cwilleford.miamiblues-第15部分

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　　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　seemed　too　dimwitted　even　to　entertain　the　idea；　but　still；　it　wouldn't　hurt　anything　to　talk　to　her　while　he　was　out　this　way。　He　might　pick　up　some　information　on　the　boyfriend。　If　they　were　college　students　studying　for　degrees　in　management；　maybe　he　and　Henderson　should　enroll　in　a　seminary　and　work　on　doctor　of　divinity　degrees。
　　
　　The　tall　unfinished　buildings　in　Kendall　Pines　Terrace　reminded　Hoke　of　the　Roman　apartment　houses　he　had　seen　in　Italian　neorealist　movies。　The　Salvadoran　guard　on　the　gate　explained　how　to　get　to　Building　Six；　and　Hoke　took　the　winding　road　to　the　last　parking　lot；　avoiding　the　speed　bumps　by　going　around　them　on　the　grass。　He　parked　in　a　visitors'　slot　to　avoid　being　towed　away…as　advised　by　the　gatekeeper…and　rode　the　elevator　to　the　fourth　floor。
　　Susan　opened　the　door　on　the　first　knock；　having　a　little　difficulty　with　the　new　deadbolt　lock；　which　was　still　stiff。
　　〃I　don't　have　much　to　tell　you；　Miss　Waggoner；〃　Hoke　said。　〃But　I　was　out　this　way；　so　I　thought　I'd　drop　by　for　a　few　minutes　and　talk　to　you。〃
　　Susan　was　wearing　a　black　dress　with　hose　and　black　pumps。　She　had　also　applied　some　rouge　to　her　cheeks　and　wore　pink　lipstick。　There　was　a　string　of　imitation　pearls　around　her　thin　neck。　The　dress　was　too　big　for　her；　and　she　reminded　Hoke　of　a　little　girl　playing　dress…up　in　her　mother's　clothes。
　　〃Would　you　like　a　beer；　sergeant？　Coffee？〃
　　〃No；　no。　Thanks；　but　I　just　had　lunch。〃
　　〃Lunch？　It's　almost　five…thirty。〃
　　〃An　early　dinner；　then。　I　missed　lunch；　actually；　so　I　had　something　just　now　at　the　Roseate　Spoon　Bill。〃
　　〃I　go　there　a　lot。　I　like　the　Mexican　pizza。〃
　　〃I've　never　tried　that。〃
　　〃It's　really　good。　Lots　of　cheese。〃
　　〃I'll　try　it　some　time。　Your　father　came　in　this　morning；　Miss　Waggoner；　and　he　claimed　the　two　hundred　dollars。〃
　　〃He　would。〃
　　〃But　we're　going　to　hold　on　to　the　effects　for　a　while。　I　was　going　to　call　the　Krishnas　today；　but　I've　been　busy　with　other　things。　Has　your　father　contacted　you　today？〃
　　Susan　shook　her　head。　〃He　won't；　either。　But　I　don't　plan　on　going　to　the　funeral；　anyway。〃
　　〃He　said　he　was　going　to　cremate　your　brother　and　scatter　the　ashes　on　Lake　Okeechobee。〃
　　〃Martin　would　like　that。　He　always　liked　the　lake。〃
　　〃Your　father's　staying　at　the　Royalton；　downtown；　if　you　want　to　call　him。〃
　　〃I　don't。〃
　　〃Where's　Mendez？〃
　　〃Who？〃
　　〃Ramon。　Your　fiancé？〃
　　〃Oh；　Junior；　you　mean。　His　name　is　Ramon　Mendez；　Junior；　but　he　always　goes　by　Junior。　He　hates　to　be　called　Ramon。〃
　　〃How'd　you　happen　to　meet　him？〃
　　〃We　met　in　English　class　at　Dade。　He　helped　me　write　my　haikus。　I　was　having　trouble　with　them。〃
　　〃Haikus？　What　are　they？〃
　　〃It's　some　kind　of　Japanese　poem。〃
　　〃I　see。　So　you　met　at　school　and　got　engaged。〃
　　〃That's　right。　But　now　we　have　what's　called　a　platonic　marriage。〃
　　〃He　lives　here　with　you；　then？〃
　　〃He　should　be　home　soon。　If　you　want　to　ask　questions　about　Junior；　you　should　talk　to　him。〃
　　〃What　smells　so　good？〃
　　〃That's　dinner。　I'm　cooking　stuffed　pork　chops。　I　use　StoveTop　dressing；　shallots；　and　mushrooms；　all　smothered　in　brown　gravy。　Also；　baked　sweet　potatoes；　peas；　and　a　tomato　and　cucumber　and　onion　salad。　Do　you　think　I　should　make　hot　biscuits？〃
　　〃Does　Junior　like　biscuits？〃
　　〃I　really　don't　know。　I've　got　white　bread；　but　I　think　I'll　fix　some。　Most　men　like　hot　biscuits。　Would　you　like　to　stay　for　dinner？〃
　　〃I've　already　eaten。　I　told　you。　You've　got　a　lovely　apartment　here；　Miss　Waggoner。〃
　　〃Oh；　I　don't　own　it。　I　rent　it；　furnished。〃
　　〃It　must　be　rough　on　you；　working　and　going　to　school；　too。〃
　　〃It　isn't　so　bad。　The　work　at　the　International　Hotel　isn't　hard；　and　I　don't　have　to　work　at　night。〃
　　〃What　are　you…a　maid？〃
　　〃Oh；　no！〃　Susan　laughed。　〃Maids　only　get　minimum　wage。　I　get　fifty　dollars　a　trick；　and　split　it　down　the　middle　with　Pablo。　I'm　one　of　Pablo　Lhosa's　girls。　That　is；　I　was；　but　I　quit。　Now　that　we've　got　a　platonic　marriage；　Junior　doesn't　want　me　to　work　for　Pablo　anymore。〃
　　〃You're　a　hooker；　then？〃
　　〃I　thought　you　knew。　You　aren't　going　to　arrest　me；　are　you？〃
　　〃No；　that　isn't　my　department。　I　just　work　homicides。　I　guess　I've　been　lucky　so　far。　I　was　with　the　Riviera　Police　Department　for　three　years；　and　I've　been　in　Miami　for　twelve；　and　I've　never　had　to　work　Vice。　When　d'you　expect　Junior　home？〃
　　〃When　he　gets　here。　It　doesn't　make　any　nevermind　to　me。　The　pork　chops　are　in　the　Crockpot；　and　the　other　stuff　won't　take　long。　The　potatoes　are　already　done。　He　said　he'd　be　home　at　six；　but　he　might　be　late。〃
　　Hoke　handed　her　one　of　his　cards。　〃Have　Junior　call　me　when　he　gets　home　tonight。　It　says　the　Eldorado　Hotel；　in　Miami　Beach；　but　I'm　reachable　there。　If　the　phone　isn't　answered　right　away；　tell　him　to　let　it　ring。　There's　only　one　man　on　the　desk　at　night；　and　if　he's　away　from　the　desk　it　takes　a　little　time　to　get　an　answer。　Somebody'll　answer　eventually。〃
　　〃All　right。　I'll　tell　him；　but　that　doesn't　mean　he'll　call　you。〃
　　〃Just　tell　him　I've　been　looking　through　some　mug　books。〃
　　〃Mug　books？〃
　　〃He'll　know　what　I　mean。〃　Hoke　went　to　the　door。
　　〃Sergeant　Moseley？　You　didn't　tell　daddy　about　the　car；　did　you？〃
　　Hoke　shook　his　head。　〃No。　He　didn't　ask；　and　I　didn't　volunteer。〃
　　
　　The　traffic　was　heavy　on　North　Kendall　and　heavier　on　Dixie；　where　Hoke　turned　toward　downtown。　It　was　after　seven　by　the　time　Hoke　reached　LeJeune　Road。　He　stopped　for　gas　and　made　a　phone　call　to　the　duty　officer　in　Homicide；　leaving　a　message　for　Sergeant　Henderson　to　call　him　at　home。　He　made　another　call　to　the　morgue　and　learned　that　they　did　not　plan　to　start　the　past…mortems　on　the　Colombians　until　the　next　day；　probably　late　in　the　afternoon。　He　paid　for　the　gas；　put　the　receipt　in　his　notebook；　and　decided　to　go　home。　He　could　work　on　his　report　in　the　morning。　Perhaps　by　then　Henderson　would　have　something　from　the　woman's　testimony。
　　Hoke　took　the　MacArthur　Causeway　to　South　Beach　but　decided　to　stop　for　a　boilermaker　at　Irish　Mike's　before　going　home。　Mike　brought　him　the　shot　of　Early　Times　and　a　Miller's　draft；　then　waited　until　Hoke　downed　the　shot　and　took　a　sip　of　beer。
　　〃I　suppose　you'll　be　wanting　this　on　the　tab；　sergeant？〃
　　〃Yeah；　and　one　more　shot　besides。　I've　still　got　enough　beer。〃
　　〃D'you　know　what　your　tab　is？〃
　　〃No；　you　tell　me。〃
　　〃It　was　eighty…five　bucks。〃　Mike　poured　another　shot　into　Hoke's　glass。　〃Not　countin'　these　two。〃
　　〃I　didn't　know　it　was　that　much。〃
　　〃That's　what　it　is；　sergeant。　When　it　hits　a　hundred　I'm　gonna　eighty…six　you　till　you　pay　the　whole　tab。　I　wouldn't　object　to　something　on　account　right　now。〃
　　〃I　wouldn't　mind　giving　you　something　on　account；　Mike；　but　I'm　a　little　short　right　now。　I'll　bring　in　fifty　on　payday；　but　don't　let　it　run　up　so　high　again。〃
　　〃I'm　not　the　one　that　runs　it　up…you　are。〃
　　Mike　went　into　the　back；　and　Hoke　quickly　downed　the　second　shot；　finished　the　beer；　and　left　the　bar。　He　was　depressed　enough　already　without　being　hit　for　an　85　bar　tab。　Hoke　didn't　drink　all　that　much；　but　when　he　wanted　a　drink　he　hated　to　drink　alone　in　his　room。　Fortunately；　he　had　a　battle　of　El　Presidente　at　home。　This　was　one　time　when　he　would　have　to　keep　himself　pany。
　　Hoke　got　into　his　car　and　drove　to　the　Eldorado　Hotel。
　　
　　
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　　Before　leaving　Kendall　Pines　Terrace；　Freddy　had　locked　the　pistol　in　the　glove　partment　and　spread　the　city　map　of　Miami　out　on　the　passenger's　seat。　He　turned　east　on　Kendall　and　took　the　Homestead　Extension　Freeway　north　toward　the　city。　The　traffic　didn't　get　heavy　until　he　turned　east　again　on　the　Dolphin　Expressway　toward　the　airport。　By　watching　the　overhead　signs　carefully；　he　avoided　the　lane　that　would　have　taken　him　across　the　causeway　to　Miami　Beach　and　managed　to　bluff　his　way　into　the　left　lane　that　took　him　down　to　Biscayne　Boulevard。　He　was　astonished　by　the　erratic　driving　on　the　freeway。　If　they　drove　this　way　in　Los　Angeles；　he　thought；　most　of　these　people　would　have　been　killed　within　minutes。　Freddy　didn't　consider　himself　a　goad　driver；　but　pared　to　these　Miami　drivers　he　was　a　professional。
　　On　impulse；　he　turned　into　the　Omni　Mall　and　took　the　ramp　to　the　third　level　before　finding　a　parking　space。　The　parking　garage　was　color…coded　as　well　as　numbered；　and　he　wrote　〃Purple　3〃　on　his　parking　ticket　before　putting　it　into　his　hip　pocket。
　　Using　the　Mendez　Visa　card；　he　bought　two　short…sleeve　sports　shirts　in　the　County　Seat；　and　then　paid　cash　for　a　featherweight　poplin　suit　in　an　Italian　men's　store。　The　suit　was　on　sale　for　350。　To　make　the　sale；　however；　the　salesman　had　to　get　a　pair　of　pants　with　a　twenty…nine…inch　waist　from　another　suit　to　go　with　the　size　forty…two　jacket。　He　bought　two　25　neckties　in　another　men's　shop；　using　the　Mendez　card；　and　then　a　pair　of　cordovan　tasseled　loafers　for　150　cash　at　Bally's。　He　returned　to　the　TransAm　and　locked　his　purchases　in　the　trunk。　He　went　back　into　the　mall　and　bought　a　stuffed　baked　potato　at　One　Potato；　Two…；　asking　for　the　Mexican　Idaho；　which　included　butter；　chili　con　carne；　jack　cheese；　and　tortilla　chips。　The　chili　was　hot；　and　he　drank　a　large　Tab　with　lots　of　ice。
　　All　he　had　to　buy　now　was　a　box　of　white　shirts　and　a　present　for　Susan。　She　was　not　the　kind　of　girl　who　had　been　given　many　presents；　and　she　would　be　happy　with　anything　he　got　her。　She　was　so　passive　in　bed　that　he　doubted　that　she　had　ever　had　any　tips　from　her　clients。
　　In　addition　to　its　three　shopping　levels；　the　air…conditioned　mall　was　anchored　at　each　end　with　a　Penney's　and　a　Jordan　Marsh　department　store。　There　was　also　an　involved　egress　to　the　Omni　Hotel。　A　man　could　get　last　quickly　in　the　Omni　Mall；　but　not　for　very　long　because　of　the　color…coded　exits　and　numbers。
　　A　portly　man　in　a　blue…and…white　seersucker　suit　was　standing　in　front　of　a　store　window　and　looking　intently　at　the　merchand