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osure。〃
Max Lamb asked Skink if he had a gun。 Skink clicked his tongue against his front teeth。 〃See the running lights？〃
〃No。〃
〃Toward Key Biscayne。 Over there。〃
〃Oh； yeah。〃
〃Two engines； it sounds like。 I'm guessing twin Mercs。〃
Somebody aboard the boat had a powerful spotlight。 It swept back and forth across the flats of Stiltsville。 As the craft drew nearer； the white light settled on the porch of the stilt house。 Skink seemed unconcerned。
He began to remove toads from his pockets； gray； jowly； scowling； lump…covered toads； some as large as Idaho potatoes。 Max Lamb counted eleven。 Skink lined them up side by side at his feet。 Max had nothing to add to the scenario； perhaps it was all a dream； beginning with the mangy hurricane monkey； and soon he'd awaken in bed with Bonnie。。。。
The pudgy Bufo toads began to squirm and huff and pee。 Skink rebuked them with a murmur。 When the beam of the speedboat's spotlight hit them； the toads blinked their moist globular eyes and jumped toward it。 One by one they leaped off the dock and plopped into the water。 Skink hooted mirthfully。 〃South； boys！ To Havana； San Juan； wherever the hell you came from！〃
Max watched the toads disappear； some kicked for the depths； others bobbed on the foamy crests of waves。 Max didn't know what would happen to them； nor did he care。 They were just ugly toads； and barracudas could devour them； as far as he was concerned。 His only interest was in drawing a lesson from the episode； one that might be employed to handle the cyclopean kidnapper。
But Skink already seemed to have forgotten about the Bufos。 Once more he was rhapsodizing about the hurricane。 〃Look at Cape Florida； every last tree flattened… forest to moonscape in thirty blessed minutes！〃
〃The boat…〃
〃You ponder that。〃
〃It's flashing a light at us…〃
〃The gorgeous fury inside that storm。 And you with your video camera。〃 Skink sighed disappointedly。 〃'Sin is a thing that writes itself across a man's face。' Oscar Wilde。 I don't expect you've read him。〃
Max's silence affirmed it。
〃Well； I've been waiting；〃 said Skink； 〃to see it written across your face。 Sin。〃
〃What I did was harmless； OK？ Maybe a bit insensitive； but harmless。 You've made your point； captain。 Let me go now。〃
The speedboat was close enough to see it was metallic blue with a white jagged stripe； like a lightning bolt； along the hull。 Two figures were visible at the console。
〃There she is；〃 said Max。
〃And no cops。〃 Skink waved the boat in。
One of the figures moved to the bow and tossed a rope。 Skink caught it and tied off。 As soon as the rope came tight； the twin outboards went quiet。 The current nudged the stern of the boat against the pilings； into the lantern's penumbra。
Max Lamb saw that it was Bonnie on the bow。 When he called her name； she stepped to the dock and hugged him in a nurselike fashion； consoling him as if he were a toddler with a skinned knee。 Max received the attention with manly reserve； he was conscious of being watched not only by his captor but by Bonnie's male escort。
Skink smiled at the reunion scene； and slipped back into the shadows of the stilt house。 The driver of the boat made no move to get out。 He was young and broad…shouldered； and fortable on the open water。 He wore a pale…blue pullover； cutoffs and no shoes。 He seemed unaffected by navigating a pitch…black bay mined with overturned hulls and floating timbers。
From the darkness； Skink asked the young man for his name。
〃Augustine；〃 he answered。
〃You have the ransom？〃
〃Sure do。〃
Bonnie Lamb said： 〃Don't worry； he's not the police。〃
〃I can see that；〃 came Skink's voice。
The boat driver stepped to the gunwale。 He handed Bonnie a shopping bag； which she gave to her husband； who handed it to the kidnapper in the shadows。
Max Lamb said： 〃Bonnie； honey； the captain wants to talk to you。 Then he'll let me go。〃
〃I'm considering it；〃 Skink said。
〃Talk to me about what？〃
The driver of the boat reached inside the console and came out with a can of beer。 He took a swallow and leaned one hip against the steering wheel。
Bonnie Lamb asked her husband： 〃What's that on your neck？〃 It looked like some appalling implement of bondage； she'd seen similar items in the display windows of leather shops in Greenwich Village。
Skink came into the light。 〃It's a training device。 Lie down； Max。〃
Bonnie Lamb studied the tall； disheveled stranger。 He was all the state trooper had promised； and more。 In size he appeared capable of anything； yet Bonnie felt in no way threatened。
〃Max； now！〃 the kidnapper said to her husband。
Obediently Max Lamb lay prone on the wooden dock。 When Skink told him to roll over； like a dog； he did。
Bonnie was embarrassed for her husband。 The kidnapper noticed； and apologized。 He instructed Max to get up。
The shopping bag contained everything Skink had demanded。 Within moments the new batteries were inserted in the Walkman； and 〃Tumbling Dice〃 was spilling out of his earphones。 He opened the jar of green olives and poured them into his gleaming bucket of a mouth。
Bonnie Lamb asked Max what in God's name was going on。
〃Later；〃 he whispered。
〃Tell me now！〃
〃She deserves to know；〃 the kidnapper interjected； spraying olive juice。 〃She's risking her life； being out here with a nutcase like me。〃
Bonnie Lamb had dressed for a boat ride…blue slicker； jeans and deck shoes。 Good stuff but practical； Skink noticed； none of that catalog nonsense from California。 He pulled off the earphones and plimented Bonnie for her mon sense。 Then he instructed her husband to remove the shock collar and toss it in the sea。
Max's hands quavered at his neck。 Skink told him to go ahead； dammit； off with it！ Max's lips tightened in determination； but he couldn't make himself touch it。 Finally it was his wife who stepped forward； unhooked the clasp and removed the Tri…Tronics dog trainer。 She examined it in the light of the lantern。
〃Sick；〃 she said to Skink； and set the collar on the dock。
From his jacket he took a videotape cassette。 He tossed it to Bonnie Lamb； who caught it with both hands。 〃Your hubbie's home movies from the hurricane。 Talk about sick。〃
Bonnie wheeled and threw the cassette into the bay。
The girl had fire！ Skink liked her already。 Nervously Max lighted a cigaret。
His wife wouldn't have been more repulsed had he jabbed a hypodermic full of heroin in his arm。 She said； 〃Since when do you smoke？〃
〃If you put the collar back on him；〃 Skink volunteered helpfully； 〃I can teach him to quit。〃
Max Lamb told Skink to get on with it。 〃You said you wanted to talk to her； so talk。〃
〃No； I said I wanted to spend time with her。〃
Bonnie turned toward the barefoot young man at the helm of the striped speedboat。 He apparently had nothing to say。 His demeanor was casual； almost bored。
〃Where；〃 Bonnie asked the kidnapper； 〃did you want to spend time？ And doing what？〃
〃Not what you think；〃 Max Lamb