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His hands trembled so severely that he was barely able to write up the contract。 Mrs。 Whitmark asked what had happened to his face。 〃Did you fall off a roof？〃
〃No；〃 he said curtly。 〃Bungee accident。〃
Mrs。 Whitmark gave him the cash in a scented pink envelope。 〃How soon can you start？〃
Snapper promised that the crew would return in half an hour。 〃We'll need to pick up some lumber。 It's a big place you've got here。〃
Mrs。 Whitmark and her guard dogs acpanied Snapper to the front door。 He kept both hands jammed in his pockets； in case one of the vicious bastards lunged for him。 Of course； if they were trained like police K…9s； they wouldn't bother with his hands。 They'd go straight for the balls。
〃Hurry；〃 Mrs。 Whitmark said； scanning the clouds with dilated pupils。 〃I don't like the looks of this sky。〃
Snapper walked to the truck and gave the crew the bad news。 〃She didn't go for it。 Says her husband's already got a roofer lined up for the job。 Some pany from Palm Beach； she said。〃
〃Thank God；〃 said one of the black guys； yawning。 〃I'm beat； boss。 How about we call it a day？〃
〃Fine by me；〃 said Snapper。
Jim Tile rewound the tape and played it again。
〃Honey； I've been kidnapped…〃
〃Abducted！ Kidnapping implies ransom； Max。 Don't fucking flatter yourself。。。。〃
Bonnie Lamb said； 〃Well？〃
〃It's him；〃 the trooper said。
〃You're sure？〃
〃I love you； Bonnie。 Max forgot to tell you； so I will。 By enow。。。。〃
〃Oh yeah；〃 said Jim Tile。 He popped the cassette out of the tape deck。
Bonnie asked Augustine to call his agent friend at the FBI。 Augustine said it wasn't such a hot idea。
The trooper agreed。 〃They'll never find him。 They don't know where to look； they don't know how。〃
〃But you do？〃
〃What will probably happen；〃 Jim Tile said； 〃is the governor will keep your husband until he gets bored with him。〃
〃Then what？〃 Bonnie demanded。 〃He kills him？〃
〃Not unless your husband tries something stupid。〃
Augustine thought： We might have a problem。
The trooper told Bonnie Lamb not to panic； the governor wasn't irrational。 There were ways to track him； make contact； engage in productive dialogue。
Bonnie excused herself and went to take some aspirin。 Augustine walked outside with the trooper。 〃The FBI won't touch this；〃 Jim Tile said； keeping his voice low。 〃There's no ransom demand； no interstate travel。 It's hard for her to understand。〃
Augustine observed that Max Lamb wasn't helping matters； calling New York to check on his advertising accounts。 〃Not exactly your typical victim；〃 he said。
Jim Tile got in the car and placed his Stetson on the seat。 〃I'll get back with you soon。 Meanwhile go easy with the lady。〃
Augustine said； 〃You don't think he's crazy； do you？〃
The trooper laughed。 〃Son； you heard the tape。〃
〃Yeah。 I don't think he's crazy； either。〃
〃'Different' is the word。 Seriously different。〃 Jim Tile turned up the patrol car's radio to hear the latest hurricane dementia。 The Highway Patrol dispatcher was directing troopers to the intersection of U。S。 1 and Kendall Drive； where a truck loaded with ice had overturned。 A disturbance had erupted； and ambulances were on the way。
〃Lord；〃 Jim Tile said。 〃They're murdering each other over ice cubes。〃 He sped off without saying good…bye。
Back in the house； Augustine was surprised to find Bonnie Lamb sitting next to the kitchen phone。 At her elbow was a notepad upon which she had written several lines。 He was struck by the elegance of her handwriting。 Once； he'd dated a woman who dotted her i's with perfect tiny circles； sometimes she drew happy faces inside the circles； sometimes she drew frowns。 The woman had been a cheerleader for her college football team； and she couldn't get it out of her system。
Bonnie Lamb's handwriting bore no trace of retired cheerleader。 〃Directions；〃 she replied； waving the paper。
〃Where？〃
〃To see Max and this Skink person。 They left directions on my machine。〃
She was excited。 Augustine sat next to her。 〃What else did they say？〃
〃No police。 No FBI。 Max was very firm about it。〃
〃And？〃
〃Four double…A batteries and a tape of Exile on Main Street。 Dolby chrome oxide； whatever that means。 And a bottle of pitted green olives； no pimientos。〃
〃This would be the governor's shopping list？〃
〃Max hates green olives。〃 Bonnie Lamb put her hand on Augustine's arm。 〃What do we do？ You want to hear the message？〃
〃Let's go talk to them； if that's what they want。〃
〃Bring your gun。 I'm serious。〃 Her eyes flashed。 〃We can kidnap Max from the kidnapper。 Why not！〃
〃Settle down； please。 When's the meeting？〃
〃Midnight tomorrow。〃
〃Where？〃
When she told him； he looked discouraged。 〃They'll never show。 Not there。〃
〃You're wrong；〃 Bonnie Lamb said。 〃Where's that gun of yours？〃
Augustine went to the living room and switched on the television。 He channel…surfed until he found a Monty Python rerun； a classic； John Cleese buying a dead parrot。 It never failed to make Augustine laugh。
Bonnie sat beside him on the sofa。 When the Monty Python sketch ended； he turned to her and said； 〃You don't know a damn thing about guns。〃
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Max Lamb awoke to these words： 〃You need a legacy。〃
He and Skink had bummed a ride in the back of a U…Haul truck。 They were bucking down U。S。 Highway One among two thousand cans of Campbell's broccoli cheese soup； which was being donated to hurricane victims by a Baptist church in Pascagoula； Mississippi。 What the shipment lacked in variety it made up for in Christian goodwill。
〃This；〃 said the kidnapper； waving at the soup boxes； 〃is what people do for each other in times of catastrophe。 They give help。 You； on the other hand…〃
〃I said I was sorry。〃
〃…you； Max； arrive with a video camera。〃
Max Lamb lit a cigaret。 The governor had been in a rotten mood all day。 First his favorite Stones tape broke； then the batteries crapped out in his Walkman。
Skink said； 〃The people who gave this soup； they went through Camille。 Please assure me you know about Camille。〃
〃Another hurricane？〃
〃A magnificent shitkicker of a hurricane。 Max； I believe you're making progress。〃
The advertising man sucked apprehensively on the Bronco。 He said； 〃You were talking about getting a boat。〃
Skink said； 〃Everyone ought to have a legacy。 Something to be remembered for。 Let's hear some of your slogans。〃
〃Not right now。〃
〃I never see TV anymore； but some mercials I remember。〃 The kidnapper pointed at the canyon of red…and…white soup cans。 〃'M'm； m'm good！' That was a classic； no？〃
Unabashedly Max Lamb said； 〃You ever hear of Plum Crunchies？ It was a breakfast cereal。〃
〃A cereal；〃 said Skink。
〃 'You'll go plum loco for Plum Crunchies！'〃
The kidnapper frowned。 From his camo trousers he produced a small felt box of the type used by jewelry stores。 He opened it and removed a scorpion； which he placed on his bare brown wrist。 The s