cwilleford.miamiblues-第23部分

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　　They　found　seats　at　the　bar　in　Irish　Mike's。　Mike　shook　hands　with　Hoke；　and　frowned。　〃That　beard　looks　terrible；　sergeant。〃
　　〃The　doc　said　to　leave　it　on　for　a　couple　of　weeks。〃
　　Hoke　took　one　of　the　Manila　envelopes　out　of　his　leisure　jacket　pocket　and　counted　out　100　on　the　bar。　He　pushed　the　money　across　to　Irish　Mike。　〃Take　care　of　my　tab；　and　leave　what's　over　as　a　credit。〃
　　〃Your　credit's　always　good　here；　sergeant。　You　know　that。　I'll　just　check　your　tab　and　give　you　back　the　change。〃
　　〃No。　Leave　it。　I　want　to　see　what　it　feels　like　to　have　a　credit　for　a　change。　Early　Times。　Straight　up。　Water　back。〃
　　〃Similar；〃　Henderson　said。
　　Mike　served　their　drinks　and　retreated　to　the　other　end　of　the　bar　to　sell　a　twenty…five…cent　punch　on　his　punchboard　to　a　white…bearded　old　man。
　　〃D'you　think　it's　a　good　idea　to　be　paying　off　old　debts　with　money　you　don't　know　where　it　came　from；　Hoke？　Or　do　you？〃
　　〃Do　I；　what？〃
　　〃Know　where　the　money　came　from。　That's　a　lot　of　money。　You　aren't　into　something　you　haven't　told　me　about；　are　you？〃
　　〃I　don't　know　where　it　came　from；　and　I　don't　care。　Maybe　you　guys　in　the　division　took　up　a　collection　for　me？〃
　　〃That'll　be　the　fucking　day。　First　you　find　an　extra　hundred　on　your　dresser　you　don't　know　about；　and　then　you　get　a　couple　of　two…fifty　payoffs　in　anonymous　brown　envelopes。　It　must've　e　from　the　guy　who　clobbered　you。〃
　　〃I　hope　so。　But　it's　no　payoff；　Bill。　Maybe　the　bastard　feels　guilty。　If　so；　it's　because　he　assaulted　the　wrong　man。　I've　gone　over　every　case　I　could　think　of　in　the　last　ten　years。　Lying　in　the　hospital；　I've　had　plenty　of　time　to　think；　and　I　couldn't　think　of　anyone　who'd　lay　for　me　like　that。　There're　a　couple　of　guys　who　might've　been　happy　to　kill　me；　but　that's　what　they　would've　done。　A　beating　like　the　one　I　got　wouldn't've　been　enough。〃
　　〃Even　so；　Hoke；　if　it　was　me；　I'd　be　damned　leery　of　spending　any　of　that　dough　till　I　found　out　where　it　came　from。〃
　　〃Fuck　where　it　came　from。　I　need　it；　and　I　can　use　it。　I'll　be　in　Monday　to　pick　up　my　paychecks；　but　Captain　Brownley　said　to　take　two　weeks'　sick　leave　before　ing　back　to　duty。　And　that's　what　I'm　going　to　do。　How's　your　new　partner　Lopez　working　out？〃
　　〃Lopez　is　a　Cuban；　for　Christ's　sake。　He　saw　〃The　French　Connection〃；　so　now　he　wears　his　gun　in　an　ankle　holster　the　way　Popeye　did　in　the　movie。〃
　　〃No　shit？〃　Hoke　bared　his　yellow　teeth　in　a　smile。
　　〃God's　truth。　Let's　have　the　other　half。〃　Henderson　signaled　to　Irish　Mike　for　two　more；　and　took　out　his　wallet。
　　〃Put　your　money　away；〃　Hoke　said。　〃I've　got　a　credit　going　here。〃
　　
　　Gutierrez　had　put　all　of　Hoke's　clothing　away　neatly　by　the　time　Hoke　returned　to　his　new　suite。　It　was　a　small　suite；　all　right；　even　with　the　sitting　room；　and　it　looked　even　smaller　because　the　late　Mrs。　Schultz　had　crammed　a　great　many　purchases　from　garage　sales　into　the　sitting　room　during　her　eleven　years　of　residence。　There　was　a　fortable　Victorian　armchair　stuffed　with　horsehair；　where　Hoke　could　sit　and　watch　his　little　Sony；　and　there　was　a　handsome　rolltop　desk　with　a　matching　swivel　chair；　flush　against　the　wall。　Hoke　put　his　files　and　papers　into　the　desk　drawers；　happy　to　have　a　desk　in　his　room。　In　his　tiny　room　on　the　eighth　floor；　he　had　had　to　unfold　a　bridge　table　that　he　kept　under　the　bed；　when　he　wanted　to　eat　or　to　do　some　paperwork　at　home。　The　brass　bed　in　the　bedroom　was　full…size；　too；　which　meant　that　he　could　bring　a　woman　to　his　room　and　not　be　embarrassed。
　　Hoke　took　out　his　dentures；　which　irritated　his　gums；　and　put　them　to　soak　in　a　plastic　glass　with　some　Polident。　Dr。　Rubin　had　said　it　would　take　a　little　time　to　get　used　to　them　and　to　note　the　rough　spots；　if　any；　and　they　could　be　adjusted　on　Hoke's　next　visit　to　the　office。　Hoke　examined　his　face　in　the　mirror　and　was　appalled。　Without　his　dentures；　he　looked　even　worse。　His　gray　beard；　almost　an　inch　long；　reminded　him　of　Mr。　Geezil　in　the　old　〃Popeye〃　ic　strip。　His　chances　of　ever　getting　a　woman　into　his　new　brass　bed　seemed　negligible；　and　he　hadn't　been　laid　for　five　months。　With　a　sigh；　Hoke　left　the　bathroom。
　　There　was　a　single　window　air　conditioner　in　the　bedroom；　but　very　little　cold　air　filtered　into　the　sitting　room。　If　he　couldn't　wangle　another　room　air　conditioner　from　Mr。　Bennett；　he　would　have　to　buy　an　overhead　fan。　On　the　wall　above　the　desk；　there　was　a　large　painting　of　three　white　horses　pulling　a　fire　truck。　The　horses'　nostrils　flared；　and　their　eyes　rolled　wildly。　That　was　one　hell　of　a　painting；　Hoke　decided；　and　probably　worth　a　lot　of　money。　He　was　surprised　that　Mr。　Bennett　had　left　it　in　the　room　instead　of　selling　it…
　　There　was　a　rapping　on　the　door…three　sharp　peremptory　knocks。
　　Hoke　panicked。　He　pulled　open　drawers　in　the　desk；　ripping　a　fingernail　in　the　process；　forgetting　for　a　frenzied　moment　or　so　that　his　gun　had　been　stolen。　What　could　he　use　as　a　weapon？　There　was　a　heavy　glass　paperweight　on　the　desk；　with　a　butterfly　preserved　in　its　interior。　Hoke　snatched　it　up　and　stood　with　his　back　against　the　wall　beside　the　door。
　　〃Who　is　it？〃　Hoke　said。
　　〃Sergeant　Wilson；〃　a　deep　voice　rumbled。　〃Miami　Police　Department。〃
　　〃Slide　your　ID　under　the　door。〃
　　〃Are　you　kidding？〃
　　〃Try　me。　The　next　thing　you　hear；　if　you　hear　anything；　will　be　a　bullet　through　the　door！〃
　　〃Je…sus　Christ！〃　The　deep　voice　was　disgusted。
　　A　moment　later；　the　ID　card　with　Wilson's　photograph　on　it　was　slipped　beneath　the　door。　Hoke　picked　it　up。　It　showed　that　Wilson　was　black；　six　feet；　two　inches　tall；　230　pounds；　and　a　sergeant　in　the　MPD；　Vice　Division。　He　was　also　ugly。　His　nose　was　almost　as　wide　as　his　lips；　and　he　had　a　boxer's　cauliflower　ears。
　　Hoke　took　off　the　chain　lock　and　opened　the　door。　The　man　reached　for　his　ID　card。　He　held　his　badge　in　his　other　hand。　He　took　the　ID　card　from　Hoke's　fingers　and　put　it　back　in　his　card　case；　then　he　put　his　badge　away。
　　〃What's　up；　sergeant？〃　Wilson　said。　〃You　got　a　guilty　conscience？〃
　　〃I　just　came　home　from　the　hospital。〃
　　〃I　know。　I　checked。　You　also　got　something　that　belongs　to　me。　Let's　have　it。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about。　I've　never　seen　you　before。〃
　　〃I've　seen　you。　I'm　in　Vice；　and　you've　been　moving　into　my　territory。　Let　me　have　the　envelopes；　please。〃　He　held　out　a　huge　hand。
　　Hoke　was　puzzled。　If　Hoke　had　been　paid　off　by　mistake；　how　could　anybody　take　him　for　Sergeant　Wilson？　Whoever　it　was　who　mixed　them　up　had　to　be　colorblind　or　badly　misinformed。
　　〃The　envelopes　addressed　to　me？〃
　　〃The　ones　addressed　to　you。〃
　　Hoke　handed　over　the　two　brown　envelopes。　Sergeant　Wilson　counted　the　money。　〃It's　a　hundred　dollars　short。〃
　　Hoke　cleared　his　throat。　〃I　spent　a　little。〃
　　〃Give　me　your　wallet。〃
　　〃Fuck　you。〃
　　With　the　flat　of　his　palm；　Wilson　pushed　Hoke　into　the　swivel　chair　by　the　desk　and　held　him　there　with　very　little　effort。　Hoke　struggled；　realized　how　weak　he　was；　and　slumped　back　in　the　chair。　Wilson　took　the　wallet　out　of　Hoke's　hip　pocket；　counted　out　100；　and　tossed　the　wallet　on　the　desk。　He　put　the　bills　into　the　brown　envelope　and　then　put　both　envelopes　into　the　breast　pocket　of　his　beige　silk　sports　jacket。
　　〃Pablo　wants　the　girl　back；　too；　old　timer。　Make　sure　she's　back　at　the　International　Hotel　by　ten　A。M。　tomorrow；　and　all　will　be　forgotten。　Not　forgiven；　but　forgotten。　Otherwise　　。　。　。　〃　He　looked　around　the　room　and　shook　his　head。　〃I　guess　you're　desperate　for　dough；　livin'　in　a　dump　like　this；　but　you　must've　been　crazy　to　fuck　with　me。〃
　　Wilson　checked　the　bedroom　and　then　took　a　quick　look　into　the　bathroom。　He　noticed　Hoke's　false　teeth　in　the　plastic　glass。　He　dumped　the　water　into　the　sink；　opened　the　window　in　the　sitting　room；　pushed　out　the　screen；　and　tossed　the　teeth　out　the　window。
　　Hoke　almost　asked；　what　girl？　But　he　knew　that　the　girl　was　Susan　Waggoner。　And　he　knew　now　who　had　put　him　in　the　hospital。　He　didn't　know　why；　and　he　didn't　know　why　he'd　been　sent　money；　but　he　intended　to　find　out。
　　Wilson　closed　the　door　softly　behind　him　as　he　left　the　room。
　　It　took　Hoke　twenty　minutes　to　find　his　teeth；　but　they　had　landed　in　a　cluster　of　screw…leaved　crotons　and　weren't　damaged。　He　put　them　into　a　fresh　glass　of　water　with　another　helping　of　Polident　and　wondered　what　in　the　hell　he　was　going　to　do　next。
　　
　　
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　　After　the　cab　tour　of　Collins　Avenue　in　Miami　Beach；　Mrs。　Freeman　made　a　brief　stop　so　that　Freddy　could　take　a　closer　look　at　Lincoln　Road；　the　once　famous　and　now　deteriorated　shopping　mall。　Freddy　suggested　a　late　breakfast。
　　〃You　ever　eat　at　Manny's？〃　Mrs。　Freeman　said。　〃You　can　get　a　crabmeat　omelet；　and　they　give　you　a　basket　of　hot　rolls　with　butter　and　honey。　And　it's　the　only　place　left　on　the　Beach　with　free　coffee　refills。〃
　　〃Sounds　good。〃　Freddy　nodded。　〃I　used　to　eat　crabmeat　omelets　a　long　time　ago　on　Fisherman's　Wharf；　when　I　lived　in　San　Francisco。〃
　　Manny's　was　tucked　away　between　a　four…story　kosher　spa　and　a　boarded…up　two…story　warehouse。　Mrs。　Freeman　parked　her　cab　in　the　weedy　warehouse　lot　and　they　went　into　Manny's。　The　fish　odor　inside　was　strong。　Mrs。　Freeman　ordered　the　crabmeat　omelet；　but　Freddy　shook　his　head。
　　〃I've　changed　my　mind。　Give　me　a　Denver　omelet。〃
　　〃What's　that？〃　The　Pakistani　waiter　asked。
　　〃It's　eggs　scrambled　up　with　chopped　ham；　green　peppers；　and　onions。〃
　　〃What　he　wants；〃　Mrs。　Freeman　said；　〃is　a　western　omelet。〃
　　〃That　we　got；〃　the　waiter　said；　and　went　off　to　the　kitchen。
　　〃In　California；　we　call　it　a　Denver　omelet。〃
　　〃So　you're　from　California？〃
　　〃What　makes　you　say　that？〃
　　〃You　just　said；　'In　California…'〃
　　〃Just　because　I　said　that　I'd　been　in　California　doesn't　have　to　mean　that　I'm　from　California。　People　are　too　quick　to　imply　bad　things　about　people　before　they've　thought　them　out。〃
　　〃So　you　live　in　Miami；　then？〃　Mrs。　Freeman　shook　her　gray　curls。　Her　gray　dentures　had　a　translucent　quality。　Her　pale　blue　eyes　were　clear。
　　〃Yeah。　What　I'm　looking　for　is　a　nice　little　house；　but　what　I've　seen　of　Miami　Beach　so　far　doesn't　appeal