按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃It was。〃
〃Naturally。〃 She sighed disconsolately。
〃So what？〃 Snapper said。 His shoulders bunched。 〃Like I'm supposed to know。 Fucking cop's a cop。〃
To Bonnie； the social dynamics inside the carjacked Seville were surreal。 Logically the abduction should have ended once Snapper's gun was out of bullets。 Yet here they were； riding along as if nothing had changed。 They might as well be on a double date。 Stop for pizza and milk shakes。
She said： 〃Can I ask something： Where are we going？ Is somebody in charge now？〃
Snapper said； 〃I am； goddammit。 Long as I'm drivin'…〃
He felt Edie jab him in the side。 〃The Jeep；〃 she said； pointing。 〃Check it out。〃
The black truck was in the left lane； keeping speed with the Cadillac。 Snapper pressed the accelerator； but the Jeep stayed even。
〃Well； shit；〃 he grumbled。 Edie was right。 It was the same truck they'd abandoned ten minutes earlier。 Snapper was totally baffled。 Who could it be？
They watched the Cherokee's front passenger window roll down。 The ghost driver steered with his left hand。 His eyes were locked on the highway。 In the oning headlights Snapper caught sight of the man's face； which he didn't recognize。 He did； however； note that the stranger definitely wasn't wearing a Highway Patrol uniform。 The observation gave Snapper an utterly misplaced sense of relief。
Bonnie Lamb recognized the other driver immediately。 She gave a clandestine wave。 So did the governor。
〃What's going on！〃 Edie Marsh was on her knees； pointing and shouting。 〃What's going on！ Who is that sonofabitch！〃
She was more dejected than startled when the Jeep's driver one…handedly raised a rifle。 By the time Snapper saw it； he'd already heard the shot。
Pfffttt。 Like a kid's airgun。
Then a painful sting under one ear； liquid heat flooding down through his arms； his chest； his legs。 He went slack and listed starboard； mumbling； 〃What the full； what the fuh…〃
Skink said it was a superb time for Edie to assist at the wheel。 〃Take it steady；〃 he added。 〃We're coasting。〃
Reaching across Snapper's body； she anxiously guided the Seville to the gravel shoulder of the highway。 The black Jeep smoothly swung in ahead of them。
Edie bit her lip。 〃I can't believe this。 I just can't。〃
〃Me； neither；〃 said Bonnie Lamb。 She was out the door； running toward Augustine； before the car stopped rolling。
CHAPTER TWENTY…EIGHT
Jim Tile once played tight end for the University of Florida。 In his junior year； during the final home game of the season； a scrawny Alabama cornerback speared his crimson helmet full tilt into Jim Tile's sternum。 Jim Tile held on to the football but pletely forgot how to breathe。
That's how he felt now； lying in clammy rainwater； staring up at the worried face of a platinum…haired hooker。 The impact of the shot had deflated Jim Tile's lungs； which were screaming silently for air。 The emergency lights of the patrol car blinked blue…white…blue in the reflection in the prostitute's eyes。
Jim Tile understood that he couldn't be dying…it only felt that way。 The asshole's bullet wasn't lodged in vital bronchial tissue； it was stuck in a layer of blessedly impenetrable Du Pont Kevlar。 Like most police officers； Jim Tile detested the vest； particularly in the summer… it was hot； bulky； itchy。 But he wore it because he'd promised his mother； his nieces； his uncle and of course Brenda； who wore one of her own。 Working for the Highway Patrol was statistically the most dangerous job in law enforcement。 Naturally it also paid the worst。 Only after numerous officers had been gunned down were bulletproof vests requisitioned for the state patrol； whose budget was so threadbare that the purchase was made possible only by soliciting outside donations。
Long before that； Jim Tile's loved ones had decided he shouldn't wait for the state legislature to demonstrate its heartfelt concern for police officers。 The Kevlar vest was a family Christmas present。 Jim Tile didn't always wear it while patrolling rural parts of the Panhandle； but in Miami he wouldn't go to church without it。 He was glad he had strapped it on today。
If only he could remember how to breathe。
〃Take it easy； baby；〃 the hooker kept saying。 〃Take it easy。 We called 911。〃
As Jim Tile sat upright； he emitted a sucking sound that reminded the prostitute of a broken garbage disposal。 When she smacked him between the shoulders； a mashed chunk of lead fell from a dime…sized hole in Jim Tile's shirt and plopped into the puddle。 He picked it up： the slug from a 。357。
Jim Tile asked； 〃Where'd they go？〃 His voice was a frail rattle。 With difficulty he bolstered his service revolver。
〃Don't you move；〃 said the woman。
〃Did I hit him？〃
〃Sit still。〃
〃Ma'am； help me up。 Please。〃
He was shuffling for his car when the fire truck arrived。 The paramedics made him lie down while they stripped off his shirt and the vest。 They told him he was going to have an extremely nasty bruise。 They told him he was a very lucky man。
By the time the paramedics were done； the parking lot of the Paradise Palms was clogged with curious locals； wandering tourists and motel guests； a fleet of Monroe County deputies； two TV news vans and three gleaming； undented Highway Patrol cruisers belonging to Jim Tile's supervisors。 They gathered under black umbrellas to fill out their reports。
Meanwhile the shooter was speeding up Highway One with the governor and the newlywed。
A lieutenant told Jim Tile not to worry； they'd never make it out of the Keys。
〃Sir； I'd like to be part of the pursuit。 I feel fine。〃
〃You're not going anywhere。〃 The lieutenant softened the mand with a fraternal chuckle。 〃Hell； Jimbo； we're just gettin' started。〃
He handed the trooper a stack of forms and a pen。
The body of Tony Torres inevitably became a subject of interest to a newspaper reporter working on hurricane…related casualties。 The autopsy report did not use the term 〃crucifixion；〃 but the silhouette diagram of puncture wounds told the whole grisly story。 To avert embarrassing publicity； the police made a hasty effort to reignite the investigation； dormant since the aborted phone call from a woman claiming to be the dead man's widow。 Within a day； a veteran homicide detective named Brickhouse was able to turn up a recent address for the murdered Tony Torres。 This was done by tracing the victim's Carrier wristwatch to a Bal Harbour jeweler； who remembered Tony as an overbearing jerk； and kept detailed receipts of the transaction in anticipation of future disputes。 The jeweler was not crestfallen at the news of Senor Torres's demise； and graciously gave the detective the address he sought。 While the police department's Public Information division stalled the newspaper reporter； Brickhouse drove down to the address in Turtle Meadow。
There hefound an abandoned hurricane house with a late…model Chevrolet and a clunker Oldsmobile parked in front。 The Chevy's license plate had been removed； but the VIN number came back to Antonio Rodrigo Guevara…Torres； the victim。 The tag on the rusty Olds was registered to one Lester Maddox Parsons。 Brick…house radioed for a criminal history； which might or might not be ready when he got back to the office in the morning； the hurricane had unleashed electronic gremlins inside the puters。
The detective's natural impulse was to enter the house； which would have been fairly easy in the absence of doors。 The problem wasn't so much that Brickhouse didn't have a warrant； it was the old man next door； watching curiously from the timber shell of his front porch。 He would be the defense lawyer's first witness at a suppression hearing； if an unlawful search of the victim's residence turned up evidence。
So Brickhouse stayed in the yard； peeking through broken windows and busted doorways。 He noted a gas…powered generator in the garage； wine and flowers in the dining room； a woman's purse； half…melted candles； an Igloo cooler positioned next to a BarcaLounger… definitive signs of post…hurricane habitation。 Everything else was standard storm debris。 Brickhouse saw no obvious bloodstains； which fit his original theory that the mobile…home salesman had been taken elsewhere to be crucified。
The detective strolled over to chat with the snoopy neighbor； who gave his name as Leonel Varga。 He told a jumbled but colorful yarn about sinister…looking visitors； mysterious leggy women and insufferable barking dogs。 Brickhouse took notes courteously。 Varga said Mr。 and Mrs。 Torres were separated； although she'd recently phoned to say she was ing home。
〃But it's a secret；〃 he added。
〃You bet；〃 Brickhouse said。 Before knocking off for the evening； he tacked his card to the doorjamb at 15600 Calusa。
That's where Neria Torres found it at dawn。
Matthew's pickup truck had followed her all the way from Fort Drum to the house at Turtle Meadow。 The seven Tennesseeans swarmed the battered building in orgiastic wonderment at the employment opportunity that God had wrought。 Matthew dramatically announced they should mence re