cwilleford.miamiblues-第2节

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hings　he　had　wanted　to　do　during　his　three　years　in　San　Quentin。
　　So　far；　he　liked　the　clean　white　look　of　Miami；　but　he　was　astonished　to　learn　that　the　city　was　not　on　the　ocean。
　　
　　
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　　The　VIP　Room…or　Golden　Lounge；　as　it　was　sometimes　called；　after　the　gold　plastic　cards　issued　to　first…class　passengers　by　the　three　airlines　that　maintained　it…was　unusually　crowded。　The　dead　man　lying　on　the　blue　carpet　was　not　the　only　one　who　was　there　without　a　gold　card。
　　Sergeant　Hoke　Moseley；　Homicide；　Miami　Police　Department；　filled　a　Styrofoam　cup　with　free　coffee…his　third…　picked　up　a　glazed　doughnut　from　the　assortment　on　the　clear　plastic　tray　and　put　it　back；　then　doctored　his　coffee　with　Sweet　'n'　Low　and　N…Rich　Coffee　Creamer。　Sergeant　Bill　Henderson；　Hoke's　hefty　partner；　sat　on　a　royal　blue　couch　and　read　John　Keasler's　humor　column　in　The　Miami　News。　Two　middle…aged　airport　security　men　in　electric　blue　sports　jackets　stood　by　the　door；　looking　as　if　they　were　ready　to　take　orders　from　anybody。
　　A　black　airport　public　relations　man；　wearing　a　hundreddollar　brown　silk　sports　shirt　and　yellow　linen　golf　slacks；　was　making　notes　with　a　gold　pencil　in　a　leather　notebook。　He　put　the　notebook　into　his　hip　pocket　and　crossed　the　blue…carpeted　room　to　talk　to　two　men　who　said　they　were　from　Waycross；　Georgia；　John　and　Irwin　Peeples。　They　glowered　at　him。
　　〃Don't　worry；〃　the　PR　man　said。　〃As　soon　as　the　state　attorney　gets　here；　and　I've　had　a　chance　to　talk　to　him；　you'll　be　on　the　next　flight　out　for　Atlanta。　And　a　plane　of　some　kind　leaves　for　Atlanta　every　half…hour。〃
　　〃We　don't　want　no　plane　of　some　kind；〃　John　Peeples　said。　〃Me　and　Irwin　fly　Delta　or　nothing。〃
　　〃No　problem。　If　we　have　to；　we'll　bump　a　couple　and　get　you　on　Delta　inside　of　an　hour。〃
　　〃If　I　was　you；〃　Bill　Henderson　butted　in；　taking　off　his　black…rimmed　reading　glasses；　〃I　wouldn't　promise　these　crackers　anything。　What　we　may　be　dealing　with　here　is　a　Murder　Two。　For　all　I　know；　this　whole　thing　might　be　a　religious　plot　to　murder　that　Krishna；　with　the　two　crackers　in　on　it　from　the　beginning。　Ain't　that　right；　Hoke？〃
　　〃I　don't　know　yet；〃　Hoke　said。　〃Let's　wait　and　see　what　the　medical　examiner　and　the　state　attorney　have　to　say。　At　the　least；　Mr。　and　Mr。　Peeples；　you've　got　a　long　session　ahead　of　you。　We'll　be　wanting　to　talk　to　you　downtown；　and　there'll　be　depositions　to　make　out。　As　material　witnesses　to　the〃…he　pointed　to　the　body　on　the　floor…〃demise　of　this　Krishna　here；　the　state　attorney　might　decide　to　keep　you　in　Miami　under　protective　custody　for　several　months。〃
　　The　brothers　groaned。　Hoke　winked　at　Bill　Henderson　as　he　joined　him　on　the　couch。
　　The　other　Hare　Krishna；　the　partner　of　the　dead　man；　started　to　cry　again。　Someone　had　given　him　back　his　wig　and　he　had　stuffed　it　into　his　jacket　pocket。　He　was　at　least　twenty…five；　but　he　looked　much　younger　as　he　stifled　his　sobs　and　wiped　his　eyes　with　his　fingertips。　His　freshly　shaven　head　glistened　with　perspiration。　He　had　never　seen　a　dead　person　before；　and　here　was　his　〃brother；〃　a　man　he　had　prayed　with　and　eaten　brown　rice　with；　as　dead　as　anyone　could　ever　be；　stretched　out　on　the　blue　carpet　of　the　VIP　Room；　and　covered…except　for　feet　in　white　cotton　socks　and　scuffed　Hush　Puppies…with　a　cream…colored　Aeroméxico　blanket。
　　Dr。　Merle　Evans；　the　medical　examiner；　arrived　with　Violet　Nygren；　a　blond　and　rather　plain　young　assistant　prosecutor　from　the　state　attorney's　office。　Hoke　nodded　to　the　security　men　at　the　door；　and　the　two　were　let　through。　Hoke　and　Bill　Henderson　shook　hands　with　Doc　Evans；　and　the　four　of　them　moved　to　the　back　of　the　lounge；　out　of　earshot　of　the　Peeples；　the　PR　man；　and　the　weepy　Krishna。
　　〃I'm　new　on　the　beat；〃　Violet　Nygren　said；　as　she　introduced　herself。　〃I've　only　been　in　the　state　attorney's　office　since　I　finished　up　at　the　UM　Law　School　last　June。　But　I'm　willing　to　learn；　Sergeant　Moseley。〃
　　Hoke　grinned。　〃Fair　enough。　This　is　my　partner；　Sergeant　Henderson。　If　you're　an　attorney；　Miss　Nygren；　where's　your　briefcase？〃
　　〃I've　got　a　tape　recorder　in　my　purse；〃　she　said；　holding　up　her　leather　drawstring　bag。
　　〃I　was　kidding。　I've　got　a　lot　of　respect　for　lady　lawyers。　My　ex…wife　had　one；　and　I've　been　paying　half　my　salary　for　alimony　and　child　support　for　the　last　ten　years。〃
　　〃I　haven't　been　on　a　homicide　up　to　now；〃　she　said。　〃My　caseloads　so　far　have　been　mostly　muggings　and　holdups。　But；　as　I　said；　I'm　here　to　learn；　Sergeant。〃
　　〃This　may　not　be　a　homicide。　That's　why　we　wanted　someone　from　the　state　attorney's　office　to　e　down　with　Doc　Evans。　We　hope　it　isn't。　We've　had　enough　this　year　as　it　is。　But　that'll　be　up　to　you　and　Doc　Evans　to　decide。〃
　　〃That's　awfully　deferential；　for　you；　Hoke；〃　Doc　Evans　said。　〃What's　bothering　you？〃
　　〃Here's　what　happened。　The　body　under　the　blanket's　a　Hare　Krishna。〃　Hoke　looked　at　his　opened　notebook。　〃His　name's　Martin　Waggoner；　and　his　parents；　according　to　that　other　Krishna　over　there；　live　in　Okeechobee。　He　came　down　to　Miami　nine　or　ten　months　ago；　joined　the　Krishnas；　and　they　both　reside　in　the　new　Krishna　ashram　out　on　Krome　Avenue　in　the　East　'Glades。　These　two　have　been　working　the　airport　for　about　six　months；　their　regular　assignment。　The　airport　security　people　know　them；　and　they've　been　warned　a　couple　of　times　about　bothering　the　passengers。　The　dead　man　had　more　than　two　hundred　dollars　in　his　wallet；　and　the　other　Krishna's　got　about　one…fifty。　That's　how　much　they've　begged　out　here　since　seven　A。M。〃　Hoke　looked　at　his　wristwatch。　〃It's　only　twelve…forty…five　now；　and　the　Krishna　over　there　said　they　usually　take　in　about　five　hundred　a　day　between　them。〃
　　〃Pretty　good　money。〃　Violet　Nygren　raised　her　pale　eyebrows。　〃I　wouldn't　have　guessed　they　collected　so　much。〃
　　〃The　security　people　said　there're　two　more　Krishna　teams　working　the　airport　besides　this　one。　We　haven't　notified　the　mune；　and　we　haven't　called　the　Krishna's　parents　up　in　Okeechobee；　yet。〃
　　〃You　haven't　told　us　a　hell　of　a　lot；　either；〃　Doc　Evans　said。
　　〃Our　problem；　Doc；　is　witnesses。　There　were　maybe　thirty　witnesses；　all　in　line　at　Aeroméxico；　but　they　took　the　flight　to　Mérida。　We　managed　to　snag　these　two　boys　over　there〃…　Hoke　pointed　to　the　Georgians；　who　looked　to　be　in　their　forties…〃but　only　because　the　uglier　one　on　the　right　stole　the　victim's　wig。　The　airline　employees　behind　the　counter　said　they　didn't　see　anything。　They　were　too　busy；　they　said；　and　at　check…in　time　I　suppose　they　were。　I　got　their　names；　and　we　can　talk　to　them　again　later。〃
　　〃Too　bad；〃　Henderson　said；　〃that　we　couldn't　find　the　lady　with　the　Krishna　Kricket。〃
　　〃What's　a　Krishna　Kricket？〃　Violet　Nygren　asked。
　　〃They　sell　'em　out　here　in　the　bookshops　and　drugstores。　It's　just　a　metal　cricket　with　a　piece　of　spring　steel　inside。　You　crick　it　at　the　Krishnas　when　they　start　bugging　you。　The　noise　usually　drives　them　away。　There　used　to　be　a　Krishna…hater　out　here　who　gave　them　away　free；　but　he　ran　out　of　crickets　or　money　or　ardor…I　don't　know。　Anyway；　the　two　brothers　over　there　said　she　was　closest　to　the　action；　and　she　kept　cricking　her　Kricket　at　the　Krishna　until　he　stopped　screaming。〃
　　〃How　was　he　killed？〃　Doc　Evans　said。　〃Or　do　you　want　me　to　look　at　him　now　and　tell　you？　I've　got　to　get　back　to　the　morgue。〃
　　〃That's　the　point；〃　Hoke　said。　〃He　wasn't　actually　killed。　He　bothered　some　guy　wearing　a　leather　coat。　The　guy　bent　his　finger　back　and　broke　it。　Then　the　guy　walked　away　and　disappeared。　The　Krishna　went　down　on　his　knees；　started　screaming；　and　then；　maybe　five　or　six　minutes　later；　he's　dead。　The　security　men　brought　his　body　in　here；　and　the　PR　man　over　there　called　Homicide。　So　there　it　is…the　Krishna　died　from　a　broken　finger。　How　about　it；　Miss　Nygren？　Is　that　a　homicide　or　not？〃
　　〃I　never　heard　of　anybody　dying　from　a　broken　finger；〃　she　said。
　　〃He　must　have　died　from　shock；〃　Doc　Evans　said。　〃I'll　tell　you　for　sure　after　I've　had　a　look　at　him。　How　old　is　he；　Hoke？〃
　　〃Twenty…one…acording　to　his　driver's　license。〃
　　〃That's　what　I　mean；〃　Doc　Evans　said；　pressing　his　lips。　〃Young　people　today　just　can't　stand　up　to　pain　the　way　we　could　when　we　were　younger。　This　one　was　probably　malnourished　and　in　lousy　shape。　The　pain　was　unexpected　and　just　too　much　for　him。　It　hurts　like　hell　to　have　your　finger　bent　back。〃
　　〃You're　telling　me；〃　Violet　Nygren　said。　〃My　brother　used　to　do　it　to　me　when　I　was　a　kid。〃
　　〃And　if　you　bend　it　back　all　the　way；〃　Doc　Evans　said；　〃until　it　breaks；　it　hurts　like　a　son　of　a　bitch。　So　he　probably　went　into　shock。　Nobody　gave　him　hot　tea　or　covered　him　up　with　a　blanket；　and　that　was　it。　It　doesn't　take　very　long　to　die　from　shock。〃
　　〃About　five　or　six　minutes；　the　Peeples　brothers　say。〃
　　〃That's　pretty　fast。〃　Doc　Evans　shook　his　head。　〃Shock　usually　takes　fifteen　or　twenty　minutes。　But　I'm　not　making　any　guesses。　For　all　I　know；　without　examining　the　body；　there　could　be　a　bullet　hole　in　him。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　Bill　Henderson　said。　〃All　I　saw　was　the　broken　finger；　and　it's　broken　clean　off…just　hanging　there。〃
　　〃If　it　was　an　accident；〃