---

Скачать книгу

---

against her rear end as she climbed the grade. Buddy was up ahead. Foley said, “Have your clothes cleaned and send me the bill,” wanting to say something to her, keep it light, but he felt awkward with her now, tense.

      She said, “I’ll send it to you at Glades.”

      Still not acting scared.

      They reached the top of the grade and now he could see the car, amber lights blinking. He didn’t see Glenn until he heard him.

      “Jesus, what’d you crawl through, a sewer?”

      Standing at the edge of the trees with Buddy saying to him then, “That’s a white car?”

      “What’s the difference? It’s the only one here.”

      Glenn had on sunglasses and a raincoat that hung long on him, open, over a T-shirt and jeans cut off at the knees.

      Foley said, “Take your sunglasses off,” his tone mild, Karen Sisco standing only a few feet away.

      “I see better with them on,” Glenn said.

      “I’d take ’em off,” Foley said, “before they get stepped on.”

      He was aware of Karen turning to look at him, but kept his eyes on Glenn, who gave a shrug, took the glasses off and stuck them in his jeans.

      “Wait in the car,” Foley said.

      Glenn didn’t move. He said, “You’re out in civilization now, man, ease up[136].”

      “I’d like you to go wait in the car,” Foley said.

      “How’s that?”

      “Take her with you and put her in back.”

      Glenn said, “In the trunk?”

      “The backseat.”

      “What do you need her for?”

      Foley stared at him, waiting.

      Glenn said, “But I’m hanging my ass out for you, man. I’m here, but I don’t fucking have to be here[137].”

      Buddy said, “Be cool, Studs. Are you cool? Go on, stop talking so much.”

      “Studs,” Glenn said.”Now we’re old pals again, back in the yard at Lompoc.” He motioned to Karen saying, “Come on, have to do what I’m told.”

      She walked past Foley without looking at him and he said, “Wait a minute,” to Glenn.

      “Let me have your raincoat,” he said. “Somebody forgot to bring me clean clothes,” looking at Buddy with a straight face. He didn’t get it. He said, “I brought ’em, they’re back at Glades in the Cadillac. You wanted to take her car…”

      Foley watched Karen walk over to Glenn as he was slipping the raincoat off.

      Glenn saying, “Here you are, sir,” folding the raincoat once and then rolling it up. He threw the coat to land in the weeds at Foley’s feet.

      Glenn got his sunglasses out of his jeans then, put them on and took Karen by the arm toward the car.

      Foley watching them.

      Close to him Buddy said, “What’s wrong with you?”

      Foley didn’t answer, watching Glenn and Karen standing by the car now. Now Karen looked over, ducked her head and got in the backseat.

      She watched Glenn walk around the front of the car to the other side, open the door and slide in behind the wheel.

      “Like I said, I walked away from a prison myself one time, out in California, so I know what it can do to your nerves, being a wanted fugitive[138]. But if he thinks he can talk to me like that… Shit, I’ve been here over a half hour watching headlights coming this way, hoping to Christ they don’t stop and it’s the Florida Highway Patrol, if you think that’s fun.” He turned his head enough to look at her, at the same time running his fingers through his hair.

      “You must be scared, get in a situation like this. You heard me ask him what he’s gonna do with you? He wouldn’t say. You know why? He doesn’t know himself. He can’t think straight. Is he gonna let you go or shoot you? It’s too bad, but I guess you were in the wrong fucking place at the wrong time…” He turned to stare out the window again.

      Karen leaned forward to have a look. She saw them against the dark bushes, one holding her shotgun, the other, Foley was unbuttoning his shirt. They seemed to be talking.

      “What I mean is you can be the man inside[139],” Glenn said, still watching them, Karen sitting back now, “but out in the world, if you don’t know where you’re going, man, you’re fucked.

      You know what he’s doing? Taking off that filthy uniform. He’s gonna put my raincoat on and ruin it. I bought it at a flea market out in West Broward, ten bucks. It’s old but, shit, it’s a genuine mackintosh. Now I’ll have to have it cleaned.”

      Karen said, “Glenn?”

      His head turned and she was looking at his designer shades[140], small oval lenses in a gold wire frame.

      “You don’t remember me, do you?”

      She watched him hesitate, uncertain.

      He said, “It couldn’t have been out at Glades, if that’s what you’re thinking. I was never out there.”

      Karen shook her head.

      He raised his hand to stroke his hair away from his face.

      “But you’re sure we’ve met, huh?”

      “A couple of times.”

      “Is that right? Where?”

      “Last fall,” Karen said, “I drove you from the Palm Beach county jail to the federal courthouse, twice. You’re Glenn Michaels. I never forget anyone I’ve cuffed and shackled[141].”

      He didn’t move or say a word, staring at her now like he’d been turned to stone.

      Karen said, “Let’s think for a minute, Glenn, see if we can work this out. Is there a gun in the car?”

      Foley had his head down, chin on his chest, fingers working at a button caked with muck. Buddy, watching him, said, “If you want to do that – here.” He laid the shotgun in the grass, came up to take the guard shirt in his two hands and ripped it open, popping buttons and tearing the shirt. He wiped his hands on his khaki pants as Foley threw the shirt in the bushes, picked up the raincoat and put it on.

      “Why you brought Glenn,” Foley said, “I’ll never know. He wants something. It’s the only reason he’s here. He gets picked up doing one of his cars,[142] he’ll make a deal and give us up.”

      “He talks too much, that’s all.”

      “That’s what I’m saying. I don’t know why, but every time he opens his mouth I want to punch him out.”

      “He ain’t the problem, Jack.”

      “Look. I couldn’t leave her in the trunk. And that’s all I can tell you.”

      “Then tell me why you want to bring her.”

      Buddy waited.

      “You gonna tell me?”

      “It’s hard to explain,” Foley said.

      She touched his arm and said, “Glenn, don’t think, okay?” Knowing that’s what he was trying to do. She said, “Just listen. You’re in a tough spot,[143] but I think I can help you.”

      He said, “Hey, wait a minute …” but didn’t know what to say

---

Скачать книгу