Part 12 (1/2)
”Matt,” said Jenny, ”there's a guy back there shooting. With a gun. We need to call the cops.”
A car was coming toward them. Matt jumped into the street and waved his arms over his head.
”Stop!” he yelled at the driver. ”Hey, please STOP!”
The driver did what most Miami residents would do when confronted with a shouting person in the middle of the road: honked and accelerated. Matt leaped aside as the car brushed past. He landed back on the sidewalk on his hands and knees.
”Thanks,” he said to the receding car.
”Are you OK?” asked Jenny.
”Yeah,” said Matt, getting up. ”Listen, let's go to my car. I parked right up there on Tiger Tail, and if we don't see a phone on the way, we can drive to one.”
”OK, as long as we get out of here,” said Jenny, looking back toward the parking lot.
They half ran, half jogged the three blocks to the Kia, not pa.s.sing any phones. As they got into the car, Matt said, ”Do you know where the police station is around here?”
Jenny said, ”Could we just go to my house? My mom'll be worried by now, and we can call the police from there.” Jenny wanted her mom.
”OK,” said Matt. ”We gotta call Andrew's mom, too.” He started the engine.
I want your s.e.x pootie!
I want your s.e.x pootie!
”Sorry,” said Matt, stabbing the stereo power b.u.t.ton. He put the Kia into drive, and the two teenagers set off toward Jenny's house, both of them shaken, both of them looking forward to turning this scary situation over to responsible grown-ups.
In the rental car outside the entrance to the Jolly Jackal, Henry and Leonard were waiting for the armed robbery, which they viewed as none of their business, to be completed, so they could continue tailing Arthur Herk. Leonard was attempting to tell Henry a joke about a lady being examined by a doctor with a thick j.a.panese accent.
” ... so the doctor says to the lady, 'Rady, I see your probrem.' And the lady says, 'What is it, doctor?' And the doctor says, 'You have Ed Zachary disease.' And the lady says, 'Oh no! Ed Zachary disease! Is that serious?' And the doctor says, 'Oh yes, Ed Zachary disease very serious.' And the lady says, 'What does it mean?' And the doctor says, 'It mean your face rook Ed Zachary rike your a.s.s.' ”
Henry sighed.
”Get it?” said Leonard. ”Your face rook Ed Zachary rike your a.s.s! Whoo. Who thinks this s.h.i.+t up?”
Henry turned the radio back on.
... point is that all these Gators ever do is talk trash, and then when they lose, you don't hear a peep out of 'em.
Well, I'M a Gator, OK? I'm a Gator, and I'm talkin' to you right now, so what's your problem?
My problem is that you weren't calling until I SAID no Gators were calling. THEN all of a sudden there's all these Gators calling.
I would of called before. I'm not afraid to call.
But you DIDN'T call. You're calling now, but before I SAID there were no Gators calling, there were no Gators calling, including you.
OK, but I'm calling, OK? You hear me on the phone now, right? I'm a Gator, and I'm ...
Henry turned the radio back off.
”Those guys need a hobby,” he said.
”Maybe they should jack off more,” said Leonard. ”If that's possible.”
”Seriously,” said Henry, ”do you think any of those guys could name the vice president of the United States?”
”Hah,” said Leonard, who in fact was not certain that he could name the vice president, either. He knew it was a guy in a suit, but he wasn't sure which one. The car was silent for a moment, then Leonard, who did not handle silence well, said, ”Your face rook Ed Zachary rike your ... ”
”Shut up,” said Henry.
The door to the Jolly Jackal had opened. Arthur Herk was coming out.
”There's our boy,” said Henry. ”Looks like he developed a limp.”
Puggy came out next, lugging the suitcase.
”Who's that?” said Leonard.
”I believe that's Tarzan,” said Henry, silting up.
”Who?” said Leonard.
”Guy who jumped on me from the tree at our boy's house,” said Henry.
”What the f.u.c.k's he doin' here?” asked Leonard. ”And what's in the suitcase?”
”We are definitely gonna find that out,” said Henry.
Snake limped out, holding the gun, followed by Eddie.
”Great idea, panty hose on your head,” said Henry.
”Whyn't they just wear a big sign that says 'Armed Robber.'”
The four men went to Arthur's Lexus. Puggy, with Snake directing, put the suitcase into the trunk. Then they got into the car-Arthur driving, with Snake next to him; Puggy and Eddie in the back, with Puggy behind Arthur, where Snake could watch him. There was a moment of discussion, and the car started moving. Five seconds later, Henry put the rental in gear and followed.
”Where you think they're going?” asked Leonard. ”Our boy's house?”
”Ed Zachary,” said Henry.
CHAPTER seven