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〃Caller reports suspicious subject running along 10700 block of Quail Roost Drive； carrying another subject over his shoulder。 Subject One is described as w/m； height and weight unknown。 Subject Two is w/m； height and weight unknown。
〃Caller reports Subject B appeared to be resisting； and was possibly nude。 Subject A reported to be carrying a handgun with a flashing red light （？？）。 Search of area by Units 2334 and 4511 proved negative。〃
Jim Tile knew of no pistols with blinking red lights； but most hand…held video cameras had one。 From a distance； a frightened elderly person might mistake a Sony for a Smith & Wesson。
Maybe the old woman had witnessed the abduction of Mr。 Max Lamb。 Jim Tile hoped not。 He hoped the Quail Roost sighting was just another weird Dade County roadside altercation and not the act of his volatile swamp…dwelling friend； who was known to hold ill…mannered tourists in low esteem。
The trooper made a copy of Mrs。 Lamb's report and slipped it in his briefcase along with several others。 When he had some free time； he'd try to interview her。
There was only twenty minutes left for lunch with Brenda； before both of them had to start another shift。 Being able to see her； even briefly； was well worth the ordeal of working the batty streets of South Florida。
Jim Tile was most displeased； therefore； to personally witness the hijacking of a Salvation Army truck while he was driving to the Red Lobster restaurant where Brenda waited。 The trooper was obliged to give chase； and by the time it was over he'd missed his luncheon date。
As he disarmed and handcuffed the truck hijacker； Jim Tile wondered aloud why anybody with half a brain would use a MAC…10 to steal a truck full of secondhand clothes。 The young man said his original intention was to spray…paint a gang insignia on the side of the Salvation Army truck； but before he could finish his tagging the driver took off。 The young man explained that he'd had no choice； as a matter of self…respect； but to pull his submachine gun and； yo； steal the motherfucking truck。
As Trooper Jim Tile assisted the talkative hijacker into the cage of his patrol car； he silently vowed to redouble his efforts to persuade Brenda Rourke to transfer out of this hellhole called Miami； to a more civilized hellhole where they could work together。
Snapper was proud of how he'd acquired the Jeep Cherokee； but Edie Marsh showed no interest in his conquest。
〃What's the story？〃 Snapper pointed at the dachshunds。
〃Donald and Maria；〃 Edie said； annoyed。 The animals were pulling her back and forth across Tony Torres's front yard and peeing with wild abandon。 Edie was amazed at the power in their stubby Vienna…sausage legs。
〃By the way；〃 she said； straining against the leashes； 〃it took that asshole all of three minutes before he grabbed my tits。〃
〃Big deal； so you win the bet。〃
〃Take these damn dogs！〃
Snapper backed away。 Numerous encounters with police German shepherds had left him with permanent scars； physical and mental。 Over the years； Snapper had bee a cat person。
〃Just let 'em go；〃 he said to Edie。
The moment she dropped the leashes； the two dachshunds curled up at her feet。
〃Beautiful；〃 Snapper said with a grunt。 〃Hey； look what I found。〃 He flashed the chrome…plated pistol he'd taken from the gangsters。 Palming the cheap gun； he noticed the chambers were empty。 〃Damn spades；〃 he said； heaving it into the murky swimming pool。
Edie Marsh told Snapper about the tough guy with the New York accent who came for Tony Torres。 〃You picked a peachy time to disappear；〃 she added。
〃Shut the fuck up。〃
〃Well； Tony's gone。 Even his damn beach chair。 Figure it out yourself。〃
〃Shit。〃
〃He won't be back；〃 Edie said gravely。 〃Not in one piece； anyway。〃
A concrete block occupied the spot where Tony's chaise had been。 Snapper cursed his rotten timing。 The ten grand was history。 Even in the unlikely event that the salesman returned； he'd never pay。 Snapper had fucked up big…time； he wasn't cut out to be a bodyguard。
He said； 〃I don't guess you got a new plan。〃
A siren drowned Edie's reply； which she punctuated with a familiar hand gesture。 An ambulance came speeding down Calusa Drive。 Snapper figured it was carrying Baby Raper to the hospital； for some unusual surgery。 Snapper wouldn't be surprised to read about it in a medical journal someday。
He spotted Tony Torres's Remington shotgun； broken into pieces on the driveway。 Snapper thought： It's definitely time to abort the mission。 Tomorrow he'd call Avila about the roofer's gig。
〃I'll give you a lift；〃 he said to Edie Marsh； 〃but not those damn dogs。〃
〃Jesus； I can't just leave 'em here。〃
〃Suit yourself。〃 Snapper scooped three Heinekens from Tony's ice cooler； got in the souped…up Cherokee and drove off without so much as a wave。
Edie Marsh tethered Donald and Maria to a sprinkler in the backyard。 Then she entered the ruined shell of the salesman's house； to check for items of value。
Skink ordered Max Lamb to disrobe and climb a tree。 Max did as he was told。 It was a leafless willow； Max sat carefully on a springy limb； his bare legs dangling。 Beneath him Skink paced； fulminating。 In one hand he displayed the remote…control unit for the electronic training collar。
〃You people e down here…fucking yupsters with no knowledge； no appreciation； no interest in the natural history of the place； the ancient sweep of life。 Disney World…Christ； Max； that's not Florida！〃 He pointed an incriminating finger at his captive。 〃I found the ticket stubs in your wallet； Tourist Boy。〃
Max was rattled； he'd assumed everybody liked Disney World。 〃Please；〃 he said to Skink； 〃if you shock me now； I'll fall。〃
Skink pulled off his flowered cap and knelt by the dead embers of the campfire。 Max Lamb was acutely worried。 Coal…black mosquitoes swarmed his pale plump toes； but he didn't dare slap at them。 He was afraid to move a muscle。
All day the kidnapper's spirits had seemed to improve。 He'd eyen taken Max to a rest stop along the Tamiami Trail； so Max could call New York and leave Bonnie another message。 While Max waited for the pay phone； Skink had dashed onto the highway to collect a fresh roadkill。 His mood was loose； practically convivial。 He sang during the entire airboat ride back to the cypress hammock； later he merely chided Max for not knowing that Neil Young had played guitar for Buffalo Springfield。
Max Lamb believed himself to be blessed with a winning personality； a delusion that led him to assume the kidnapper had grown fond of him。 Max felt it was only a matter of time before he'd be able to shmooze his way to freedom。 He put no stock in Skink's oral biography； and regarded the man as an unbalanced but moderately intelligent derelict； in short； a confused soul who could be won over with a thoughtful； low…key approach。 And wasn't that an advertiser's forte…winning people over？ Max believed he was making progress； too； with tepid conversation； pointless anecdotes and the occasional self…deprecatory joke。 Skink certainly ac