cwilleford.miamiblues-第30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！


　　〃I　understand；　sergeant。〃
　　〃Good。　Check　with　the　water　department；　the　F。　P。　and　L。；　and　Ma　Bell。　And　see　if　anyone　named　Waggoner　or　Mendez…W…A…G…G…O…N…E…R；　and　you　can　spell　Mendez…put　down　a　new　deposit　in　the　last　three　weeks。　Water；　Florida　Power；　and　phone　pany。　Just　during　the　last　three　weeks。　If　you　don't　get　a　list　of　names　and　addresses　from　these　three；　make　another　call　to　the　Public　Gas　pany；　just　in　case　there's　an　outside　tank。　Any　questions？〃
　　〃No。　I　got　it。〃
　　〃Then　call　me　back　here　at　the　Eldorado　Hotel　by　five　today　on　what　you've　found　out。　Let　the　phone　ring　at　least　twenty　times　before　you　hang　up。　The　man　at　the　desk　is　hard　of　hearing。　If　I　don't　hear　from　you　by　five；　I'll　call　you　your　desk　by　five…thirty。　Got　that？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Till　five；　then。〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　Hoke　got　up　from　the　rolltop　desk　and　crossed　to　the　side　table　by　the　Victorian　armchair　where　he　had　left　his　bottle　of　Early　Times。
　　That　wasn't　exactly　what　Captain　Brownley　had　in　mind；　Hoke　thought；　when　he　said　I　would　have　to　win　Ellita　Sanchez　over。　By　the　time　I　finish　this　drink；　she'll　be　in　Brow　nley's　office。　By　the　time　I　start　to　pour　another；　she'll　be　explaining　to　Willie　Brownley　how　I　have　been　discriminating　against　her　for　being　a　Latin；　first；　and　for　being　a　woman；　second；　She'll　tell　Brownley　about　my　threat；　and　I'll　have　to　make　it　good。　Whether　there　are　enough　people　left　in　the　department　who　owe　me　enough　favors　to　send　Sanchez　to　the　Orange　Bowl　is　a　moot　question。　But　I　can　get　her　out　of　Homicide。　That　much　I　know　I　can　do。　Vice！　Sergeant　Wilson。　Sergeant　Wilson　threw　my　teeth　out　the　window。　He　owes　me　for　that。　I　can　get　Wilson　to　ask　for　her　in　Vice。　A　few　months　of　trapping　johns　on　79th　Street　will　be　good　training　for　Sanchez；　and　after　she　works　for　a　mean　prick　like　Wilson　for　a　couple　of　weeks　she　will　surely　wish　to　hell　she　had　done　what　kindly　old　Hoke　Moseley　asked　her　to　do　　。　。　。　
　　Hoke　finished　his　drink。　He　lit　another　cigarette；　smoked　it　down　to　the　cork　tip；　and　put　it　out　in　the　ashtray　with　the　Hotel　Fontainebleau　logo。　There　was　no　telephone　call　from　Captain　Brownley。
　　
　　At　four…thirty　P。M。　the　phone　woke　Hoke　from　his　nap。　Sanchez　had　a　list　of　names　and　addresses　for　him。　There　were　two　Mendezes；　one　Wagner；　one　Wegner；　and　one　Susan　Waggoner。　Susan　Waggoner；　however；　was　not　in　Dade　County。　She　had　put　down　deposits　for　water；　electricity；　gas；　and　a　telephone　in　Dania；　which　was　right　over　the　county　line　in　Broward　County。
　　Hoke　hadn't　told　Sanchez　to　check　in　Broward　County；　but　he　had；　apparently；　frightened　her　into　using　initiative。
　　
　　
　　21
　　
　　The　rain　began　to　fall　lightly　at　four…thirty　A。M。；　but　by　six；　when　the　lightning　flashed　and　the　thunder　rumbled；　passing　over　Dade　County　from　the　Everglades；　the　rain　came　down　in　torrents。　Hoke　cursed　the　rain　and　rolled　up　the　window　to　avoid　getting　drenched。　The　windows　steamed　almost　immediately；　and　he　had　to　wipe　the　inside　of　the　windshield　with　his　handkerchief。
　　Hoke　had　been　parked　under　a　cluster　of　sea…grape　trees　since　four　A。M。　The　overhanging　branches　with　their　huge　leaves　concealed　most　of　his　car　from　Susan　Waggoner's　little　house　a　hundred　yards　away　on　the　other　side　of　the　street。　The　rain；　as　he　thought　about　it；　would　make　tailing　easier。　He　didn't　know　whether　Mendez　was　in　the　house　with　Susan　or　not；　but　he　was　certain　that　she　would　lead　him　to　Mendez　if　he　followed　her　long　enough。
　　When　the　lights　in　the　house　went　on　at　six…fifteen；　Hoke　was　more　than　a　little　surprised。　He　hadn't　expected　the　girl　to　get　up　so　early。　Hoke　took　a　leak　in　the　coffee　can；　replaced　the　lid；　and　placed　the　warm　can　on　the　floor　in　front　of　the　passenger's　seat。　He　wanted　another　cigarette；　but　he　wouldn't　light　one　now　because　the　girl　might　see　the　glow。　The　girl　was　his　only　lead　to　Mendez；　and　he　didn't　intend　to　take　any　chances。　The　white　TransAm；　with　its　Kansas　license　plate；　would　be　easy　to　follow；　whereas　his　own　beatup　Pontiac　blended　right　in　with　the　thousands　of　dented　cars　on　Miami's　highways。　No；　the　only　thing　that　bothered　Hoke　was　the　actual　apprehension　of　Ramon　Mendez；　but　he　would　be　able　to　handle　that　when　the　time　came　　。　。　。　
　　
　　Freddy　awoke　at　six；　went　to　the　bathroom；　showered；　and　then　shook　Susan　awake。　Freddy　was　pleased　by　the　rain　and　asked　Susan　how　long　she　thought　it　would　last。　Susan；　who　was　bustling　in　the　kitchen　preparing　a　large　breakfast；　went　to　the　window　and　looked　out。
　　〃This　is　the　tail　end　of　the　hurricane　season；　and　we　always　get　a　lot　of　rain。　It　could　last　three　or　four　days；　or　it　may　pass　over　in　two　or　three　hours。　From　the　looks　of　the　sky；　I'd　say　all　day。〃
　　Susan　ladled　chipped　beef　and　peppery　milk　gravy　over　six　buttered　toast　points。　She　set　the　plate　in　front　of　Freddy　and　stepped　back　as　he　forked　a　huge　mouthful　and　chewed　with　his　eyes　closed。
　　〃This　is　good　SOS；〃　he　said。　〃But　you　should've　fixed　home　fries　to　go　with　it。　SOS　tastes　better　over　potatoes　than　it　does　on　toast。　That　way；　you　can　eat　the　toast　separately　with　a　little　marmalade。　This　gravy's　so　thick　I　can　hardly　taste　the　butter　on　the　toast。〃
　　〃It　won't　take　a　minute　to　fix　some　home　fries；　if　that's　what　you　want。　There's　a　cold　baked　potato　in　the　fridge；　and　I　can　slice　it　up…〃
　　〃No；　this　is　okay。　I　meant　for　next　time。　I　like　a　big　breakfast　when　I　go　out　on　a　job。　Gives　a　man　energy。〃
　　〃How's　your　wrist？〃
　　Freddy　got　up　from　the　table；　dropped　to　the　floor；　and　did　a　one…arm　pushup　with　his　bad　arm。　〃That's　one；〃　he　said；　wincing　as　he　sat　at　the　table　again。　〃Tomorrow　I'll　try　for　two。〃
　　〃Does　it　still　hurt；　I　mean？〃
　　〃A　little；　when　I　do　pushups。　But　I　don't　think　it　was　ever　broken；　or　it　wouldn't've　healed　by　now。　Probably　just　a　bad　sprain。〃
　　〃I　guess　this　rain　don't　make　no　nevermind　to　your　plans；　does　it？〃
　　〃It　helps　us；　that's　all；　by　cutting　down　the　visibility。　Did　you　fix　the　lunch　yet？〃
　　〃Tunafish　sandwiches；　what's　left　of　the　vinegar　pie；　some　apples　and　bananas。　And　two　bags　of　Doritos。　There's　tea　in　the　thermos；　and　a　six…pack　of　Dr。　Peppers。　I　already　put　the　stuff　in　the　car。〃
　　Freddy　nodded；　and　poured　another　cup　of　coffee。　〃That's　plenty。　We　probably　won't　be　hungry　anyway；　after　this　big　breakfast；　but　after　you've　been　sitting　in　a　car　for　a　few　hours；　eating　gives　you　something　to　do。　You'd　better　put　an　empty　coffee　can　in　the　car；　too。〃
　　〃What　for？〃
　　〃Sometime；　Susie；　before　you　ask　a　stupid　question；　why　don't　you　think　for　a　minute？　Where　d'you　think　the　iced　tea　and　those　Dr。　Peppers　are　gonna　go？〃
　　〃The　can's　to　pee　in？〃
　　〃See　how　easy　it　is？〃
　　Susan　frowned。　The　two　little　lines　between　her　eyes　deepened；　and　she　pressed　her　lips。
　　〃If　something's　bothering　you；〃　Freddy　said；　〃spit　it　out。　I　don't　like　the　way　you're　behaving　this　morning。〃
　　〃What　you're　making　me　do　isn't　fair。〃
　　〃How's　that？〃
　　〃The　man's　the　man；　and　the　woman's　a　woman　in　a　marriage。　You're　supposed　to　go　out　and　bring　in　the　money；　and　I　stay　home　and　keep　house。　It　isn't　fair　to　make　me　help　you　do　whatever　it　is　you're　going　to　do；　and　I'm　scared。〃
　　〃What're　you　afraid　of？　All　you've　got　to　do　is　park　the　car　in　the　yellow　zone　and　wait　for　me　to　e　back。〃
　　〃I　think　you're　going　to　do　something　illegal；　and　if　I'm　helping　you；　I　could　get　into　trouble；　too。　I　gave　up　a　promising　college　career　to　marry　you　and　take　care　of　the　house　and　all；　and　I　shouldn't　have　to…〃
　　〃Who's　been　filling　your　head　with　all　this　shit？　Edna　Damrosch；　next　door？〃
　　〃Nobody　has　to　tell　me　when　to　be　scared。　I　know　enough　to　be　scared　when　I'm　doing　something　I'm　not　supposed　to　do。〃
　　〃So　if　I　tell　you　what　I'm　going　to　do；　you　won't　be　scared；　is　that　it？〃
　　〃That's　right。〃
　　〃I'm　going　to　rob　this　coin　dealer；　a　guy　named　Wulgemuth。　The　coin　collection　I'm　taking　with　me　will　help　me　get　inside　his　shop。　It's　worth　a　couple　of　hundred　bucks；　or　more；　but　I'll　leave　it　there　when　I　take　the　man's　cash。　He's　got　his　own　safe；　and　he　deals　in　gold　and　big　money；　so　his　safe'll　have　a　lot　of　cash　in　it。　No　telling　how　much。　That's　what　I　plan　to　get。　So　now　you　can　relax。〃
　　〃Relax？　I'm　more　scared　than　ever。〃
　　〃See　what　I　mean？　That's　why　I　didn't　tell　you　before。　I　knew　you'd　act　this　way。　Just　keep　in　mind　how　simple　your　part　is。　You　park　and　drive　the　car。　There's　nothing　to　wet　your　pants　about。〃
　　〃And　I　won't　get　into　trouble？〃
　　〃Not　a　chance。　This　job　is　foolproof。　I've　checked　it　out　from　every　angle。　When　it's　all　over　we'll　have　so　much　money　I'll　take　you　on　a　Caribbean　cruise。〃
　　〃Why　can't　you　do　it　alone？〃
　　〃Because　I　can't　take　a　chance　and　have　the　car　towed　away　while　I'm　in　the　store。　You've　got　to　be　in　it。〃
　　Susan　nodded　and　started　to　gather　the　dishes。
　　〃Leave　the　dishes。　You　can　do　them　later　tonight；　after　we　e　home。〃
　　
　　The　heavy　rain　and　several　accidents　on　the　highway　had　slowed　traffic　on　the　Dixie　Highway　to　a　crawl；　and　Hoke　Moseley　had　no　trouble　following　the　TransAm。
　　Although　it　was　after　nine　A。M。；　the　bruised　sky　and　the　heavy　rain　made　it　seem　like　early　dawn。　Impatient　drivers　with　their　lights　and　wipers　on　inched　along　the　flooded　streets；　crowding　over　toward　the　center　line。　Some　honked　their　horns　just　to　be　honking　their　horns。　When　Susan　sped　up　to　race　through　a　yellow　light；　Freddy　told　her　to　slow　down。
　　〃There's　no　hurry；〃　he　said。　〃It　doesn't　make　any　real　difference　when　we　get　there。　Even　the　noon　hour　would　be　okay。　I've　checked　twice；　and　the　man　is　alone　in　his　shop　and　doesn't　close　up　for　lunch。　Probably　brings　it　with　him。〃
　　〃I'm　sorry。　It's　just　that　I'm　still　scared　and　a　little　nervous。　Besides；　if　you　stop　for　a　yellow　light　in　Miami　you　get　rearended。〃
　　〃I　can't　understand　why　you're　scared。　All　you've　got　to　do　is　park　in　the　yellow　zone；　and…〃
　　〃I　know　all　that！　I'm　going　to　be　all　right。〃
　　The　yellow　loading　zone　on　Miami　Avenue　was　vacant。　It　was　long　enough　for　three　pact　cars　or　for　one　car　and　a　full…size　truck。　After　Susan　pulled　into　the　loading　zone；　Freddy　told　her　to　back　up　to　the　end　of　the　zone