cwilleford.miamiblues-第32节

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　and　slightly　atrophied；　so　while　he　watched　TV　he　squeezed　a　tennis　ball　to　strengthen　his　wrist　and　fingers。
　　
　　Three　weeks　after　the　accident　at　the　7…Eleven；　Freddy　put　on　his　Italian　suit；　took　the　car　keys；　and　drove　into　downtown　Miami。　He　had　studied　the　Yellow　Pages　and　the　ads　in　the　〃Miami　Herald〃；　and　he　had　a　tentative　plan。　He　cased　three　different　coin　dealers　before　picking　a　major　one　on　Flagler　Street。　Flagler　was　Miami's　main　street；　and　the　downtown　stretch　of　Flagler　was　one…way；　but　just　around　the　corner　on　Miami　Avenue　there　was　a　yellow　loading　zone。　If　Susan　pulled　into　the　loading　zone　and　sat　in　the　car；　a　mere　thirty　yards　around　the　corner　from　the　coin　dealer's；　she　could　probably　stay　there　for　a　half…hour　or　more　before　some　cop　came　along　and　told　her　to　move。　The　coin　dealer；　a　man　named　Ruben　Wulgemuth；　had　a　reinforced　steel　door　to　his　shop；　and　there　was　a　circular；　revolving　bulletproof　window　in　the　wall　beside　the　door。　To　transact　business　with　the　dealer；　patrons　outside　on　the　sidewalk　placed　their　coins　or　whatever　into　the　drawer　of　the　revolving　window。　Except　for　his　regular　customers；　Wulgemuth　didn't　let　anyone　inside　his　shop。　But　Freddy　knew　how　to　get　inside。
　　Over　the　asparagus　that　night；　Freddy　explained　Susan's　duties　to　her。　Freddy　had　never　eaten　asparagus　before；　nor　had　he　ever　tried　hollandaise　sauce；　but　he　liked　it　a　lot；　especially　with　the　center…cut　ham　steak　and　scalloped　potatoes　au　gratin。　Susan；　whose　part　in　the　plan　was　minimal　but　essential；　was　apprehensive　because　Freddy　did　not　feel　that　it　was　necessary　to　tell　her　what　he　was　going　to　do。
　　〃I　know　you　don't　like　questions；　Junior；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　want　to　do　it　right。〃
　　〃I　don't　mind　questions；〃　he　said；　appropriating　Susan's　uneaten　asparagus。　〃I　just　don't　like　dumb　questions。〃
　　〃You　haven't　told　me　what's　going　down。　If　I　knew　what　you　were　going　to　do；　it　would　help　me　do　what　you　want　me　to　do。〃
　　〃No；　it　wouldn't。　All　you　have　to　do　is　park　in　the　yellow　zone　and　keep　the　engine　running。　Nothing　could　be　simpler。　I'll　get　out　of　the　car　and　do　my　business　with　the　coin　dealer。　If　a　cop　or　a　meter　maid　es　along；　tell　them　that　you're　waiting　for　your　husband　to　finish　a　transaction　with　the　coin　shop　around　the　corner。　The　cops　know　Wulgemuth　does　business　with　people　on　the　street；　and　that's　a　legitimate　reason　to　park　in　a　loading　zone。　They　may　make　you　move　anyway；　but　then　you　just　drive　around　the　block　as　fast　as　you　can　without　breaking　the　speed　limit　and　park　there　again。　If　you're　forced　to　move；　lean　on　your　horn　with　a　long　two…minute　blast　as　you　e　by　the　shop。　I'll　be　inside；　but　I'll　hear　you。〃
　　〃It'll　only　take　a　few　seconds　to　pass　the　shop；　so　how　can　I　blow　the　horn　for　two　minutes？〃
　　〃Start　blowing　when　you　turn　the　corner　onto　Flagler；　and　keep　the　horn　on　all　the　way　up　the　block　after　you　pass　the　shop。　That's　what　I　mean　by　a　two…minute　blast。　Think；　Susan；　think。　If　someone　looks　at　you　funny　for　holding　down　the　horn；　pretend　like　it's　stuck。〃
　　〃Like　this？〃　Susan　dropped　her　jaw；　made　an　O　with　her　mouth；　and　opened　her　eyes　wide。
　　〃That's　it！〃　Freddy　laughed。
　　〃You　laughed！　I　don't　remember　you　laughing　before；　not　even　at　TV。〃
　　〃You　never　did　anything　funny　before。　I　don't　laugh　at　TV　because　it　isn't　real。〃
　　〃All　right。　So　what　I　do　is　park　there　and　keep　the　engine　running。　If　nobody　makes　me　move；　I　just　wait　for　you。　When　you　get　back　into　the　car　I　drive　down　to　Biscayne；　take　the　MacArthur　Causeway；　and　pull　into　the　parking　lot　on　Watson　Island。〃
　　〃The　Japanese　Garden　parking　lot。　We'll　stay　parked　in　the　lot　until　it　gets　dark；　and　then　we'll　drive　back　here　to　Dania　by　way　of　Miami　Beach。　The　Japanese　Garden　has　been　vandalized；　so　they've　closed　it　for　repairs。　No　one　parks　in　the　Garden　lot　now；　except　for　a　few　fishermen　in　the　daytime　and　some　lovers　at　night。　So；　if　we　aren't　followed；　it'll　be　easy　to　hide　out　there　all　afternoon　until　it　gets　dark。　You'd　better　pack　some　kind　of　lunch　and　a　thermos　with　iced　tea。〃
　　〃Suppose　we're　followed…and　why　would　anybody　want　to　follow　us？〃
　　〃Don't　worry　about　it。　If　we're　followed；　I'll　deal　with　it；　but　we　won't　be。　When　you　ask　why；　you're　asking　another　dumb　question。〃
　　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　　〃What's　for　dessert？〃
　　〃Sweet　potato　pie。〃
　　〃I've　never　had　that　before。〃
　　〃It　tastes　something　like　punkin　pie。　If　I　didn't　tell　you；　you'd　probably　think　it　was　punkin；　but　sweet　potato's　better。〃
　　〃I'll　try　it。　I　like　pumpkin　pie。〃
　　〃You　want　whipped　cream　on　it？〃
　　〃Of　course。〃
　　After　dinner；　Susan　drove　them　to　the　Dania　jai　alai　fronton。　While　she　was　buying　the　tickets；　Freddy　scouted　the　parking　lot　and　unbolted　a　Kansas　license　plate　from　a　Ford　Escort。　He　locked　the　plate　into　his　trunk　to　exchange　for　the　TransAm　plate　when　they　got　home。　Freddy　watched　the　first　game　and　decided　he　didn't　know　enough　about　the　game　or　the　players　to　make　an　intelligent　wager。
　　Susan；　however；　by　betting　on　the　Basque　players　who　had　the　first　name　of　Jesus…there　were　three　that　night…won　212。35。
　　
　　
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　　Hoke　still　had　Bill　Henderson's　。32　automatic　pistol　when　he　left　the　police　station。　He　had　meant　to　lock　it　in　Henderson's　desk　drawer；　but　when　he　had　seen　Ellita　Sanchez　sitting　at　the　double　desk　in　the　little　office；　he　changed　his　mind。　He　had　got　a　good　look　at　Sanchez；　however；　and　noticed　that　she　did　indeed　have　large　breasts；　although　they　were　disguised　somewhat　by　her　loose　silk　blouse　and　the　large　silk　bow　that　was　tied　under　her　throat。　Her　black　hair　was　bobbed　the　way　they　used　to　cut　the　hair　of　little　Chinese　girls。　The　back　of　her　slender　white　neck　looked　as　if　it　had　been　shaved。　She　wore　blue…tinted　glasses；　and　she　was　frowning；　with　tightly　pursed　lips；　as　she　read　through　a　file。　She　tapped　the　glass　top　of　the　desk　absently　with　a　yellow　pencil。　If　he　went　into　the　office；　she　would　surely　ask　him　some　questions　about　the　paperwork。　Sanchez　was　a　formidable…looking　woman；　and　Hoke　did　not　relish　the　idea　of　working　with　her；　or　as　Brownley　had　put　it；　〃winning　her　over。〃　So　he　had　left　the　station　without　talking　to　her。
　　Hoke　thought　about　Ellita　Sanchez　now；　however；　as　he　sat　in　his　room；　trying　to　figure　out　his　next　move。　Whatever　he　did；　he　would　have　to　be　careful。　He　didn't　want　to　involve　Sergeant　Wilson；　the　Vice　cop；　nor　did　he　want　to　make　a　legal　mistake　of　some　kind　that　would　result　in　bail　or　a　quick　release　for　Mendez。　He　had　to　get　that　man　off　the　street　forever。
　　There　was　no　doubt　in　Hoke's　mind　that　Mendez　had　mugged　the　unfortunate　Gotlieb；　whose　credit　card　he　had　then　stolen　and　used　at　the　International　Hotel；　but　he　had　no　proof　of　the　mugging；　nor　could　he　get　a　warrant　on　the　strength　of　how　he　happened　to　feel　about　it。　And　there　was　always　the　possibility　that　Mendez　had　bought　the　stolen　credit　card　from　someone　else。　For　fifty　bucks　apiece；　a　man　could　buy　all　the　stolen　cards　he　wanted　at　the　downtown　bus　station。
　　Hoke　went　to　the　desk　and　poured　an　overflowing　jigger　of　Early　Times　into　his　tooth　glass。　Too　much。　He　poured　part　of　it　back　into　the　bottle。　His　hands　shook　a　little；　and　he　spilled　part　of　his　drink。　He　could　hear　his　heart　beat。　The　more　he　thought　about　Mendez；　the　more　afraid　he　was。　This　was　not　paranoia。　When　a　man　has　beaten　you　badly　and　you　know　that　he　can　do　it　to　you　again；　a　wholesome　fear　is　a　sign　of　intelligence。
　　There　was　only　one　thing　to　do；　and　that　was　to　find　Mendez　and　follow　him。　Then；　if　he　could　find　his　gun　and　badge　on　the　bastard；　he　could　bring　him　in　for　assault　or　attempted　murder。　At　the　very　least；　Mendez　could　be　held　for　a　few　days　without　bail；　long　enough　to　run　a　fingerprint　check　out　to　California　to　see　what　they　had　on　him。　If　the　man　had　a　record；　and　Hoke　was　certain　he　had　one；　the　chances　were　good　that　he　was　wanted　in　California；　too。　If　he　wasn't　on　the　run　from　California；　why　had　he　e　to　Miami？
　　Hoke　had　calmed　down　a　little。　The　drink　had　helped　so　much　he　poured　another　one。　His　hands　were　steady　now。　Hoke　lit　a　Kool　and　picked　up　the　phone。　After　he　listened　to　it　buzz　at　the　switchboard　fifteen　or　sixteen　times；　he　lost　count。　Finally　Eddie　Cohen　answered　the　phone。
　　〃Desk。〃
　　〃Eddie；　this　is　Sergeant　Moseley。　Dial　my　number　at　the　police　station　for　me；　will　you；　please？〃
　　Ellita　Sanchez　picked　up　the　phone　before　it　could　ring　a　second　time。　〃Homicide。　Detective　Sanchez。〃
　　〃Hello；　Sanchez。　This　is　your　new　partner；　Sergeant　Hoke　Moseley。　I　was　in　earlier　today　to　see　Captain　Brownley；　but　you　looked　so　busy　I　didn't　want　to　bother　you。　Anyway；　Captain　Brownley…〃
　　〃Who？　You　want　Captain　Brownley？〃
　　〃No。〃　Hoke　hesitated。　Sanchez　didn't　have　much　of　an　accent；　but　Hoke　realized　that　he　was　talking　too　fast　for　her　to　follow　him。　〃This　is　Sergeant　Moseley。　I　am　your　new　partner。〃
　　〃Yes；　sergeant。〃
　　〃We're　going　to　be　working　together。　You　and　me。　Captain　Brownley　told　me　today。　When　I　came　to　see　him。〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃I　want　you　to　do　a　couple　of　things　for　me。〃
　　〃What？〃
　　〃You　can　probably　handle　it　all　with　a　few　phone　calls