Chapter 16 Chapter fifteen

Renee Gallery sits on a level frontage on Garden Road, in an inconspicuous area between the Sears store and Bloomingdale's: a deep rectangular lot with high ceilings, white walls and sky blue The decoration of the tree-lined road brings out the main tone of the color of this tree-lined road.At half past twelve on a Sunday afternoon, Max looked in through the glass of the gallery window. He saw that the walls were bare, there were a few paintings on the floor against the walls, and three black metal container.He thought of Grecian urns, which he later figured out were the $820 olive jars Renee had talked about on the phone the previous Monday when she told him to drop everything and give her Send a check.They were there now, and since it was cash on delivery, she had paid for it.The rusted black metal tank was about three feet high.One is placed near the door.He moved a place and saw the notice on the glass: The museum is closed today, please forgive me.It was written by Renee in cursive letters, with three lines under the words.Closed—but when he pushed the brass handle, the door swung open.Max came through the door and stood there looking into the olive jar that stood nearby.Cigarette butts, chewing gum wrappers, a "Stilofom" plastic cup... A skinny, Latin-looking young man with hair down to his shoulders came out from the back of the exhibition hall, holding a A picture, a big picture.He put the painting down, leaning it against a desk in the center of the floor, and looked at Max.

"Do you know how to read? We are closed today." The lad turned back, and walked through a rear hallway toward an open door that opened to the outside. Max walked up to the painting, which was six or seven feet wide and five feet high, and it was painted pale green, thick green paint in different shades, with a few strokes of red, tan, and black. ...he couldn't imagine what it was.It could have been the jungle, and those blurry green things that popped up and floated over that jungle; it was hard to tell.Other paintings are against the other side of this table.Some of the pictures had been taken down and placed on the floor, and new ones were about to be hung, and Renee was preparing for an exhibition of hers which was of a ravishing quality.She's probably in her office in the back.Max looked in that direction and saw the young man coming with another oil painting.

He said to Max, "I told you we're closed," and put the painting down, leaning over the one he had brought out the first time.He straightened up, shaking the hair that fell over his face.But the hair is all stuck together, and there is extra hair on the face.He looks familiar... He said to Max who was standing there, "Do you have any questions?" Max smiled slightly. "I'm Renee's husband." The man said, "Really?..." and stood aside. "Where is she, in the back?" "She went to get me something to eat." "Are you working here?"

Max felt that this little fool did not seem to do things."No, I'm not doing anything here," he said, turning around and walking toward the back of the gallery.Max walked around the table and found more green-toned drawings.He bent down to read the signature, which was scribbled in black. David de la Villa. That guy was probably David, the Cuban handyman at Chuck Mahalod's that Renee had said he was looking for a few weeks ago.Then he came back with another canvas... He was about five feet nine inches tall, weighed one hundred and thirty pounds, and wore a black T-shirt and black jeans that wrapped tightly around his legs.

Max said, "You're David, huh?" using the exact pronunciation. "I don't understand what should be painted here." He looked at the painting in front of him while speaking. "What is what is, not what should be," said the Cuban handyman. He opened a desk drawer and pulled out a stack of papers, all of which had David de la Villa written in bold Words, he took out one and handed it to Max.A printed newsprint.Name, born in Haley in 1965... He said: "If there's anything you don't know, read that paragraph in the Post." Max found it, an underlined quote.He reads aloud: "'...de la Villa offers a vivid, abstract collage of his life, albeit metaphorically...with the daring metamorphosis of youth .'" Max looked at the painting again. "Yes, now I see the boldness of the youth. I don't think it's particularly deformed, though. What do you paint with, a shovel?"

"I can see you're a shit," said the Cuban handyman. Maxman could admit this, but not today, and now he was quite sure why the handyman knew him well.In the photos of that year, there were diamond-shaped ornaments on his ears, hair, body, and soft mustache.At this time Max said: "Those places are full of people, right?" "From my life," said the handyman, "looking for a way out." Max leaned forward. "You stuck something in there, didn't you? I thought it was all paint. It looked like leaves." "From sugar cane. I show that life is like a sugar cane field that traps us in it and we have to get out."

"As far as I know, there are no sugarcane fields in Hailey. If this is your life," Max said, looking from the canvas to the handyman, "I don't see any sinking in." What about the depiction? Did I write you a bail note years ago? Have you been charged with theft?" "You're crazy." "Aren't you David Ortega?" "You see my name on it, read it." "What, de la Villa? That's your fake last name. When I knew you, your name was David Ortega. The police seized your loot on the spot and sentenced you to six months."

David Ortega de la Villa turned to walk away. Behind him, Max said, "Have you ever sold this sleazy painting?" The handyman stopped and turned around. "Now I understand why she left you." "Have you ever sold it? I want to know how my wife's business is doing, if any." "Now I understand why she didn't talk to you. She's sold five in about two weeks. One for three thousand five hundred." "You're talking nonsense. What did Renee get?" "That's her business, not yours." Max remained silent.Her business, but his money went into it, rent, phone bills—at least he didn't pay for the olive-shaped, three-legged iron ashtray that had to be carried by two men to empty.He wanted her to come in now with David's lunch—he wanted to push her into the office and tell her that was it, it was over, she could live on her own.He was leaving the business of writing bail bonds and filling out divorce papers.He stared at the painting in front of him.

Divorce is just a matter of time, maybe it is not sudden for her anymore. But make it clear to her that he's not going to pay any of her bills anymore. David, the artist who stepped in, said, "Did you see this one?" and walked over to a painting. "Look at it well. Tell me about the man you know in the picture." "I don't see anyone in the picture." "In this part, right here." As Max stared, a figure began to emerge.a boy?He leaned closer, squinting his eyes.It's a woman with boyish haircuts, two dots to represent her pair of bare nipples, and a tiny black smudge that might be her pubic hair.Among the dark green, pasty, or painted leaves was a pale green woman. "Is that Renee?"

"Dude, don't you even know your own wife? Yeah, she's been posing for me, naked like that up there." unimaginable.Renee used to go to the bathroom to change into her pajamas.How could the little fool make her take off her clothes?But wait a minute... Max said, "What was Renee doing in the cane fields?" "This land is a symbol of her depressed mood, and she wants to get out of it." The restaurant handyman said: "You have restrained her for so many years. She has no life of her own." Max said, "Bondage?" At this point he stopped.What is he going to do, change his views on the twenty-seven years of married life for such a child?He had a great idea, so he said, "Do me a favor, would you?"

The restaurant handyman said doubtfully, "What?" "Draw me in, coming out of the sugarcane field." Ordell loved the boulevard. It was the biggest and busiest place he had ever lived, with all the modern amenities: trees, fountains, high domes with skylights, the best shops. ... There's Saks on Fifth Avenue, where Ordell likes to buy clothes; Macy's; Bloomie's; Bourdin's;Here on the second floor, there are tavern booths owned by people of different ethnicities, where you can order food and have it brought out, and if you can find a place, you can sit and eat there.Crowded every day of the season, Jackie said it might be the place to pass on.Possibly even switching packages and handing them off right there; the area is organized enough to feel chaotic, Jackie says, like a maze. She's still sitting at that table, eating some kind of shitty Greek thing in the plant-fiber bread.He didn't see what he wanted to eat, and they were done talking about business, so he was leaving - he called the hospital once to find out how Kuech was doing.There's no phone in that kid's ward, so if you want to ask about him, someone else will tell you.The guy who answered the phone yesterday kept wondering who was calling so he tried again last night and the nurse said Huron was getting better - who? —Looks like it's going to be home in a few days.She said "home" meant prison, because she couldn't think of a better word.The newspaper said Huron Miller Jr. had "knocked down" investigators before being "hit and arrested" by a federal agent.From that time and place, Ordell concluded that he was being followed, and now that he would have someone else snitch on him, Kooch was counting on the police.All he needs to do is talk to Koo-hyuk before they take him to the "gun club".He is going to visit the hospital. Ordell had a boulevard guide with a map that marked a telephone in a quiet corner downstairs next to the Bourdin store.He got up and walked across a large open area in the middle of the avenue, and the fountain and pool came into view.He was walking toward the descending escalator, stopped abruptly, turned quickly, returned to the same place, and flashed into Barney's Coffee and Tea Company. The only thing that got off the elevator was the bail bondman, Max Cherry, and Max was walking towards the food stand. Ordell stared out of "Barney" and began to think: Wait a minute.Why did he hide here to avoid Max?It wasn't until the moment he stopped to watch what Max was doing that he thought about the Rolex hand--yes--and the possible consequences. Max had found out how much it was worth.It was intuition that made him hide here.As soon as he arrived at a new place, someone stared at the old place.He said to himself, what do you understand?Man, you have a talent. Max walked past food stalls lined with customers: "Olympic Mountain," Café Manet, Nat's Deli, "China Town," an Italian bistro—I don't know which one would appeal to an overly picky eater like Lenny. people.She doesn't like having anything touch her plate, not even a little green beans and mashed potatoes. "Number One" fried chicken place, "Gourmet" rotisserie, "Nacos Tacos"...it might be this one, she will buy some spicy things for that restaurant as a handyman.But neither Nachos Tacos nor the Turkish Tapas, nor any of the stalls here.Max turned to the dining area, which was a semicircle surrounded by restaurants: there was an eight-post gazebo the size of a house, sheltered by a fountain, and circles of tables were set up under and around the pavilion.The eating area is divided into many pieces by screens and flower pots; the aisle seems to circle around.He took a few steps in, and at the same time began to stare at one place at a time, moving his gaze forward little by little, thinking that the place was too crowded to find anyone. ... It took only a few seconds to see her. Leni sits alone: ​​black hair covering the top of her head, turquoise earrings, one side of her dark blue dress that has slipped off her shoulders, and Leni is slowly picking out a salad, eating in small bites , there is a lunch box on the table... Nearby, almost next to him, a woman's voice said, "Max?" He knew it was Jackie before he turned around, and Max saw her looking up at him, and Jackie was smoking a cigarette. , there is only a cup of coffee in front of her, it seems that she has finished her lunch.She said, "What are you up to?" with that shy smile on her face. "I just walked past you." "I know," Jackie said. "You didn't notice me. You were looking for someone." Needless to say.He glanced that way as he sat down, then pushed the plastic lunch plate aside, put his arms on the table, and leaned forward so that if Renee happened to glance in that direction, he wouldn't be able to see him ."You ate everything on your plate," he said, watching her hold up a cigarette. "How are you?" "Not bad." She moved her shoulders. She was wearing a thin cotton sweater with the sleeves rolled up, and she didn't wear a blouse. "What are you doing, purchasing?" On the bench next to her were her things, what looked like folding shopping bags of assorted items, and a stuffed black shopping bag from Saks Fifth Avenue. "I'm going back to work tomorrow," she said, as if that explained the bags. It doesn't matter.He said, "You talk it over with them." "They seem to like that idea." "Bring the money in first, then they track that money, don't they?" "Yes, but I'm going to dress up the money. Put the money in a shopping bag and pass it to the person I'm meeting here." "Didn't you actually do that?" "He used to take the airbag from my seat all the time," Jackie said. "Now that the Authority is involved, I plan to, you know, make it look more secretive, like we know what we're doing. Then it's up to Ray to keep track of the shopping bags. Ray is Nicolai, the administrator Bureau agents." "Where on the boulevard." Max said, "Pay the money?" "I think it's around here." "Do you put your shopping bags under the table when you sit down?" "Almost." "Is Ordell willing to do this?" "I'm helping him bring the money," Jackie said. "He likes the idea." There is a silver lining here.It's serious stuff, but it's fun.Strangely enough, they both had been smiling and taking it easy until Max said, "I heard about Taylor." Her expression changed. "I read about it in the paper and called the Procuratorate for a guy I knew. He said Taylor was fine." "Yeah, Tyler isn't a bad guy, I like him," Jackie said, "but now I'm only dealing with Nicolai. He likes the idea of ​​getting money, but says he'll have to grab Ordell on the spot and sell him." Gun evidence." "I'm not going to say I told you," Max said. "He says he doesn't care about money, but I think he actually likes money, not like he pretends to be - if you know what I mean." He watched as Jackie took a puff of cigarette and exhaled slowly.As she picked up the coffee cup, Max leaned back, watched Leni—still eating bits and pieces—and then returned to leaning over the table. Jackie was watching him. "You date people." Max shook his head. "My wife is sitting over there." "You're looking for her." "Yes, but I have no intention of meeting her." Jackie leaned back and looked over there. "Where is she?" "Three tables away, wearing a blue dress." He looked at Jackie at his wife. "She's tiny." "yes." "Do you want to talk to her?" "We can wait." Then Jackie looked at him again, and he said, "I called you last night." "I know, I heard the tape you left. Ray wants to have dinner, so I'll talk about the Thorn we're talking about. That's what he's called, Thorn. He's been good to me," Jackie said, then Put your arms on the table and lie forward on your stomach. "I couldn't help but wonder if he was interested in that money for himself." "Because he is nice to you?" "Support my proposal." "Has he hinted at anything?" "No." "Then how do you think he might want to take that money himself?" "I once knew a cop who was addicted to drugs," Jackie said. "He told me that during a raid, 'there was a whole package that never made it to the police station.' Those are his exact words." "You know some interesting people," Max said. "I took him at his word because he was later suspended and forced to retire." "Has Nicolai ever told you such a story?" She shook her head. "He tried to be nonchalant." "He didn't mean any harm. He's a young man, happy to be a cop. He might cut corners and get a piece of evidence - I've heard people say that - but I don't see him taking that money away. , it is obvious." She said, "What about you, Max, if you had the chance?" "If I were in Nicolai's place?" She might have meant that, but changed her mind and shook her head. "No, I mean you, right now. Not if you're someone else." "If I saw a way out to get a shopping bag full of money, would I take that opportunity?" She said: "You know where the money comes from. It's not like someone saves it all their life. It's not even found when it's lost." She looked at him, waiting for his answer. She is serious. "I could be tempted," Max said, "especially now that I've quit my job as a bailman." As soon as the words came out of her mouth, she blocked her from asking more questions. "I'll still be responsible for people I've bailed out but haven't expired, but I'm not writing new bails anymore." She leaned back, relaxing. "why?" "I'm sick of it.  … I'm in a deadlock with the insurance company I represent. The only way out is to quit." "When did you decide?" "Been thinking about it for a long time. I finally settled on it—I think Thursday." "The day you got me out of jail?" "I picked up a guy the other night. Sitting in the dark with a bluff gun, the place smells musty..." "After we got together?" Jackie said. Max paused. "Yeah . . . I thought, what am I doing here? Nineteen years. I've made up my mind not to. And while I'm at it, I've filed for divorce." She's still staring at him, but doesn't seem surprised now. "After twenty-seven years of marriage, all of a sudden?" "When you look back," Max said, "you can't believe how long it's been. You look forward and you think, shit, I better do something about it since it's gone so fast." "Did you tell Renee?" "That's why I'm here." Jackie looked over there. "She's leaving." "I'm going to do this," Max said.He saw Renee in a long dark blue dress with one shoulder strap missing, and as she stood up at the table, her skirt nearly trailing the floor, she picked up her bag and the snack box for the handyman. "She looks pretty good," said Jackie. "How old is she?" "fifty three." "He's still in good shape." "That's her main concern," Max said. "She looked confident. The way she walked, with her head held up." "Is she gone?" Jackie looked back at him again and nodded. "You're afraid of her, aren't you?" "I don't think it's just fear. I've never actually known her. We haven't talked much over the years. Have you ever had that experience? When you're with someone, you have to find words to talk to?" Jackie nodded. "That's the thing. What is Leni doing now? She's fifty-three, and she's naked to be a model for a Cuban who works as a handyman in a restaurant. That kid painted sugarcane fields. She sells one picture for 3,500 Block. So, she's doing pretty well." "Which is more upsetting to you?" Jackie said, "is she modeling nude or making a lot of money?" "That kid upsets me, that's the painter," Max said. "He makes me mad, but what can I do? I'm fifty pounds heavier than him, and I hit him with intent to hurt." $3,000 bail. I think what Lenny has done is remarkable. She finally found something to do, and I don't have to feel guilty about trying to understand her." "You don't have to feed her either," Jackie said. "There's a reason for that too. She has a job now, and I don't have a job." "So why does it sound like you're not happy about it?" "I'm much more comfortable now, and that's enough." Jackie lit a cigarette, then looked at him again. "I dare not say you have answered my question." "Which question?" "You are unemployed now, if you have a chance to walk away with more than half a million yuan, what would you do?" "I said I'd be tempted." She kept staring at him, and he said, "You know, I'm joking." "yes?" Max said, "Don't even think about it, okay? You're going to die, you're going to go to jail.  …" He stopped talking, because there was that gleam in her eyes again, that smiling look, which lifted him up again. "But what if there was a way to do that?" she said. They told Ordell on the phone that it was on the east side of the third floor, and also said the room number.At eleven-thirty on Sunday nights, all he had to do was wait in the stairwell until the officer got tired of sitting alone in the hallway and went to stretch his legs at the nurse's desk before calling.It was so easy to meet Kuch.Wearing a dark suit and a dark tie, Ordell walked into the semi-dark room. He brought a box of peanut candy and put it on the table beside the bed.He pulled the pillow out from under Kuch's head without a moment's delay. "Cough, fuck," Kuh said, waking up dazedly, mouth full of stench. "Hey buddy," Ordell said, laying a pillow on Kuch's chest, "how are you doing? Are you all recruited? How are they treating you?" "What are you going to do?" Kuch said, narrowing his eyes and frowning at him, uncomfortable and unhappy for waking him up. "Man, they've got to put something on your stink," Ordell said, moving the pillow up to Kuch's chin. "Close your eyes, I'll be out of here in less than a minute." Ordell gripped the pillow firmly with both hands and began to move up. At this time, the overhead light in the room came on. A fat nurse's assistant stood over the bed and said, "What are you doing here?" Ordell took a quick look around and saw that the police officer was also in the room, an older but also bulky guy with a big belly. "I was just putting his pillow in place," Ordell said. "I fluffed it up for him to make him feel better. And flipped the cool side up." The fat nurse's assistant said, "You shouldn't have come in. It's past visiting hours." The big police officer was right next to her, looking at him with a glassy look that didn't look like a fucking police officer at all. Ordell let go of his hands, hanging on his sides, looking very docile. "I told his mother I was coming to see him. Before my mother died, her mother used to help my mother with the housework. But you see, I'm an Adventist, and I'm going out all day. Going from house to house, raising money for the church. You know, working hard for people who are too poor to eat?" The fat nurse's assistant said, "Well, but you're still not supposed to come in." The big police officer said, "Put your ass up and get out now." So Ordell failed to get rid of Kuch, who was a big worry in his heart.damn it.He walked away knowing he had a problem.