cwilleford.miamiblues-第25部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　〃The　man　at　the　bank　told　me　they　weren't　changing　pesos　anymore；〃　Susan　said。　〃He　said　my　best　bet　would　be　to　go　out　to　the　airport　and　find　someone　who　was　going　to　Mexico　and　to　make　a　deal　with　him。　Should　I？〃
　　〃I　think　not。　The　airport's　too　dangerous　to　be　bothering　the　tourists　out　there。　Remember　what　happened　to　your　brother？　Just　put　the　pesos　back　in　the　Ritz　cracker　box　with　the　rest　of　the　money。〃
　　When　they　got　into　the　house；　Freddy　streamlined　the　house　by　moving　everything　he　didn't　like　into　the　garage。　Susan　wanted　a　telephone；　but　Freddy　didn't。
　　〃If　we　had　one；〃　he　said；　〃who　would　we　call？〃
　　〃The　repairman　for　the　washer。　The　washer　works　okay；　but　there's　a　leak　in　it　or　something　because　there's　always　a　big　pool　of　water　after　every　load。　And　you　might　get　in　trouble　sometime　and　want　to　call　me　from　jail　or　something。〃
　　〃Don't　put　a　damned　jinx　on　me。〃
　　〃I'm　not；　but　a　house　isn't　like　an　apartment　where　you　can　always　call　the　manager　to　fix　something。　We've　got　a　septic　tank　out　front。　Did　you　see　the　bright　green　grass　in　the　big　square　patch　under　the　mango　tree　outside　the　living　room？　That's　where　it　is；　and　I'll　bet　you　those　roots　are　breaking　through　the　tiles。　If　you　treat　'em　right；　septic　tanks　work　like　magic；　but　if　you　don't；　they'll　back　shit　up　through　the　john　and　fill　the　whole　house。〃
　　〃Get　a　phone；　then。　But　put　it　in　your　name；　not　mine。〃
　　Susan　wanted　the　car；　so　did　Freddy。　They　promised　and　Susan　drove　Freddy　to　the　Omni　every　morning　at　nine。　She　picked　him　up　at　four　P。M。　and　brought　him　back　to　Dania。
　　In　the　mornings；　Freddy　would　go　directly　to　his　hotel　room　and　change　into　slacks；　running　shoes；　and　a　sports　shirt　with　long　square　tails。　The　tails　covered　the　holstered　pistol　he　wore　at　his　back；　and　the　handcuffs　on　his　belt　were　also　hidden。　He　carried　the　sap　in　his　right　hip　pocket；　and　his　badge　and　ID　in　his　right　front　pocket。
　　He　got　to　know　each　shopping　level　well；　and　he　had　escape　routes　mentally　mapped　out　for　quick　getaways　from　each　floor。　He　was　soon　able　to　tell　vacationing　South　Americans　from　permanent　Miami　Latin　residents。　He　could　spot　the　South　American　men　by　their　dark　suits；　and　the　women　did　not；　for　the　most　part；　have　that　little　shelf　above　their　buttocks　that　Cuban　and　Puerto　Rican　women　had。　If　he　was　unsure；　he　could　listen　to　them　talk：　the　South　Americans　spoke　Spanish　softer　and　slower　than　the　Cubans。
　　He　came　to　realize　how　lucky　he　had　been　on　that　first　day　when　he　had　mugged　the　Mexico　City　pickpocket。
　　There　were　a　good　many　security　people　working　the　mall；　some　in　uniform；　and　others　in　plain　clothes。　He　could　almost　set　his　watch　by　the　security　officer　in　Penney's。　The　man　wore　a　billed　fisherman's　cap；　a　flowered　sports　shirt；　and　jeans。　He　spent　an　average　of　fifteen　minutes　on　each　floor　and　took　fifteen…minute　breaks　at　10：30　A。M。　and　3：30　P。M。　in　the　employees'　lounge。　Every　day　at　lunchtime　he　ordered　the　special；　whatever　it　happened　to　be；　in　the　deli　on　Level　Three。
　　There　were　others；　Freddy　was　sure；　who　were　not　that　regular　and　much　harder　to　spot。　If　they　didn't　have　uniforms；　they　could　be　damned　near　anybody。　But　Freddy　felt　protected　with　Sergeant　Moseley's　buzzer　in　his　pocket。　The　lost　badge　was　undoubtedly　on　the　puter　of　the　Miami　Police　Department；　and　any　Miami　cop　might　question　it；　but　the　MPD　didn't　pass　on　that　kind　of　information　to　the　private　agencies　that　firms　like　Omni　International　and　the　department　stores　hired。　So；　if　he　got　into　any　trouble；　all　he　had　to　do　was　flash　the　buzzer；　and　he　could　get　out　of　almost　any　situation。
　　During　his　first　three　days　of　work　at　the　Omni；　the　only　thing　Freddy　managed　to　steal　was　a　package　he　took　out　of　an　unlocked　station　wagon　on　Rose　Two。　Later；　when　he　opened　the　package　in　his　hotel　room；　he　found　two　pairs　of　kid's　jeans；　size　eight；　husky。　He　gave　the　jeans　to　one　of　the　Jamaican　maids。
　　His　fourth　day　of　work　was　also　frustrating。　That　night　after　dinner　he　took　the　TransAm　and　drove　around　the　city；　then　broke　into　an　appliance　store　on　Twenty…seventh　Avenue。　The　alarm　went　off　the　moment　he　heaved　a　concrete　block　through　the　wire…mesh　window　of　the　back　door。　He　reached　in　and　opened　the　door；　and　grabbed　an　RCA　color　TV　set　and　two　electric　digital　clocks。　Forty　minutes　later；　when　he　cruised　slowly　by　the　store；　driving　in　the　opposite　direction；　the　alarm　bell　was　still　ringing　and　the　cops　still　had　not　investigated。
　　Susan　hooked　up　the　TV　set　to　the　aerial　that　was　already　on　the　house；　and　the　set　worked　fine；　except　for　a　snowy　Channel　2；　but　neither　one　of　the　digital　clocks　kept　accurate　time。
　　The　next　day　was　better。　Freddy　caught　two　pot　peddlers　in　the　Jordan　Marsh　restroom　on　the　second　floor。　They　were　arguing　fiercely　about　money　when　he　came　in　and　didn't　even　look　in　his　direction　until　he　had　them　covered　with　his　。38。
　　〃Freeze。　Police；〃　Freddy　said。
　　They　froze。　He　took　their　wallets　and　six　ounces　of　marijuana　in　a　plastic　Baggie。　He　handcuffed　both　of　them；　left　wrist　and　right　wrist；　around　the　pipe　in　the　first　toilet　stall；　and　left　the　restroom。　He　would　have　left　the　keys　to　the　handcuffs　just　out　of　reach；　but　he　didn't　have　them。　They　could　explain　their　situation　to　whoever　it　was　that　rescued　them；　he　supposed；　but　at　least　he　had　plenty　of　time　to　get　back　to　his　room　in　the　Omni　Hotel。
　　There　were　300　in　cash；　four　50　unsigned　travelers'　checks；　and　a　gold　St。　Christopher's　medal　in　the　wallets。　There　were　no　credit　cards；　and　only　one　driver's　license…a　license　for　Angel　Salome。　The　wallets　weren't　worth　keeping；　and　neither　was　the　driver's　license；　but　the　small　medal　was　a　nice　gift　for　Susan。　The　unsigned　travelers'　checks　were　good　to　have；　and　it　was　the　first　time　he　had　ever　seen　pletely　blank　checks　like　that；　which　a　man　could　sign　with　any　name　he　wanted。
　　Susan　settled　in　very　quickly　to　a　domestic　routine。　She　cooked　ample　breakfasts　for　Freddy；　surprising　him　with　Belgian　walnut　waffles；　shirred　eggs；　and　French　toast　made　with　sourdough　bread。　Then；　after　she　dropped　him　off　at　the　Omni；　she　shopped　at　the　supermarkets；　cleaned　house；　and　planned　her　dinners。　One　day　she　was　able　to　buy　Okeechobee　catfish；　which　she　fried；　together　with　hush　puppies；　and　she　served　steak　fries　and　collard　greens　on　the　side。　Freddy　didn't　like　the　catfish　because　of　the　bones；　but　he　enjoyed　the　other　meals　she　prepared。　She　always　topped　off　the　dinners　with　tart　desserts；　too；　like　Granny　Smith　apple　pie；　bubbly　with　butter；　brown　sugar；　and　cinnamon。　One　night　she　baked　a　turkey　breast　and　served　it　with　all　the　trimmings；　including　a　mince　pie　that　she　baked　from　scratch。
　　She　washed　and　ironed　the　clothes　and　sheets；　and　started　a　small　vegetable　garden　in　the　back　yard；　planting　cucumbers；　radishes；　and　a　single　row　of　tomato　plants　along　the　back　fence。　She　made　friends　with　Mrs。　Edna　Damrosch；　the　widow　next　door；　who　worked　as　a　saleslady　in　a　Dania　antique　store　on　Wednesdays　and　Saturdays。
　　On　the　days　Mrs。　Damrosch　didn't　work　and　when　Freddy　wasn't　home；　they　visited　each　other's　houses　to　watch　soap　operas　and　to　discuss　the　lives　of　the　characters。
　　One　night　Susan　cooked　fried　chicken。　She　planned　to　serve　cheese　grits；　Stove…Top　dressing；　canned　peas；　and　milk　gravy　with　the　chicken　but　discovered　she　was　out　of　milk。　She　grabbed　her　purse　and　asked　Freddy　for　the　car　keys。　Freddy　was　watching　the　news　on　television　and；　as　usual　when　he　was　home；　was　wearing　only　jeans。　There　was　a　window　air　conditioner　in　the　bedroom；　but　none　in　the　living　room　where　the　TV　had　been　set　up；　and　the　room　was　always　warm　and　stuffy。
　　〃Where　do　you　want　to　go？〃
　　〃I　just　want　to　run　down　to　the　Seven…Eleven　for　some　milk。〃
　　〃Fix　iced　tea　instead。〃
　　〃I　need　milk　for　the　gravy。〃
　　〃I'll　go。　You'd　better　stay　here　and　watch　what　you're　cooking。〃
　　Freddy；　without　putting　on　a　shirt　or　his　shoes；　picked　up　his　wallet　and　the　keys　from　the　cobbler's　bench　and　drove　the　six　blocks　to　the　nearest　7…Eleven。　He　went　to　the　dairy　case；　deliberated　for　a　moment　on　whether　to　buy　a　quart　or　a　halfgallon　of　milk；　and　then　slid　back　the　glass　door。　A　short　stickup　man　entered　the　store；　held　a　gun　on　the　manager；　and　told　him　in　Spanish　to　give　him　the　money　in　the　register。　The　stickup　man；　in　his　early　twenties；　was　very　nervous；　and　the　gun　danced　in　his　shaking　hand。
　　The　frightened　manager；　without　a　word；　gave　the　gunman　the　36　in　the　till。　The　stickup　man　put　the　bills　in　his　pocket　and　backed　toward　the　glass　double　doors。　He　then　stuck　the　pistol　in　his　waistband　and　took　four　cartons　of　cigarettes　from　a　counter　display。　He　noticed　Freddy　for　the　first　time。　Startled；　he　dropped　the　cigarettes　and　reached　for　his　pistol　again。　Freddy；　reacting　impulsively；　picked　up　a　can　of　Campbell's　pork　and　beans　and　threw　it　at　the　gunman；　who　turned　sideways；　just　in　time。　The　can　hit　the　window；　narrowly　missing　the　man's　left　shoulder。
　　The　glass　shattered　and　a　triangular　sliver　of　glass　gashed　the　man's　throat。　It　was　a　shallow　cut；　but　it　began　to　bleed。　The　man　dropped　his　gun；　clutched　his　neck；　and　rushed　through　the　double　doors。　Freddy　went　after　him；　but　as　the　man　got　into　the　passenger　seat　of　a　heavy　Chevrolet　Impala；　the　driver　drove　forward　and　up　over　the　curb；　heading　for　the　doors。　By　the　time　Freddy　skirted　the　stacked　bread　shelves　and　reached　the　doorway；　so　had　the　car　bumper。　Both　doors　crashed　down　on　Freddy　as　the　driver　rammed　them。　The　car　then　backed　away　and　careened　into　the　street。　The　falling　doors　slammed　Freddy　onto　the　floor　and　pinned　him。　The　manager　lifted　off　the　doors；　and　Freddy　got　shakily　to　his　feet。　As　the　manager　hurried　to　the　phone；　Freddy　got　into　his　car　and　drove　home…without　the　milk。
　　When　he　got　home；　Freddy　gave　Susan　the　car　keys　and　wrote　out　a　list　of　supplies　for　her　to　get　at　Eckerd's　drugstore。　He　turned　off　the　gas　under　the　food　in　the　kitchen　before　going　into　the　bathroom　to　check　his　injuries。　His　left　wrist　was　sprained　badly；　but　he　didn't　think　it　was　broken。　There　might　be　a　hairline　fracture；　but　he　didn't　think　it　was　any　worse　th