cwilleford.miamiblues-第25节

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　　〃I　thought　you　might　feel　that　way；　so　I　talked　to　Mr。　Bennett　myself。　In　fact；　I　won't　go　inside　with　you；　because　Bennett　and　me…well…we　had　some　words。　I　got　on　his　ass　about　the　lousy　room　he　had　you　in；　so　finally　he　agreed　to　give　you　a　small　suite　on　the　second　floor。　Suite　two…oh…seven。　The　old　lady　who　had　it　for　eleven　years　died。〃
　　〃Mrs。　Schultz　died？〃
　　〃I　think　that　was　her　name。　Anyway；　she　had　some　nice　things；　and　he's　left　them　there　and　cleaned　up　the　place。　You　were　missed　around　here　while　you　were　in　the　hospital。　The　old　people　were　scared　shitless　when　you　were　attacked。　So　I　guess　your　Mr。　Bennett　finally　realized　that　a　free　security　officer　was　worth　two　rooms　instead　of　one。〃
　　〃I　guess　you　knew　all　along　I　wouldn't　move　in　on　you　and　Marie？〃
　　〃I　had　a　hunch。　The　main　thing　was　to　give　you　a　Miami　address；　so　be　sure　to　use　my　address　on　your　correspondence。　Anyway；　I　brought　all　your　stuff　with　me　in　the　trunk　of　the　car；　just　in　case　you　wanted　to　stay　here。〃
　　〃e　on　in；　Bill。　You　don't　have　to　be　worried　about　Bennett。〃
　　Eddie　Cohep；　the　old　man　who　was　both　night　and　day　desk　clerk　when　he　wasn't　doing　something　else；　was　happy　to　see　Hoke。　Eddie　rubbed　his　stubbled　chin　and　pointed　to　Hoke's　gray　beard。
　　〃You　look　like　Dr。　Freud；　Sergeant　Moseley。〃
　　They　shook　hands。　〃Before　or　after　the　prosthesis？〃
　　〃Before　and　after。　You　lost　yourself　a　little　weight。〃
　　〃Twenty…seven　pounds。〃　Hoke　smiled。
　　〃Your　new　teeth　are　beautiful！　Simply　beautiful！〃
　　〃Thanks。　You　know　Sergeant　Henderson？〃
　　〃Oh；　yes。　We　talked　the　other　day。　Mr。　Bennett　said　to　say　wele　back　for　him。　He's　up　in　Palm　Beach　for　the　weekend。　D'you　know　about　your　new　suite？〃
　　〃Sergeant　Henderson　just　told　me。〃
　　Eddie　shook　his　head。　〃Mrs。　Schultz　went　quietly　in　her　sleep。　She　watched　'Magnum　P。I。'　in　the　lobby；　went　on　up　to　bed；　and　Mrs。　Feeny　found　her　the　next　morning。〃
　　〃She　was　the　expert　on　'General　Hospital'　in　the　TV　Club；　wasn't　she？〃
　　〃Right。　And　'Dallas；'　too。〃
　　〃My　stuff's　out　in　Sergeant　Henderson's　car。　Some　sonofabitch　stole　my　radio　and　battery　while　I　was…〃
　　〃No。〃　Cohen　shook　his　head。　〃Just　your　radio。　I　saw　the　radio　was　missing　on　my　morning　check　outside；　so　I　had　Gutierrez　take　out　your　battery　and　put　it　in　Mr。　Bennett's　office。　So　you've　still　got　your　battery。　You　see；〃　he　turned　to　Henderson；　〃when　they　built　the　Eldorado　back　in　'twentynine；　people　used　to　e　down　here　by　rail　and　ship。　So　there　weren't　enough　cars　around　then　to　build　parking　garages　the　way　they　do　now。
　　〃Oh；　yes；　I've　also　got　some　money　for　you。〃
　　Eddie　Cohen　went　into　the　office　and　returned　with　two　manila　envelopes。　The　flaps　were　sealed　with　Scotch　tape。
　　〃I　opened　these　when　they　was　delivered；　and　there　was　exactly　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　in　each　envelope。　I　told　Mr。　Bennett；　of　course；　and　we　kept　the　money　locked　up　in　the　safe。　Maybe　I　shouldn't've　opened　them〃…Eddie　shrugged…　〃but　I　thought　it　might　be　something　important。〃
　　〃That's　okay；　Eddie；〃　Hoke　said。　SGT。　MOSLEY　was　printed　in　capitals　with　a　black　felt…tipped　pen　on　each　envelope。　〃Who　brought　the　envelopes？〃
　　〃Some　Cuban　kid　on　a　mini…bike。　Both　times。　He　just　said　to　put　the　envelopes　in　the　safe　for　Sergeant　Moseley。　That's　all　I　know。　I　didn't　have　to　sign　a　receipt　or　nothing。〃
　　Hoke　counted　the　money　on　the　desk。　The　bills　were　all　used　tens；　fives；　and　singles。
　　〃What's　going　on；　Hoke？〃　Henderson　asked。
　　〃I　haven't　got　a　clue。　Let's　walk　over　to　Irish　Mike's　and　have　a　drink。〃
　　〃That's　a　lot　of　dough　not　to　know　anything　about　it…〃
　　〃I　know。　Let's　talk　about　it　at　Irish　Mike's。　While　we're　gone；　Eddie　can　get　my　stuff　out　of　your　car。　Okay；　Eddie？〃
　　〃Sure。　Go　ahead。　Gutierrez　is　around　here　someplace。　He'll　take　it　up　for　you。〃
　　〃You　said　you　felt　a　little　weak　before；〃　Henderson　said。　〃Can　you　walk　two　blocks　in　the　sun？〃
　　〃I　need　to　walk　off　a　little　adrenaline。〃
　　They　found　seats　at　the　bar　in　Irish　Mike's。　Mike　shook　hands　with　Hoke；　and　frowned。　〃That　beard　looks　terrible；　sergeant。〃
　　〃The　doc　said　to　leave　it　on　for　a　couple　of　weeks。〃
　　Hoke　took　one　of　the　Manila　envelopes　out　of　his　leisure　jacket　pocket　and　counted　out　100　on　the　bar。　He　pushed　the　money　across　to　Irish　Mike。　〃Take　care　of　my　tab；　and　leave　what's　over　as　a　credit。〃
　　〃Your　credit's　always　good　here；　sergeant。　You　know　that。　I'll　just　check　your　tab　and　give　you　back　the　change。〃
　　〃No。　Leave　it。　I　want　to　see　what　it　feels　like　to　have　a　credit　for　a　change。　Early　Times。　Straight　up。　Water　back。〃
　　〃Similar；〃　Henderson　said。
　　Mike　served　their　drinks　and　retreated　to　the　other　end　of　the　bar　to　sell　a　twenty…five…cent　punch　on　his　punchboard　to　a　white…bearded　old　man。
　　〃D'you　think　it's　a　good　idea　to　be　paying　off　old　debts　with　money　you　don't　know　where　it　came　from；　Hoke？　Or　do　you？〃
　　〃Do　I；　what？〃
　　〃Know　where　the　money　came　from。　That's　a　lot　of　money。　You　aren't　into　something　you　haven't　told　me　about；　are　you？〃
　　〃I　don't　know　where　it　came　from；　and　I　don't　care。　Maybe　you　guys　in　the　division　took　up　a　collection　for　me？〃
　　〃That'll　be　the　fucking　day。　First　you　find　an　extra　hundred　on　your　dresser　you　don't　know　about；　and　then　you　get　a　couple　of　two…fifty　payoffs　in　anonymous　brown　envelopes。　It　must've　e　from　the　guy　who　clobbered　you。〃
　　〃I　hope　so。　But　it's　no　payoff；　Bill。　Maybe　the　bastard　feels　guilty。　If　so；　it's　because　he　assaulted　the　wrong　man。　I've　gone　over　every　case　I　could　think　of　in　the　last　ten　years。　Lying　in　the　hospital；　I've　had　plenty　of　time　to　think；　and　I　couldn't　think　of　anyone　who'd　lay　for　me　like　that。　There're　a　couple　of　guys　who　might've　been　happy　to　kill　me；　but　that's　what　they　would've　done。　A　beating　like　the　one　I　got　wouldn't've　been　enough。〃
　　〃Even　so；　Hoke；　if　it　was　me；　I'd　be　damned　leery　of　spending　any　of　that　dough　till　I　found　out　where　it　came　from。〃
　　〃Fuck　where　it　came　from。　I　need　it；　and　I　can　use　it。　I'll　be　in　Monday　to　pick　up　my　paychecks；　but　Captain　Brownley　said　to　take　two　weeks'　sick　leave　before　ing　back　to　duty。　And　that's　what　I'm　going　to　do。　How's　your　new　partner　Lopez　working　out？〃
　　〃Lopez　is　a　Cuban；　for　Christ's　sake。　He　saw　〃The　French　Connection〃；　so　now　he　wears　his　gun　in　an　ankle　holster　the　way　Popeye　did　in　the　movie。〃
　　〃No　shit？〃　Hoke　bared　his　yellow　teeth　in　a　smile。
　　〃God's　truth。　Let's　have　the　other　half。〃　Henderson　signaled　to　Irish　Mike　for　two　more；　and　took　out　his　wallet。
　　〃Put　your　money　away；〃　Hoke　said。　〃I've　got　a　credit　going　here。〃
　　
　　Gutierrez　had　put　all　of　Hoke's　clothing　away　neatly　by　the　time　Hoke　returned　to　his　new　suite。　It　was　a　small　suite；　all　right；　even　with　the　sitting　room；　and　it　looked　even　smaller　because　the　late　Mrs。　Schultz　had　crammed　a　great　many　purchases　from　garage　sales　into　the　sitting　room　during　her　eleven　years　of　residence。　There　was　a　fortable　Victorian　armchair　stuffed　with　horsehair；　where　Hoke　could　sit　and　watch　his　little　Sony；　and　there　was　a　handsome　rolltop　desk　with　a　matching　swivel　chair；　flush　against　the　wall。　Hoke　put　his　files　and　papers　into　the　desk　drawers；　happy　to　have　a　desk　in　his　room。　In　his　tiny　room　on　the　eighth　floor；　he　had　had　to　unfold　a　bridge　table　that　he　kept　under　the　bed；　when　he　wanted　to　eat　or　to　do　some　paperwork　at　home。　The　brass　bed　in　the　bedroom　was　full…size；　too；　which　meant　that　he　could　bring　a　woman　to　his　room　and　not　be　embarrassed。
　　Hoke　took　out　his　dentures；　which　irritated　his　gums；　and　put　them　to　soak　in　a　plastic　glass　with　some　Polident。　Dr。　Rubin　had　said　it　would　take　a　little　time　to　get　used　to　them　and　to　note　the　rough　spots；　if　any；　and　they　could　be　adjusted　on　Hoke's　next　visit　to　the　office。　Hoke　examined　his　face　in　the　mirror　and　was　appalled。　Without　his　dentures；　he　looked　even　worse。　His　gray　beard；　almost　an　inch　long；　reminded　him　of　Mr。　Geezil　in　the　old　〃Popeye〃　ic　strip。　His　chances　of　ever　getting　a　woman　into　his　new　brass　bed　seemed　negligible；　and　he　hadn't　been　laid　for　five　months。　With　a　sigh；　Hoke　left　the　bathroom。
　　There　was　a　single　window　air　conditioner　in　the　bedroom；　but　very　little　cold　air　filtered　into　the　sitting　room。　If　he　couldn't　wangle　another　room　air　conditioner　from　Mr。　Bennett；　he　would　have　to　buy　an　overhead　fan。　On　the　wall　above　the　desk；　there　was　a　large　painting　of　three　white　horses　pulling　a　fire　truck。　The　horses'　nostrils　flared；　and　their　eyes　rolled　wildly。　That　was　one　hell　of　a　painting；　Hoke　decided；　and　probably　worth　a　lot　of　money。　He　was　surprised　that　Mr。　Bennett　had　left　it　in　the　room　instead　of　selling　it…
　　There　was　a　rapping　on　the　door…three　sharp　peremptory　knocks。
　　Hoke　panicked。　He　pulled　open　drawers　in　the　desk；　ripping　a　fingernail　in　the　process；　forgetting　for　a　frenzied　moment　or　so　that　his　gun　had　been　stolen。　What　could　he　use　as　a　weapon？　There　was　a　heavy　glass　paperweight　on　the　desk；　with　a　butterfly　preserved　in　its　interior。　Hoke　snatched　it　up　and　stood　with　his　back　against　the　wall　beside　the　door。
　　〃Who　is　it？〃　Hoke　said。
　　〃Sergeant　Wilson；〃　a　deep　voice　rumbled。　〃Miami　P