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ng the brief calm of the eye； she pounded on the door to Snapper's room and said she was scared half to death。 Snapper said e on in； we're having ourselves a time。
Somewhere in the midst of a hurricane； he'd found a hooker。 Edie was impressed。 The woman clutched a half…empty bottle of Barbancourt between her breasts。 Snapper had devoted himself to vodka； he wore a Marlins cap and red Jockey shorts； inside out。 Candles gave the motel room a soft； religious lighting。 The electricity had been out for two hours。
Edie Marsh introduced herself to the prostitute； whom Snapper had procured through a telephone escort service。 Here was a dedicated employee！ thought Edie。
The back side of the storm came up； a roar so unbearable that the three of them huddled like orphans on the floor。 The candles flickered madly as the wind sucked at the windows。 Edie could see the walls breathing…Christ； what a lousy idea this was！ A large painting of a pelican fell； grazing one of the hooker's ankles。 She cried out softly and gnawed at her artificial fingernails。 Snapper kept to the vodka。 Occasionally his free hand would turn up like a spider on Edie's thigh。 She smashed it； but Snapper merely sighed。
By dawn the storm had crossed inland； and the high water was falling fast。 Edie Marsh put on a conservative blue dress and dark nylons； and pinned her long brown hair in a bun。 Snapper wore the only suit he owned； a slate pinstripe he'd purchased two years earlier for an ex…cellmate's funeral； the cuffed trousers stopped an inch shy of his shoetops。 Edie chuckled and said that was perfect。
They dropped the prostitute at a Denny's restaurant and took the Turnpike south to see what the hurricane had done。 Traffic was bumper…to…bumper lunacy； fire engines and cop cars and ambulances everywhere。 The radio said Homestead had been blown off the map。 The governor was sending the National Guard。
Snapper headed east on 152nd Street but immediately got disoriented。 All traffic signals and street signs were down； Snapper couldn't find Sugar Palm Hammocks。
Edie Marsh became agitated。 She kept repeating the address aloud： 14275 Noriega Parkway。 One…four…two…seven…five。 Tan house； brown shutters； swimming pool； two…car garage。 Avila had guessed it was worth 185；000。
〃If we don't hurry；〃 Edie told Snapper； 〃if we don't get there soon…〃
Snapper instructed her to shut the holy fuck up。
〃Wasn't there a Dairy Queen？〃 Edie went on。 〃I remember him turning at a Dairy Queen or something。〃
Snapper said； 〃The Dairy Queen is gone。 Every goddamn thing is gone； case you didn't notice。 We're flying blind out here。〃
Edie had never seen such destruction； it looked like Castro had nuked the place。 Houses without roofs； walls； windows。 Trailers and cars crumpled like foil。 Trees in the swimming pools。 People weeping； Sweet Jesus； and everywhere the plonking of hammers and the growling of chain saws。
Snapper said they could do another house。 〃There's only about ten thousand to choose from。〃
〃I suppose。〃
〃What's so special about 1…4…2…7…5？〃
〃It had personality；〃 Edie Marsh said。
Snapper drummed his knuckles on the steering wheel。 〃They all look the same。 All these places； exactly the same。〃
His gun lay on the seat between them。
〃Fine；〃 said Edie； unsettled by the change of plans； the chaos； the grim dripping skies。 〃Fine； we'll find another one。〃
Max and Bonnie Lamb arrived in Dade County soon after daybreak。 The roads were slick and gridlocked。 The gray sky was growling with TV helicopters。 The radio said two hundred thousand homes were seriously damaged or destroyed。 Meanwhile the Red Cross was pleading for donations of food； water and clothing。
The Lambs exited the Turnpike at Quail Roost Drive。 Bonnie was stunned by the devastation； Max himself was aglow。 He held the Handycam on his lap as he steered。 Every two or three blocks； he slowed to videotape spectacular rubble。 A flattened hardware store。 The remains of a Sizzler steak house。 A school bus impaled by a forty…foot pine。
〃Didn't I tell you？〃 Max Lamb was saying。 〃Isn't it amazing！〃
Bonnie Lamb shuddered。 She said they should stop at the nearest shelter and volunteer to help。
Max paid no attention。 He parked in front of an exploded town house。 The hurricane had thrown a motorboat into the living room。 The family…a middle…aged Latin man； his wife； two little girls…stood in a daze on the sidewalk。 They wore matching yellow rain slickers。
Max Lamb got out of the car。 〃Mind if I get some video？〃
The man numbly consented。 Max photographed the wrecked building from several dramatic angles。 Then； stepping through the plaster and broken furniture and twisted toys； he casually entered the house。 Bonnie couldn't believe it： He walked right through the gash that was once the front door！
She apologized to the family； but the man said he didn't mind； he'd need pictures anyway； for the insurance people。 His daughters began to sob and tremble。 Bonnie Lamb knelt to fort them。 Over her shoulder she caught sight of her husband with the camera at his eye； recording the scene through a broken window。
Later； in the rental car； she said： 〃That was the sickest thing I ever saw。〃
〃Yes； it's very sad。〃
〃I'm talking about you；〃 Bonnie snapped。
〃What？〃
〃Max； I want to go home。〃
〃I bet we can sell some of this tape。〃
〃Don't you dare。〃
Max said： 〃I bet we can sell it to C…SPAN。 Pay for the whole honeymoon！〃
Bonnie closed her eyes。 What had she done？ Was her mother right about this man？ Latent asshole； her mother had whispered at the wedding。 Was she right？
At dusk Edie Marsh swallowed two Darvons and reviewed the plan with Snapper； who was having second thoughts。 He seemed troubled at the idea of waiting weeks for the payoff。 Edie said there wasn't much choice； the way insurance worked。 Snapper said he planned to keep his options open； just the same。 Edie Marsh took it to mean he'd bug out on a moment's notice。
They had picked a house in a flattened development called Turtle Meadow； where the hurricane had peeled away all the roofs。 Snapper said it was probably one of Avila's routes。 He said Avila had bragged of inspecting eighty new homes a day without leaving the truck。 〃Rolling quotas；〃 is what Avila called them。 Snapper allowed that Avila wasn't much of a roof inspector； as he was deathly afraid of heights and therefore refused to take a ladder on his rounds。 Consequently； Avila's roof certifications were done visually； from a vehicle； at speeds often exceeding thirty…five miles an hour。 Snapper said Avila's swiftness and trusting attitude had made him a favorite among the local builders and contractors； especially at Christmastime。
Scanning the debris； Edie Marsh said Avila was damn lucky not to be in jail。 That's why he quit when he did； Snapper explained。 The bones told him it was time。 That； and a grand jury。
Bones？ said Edie。
You don't want to know； Snapper said。 Honestly。
They were walking along the sidewalk； across the street from the house they had chosen on t