cwilleford.miamiblues-第17部分

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　　12
　　
　　When　Hoke　walked　into　the　lobby　of　the　Eldorado　Hotel；　Old　Man　Zuckerman　jumped　up　from　his　faded　brocade　chair　by　the　entrance　and　handed　him　a　neatly　folded　paper　napkin。　Hoke　thanked　the　old　man　and　put　the　napkin　in　his　pocket。　Mr。　Zuckerman　smiled　toothlessly　and　sat　back　down　in　his　chair。　Mr。　Zuckerman　was　well　into　his　eighties；　and　his　〃job〃　was　to　give　every　person　who　entered　the　hotel　a　paper　napkin；　and　he　forced　it　on　visitors　and　residents　alike；　including　Mr。　Howard　Bennett；　the　owner…manager；　every　time　they　came　in。　Hoke　figured　that　this　job　that　Mr。　Zuckerman　had　invented　for　himself　helped　to　keep　the　old　fellow　alive。　And　Old　Man　Zuckerman　had　an　endless　supply　of　paper　napkins；　because　he　helped　himself　to　all　he　would　need　when　he　ate　his　meals　at　Gold's　Deli　down　the　street。
　　The　Eldorado　Hotel　was　a　deteriorating　art…deco　hotel　that　was　on　the　verge　of　being　condemned。　It　was　scheduled　to　be　torn　down　if　Redevelopment　came　to　South　Miami　Beach。　But　Redevelopment　had　been　in　the　planning　stage　for　almost　ten　years　now；　and　nothing　was　ever　done。　Because　of　the　building　moratorium　on　South　Beach　the　owners　weren't　repairing　anything　they　didn't　positively　have　to　take　care　of；　except　for　meeting　the　most　minimal　requirements　for　fire　and　safety。　By　acting　as　an　unpaid　hotel　security　officer　when　he　was　off　duty；　Hoke　got　a　free　room；　but　he　had　been　considering　moving　out　for　several　months。
　　His　problem　was　money。　Every　other　paycheck　went　to　his　ex…wife　in　Vero　Beach；　and　he　had　to　live　on　the　other　half。　After　term　life　insurance　payments；　car　insurance；　retirement　payments；　and　union　dues；　he　had　to　live　on　less　than　12；000　a　year。　With　a　free　room　and　with　his　battered　Le　Mans　paid　for；　that　should　have　been　enough…or　more　than　enough…but　there　had　been　his　own　hospital　bills；　plus　a　new　and　enormous　bill　for　his　two　daughters'　orthodontist。　He　had　ripped　up　the　bill　from　the　orthodontist；　but　then　Patsy；　his　ex…wife；　had　threatened　to　take　him　to　court。　Part　of　the　divorce　settlement　was　that　he　would　pay　for　the　girls'　medical　expenses。　Straightening　teeth；　in　Hoke's　opinion；　came　under　beautification；　and　was　not　a　necessary　medical　expense。　But　to　avoid　going　to　court；　he　had　finally　sent　the　orthodontist　a　check　for　50　and　told　him　he　would　try　to　make　some　regular　payments　on　the　1；800　bill。
　　The　shabby　lobby　was　depressing。　Eight　old　ladies；　all　members　of　the　Eldorado　Hotel　TV　Club；　sat　in　a　silent　half…circle；　watching　a　television　set　that　was　bolted　and　locked　to　the　wall。　When　Hoke　looked　across　the　roam；　four　Marielitos；　playing　dominoes　at　a　corner　table；　got　respectfully　to　their　feet；　nodded　shyly　at　him；　and　sat　down　again　when　he　acknowledged　their　greeting　with　a　wave　of　his　right　arm。　On　his　way　to　the　desk　Hoke　took　a　look　at　the　TV　screen　and　saw　a　green　snake　eat　a　red　frog。　Education　Night。　He　checked　his　mailbox　（Eddie　Cohen　wasn't　at　the　desk）　and　decided　that　tonight　he　would　only　make　perfunctory　rounds。
　　On　the　way　to　his　room　on　the　eighth　floor；　he　stopped　the　elevator　at　each　floor；　looked　up　and　dawn　the　halls　without　getting　out；　and　then　went　on。　On　the　fifth　floor；　however；　he　saw　Mrs。　Friedman　wandering　around　in　her　nightgown。　He　locked　the　elevator　and　led　the　old　lady　back　to　her　room　before　going　up　to　six。　She　often　got　confused；　and　when　she　happened　to　leave　her　room　she　could　never　remember　her　room　number。　Rumor　had　it　that　the　meals…on…wheels　program　was　either　going　to　be　reduced　or　cut　out　altogether；　and　when　that　happened；　he　didn't　know　what　Mrs。　Friedman　would　do　for　sustenance。　Even　when　her　social　security　check　came　in；　she　wouldn't　be　able　to　find　her　way　dawn　to　Gold's　Deli　and　back。
　　It　was　depressing　to　think　about　Mrs。　Friedman；　but　it　had　been　even　more　depressing　to　find　out　that　Susan　Waggoner　was　a　whore。　Even　Hoke　wouldn't　have　figured　that　in　a　hundred　years。　Bill　Henderson；　who　had　worked　Vice　for　three　years；　probably　could　have　taken　one　look　at　Susan　and　known；　but　Hoke　hadn't　suspected　it。　Hell；　Hoke's　fourteen…year…old　daughter　was　built　better　and　was　sexier　looking　than　Susan。
　　And　then　there　had　been　that　dead　baby…and　the　maid。　The　kid　probably　couldn't　talk　in　sentences　yet；　and　the　maid　couldn't　have　been　more　than　nineteen　or　twenty。　He　didn't　mourn　the　two　Colombians。　They　were　men　in　their　early　thirties；　and　whatever　it　was　that　they　had　done　to　be　killed　for；　they　had　done　it　in　their　maturity。　The　maid；　if　she　had　been　hired　locally；　might　be　a　lead；　but　he　suspected　that　she　had　been　brought　along　from　Colombia　to　take　care　of　the　baby。
　　Any　way　he　looked　at　it；　it　was　a　rotten　business。
　　Instead　of　going　to　his　room；　Hoke　took　the　stairs　from　the　eighth　floor　to　the　roof。　The　only　good　thing　about　the　Eldorado　Hotel　was　the　view　from　the　roof。　He　lit　a　cigarette　and　looked　across　Biscayne　Bay　at　Miami。　The　white　uneven　buildings　looked　like　teeth；　but　at　this　distance　it　was　a　white　smile。　There　was　even　a　gum…colored　sunset　above　the　skyline；　and　in　the　northwest　above　the　Everglades　there　was　a　stack…up　of　black　clouds　that　looked　like　thousand…dollar　poker　chips。　It　was　raining　in　the　'Glades；　and　perhaps　enough　rain　would　be　left　to　reach　the　city　and　cool　it　off　a　little　during　the　night。　Hoke　finished　his　cigarette　and　tossed　it　off　the　parapet　into　the　swimming　pool　behind　the　hotel。　The　pool；　a　small　one；　had　been　filled　with　sand。　Without　water；　no　one　could　use　it；　but　Mr。　Bennett　saved　money　on　maintenance　costs　with　a　pool　full　of　sand。　There　was　a　lot　of　trash　scattered　over　the　surface。　Hoke　decided　to　put　in　his　report　that　the　trash　was　a　fire　hazard　so　that　Mr。　Bennett　would　have　to　have　it　cleaned　up。
　　Hoke　unlocked　the　door　to　his　room　and　switched　on　the　light　by　the　door。　The　small　room　was　stifling　and　smelled　of　dirty　sheets；　unwashed　socks　and　underwear；　bay　rum；　and　stale　tobacco　smoke。　Howard　Bennett；　the　cheapskate　ownermanager；　had　invaded　Hoke's　room　during　his　absence　and　pulled　the　plug　on　Hoke's　window　air　conditioner　to　save　energy　costs。　Hoke　plugged　in　the　air　conditioner　and　turned　it　up　to　High。
　　He　took　off　his　leisure　suit　jacket；　his　gun；　his　handcuffs；　and　sap；　and　tossed　the　equipment　on　the　top　of　his　cluttered　dresser。　He　switched　on　his　small　black…and…white　Sony　and　poured　twa　inches　of　El　Presidente　brandy　into　his　tooth　glass。　〃Family　Feud〃　was　on　the　tube；　and　for　the　hundredth　time　Hoke　wondered　about　the　definition　of　〃family〃　in　America。　There　were　five　family　members　on　both　teams；　but　no　mothers　or　fathers。　Instead；　there　were　various　uncles　and　cousins　and　spouses　of　the　cousins；　plus　one　teenage　kid　who　bore　no　resemblance　to　either　family　and　had　probably　been　borrowed　from　neighbors　for　the　program。
　　There　was　a　knack　on　the　door。　Hoke　sighed　and　hid　the　glass　of　brandy　behind　a　photograph　of　his　two　daughters　on　the　dresser。　The　last　time　he　had　had　a　visitor　knocking　on　his　door　it　had　been　Mrs。　Goldberg；　from　409。　Her　ex…husband；　she　told　him；　had　sneaked　into　her　room　while　she　was　watching　television　in　the　lobby　and　had　stolen　her　pearl…handled　hairbrush；　the　hairbrush　that　had　belonged　to　her　mother。　Hoke　had　gone　dawn　to　409　with　her　and　found　the　hairbrush　in　the　bottom　drawer　of　Mrs。　Goldberg's　dresser。
　　〃He　must've　hidden　it　there；〃　she　said。
　　Later　on；　when　Hoke　had　mentioned　the　incident　to　Mr。　Bennett；　the　manager　had　laughed　and　told　Hoke　that　Mrs。　Goldberg　had　been　a　widow　for　fifteen　years。
　　Hoke　reached　for　the　doorknob。
　　
　　
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　　Susan　drove。　The　traffic　was　all　ing　their　way；　so　she　made　good　time　as　she　drove　east　an　Killian　to　Old　Cutler；　then　turned　north　to　drive　through　Coconut　Grave。　The　tropical　foliage　was　thick　and　green　an　Old　Cutler；　and　after　they　passed　Fairchild　Gardens；　the　air　roots　from　the　overhanging　tree　branches　frequently　whipped　the　roof　of　the　car。
　　Susan　rejoined　South　Dixie　beyond　Vizcaya；　then　took　Brickeli　Avenue　to　Biscayne　Boulevard。　She　took　the　tall…free　MacArthur　Causeway　to　South　Beach。　The　Eldorado　Hotel　was　near　Joe's　Stone　Crab　Restaurant；　and　because　Susan　knew　where　the　restaurant　was　she　had　no　trouble　finding　the　old　hotel　on　the　bay。
　　〃Wait　in　the　car；〃　Freddy　told　her；　after　she　parked　in　the　small　lot　beside　the　hotel。
　　〃How　long？〃
　　〃Far　as　long　as　it　takes　me。　If　he's　home；　it　won't　take　long。　If　he　isn't　home；　I'll　have　to　wait　in　his　roam　till　he　gets　there。　So　just　sit　here　and　wait。〃
　　〃Can　I　play　the　radio？〃
　　〃Na。　It　might　attract　attention。　Stop　asking　dumb　questions。〃
　　Freddy　went　into　the　lobby；　and　Old　Man　Zuckerman　tottered　over　to　him　and　handed　him　a　napkin。　Freddy　nodded　his　thanks；　and　the　old　man　went　back　to　his　chair　and　fell　into　a　half…daze。　There　were　four　men　playing　dominoes　in　the　corner　of　the　lobby　and　some　old　ladies　watching　TV　at　the　other　end。　The　battered　card　table；　where　the　Latins　were　playing；　was　lighted　by　a　1930s　wrought…iran　bridge　lamp　with　a　rose　shade　and　tarnished　gold　tassels。　The　men　all　wore　T…shirts　and　jeans；　none　of　them　clean。　One　man　had　a　machete　scar　running　from　the　top　of　his　head　dawn　his　left　cheek；　ending　beneath　his　chin。　All　four　men　had　blackish　homemade　tattoos　an　the　backs　of　their　hands　and　arms。
　　Freddy　walked　to　the　table；　and　the　conversation　stopped。
　　〃Sergeant　Maseley's　room？〃　Freddy　handed　10　to　the　man　with　the　scar。
　　〃Top　floor。〃　He　pointed　his　finger　at　the　ceiling。　〃Eight…OhNine。　〃Gracias〃。〃
　　〃A　casa？〃
　　The　man　ignored　the　question；　pursed　his　lips；　and　studied　his　dominoes。　Freddy　grabbed　the　man's　wrist；　squeezed　it；　and　took　the　10　bill　out　of　his　paralyzed　fingers。
　　〃Si；　se？or；〃　the　man　said。　〃A　casa。〃
　　〃Un　hombre　duro；〃　Freddy　said。　He　wadded　the　ten　into　the　man's　palm　and　closed　his　fingers　on　it。
　　〃Despotico！〃　The　scar…faced　man　nodded；　and　the　other　three　Cubans　laughed。　Freddy　crossed　the　dim　lobby　to　the　elevators。
　　Outside　809；　Freddy　took　out　his　pistol；　knocked　on　the　door；　and　pressed　his　back　against　the　wall。　Hoke　Moseley　opened　the　door；　saw　no　one；　and　took　a　step　forward。　Freddy；　with　a　sweeping　motion　of　the　gun；　caught　Hoke　on　the　side　of　the