cwilleford.miamiblues-第34部分

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　　〃With　a　gun　in　his　hand；〃　Sanchez　said；　looking　up　with　a　smile。　She　raised　Freddy's　unbandaged　left　hand。　〃See？　Three　fingers　missing。　When　the　ME　matches　them　up；　Sergeant　Moseley'll　be　credited　with　a　quick　solution　to　a　double　murder。〃
　　Hoke　shook　his　head。　〃I　didn't　see　him　e　out　of　any　coin　exchange。　I　was　tailing　him；　hoping　to　get　some　probable　cause　to　shake　him　down。　As　an　ex…felon；　if　he　had　a　pistol　on　him；　I　was　going　to　pick　him　up。　I　lost　him；　and　then　picked　him　up　again　on　the　corner　of　Flagler　and　Miami　Avenue。〃
　　〃Listen　carefully；　Hoke。〃　Bill　took　a　chair　from　the　table　and　sat　in　front　of　Hoke；　looking　directly　into　his　eyes。　〃You're　in　some　jurisdictional　trouble　if　you　don't　get　your　story　straight。　And　here's　the　way　you　tell　it；　and　this　is　the　way　we'll　write　it　up。　You　were　tailing　him；　yes；　and　you　lost　him　for　a　while；　right？　Then　you　saw　him　ing　out　of　Wulgemuth's　store　and　putting　a　gun　into　his　pocket　as　he　came　out。　Suspecting　him　of　a　robbery；　you　called　Sanchez　for　backup　from　Broward　County；　and　then　drove　here　to　his　house　after　losing　him　downtown　when　he　ran　away。　Isn't　that　what　happened？〃
　　〃Something　like　that。〃
　　〃No；　exactly　like　that。〃
　　〃All　right。　Exactly　like　that。〃
　　〃After　you　called　Sanchez　and　she　got　a　hold　of　me；　we　found　out　about　the　killing　of　the　two　men。　Sanchez　called　her　cousin；　and　he　came　here　in　his　own　car。　We　knew　you　were　in　danger；　so　we　didn't　have　time　to　contact　the　Broward　County　sheriff's　office；　you　see。　You　knew　he　had　a　gun　because　you　saw　it　when　he　came　out　of　the　store。　As　an　off…duty　police　officer；　you　went　after　him　and　contacted　higher　authority；　through　Sanchez。〃
　　〃I　also　suspected　him　of　a　California　assault；　and　I　had　reasonable　cause　to　pick　him　up　on　that。〃
　　〃Okay。　That's　your　story。　Don't　change　it。　I'll　call　Captain　Brownley　and　Doc　Evans。　Brownley'll　call　the　Broward　sheriff；　and　I　imagine　Doc　Evans　will　contact　the　Broward　County　ME。　The　report's　going　to　be　a　jurisdictional　mess。〃
　　〃What　about　the　girl？〃　Sanchez　said；　joining　them　at　the　table。　〃What's　her　name？〃
　　〃Susan　Waggoner；〃　Henderson　said。　〃We'll　put　out　an　APB　on　her。　In　this　rain；　she　can't　get　too　far　away。　I'll　get　out　the　all…points　as　soon　as　I　call　Brownley。〃
　　〃D'you　want　me　to　call？〃　Sanchez　said。
　　〃No；　I'll　call。　Why　don't　you　make　some　coffee？　This　is　going　to　be　a　helluva　long　evening。〃
　　〃I'll　make　the　coffee；〃　Hoke　said；　getting　up。
　　Sanchez　went　to　the　sink；　and　turned　on　the　tap。　〃Find　the　pot；〃　she　said。　〃We'll　make　it　together。〃
　　
　　Captain　Brownley　and　the　Broward　County　sheriff　both　made　some　promises；　and　so　did　the　Broward　County　medical　examiner。　It　was　more　important　to　clear　up　the　murders　of　the　coin　exchange　proprietor　and　his　bodyguard　than　it　was　to　hold　hearings　in　Broward　County。　A　young　lieutenant　from　the　Dania　Police　Departthent；　who　was　temporarily　in　charge　while　the　Dania　chief　of　police　was　hunting　wolves　in　Canada；　was　awed　by　all　of　the　brass　from　Dade　and　Broward　counties　and　was　willing　to　do　almost　anything　to　get　Freddy's　body　out　of　town　as　quickly　as　possible。　In　a　small　town　like　Dania；　shootings　of　any　kind　were　bad　for　business。
　　Susan　Waggoner　was　picked　up　by　a　Florida　state　trooper　in　Belle　Glade。　Her　TransAm　was　impounded　there；　and　she　was　brought　to　the　Miami　police　station　by　the　trooper。　The　trooper　who　picked　her　up　also　gave　her　a　ticket　for　having　tinted　windows　in　the　TransAm　that　were　twice　as　dark　as　the　law　allowed。
　　Hoke；　Henderson；　and　Sanchez　were　still　working　on　their　joint　report　when　Susan　was　brought　in。　They　took　her　down　to　an　interrogation　room；　and　Henderson　read　her　her　rights。
　　〃D'you　understand；〃　Hoke　said；　〃that　you　can　have　a　lawyer　present？　You　don't　have　to　tell　us　anything　if　you　don't　want　to；　but　we　need　to　clear　up　a　few　things。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　what　this　is　all　about；〃　Susan　said。　〃When　we　had　the　windows　tinted　on　the　car；　the　man　said　it　was　legal。　You　see　a　lot　of　people　driving　around　Miami　with　tinted　windows；　and　a　lot　of　them　are　darker　than　mine。〃
　　〃Never　mind　the　tinted　windows；〃　Hoke　said。　〃I　followed　you　in　my　car　from　Dania　to　downtown　Miami；　and　I　was　across　the　street　when　you　parked　in　the　yellow　loading　zone　on　Miami　Avenue。　I　saw　your　boyfriend　get　out　of　the　car…〃
　　〃Junior？〃
　　〃Junior。　And　then　you　took　off　almost　immediately。　Did　you　know　he　was　going　to　rob　the　coin　store？〃
　　〃No。　Why　would　he　rob　the　store？　He　had　some　silver　dollars　to　sell。　That's　what　he　told　me；　and　he　wanted　me　to　go　with　him。　I　didn't　want　to　go　because　of　the　rain；　and　when　I　said　I'd　stay　in　the　car　and　wait　for　him　he　got　mad　at　me。　That's　when　he　told　me　that　he　was　the　one　who　broke　my　brother's　finger　out　at　the　airport。　Remember　that？〃
　　〃He　told　you　that？〃
　　〃That's　right。　And　I'll　sign　a　statement　to　that；　too。　We'd　had　some　arguments　before；　and　he　even　hit　me　once；　but　I　stayed　with　him　because　of　his　other　good　qualities。　But　when　I　found　out　that　he　was　the　one　responsible　for　Martin's　death；　I　got　scared。　I　realized　that　I　was　in　danger　from　him；　and　I　got　scared。　Once　he　told　me　that；　you　see；　he'd　always　know　that　I　had　something　on　him；　and　he　could　kill　me；　too。　So　I　just　took　off；　came　home　to　Dania；　got　my　money；　and　left。　I　was　on　my　way　back　to　Okeechobee　when　the　state　trooper　pulled　me　over　in　Belle　Glade。〃
　　〃What　were　Junior's　good　qualities？〃　Sanchez　asked。
　　Susan　frowned。　She　poked　out　her　lips。　〃Well；　he　was　a　good　provider；　and　he　liked　everything　I　cooked　for　him。　There　were　lots　of　good　things　about　Junior　I　liked。　But　I'm　not　going　to　live　with　him　anymore。〃
　　〃Junior's　dead；　Susan；〃　Henderson　said。　〃Didn't　you　know　he　had　a　gun？〃
　　〃Yes；　but　I　didn't　know　he　was　going　to　rob　anybody。　He　carried　a　gun　for　protection。　He　almost　got　killed　a　few　weeks　ago　by　a　gunman　in　a　Seven…Eleven　store。　So　he　needed　the　gun　for　protection；　he　told　me。　Junior's　dead？〃
　　〃That's　right；〃　Henderson　said。　〃He　was　killed。〃
　　〃I　guess　his　gun　didn't　do　him　much　good；　then；　did　it？　I'm　sorry　to　hear　that。　I　never　wished　him　any　harm。　I　wasn't　going　to　tell　on　him；　either；　about　Martin；　I　mean；　but　I　don't　want　to　get　in　no　trouble　on　account　of　Junior。　I　didn't　do　anything。　I　just　want　to　go　back　to　Okeechobee。　All　I've　had　is　trouble　of　some　kind　or　other　ever　since　I　came　down　here　for　my　abortion。　What　I'd　say；　if　you　asked　me　about　Miami；　I'd　say　it's　not　a　good　place　for　a　single　girl　to　be。〃
　　〃Jesus　Christ；〃　Hoke　said；　〃let's　get　out　of　here　a　minute；　Bill。〃
　　Hoke　and　Henderson　went　out　into　the　hallway。
　　〃I'm　afraid；　Bill；〃　Hoke　said；　〃that　I'd　have　to　confirm　her　story。　She　did　drop　him　off；　and　then　leave　immediately；　and　I　followed　her　until　she　got　on　the　ramp　to　I…Ninety…five。　You　can't　charge　her　for　dropping　her　mon…law　husband　off　downtown。　If　she　claims　she　didn't　know　he　was　going　to　rob　the　store；　we　can't　hold　her　as　an　accessory。〃
　　〃Is　she　really　that　dumb；　or　is　it　an　act　of　some　kind？〃
　　〃It's　consistent；　whatever　it　is。　Why　don't　we　just　take　her　statement　and　put　her　on　a　bus　for　Belle　Glade　so　she　can　get　her　damned　car。〃
　　〃You　mean　just　let　her　go？〃
　　〃I　don't　see　what　else　we　can　do。　Her　statement　will　clear　up　the　death　of　Martin　Waggoner；　and　we　can　always　find　her　if　we　need　her　later。　Okeechobee's　a　small　town。　We'll　tell　her　not　to　leave　Okeechobee　or　e　back　to　Miami　again；　and　that's　it。〃
　　〃That's　just　hearsay。　We　still　can't　prove　that　Junior　killed　Martin；　or　broke　his　finger。〃
　　〃We'll　send　his　picture　up　to　those　two　Georgia　boys。　Maybe　they　can　identify　him　from　the　picture。　At　any　rate；　I'll　call　the　assistant　state　attorney；　and　tell　her　about　Susan's　statement。　She　can　decide　whether　to　close　the　case　or　not。　It's　not　up　to　us；　anyway。〃
　　Henderson　and　Sanchez　stayed　in　the　interrogation　room　to　obtain　a　statement　from　Susan　Waggoner；　and　Hoke　went　back　to　his　office。　He　found　Violet　Nygren's　phone　number；　and　called　the　office。
　　〃Thank　you；〃　a　female　voice　answered；　and　then；　for　five　minutes；　Hoke　listened　to　Muzak　as　he　held　the　phone　to　his　ear。
　　〃Thank　you　for　waiting；〃　a　man's　voice　said。　〃How　may　I　help　you？〃
　　〃Is　this　the　state　attorney's　office？〃
　　〃Yes；　it　is。　How　may　I　help　you？〃
　　〃This　is　Sergeant　Moseley；　Homicide。　I　want　to　talk　to　Miss　Violet　Nygren；　one　of　your　assistant　state　attorneys。　This　is　the　number　she　gave　me。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　we've　got　anybody　here　by　that　name。〃
　　〃Yes；　you　have。　She　was　assigned　to　that　case　at　the　airport。　A　guy　got　his　finger　broke　and　died　from　shock。　Martin　Waggoner。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　her。　What's　her　name　again？〃
　　〃Nygren。　N…Y…G…R…E…N。　She　was　young　and　had　just　joined　the　office。　A　UM　Law　School　graduate。〃
　　〃Okay。　Let　me　take　a　look　at　the　roster。　Can　you　hold　the　line　a　minute？〃
　　〃Yeah。〃
　　〃I'm　sorry；〃　the　man　said；　when　he　came　back　on　the　line；　〃but　we　don't　have　any　Nygrens　on　the　roster。　If　you　want　me　to；　I'll　check　with　a　few　people　here　and　then　call　you　back。　I　don't　know　half　the　people　here　myself。　We've　got　one　hundred　and　seventy…one　assistant　state　attorneys；　you　know。〃
　　〃That　many？　I　thought　you　only　had　about　a　hundred。〃
　　〃We　got　some　more　money　last　year。　But　they　e　and　go；　you　know。　Want　me　to　check　and　call　you　back？〃
　　〃No。　I'll　hold　the　line　while　you　check。　I　like　listening　to　the　Muzak。〃
　　〃That's　on　the　other　line。　I　can't　get　you　any　Muzak　on　this　phone。〃
　　〃Never　mind。　Just　find　out　what　happened　to　Violet　Nygren。〃
　　Hoke　lit　a　cigarette。　He　raised　his　shoulder　to　hold　the　phone　against　his　head　and　examined　his　hands。　They　were　shaking　slightly；　as　the　reaction　finally　settled　in；　but　as　long　as　he　kept　busy　he　wouldn't　have　to　think　about　it。　As　he　butted　the　cigarette　in　the　desk　ashtray；　a　woman's　voice　came　on　the　line。
　　〃Hello？　Are　you　there？〃
　　〃I'm　here；〃　Hoke　said。　〃Who　are　you？〃
　　〃Tim　asked　me　to　tell　you　about　Violet。　You　are　Sergeant　Moseley；　aren't　you？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Well；　Violet　Nygren　resigned　a　few　weeks　back。　She　got　married；　but　I　don't　know　her　married　name。　But　I　know　she　married　a　chiropractor　out　in　Kendall；　and　I　can　get　her　married　name　for