cwilleford.miamiblues-第5节

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　　〃Jesus　Christ。　How　long've　you　been　working　for　Pablo？〃
　　〃Since　the　beginning　of　the　semester。　I　go　to　Miami…Dade　munity　College；　Downtown。　I　need　the　money　for　school。〃
　　〃Well；　one　of　the　first　things　you　should　learn　is　not　to　ask　clients　personal　questions。〃
　　〃I'm　sorry。　I　didn't　mean　to　pry。〃　She　started　to　cry。
　　〃Why're　you　crying；　for　Christ's　sake？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　I　just　do　sometimes。　I'm　not　doing　very　good　at　this；　not　even　nooners；　and　when　I　go　back　to　Pablo　without　any　money；　he'll…〃
　　〃There's　a　plastic　laundry　bag　in　the　closet。　Put　the　clothes　in　it；　and　give　Pablo　the　empty　suitcase。　He　can　get　the　locks　fixed；　and　he'll　have　a　two…hundred…dollar　suitcase。　I'll　square　you　with　Pablo　later。　Okay？〃
　　Pepper　stopped　crying；　wiped　her　eyes；　and　got　back　into　her　own　clothes。　She　packed　the　clothing　neatly　into　the　plastic　laundry　bag。
　　〃What　do　you　do　when　you　get　off　duty　at　five？〃
　　〃I　usually　walk　downtown；　have　some　dinner；　and　then　go　to　class。　Tonight's　my　English　class　at　six…fifteen；　and　it　runs　until　seven…forty；　unless　Mr。　Turner　lets　us　out　early。　Sometimes；　when　we've　got　a　paper　to　write；　he　lets　us　go　home　to　write　it。〃
　　Why；　Freddy　wondered；　is　she　lying　to　me？　No　college　would　ever　accept　this　incredibly　stupid　young　woman　as　a　student。　On　the　other　hand；　he　had　known　a　few　college　men　in　San　Quentin。　Although　they　usually　got　the　best　jobs　there；　they　didn't　appear　to　be　any　smarter　than　the　majority　of　the　cons。　Maybe　the　girl　wasn't　lying。　He　didn't　know　anything　about　college　requirements；　but　maybe　they　would　be　much　lower　for　women　than　for　men。　It　would　be　a　good　idea　to　have　a　woman　with　a　car　show　him　the　city。　So　far　it　was　all　white　buildings　and　a　blur　of　greenery。
　　〃I'll　tell　you　what；　Pepper。　I'll　buy　you　dinner　and　then　wait　for　you　to　get　out　of　class。　Then　you　can　drive　me　around　some。　You've　got　a　license；　so　I　suppose　you've　got　a　car？〃
　　〃My　brother's　car。　I　get　to　keep　it　all　the　time；　but　I've　got　to　meet　him　at　the　airport　at　eight…thirty　tonight　to　collect　some　money　from　him。　He　works　out　there；　and　gives　me　his　pay　every　day　to　deposit　in　the　bank。　Where　he　works；　he　isn't　allowed　to　have　a　car。〃
　　〃You　don't　live　together？〃
　　〃Not　anymore。　We　did　at　first；　when　we　first　came　down　to　Miami　from　Okeechobee；　but　now　I've　got　the　apartment　to　myself。〃
　　〃That's　all　right。　I　don't　mind　riding　out　to　the　airport　again。　I　just　want　to　get　familiar　with　the　city。　I'll　give　you　a　decent　tip；　or　buy　you　a　drink；　or　maybe　take　you　to　a　movie。　What　do　you　say？〃
　　She　smiled。　〃I'd　like　that。　I　haven't　had　a　date　date　since　I　came　down　here；　Mr。　Gotlieb…〃
　　〃You　can　call　me　Junior。〃
　　〃Junior？　All　right；　and　you　can　call　me　Susie。　Pablo　told　me　to　call　myself　Pepper　so　that　customers　would　think　I　was　hot。　Pablo's　my　manager；　like；　and　he　knows　all　about　these　things。　Most　men；　I've　noticed；　just　laugh　when　I　tell　them　my　name　is　Pepper。　You　didn't…Junior…and　I　think　you're　awfully　nice。〃
　　〃I　am　nice；　Susie；　and　I　like　you　a　lot。　I'll　tell　you　what。　Just　leave　the　bag　of　clothes　with　me　and　take　the　suitcase　down　to　Pablo。　That　way　he　won't　know　you　got　the　stuff；　and　I　can　take　it　with　me　when　we　meet。〃
　　〃I　usually　eat　dinner　at　Granny's。　It's　a　health　food　restaurant　right　near　the　campus；　about　eight　blocks　from　here。　I　walk　because　I　leave　the　car　in　the　parking　garage　near　the　school；　but　you　can　take　a　cab　there。　The　cabbies　all　know　where　it　is；　even　the　ones　who　don't　speak　English。〃
　　She　handed　him　the　bag　of　clothing。
　　〃I'll　see　you　at　Granny's　at　five；　then。〃
　　〃It'll　be　closer　to　five…fifteen；　but　I'll　get　there　as　soon　as　I　can。〃
　　〃Good。　And　have　a　prosperous　afternoon。〃
　　〃Thank　you。　But　whatever　you　do；　don't　tell　Pablo。　We　aren't　supposed　to　go　out　with　the　johns…that's　why　I　want　you　to　meet　me　at　Granny's。〃
　　〃Pablo；　in　my　opinion；　is　an　asshole。　I'll　just　tell　him　I　had　jet　lag　and　that　kept　me　from　performing。　I'll　slip　him　ten　bucks　and　he'll　be　so　happy　he　won't　say　a　word　to　you。　But　I　won't　tell　him　about　our　date。　Don't　worry。〃
　　Susan　blushed；　and　looked　shyly　at　the　floor。　〃You　can　kiss　me　on　the　cheek　and　sorta　seal　our　date。　That　way　I　know　you'll　really　e　to　Granny's。　I　know　you　men　don't　like　to　kiss　us　on　the　mouth　　。　。　。　〃
　　〃I　don't　mind　kissing　you　on　the　mouth。〃
　　〃You　don't？〃
　　Freddy　kissed　her　chastely；　almost　tenderly；　on　the　lips；　and　then　led　her　to　the　door。　She　waggled　her　fingers　and　smiled；　then　he　closed　the　door　after　her　and　chain…locked　it。　She　had　forgotten　the　empty　suitcase；　and　he　still　had　the　bag　of　clothes。　He　would　give　the　suitcase　to　Pablo　instead　of　the　ten　bucks　he　had　intended　to　give　him。　As　long　as　he　had　the　clothes；　he　knew　she　would　e　to　Granny's。
　　He　still　had　plenty　of　time　to　do　some　shopping。
　　
　　
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　　Bill　Henderson　and　Hoke　Moseley　worked　on　their　reports　for　the　rest　of　the　afternoon　at　the　double　desk　they　shared　in　a　glass…walled　cubbyhole　at　the　new　Miami　Police　Station。　As　sergeants　they　were　entitled　to　the　tiny　office；　which　had　a　door　that　could　be　closed　and　locked；　but　it　was　much　more　crowded　and　unfortable　than　the　space　the　other　plainclothes　detectives　had　in　the　large；　outer　bullpen。　The　room　was　undecorated；　except　for　a　twenty…two　by　thirty…inch　poster　on　the　one　unglassed　wall。　A　hand　holding　a　pistol；　with　the　pistol　pointed　at　the　viewer；　was　in　the　center　of　the　wall。　The　message；　in　bold　black　letters　beneath　the　pointing　pistol；　read　MIAMI…SEE　IT　LIKE　A　NATIVE。
　　When　they　took　the　depositions　of　the　brothers　Peeples；　only　one　man　at　a　time　could　be　acmodated　in　the　tiny　room。　Irritated　by　the　Georgians'　uncooperative　attitudes；　they　let　the　two　men　find　their　own　way　back　to　the　airport　by　taxi　instead　of　returning　them　to　the　PR　man　in　a　police　car。
　　Hoke　flipped　a　quarter。　Henderson　lost；　which　meant　that　Henderson　had　to　call　Martin　Waggoner's　father　in　Okeechobee　and　break　the　sad　news。　While　Henderson　called；　Hoke　went　downstairs　to　the　station　cafeteria　and　got　two　cups　of　coffee　in　Styrofoam　cups。　He　drank　his　in　the　cafeteria　and　brought　the　other　cup；　now　barely　warm；　back　upstairs　to　Henderson。　Henderson　took　one　sip　of　the　lukewarm　coffee；　replaced　the　lid；　and　dropped　the　cup　into　the　wastebasket。
　　〃Mr。　Waggoner　said　his　son　had　a　sister　living　with　him　here　in　Miami；　and　he　wouldn't　accept　the　truth　of　his　son's　death　until　she　identified　the　body。　His　son　was　a　deeply　religious　boy；　he　claimed；　and　was　not　the　kind　to　fight　anyone。　I　told　him　there　wasn't　any　fight；　and　about　how　it　happened　and　all；　and　he　said　that　there　had　to　be　more　to　it　than　that。　I　know　how　he　feels；　the　poor　bastard。　When　I　told　him　his　son　died　from　a　broken　finger　I　felt　like　I　was　lying　myself。〃
　　〃He　didn't　die　from　a　broken　finger。　He　died　from　shock。〃
　　Henderson　shrugged。　〃I　know。　And　I　told　him　what　Doc　Evans　said　about　shock。　Anyway；　I　made　the　call　to　Mr。　Waggoner；　so　you　can　take　the　sister　down　to　identify　the　body。〃
　　〃You　lost　the　coin　toss…〃
　　〃And　I　called　Mr。　Waggoner。　The　sister's　a　new　development；　and　my　wife　expects　me　home　for　dinner。　We're　having　pany　over。　You're　single…〃
　　〃Divorced。〃
　　〃But　single；　with　no　responsibilities　or　obligations。〃
　　〃I　pay　alimony　and　child　support　for　two　teenage　daughters。〃
　　〃Sometimes　you　break　my　heart。　Your　evenings　are　bleak　and　empty。　You　have　no　friends…〃
　　〃I　thought　you　and　I　were　friends？〃
　　〃We　are。　That's　why　you　can　get　a　hold　of　the　sister　while　I　go　home　to　my　assertive　wife；　my　gawky　teenager　son；　and　my　daughter　with　acne。　I　can　then　entertain　for　drinks　and　dinner　a　couple　my　wife　likes　and　I　can't　stand。〃
　　〃Okay；　since　you　point　out　the　joys　I'm　missing；　I'll　go。　Got　her　address？〃
　　〃I　wrote　it　all　down；　and　I've　made　some　calls。　She　lives　in　Kendall　Pines　Terrace　out　on　One…fifty…seventh　Avenue。　Building　Six…East　apartment　four…one…eight。〃
　　〃Kendall？　That's　a　helluva　ways　out。〃　Hoke　transferred　the　information　from　the　yellow　pad　to　his　notebook。
　　〃Luckily　for　you　she　isn't　home。　Susan　Waggoner　goes　to　Miami…Dade；　to　the　New　World　Campus　downtown。　She'll　be　in　class　at　six…fifteen。　I　already　called　the　registrar；　so　if　you　stop　by　the　office；　they'll　send　a　student　assistant　up　to　the　classroom　with　you　and　get　the　girl　out　of　class。　You've　even　got　time　to　get　a　drink　first。　Two　drinks。〃
　　〃And　so　everything　works　out　for　the　best；　doesn't　it？　You　can　go　home　to　dinner；　and　I　can　escort　a　hysterical　young　girl　to　the　morgue　to　see　her　dead　brother。　I　can；　then；　in　all　probability；　drive　her　to　hell　and　gone　out　to　Kendall　and　get　her　calmed　down。　Then　I　have　to　drive　all　the　way　back　to　Miami　Beach。　Maybe；　if　I'm　lucky；　I'll　be　home　in　time　to　watch　the　eleven　o'clock　news。〃
　　〃What　the　hell；　Hoke；　it's　all　overtime　pay。〃
　　〃pensatory　time。　I've　used　up　my　overtime　pay　this　month。〃
　　〃What's　the　difference？〃
　　〃Twenty…five　bucks。　Haven't　we　had　this　conversation　before？〃
　　〃Last　month。　Only　last　month　it　was　me　who　had　to　sit　in　the　hardware　store　until　four　A。M。　while　you　went　home　to　bed。〃
　　〃But　you　were　on　overtime　pay。〃
　　〃pen