"Jack . . . you talk to him," Berilli said.
"Not me, pal," Jack said. "You chat him up . . . I'll cover you."
"So will I," Freddy said and grinned. "You're the boss, Lu."
So Berilli moved out of the clearing, his heart thumping, wondering if Johnny was holed up in the cabin, taking aim at him through the slatted shutters.
Freeman looked up as Berilli approached him.
"Hi, stranger." His voice was soft and calm. "Have you lost your way? I haven't seen anyone this way for months."
Berilli eyed him, keeping his gull behind him, out of sight.
"You live here?" he demanded.
"That's right." Freeman was perfectly at ease. "Jay Freeman: I'm the snake man."
Berilli stiffened.
"Snakes? What do you mean?"
Patiently, Freeman explained.
"I collect serum for hospitals." He paused, looking directly into Berilli's suspicious eyes. "Who are you?"
"Have you seen a short, thick-set man with black hair, around forty years of age? We're looking for him."
"As I said, you're the first human I've seen in months."
Berilli looked uneasily at the cabin.
"You'd better not lie to me. If he's in there, you're in trouble and I mean trouble."
"What's all this about?" Freeman asked mildly. "Are you the police?"
Ignoring the question, Berilli signalled to the other two who came out from behind the thicket.
"We'll take a look at your cabin," he said to Freeman as Jack and Freddy joined him. "Go ahead, bright boy, and stop flapping with your mouth."
Freeman walked into the cabin. Using him as a shield, Berilli entered behind him, his gun in hand, his heart pounding, while Jack and Freddy waited outside. After a quick search, pushing Freeman always ahead of him, Berilli came out of the cabin and into the sunshine. He shook his head at the other two.
"What is that?" he demanded, seeing the lean-to.
"My snake house," Freeman said. "Have a look. I've just caught a cranebrake rattler. Have you ever seen one?"
Crouched behind the snake cage, Johnny heard every word and he thumbed back the safety on his gun. He could hear a soft whistling sound and he knew who was out there: Freddy, a Mafia killer and more dangerous than any of the snakes, writhing and rattling around him.
"Go ahead," Berilli said and prodded Freeman with his gun.
Again sheltering behind Freeman, Berilli peered into the lean-to, saw the cages, smelt the snake smell and backed away.
He crossed over to Freddy and Jack.
"Let's get out of here," he said. "We could search this goddamn jungle for months and still not find him."
"That's the brightest thing you've said so far," Jack said.
Freeman watched the three men move off into the jungle, then he fetched a bucket of water from the well and returned to his cabin. He waited some ten minutes, then leaving the cabin, he moved into the jungle as quietly and as swiftly as one of his snakes. Without being seen or heard, he caught up with the three men and watched them meet up with six 'other men, watched them talk, then saw them get into two cars and drive away.
Then he returned to his cabin to release Johnny from his hidingplace and assure him the hunt was over.
SIX
For eight, long boring days, Johnny remained in Freeman's cabin. During this time his beard made progress and his ankle mended.
Looking at himself in the mirror in the shower room, he saw how the beard altered his appearance and he felt confident, unless he was examined closely, that no one-would recognize him. He had got Freeman to drive into town and buy him two sets of khaki drill, a bush jacket and a bush hat, together with toilet things, shirts, socks and a suitcase.
Although, from time to time, his ankle still ached, he could now walk fairly well and he felt it was time to move on. He decided to pick up a south-bound truck on the freeway and make his way to Jackson. He was sure Fuselli would give him shelter for a time, and then when the heat had cooled off, he would go back and collect the money. By that time, his grey-black beard would be impressive and he felt the risk of returning had to be taken. With some of the money he had taken from Sammy, he would buy a used car, and still have plenty in hand.
But first, he must have information.
So on the eighth day, now dressed in khaki drill and wearing the bush hat, he asked Freeman to drive him into town.
"I've got to make a phone call," he explained.
Johnny hadn't seen much of Freeman during his stay at the cabin. The snake man went off at dawn and seldom got back until dusk. They then spent a couple of hours together over supper and then both went to bed. But during those hours, Freeman never asked questions, talked easily about every subject under the sun and encouraged Johnny to read, and Johnny discovered the magic of books. The books he liked best were books on travel and sailing and Freeman had a good selection.
"Sure," Freeman said. "Are you thinking of leaving? You can stay here as long as you like, Johnny."
"I've got to get on."
"I'll miss you."
This was the nicest thing anyone had ever said to Johnny and to hide his emotion, he gave Freeman a light punch on his arm.
"Yeah . . . that makes two of us, and I won't forget what you've done for me. Now listen, I've plenty of money. I want you to have two hundred for all you've done for me. Buy yourself a telly or something to remember me by."
Freeman laughed.
"Appreciated but not accepted. That's one thing I never need . . . money. You keep it. You may need it . . . I won't."
They drove into town early the following morning. Johnny felt naked and his eyes darted continuously to right and left. Under his bush jacket was his gun and he kept fingering the butt. But he saw no one suspicious. He went into the small hotel and shut himself in a call booth. He looked at his watch: the time was 08.10. Sammy should be getting up by now. He dialled the number and waited.
Sammy answered almost immediately.
"Sammy . . . this is Johnny."
He heard Sammy catch his breath.
"I—I don't want to talk to you, Mr. Johnny. You could get me into bad trouble. I've got nothing to say to you."
"Listen!" Johnny put a snap in his voice. "You're my friend, Sammy . . . remember? I've done a lot for you . . . now it's your turn."
He heard Sammy moan softly and he could imagine him, sweating, grey-faced and trembling.
"Yeah. What is it, Mr. Johnny? You took all my money. That wasn't nice. You're in real bad, and if they knew you were talking to me, I'd be in real bad too."
"They won't know. Sammy . . . I had to have that money. You'll get it back. I promise. Don't worry about it. Are they looking for me?"
"They sure are! This Mr. Tanza is handling it! I heard the boss and Mr. Tanza talking while I was driving them. I don't know where you are and I don't want to know, but they're looking for you in Florida. They talked of someone called Fuselli. Toni and Ernie are out there. You've got to be careful, Mr. Johnny."