cwilleford.miamiblues-第35部分

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　a　chiropractor　out　in　Kendall；　and　I　can　get　her　married　name　for　you　tomorrow；　if　you　like。　I　didn't　know　Violet　very　well；　but　I　know　she　wasn't　happy　here　as　a　state　attorney。　I　don't　think　she'd've　been　with　us　much　longer　even　if　she　hadn't　got　married　and　quit…if　you　know　what　I　mean。〃
　　〃I　think　I　do。　But　it's　not　important。　Somebody　must've　taken　over　her　caseload；　so　I'll　just　send　a　memo　over　to　your　office；　and　you　people　can　take　it　from　there。〃
　　〃I'm　sorry　I　couldn't　be　more　helpful。〃
　　〃You've　helped　a　lot。　Thanks。〃
　　
　　When　Henderson　and　Sanchez　went　into　Captain　Brownley's　office　to　go　over　the　written　report；　Hoke　was　excluded　from　the　meeting　and　told　that　his　turn　would　be　next。
　　Hoke　could　see　the　three　of　them　through　the　smudged　glass　walls　of　Brownley's　office；　and　he　felt　a　little　apprehension　at　being　left　out。　Brownley　was　a　good　reader；　and　if　he　spotted　any　discrepancies；　Hoke　knew　that　he　could　be　in　some　deep　trouble。　Hoke　went　into　the　men's　room　to　take　a　leak　and　two　younger　Homicide　detectives　congratulated　him　warmly；　so　warmly　that　he　decided　not　to　go　down　to　the　cafeteria　for　coffee　and　a　sweet　roll。　As　far　as　his　fellow　police　officers　were　concerned；　the　department　had　won　one　for　a　change。　The　robbery…murder　on　Flagler　and　the　killing　of　the　suspect　would　only　rate　a　three…　or　four…inch　story　in　the　local　sections　of　the　Miami　newspapers；　but　it　was　big　news　within　the　department。
　　Hoke　returned　to　his　little　office　and　waited；　trying　to　sort　out　his　feelings；　and　came　to　the　conclusion　that　Freddy　Frenger；　Jr。；　AKA　Ramon　Mendez；　had　played　out　the　game　to　the　end　and　didn't　really　mind　losing　his　life　in　a　last…ditch　attempt　to　win。　Junior　would　have　been　good　at　checkers　or　chess；　thought　Hoke；　where　sometimes　a　poor　player　can　beat　a　much　better　one　if　he　is　aggressive　and　stays　boldly　on　the　attack。　That　was　Junior；　all　right；　and　if　you　turned　your　head　away　from　the　board　for　an　instant；　to　light　a　cigarette　or　to　take　a　sip　of　coffee；　he　would　steal　one　of　your　pieces。　Junior　didn't　have　to　play　by　the　rules；　but　Hoke　did。　Nevertheless；　Hoke　decided　to　keep　this　checkers　analogy　to　himself。　No　matter　how　he　rationalized　his　actions；　Hoke　suspected　that　the　real　reason　he　had　killed　Freddy　Frenger　was　that　the　man　had　invaded　his　room　at　the　Eldorado　Hotel　and　beat　the　shit　out　of　him。　And　if　he　could　do　it　once；　he　could　do　it　a　second　time。　On　the　other　hand；　to　think　that　way　was　just　another　oversimplification。　After　all；　Frenger　had　tried　to　pull　his　gun；　so　Hoke　had　shot　in　selfdefense：　the　extra　round　he　had　put　into　the　back　of　the　man's　head　was　merely　insurance。　But　any　way　Hoke　looked　at　it；　the　quality　of　life　in　Miami　would　be　improved　immeasurably　now　that　Freddy　Frenger　was　no　longer　out　on　the　streets　。
　　Henderson　opened　the　door。　Ellita　Sanchez；　smiling；　was　with　him。
　　〃Your　turn；　Hoke；〃　Henderson　said。
　　〃We'll　wait　for　you　down　in　the　cafeteria；〃　Sanchez　said。
　　Hoke　shook　his　head。　〃Not　in　the　cafeteria。　I　don't　want　a　bunch　of　people　ing　around。〃　Hoke　looked　at　his　wristwatch。　〃Christ；　it's　after　four　A。M。　Why　don't　you　guys　go　home？　You　don't　have　to　wait　for　me。〃
　　〃We'll　wait　for　you　in　the　parking　lot；〃　Henderson　said。　〃Then　we'll　go　get　a　beer。〃
　　Henderson　and　Sanchez　left　before　Hoke　could　say　anything　else。
　　Captain　Brownley　was　on　the　phone。　As　Hoke　hesitated　outside　the　office；　Brownley　held　up　his　left　hand；　signaling　Hoke　to　wait。　Hoke　lit　a　cigarette；　and　tried　not　to　look　through　the　glass　door　at　Brownley。　At　last；　Brownley　hung　up　the　phone；　stood；　and　beckoned　for　Hoke　to　e　in。
　　〃Sit　down；　Hoke。　I　see　you　started　smoking　again。〃　Brownley　sat　down；　and　put　his　elbows　on　the　desk。　Hoke　pulled　the　ashtray　toward　him　as　he　sat　down；　and　stubbed　out　his　cigarette。
　　〃I　never　really　quit；　captain。　I　just　abstained　for　a　while；　that's　all。〃
　　〃How　d'you　feel？〃
　　〃Still　a　little　shaky；　but　I'll　be　all　right。〃
　　〃I　know　you　will。　But　for　an　experienced　police　officer；　that　was　just　about　the　dumbest　trick　you　ever　pulled。　Not　only　should　you　have　waited　for　backup；　but　going　after　a　man　like　Frenger　called　for　a　SWAT　team。〃
　　〃I　was　afraid　he　was　going　to　get　away…〃
　　〃That's　no　excuse。　You　knew　he　was　armed；　even　if　you　didn't　know　he'd　killed　Wulgemuth　and　his　bodyguard。〃
　　〃Maybe　I　should've　waited　a　little　longer；　but…〃
　　〃Shut　up！　How　in　the　hell　can　I　chew　your　ass　if　you　keep　interrupting　me？〃　Brownley　frowned；　took　a　cigar　out　of　the　humidor　on　his　desk；　and　began　to　unwrap　it。
　　Brownley's　face　was　creased　with　thousands　of　tiny　wrinkles。　His　face　reminded　Hoke　of　a　piece　of　black　silk　that　has　been　wadded　into　a　tiny　ball　and　then　smoothed　out　again。　But　the　captain's　cheeks　were　grayish　with　fatigue；　and　there　were　a　few　gray　hairs　in　his　mustache　as　well…gray　hairs　Hoke　hadn't　noticed　before。　How　old　was　Brownley；　anyway？　Forty…five；　forty…six？　Certainly　no　more　than　forty…seven；　but　he　looked　much　much　older。
　　Brownley；　turning　his　cigar　as　he　lighted　it　with　a　kitchen　match；　looked　at　Hoke　with　unreadable　eyes。　The　whites　of　his　eyes　were　slightly　yellow；　and　Hoke　had　never　noticed　that　before　either。
　　〃I　just　got　through　talking　to　the　chief；〃　Brownley　said；　〃and　we　made　a　promise。　I'm　going　to　write　you　a　letter　of　reprimand；　and　it'll　go　into　your　permanent　file。〃
　　Hoke　cleared　his　throat。　〃I　deserve　it。〃
　　〃Damned　right！　The　chief；　on　the　other　hand；　is　going　to　write　you　a　letter　of　mendation。　You　might　be　puzzled　by　the　ambiguity　of　his　letter；　but　it'll　be　a　mendation。　That　will　also　go　into　your　permanent　file。　So　one　letter　will；　in　a　sense；　cancel　out　the　other。〃
　　〃I　don't　deserve　a　letter　of　mendation。〃
　　〃I　know　you　don't；　but　this　case'll　give　the　chief　something　positive　to　talk　about　at　the　University　Club　next　week；　and　besides；　it'll　help　you　out　at　the　hearing。　And　in　a　way；　maybe　you　do　deserve　a　mendation　from　the　chief。　That　was　good　police　work；　getting　Sanchez　to　call　Ramon　Mendez…〃
　　〃Who？〃
　　〃Ramon　Mendez。　Sanchez's　cop　cousin　in　Hollywood。〃
　　〃I　forgot　for　a　minute。　Mendez　was　one　of　Frenger's　names…〃
　　〃I　know。　But　the　fact　that　we　had　at　least　one　Broward　County　officer　at　the　scene　helped　to　get　us　off　the　hook　when　we　entered　Broward's　jurisdiction。　Because　of　the　seriousness　of　the　crime；　we　probably　would've　been　okay　anyway；　but　having　a　Broward　officer　present　helped　save　a　little　face。　This　is　politics；　Hoke；　not　police　work。　I'm　sending　Officer　Mendez　a　mendation；　as　well　as　one　for　Henderson　and　Sanchez。　And　your　letter　of　reprimand　will　be　fairly　mild；　because　the　chief　just　confirmed　my　majority。〃　Brownley　puffed　on　his　cigar。　〃As　of　the　first　of　the　month；　you　can　call　me　Major　Brownley。〃
　　〃Congratulations；　Willie。〃　Hoke　grinned。
　　〃Major　Willie。〃　Brownley　took　a　cigar　out　of　the　humidor　and　offered　it　to　Hoke；　but　Hoke　waved　it　away。
　　〃I'll　stick　to　cigarettes；　major。　What　happens　to　me　now？〃
　　〃As　you　know；　there's　no　standard　operating　procedure。　Usually；　when　a　cop　shoots　a　suspect；　we　just　send　him　home　to　wait　for　the　hearing　or　we　give　him　a　desk　job　while　he　waits。　If　the　shooting's　accidental　or　if　it　looks　like　a　grand　jury　matter；　the　officer's　usually　suspended；　with　or　without　pay。　In　your　case；　as　long　as　you're　on　sick　leave　anyway；　you　just　go　home　and　wait　for　the　hearing。〃
　　〃There're　a　few　things　to　clear　up　first。　I　want　to　call　San　Francisco；　and…〃
　　〃You'll　go　home　and　stay　there。　Don't　e　into　the　station　until　the　hearing。　You　can　call　Sanchez；　and　let　her　clear　up　any　loose　ends。　Don't　talk　to　the　press　or　to　anyone　else　about　the　case。　You're　not　going　to　have　any　problems　at　the　hearing。　Deadly　force　was　justified；　and　you'll　be　cleared。〃
　　〃All　right。　I'll　call　Sanchez。　She　can　handle　things　all　right。〃
　　〃She　likes　you；　too。　Of　course；　when　I　told　you　to　win　her　over；　I　didn't　mean　for　you　to　prove　what　a　good　shot　you　were；　but　at　least　she's　not　plaining　about　her　supervisor。〃
　　〃It　won't　be　the　same　as　working　with　Bill　Henderson；　but　then；　Bill　can't　type　eighty…five　words　a　minute；　and　she　can。　So　I　guess　it'll　even　out。〃
　　〃Get　the　hell　out　of　here；　Hoke。　I've　still　got　some　calls　to　make。〃
　　Hoke　got　to　his　feet。　〃I'd　like　to　go　up　to　Riviera　Beach　to　spend　a　few　days　with　my　father。〃
　　〃Okay。　Just　call　in　every　day。　As　long's　we　can　reach　you　by　phone。〃
　　They　shook　hands；　and　Hoke　left　the　office。
　　
　　When　Hoke　got　to　the　station　parking　lot；　Henderson　and　Sanchez　were　waiting　for　him。　The　morning　air　was　moist　and　hot；　and　Hoke　could　feel　his　pores　opening。　The　humid　air　felt　good　after　the　stale　air…conditioning　of　the　station；　and　Hoke　didn't　really　mind　the　little　rivulets　of　perspiration　that　rolled　down　his　sides。
　　Ellita　Sanchez　had　removed　her　blue　faille　suit　jacket；　and　her　upper　lip　was　beaded　lightly　with　sweat。　Henderson's　heavy　shoulders　slumped　with　fatigue；　and　his　eyes　were　bloodshot。　Hoke　knew　that　neither　one　of　them　wanted　a　beer　as　much　as　they　wanted　a　bed；　but　he　also　suspected　that　they　were　as　reluctant　as　he　was　to　break　up　a　process　they　had　shared；　a　certain　sense　of　teamwork。
　　〃How'd　you　make　out；　Hoke？〃　Henderson　said。
　　〃I'm　still　on　sick　leave；　but　I'm　supposed　to　stay　away　from　the　station　until　the　hearing。　Brownley　said　I　could　go　up　to　Riviera　Beach；　though；　and　stay　with　my　father　if！　want　to；　and　I　think　I　will。〃
　　〃You　haven't　been　up　to　Riviera　for　a　while；　have　you？〃
　　〃'Bout　a　year　ago；　when　the　old　man　got　married　again…　remember？〃
　　〃Let's　go　to　the　Seven…Eleven；〃　Sanchez　suggested。　〃You　guys　can　get　a　beer；　and　I'll　get　a　grape　Slurpee。　My　throat's　dry；　but　it　doesn't　feel　like　a　beer　for　breakfast。〃
　　〃Suits　me；〃　Henderson　said。　〃We　can　take　my　car。〃
　　〃Let's　walk；〃　Hoke　said。　〃It's　only　a　block。　We　can　stretch　our　legs。〃
　　They　walked　to　the　7…Eleven；　down　the　narrow　Overtown　sidewalk；　Hoke　beside　Sanchez；　with　Henderson　lumbering　a　few　feet　ahead　of　them。
　　〃You　ever　been　to　Riviera　Beach；　Ellita？〃
　　〃Never。　I've　been　to　Palm　Beach；　but　not　to　Riviera。〃
　　〃Palm　Beach　is　right　across　the　inlet　from　Singer　Island；　and　Singer's　a　part　of