cwilleford.miamiblues-第35节

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n　the　door。〃　Freddy　took　his　badge　out　of　the　drawer。
　　The　face　disappeared。　A　buzzer　on　the　door　lock　sounded；　and　Freddy　turned　the　knob　as　the　door　lock　was　released。　The　buzzing　stopped　as　he　stepped　inside。
　　〃Shut　the　door！〃　Wulgemuth　called　from　the　back　of　the　shop。
　　Freddy　closed　the　door　with　his　hip。　Wulgemuth　had　the　coin　case　open　on　the　counter　at　the　end　of　the　narrow　shop。
　　〃These　coins　were　stolen；　you　say？〃
　　〃Yeah。　I　brought　them　down　from　the　property　room。　We　picked　them　up　on　a　fencing　bust；　and　we　figured　if　we　could　get　a　line　on　the　owner　we　could　find　out　something　more　on　the　burglars。　Is　this　a　valuable　collection；　or　not？〃
　　Wulgemuth　shrugged。　〃What　you're　talking　about　here；　sergeant；　is　intrinsic　value。　That's　what　I　deal　in。　It's　worth　what　someone　wants　to　pay　for　it；　and　that's　probably　a　lot　more　than　its　face　value。　This　is　by　no　means　a　rare　collection；　even　though　a　cursory　look　shows　that　all　the　coins　are　in　pretty　fair　condition。〃
　　〃Did　you　ever　see　it　before？〃
　　〃As　a　collection；　no；　but　I've　seen　a　lot　like　it。　What　happened　to　your　eye；　anyway？〃
　　〃Car　accident。〃
　　〃You　oughta　sue　the　doctor　who　sewed　you　up。　You　could　make　a　bundle。〃
　　〃He　said　it　would　look　okay　once　it　scarred　over。〃
　　〃He　lied。　Anyway；　this　isn't　my　coin　case；　either。〃
　　Freddy　closed　the　lid　on　the　case；　and　snapped　the　two　hasp　locks　closed。　〃I'll　try　another　dealer。　Can　you　show　me　one　of　your　coin　cases？　I'd　like　to　see　how　different　yours　are　from　this　one。〃
　　〃I　don't　have　any　on　hand；　not　right　now。〃
　　〃Not　even　in　your　safe？〃
　　〃None　for　silver　dollars。〃
　　〃Who　else　sells　cowhide　cases　like　this　one；　then？〃
　　〃You're　on　the　wrong　track；　sergeant。　All　the　trade　magazines　advertise　cases　like　this。　You　can　order　coin　cases　by　mail；　from　cheap　canvas　jobs　to　custom…made　ostrich　with　your　initials　in　gold。〃
　　〃I　see。〃
　　〃How　e　a　Homicide　detective's　so　interested　in　tracing　stolen　property？　Is　there　a　murder　involved　in　this　collection？〃
　　〃That's　confidential；　Mr。　Wulgemuth。　I'm　also　checking　out　your　place　here　for　security。　We've　had　a　tip；　you　see；　and　we're　thinking　about　putting　a　stakeout　in　here。　Someone…we　don't　know　who…has　been　hitting　coin　dealers。〃
　　〃You're　telling　me！　D'you　know　how　many　times　I've　been　robbed？　Before　I　put　in　that　window；　I　was　hit　three　times　in　one　month！　But　I　don't　need　any　stakeouts　now。〃
　　〃Why　not？〃　Freddy　smiled；　and　reached　into　his　jacket　pocket　for　his　pistol。　His　fingers　closed　over　the　crosshatched　grip。
　　〃Because　of　Pedro。〃　Wulgemuth　turned　his　head。　〃Pedro！〃　The　door　in　the　back　opened　with　a　bang。　A　short；　wideshouldered；　dark…haired　man　came　through　the　doorway。　His　double…barreled　shotgun　was　pointed　at　Freddy's　chest。　His　dark；　serious　face　was　expressionless。
　　〃He's　been　watching　you　all　the　time　through　the　peephole　in　the　door。〃　Wulgemuth　laughed。　〃It's　okay；　Pedro。　This　is　Detective　Sergeant　Moseley。　He's　with　the　police　department。〃
　　Pedro　lowered　his　shotgun　and　turned　toward　the　back　door。　As　he　turned；　Freddy　pulled　out　his　。38　and　shot　him　in　the　back。　Pedro　fell；　face　down；　through　the　open　door　to　the　back　storeroom。　The　shotgun　clattered　on　the　terrazzo　floor　but　did　not　go　off。　Freddy　was　still　looking　down　at　Pedro；　deciding　whether　to　fire　another　shot；　when　Wulgemuth　with　a　sweeping　motion　brought　up　a　machete　from　beneath　the　counter。　In　a　wide　arc；　he　brought　it　down　on　Freddy's　left　hand；　which　was　resting　on　the　coin　case。　Freddy's　little　finger；　the　ring　finger；　and　the　middle　finger　were　lopped　off　cleanly　at　their　second　joints。　The　force　of　the　downward　swing　drove　the　blade　into　the　leather　of　the　case。　Freddy　shot　Wulgemuth　in　the　face。　The　bullet　made　a　round　hole　just　below　his　nose。　He　fell　back　with　a　gurgling　sound；　dead　before　his　bald　head　hit　the　terrazzo　floor。
　　For　a　long　moment；　Freddy　looked　without　prehension　at　the　exposed　and　bloody　bones　of　his　left　hand。　The　hand　was　numb　at　first；　and　then　he　felt　a　jolt　that　raced　back　and　forth　from　his　hand　to　his　elbow。　The　stumps　of　his　fingers　were　bleeding；　but　not　as　much　as　he　would　have　expected　them　to　bleed。　He　wrapped　his　handkerchief　around　his　wounded　hand；　lifted　the　hinged　Formica　lid；　and　went　behind　the　counter。　He　tried　to　open　the　six…foot　wall　safe；　but　the　bination　safe　was　closed　and　locked。　He　opened　the　cash　drawer　behind　the　counter。　There　were　several　bills　in　various　denominations；　as　well　as　change　in　separate　partments。　Freddy　dropped　his　pistol　back　into　his　jacket　pocket　and　scooped　up　the　stack　of　tens　and　twenties。　He　turned　over　Wulgemuth's　body　with　his　good　hand　and　took　the　coin　dealer's　wallet　out　of　his　hip　pocket。　Freddy　stuffed　the　wallet　and　the　bills　into　his　inside　jacket　pocket　and　went　to　the　front　door。
　　He　couldn't　open　it。　He　returned　to　the　counter　and　stuck　a　paper　clip　into　the　door's　buzzer　release　so　he　could　get　out。　He　shut　the　heavy　door　behind　him　as　he　left；　and　the　door　lock　continued　to　buzz。　Anyone　could　walk　in　now；　and　the　first　one　to　do　so　would　discover　the　bodies。　But　he　still　had　plenty　of　time。　Freddy　put　his　wounded　hand　into　his　trousers　pocket　and　walked　through　the　rain　to　the　corner；　fighting　an　urge　to　run。
　　There　was　a　white　Toyota　half…ton　truck　in　the　yellow　loading　zone；　but　Susan　and　the　white　TransAm　were　gone。
　　Freddy　made　an　abrupt　about…face　and　started　back　toward　Flagler。　Perhaps　it　had　been　a　mistake　to　tell　Susie　that　he　had　broken　Martin's　finger。　Anyone　else　might　have　questioned　him　about　it；　it　was　so　unlikely　to　meet　a　brother　and　a　sister　in　two　different　places　on　the　same　day　in　a　strange　town。　But　she　had　believed　him　because　he　had　never　lied　to　her　before。　He　hadn't　told　her　much　of　anything　about　himself；　so　there　had　been　no　need　to　lie。　But　her　whining　had　pissed　him　off。　Of　course；　she　might　have　been　forced　to　move　by　a　meter　maid。　In　that　case　she　would　be　ing　up　Flagler　by　now　and　he　could　wave　her　down　from　the　curb。　In　the　pelting　rain；　he　stared　down　the　street　at　the　crawling　cars　on　Flagler。　A　battered　Pontiac　Le　Mans　stopped　suddenly　in　the　middle　of　the　street。
　　Freddy　and　Hoke　recognized　each　other　at　the　same　time。　Hoke　stuck　his　left　arm　through　the　open　window　and　pointed　his　pistol　at　Freddy。
　　〃Freeze！　Police！〃　Hoke　shouted。
　　There　were　three　women　with　umbrellas　on　the　sidewalk。　Freddy　stepped　in　among　them；　gave　Hoke　the　finger；　and　ran。　He　knew　that　the　cop　wouldn't　fire　into　the　pedestrians。　For　a　cop　to　use　deadly　force；　his　life　had　to　be　threatened。　Freddy　crossed　the　street　against　the　red　light；　dodging　the　slowly　moving　cars；　ignoring　their　horns；　and　trotted　up　Flagler　toward　Burdine's　Department　Store。　He　looked　back　once　as　he　entered　the　store；　but　no　one　was　following　him。　He　walked　briskly　through　the　store；　past　the　men's　clothing　section；　and　then　took　the　back　exit　to　First　Street。　There　were　more　than　a　dozen　people　in　a　ragged　half…formed　line　as　the　Hialeah　Metro　bus　pulled　up　to　the　bus　stop。　Freddy　pushed　through　the　umbrellas　to　the　head　of　the　line；　and　as　the　door　opened；　entered　the　bus　and　flashed　his　badge　in　the　driver's　face。
　　〃Police；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　looking　for　a　nigger　with　a　radio。〃
　　The　bus　driver　jerked　his　thumb。　〃There's　three　of　'em　back　there。〃
　　The　bus　was　crowded。　Every　seat　was　filled；　and　Freddy　had　to　elbow　his　way　through　the　standing　passengers。　There　were　three　black　men　with　radios　in　the　long　back　seat；　and　they　had　spread　out　so　no　one　else　could　sit　down。　But　only　one　man；　with　a　khaki　knitted　watch　cap　pulled　low　over　his　forehead；　had　his　radio　turned　on。　He　was　bobbing　his　head　to　a　reggae　beat。　Freddy　showed　the　man　his　badge　and　told　him　to　turn　off　his　radio。　Sullenly；　the　man　turned　down　the　volume　a　fraction　of　an　inch。
　　〃I　said；　'Off！'
　　The　man　apparently　saw　something　in　Freddy's　eyes。　The　radio　was　clicked　off；　and　several　nearby　passengers　clapped　their　hands。　After　three　blocks；　Freddy　pulled　the　cord；　and　the　driver　stopped　at　the　corner。　As　Freddy　pushed　through　the　back　doors；　the　radio　started　again。
　　
　　Hoke　got　out　of　the　car　and　watched　Mendez　dodge　nimbly　between　the　cars　as　he　ran　across　the　intersection　and　up　the　crowded　sidewalk。　Hoke　lost　sight　of　him　when　he　slipped　in　front　of　two　elderly　women　with　shielding　umbrellas。　Hoke　looked　around　for　a　uniformed　policeman。　There　was　usually　a　traffic　officer　on　this　corner；　but　there　was　no　cop　here　today。　He　was　probably　inside　somewhere；　drinking　coffee　and　staying　out　of　the　rain。　The　stalled　traffic　behind　Hoke's　car　honked　ominously。　He　couldn't　leave　the　car　in　the　middle　of　the　intersection　and　run　after　his　quarry。　Hoke　got　back　into　his　car；　scanning　the　sidewalk　as　he　picked　up　some　speed；　but　he　didn't　have　much　hope。　The　man　could　have　zipped　into　any　one　of　thirty　stores；　including　Woolworth's　and　Burdine's。
　　Susan；　Hoke　figured；　was　taking　the　I…95　Expressway　back　to　Dania；　which　would　get　her　home　twice　as　fast　as　a　trip　back　to　Dania　on　South　Dixie。　Hoke　would　have　to　go　back　to　Dania；　question　her；　and　then　if　she　refused　to　tell　him　where　Mendez　was；　could　threaten　to　book　her　on　a　solicitatio