cwilleford.miamiblues-第9部分

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　　〃That　was　nice　of　him；〃　Freddy　said；　after　they　were　outside；　〃to　tear　up　the　check　that　way。〃
　　〃But　you　noticed；〃　Hoke　said；　〃that　I　offered　to　pay。　Aquilar's　a　nice　guy。　We　go　back　a　long　way；　and　I　did　a　favor　for　him　once。〃
　　〃What　kind　of　a　favor？〃
　　〃I　called　him　on　the　phone。　Where　do　you　want　me　to　drop　you；　Susan？〃
　　〃Second　and　Biscayne'll　be　fine。〃
　　Hoke　dropped　them　off　at　the　corner　of　Second　and　Biscayne。　He　started　to　make　an　illegal　U…turn　to　get　back　to　the　MacArthur　Causeway　and　then　changed　his　mind。　He　didn't　want　to　go　home；　he　never　wanted　to　go　home。　He　continued　down　the　boulevard　and　headed　for　the　Dupont　Plaza　Hotel。
　　The　pair　had　puzzled　him。　He　had　tried　to　jar　them　into　some　kind　of　reaction　by　showing　them　his　Dolphin　choppers；　but　they　hadn't　even　risen　above　the　level　of　mild　curiosity。　Cold　fish。　The　jock　was　obviously　an　ex…con。　There　was　no　way　that　Mendez　could　be　his　real　name。　With　that　bronze　tan；　he　looked　like　an　Afrika　Corps　Nazi；　and　it　was　definitely　a　tan；　not　dark　skin。　Besides；　the　world　was　too　fresh　and　new　to　him；　as　though　he　had　been　out　of　circulation　for　some　time。　The　way　he　had　crooked　that　Charles　Atlas　arm　around　the　tiny　cup　of　flan…who　did　he　think　would　try　to　take　it　away　from　him；　anyway？　It　wasn't　enough　that　Carter　had　destroyed　the　city　by　sending　in　all　the　refugees；　Reagan　was　importing　ex…cons　from　California。　Even　if　immigration　was　stopped　altogether；　it　would　be　another　twenty　years　before　Miami　got　back　to　normal　again。
　　And　the　girl。　She　had　looked　at　her　dead　brother　as　if　he　were　a　piece　of　meat。　True；　she　had　cried　at　the　morgue；　but　she　had　cried　much　harder　about　the　possible　loss　of　her　car　and　the　200。　How　could　a　girl　as　simple…minded　as　Susan　Waggoner　get　into　college？
　　Hoke　drove　into　the　Dupont　Plaza　garage　and　parked　on　the　ramp　by　the　wall。　As　he　locked　the　car；　a　Cuban　attendant　came　running　over。　He　had　a　parking　stub　in　one　hand；　and　a　oneounce　hit　of　café　Cubano　in　the　other。
　　〃I'll　take　those　keys；〃　he　said；　holding　out　the　parking　stub。
　　Hoke　showed　him　his　shield　and　ignored　the　stub。　〃Police　business。　I'll　leave　the　car　right　where　it　is。　When　more　cars　e　in；　drive　around　it。〃
　　Hoke　went　into　the　bar　lounge；　filled　a　paper　plate　with　chicken　wings；　hot　meatballs；　and　green　olives；　then　went　to　the　bar。　He　ordered　a　beer　reluctantly　because　a　beer　in　the　Dupont　Plaza　bar　cost　as　much　as　a　six…pack　in　the　supermarket；　but　the　free　hors　d'oeuvres　just　about　made　up　for　it。　Hoke　liked　the　Dupont　Plaza；　the　quiet　Mickey　Mouse　music　that　came　over　the　speakers；　and　the　tables　beside　the　windows　where　he　could　watch　the　traffic　on　the　Miami　River。　There　was　an　older；　dressed…up　crowd　here；　and　although　his　blue　poplin　leisure　suit　was　out　of　place；　he　had　once　picked　up　a　forty…year…old　widow　from　Cincinnati；　and　she　had　taken　him　up　to　her　room。
　　Hoke　showed　the　bartender　his　shield　and　asked　for　the　telephone。　The　bartender　reached　under　the　bar　and　placed　a　white　telephone　in　front　of　Hoke。　As　a　matter　of　principle；　Hoke　never　gave　Ma　Bell　a　quarter　to　use　a　pay　telephone。　He　dialed　Red　Farris's　number　from　memory。
　　〃Red；〃　Hoke　said；　when　Farris　answered；　〃let's　go　out　and　do　something。〃
　　〃Hoke！　I'm　glad　you　called。　I　tried　to　get　you　twice　today；　once　at　the　station；　and　once　at　your　hotel。　The　hotel　didn't　even　answer。〃
　　〃You've　got　to　let　it　ring。　Sometimes　the　clerk's　away　from　the　desk。〃
　　〃I　let　it　ring　ten　times。〃
　　〃Try　twenty　next　time。　I　was　out　at　the　airport　most　of　the　afternoon；　on　a　homicide。〃
　　〃How　e　they　called　you　instead　of　Metro？〃
　　〃I'll　tell　you　when　I　see　you。　It's　an　interesting　case。〃
　　〃That's　why　I　tried　to　call　you；　Hoke；　to　tell　you　my　good　news。　Are　you　ready？　I　resigned　today。〃
　　〃Resigned　from　the　department？　You're　shitting　me。〃
　　〃Not　this　time；　Hoke。　I　told　you　before　I've　been　writing　letters　around　the　state。　Well；　the　chief　of　police　in　Sebring　offered　me　a　job　as　desk　sergeant；　and　I　took　it。〃
　　〃That　means　going　back　into　uniform；　doesn't　it？〃
　　〃So　what？　I'll　be　out　of　Miami。　When　I　typed　up　my　resignation；　I　never　felt　better。〃
　　〃What　kind　of　salary　goes　with　it？〃
　　〃Not　much。〃
　　〃How　much？　Sebring　can't　pay　Miami's　union　scale。〃
　　〃I　know。　It's　only　fourteen　thousand；　Hoke。　I'm　making　thirty…one　in　Robbery；　but　the　chief　said　there'd　probably　be　another　two　thousand　a　year　when　the　new　Sebring　budget　es　out。〃
　　〃Christ；　Red；　that's　less　than　half　of　what　you're　making　now。〃
　　〃I　know；　and　I　don't　give　a　shit。　It　doesn't　cost　as　much　to　live　in　Sebring；　and　the　chances　are　that　I'll　live　a　hell　of　a　lot　longer　up　there。〃
　　〃There's　nothing　going　on　in　Sebring。　They　have　the　race　once　a　year；　and　that's　it。〃
　　〃I　know。　That's　why　I　took　the　job。　Last　week；　a　kid　in　Overtown　threw　a　brick　through　my　window。〃
　　〃You　shouldn't　drive　your　car　in　Overtown。　You　know　that。〃
　　〃It　was　a　squad　car；　Hoke。　I　was　down　there　with　Nelson　to　pick　up　a　fence。　We　never　found　him；　either。　But　that　brick　was　it。　I'd　been　wavering；　because　of　the　money　and　all；　but　the　next　morning　I　called　the　chief　in　Sebring。　He's　a　nice　guy；　too；　Hoke。　You'd　like　him。　He's　a　retired　detective　from　Newark。　That's　in　New　Jersey。〃
　　〃I　know　where　Newark　is；　for　God's　sake。〃
　　〃Don't　get　pissed　off；　Hoke。〃
　　〃I'm　not　pissed　off；　I'm　just　surprised；　that's　all。　I　know　damned　well　you　aren't　going　to　like　living　in　a　little　town　like　that。　Why　don't　we　meet　some　place　and　talk　about　it？〃
　　〃I　can't；　Hoke。　I've　got　a　lot　of　things　to　do　and　then　I've　got　to　meet　Louise　later　when　she　gets　off　work。〃
　　〃When　are　you　leaving；　Red？　I'll　see　you　before　you　go；　won't　I？〃
　　〃Oh；　sure。　I'll　be　in　town　for　another　week　at　least。　If　I　can't　sell　my　condo；　I'll　have　to　rent　it　out。　But　we'll　get　together。　We'll　tie　one　on　to　celebrate。〃
　　〃Right。　I'm　here　at　the　Dupont　bar；　if　you　can　get　away　for　a　while　before　you　pick　up　Louise。〃
　　〃I　can't；　Hoke。　Not　tonight。〃
　　〃Call　me；　then。〃
　　〃I'll　call　you。〃
　　〃I'm　real　happy　for　you；　Red；　if　you　think　that's　what　you　want。〃
　　〃Thanks；　Hoke。　It's　what　I　want。〃
　　〃Call　me。〃
　　〃I　will。〃
　　Hoke　racked　the　phone；　and　the　bartender　put　it　beneath　the　bar　again。　〃Another　beer；　sir？〃
　　〃Yeah。　And　a　double　shot　of　Early　Times。　I　don't　want　any　more　of　the　stuff　on　this　plate　either。　Can　you　dump　it　for　me？〃
　　Hoke　took　his　shot　of　whiskey　and　fresh　bottle　of　beer　over　to　a　table　by　the　window。　He　really　hated　to　see　Red　Farris　leave　the　department。　He　was　one　of　the　few　bachelor　friends　Hoke　bad　left。　Red　was　almost　always　available　to　go　out　for　a　few　drinks；　or　a　little　bottle　pool；　or　to　bowl　a　few　lines。　And　Red　Farris　had　saved　his　life；　too。　They　had　gone　to　pick　up　a　wife…beater　who　was　out　on　bail。　The　man's　wife　had　died；　and　that　upgraded　the　charge　from　assault　to　second　degree　murder。　It　was　a　simple　pickup；　the　man　didn't　put　up　any　fight　or　argument。　He　had　been　too　shocked　by　the　news　of　his　wife's　death。　And　then；　just　as　Hoke　had　started　to　put　the　handcuffs　on　him；　the　man's　twelve…year…old　son　had　e　out　of　the　bedroom　and　shot　Hoke　in　the　chest　with　a　。22　rifle。　Farris　got　the　rifle　out　of　the　kid's　hands　before　he　could　get　off　another　shot；　and　Hoke　spent　six　weeks　in　the　hospital　with　a　nicked　left　lung。　It　still　hurt　if　he　took　a　very　deep　breath。　But　if　Red　Farris　hadn't　twisted　that　rifle　out　of　the　kid's　hands…　Well；　the　kid　was　in　a　foster　home　somewhere；　the　kid's　father　was　up　in　Raiford；　and　the　boy's　mother　was　dead。　In　Miami；　a　family　could　break　up　in　a　hurry
　　It　used　to　be　a　lot　different　when　Hoke　was　still　married。　Four　or　five　couples　would　get　together　for　a　barbecue　and　some　beer。　Then；　after　they　ate；　the　women　would　all　sit　in　the　living　room　and　talk　about　how　difficult　their　deliveries　had　been；　and　the　men　would　sit　in　the　kitchen　and　play　poker。　The　big　kids　would　watch　TV；　and　the　smaller　kids　would　be　put　to　sleep　in　the　bedroom。　That　had　been　real　Florida　living；　but　now　all　the　white　families　were　moving　away。　There　were　six　different　detectives　Hoke　had　known　who　had　left　Miami　in　the　last　year　alone。　And　now　Farris…that　was　seven。　Of　course；　Henderson　could　get　out　for　a　night　once　in　a　while；　but　Bill　Henderson　was　married；　and　he　always　worried　about　staying　out　too　late。
　　Hoke　looked　out　at　the　river；　never　the　same　river。　He　wanted　another　double　shot　of　Early　Times；　but　not　at　these　prices。　Hoke　left　the　bar　and　got　his　car　from　the　parking　ramp。　As　he　checked　the　window　locks；　the　smell　of　the　vomit　on　the　back　seat　was　almost　overpowering。　When　he　got　to　the　Eldorado　Hotel；　he'd　get　one　of　the　Marielitos　who　lived　there　to　clean　it　out。
　　
　　
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　　The　one…way　street　was　narrow　after　they　left　the　well…lighted　area　of　the　Columbus　Hotel　on　Biscayne。　The　sidewalk　was　cracked　and　broken　from　recent　roadwork；　and　there　were　few　pedestrians。
　　〃Where's　the　parking　garage？〃　Freddy　took　Susan's　thin　arm　as　they　skirted　a　Bob's　Barricade　horse　and　a　flaming　kerosene　pot。
　　〃Up　about　four　blocks。　I　didn't　want　the　detective　to　see　my　car。　I'm　sorry　now　I　even　mentioned　it　to　him。　If　he　lets　it　slip　out　to　daddy　that　I've　got　it；　he'll　take　it。〃
　　〃That　prick　detective's　pretty　sharp。　Unless　he　does　it　on　purpose；　he　won't　let　anything　slip　out。　He　sure　picked　up　on　me　in　a　hurry。　I　think　I　had　him　fooled　on　the　dessert　business；　because　I　really　was　in　a　foster　home　in　Santa　Barbara。　But　he　knows　that　a　man　can't　hold　down　a　regular　job　and　still　work　out　six　hours　a　day　building　up　muscles　like　mine。〃
　　〃Why'd　you　tell　him　your　name　was　Ramon　Mendez？　You　don't　look　nothing　like　these　Cubans。〃　She　pointed　to　four　ragged　Marielitos　across　the　street。　They　were　unwrapping　a　large　bundle　of　clothes　between　two　parked　cars。
　　〃I　told　him　Mendez　because　I　checked　into　the　hotel　under　the　name　of　Gotlieb　with　a　stolen　credit　card。　Wait。　Let's　go　over　there　and　see　what　they've　got　in　that　bindle。〃
　　〃Let's　don't！　You　don't　want　to　have　nothing　to　do　with　these　people；　Junior。　It's　just　something　they　stole；　anyway。〃　She　tugged　at　his　arm。
　　〃Okay。　But　it's　always　inte