cwilleford.miamiblues-第16部分

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erchandise。　As　Freddy　glanced　at　him；　wondering　what　it　was　in　the　window　that　held　his　attention；　a　small　dark　man　with　a　bushy　head　of　curly　hair　bumped　against　the　portly　man；　apologized；　and　walked　on。　Freddy　saw　the　small　man　slip　the　wallet　out　of　the　heavy　man's　hip　pocket；　but　the　man　hadn't　felt　a　thing。　Freddy　trailed　behind　the　small　man；　who　was　wearing　a　blue　serge　suit　and　a　blue　wool　tie；　to　the　escalator　and　watched　him　drop　the　wallet　into　another　man's　folded　newspaper；　〃El　Diario〃。　The　pickpocket　continued　through　the　mall；　and　the　one　with　the　newspaper；　a　tall　dark　man　with　black　sideburns　down　to　and　even　with　his　mouth；　took　the　Down　escalator。
　　Freddy　got　on　the　escalator　behind　him。　He　followed　him　past　Treasure　Island　and　the　carrousel；　and　into　the　lowest　level　of　the　mall。　The　man　strolled　past　the　Unicorn　Store；　a　T…shirt　store；　skirted　a　French　sidewalk　café；　and　then　went　into　the　men's　roam。　Freddy　waited　outside　the　door；　counting　to　thirty；　then　went　in。　The　tall　man　with　the　sideburns　had　the　wallet　in　his　hands。　He　looked　up　at　Freddy　for　a　moment　and　then　back　down　at　the　wallet。　Freddy　grabbed　his　left　wrist；　twisted　it　behind　his　back　with　one　motion；　and　then　ran　the　man　into　the　white…tiled　wall；　face…first。　The　man　screamed　something　in　Spanish　and　tried　to　get　his　right　hand　into　his　trousers　pocket。　Freddy　jerked　the　left　arm　higher　and　it　broke　at　the　elbow。　As　the　arm　cracked；　the　man　vomited　and　fell　to　his　knees。　Freddy　kicked　him　behind　the　ear；　and　the　man　went　unconscious。
　　Freddy　picked　up　the　wallet　from　the　floor　and　stuffed　it　into　his　pocket。　He　searched　the　man　on　the　floor。　There　was　a　pearl…handled　switchblade　knife　in　his　right　front　pocket　and　a　roll　of　bills　held　together　with　a　rubber　band　in　the　left　hip　pocket。　He　found　another　wallet　in　an　inside　jacket　pocket。　Freddy　stuffed　these　into　his　pockets　and　washed　his　hands。　A　teenager；　wearing　a　red…billed　Red　Man　cap；　jeans；　and　a　CLASH　T…shirt；　walked　in　and　saw　the　man　on　the　floor；　bubbling　blood　from　his　mouth　and　ears；　then　went　to　the　urinal。
　　〃What's　the　matter　with　that　guy？〃
　　〃Ask　him；〃　Freddy　said；　blotting　his　hands　dry　on　a　brown　paper　towel。
　　〃I　don't　want　to　get　involved；〃　the　teenager　said；　unzipping　his　fly。
　　Freddy　left　the　men's　room　and　took　the　stairway　up　to　Level　Two。　He　bought　a　box　of　three　white…on…white　Excello　shirts　at　Baron's。　He　bought　a　pedestal　coffee　cup　that　had　〃Susie〃　painted　on　the　side　in　Old　English　script；　and　a　half…pound　bag　of　Colombian　coffee。　He　asked　the　girl　at　the　coffee　shop　to　gift…wrap　the　two　items　together；　which　cost　him　an　extra　1。50。　He　returned　to　his　car　and　locked　his　new　purchases　into　the　trunk　before　getting　into　the　front　seat　and　turning　on　the　engine　and　the　air　conditioning。
　　Freddy　counted　322　from　the　portly　man's　stolen　wallet；　809　from　the　tall　man's　wallet；　and　1；200　from　the　tight　roll　of　bills。　In　the　middle　of　the　tight　roll　of　American　money；　there　was　an　even　tighter　roll　of　10；000　Mexican　pesos。　So；　not　counting　the　pesos；　which　he　might　be　able　to　exchange　later；　he　was　2；331　richer　than　when　he　had　arrived　at　the　Omni…minus　the　cash　he　had　put　out　for　his　shopping；　of　course。　This　was　absolutely　the　best　haul　Freddy　had　ever　made　in　a　single　day。　He　had　also　picked　up　two　new　credit　cards…the　fat　man's…　a　Visa　and　a　MasterCard。　The　tall　man　with　sideburns；　apparently　the　other　half　of　a　Mexico　City　pickpocket　team；　had　a　green　card　in　the　name　of　Jaime　Figueras　in　his　wallet。　This　meant　that　he　could　work　in　Miami；　but　it　didn't　authorize　him　to　work　as　a　pickpocket；　he　would　be　unlikely　to　report　his　mugging　to　the　police。　If　that　damned　kid　hadn't　e　into　the　men's　room；　Freddy　could　have　waited　for　a　few　minutes　and　made　another　nice　haul　after　the　short　partner　came　down　for　his　cut。　But　probably　it　was　just　as　well。　He　had　gotten　in　trouble　before　by　staying　too　long　in　a　men's　room。　Vice　Squad　caps　pretending　to　be　gay；　and　some　who　didn't　have　to　pretend；　hit　public　rest　rooms　all　the　time　to　top　off　their　daily　arrest　quotas。
　　Freddy　paid　the　parking　fee　to　the　Cuban　girl　at　the　exit　and　drove　south　on　Biscayne　Boulevard；　planning　what　he　would　say　to　Pablo　Lhosa　at　the　International　Hotel。
　　By　the　time　he　had　crawled　through　the　heavy　traffic　to　Dupont　Plaza；　Freddy　decided　that　it　might　be　best　not　to　see　Pablo　at　all。　Pablo　knew　him　as　Gotlieb；　and　by　now；　or　at　least　in　another　day　or　two；　the　hotel　would　find　out　that　it　bad　been　stifled　by　a　stolen　credit　card。　Of　course；　the　hotel　would　get　its　money；　in　all　probability；　but　Pablo　would　have　some　leverage　to　use　against　him。　Perhaps　for　the　moment　it　would　be　best　to　do　nothing。　He　would　tell　Susan　not　to　answer　her　phone；　and　when　Pablo　came　out　to　see　her　he　could　take　care　of　him。　By　that　time；　some　kind　of　solution　would　occur　to　him。
　　Freddy　circled　the　Dupont　Plaza　and　drove　back　down　Biscayne　to　the　Omni。　This　time　he　pulled　into　the　hotel　entrance。　He　turned　over　the　ignition　key；　but　not　the　trunk　key；　to　the　valet。　He　registered　at　the　desk　as　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Junior　Waggoner　and　pocketed　the　room　key。　He　counted　out　1；000　in　cash　for　a　1　20…a…day　room　and　told　the　clerk　he　would　return　with　his　baggage　later　when　he　came　back　from　the　airport　with　his　wife。
　　No；　he　told　the　clerk；　he　didn't　know　how　long　he　would　be　staying；　but　to　remind　him　when　his　bill　got　up　to　900；　and　he　would　either　check　out　then　or　put　down　some　more　cash　as　an　advance。　Freddy　waved　off　the　bellman　and　took　the　elevator　up　to　his　room。
　　He　stashed　the　extra　wallets　and　the　pesos　in　the　bedside　table　next　to　the　king…size　bed　and　went　back　down　to　the　lobby　entrance　for　his　car。　He　paid　for　the　valet　parking；　gave　the　valet　a　quarter；　and　turned　off　the　salsa　that　was　blaring　full　blast　from　his　radio。　If　the　valet　hadn't　turned　on　the　radio　he　would　have　gotten　a　dollar　instead　of　a　quarter；　Freddy　reflected。　He　headed　south　on　Biscayne　again。　He　crossed　the　Miami　River　and　drove　down　Brickell。　He　now　had　two　nice　hidey…holes；　one　in　Kendall　and　another　downtown　in　Omni。　To　avoid　the　sun　and　the　heat；　he　could　work　the　Omni　Mall；　the　way　the　Omni　was　laid　out；　it　was　a　thief's　paradise。　If　he　only　robbed　pickpockets；　he　could　work　for　weeks　without　any　fear　of　detection。　Of　course；　there　would　be　petition；　there　was　bound　to　be　in　a　perfect　setup　like　that。　Freddy　didn't　mind　a　little　petition。　As　the　fly　said；　crossing　the　mirror；　〃That's　just　another　way　of　looking　at　it。〃
　　
　　Freddy　parked　on　the　roof　of　the　bus　pany's　parking　garage　and　spent　two　hours　exploring　the　Miracle　Mile　in　Coral　Gables。　The　stores　were　owned　by　Americans；　but　they　catered　to　Latin　tastes。　Women's　clothing　was　on　the　garish　side；　with　lots　of　ruffles　and　flounces。　Primary　colors　were　predominant；　with　very　few　pastels　in　evidence。　Men's　suits　were　gray　or　blue；　with　thin　stripes　in　rust　or　coral；　and　the　shirts　and　ties　were　like　those　Freddy　remembered　from　Santa　Anita；　when　he　used　to　spend　his　afternoons　at　the　track。　Except　for　the　incredible　cleanliness；　the　Coral　Gables　shopping　street　reminded　Freddy　of　East　Los　Angeles；　although　East　LA　had　never　been　this　prosperous。
　　In　a　sporting　goods　stare；　Freddy　bought　three　All…American　Official　Frisbees；　charging　them　to　the　Mendez　credit　card。　He　went　back　to　the　roof　of　the　parking　garage；　took　the　Frisbees　out　of　the　paper　sack；　and　ripped　off　their　plastic　wrappings。　He　then　sailed　them；　one　at　a　time；　across　the　street；　and　aver　a　lower　roof；　watching　them　land　and　skitter　in　the　heavy　traffic　an　LeJeune　Road。　Two　cellmates　at　San　Quentin　had　owned　a　Frisbee；　and　Freddy　had　often　watched　them　throw　it　back　and　forth　to　each　other　in　the　yard。　They　would　laugh　when　they　caught　it；　and　they　would　laugh　even　harder　when　one　of　them　failed　to　catch　it。　Freddy　had　always　wanted　to　toss　it　himself；　but　the　two　cons　never　let　anyone　else　into　their　game；　and　of　course；　no　one　ever　asked　them　for　a　turn。　But　throwing　the　three　Frisbees　hadn't　been　much　fun；　perhaps　you　needed　a　partner　to　aim　at。
　　
　　Freddy　got　lost　twice　trying　to　get　through　the　plex　of　the　University　of　Miami；　gave　up；　and　finally　drove　around　the　school　before　he　could　find　Miller　Road。　He　got　back　to　Kendall　Pines　Terrace　at　six…thirty。
　　Freddy　dumped　his　packages　on　the　couch；　handed　Susan　her　gift…wrapped　present；　and　checked　the　new　deadbolt　lack　on　the　front　door。　He　accepted　the　girlish　kiss　she　planted　on　his　cheek　for　the　gift　and　told　her　to　buy　some　3…in…One　Oil　the　next　time　she　went　to　the　store。　She　told　Freddy　about　Sergeant　Moseley's　visit　and　handed　him　the　detective's　card。　Freddy　made　her　repeat　word　for　word　everything　that　had　been　said。
　　〃Did　he　say　'local'　mug　shots；　or　'wanted'　mug　shots？〃
　　〃He　just　said　mug　books。　He　said　you'd　know　what　he　meant。〃
　　〃You　shouldn't've　told　him　you　worked　for　Pablo。　That　wasn't　too　bright。〃
　　〃I　thought　he　knew。〃
　　〃The　best　thing　to　say　to　a　cop　is　nothing。　Remember　that。　Did　Pablo　call　you？〃
　　〃No。　Well；　he　might　have。　There　were　two　phone　calls；　but　I　didn't　answer　the　phone。　If　it　was　Pablo；　I　knew　I　wouldn't　know　what　to　say；　and　if　it　was　you；　you　would've　said　you'd　call　and　you　didn't。〃
　　〃At　least　you　did　something　right。　Get　your　purse。　I'm　going　over　to　Miami　Beach　and　see　the　cop。〃
　　〃What　about　dinner？　Everything's　ready。〃
　　〃We'll　take　it　with　us。〃
　　In　the　closet　there　was　a　large　cardboard　box　filled　with　Martin's　fishing　gear。　Freddy　dumped　it　out；　and　Susan　packed　the　box　with　the　Crackpot　and　the　rest　of　the　items　on　her　menu。　Working　hurriedly；　she　was　soon　ready　to　go；　and　she　had　to　wait　for　Freddy　to　shower　and　change　into　his　new　suit　and　Bally　loafers。　The　。38　made　a　bulge　in　Freddy's　jacket　pocket；　but　he　didn't　like　to　carry　a　pistol　in　his　waistband　because　of　an　accident　a　friend　of　his　had　once　in　San　Diego。
　　As　the　blacks　used　to　say　in　the　yard　at　Quentin　when　they　wanted　to　get　even　with　a　bully；　Freddy　was　〃going　to　pull　that　fucker's　teeth；　man！〃
　　
　　
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　　When　Hoke　walked　into　the　lobby　of　the　Eldorado　Hotel；　Old　Man　Zuckerman　jumped　up　from　his　faded　brocade　chair　by　the　entrance　and