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As the man from New York dragged him to the tree； Avila cried； 〃Please； I'll do anything you want！〃
〃OK；〃 said Ira Jackson； 〃I want you to die。〃
He positioned Avila upright against the cross and wrapped duct tape around his ankles and wrists to minimize the squirming。 Avila shut his eyes when he saw the doughnut man snatch up the hammer。 The moment the cold point of the nail punctured his palm； Avila emitted a puppy yelp and fainted。
When he awoke； he saw that Chango had answered his prayers with a fury。
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
At nine sharp on the morning of August 31； an attractive brunette woman carrying two miniature dachshunds walked into a Hialeah branch of the Barnett Bank and opened an account under the name of 〃Neria G。 Torres。〃
For identification； the woman provided an expired automobile registration and a handful of soggy mail。 The bank officer politely requested a driver's license or passport； any document bearing a photograph。 The woman said her most personal papers； including driver's license； were washed away by the hurricane。 As the bank officer questioned her more closely； the woman became distraught。 Soon her little dogs began to bark plangently； one of them squirted from her arms and dashed in circles around the lobby； nipping at other customers。 To quiet the scene； the banker agreed to accept the woman's auto registration as identification。 His own aunt had lost all her immigration papers in the storm； so Mrs。 Torres's excuse seemed plausible。 To open the account she gave him one hundred dollars cash； and said she'd be back in a few days to deposit a large insurance check。
〃You're lucky they settled so fast；〃 the banker remarked。 〃My aunt's having a terrible time with her pany。〃
The woman said her homeowner policy was with Midwest Casualty。 〃I've got a great insurance man；〃 she added。
Later； when Edie Marsh told the story to Fred Dove； he reacted with the weakest twitch of an ironic smile。 Under the woeful circumstances； it was as good as a cartwheel。
Edie； Snapper and the two noisy wiener dogs had moved into his room at the Ramada。 No other acmodations were available for a radius of sixty miles； because the hotels were jammed full of displaced families； relief volunteers； journalists； construction workers and insurance adjusters。 Fred Dove felt trapped。 His fear of getting arrested for fraud was now pounded by a fear that his wife would call the motel room； then Edie Marsh or Snapper would answer the phone and the wiener dogs would start howling； leaving Fred Dove to invent an explanation that no sensible woman in Omaha； Nebraska； would ever accept。
〃Cheer up；〃 Edie told him。 〃We're all set at the bank。〃
〃Good；〃 he said in a brittle tone。
The long tense weekend had abraded the insurance man's nerves…Snapper； gimping irritably around the small motel room； slugging down vodka； threatening to blast the yappy dachshunds with a massive black handgun he claimed to have stolen from a police officer。
No wonder I'm edgy； thought Fred Dove。
To deepen the gloom； sharing the cramped room with Snapper and the dogs left the insurance man no opportunity for intimacy with Edie Marsh。 Not that he could have availed himself of a sexual invitation； the withering effect of Snapper's previous coital interruption endured； as Snapper continued to tease Fred Dove about the red condom。
Also looming large was the question of Edie's aptitude for violence…a disconcerting vision of the crowbar episode was scorched into Fred Dove's memory。 He worried that she or Snapper might endeavor to murder each other at any moment。
Edie stretched out next to him on the bed。 〃You're miserable；〃 she observed。
〃Yes indeed；〃 said the insurance man。
With his bum leg elevated； Snapper was stationed in an armchair three and one half feet from the television screen。 Every so often he would take a futile swipe at Donald or Maria； and tell them to shut the holy fuck up。
〃Sally Jessy；〃 Edie whispered。 Fred Dove sighed。
On the TV； a woman in a dreadful yellow wig was accusing her gap…toothed white…trash husband of screwing her younger sister。 Instead of denying it； the husband said damn right； and it was the best nooky I ever had。 Instantly the sister； also wearing a dreadful wig and lacking in teeth； piped up to say she couldn't get enough。 Sally Jessy exhaled in weary dismay； the studio audience hooted； and Snapper let out a war whoop that set off the dogs once again。
〃If the phone rings；〃 Fred Dove said； 〃please don't answer。〃
Edie Marsh didn't need to ask why。
〃You got any kids？〃 she asked。
The insurance man said he had two； a boy and a girl。 He thought Edie might follow up and ask about their ages； what grades they were in； and so on。 But she showed no interest。
She said； 〃Cheer up； OK？ Think about your cruise to Bimini。〃
〃Look； I was wondering…〃
Snapper； growling over one shoulder： 〃You two mind？ I'm tryin' to watch the fuckin' show。〃
Edie signaled for Fred Dove to follow her to the bathroom。 He perked up； anticipating a discreet blow job or something along those lines。
But Edie only wanted a quiet place to chat。 They perched their butts on the edge of the bathtub。 She stroked his hand and said； 〃Tell me； sugar。 What's on your mind？〃
〃OK； the pany sends me the check…〃
〃Right。〃
〃I give it to you；〃 said Fred Dove； 〃and you deposit it in the bank。〃
〃Right。〃
〃And then？〃
Edie Marsh answered with exaggerated clarity； like a schoolteacher coaxing an exceptionally dull…witted pupil。 〃Then； Fred； I go back to the bank in a couple days and cut three separate cashier's checks for forty…seven thousand each。 Just like we agreed。〃
Undeterred by the condescension； he said： 〃Don't forget the hundred dollars I gave you to open the account。〃
Edie let go of his hand and brushed it； like a cockroach； off her lap。 Lord； what an anal dweeb！ 〃Yes； Freddie； I'll make absolutely sure your check says forty…seven thousand one hundred。 OK？ Feel better？〃
The insurance man grunted unhappily。 〃I won't feel better till it's over。〃
Edie Marsh didn't inform Fred Dove about the phone call from the real Neria Torres。 She didn't want to spook him out of the scam。
〃The best part about this deal；〃 she said； 〃is that nobody's in a position to screw anyone else。 You've got shit on me； I've got shit on you； and we've both got plenty of shit on Snapper。 That's why it's going down so clean。〃
Fred Dove said； 〃That gun of his scares me to death。〃
〃Not much we can do。 The asshole digs guns。〃
Outside； Donald and Maria began scratching at the bathroom door in the frenetic manner of deranged badgers。
〃Let's get out there；〃 Edie Marsh said； 〃before Snapper loses it。〃
〃This is nuts！〃
Edie mechanically guided Fred Dove's head to her bosom。 〃Don't you worry；〃 she said； and he was momentarily transported to a warm； fragrant valley； where no harm could ever e。
Then； on the other side of the door； a gun went off； the dachshunds bayed and Snapper bellowed profanely。
〃