cwilleford.miamiblues-第14节

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is　boyfriend　isn't　a　Latin　in　the　first　place。　Remember　the　intelligence　seminar　we　went　to　last　year；　the　one　the　agent　from　Georgia　gave？　He　was　with　the　GBI。〃
　　〃I　remember　that　sonofabitch　all　right。　He　learned　my　name　in　the　first　class　and　called　on　me　at　every　session。〃
　　〃Well；　Susan's　boyfriend　had　blue　eyes　just　like　his…flat　and　staring。　And　he　never　looked　away。　I'd　planned　to　lean　on　him　a　little；　but　after　we　talked　for　a　while　I　knew　I'd　be　wasting　my　time。　Now；　if　Susan　asked　him　to；　this　guy　would　break　her　brother's　finger　or　neck　without　even　thinking　about　it。　He's　done　time；　I'm　sure；　and　he　might　even　be　a　fugitive。　He　says　he's　from　California；　here　to　study　management　at　Miami…Dade。〃
　　〃That's　possible。　People　e　from　all　over　the　world　to　study　at　Miami…Dade。〃
　　〃Not　from　California。　In　California；　you　can　go　to　college　free。　So　why　would　a　man　e　three　thousand　miles　to　pay　out…of…state　fees　at　Miami…Dade？〃
　　〃You　can　go　to　college　free　in　California？〃
　　〃That's　right；　right　on　through　a　bachelor's。〃
　　〃Why　don't　you　check　him　out；　then；　at　Miami…Dade？〃
　　〃I　will。　But　I'll　have　to　find　out　what　his　right　name　is　first。〃　Hoke　got　up；　and　pushed　his　chair　into　the　desk　kneehole。
　　〃Is　that　where　you're　going　now？〃
　　〃No。　I'm　going　down　to　the　cafeteria　for　some　coffee　and　a　doughnut。〃
　　
　　
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　　Susan　made　scrambled　eggs　with　green　peppers；　buttered　rye　toast；　and　fried　baloney　slices　for　Freddy's　breakfast。　After　he　finished　eating；　he　took　his　cup　of　coffee　out　to　the　screened　porch。　The　brown；　cultivated　fields　stretched　out　for　several　miles；　and　there　were　bands　of　dusty　green　that　faded　into　a　misty；　darker　green　toward　the　horizon。　The　country　was　so　incredibly　flat　he　couldn't　get　over　it。　There　wasn't　a　single　mound　or　a　dip　or　a　gully　for　as　far　as　he　could　see。　And；　from　the　fourth　floor；　the　horizon　had　to　be　at　least　twenty　or　twentyfive　miles　away。　Susie's　apartment　was　on　the　western　side　of　the　building　and　shaded　in　the　morning；　but　he　knew　that　the　sun　would　bake　this　side　all　afternoon。
　　Inside；　with　the　air　conditioning　set　on　seventy…five；　the　apartment　was　nice　and　cool。　Out　on　the　porch；　where　the　humid　heat　was　at　least　eighty…five；　the　sudden　change　brought　a　shock　to　his　skin。　But　he　decided　he　liked　the　heat。　Freddy　didn't　wear　any　underwear；　and　his　linen　slacks　stuck　to　the　backs　of　his　legs　as　he　sat　in　the　plastic…webbed　porch　rocker。　Susan；　wearing　white　shorts　and　a　light　blue　bikini　halter；　brought　out　the　coffeepot　and　refilled　his　cup。　Her　bare　feet　were　long　and　narrow；　and　she　looked　about　thirteen　years　old。
　　〃Explain　about　the　bank　business　again；〃　Freddy　said。
　　〃It　isn't　a　bank；　it's　a　savings　and　loan；　but　it　works　just　like　a　bank。　I　don't　know　the　exact　difference　except　that　the　S　and　L　pays　a　higher　interest　rate。　Marty　and　me　got　a　CD　for　ten　thousand　in　both　our　names；　and　a　NOW　checking　account。　The　interest　from　the　CD　goes　into　our　checking　account　automatically　at　the　end　of　each　month。　There's　more'n　four　thousand　in　it。　So　I'm　going　to　draw　it　all　out　and　start　another　CD　and　another　NOW　account　in　some　other　S　and　L。　That　way　they　won't　be　able　to　get　none　of　it　because　it'll　all　be　in　my　name。〃
　　〃That's　no　good；〃　Freddy　said；　shaking　his　head。　〃They　can　still　sue　you；　those　Krishnas　with　their　lawyers；　and　then　they'll　tie　up　all　the　money　until　the　judge　decides　who　gets　it。　What　you　do；　when　you　go　down　there；　is　take　out　all　the　money　and　bring　it　to　me。　I'll　take　care　of　it。〃
　　〃That's　too　much　money　to　keep　around　in　cash。　In　Miami；　somebody'll　steal　it　from　you。〃
　　〃I'll　rent　a　safe…deposit　box；　except　for　some　walking　around　money。　I　don't　want　you　to　worry　about　it。　What　you　don't　have；　they　can't　take　away　from　you。〃　He　finished　his　coffee；　handed　her　the　cup。　〃Now　that　we've　got　our　platonic　marriage　going；　I'll　take　care　of　you。　Don't　you　worry　about　interest　or　anything　else。　If　you　want　something；　anything…and　I　don't　mean　just　because　you　need　something；　I　mean　want　something…tell　me；　and　I'll　get　it　for　you。　Who's　that　guy　down　there？〃　Freddy　pointed　to　a　man　wearing　a　dark　blue　suit；　plete　with　vest；　getting　into　a　new　Buick　Skylark　in　the　parking　lot。
　　〃I　don't　know　his　name。　He　lives　down　in　two…fourteen；　and　he　carried　some　groceries　up　here　for　me　once。　He's　a　prephase　real　estate　salesman；　he　told　me。　That's　why　he　has　to　wear　a　suit　and　tie　all　the　time。〃
　　〃What's　a　prephase　salesman？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；　but　that's　what　he　said　he　was。　He　seemed　very　nice　and　said　he　had　a　daughter　about　my　age　in　junior　high　back　in　Ohio。　I　didn't　tell　him　how　old　I　was　or　proposition　him。　I　don't　think　it's　a　good　idea　to　fuck　people　where　you　have　to　live。〃
　　〃You'd　better　get　going　to　the　S　and　L。　So　go　ahead　and　get　dressed。〃
　　〃I　am　dressed。　You　don't　have　to　get　all　dressed　up　out　here　in　Kendall。　All　the　women　out　here　wear　shorts　and　halters。〃
　　〃Except　you。　I　don't　want　my　wife　running　around　like　some　little　kid。　Put　on　a　dress　and　shoes　and　stockings。　Do　something　about　your　hair；　too。　It's　all　tangled。〃
　　〃Aren't　you　going　with　me？〃
　　〃No。　I'm　going　to　study　the　street　map　of　Miami。　We'll　go　out　when　you　e　back。〃
　　
　　Freddy　watched　Susan　drive　out　of　the　parking　lot。　He　put　on　his　shirt；　but　not　his　shoes；　and　took　the　fire　stairs　down　to　the　second　floor。　He　twisted　the　knob　of　the　front　door　to　214　as　far　as　it　would　go；　and　then　forced　the　door　open　with　his　shoulder。　It　sprung　open　easily。
　　He　found　two　100　bills　in　the　bible　on　the　bedside　table　and　a　loaded　。38　caliber　pistol　in　its　leather　holster　in　the　drawer　of　the　same　table。　There　was　a　locked　drawer　in　the　metal　home　desk　in　the　living　room；　but　he　found　the　key　in　the　middle　pencil　drawer。　He　opened　the　locked　drawer　and　found　a　cowhide　case　containing　fifty　silver　dollars；　each　mounted　in　a　round　numbered　slot。　This　was　a　collection；　and　much　more　valuable；　he　knew；　than　the　50　face　value。　When　he　rented　the　safe…deposit　box；　it　might　be　a　good　idea　to　keep　the　collection　to　use　as　getaway　bread。　He　took　two　pairs　of　black　silk　socks　from　the　dresser　and　put　his　stolen　items　into　a　brown　paper　grocery　sack　he　got　from　a　stack　under　the　kitchen　sink。　He　added　a　package　of　six　frozen　pork　chops　from　the　freezer　partment　to　the　sack；　then　returned　to　his　own　apartment。
　　The　clothes　in　the　salesman's　closet；　unhappily；　had　been　at　least　two　sizes　too　large　for　Freddy；　but　he　was　satisfied　with　his　haul；　especially　with　the　pistol。　He　put　the　pork　chops　on　the　kitchen　table　so　they　would　thaw　for　dinner。　Then　he　shaved　with　a　disposable　lady's　shaver　Susan　had　unwrapped　for　him；　and　took　a　long　tub　bath。
　　Soaking　in　the　tub；　Freddy　examined　the　Miami　city　map；　section　by　section；　from　Perrine　to　North　Bay　Village。　The　Greater　Miami　area　was　five　times　longer　than　it　was　wide；　a　long　narrow　urban　strip　hugging　the　coast　and　the　bay；　with　no　way　to　expand　unless　the　buildings　were　built　higher　and　higher。　There　was　no　way　the　city　could　expand　any　farther　into　the　Everglades　until　they　were　drained；　and　the　coastline　was　pletely　filled。　If　a　man　had　to　escape　from　the　cops；　he　could　only　drive　north　or　south。　Only　two　roads　crossed　the　Everglades　to　Naples；　and　both　of　these　could　be　blocked。　If　a　man　drove　south　he　would　be　caught；　eventually；　in　Key　West；　and　the　cops　could　easily　bottle　up　a　man　on　the　highways　if　he　headed　north；　especially　if　he　tried　to　take　the　Sunshine　Parkway。
　　The　only　way　to　escape　from　anyone；　in　case　he　had　to；　would　be　to　have　three　or　four　hidey…holes。　One　downtown；　one　in　North　Miami；　and　perhaps　a　place　over　in　Miami　Beach。　There　would　be　no　other　safe　method　to　get　away　except　by　going　to　ground　until　whatever　it　was　that　he'd　have　done　was　more　or　less　forgotten　about。　Then；　when　the　search　was　over；　he　could　drive　or　take　a　cab　to　the　airport　and　get　a　ticket　to　anywhere　he　wanted　to　go。
　　Well；　Freddy　thought；　I've　already　got　me　a　nice　little　hideyhole　out　here　in　Kendall。
　　Susan　returned　before　noon　with　two　bags　of　groceries　and　4；280　in　fifties　and　twenties。　Freddy　sat　at　the　uncleared　breakfast　table　and　counted　the　money　while　Susan　began　to　put　away　the　groceries。
　　〃It's　ten　thousand　dollars　short；〃　he　said。
　　〃That's　because　I　took　out　another　CD　at　the　S　and　L　in　Miller　Square。　There's　plenty　of　money　right　there　to　spend　or　to　lock　away　in　a　safe…deposit　box；　without　losing　interest　on　the　other　ten　thousand　every　month。　There　was　already　a　penalty　of　almost　four　hundred　dollars　I　had　to　pay　for　cashing　in　the　CD　early。　I　had　to　pay　the　penalty；　but　it's　stupid　not　to　have　the　interest　ing　in　every　month。　I　was　getting　onethirty…two　a　month　before；　but　the　new　S　and　L's　only　paying　ninety…two。〃　Susan　picked　up　the　package　of　frozen　pork　chops　and　frowned。　〃That's　funny；　I　don't　remember　getting…〃
　　Without　rising；　Freddy　slapped　Susan　a　sharp　blow　across　the　face。　She　fell　down；　dropping　the　pork　chops；　and　the　package　slid　across　the　linoleum　floor。　She　began　to　cry　and　to　rub　her　reddened　cheek；　which　began　to　swell　immediately。
　　〃Part　of　being　married；〃　Freddy　explained；　〃is　learning　to　do　exactly