cwilleford.miamiblues-第10部分

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　　〃Okay。　But　it's　always　interesting　to　look　into　a　bindle。　You　never　know　what　you'll　find。〃
　　〃You　mess　with　these　Cubans　and　they'll　pull　a　knife　on　you。〃　At　the　next　corner；　they　waited　for　the　light　to　change。　〃If　your　name　isn't　Gotlieb；　and　it　isn't　Mendez；　what　is　it？〃
　　〃Junior；　like　I　told　you。　My　last　name's　Frenger。　I'm　really　German；　I　suppose；　but　I　don't　remember　my　parents。　I　was　in　four　different　foster　homes；　but　no　one　ever　told　me　anything　about　my　parents。　They　said　I　was　an　orphan；　but　they　could've　been　lying　about　that。　They　lied　about　everything　else；　so　it's　possible　my　parents　are　still　alive　somewhere。　I've　always　thought　my　father　must've　been　an　important　man；　though；　or　he　wouldn't've　named　me　Junior。　At　least　that　proves　I'm　not　a　bastard。　You　don't　name　a　kid　after　yourself　if　you　aren't　married。　What　d'you　think？〃
　　〃I'm　too　upset　to　think　right　now。　On　top　of　everything　else；　I　think　Mr。　Turner's　going　to　make　us　write　a　haiku；　and　I　don't　think　I　can　do　it。〃
　　〃It　seems　simple　enough　to　me。　There're　only　seventeen　syllables。　Five；　seven；　and　five。　I'll　write　some　for　you；　and　you　can　keep　'em　in　your　purse。　Then；　if　he　gives　you　a　makeup　paper　in　his　office；　you　can　just　copy　them　in　your　own　handwriting。〃
　　〃Suppose　I　have　to　explain　what　they　mean？〃
　　〃I'll　tell　you　what　they　mean　after　I　write　them。〃
　　〃Would　you？〃
　　〃Sure。　We're　engaged；　aren't　we？〃
　　〃Did　you　really　mean　that？　When　you　told　Mr。　Turner　we　were　engaged？〃
　　〃Why　not？　I've　never　been　engaged　before。〃
　　〃Me　neither。　I've　never　even　gone　steady　before。〃
　　They　reached　the　six…story　parking　garage。　Susan　showed　her　parking　pass　to　the　attendant　behind　the　bulletproof　window。　He　took　her　keys　from　the　board；　raised　the　grate　an　inch；　and　slid　them　across　the　Formica　countertop。
　　〃I　pay　eighty　dollars　a　month　to　park　here。　And　that's　the　student　rate。　Some　of　these　downtown　lots　charge　three　dollars　an　hour；　and　they　make　so　much　money　they　won't　give　you　a　monthly　rate。〃　They　took　the　elevator　to　the　fifth　floor。　〃But　they're　nasty　about　it　here。　If　I　don't　get　here　early　enough　in　the　morning　to　get　a　space；　the　garage　fills　up　and　they　put　out　a　full　sign。　So　even　though　I've　paid　in　advance；　I　still　can't　park。　It　isn't　fair。〃
　　〃You　use　that　word　a　lot。〃
　　〃What　word？〃
　　〃〃Fair〃。　Now　that　you're　twenty　years　old…〃
　　〃Only　by　one　month…〃
　　〃…you'd　better　forget　about　things　like　〃fair〃　and　〃unfair〃。　Even　when　people　talk　about　the　weather；　〃fair〃　doesn't　mean　anything。〃
　　〃But　there's　such　a　thing　as…〃
　　〃No；　there　isn't。　Jesus；　is　this　your　car？〃
　　Susan　unlocked　the　driver's　door　to　a　white　1982　TransAm。　There　was　a　flaming　red　bird　decal　on　the　hood　and　flowing　red　flames　painted　on　all　four　of　the　fenders。
　　〃It's　mine　now；　if　they　don't　take　it　away　from　me。　It　was　the　first　thing　we　bought　when　we　had　enough　saved　for　the　down　payment。　Marty　was　crazy　about　it。　But　he　only　got　to　drive　it　two　or　three　times。　What　he　wanted　was　a　car　that　would　impress　his　friends　when　we　went　back　to　Okeechobee。　That's　why　I'm　pretty　sure　he　never　told　daddy　about　the　car。　He　wanted　to　surprise　everybody。　These　are　real　leather　seats；　you　know。　Black　glove　leather。　D'you　want　to　drive；　Junior？〃
　　〃No。　I　can　drive；　but　I'm　not　a　very　good　driver。　And　even　though　I've　got　three　California　licenses　on　me；　I　don't　fit　the　descriptions。　Besides；　you'd　have　to　tell　me　where　to　turn　and　all。〃
　　Freddy　got　into　the　passenger's　soft　bucket　seat。　He　felt　as　though　he　were　sitting　in　a　deep　pit；　even　though　the　visibility　was　excellent　through　the　tinted　front　window。　The　side　and　back　windows　had　been　layered　with　chocolate　film；　they　were　almost　black。
　　Susan　started　the　engine。　〃I'll　turn　the　air　conditioning　down　in　just　a　second。　It'll　really　freeze　your　ass　off　if　you　leave　it　on　high　very　long。〃
　　〃Do　you　need　gas？　I've　got　Ramon　Mendez's　Seventy…six　card。〃
　　〃This　thing　always　needs　gas。　It　only　gets　about　nine　miles　to　a　gallon。　Something's　wrong　with　the　carburetor；　I　think。〃
　　〃Well；　don't　worry　about　gas。　I　can　get　all　of　the　gas　credit　cards　we'll　need。〃
　　Susan　roared　down　the　spiraling　driveway　and　into　the　street。　She　drove　through　the　streets　aggressively；　taking　the　Eighth　Street　ramp　to　the　overhead　freeway　to　South　Dixie。　But　once　on　South　Dixie；　in　three　lanes；　the　traffic　was　heavy；　and　it　was　stop…and…go　driving　until　they　reached　South　Miami　and　Sunset　Drive。　The　heavy　traffic　thinned　out　slightly　when　she　turned　west　on　Sunset。
　　〃People　can't　see　in　at　all；　can　they？〃　Freddy　said。
　　〃Not　very　well。　To　see　inside　you　have　to　put　your　face　right　up　against　the　glass。〃
　　〃I　haven't　seen　much　of　the　city；　either。〃
　　〃You　can't　see　much　at　night。　I'll　take　you　around　tomorrow；　anywhere　you　want　to　go。〃
　　They　had　the　car　filled　at　a　Shell　station。　Freddy　paid　for　the　gas　with　Gotlieb's　credit　card。　As　the　attendant　wrote　down　the　license　number　on　the　sales　slip；　Freddy　shook　his　head。　〃I　forgot　they　did　that。　Tomorrow　we're　going　to　either　get　some　new　license　plates　or　a　new　car。　We　should've　stopped　along　the　way　so　I　could've　picked　up　some　new　license　plates。　I　could've　changed　them　before　we　got　the　gas。〃
　　Susan　opened　the　door；　jumped　out；　and　dashed　after　the　attendant。　She　got　the　credit　slip　back；　and　paid　the　man　cash　for　the　fuel。　She　got　back　into　the　driver's　seat　and　tore　up　the　credit　slip。
　　〃I'll　probably　lose　the　car；　but　we　might　as　well　keep　it　as　long　as　we　can。〃
　　〃That　was　quick　thinking；　Susie。　I'm　so　used　to　using　credit　cards；　I　never　thought　about　paying　cash。〃
　　〃I　always　pay　cash。　Still；　I　try　not　to　carry　more'n　fifty　dollars　on　me　at　a　time。〃
　　〃Tomorrow　I'll　get　us　some　out…of…state　plates　we　can　switch。　And　tomorrow　night　I'd　better　get　some　Miami　credit　cards。　I'll　get　some　for　you；　too；　some　ladies'　cards；　so　you　can　buy　things　when　I'm　not　around。〃
　　
　　There　were　thirty　four…story　condominium　apartment　buildings　in　the　plex　that　made　up　Kendall　Pines　Terrace；　but　only　six　of　the　buildings　had　been　pleted　and　occupied。　The　other　buildings　were　unpainted；　windowless；　concrete　shells。　Construction　had　been　suspended　for　more　than　a　year。　Almost　all　of　the　apartments　in　the　occupied　buildings　were　empty。　For　the　most　part；　their　owners　had　purchased　them　at　preconstruction　prices　during　the　real　estate　boom　in　1979。　But　now；　in　fall　1982；　construction　prices　had　risen；　and　very　few　people　could　qualify　for　loans　at　17　percent　interest。
　　〃There's　been　some　vandalism　out　here；〃　Susan　said；　when　she　parked　in　her　numbered　space　in　the　vast　and　almost　empty　parking　lot。　〃So　they　built　a　cyclone　fence　and　hired　a　Cuban　to　drive　around　at　night　in　a　Jeep。　That's　stopped　it。　But　sometimes；　late　at　night；　it's　a　little　scary　out　here。〃
　　There　was　a　tropical　courtyard　in　the　hollow　square　of　Building　Six…East。　Broad…leaved　plants　had　been　packed　in　thickly　around　the　five…globed　light　in　the　center　of　the　patio；　and　cedar　bark　had　been　scattered　generously　around　the　plants。　There　was　a　pleasant　tingle　of　cedar　and　night…blooming　jasmine　in　the　air。
　　Susan　had　a　corner　two…bedroom；　two…bath　apartment　with　a　screened　porch　facing　the　Everglades。　There　was　eggshell　wall…to…wall　carpet　throughout　the　apartment；　except　for　the　kitchen；　which　had　a　linoleum　floor　in　a　white　brick　pattern。　Both　bathrooms　had　been　tiled　in　blue　and　pink。　The　furniture　in　the　living　room　was　rattan；　with　blue…and…green…striped　cushions。　There　was　a　large　brass　bed　in　the　master　bedroom。　In　the　smaller　bedroom；　Susan's；　there　was　a　Bahama　bed　and　a　rattan　desk。　There　were　antique　white　Levolors　in　all　of　the　windows；　but　no　curtains　or　draperies。
　　While　Freddy　looked　around　the　apartment；　Susan　got　two　San　Miguel　beers　out　of　the　refrigerator。　She　took　Freddy　out　to　the　screened　porch　and　pointed　toward　the　dark　Everglades。
　　〃In　the　daytime　you　can　see　them；　but　not　now。　For　the　next　four　miles　or　so；　those　are　all　tomato　and　cucumber　fields。　Then　you　get　to　Krome　Avenue；　and　beyond　that　it's　the　East　Everglades…nothing　but　water　and　alligators。　It　gets　too　drowned　with　water　to　build　on　the　other　side　of　Krome；　and　Kendall　Pines　Terrace　is　the　last　plex　in　Kendall。　Eventually；　the　rest　of　those　fields　will　all　be　condos；　because　Kendall　is　the　chicest　neighborhood　in　Miami。　But　they　won't　be　able　to　build　anymore　in　the　'Glades　unless　they　drain　them。〃
　　〃This　apartment　looks　expensive。〃
　　〃It　is；　for　the　girl　that　owns　it。　She　put　every　cent　she　had　into　it；　and　then　found　out　she　couldn't　afford　to　live　here。　She's　just　a　legal　secretary；　so　she　had　to　rent　it　out；　furniture　and　all。　We　only　pay　her　four　hundred　a　month　rent；　but　she　was　glad　to　get　it。　She　tried　to　sell　or　rent　it　for　four　months　before　we　came　along。　Even　with　our　four　hundred；　she　still　has　to　e　up　with　another　four…fifty　every　month。〃
　　〃Where　does　she　live　now？〃
　　〃She　had　to　move　back　with　her　parents　in　Hallandale；　and　she's　twenty…five　years　old。　I　know　how　bad　she　feels。　I'd　never　move　back　in　with　daddy。　I'd　rather　die　first。〃
　　〃This　is　good　beer。〃
　　〃San　Miguel　dark。　It's　the　best；　and　it　es　all　the　way　from　the　Philippine　Islands。　The　man　at　Crown　gets　it　for　me。　Of　course；　in　addition　to　the　four　hundred　a　month；　the　electric　bill　es　to　another　two　hundred。〃
　　〃No　shit？〃
　　Susan　nodded。　〃On　account　of　the　air　conditioning。　And　it'll　be　going　up　again　soon。　The　anchorette　on　Channel　Ten　said　so　last　night。　Without　the　money　from　Marty　ing　in；　I　don't　think　I　can　handle　it。　I'm　worried。〃
　　〃Don't　be。　We're　engaged；　so　I'll　take　care　of　it。〃
　　Freddy　put　his　fingers　on　the　screen。　The　dead　man　in　the　morgue　was　sure　as　hell　the　same　guy　at　the　airport。　He　hadn't　meant　to　kill　him；　all　he　had　wanted　to　do　was　break　the　guy's　finger。　Just　because　of　the　jacket；　and　now　he　didn't　even　have　the　leather　jacket　with　him。　What　he　did　have　was　the　simple。　minded　younger　sister。　He　could　feel　the　damp　jets　of　air　corn。　ing　through　the　screen。　There　were　only　six　cars　parked　in　the　ten…acre　parking　lot。　The　white　TransArn；　in　its　numbered　slot；　seemed　to　glow　in　the　sixth　row。　Every　other　parking