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st。 White chicks eating black chicks！ That's what they seemed to be getting at…and there's old Phil； acting like everything's perfectly normal； like he's interviewing the fucking Osmonds！
After inspecting the property； Dennis Reedy settled in the kitchen to work up the final numbers。 His fingers were a blur on the calculator keypad。 Fred Dove and Edie Marsh traded anticipatory glances。 Reedy scratched some figures on a long sheet of paper and slid it across the counter。 Edie scanned it。 It was a detailed claims form she hadn't seen before。
Reedy said； 〃Mister Dove estimated the loss of contents at sixty…five。 That's a little high； so I'm remending sixty。〃 He pointed with the eraser end of his pencil。 〃That brings the total to two hundred and one thousand。 See？〃
Edie Marsh was baffled。 〃Contents？〃 Then； catching on： 〃Oh yes； of course。〃 She felt like a total fool。 She'd assumed the estimate for the house included the Torreses' personal belongings。 Fred Dove gave her a sneaky wink。
〃One…forty…one for the dwelling；〃 explained Dennis Reedy； 〃plus sixty for the contents。〃
Edie said； 〃Well； I guess that'll have to do。〃 She did a fine job of acting disappointed。
〃And we'd like your husband to sign a release confirming that he will not file a medical claim related to his knee injury。 Otherwise the settlement process could bee quite plicated。 Under the circumstances； you probably don't want any delays in receiving your payment。〃
〃Tony'll sign；〃 said Edie。 〃Let me have it。〃
She went to the living room and knelt by the Barca…Lounger。 〃We're in great shape；〃 she whispered； and placed both documents…the liability waiver and the claims agreement…on the armrest。 〃Remember；〃 she said； 〃it's Torres with an s。〃
Snapper barely took his eyes off the television while he forged Tony's signature。 〃You believe these perverts？〃 he said； pointing at Phil's panel。 〃Bring me a damn beer。〃
Back in the kitchen； Edie Marsh thanked Dennis Reedy for his time。 〃How long before we get the money？〃
〃A couple days。 You're at the top of the list。〃
〃That's wonderful； Mister Reedy！〃
Fred Dove said； 〃You've seen our mercials； Mrs。 Torres。 We're the fastest in the business。〃
Christ； Edie thought； Fred's really overdoing it。 But； with the exception of the chatty cartoon badger； she did recall being impressed by Midwest Casualty's TV spots。 One in particular showed an intrepid pany representative delivering claims checks； by rowboat； to Mississippi flood victims。
〃I've got a laptop at the hotel；〃 Dennis Reedy was saying。 〃We file by modem direct to Omaha； every night。〃
Edie said； 〃That's incredible。〃 A couple days！ But what about that extra sixty grand？
As soon as Reedy went outside； Fred Dove took her in his arms。 When he tried to kiss her； she pushed him away and said； 〃You knew。〃
〃It was supposed to be a surprise。〃
〃Oh； right。〃
〃I swear！ Sixty thousand extra； for you and me。〃
〃Freddie； don't screw around。〃
〃How could I steal it； Edie？ The check will be made out to 'Mister and Mrs。 Torres。' That's you guys。 Think about it。〃
Irritably she paced the kitchen。 〃I'm so stupid；〃 she muttered。 〃Jesus。〃
Of course the furnishings would be separate； along with the clothes and appliances and every stupid little doodad inside the place。 Fred Dove said； 〃You never filed a big claim before。 You wouldn't know。〃
〃Dwelling and contents。〃
〃Exactly。〃
She stopped pacing and lowered her voice。 〃Snapper didn't look at the new numbers。〃
Fred Dove gave her a thumbs…up。 〃That was my next question。〃
〃I kept my hand over the papers so he wouldn't see。〃
〃Good girl。〃
〃Can we get two checks instead of one？〃
〃I think so； Edie。 Sure。〃
〃One for the dwelling； one for the contents。〃
〃That's the idea；〃 the insurance man said。 〃An extra sixty for you and me。 But don't say a word about this。〃
〃No shit； Sherlock。 He's still got three bullets left； remember？〃 She pecked Fred Dove on the lips and aimed him out the back door。
CHAPTER TWENTY…ONE
Skink and Bonnie Lamb kept watch over the house on Calusa while Augustine returned to the pickup truck for the guns。 He wasn't in the mood to shoot at anybody； even with monkey tranquilizer。 Making love to Bonnie had left him recklessly serene and sleepy…headed。 He resolved to shake himself out of it。
First he attempted to depress himself with misgivings and high…minded reproach。 The woman was married； newly married！ She was confused； lonely； vulnerable… Augustine piled it on； struggling to feel like a worthless low…life piece of shit。 But he was too happy。 Bonnie dazzled him with her nerve。 Augustine hadn't ever been with a woman who would stoically snack on roadkill； or fail to plain about mosquitoes。 Moreover； she seemed to understand the psychotherapeutic benefits of skull juggling。 〃Touching death；〃 she'd said； 〃or maybe teasing it。〃
In the aftermath of passion； zipped naked into a sleeping bag； a lover's groggiest murmurs can be mistaken for piercing insight。 Augustine had cautioned himself against drawing too much from those tender exhausted moments with Bonnie Lamb。 Yet here he was with a soaring heart and the hint of a goddamn spring in his step。 Would he ever learn？
As much as he craved her pany； Augustine was apprehensive about Bonnie's joining Skink's expedition。 He feared that he'd worry about her to distraction； and he needed his brain to be clear； uncluttered。 As long as the governor ran the show； trouble was positively guaranteed。 Augustine was counting on it； he couldn't wait。 Finally he was on the verge of recapturing； at least temporarily； direction and purpose。
Bonnie was a plication。 A week ago Augustine had nothing to lose； and now he had something。 Everything。 Love's lousy timing； he thought。
Secret moves would be easier with only the two of them； he and Skink。 But Bonnie demanded to be in the middle； playing Etta to their Butch and Sundance。 The governor didn't seem to care； of course； he lived in a different universe。 〃'Happiness is never grand；'〃 he'd whispered to Augustine。 〃Aldous Huxley。 'Being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune。' You think about that。〃
When Augustine got to the truck； he broke down the dart rifle and concealed the pieces in a gym bag。 The 。38 pistol he tucked in the gut of his jeans； beneath his shirt。 He slung the gym bag over his shoulder and began hiking back toward Calusa； wondering if Huxley was right。
As soon as Dennis Reedy and Fred Dove drove away； Edie Marsh hauled Levon Stichler out of the closet。 Snapper wasn't much help。 He claimed to be saving his energy。
Edie poked the old man with a bare toe。 〃So what are we going to do with him？〃 It was a question of paramount interest to Levon Stichler as well。 His eyes widened in anticipation of Snapper's answer； which was： 〃Dump him。〃
〃Where？〃 asked Edie。
〃Far away；〃 Snapper said。 〃Fucker meant to kill me。〃
〃It was a pitiful try； you've got to admit。〃
〃So？ It's the thought that counts。〃