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〃It's been； like； three days since I called the cops。〃
〃We're stretched pretty thin；〃 Augustine said。
The woman's entire family…husband； four children； two cats…was bivouacked in the master bedroom； beneath the only swatch of roof that the hurricane hadn't blown away。 The husband wore a lime mesh tank top； baggy shorts； sandals and a Cleveland Indians cap。 He had a stubble of gray…flecked beard。 He tended a small Sterno stove on the dresser； six cans of pork and beans were lined up； the lids removed。 The kids were preoccupied with battery…operated Game Boys； beeping like miniature radars。
〃We still got no electric；〃 the woman said to Augustine。 She told her husband it was the man the Highway Patrol sent about the stolen license plate。 The husband asked Augustine why he wasn't wearing a police uniform。
〃Because I'm a detective；〃 Augustine said。 〃Plainclothes。〃
〃Oh。〃
〃Tell me what happened。〃
〃These four kids pulled up and took the tag off my Camaro。 I was out'n the yard； burying the fish…see； when the power went off it took care of the aquarium； so we had dead guppies…〃
〃Sailfin mollies！〃 interjected one of the kids。 〃Anyway； I had to bury the damn things before they stunk up the place。 That's when this Jeep es up； four colored guys； stereo cranked full blast。 They take a screwdriver and set to work on the Camaro。 Me standin' right there！〃
The woman said； 〃I knew something was wrong。 I brought the children inside the bedroom。〃
Her husband dumped two cans of pork and beans into a small pot； which he held over the royal…blue flame of the Sterno。 〃So I run over with a shovel and say what do you think you're up to； and one of the brothers flashes a gun and tells me to you…know…what。 I didn't argue； I backed right off。 Getting shot over a damn license plate was not on my agenda； you understand。〃
Augustine said； 〃Then what happened？〃
〃They slapped the tag on the Jeep and hauled ass。
You could hear that so…called music for about five miles。〃
The wife added； 〃David's got a pistol and he knows how to use it。 But…〃
〃Not over a thirty…dollar license plate；〃 said her husband。
Augustine mended David for being so levelheaded。 〃Let me double…check the tag number。〃 He took out the folded piece of paper and read it aloud： 〃BZQ…42F。〃
〃Right；〃 said David； 〃but it's not on that Jeep no more。〃
〃How do you know？〃
〃I saw it the other day； goin' down Calusa。〃
〃The same one？〃
〃Black Cherokee。 Mags； tinted windows。 I'd bet the farm it's the same truck。 I could tell by the mud flaps。〃
The woman frowned。 〃Tell him about those。〃
〃Mud flaps like what you see on them eighteen…wheelers。 You know； fancy； with naked ladies。〃
〃In chrome；〃 the woman said。 〃That's how we knew it was the same one…〃
Augustine said； 〃Where's Calusa？〃
〃…only some white guy was driving it。〃
〃What'd he look like？〃
〃Not friendly；〃 said the husband。
The wife said； 〃Watch the beans； David。 And tell him about the music。〃
〃That's the other thing；〃 David said； stirring the pot。 〃He had that damn stereo all the way loud； same as the colored kids。 Only it wasn't rap music； it was Travis Tritt。 I thought it was weird； this guy in a business suit and a niggered…up Jeep； listenin' to Travis Tritt。〃
〃David！〃 The woman reddened with genuine offense。 Augustine liked her。 He surmised that she was the strength of the outfit。
Her husband； halfway apologizing for the slur： 〃Aw； you know what I mean。 All that chrome and tint； the guy didn't fit。〃
Augustine recalled Brenda Rourke's description of the attacker。 〃You're sure about the suit？〃
〃Clear as day。〃
The woman said； 〃We figured maybe he's the boss。 Maybe the kids who stole our license plate work for him。〃
〃It's possible；〃 said Augustine。 He sort of enjoyed playing a cop； ferreting fresh trails。
〃You say he looked unfriendly。 What do you mean？〃
David spooned the pork and beans into matching ceramic bowls。 〃His face；〃 he said。 〃You wouldn't forget it。〃
The wife said； 〃We were on our way to the Circle K for ice。 At first I thought he had on a Halloween mask； the man in the Jeep。 That's how odd he was…wait； Jeremy； that's too hot！〃 She intercepted her youngest son； lunging for the beans。
Augustine thanked them； on behalf of the Metropolitan Dade County Police； for their cooperation。 He promised to do his best to retrieve the stolen license plate。 〃I've only got one more question。〃
〃Where's Calusa？〃 said David； smiling。
〃Exactly。〃
〃Margo can do you a map。 Use one them napkins。〃
Avila's wife found him writhing on the floor of the garage； near the Buick。 He was bleeding from a large puncture in the groin。 One of the sacrificial billy goats； anticipating its fate； had gored him。
〃Where are they？〃 demanded Avila's wife； in Spanish。
Through clenched teeth； Avila confessed that both goats had escaped。
〃I tole you！ I tole you！〃 his wife cried； switching to English。 She rolled Avila on his back and opened his trousers to examine the injury。 〃Chew need a tennis shot；〃 she said。
〃Take me to the doctor。〃
〃Not in my car！ I done wanno blood on de 'polstery。〃
〃Then help me to the goddamn truck。〃
〃Chew a mess。〃
〃You want me to die right here on the floor？ Is that what you want？〃
Avila had purchased the billy goats from the nephew of a santero priest in Sweetwater。 The nephew owned a farm on which he raised fighting cocks and livestock for religious oblations。 The two goats had cost Avila a total of three hundred dollars； and they didn't get along。 They'd butted heads and kicked at each other continually on the return trip to Avila's house。 Somehow he had managed to wrestle both animals into the open garage； but before he could attach the tethers and shut the door； a liquid wildness had e into their huge amber eyes。 Avila wondered if they'd sensed Change's supernatural presence； or merely smelled the blood and entrails from past santeria offerings。 In any event； the goats went absolutely berserk and destroyed a perfectly good riding mower； among other items。 The larger of the two billies gouged Avila cleanly with a horn before clacking off into the neighborhood。
Avila's wife scolded him zealously on the drive to the hospital。 〃Three hunnert bucks！ Chew fucking crazyl〃 When swearing she customarily dropped her Spanish for English； due to the richer； more emphatic variety of profanities。
Avila snarled back： 〃Don't talk to me about money。 You and mami been losin' your fat asses at the Micco…sukee bingo； no？ So don't talk to me about crazy。〃
He checked the wound in his groin； it was the size of a fifty…cent piece。 The bleeding had stopped； but the pain was fiery。 He felt clammy and light…headed。
Oh； Change； Avila thought。 What have I done to anger you？
In the emergency room； a businesslike nurse eased him onto a gurney and connected him to a glorious bag of I。V。 Demerol。 Avila told the doctor that he'd fallen on a rusty lawn sprinkler。 The doctor said he was lucky it didn't se