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the kitchen； the agent following。
〃I was wondering；〃 the FBI man said； 〃did Augustine give you a key？〃
Max turned。
〃To the house；〃 the agent said。 〃No； sir。 The sliding door was open。〃
〃So you just walked in。 He doesn't know you're here？〃
〃Well 。。。〃 It hadn't occurred to Max Lamb that he was breaking the law。 For one infuriating moment； he thought the FBI man was preparing to arrest him。
But the agent said： 〃That's a swell way to get your head shot off…being in somebody's house without them knowing。 Especially here in Miami。〃
Max； grinding his teeth； realized the impossibly upside…down nature of the situation。 He was wasting his breath。 A state trooper is friends with the kidnapper； an FBI man is friends with the skull collector。
〃You know what I really want？〃 Max drained his beer with a flourish； set the bottle down hard on the counter。 〃All； I want is to find my wife； put her on a plane and go home to New York。 Forget about this fucked…up place； forget about this hurricane。〃
The agent said； 〃That's a damn good plan； Mister Lamb。〃
CHAPTER TWENTY…SIX
Snapper made Edie Marsh pull over at a liquor store in Islamorada。
〃Not now；〃 she said。
〃I got to。〃
〃We're almost there。〃
A rumble from the back seat： 〃Let the man have a drink。〃
She parked behind the store； away from the road。 Jim Tile didn't see the black Cherokee as he sped past。 Neither did Avila； ten minutes later。
Snapper wouldn't be talked out of his craving； and Edie was worried。 She knew firsthand the folly of mixing booze with Midols。 Double dosed； Snapper might hibernate for a month。
The woman named Bonnie asked for a cold Coke。 〃I'm burning up。〃
〃Wele to Florida；〃 said Edie。
Snapper tossed three ten…dollar bills on her lap。 〃Johnnie Red；〃 he said。
〃Bad idea when you're full of codeines。〃
〃Shit； I've handled ten times worse。 Besides； it don't feel like codeine you gave me。〃
Edie said； 〃Your knee quit hurting； right？ The bottle said 'codeine。'〃
Snapper switched the 。357 to his left hand。 With his right hand he twisted Edie's hair； as if he were uprooting a clump of weeds。 When she cried out； he said： 〃I don't give a fuck if the medicine bottle said turpentine。 Go get my Johnnie Walker。〃
Edie pulled free and jumped out of the Jeep。 She flipped him the finger as she went through the door of the liquor store。 Snapper said； 〃Stubborn bitch。〃
〃Feisty；〃 Skink agreed。
Bonnie Lamb felt like her skin was sizzling。 She thought it would be glorious to bury herself in fresh snow。 〃Honest to God； it's so hot。 I feel like taking off my clothes。〃
She couldn't believe she'd said it aloud。
Snapper was startled； and too confused for lust。 〃Jesus Christ； what's a matter with you people。〃
Bonnie said； 〃I'm smothering。〃
His eyes wandered to the young woman's chest。 Nothing like a pair of tits to fuck up the balance of power。 He knew that if she flashed those babies； his position instantly would be weakened； his authority diminished。 It was a lost advantage that even the 。357 could not restore。
〃Keep your goddamn shirt on；〃 he told her。
〃Don't worry。〃 Bonnie fanned herself in nervous embarrassment。 In the back of the Jeep； Levon Stichler mewled inquiringly； trussed in his cocoon of moldy carpet。 Skink figured the old man must have been listening； wondering if he was missing something。
Edie Marsh returned from the store。 Her hair sparkled with tiny raindrops。 She handed Bonnie a can of Dr Pepper。 〃The Cokes weren't cold。 Here； asshole。〃
She shoved a brown paper bag at Snapper。 He took out the Johnnie Walker bottle and opened it with one hand。 He threw back his head and chugged； as if from a canteen。
〃Take it easy；〃 Edie admonished。
Contemptuously he smacked his lips。 〃I bet you'd look good pletely bald；〃 he said to her。 〃That guy on the new Star Trek； Gene Luke…you and him could pass for twins。〃
Edie said； 〃Touch my hair again。 Just try。〃
He swung the 。357 until the barrel came to rest on the tip of Edie's nose。 He cocked the hammer and said： 〃e on。 Somebody talk me out of it。〃
Bonnie thought： Oh God； please don't。 She shivered in sweat。
Snapper took another sloppy swig of whiskey。 The one…eyed man reminded him of the ammunition shortage。 〃Shoot her； that'd leave only one bullet for the rest of us。〃
〃There's other ways besides the gun。〃
Skink let loose an avalanche of laughter。 〃Son； I'm fairly immune to blunt objects and sharp instruments。〃
Edie's pitch was more blunt。 〃Pull the trigger；〃 she said to Snapper； 〃and kiss your hurricane money goodbye。 Forty…seven grand goes out the window with my brains。〃
Snapper's bad mandible began to creak； a sign； Skink hoped； of possible cogitation。 The moron was deciding between the long…term rewards from the money and the short…term satisfaction from shooting her。 Apparently it wasn't an easy choice。
Skink said； 〃Consider it an IQ test； chief。〃
Impulsively Bonnie Lamb opened the cold Dr Pepper and poured it under her blouse； a fizzing caramel torrent from the cleft of her neck to her tummy。
〃Stop！〃 Snapper yelled。 〃You stop that crazy shit！〃
〃I'm suffocating in here…〃
〃I don't care！ I don't fucking care。〃
Bonnie was so light…headed from the heat that Snapper's fury didn't register。 〃I'm sorry；〃 she said； 〃I'm really sorry； but it's a hundred degrees in this stupid truck。〃
The soda pop soaked through her top； so that Snapper could see the lacy outline of a bra and a pale damp oval of bare belly。 Skink asked Edie Marsh to put on the air conditioner。
〃I tried。 It's broken。〃 Edie's voice was empty。
〃Don't even think about getting naked；〃 Snapper warned Bonnie； 〃or I'll kill you。〃 His head jangled with loud voices； some his own。 In exasperation he shouted： 〃You don't think I'd shoot all you crazy shits？ You don't believe me？ Check the fuckin' hole in the roof a this Jeep！〃
Yeah； Edie thought。 Matches the one between your ears。
〃Can we get on with this？〃 she said sourly。 〃It is awfully damn humid。〃
As Bonnie's skin cooled off； she heard herself apologizing repeatedly。 Yet it was absurd to be ashamed。 Why should she care what two mon criminals thought of her？
But she did care。 She couldn't help herself。 It was the way she'd been raised： A proper young woman did not douse herself with soda pop in front of total strangers； even felons。
〃It's all right；〃 Skink said。 〃You're scared； that's all。〃
〃I guess I am。〃
Snapper heard her。 With a vulgar chuckle； he said； 〃Good。 Scared is damn well what you ought to be。〃 He was halfway to shitfaced。
Edie drove slowly； fretfully。 The man was a keeling wreck。 How could they possibly pull this off？ She devised a fantasy scenario： If Snapper passed out drunk； she'd push him from the Jeep。 Then she'd tell the eccentric couple in the back seat that she was very； very sorry…it was all a terrible misunderstanding。 She'd promise them Snapper's share of the Midwest Casualty settlement if they'd forget