cwilleford.miamiblues-第14部分

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zable。　A　dark…haired　young　woman　wearing　a　black…and…white　maid's　uniform；　plete　with　a　white　frilly　cap；　had　been　shot　in　the　hallway　that　led　to　the　kitchen。　Her　hands　and　feet　were　also　bound　with　copper　wire。　A　small　boy；　two；　or　possibly　three　years　old；　had　been　shot　in　the　head；　but　the　child　did　not　have　his　hands　and　feet　bound。　He　was　in　the　sunken　bathtub　in　the　rose…tiled　bathroom　on　the　second　floor。
　　There　was　considerable　activity　in　the　townhouse。　The　forensic　crew　was　busy。　Two　technicians　were　dusting　for　fingerprints；　and　another　man　was　taking　flash　photographs　from　various　angles。　The　ME；　Dr。　Merle　Evans；　was　sitting　at　the　glass…topped　wrought…iron　table　in　the　dining　room　and　writing　notes　on　his　clipboard。
　　The　lady　of　the　house；　who　had　been　out　shopping　at　the　Kendall　Lakes　Mall；　said　that　she　had　returned　to　find　her　husband；　her　brother；　the　boy；　and　her　maid　dead。　A　Colombian　with　only　rudimentary　English；　she　had　bee　hysterical。　When　he　arrived；　Doc　Evans　had　given　her　a　shot　and　sent　her　in　an　ambulance　to　the　American　Hospital　emergency　room。
　　After　a　quick　initial　look　at　the　scene；　Hoke　Moseley　and　Bill　Henderson　had　knocked　on　the　nearby　doors　in　the　Tahitian　Village；　dividing　up　the　townhouses；　asking　questions；　and　now　they　were　paring　notes。
　　〃No　one　I　talked　to；〃　Henderson　said；　〃heard　or　saw　anything。〃
　　〃I　didn't　do　any　better。　These　people　here　apparently　kept　to　themselves；　and　I　couldn't　find　anyone　who　knew　or　talked　to　them。　They　spoke　Spanish　and　nothing　else。　Sometimes；　in　the　morning；　the　maid　took　the　little　boy　to　the　pool；　but　the　adults　never　used　the　pool。　And　that's　where　the　people　of　this　plex　get　acquainted。　A　Colombian　corporation；　the　manager　told　me；　owns　this　townhouse；　pays　all　the　bills　and　the　maintenance；　and　people　just　e　and　go。　When　they　e；　they've　got　a　letter　in　Spanish　authorizing　their　stay；　and　he　hands　over　the　keys。　When　they　leave；　one　of　them　returns　the　keys。　He's　never　had　any　trouble　with　any　of　the　tenants；　he　claims。　They're　always　nice；　quiet　tenants；　or　so　he　says。〃
　　〃Did　he　have　their　names？〃
　　〃No。　The　letter　he　showed　me　just　said　to　admit　the　bearers　for　an　extended　stay。　I　don't　read　Spanish；　but　he　does；　and　that's　what　the　letter　said。〃
　　〃He　wouldn't　lie　about　something　like　that；〃　Henderson　said；　〃but　we　can　check　it　out；　anyway。　There　had　to　be　at　least　four　shots；　but　no　one　heard　even　one。　I　can't　get　over　that。〃
　　〃Maybe　it's　a　good　thing　they　didn't　hear　the　shots　and　e　running　out。　Chances　are；　they'd　be　dead；　too。〃
　　〃Somebody　had　to　hear　something。　They　just　don't　want　to　get　involved；　that's　all。〃
　　Doc　Evans　joined　them。　〃They've　been　dead　about　two　hours。　That　may　not　be　exact；　but　from　the　body　temperatures；　I'm　not　far　off。〃
　　Hoke　nodded。　〃That　coincides　with　what　the　woman　said。　She　was　gone　for　about　two　hours；　and　they　were　all　alive　when　she　left。　I　hope　you　can　find　some　evidence　of　heroin　when　you　open　'em　up；　doe。　There's　no　dope　in　the　apartment。　Without　some　indication　of　dope；　we　can't　say　positively　that　the　killings　are　drug…related。　We　can　say　that　we　think　they　are；　but　that　isn't　the　same。　If　they're　dope…related；　nobody　gives　a　shit；　but　if　this　was　a　murder…robbery；　all　these　folks　living　out　here'll　get　panicky。〃
　　〃It's　obviously　a　professional　job；〃　Doc　said。　〃Too　bad　about　the　kid；　though。　At　his　age；　he　couldn't've　identified　anybody　anyway。〃
　　〃Colombian　drug　families　are　like　that；　doc；〃　Henderson　said。　〃They　kill　everyone　in　the　family。　They　have　to　do　it。　If　they　hadn't　killed　the　boy；　someday；　as　a　man；　he'd　kill　them。　When　can　I　talk　to　the　woman　at　the　hospital？〃
　　〃Any　time。　She'll　be　a　little　dopey；　but　she　can　talk　now。　Why？〃
　　〃I've　got　a　theory。　I　think　she　knew　the　killers。　I　also　think　they　killed　these　people　here；　and　then　she　drove　them　to　the　airport　to　catch　a　plane。　Then　she　drove　back　here　to　report　the　bodies。　As　soon　as　she　knew　they　were　safely　away；　she　called　the　department。〃
　　〃Jesus；　Bill；〃　Hoke　said；　〃you　don't　seriously　believe　that　a　mother　would　help　the　killers　of　her　own　child　get　away；　do　you？〃
　　〃Well；　how　do　we　know　it's　her　child？　Life　is　cheap　for　those　fuckers　in　Colombia。　They　might've　brought　the　kid　along　with　that　plan　in　mind　all　along。　Anyway；　that's　what　I　think；　and　I've　got　another　reason　besides。　I'll　take　Martinez　along　to　use　as　an　interpreter。〃
　　〃Why　not？　I'll　wait　here。　I　asked　Kossowski　from　Narcotics　to　get　a　warrant　so　we　can　search　her　Caddy。　She　went　shopping；　she　said；　but　I　didn't　see　any　packages　in　the　car。　If　there's　nothing　in　the　trunk；　your　theory　might　be　better　than　I　think　it　is　right　now。　Anyway；〃　Hoke　finished；　〃after　we　search　the　car；　I'll　call　you　at　American。〃
　　〃I'm　going　to　lean　on　her。〃　Henderson　got　to　his　feet。　〃Maybe　their　passports　are　in　the　trunk；　too。　There's　not　a　scrap　of　ID　in　the　house。〃
　　〃The　killers　probably　took　the　passports。　But　go　ahead。　You're　bound　to　find　out　more　than　we　know　now。〃
　　
　　Kossowski；　together　with　an　assistant　state　attorney；　arrived　a　few　minutes　later　with　a　search　warrant　for　the　purple　Cadillac。　Kossowski　and　Hoke　searched　the　car。　The　car　was　leased；　not　owned；　and　was　very　clean。　There　was　nothing　in　the　trunk　except　for　a　set　of　tools。　There　was　a　neatly　folded　map　of　Miami　in　the　glove　partment　and　a　well…chewed　cigar　butt　in　the　ashtray。　There　were　no　pen　or　pencil　markings　on　the　map。
　　〃This　kind　of　search　doesn't　mean　much；　Hoke；〃　Kossowski　said。　〃When　I　get　it　downtown　and　take　it　apart；　if　there's　a　single　grain　of　horse　I'll　find　it。〃
　　〃Take　it；　then。　I　think　Henderson's　on　to　something。〃
　　Hoke　called　the　American　Hospital　and　had　Henderson　paged。　He　was　in　the　emergency　room。
　　〃Bill；〃　Hoke　said；　〃the　car；　on　a　perfunctory　search　here；　was　clean。　I　told　Kossowski　to　take　it　downtown　for　a　vacuum　job。　There　were　no　packages　in　the　trunk。　It　might　be　a　good　idea　for　you　to　twist　this　woman's　arm。〃
　　〃I've　been　trying；　but　all　I　get　is　nunca；　like　it　was　the　only　word　she　knows。〃
　　〃Find　out　what　her　husband　and　brother　were　doing　in　Miami。〃
　　〃They　were　on　vacation；　she　said。〃
　　〃That　isn't　good　enough。〃
　　〃Martinez　told　me　we　should　threaten　to　take　her　out　to　Krome　to　the　alien　detention　camp　and　turn　her　over　to　the　INS。　She　has　no　papers；　and　as　an　illegal　alien；　a　few　days　living　with　those　Haitian　women　out　there　might　get　her　to　talking。〃
　　〃Don't　just　threaten　her。　If　she　won't　say　anything；　take　her　out　there　and　let　the　INS　have　her。　Tell　them　she　might　harm　herself；　and　they　can　slap　her　in　solitary　for　a　couple　of　days。〃
　　〃As　soon　as　we　can　get　her　out　of　emergency　and　into　a　private　room；　I'll　be　able　to　get　tougher。　There's　no　problem　getting　her　a　room…she's　got　nine　hundred　dollars　in　her　purse。　The　hospital'll　be　glad　to　give　her　a　private　room　until　her　money　runs　out。〃
　　〃Whatever　you　decide；　Bill；　it's　okay　by　me。　Evans　is　taking　the　bodies　now；　and　the　forensic　crew's　almost　finished。　I'll　wait　around　and　seal　up　the　townhouse；　and　check　with　the　morgue　later。　Then　I'll　call　you。〃
　　
　　Two　hours　later；　Hoke　stopped　at　a　restaurant　in　Kendall　Lakes。　He　had　eaten　his　usual　diet　breakfast　（one　poached　egg；　one　slice　of　dry　toast；　and　coffee）　but　nothing　since。　It　was　almost　four…thirty　when　he　looked　over　the　menu　of　Roseate　Spoon　Bill　of　Fare；　a　popular　short…order　restaurant　in　the　rambling　shopping　center。　When　it　came　to　eating；　Hoke　had　a　major　problem。　He　had　lost　weight　the　year　before；　dropping　from　205　to　185　pounds；　and　he　wanted　to　keep　it　off；　but　at　the　same　time　he　was　always　hungry。　He　could　stick　to　his　diet　for　two　days　at　most；　and　then　he　went　overboard　on　meat　and　mashed　potatoes。　With　his　new　teeth；　he　could　chew　almost　anything。
　　After　a　prolonged　study　of　the　wide…ranging　menu；　he　decided　to　promise。　He　ordered　a　Spanish　omelet　with　cottage　cheese　instead　of　french　fries；　a　dish　of　applesauce；　and　told　the　waitress　to　hold　the　toast。
　　While　he　waited；　Hoke　leafed　through　his　notebook　and　tried　to　organize　his　thoughts。　He　crossed　out　the　name　of　Ronald　I。　France。　He　could　do　nothing　to　help　him；　the　grand　jury　had　decided　to　prosecute　this　old　man　for　shooting　and　killing　a　twelve…year…old　boy　who　had　ripped　up　his　flower　bed。　The　old　man　was　seventy…two　years　old；　and　he　had　cried　when　Hoke　had　taken　him　in　for　booking。　According　to　the　neighbors；　he　had　been　a　nice　old　man；　but　killing　a　kid　for　ripping　up　a　flower　bed　had　been　too　drastic。　It　didn't　help　that　Mr。　France　had　claimed　he　only　wanted　to　wound　the　kid　a　little　with　his　twelve…gauge　shotgun。　If　that　had　been　the　case；　why　had　he　loaded　the　gun　with　double…aught　shells？　But　Hoke　didn't　cross　out　the　address　of　Mr。　France。　Sides　had　been　taken　in　the　neighborhood；　and　Mrs。　France；　also　seventy…two；　was　going　to　get　some　harassment。
　　Marshall　Fisher…a　DOA…suicide。　That　was　cut…and…dried；　but　there　was　going　to　be　an　inquest；　and　he'd　have　to　appear。　He　made　a　check　mark　to　watch　his　in　box　for　a　notice　on　Fisher。
　　There　were　three　convenience…store　killings　under　investigation；　but　no　leads。　Signs　were　posted　in　English　and　Spanish　in　all　the　convenience　stares；　stating　that　the　managers　were　only　allowed　to　have　35　in　the　cash　register。　But　the　Cuban　managers　were　killed　by　Cuban　gunmen　for　the　35。　American　prisons　didn't　frighten　Marielito　criminals；　after　Castro's；　American　prisons　were　country　clubs。　And　when　a　witness　to　a　killing　was　found；　which　was　seldom；　he　was　too　scared　to　point　out　the　killer。
　　When　Hoke　ran　across　the　address；　〃K。P。T。…157　Ave。…　6…418E；〃　he　was　puzzled　for　a　few　moments。　Not　only　was　he　hungry　but　he　had　a　lot　on　his　mind。　There　was　no　name；　and　he　didn't　know　anyone　who　lived　out　this　far　in　Kendall。　Then　he　recalled　that　this　was　Susan　Waggoner's　address。　Inasmuch　as　157th　Avenue　was　Dade　County；　and　not　Miami　Police　Department　territory；　Hoke　rarely　got　this　far　west。　All　of　West　Kendall　came　under　Metro　Police　jurisdiction。
　　Hoke　was　curious　about　this　peculiar　couple；　and　especially　the　jock；　although　he　didn't　believe　for　a　second　that　Susan　had　ordered　〃Junior　Mendez〃　to　break　her　brother's　finger。　She　had　s