cwilleford.miamiblues-第33部分

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head　north。　They　could　hole　up　along　the　way　in　one　of　those　Days　Inns　that　dotted　I…95　in　every　small　Florida　town。　Then；　when　his　hand　had　healed；　he　would　decide　what　to　do　next。　Maybe　they　could　fly　out　to　Vegas。　There　was　a　lot　going　on　in　Vegas。
　　A　Veteran's　Cab　pulled　up　to　the　curb。　The　derelict　got　out；　and　Freddy　handed　him　another　5。　〃I　finished　off　your　bottle；〃　Freddy　said。　〃Buy　yourself　another。〃
　　〃That's　all　right。　Thanks　a　lot。　I　didn't　mean　you；　anyway。　I　meant　if　somebody　else　came　along。　Thanks！〃
　　Freddy　got　into　the　cab。　He　began　to　sweat；　and　a　wave　of　nausea　swept　over　him　as　his　stomach　cramped。　He　leaned　forward　and　vomited　on　the　floor。　It　all　came　up；　filling　the　cab　with　the　aromas　of　chipped　beef；　milk　gravy；　and　muscatel　wine。
　　〃That's　gonna　cost　you；　mister！〃　the　driver　said　bitterly。
　　〃Don't　worry　about　it。〃　Freddy　passed　a　twenty…dollar　bill　across　the　back　of　the　seat；　and　the　driver's　fingers　snatched　it。　〃Just　drive　north　on　Dixie　until　I　tell　you　to　stop。〃
　　〃Okay；〃　the　driver　said；　〃but　this　twenty's　for　the　cleanup；　not　for　the　fare　on　the　meter。〃
　　When　they　reached　Dania；　Freddy　told　the　driver　to　stop　at　a　closed　Union　service　station　on　the　highway。　Freddy　doubled　the　tab　on　the　meter；　but　he　got　no　thanks　from　the　grim…faced　driver。　The　cabbie　made　a　U…turn　and　started　back　toward　Miami　without　a　word。
　　Freddy's　house　was　twelve　blocks　away　from　the　gas　station；　a　long　walk　in　the　rain；　but　now　that　he　had　a　Murder　One　rap　hanging　over　him　he　sure　as　hell　didn't　want　the　driver　to　know　his　address。　Jesus；　it　had　all　happened　so　fast。　He　had　gone　by　the　place　three　or　four　times　when　he　had　cased　out　the　coin　dealer；　but　the　man　had　always　been　alone　in　his　shop。　Who　would　have　suspected　that　Wulgemuth　had　a　dumb　sonofabitch　in　the　storeroom　with　a　shotgun？　Well；　that　was　tough　shit　for　Pedro；　and　tough　shit　for　Wulgemuth…and　tough　shit　for　his　fingers；　too。　Susan　would　be　home　now；　unless　she　had　misunderstood　everything　he　had　told　her　and　had　driven　over　to　Watson　Island　and　parked　in　the　Japanese　Garden　parking　lot。　But　she　wasn't　that　dimwitted。　Some　traffic　cop　or　meter　maid　had　made　her　move；　and　she　had　either　circled　the　block　while　he　was　still　in　the　coin　shop；　or　made　a　second　tour　of　the　block　and　perhaps　a　third。　She　might　still　be　downtown；　circling　the　block　again　and　again；　but　she　would　give　up　eventually　and　drive　home　to　Dania。
　　Wet　all　the　way　through　his　jacket　and　shirt；　Freddy　slogged　through　the　rain　with　soggy　trousers　and　wet　feet。　When　he　got　home　he　would　take　a　Darvon　and　drink　some　chocolate　milk　to　settle　his　stomach。　It　might　be　a　good　idea　to　get　Edna　Damrosch　to　take　a　look　at　his　injured　hand。　No；　that　would　mean　explanations；　and　this　time　she　would　call　a　doctor。　He　would　just　take　some　Darvon；　some　penicillin　tablets；　and　wait　till　they　got　to　Okeechobee。　The　pain　wasn't　all　that　bad。　He　could　stand　a　little　pain；　but　those　missing　fingers　would　certainly　make　him　a　marked　man…and　for　life；　too。
　　The　TransAm　wasn't　parked　in　the　driveway。　The　stupid　little　bitch。　She　was　still　downtown；　circling　the　block　and　looking　for　him。　He　should　have　given　her　a　time　limit。　He　needed　her　right　now；　and　she　wasn't　home。
　　He　let　himself　into　the　house；　surprised　to　see　that　the　lights　were　still　on　in　the　kitchen。　He　thought　he　had　turned　them　off　when　they　left。　He　went　into　the　bathroom；　swallowed　two　Darvons；　and　sipped　some　water　from　the　cup　on　the　sink。　The　door　to　the　closet　was　standing　open。　Susan's　two　suitcases　were　missing。　Her　black　dress　wasn't　on　the　hanger　in　the　closet。　He　ran　into　the　kitchen；　took　down　the　Ritz　Cracker　box　from　the　back　shelf　where　the　provisions　were　kept；　and　ripped　open　the　top。
　　The　money　was　gone。　All　of　it；　including　the　10；000　Mexican　pesos　they　hadn't　been　able　to　exchange。　Freddy　laughed。　So　Susan　had　skipped　out　on　him；　taken　some　of　her　clothes；　the　money；　and　gone　home。　He　had　known　she　was　nervous…she　told　him　so…but　he　hadn't　taken　into　account　how　truly　scared　she　must　have　been。　Maybe　she　thought　he　was　going　to　shoot　the　coin　dealer。　Well；　as　it　turned　out；　she　was　right。
　　She　must　have　bolted　as　soon　as　he　had　rounded　the　corner　to　Flagler。　It　was　understandable；　but　unexpected。　Now　he　would　have　to　find　his　own　way　up　to　Okeechobee；　track　her　down；　get　his　money　back；　and　find　a　way　to　dispose　of　her　body。　He　couldn't　let　her　live；　not　now；　not　after　finding　out　what　he　had　already　known　from　the　beginning…that　he　couldn't　trust　Susan；　that；　in　the　final　analysis；　a　man　couldn't　trust　anyone。　But　especially　a　whore。
　　Freddy　took　Wulgemuth's　wallet　and　the　wad　of　bills　from　the　till　out　of　his　jacket　pocket。　With　his　good　hand；　he　counted　out　five　twenties　and　eight　tens　on　the　kitchen　table。　He　had　another　six　or　seven　hundred　in　his　own　wallet；　and　there　were　seventy…five　dollars　in　Wulgemuth's　wallet。　Even　though　he　had　left　the　coin　case　in　the　shop；　he　was　still　ahead　in　the　operation。　He　wasn't　broke；　and　he　still　had　a　shitload　of　credit　cards…
　　Hoke　Moseley　stepped　through　the　door　to　the　kitchen　from　the　screened　back　porch。　He　pointed　his　。38　at　Freddy。
　　Freddy　turned　and　stared　at　Moseley　for　a　long　moment；　taking　in　the　gray　haggard　face；　the　steady　pistol；　the　wet；　ill…fitting　leisure　jacket。
　　〃Raise　your　hands；〃　Hoke　said；　〃level　with　your　shoulders。〃
　　〃What'll　you　do　if　I　don't；　old　man；　shoot　me？　And　what　are　you　doing　in　my　house？　Where's　your　warrant？〃
　　〃I　said　to　raise　your　hands。〃
　　Freddy　grinned　and　raised　his　hands　slowly。
　　〃Where's　Susan？〃　Hoke　said。
　　〃You　tell　me；　man。〃　Freddy　lifted　his　chin。　〃I　had　all　my　money　in　that　Ritz　cracker　box；　and　she　cleaned　me　out　and　took　off。〃
　　〃Why'd　she　take　off　that　way；　after　she　dropped　you　off　downtown　on　Miami　Avenue？〃
　　〃Look；　my　hand　hurts；　and　I've　got　to　get　to　a　doctor。　Can　I　drop　my　left　hand？　It　hurts　like　a　sonofabitch。　You　got　some　crazy　people　in　this　town；　d'you　know　that？　I　go　into　Wulgemuth's　to　sell　some　coins；　and　the　crazy　bastard　and　his　bodyguard　try　to　kill　me　with　a　damned　sugarcane　knife。　Is　that　why　you're　here？　I　was　ing　down　to　tell　you　about　it　as　soon　as　I　saw　a　doctor。〃
　　Hoke　was　genuinely　puzzled。　〃What　happened　in　Wulgemuth's？〃
　　〃I　just　told　you。〃　Freddy　rested　his　bandaged　hand　on　his　chest。　〃I　took　some　silver　dollars　down　to　Wulgemuth's　Coin　Exchange　to　get　them　appraised。　If　the　price　was　right；　I　was　going　to　sell　'em。　Then　him　and　his　bodyguard；　a　crazy　Cuban　with　a　shotgun；　tried　to　rob　me。　Old　man　Wulgemuth　tried　to　hack　off　my　hand　with　a　damned　machete；　and　he　got　most　of　it；　too。　I'm　hurting；　man；　and　you've　got　to　get　me　to　a　doctor！〃
　　〃Then　what　happened？〃
　　〃When？〃
　　〃After　this　respectable　businessman's　unprovoked　attack。〃
　　〃I　took　a　cab　home；　because　Susie　wasn't　waiting　for　me　any　longer；　that's　all。〃
　　〃Before　that；　before　you　left　the　store？〃
　　〃I　got　lucky。　Before　these　two　crazy　people　could　kill　me；　I　was　able　to　get　the　gun　out　of　Wulgemuth's　drawer　and　defend　myself　with　it。〃
　　〃And　you　shot　them？〃
　　〃I　have　no　idea。　I　just　started　shooting；　and　when　they　ducked　for　cover　I　ran　out。　I　don't　think　I　hit　either　one　of　them。　I　was　just　concerned　with　getting　out　and　finding　a　doctor；　that's　all。〃　Freddy　moved　his　feet；　inching　toward　Moseley。　Hoke　stepped　back　and　extended　his　arm。
　　〃Back　up！　Turn　around　slowly；　lean　against　the　wall；　and　spread　your　legs。〃
　　Freddy　shook　his　head。　〃I　can't　do　it。　I'd　pass　out。　Most　of　my　fingers　are　gone；　and　I'm　liable　to　go　into　shock　any　minute　　。　。　。　〃　Freddy's　voice　dropped　to　a　theatrical　whisper。　〃Things　are　going　black；　all　purple　and　black　。　。　。　〃　His　knees　buckled；　and　as　he　dropped　to　the　floor；　he　managed　to　break　his　fall　with　his　right　hand。　He　fell　over　on　his　left　side；　groaned　piteously；　and　fished　in　his　jacket　pocket　for　his　pistol。　As　the　。38　cleared　the　pocket；　Hoke　shot　him　in　the　stomach。　Freddy　screamed　and　rolled　over；　trying　to　get　to　his　feet　and　get　the　pistol　out　of　his　pocket　at　the　same　time。　Hoke　shot　him　in　the　spine；　and　Freddy　stopped　moving。　Hoke　bent　down　and　fired　another　round　into　the　back　of　Freddy's　head。
　　Hoke　slumped　into　a　kitchen　chair　and　put　his　pistol　on　the　table。　When　Bill　Henderson；　Ellita　Sanchez；　and　Sanchez's　uniformed　cop　cousin　from　Hollywood　came　through　the　unlocked　front　door；　Hoke　was　still　sitting　in　the　kitchen　chair；　smoking　his　third　cigarette。
　　
　　
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　　〃You　okay；　Hoke？〃　Henderson　asked。
　　〃I'm　not　hurt；　if　that's　what　you　mean。〃　Hoke　dropped　the　cigarette　on　the　floor　and　stepped　on　it　as　he　got　to　his　feet。
　　〃Stay　there；〃　Henderson　said。　〃Sit　down。〃　Henderson　told　the　uniformed　officer　to　go　out　to　the　front　porch；　and　to　prevent　anyone　else　from　ing　into　the　house。　〃You　don't　have　to　stay　out　in　the　rain；　Mendez。　Just　turn　on　the　porch　light；　and　stand　inside　the　front　door。〃
　　〃Mendez？〃　Hoke　said；　starting　to　get　up　again。
　　The　officer　left　the　kitchen。　〃Yeah；〃　Henderson　said；　〃Mendez　is　Sanchez's　cousin；　a　traffic　officer　from　Hollywood。　Why　in　the　hell　didn't　you　wait　for　us；　for　Christ's　sake？〃
　　Sanchez　was　on　her　knees　beside　Freddy's　body。　She　took　a　Swiss　army　knife　out　of　her　handbag；　opened　the　small　scissors；　and　started　to　cut　away　the　bandage　on　Freddy's　left　hand。　Hoke　watched　her　with　keen　interest。
　　〃I　was　afraid　he'd　get　away；　Bill。　It　looked　as　if　he　was　preparing　to　leave；　and　I　didn't　think　I'd　have　any　trouble。　I　didn't　intend　to　shoot　him；　but　when　he　went　for　his　gun　　。　。　。　　well　　。　。　。　〃
　　〃Did　you　know　he　killed　Wulgemuth　and　his　bodyguard　at　the　coin　exchange　store？〃
　　〃He　said　he　shot　his　pistol；　but　denied　hitting　anyone。　According　to　him；　he　was　attacked　by　the　two　men　and　he　shot　back　in　order　to　get　away。〃
　　〃Bullshit。　It　was　on　the　radio。　Didn't　you　have　the　radio　on　when　you　drove　after　him　to　Dania？〃
　　〃I　haven't　got　a　radio。　Remember？　Somebody　stole　it　when　I　was　in　the　hospital。〃
　　〃But　you　did　see　him　ing　out　of　Wulgemuth's　Coin　Exchange；　right？〃
　　〃With　a　gun　in　his　hand；〃　Sanchez　said；　looking　up　with　a　smile。　She　raised　Freddy's　unbandaged　left　hand。　〃See？　Three　fingers　mis