not　that　she　hadn't　enjoyed　it；　or　wouldn't　love　to　try　it　again；　but　still　she　felt　tricked。
　
　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　last　night？〃
　
　Skink　flashed　her　the　politician's　smile。　〃Slipped　my　mind。〃
　
　〃Asshole。〃　She　picked　a　leaf　out　of　her　wet　hair　and　peevishly　flicked　it　into　the　wind。　Swatted　a　horsefly　off　her　ankle。　Folded　her　arms　and　glared。
　
　He　leaned　down　and　kissed　her　forehead。　〃Look　on　the　bright　side；　girl。　You　got　over　your　fear　of　crocodiles。〃
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　THIRTY
　
　
　At　half　past　noon；　a　police　cruiser　stopped　at　the　intersection　of　Card　Sound　Road　and　County　Road　905。　A　broad…shouldered　black　man　in　casual　street　clothes　honked　twice　at　Edie　Marsh。　As　he　motioned　her　to　the　car；　she　recognized　him　as　the　cop　whom　Snapper　had　shot　outside　Paradise　Palms。
　
　〃You　might　not　believe　this；〃　she　said；　〃but　I'm　really　glad　you're　OK。〃
　
　〃Thanks　for　your　concern。〃　His　tone　was　so　neutral　that　she　almost　didn't　catch　the　sarcasm。　He　wore　reflector　sunglasses　and　had　a　toothpick　in　the　corner　of　his　mouth。　When　he　reached　across　to　open　the　door；　Edie　glimpsed　a　white　mat　of　bandage　between　the　middle　buttons　of　his　shirt。
　
　〃You're　Jim；　right？　I'm　Edie。〃
　
　〃I　figured。〃
　
　He　took　the　road　toward　Miami。　Edie　assumed　she　was　being　arrested。　She　said；　〃For　what　it's　worth；　I　didn't　think　he　would　shoot。〃
　
　〃Funny　thing　about　morons　with　guns。〃
　
　〃Look；　I　know　where　he　is。　I　can　show　you　where　he　is。〃
　
　Jim　Tile　said；　〃I　already　know。〃
　
　Then　she　understood。　The　trooper　had　no　intention　of　trying　to　find　Snapper。　It　was　over　for　Snapper。
　
　〃What　about　me？〃　she　asked；　inwardly　speculating　on　the　multitude　of　felonies　for　which　she　could　be　prosecuted。　Attempted　murder。　Fleeing　the　scene。　Aiding　and　abetting。　Auto　theft。　Not　to　mention　insurance　fraud；　which　the　trooper　might　or　might　not　know　about；　depending　on　what　the　governor　had　told　him。
　
　〃So　what　happens　to　me？〃　she　asked　again。
　
　〃Last　night　I　got　a　message　saying　a　lady　needed　a　ride　to　the　mainland。〃
　
　〃And　you　had　nothing　better　to　do。〃
　
　From　miles　behind　the　sunglasses：　〃It　was　an　old　friend　who　called。〃
　
　Edie　Marsh　kept　trying　to　play　tough。　It　wasn't　easy。　No　other　cars　were　in　sight。　The　guy　could　rape　me；　kill　me；　dump　my　body　in　the　swamp。　Who'd　ever　know？　Plus　he　was　a　cop。
　
　She　said；　〃You　didn't　answer　my　question。〃
　
　The　toothpick　bobbed。　〃The　answer　is：　Nothing。　Nothing's　going　to　happen　to　you。　The　friend　who　left　a　message　put　in　a　good　word。〃
　
　〃Yeah？〃
　
　〃'Jail　will　not　make　an　impression　on　this　woman。　Don't　waste　your　time。'　That's　a　quote。〃
　
　Edie　reddened。　〃Some　good　word。〃
　
　〃So　you　get　a　free　ride　to　Florida　City。　Period。〃
　
　After　crossing　the　Card　Sound　Bridge；　the　trooper　stopped　at　Alabama　Jack's。　He　asked　Edie　if　she　wanted　a　fish　sandwich　or　a　burger。
　
　〃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