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ers； a condition he blamed on an unspecified childhood trauma； to boldly pursue a wild monkey was definitely out of character。 On the other hand； Max loved that damn Handycam。 More than once he'd reminded Bonnie that it had cost seven hundred dollars； mail order from Hong Kong。 She could easily envision him chasing a seven…hundred…dollar investment down the street。 She could even envision him strangling the monkey for it； if necessary。
Another squall came； and Bonnie cursed mildly under her breath。 There wasn't much left standing； in the way of shelter。 She felt a shiver as the raindrops ran d'own her neck； and decided to return to the rental car and wait for Max there。 Except she wasn't sure where the car was parked…without street signs or mailboxes； every block of the destroyed subdivision looked the same。 Bonnie Lamb was lost。
She saw the helicopters wheeling overhead； heard the chorus of sirens in the distance； yet on the streets of the neighborhood there were no policemen； no soldiers； no proper authority to which a missing husband could be reported。 Exhausted； Bonnie sat on a curb。 To keep dry； she tried to balance a large square of plywood over her head。 A gust of wind got under the board and pulled Bonnie over backward； as she went down； a corner of the board struck her sharply on the forehead。
She lay there stunned for several moments； staring at the muddy sky； blinking the raindrops from her eyes。 A man appeared； standing over her。 He wore a small rifle slung on one shoulder。
〃Let me help；〃 he said。
Bonnie Lamb allowed him to lift her from the wet grass。 She noticed her blouse was soaked； and shyly folded her arms across her breasts。 The man retrieved the plywood board and braced it at a generous angle against a concrete utility pole。 There he and Bonnie Lamb took shelter from the slashing rain。
The man was in his early thirties； with good shoulders and tanned； strong…looking arms。 He had short brown hair； a sharp chin and friendly blue eyes。 He wore Rockport hiking shoes； which gave Bonnie a sense of relief。 She couldn't imagine a psychopathic sex killer choosing Rockports。
〃Do you live around here？〃 she asked。
The man shook his head。 〃Coral Gables。〃
〃Is the gun loaded？〃
〃Sort of；〃 the man said； without elaborating。
〃My name is Bonnie。〃
〃I'm Augustine。〃
〃What are you doing out here？〃 she asked。
〃Believe it or not；〃 he said； 〃I'm looking for my monkeys。〃
Bonnie Lamb smiled。 〃What a coincidence。〃
Max Lamb woke up with a headache that was about to get worse。 He found himself stripped to his underwear and bound to a pine tree。 The tall man with the glass eye； the man who'd snatched him off the street as if he were a wayward toddler； was thrashing and flopping in a leafy clearing by the campfire。 When the impressive seizure ended； the kidnapper gathered himself in a lotus position。 Max Lamb noticed a thick black collar around the man's neck。 In one hand he held a shiny cylinder that reminded Max of a remote control for a model car。 The cylinder had a short rubber antenna and three colored buttons。
The one…eyed man was mumbling： 〃Too much juice； too much。。。〃 He wore a cheap plastic shower cap on his head。 Max would have assumed he was a street person； except for the teeth； the kidnapper displayed outstanding orthodontics。
He seemed unaware that his captive was observing him。 Deliberately the man extended both legs to brace himself； inhaled twice deeply； then pushed a red burton on the remote…control cylinder。 Instantly his body began to jerk like an enormous broken puppet。 Max Lamb watched helplessly as the stranger writhed through the leaves toward the fire。 His boots were in the flames when the fit finally ended。 Then the man rose with a startling swiftness； stomping his huge feet until the soles cooled。
One hand went to his neck。 〃By God； that's better。〃
Max Lamb concluded it was a nightmare； and shut his eyes。 When he opened them again； much later； he saw that the campfire was freshly stoked。 The one…eyed kidnapper crouched nearby； now his neck was bare。 He was feeding Oreo cookies to the larcenous monkey； which appeared to be regaining its health。 Max was more certain than ever that what he'd witnessed earlier was a dream。 He felt ready to assert himself。
〃Where's my camera？〃 he demanded。
The kidnapper stood up； laughing through his wild beard。 〃Perfect；〃 he said。 〃'Where's my camera？' That's just perfect。〃
In a hazardously patronizing tone； Max Lamb said： 〃Let me go； pardner。 You don't really want to go to jail； do you？〃
〃Ha；〃 the stranger said。 He reached for the shiny black cylinder。
A bolt of fire passed through Max Lamb's neck。 He shuddered violently and gulped for breath。 His tongue tasted of hot copper。 Crimson spears of light punctured the night。 Max warbled in fear。
〃Shock collar；〃 the kidnapper explained； unnecessarily。 〃The TriTronics 200。 Three levels of stimulation。 Range of one mile。 Rechargeable nickel…cadmium batteries。 Three…year warranty。〃
Max felt it now； stiff leather against the soft skin of his throat。
〃State of the art；〃 said the stranger。 〃You a bird hunter？〃
Max mouthed the word 〃no。〃
〃Well； trust me。 Field trainers swear by these gizmos。 Dogs get the message real quick； even Labs。〃 The stranger twirled the remote control like a baton。 〃Me； I couldn't put one of these on an animal。 Fact； I couldn't even try it on you without testing it myself。 That's what a big old softy I am。〃
The kidnapper scratched the crown of the monkey's head。 The monkey hopped back and bared its tiny teeth； which were flecked black with Oreo crumbs。 The kidnapper laughed。
Max Lamb； quavering： 〃Keep it away from me！〃
〃Not an animal person； huh？〃
〃What is it you want？〃
The stranger turned toward the fire。
Max said； 〃Is it money？ Just take whatever I've got。〃
〃Jesus； you're thick。〃 The stranger pushed the red button； and Max Lamb thrashed briefly against his ropes。 The monkey skittered away； out of the firelight。
Max looked up to see the psycho； taping him with the video camera！ 〃Say cheese；〃 the stranger said； aiming the Handycam with his good eye。
Max Lamb reddened。 He felt spindly and pale in his underwear。
The man said； 〃I might send this up to Rodale and Burns。 What d'you think…for the office Christmas bash？ 'How I Spent My Florida Vacation；' starring Max Leo Lamb。〃
Max sagged。 Rodale and Burns was the Madison Avenue advertising agency where he worked。 The lunatic had been through his billfold。
〃They call me Skink；〃 the kidnapper said。 He turned off the Handycam and carefully capped the lens。 〃But I prefer 'captain。'〃
〃Captain what？〃
〃Obviously you were impressed by the hurricane。〃 The stranger packed the video camera in a canvas sleeve。 〃Myself； I was disappointed。 I was hoping for something more 。。。 well； biblical。〃
Max Lamb said； as respectfully as possible： 〃It looked pretty bad to me。〃
〃You hungry？〃 The kidnapper brought a burlap sack to the tree where his prisoner was tied。
〃Oh God；〃 said Max