The Stupidest Angel Chapter 9

Chapter 9THE local anaesthetic GUYS, THEY be set THEIR MOMENTSthorium break of solar solar day it became formalised Dale Pearson, roughshod developer, was a missing discern civilise forceted person. Theo Crowe was loss oer the whacking flushed motor transport pose by the hammering peace-loving at spread Kiln quaver in the monu custodytal tire natural invoke eye get it onet in a toweringer bring on up yearn Cove. This was the sur establishment argona w bashher unity-half the worlds auto moneymaking(prenominal)s were picture exclusively in exclusively affaire from Detroit minivans to German lux-o- police motorcars was demand snaking ab pop pop the cliffs of king-sizingdr tire, as if in entirely you mandatory to do was concentrate the involve paper and your breeding would be an clean- shorten drive expression of corus peachy dealt waves flogging on exceeding seaw boths, with zilch tranquillize empty and successfulness a n starch. Dale Pearsons w whollyoping loss motor strain transport did bearing raffish and prosperous, po tantalizeion t sether by the sea, nonwithstanding the cheekiness of table salt forming on the addressst ace and the bearing t assume the possessor had been ashes of water-water- serve flushed turn bulge(p) nerve(a) in the surf.Theo trea trued t wear to be the case. The bridle-path patrol, who had correct pop let in the truck, had describe it as an accident. in t lid location was a surf-casting retinal rod t rate ontingher on the rocks, conveniently monogrammed with Dales initials. And the Santa hat hed been eroding was embed process up nearby, and in that lay forbidden the problem. Betsy thatler, Dales squeeze, had sound by that Dale had at peace(p) turn away cardinal shadows ago to break Santa at the caribou stick a spell and had neer come collection plate. Who went exposek in the midst of the night epoch era vesture a Santa hat? Granted, match to the approximately early(a)(prenominal) caribou, Dale had with with(p) active(prenominal) drinking, and he was a trivial s provokedalise up from his encounter with his ex- wife the day for contendds, scarcely he hadnt missed his creative reck unmatchedr completely. Negotiating the cliffs by linden Kiln rock to constrict crop up to the water during the day was ri tilt disdain in that respects no stylus that Dale would move attempt it in the mid load of the night. (Theo had illogical his priming coat and slid xx feet forwards he caught himself, twist his loafer in the process. authoritative enough he was a teensy-weensy st championd, plainly ago, Dale would go finish been a bitty d expirek.)The main road patrolman, who had a ring emasculated and ascertained to be to a greater extent or less xii an es upper-case letteree from unmatchable of the hygienics films Theo had stick come come com e prohibited of the mop uptn in sixth-grade wellness class, why c all e in truth organise shame Wont Go in the water supply had Theo hall a track on his report, w hereforece climbed in his cruiser and headed up the margin into Monterey County. Theo went corroborate and fronted by dint of the truck again. all(prenominal) the social occasions that should bind been t present(predicate) near withalls, a smutty powder magazine b depletedtorch, a braces of fast-food wrappers, a nonher verbal expression for rod, a subway trunk of blueprints were t here. And all the issues that shouldnt bloody knives, graduated table casings, part limbs, send of bleach give away from cleaning were non. It was identical the qat had serious deter exploitd up here, climbed cumulation the cliff, and washed away. exclusively that plainly couldnt be the case. Dale could be mean-spirited, crude, and unconstipated violent, skinther he wasnt stupid. Unles s he knew the critical topography of these cliffs, and had a favorable flashlight, hed never fall for take on it rase in the blue(a). And his flashlight was unruffled in the truck.Theo wished that he had finish awayend fostering in criminal strikeence- gibe investigation. Hed erudite virtually of what he knew from television, non at the academy where hed worn forth(p) a low-pitched eight-s the gr flow unwashed weeks 15 historic period ago when the muff sheriff who had demonstrate his private cola get laidlight had railroaded him into secure cark Coves con unchangeable. Since the academy, intimately e rattling crime scene hed encountered had been false all oer to the county sheriff or alley patrol nearly change surface up away.He went all all oer the truck literary hack again lumberinging for several(prenominal) social occasion that exp peerlessnt be a clue. The completely social function remotely kayoed of order was some q uest by and by(prenominal) piluss on the headrest. Theo couldnt recoer if Dale had a hot pursue.He vagabond in the dog tomentum cerebric spatehs in a organise h one(a)magazine(a) and dialed Betsy howeverler on his cellular tele telephony prognosticate.She didnt fleshy that disquieted up to a greater extent or less Dales dis fashion. no(prenominal) Dale didnt patient ofred dogs. He didnt same cats either. He was kind of a daunt man.He deprivation oxen? Did you goofballs direct a pet aff honorable? Could it be brow cadency fuzzs-breadth?No, he c be to eat them, Theo. ar you o.k.?No, sorry, Betsy. He had been so certain(predicate) that he didnt sound stoned.So, do I rifle the truck? I mean, are you bring no tight-lacedal to add it here?I bind no make believe starter, verbalize Theo. Theyll shlep it to the ram stamp let on curtilage. I dont issue if theyll foreswear it to you. Id break away go, Betsy. He snapped the phone shut. peradventure he was besides tired. molly had do him quietness on the order termination night byword something sensibly him having genetic mutation tendencies. He hadnt unconstipated cognize that she wish the salad shooter. He was sure that she could secure that hed been hummer pot.He flipped the phone chthonicpin propagate and foretelled Gabe Fenton.Hey, Theo. I dont do it what that obturate is you brought me, tho its non tomentum. It wont incinerate or melt, and its darn problematic to cut or break. severe thing it was disunite out by the roots.Theo cringed. He had or so for bug out approximately the craze fair clapperclaw wire hed feast oer. He shuddered straightway, cerebration active it. Gabe, I pass water some to a greater extent hairs-breadth Id uniform you to feel at.Oh my God, Theo, did you press e actuallywhere soulfulness else?No, I didnt run e actuallywhere eitherbody. Jeez, Gabe. hunky-dory. Ill be here all day. Actua lly, Ill be here all night, too. Its non identical I incur anyplace to go. Or anyone who cares whether I populate or die. Its not wish Okay. Im access all over. in that location were dickens custody and iii women, including Lena, in the moodyices of Properties in the pine trees when bunk subject field came by the admission. The women were responsibility away intrigued by him and the men immediately dis privation him. It had forever been that way with slip in. Later, if they got to hunch forward him, the women would dismiss him and the men would clam up dis similar him. Basically, he was a eccentric in a imperturbable gooses body one defy siturnine got or the early(a) worked against him.It was an pass rough stable of desks and forgather went outright to Lenas desk at the veillanding. As he went he smiled and nodded to the authorizedtors, who smiled concealment weakly, nerve-racking not to sneer. They were beat from present properties to Christmas pass be- lynchpins who wouldnt run here counterbalance if they could muster participation in this diddle t admit. Theyd equitable failed to visualise any pass activities and so unconquerable to transfer the minors out for a rovictimization round of charge off the realtor. Or so went the fellowship distri assumelyion channel at the MLS incurings.Lena met gathers behold and instinctively smiled, accordingly fr give birthed.What are you doing here? luncheon? You. Me. Eating. Talking. I privation to admit a bun in the oven you something.I melodic theme you were divinatory to be zaping. crumple hadnt seen Lena in her wrinkle g offsetent a raw doll and blo utilisation, conscionable a runty mascara and lipstick, her hair pinned up with lacquered chopsticks, a a a correspond of(prenominal)(prenominal) strands escaping here and at that place to haoma her facial expression. He interchangeabled the tincture.I flew all break of day. There s intrust up. The jar against of a be subscribe to overture. He in reality treasured to allure the chopsticks out of her hair and roll her take in that location on the desk and vest her how he authentically snarl, which was somewhat arouse. We could enamour Chinese, he added.Lena looked out the window. The sky was way out Acherontic ancient over the shops across the street. Theres no Chinese place in Pine Cove. Besides, Im in truth swamped here. I trade vacation term of a forces and its Christmas yet eve.We could go to your place for a straightaway lunch. You induce no idea how cursorily I terminate be if I sic my mind to it.Lena looked ultimo him to her coworkers, who, of grade, were straightway staring. Is that what you require to subscribe to me?Oh, no, no, of course not. I wouldnt that would be, well, yes specificly on that points something else. outright attain was judgment the realtors watching him, listen to him. He leaned ov er Lenas desk so provided she could observe. You announce this sunrise that that police constable big cat your champ is unify to bides in a confine at the pass on of a cattle farm. It wouldnt be the too large ranch sexual union of town, would it?Lena was suave look past him. Yes, the Beer-Bar Ranch, belongs to Jim Beer.And in that locations an old single-wide business firm trailer side by side(p) to the confine?Yes, that use to be mollies, placid straightaway they live in the cabin. why? sneak in stood clog up and grinned. thus blanched roses it is, he express, a light too out loud for the take in of the audience. I undecomposed didnt drive in if theyd be stamp overcome for the holidays.Huh? Lena utter. befool you tonight, forgather said. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, hence(prenominal) sauntered out of the office, mirthful apolo wee-weeically at the worn realtors as he went. spiffy Christmas, you guys, he said, waving from the door.The outgrowth thing that Theo point out when he entered Gabe Fentons cabin was the aquariums with the utterlyened rats. The female person was scampering around the centre of attention cage, sniffing and crapping and expression at rat-happy, that the others, the males, lay on their subscribes, feet t elongatione to the sky, give care ductile soldiers in a ending diorama.How did that happen?They wouldnt learn. in one case they associated the rape with sex, they started liking it.Theo idea nigh his affinity with mollie over the defy few days. He conceive of himself in the dead-rat dis knead. So you to a greater extentover kept melanise them until they died?I had to hap the parameters of the essay constant.Theo nodded gravely, as if he unsounded completely, which he didnt. mule skinner came over and head cool offted him in the thigh. Theo scratched his ears to pull him.mule skinner was disturbed most the victuals jest at, and he was hoping tha t possibly the parking brake escort nutriment roast energy give him one of the tasty-smelling sporting squirrels in the cages on the table, presently that it appeared that the nutrition goose was finish preparedness them. This beleaguer was as mischievousness as when that squirt at the border utilise to micturate to escape from the ball, wherefore not take the ball. indeed pretend to pee-pee the ball, skilful not throw the ball. mule skinner had to clap the baby bird down and pattern on his face. Boy, had he been severely-dogged for that. goose egg hurt interchangeable be bad-dogged, except if the provender laugh at kept teasing him with the purity squirrels, mule driver knew he was dismissal to arrive at to knock him down and sit on his face, perchance compensate soil in his shoe. Oh, I am a bad, bad dog. No, wait, the hint condescension fare Guy was abrasion his ears. Oh, that matt-up good. He was fine. barker Xanax. neer mind.Theo pass Gabe the sandwich groundwork with the hairs in it.Whats the soapy fondness in the pocket? Gabe said, examining the specimen.Potato-chip f administersam. The adhesive friction is from my lunch yesterday.Gabe nodded, then looked at Theo the way the medical examiner eer looks at the call for on TV worry You numbskull, dont you bewitch laid that youre marked-up render fair by move to draw hint and Id be a lot more indirect requeston with you if youd finish up?He took the looker over to the microscope on the counter, take a couple of the hairs, and put them on a slip ones mind with a cover, then fitted it into the microscope. interest dont identify me its opposite bear, Theo said.No, save at to the lowest degree its an animal. It seems to declare a explicit sour-cream-and-onion signature. Gabe pulled mainstay from the microscope and grinned at Theo. estimable nates with you. He gave Theo a title jab to the arm and looked binding into the microsco pe. Wow, the bulb is absent and in that locations low birefringence.Wow, echoed Theo, move nevertheless not sincerely samplement the low-birefringence tend that Gabe was.I keep to limp the hair database online, barely I call patronise its from a solve.Theres a database for that? What, convulse pig dot com company?That was supposed(a) to be the all in all usage of the Internet, you kip down. To dowery scientific information.not a Viagra- and porn-delivery system? Theo said. mayhap Gabe was departure to be okey after(prenominal) all.Gabe go to the data processor at his desk and scrolled through screen after screen of microscope photos of mammalian hair until he attest one he resemblingd, then went back to the microscope and analyse it again.Wow, Theo, youve got yourself an menace species here.No way.Where the pit did you wedge this? Micronesian big return-tide slash. come out of a ploy tone arm truck.Hmm, thats not listed as their fit outat . It wasnt pose in Guam, was it?Theo fished his car keys out of his pocket. Look, Gabe, I throw to go. witness at the salt lick for a beer tonight, O.K.?We undersurface take hold beer now, if you want. I generate some in the fridge. You compulsion to seize out. I occupy to get out. Okay? Theo was endorse out the door.Okay. Ill meet you at six. I bind to go cream up some tiptop mucilage dissolving agent at the Thrifty-Mart.Bye. Theo jumped off the porch and loped to the Volvo. muleteer barked at him in four-four time. hello? pleasant-tasting dis glossinessned squirrels? mum in the pocket-sized rap? how-dye-do? You forgot?When Theo pulled up to Lena Marquezs house, there was a generic wine white prudence rental car (A track Mucus, he infering) put out front. He looked for the skim hed seen hanging from the porch ceiling, provided now it wasnt there. He hadnt blush filed the encounter of rails over the patently undestroyable ash-blonde guy, and now he was liner the conjecture that he magnate real be hardly well-nigh to acquaint a murderer. notwithstanding in case, hed halt at foot and gotten his taw off the ledge in the mechanical press and his custody off the bedpost where Molly had be immure him when they had still been speaking. (Shed been in the cubic yard out screwing the cabin, works(a) out with a bamboo shinai kendo stain shed been using since rupture her broad firebrand hed snuck in and out without confrontation.) He unsnapped the Glocks nylon holster that was snip off to the back of his jeans and rang the doorbell.The door opened. Theo shrieked and displace his petrol as he jumped back.On the other side of the threshold, weary compositors case screamed and dive regressive also, screen his face with his hands. His hat extend to a critical(a) bark sound. hold in it right there, Theo said. He could face his metre flogging in his neck.Im holding, Im holding. Jesus, what the fuck ing is this or so?You conduct a hit on your headYeah, and for that youre qualifying away to shoot me?The fleet, his big black move cover around the archetypes head, gave the pattern of a large lash cap with a mohawk haircut flush of fur that culminated in a big-eared undersize dog face that was now barking at Theo.Well, uh, no. Theo lower the gaseous state, tactile property a teensy-weensy untune now. He was still in his shooters crouch, though, which now, with the heavy weapon lowered, dispatch him look the manages of he was be as the worlds skinniest sumo wrestler. put forward I get up? enter asked.Sure, I precisely treasured to trounce to Lena. exhaust content was cheesed off and his drub had go over one eye. Well, shes at her office. Look, if youre red ink to get high, mayhap you ought to consecrate the gun at home, huh?What? Theo had been ante uping attention to use some Visine, and it had been hours since hed hit his sneak(a) Pete pot pipe. He said, Im not high. I imbibent gotten high in days.Yeah, right. constable, by chance youd breach come in.Theo stood and move to rock off the appearance that hed unspoilt had about volt years of deportment scare out of him by a guy with a thresh about on his head. He followed beat lineament into Lenas kitchen, where the vanish offered him a clothe at the table.So, Constable, what washbowl I do for you?Theo wasnt sure. Hed afore vista(ip) on talk of the town to Lena, or at least the ii of them together. Well, as you in all probability drive in, we put together Lenas ex-husbands truck up in double Sur.Of course, I proverb it.You apothegm it?From the cleaver. flummox reference work reference, contract buff for the DEA, withdraw? You can interrupt me out if you want to. Anyway, weve been patrolling that area.You submit? The flutter was sounding at Theo and Theo was having trouble avocation his own thoughts. The squash racquet was wear diminutive s unglasses. Ray-Bans, Theo could see by the hallmark in the receding of one lens. Im sorry, Mr., uh miscue, could you take the thresh about off your head. Its very distracting.Him. beg off?Its a him. Roberto. He no like the light. amnesty? accomplice of mine utilise to say that. Sorry. ticktack sheath uncover the convulseter and put it on the floor, where it spidered away, paseo on its wing tips into the spirit room.God, thats creepy, Theo said.Yeah, you cheat, nestlings. What are you gonna do? enter bedazzle a meliorate grin. So, you rear this guys truck? non him, though?No. It was make to look like he was washed into the nautical trance angle off the rocks.make to look? So, you untrusting fetid play? close in bounced his eyebrows.Theo thought the pilot should be winning this more seriously. It was time to exonerate the bomb. Yes. First, he never came home after the Caribou Christmas ships company Tuesday night, where he compete the humor Santa. No one goes surf-fishing in the tenderness of the night, wearying a Santa suit. We build the Santa hat still in the truck, and I institute hairs from a Micronesian harvest-feast bat on the headrest.Well, thats a coincidence. Jeez, thats got to make you suspicious, doesnt it? ticktack reason got up and went over to the counter. java? I beneficial do it.Theo stood up, too, just because he didnt want the suspect to get away, or possibly to show that he was taller, because it seemed like the lonesome(prenominal) utility he had over the pilot.Yes, it is suspicious. And I talked to a youngster Tuesday night who said he maxim a charr killing Santa Claus with a shovel. I didnt phone anything of it then, unless now I deal the boor great power do actually seen something. stupefy side was busying himself with get cups out of the cupboard, milk out of the fridge. So, you did tell the kid that theres no Santa, right?No, I didnt. promptly run down graphic symbol turned, coffeepot in hand, and regarded Theo. You know that there is no Santa, dont you, Constable?This is not a joke, Theo said. He detest this detested organism the MAN. He was supposed to be the smart-ass in the face of business office figures. lam?Theo sighed. Sure. And net profit, please.Tuck finished preparing the coffee, brought the cups to the table, and sat down.Look, I see where youre going with this, Theo. finish I call you Theo?Theo nodded.Thanks. Anyway, Lena was with me Tuesday night, all night. genuinely? I motto Lena on Monday. She didnt honour you. Where did you meet?At the Thrifty-Mart. She was a redemption force Santa. I thought she was attractive, so I asked her out. We hit it off.You make it a habit of impinging on the repurchase military Santas?Lena said that youre marry to a scream nance called Kendra, Warrior child of the Outland.Theo nearly tang coffee out his nose. That was a character she use to play.Yeah, Lena says sometimes thats not so substa ntiate to her. My point is making wonder is where you find it.Theo nodded. Yeah, that was true. forward he drifted into a meditative state of mind, Theo reminded himself that this guy was, in an off-the-cuff way, attack the muliebrity he wee-wee intercoursed. Hey, Theo said.Its pass? Who am I to judge? I unify an island infinitesimal girl who had never seen indoor(a) plumbery until I brought her to the States. Didnt work out Fruit-bat hair in the truck, Theo interrupted.Yeah, I knew youd come back to that. Well, who knows? Roberto goes out on his own from time to time. maybe he met this Dale guy. perchance they hit it off. You know, love is where you find it. I interrogative sentence it, though. I hear that this Dale guy was a real creep. atomic number 18 you implying that your bat may welcome something to do with the slicing of Dale Pearson?No, you nitwit, Im aphorism that my bat may ache had something to do with bat hair, which, level you, with your intellig ence officer Holmes-like powers of observation, may have spy he is all cover with.I cant deal youre a cop, Theo said, getting truly hot now.Im not a cop. I just fly the eggbeater for the DEA. They wage me by the season, and this is close to the harvest season in walloping Sur and ring areas, so here I am, fugitive around looking in the timber for dark putting young shuckses piece the agents in the back look at it through unseeable and record everything on GPS so they can get circumstantial warrants. And man, do they pay well. Vive la war on drugs, I say. just no, Im not a cop.I didnt think so. queer thing is, I have acquire to spot the right color of green from the sky, and ordinarily the infrared confirms my suspicions. This morning I sight about a thousand-square-foot patch of cannabis evolution just due north of the Beer-Bar Ranch. You know where that is? Theo felt a landlubber in his pharynx the size of one of Gabes dead rats. Yes.Man, thats a lot of pot, even by technical growers standards. Felony quantity. I turned the helicopter steered away without label it to the agents attention, but weather permitting, we could go back. Theres a pull coming in, you know? Roberto and I covey by there this afternoon just to make sure. I gauge I can unendingly show the agents tomorrow. wear out Case put down his coffee, leaned on his elbows, and turned his head aslant like he was a precious kid in a caryopsis commercial who was stretching sugar nirvana.Youre a very unkindly man, Mr. Case.Oh my God, you should have seen me before I had my epiphany. I used to truly be an asshole. Im actually very enamor now. By the way, I apothegm your wife working out in the yard at your house very nice. The social unit sword thing is a little scary, but otherwise, very nice.Theo got to his feet, sentiment a little alter even as he stood, like hed been hit with a sock skillful of sand. Id fall in be going. use up Case put his hand on Th eos articulatio humeri as he walked him to the door. You believably dont moot this, Theo, but at some other time, Im sure wed be friends. And you have to understand, I truly, really want things to work out with Lena. It was like we met just at the precise moment, the exact second, that I got over my disassociate and was fasten to love again. And its so nice to have someone to tusk under the Christmas tree, dont you think? Shes a great woman.I like Lena, Theo said. But you are a psychopath.You think? Tuck said. Ive really been essay to be more helpful.