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When Augustine came out to the truck； Bonnie Lamb and the governor were gone。 He found them a few blocks away； behind a deserted hurricane house。 Skink was kneeling next to a swimming pool； scooping chubby brown toads out of the rancid water and slipping them into his pockets。 Bonnie was busy fending off the mosquitoes that hovered in an inky cloud around her face。
Augustine related what he'd learned about the black Jeep Cherokee。 Skink said； 〃Where's Calusa Drive？〃
〃They drew me a map。〃
〃Are we going now？〃 Bonnie asked。
〃Tomorrow；〃 Skink said。 〃We'll need daylight。〃
He and Augustine decided to spend the night nearby。 They found an empty field and built a campfire from storm debris。 Nearby another small fire glowed； flickering from the mouth of a fifty…five…gallon drum…itinerant laborers from Ohio。 Two of them wandered over in search of crack。 Augustine spooked them off with a casual display of the 。38。 Skink disappeared with the toads into a scrubby palmetto thicket。
Bonnie said； 〃What's DMT？〃
〃A Wall Street drug；〃 Augustine replied。 〃Before our time。〃
〃He said he dries the toad poison and smokes it。 He said it's a chemical strain of DMT。〃
〃I believe I'll stick to beer。〃 Augustine got two sleeping bags from the cab of the truck。 He shook them out and spread them near the fire。
She said； 〃I'm sorry about last night。〃
〃Quit saying that。〃 Like it would have been the worst mistake of her entire life。
〃I don't know what's wrong with me；〃 she said。
Augustine arranged some dead branches on the fire。 〃Nothing's wrong with you； Bonnie。 You're so normal it's scary。〃 He sat cross…legged on one of the sleeping bags。
〃e here；〃 he said。 When he put his arms around her； she felt pletely relaxed and secure。 Then he said： 〃I can take you to the airport。〃
〃No！〃
〃Because after tonight； you'll be in the thick of it。〃
Bonnie Lamb said； 〃That's what I want。 Max got his adventure； I want mine。〃
A reedy howl rose from the palmettos； diffusing into a creepy rumble of laughter。
Bufo madness； thought Augustine。 Bonnie stiffened in his embrace。 Firmly she said； 〃I'm not leaving now。 No way。〃
He lifted her chin。 〃This is not a well person。 This is a man who put a shock collar on your husband； a man who gets high off frog slime。 He's done things you don't want to know about； probably even killed people。〃
〃At least he believes in something。〃
〃Good Lord； Bonnie。〃
〃Then why are you here？ If he's so dangerous； if he's so crazy…〃
〃Who said he was crazy。〃
〃Answer the question； Senor Herrera。〃
Augustine blinked at the firelight。 〃I'm not so tightly wrapped myself。 That should be obvious。〃
Bonnie Lamb pressed closer。 She wondered why she so enjoyed the fact that both of these new men were unpredictable and impulsive…opposites of the man she'd married。 Max was exceptionally reliable； but he was neither deep nor enigmatic。 Five minutes with Max and you had the whole menu。
She said； 〃I suppose I'm rebelling。 Against what； I don't know。 It's a first for me。〃
Augustine rebuked himself for showing off with the skulls； what woman could resist such charm？ Bonnie laughed softly。
〃Seriously；〃 he said； 〃there's a big difference between your situation and mine。 You've got a husband and a life。 I've got nothing else to do； and nothing to lose by not doing it。〃
〃Your uncle's animals？〃
〃Long gone；〃 he said。 〃Anyway； there's worse places than Miami to be for a monkey。 They'll make out fine。〃 After a rueful pause： 〃I do feel lousy about the water buffalo。〃
Bonnie said there was no point trying to analyze motivation。 Both of them were rational； mature； intelligent adults。 Certainly they knew what they were doing； even if they didn't know why。
From the thicket； another penetrating wail。
Bonnie stared toward the palmettos。 〃I get the feeling he could take us or leave us。〃
〃Exactly。〃 Augustine came right out and asked her if she truly loved her husband。
She answered unhesitantly： 〃I don't know。 So there。〃
Without warning； the governor crashed shirtless out of the trees。 He was feverish； drenched in sweat。 His good eye was as bright as a radish； the glass one was turned askew； showing yellowed bone in the socket。 Bonnie hurried to his side。
〃Damn；〃 he wheezed； 〃was that some bad toad！〃
Augustine doubted Skink's technique for removing the toxin and processing it for inhalation。 Based on the man's present state； it seemed likely that he'd bungled the pharmacology。
〃Sit here by the fire；〃 Bonnie told him。
He held out his hands； which were filled with leathery； lightly freckled eggs。 Augustine counted twelve in all。 Skink palmed them like golf balls。
〃Supper！ 〃he exulted。
〃What are they？〃
〃Eggs； my boy！〃
〃Of what？〃
〃I don't have a clue。〃 The governor stalked toward the laborers' camp； returning five minutes later with a fry pan and a squeeze bottle of ketchup。
Regardless of species； the eggs tasted dandy scrambled。 Augustine was impressed； watching Bonnie dig in。
When they finished eating； Skink said it was time to hit the rack。 〃Big day ahead。 You take the sleeping bags； I'll be in the scrub。〃 And he was gone。
Augustine returned the fry pan to the Ohio contingent； which was amiably drunk and nonthreatening。 He and Bonnie stayed up watching the flames die； sitting close but saying little。 At the first onslaught of mosquitoes； they dove into one of the sleeping bags and zipped it over their heads。 Like two turtles； Bonnie said； sharing the same shell。
They hugged each other in the blackness； laughing uncontrollably。 After Bonnie caught her breath； she said； 〃God； it's hot in here。〃
〃August in Florida。〃
〃Well； I'm taking off my clothes。〃
〃You aren't。〃
〃Oh yes。 And you're going to help。〃
〃Bonnie； we should get some sleep。 Big day tomorrow。〃
〃I need a big night to take my mind off it。〃 She got tangled while wriggling out of her top。 〃Give me a hand； kjnd sir。〃
Augustine did as he was told。 They were； after all； rational； mature； intelligent adults。
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The death of Tony Torres did not go unnoticed by homicide detectives； crucifixions being rare even in Miami。 However； most murder investigations were stuck on hold in the frenetic days following the hurricane。 With the roadways in disorder； the police department was precariously shorthanded； every available officer of every rank was put to work directing traffic； chasing looters or escorting relief convoys。 In the case of Juan Doe #92…312 （the whimsical caption on Tony Torres's homicide file）； the lack of urgency to investigate was reinforced by the fact that no friends or relatives appeared to identify the corpse； which indicated to police that nobody was searching for him； which further suggested that nobody much cared he was dead。
Two days after the body was found； a fingerprint technician faxed the morgue to say that a proper name now could be attached to the crucified man： Antonio Rodrigo Gueva