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〃The one with the snuff tape。〃
〃Tell me more。〃 The bum closed his book and put it in the pocket of his rain jacket； along with his empty cream…soda can。
〃He had a tape of some poor slob dying。 Getting stabbed to death by his girlfriend。 Live； as it happened。〃 Krimmler was scared to look down； as he was afraid of heights。 He was also scared to look up； for fear of seeing one of those squirrels or possibly even a band of mutant chipmunks。 So he squeezed his eyes shut。
The bum said： 〃What'd this other guy look like？〃
〃Short。 Muscle…bound。 Bad suit； and hair to match。〃
〃Blondish？〃 the bum inquired。 〃Spiked out like a hedgehog？〃
〃That's him！〃 Krimmler felt relieved。 Now the bum knew he was being truthful； and therefore had no pelling reason （other than Krimmler's general obnoxiousness） to push him out of the tree。 The bum rose to stretch his arms； the pine bough creaking under his considerable weight。 At the sound； Krimmler opened his eyes。
The bum asked； 〃What's the guy's name？〃
〃Gash；〃 Krimmler replied。 A chilly raindrop landed on his bare thigh； causing him to shiver。 Another drop fell on his back。
〃Last name or first？〃
〃Mr。 Gash is what he called himself。〃
〃What did he want with the young man and the dog？〃
〃He said Mr。 Clapley had sent him。 He said the kid was a troublemaker。 I didn't ask him what he meant。〃 The rising wind made the pine needles thrum。 Krimmler clawed his fingernails into the bark。 〃Can you please get me down from here？〃
〃I can；〃 said the bum； hopping to a lower branch； 〃but I don't believe I will。〃
〃Why the hell not！ What're you doing！〃 〃
Gotta go；〃 the bum informed the quaking Krimmler。 〃Bath time。〃
22
The man in the zippered shoes said； 〃I've killed my share of dogs。〃
〃I don't doubt it；〃 said Twilly。
〃Kitty cats； too。〃
〃Oh； I believe you。〃
〃And one time； some jerkwad's pet monkey。 Bernardo was his name。 Bernardo the baboon。 Came right out of his halter and went for my scalp；〃 the man said。 〃They say monkeys are so smart？ Bullshit。 Dogs're smarter。〃
〃Yeah；〃 said Twilly。
〃But I'll shoot this one； you try and get cute。〃
〃Well； he's not mine。〃
〃What're you saying？〃 The rain was flattening the spikes in the man's hair。 He held his right arm straight； the gun trained on the Labrador's brow。 〃You don't care if I pop this mutt？〃
Twilly said； 〃I didn't say that。 I said he doesn't belong to me。 He belongs to the guy who sent you here。〃
〃Wrong！〃 The man made a noise like the buzzer on a TV game show。 〃He belongs to a major asshole named Palmer Stoat。〃
〃Didn't he hire you？〃
The man cackled and made the sarcastic buzzer noise again。 〃Would I work for a fuck…head like that？ Ha！〃
〃What was I thinking；〃 Twilly said。
〃Mr。 Clapley's the one that hired me。〃
〃Ah。〃
〃To clean out the troublemakers。 Now； how about you get a move on。 Call the damn dog and let's go；〃 the man said； 〃before we get soaked。 Where's your car？〃
〃That way。〃 Twilly nodded down the beach。
〃Your lady friend？〃
〃Gone。〃 Twilly thinking： God； I hope so。 〃We had a fight。 She split。〃
〃Too bad。 I had some plans。〃
Twilly changed the subject。 〃Can I ask you something？〃
〃My name is Mr。 Gash。〃
That's when Twilly became aware that the man in the brown zippered shoes intended to kill him。 The man would not have offered his name unless he knew Twilly wouldn't be alive to repeat it。
〃Can I ask you something？〃
〃Long as your feet keep moving；〃 said the man。
They were walking along the windswept shoreline； Twilly with McGuinn at his heels。 Mr。 Gash followed a few feet behind。 He was taking care not to get his shoes wet in the surf。
〃Why are you pointing the gun at the dog；〃 Twilly said； 〃and not at me？〃
〃Because I saw how you hauled ass up here when you thought Fido was in trouble。 You care more about that dumb hound than you do about yourself；〃 Mr。 Gash said。 〃So I figure you won't try any crazy shit long as I keep the piece aimed at Fido's brain； which I'm sure is no bigger than a stick of Dentyne。〃
Twilly reached down and scratched the crown of McGuinn's head。 The Lab wagged his tail appreciatively。 He seemed to have lost interest in the strange…smelling human with the gun。
〃Also；〃 said Mr。 Gash； 〃it'll be cool to watch you watch the dog die。 Because that's what has to happen。 I gotta do Fido first。〃
〃How e？〃
〃Think about it； man。 I shoot you first； the dog goes batshit。 I shoot the dog first； what the hell're you going to do…bite me in the balls？ I seriously doubt it。〃
Twilly said； 〃Good point。〃
His legs felt leaden and his arms were cold； the temperature was dropping rapidly ahead of the weather front。 The salt spray stung； so Twilly kept his eyes lowered as he walked。 He could see Desie's footprints in the sand； pointing in the same direction。
Mr。 Gash was saying： 〃I got tape of a hellacious dog attack。 Chow named Brutus。 The owner's on the phone yelling for help and Brutus gets him by the nuts and will not let go。 The 911 operator tells the guy to； quick； try and distract the dog。 So the poor fucker； he dumps a pot of Folger's decaf on Brutus and the last thing on the tape is this scream that goes on forever。 Damn dog took everything！ I mean the whole package。〃
〃Ouch；〃 said Twilly。
〃You should hear it。〃
〃How'd you get a tape of something like that？〃 Twilly thinking： The more pertinent question is： Why？
Mr。 Gash said； 〃I got my sources。 Where's your goddamned car； anyway？ I'm getting drenched。〃
〃Not far。〃
Twilly was crestfallen to spy the Road…master behind a scrub…covered sand dune； where he had parked it。 He had hoped Desie would see the keys in the ignition and drive back to the bed…and…breakfast； to sulk or pack her bag or whatever。
Maybe she decided to walk； thought Twilly。 The important thing was that she was somewhere else； somewhere safe 。。。
But she wasn't。 She was lying down in the backseat。 Mr。 Gash tapped the gun barrel against the rain…streaked window。 Desie sat up quizzically and put her face near the glass。 Mr。 Gash showed her the semiautomatic and told her to unlock the door。 When she hesitated； he grabbed McGuinn's collar； jerked the dog off the ground and jammed the gun to its neck。
The door flew open。
Mr。 Gash beamed。 〃Lookie there； Fido。 She loves you； too。〃
The trooper got to the old bridge before he changed his mind。 He whipped the cruiser around and drove back to look for his friend。 Thirty minutes later he found him； naked on a dune。 The governor stood with his face upturned； his arms outstretched…letting the rain and wind beat him clean。
Jim Tile honked and flashed his headlights。 The man who called himself Skink peered indignantly through the slashing downpour。 When he saw the Highway Patrol car； he stalked across the sand and heaved himself； dripping luxuriantly； into the front seat。
〃I thought we said our good…byes；〃 he growled； wringing out his beard。
〃I forgot to give you something。〃
The man nodded absently。 〃FYI： Governor Dickhead was right。 They sent someone after this boy。 The boy with the dog。〃
Jim Tile said； 〃He's twenty…six years old。〃
〃Still a boy；〃 Skink said。 〃And he's here on the island； like we figured。 I believe I met th