cwilleford.miamiblues-第17节

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Pablo　Lhosa's　girls。　That　is；　I　was；　but　I　quit。　Now　that　we've　got　a　platonic　marriage；　Junior　doesn't　want　me　to　work　for　Pablo　anymore。〃
　　〃You're　a　hooker；　then？〃
　　〃I　thought　you　knew。　You　aren't　going　to　arrest　me；　are　you？〃
　　〃No；　that　isn't　my　department。　I　just　work　homicides。　I　guess　I've　been　lucky　so　far。　I　was　with　the　Riviera　Police　Department　for　three　years；　and　I've　been　in　Miami　for　twelve；　and　I've　never　had　to　work　Vice。　When　d'you　expect　Junior　home？〃
　　〃When　he　gets　here。　It　doesn't　make　any　nevermind　to　me。　The　pork　chops　are　in　the　Crockpot；　and　the　other　stuff　won't　take　long。　The　potatoes　are　already　done。　He　said　he'd　be　home　at　six；　but　he　might　be　late。〃
　　Hoke　handed　her　one　of　his　cards。　〃Have　Junior　call　me　when　he　gets　home　tonight。　It　says　the　Eldorado　Hotel；　in　Miami　Beach；　but　I'm　reachable　there。　If　the　phone　isn't　answered　right　away；　tell　him　to　let　it　ring。　There's　only　one　man　on　the　desk　at　night；　and　if　he's　away　from　the　desk　it　takes　a　little　time　to　get　an　answer。　Somebody'll　answer　eventually。〃
　　〃All　right。　I'll　tell　him；　but　that　doesn't　mean　he'll　call　you。〃
　　〃Just　tell　him　I've　been　looking　through　some　mug　books。〃
　　〃Mug　books？〃
　　〃He'll　know　what　I　mean。〃　Hoke　went　to　the　door。
　　〃Sergeant　Moseley？　You　didn't　tell　daddy　about　the　car；　did　you？〃
　　Hoke　shook　his　head。　〃No。　He　didn't　ask；　and　I　didn't　volunteer。〃
　　
　　The　traffic　was　heavy　on　North　Kendall　and　heavier　on　Dixie；　where　Hoke　turned　toward　downtown。　It　was　after　seven　by　the　time　Hoke　reached　LeJeune　Road。　He　stopped　for　gas　and　made　a　phone　call　to　the　duty　officer　in　Homicide；　leaving　a　message　for　Sergeant　Henderson　to　call　him　at　home。　He　made　another　call　to　the　morgue　and　learned　that　they　did　not　plan　to　start　the　past…mortems　on　the　Colombians　until　the　next　day；　probably　late　in　the　afternoon。　He　paid　for　the　gas；　put　the　receipt　in　his　notebook；　and　decided　to　go　home。　He　could　work　on　his　report　in　the　morning。　Perhaps　by　then　Henderson　would　have　something　from　the　woman's　testimony。
　　Hoke　took　the　MacArthur　Causeway　to　South　Beach　but　decided　to　stop　for　a　boilermaker　at　Irish　Mike's　before　going　home。　Mike　brought　him　the　shot　of　Early　Times　and　a　Miller's　draft；　then　waited　until　Hoke　downed　the　shot　and　took　a　sip　of　beer。
　　〃I　suppose　you'll　be　wanting　this　on　the　tab；　sergeant？〃
　　〃Yeah；　and　one　more　shot　besides。　I've　still　got　enough　beer。〃
　　〃D'you　know　what　your　tab　is？〃
　　〃No；　you　tell　me。〃
　　〃It　was　eighty…five　bucks。〃　Mike　poured　another　shot　into　Hoke's　glass。　〃Not　countin'　these　two。〃
　　〃I　didn't　know　it　was　that　much。〃
　　〃That's　what　it　is；　sergeant。　When　it　hits　a　hundred　I'm　gonna　eighty…six　you　till　you　pay　the　whole　tab。　I　wouldn't　object　to　something　on　account　right　now。〃
　　〃I　wouldn't　mind　giving　you　something　on　account；　Mike；　but　I'm　a　little　short　right　now。　I'll　bring　in　fifty　on　payday；　but　don't　let　it　run　up　so　high　again。〃
　　〃I'm　not　the　one　that　runs　it　up…you　are。〃
　　Mike　went　into　the　back；　and　Hoke　quickly　downed　the　second　shot；　finished　the　beer；　and　left　the　bar。　He　was　depressed　enough　already　without　being　hit　for　an　85　bar　tab。　Hoke　didn't　drink　all　that　much；　but　when　he　wanted　a　drink　he　hated　to　drink　alone　in　his　room。　Fortunately；　he　had　a　battle　of　El　Presidente　at　home。　This　was　one　time　when　he　would　have　to　keep　himself　pany。
　　Hoke　got　into　his　car　and　drove　to　the　Eldorado　Hotel。
　　
　　
　　11
　　
　　Before　leaving　Kendall　Pines　Terrace；　Freddy　had　locked　the　pistol　in　the　glove　partment　and　spread　the　city　map　of　Miami　out　on　the　passenger's　seat。　He　turned　east　on　Kendall　and　took　the　Homestead　Extension　Freeway　north　toward　the　city。　The　traffic　didn't　get　heavy　until　he　turned　east　again　on　the　Dolphin　Expressway　toward　the　airport。　By　watching　the　overhead　signs　carefully；　he　avoided　the　lane　that　would　have　taken　him　across　the　causeway　to　Miami　Beach　and　managed　to　bluff　his　way　into　the　left　lane　that　took　him　down　to　Biscayne　Boulevard。　He　was　astonished　by　the　erratic　driving　on　the　freeway。　If　they　drove　this　way　in　Los　Angeles；　he　thought；　most　of　these　people　would　have　been　killed　within　minutes。　Freddy　didn't　consider　himself　a　goad　driver；　but　pared　to　these　Miami　drivers　he　was　a　professional。
　　On　impulse；　he　turned　into　the　Omni　Mall　and　took　the　ramp　to　the　third　level　before　finding　a　parking　space。　The　parking　garage　was　color…coded　as　well　as　numbered；　and　he　wrote　〃Purple　3〃　on　his　parking　ticket　before　putting　it　into　his　hip　pocket。
　　Using　the　Mendez　Visa　card；　he　bought　two　short…sleeve　sports　shirts　in　the　County　Seat；　and　then　paid　cash　for　a　featherweight　poplin　suit　in　an　Italian　men's　store。　The　suit　was　on　sale　for　350。　To　make　the　sale；　however；　the　salesman　had　to　get　a　pair　of　pants　with　a　twenty…nine…inch　waist　from　another　suit　to　go　with　the　size　forty…two　jacket。　He　bought　two　25　neckties　in　another　men's　shop；　using　the　Mendez　card；　and　then　a　pair　of　cordovan　tasseled　loafers　for　150　cash　at　Bally's。　He　returned　to　the　TransAm　and　locked　his　purchases　in　the　trunk。　He　went　back　into　the　mall　and　bought　a　stuffed　baked　potato　at　One　Potato；　Two…；　asking　for　the　Mexican　Idaho；　which　included　butter；　chili　con　carne；　jack　cheese；　and　tortilla　chips。　The　chili　was　hot；　and　he　drank　a　large　Tab　with　lots　of　ice。
　　All　he　had　to　buy　now　was　a　box　of　white　shirts　and　a　present　for　Susan。　She　was　not　the　kind　of　girl　who　had　been　given　many　presents；　and　she　would　be　happy　with　anything　he　got　her。　She　was　so　passive　in　bed　that　he　doubted　that　she　had　ever　had　any　tips　from　her　clients。
　　In　addition　to　its　three　shopping　levels；　the　air…conditioned　mall　was　anchored　at　each　end　with　a　Penney's　and　a　Jordan　Marsh　department　store。　There　was　also　an　involved　egress　to　the　Omni　Hotel。　A　man　could　get　last　quickly　in　the　Omni　Mall；　but　not　for　very　long　because　of　the　color…coded　exits　and　numbers。
　　A　portly　man　in　a　blue…and…white　seersucker　suit　was　standing　in　front　of　a　store　window　and　looking　intently　at　the　merchandise。　As　Freddy　glanced　at　him；　wondering　what　it　was　in　the　window　that　held　his　attention；　a　small　dark　man　with　a　bushy　head　of　curly　hair　bumped　against　the　portly　man；　apologized；　and　walked　on。　Freddy　saw　the　small　man　slip　the　wallet　out　of　the　heavy　man's　hip　pocket；　but　the　man　hadn't　felt　a　thing。　Freddy　trailed　behind　the　small　man；　who　was　wearing　a　blue　serge　suit　and　a　blue　wool　tie；　to　the　escalator　and　watched　him　drop　the　wallet　into　another　man's　folded　newspaper；　〃El　Diario〃。　The　pickpocket　continued　through　the　mall；　and　the　one　with　the　newspaper；　a　tall　dark　man　with　black　sideburns　down　to　and　even　with　his　mouth；　took　the　Down　escalator。
　　Freddy　got　on　the　escalator　behind　him。　He　followed　him　past　Treasure　Island　and　the　carrousel；　and　into　the　lowest　level　of　the　mall。　The　man　strolled　past　the　Unicorn　Store；　a　T…shirt　store；　skirted　a　French　sidewalk　café；　and　then　went　into　the　men's　roam。　Freddy　waited　outside　the　door；　counting　to　thirty；　then　went　in。　The　tall　man　with　the　sideburns　had　the　wallet　in　his　hands。　He　looked　up　at　Freddy　for　a　moment　and　then　back　down　at　the　wallet。　Freddy　grabbed　his　left　wrist；　twisted　it　behind　his　back　with　one　motion；　and　then　ran　the　man　into　the　white…tiled　wall；　face…first。　The　man　screamed　something　in　Spanish　and　tried　to　get　his　right　hand　into　his　trousers　pocket。　Freddy　jerked　the　left　arm　higher　and　it　broke　at　the　elbow。　As　the　arm　cracked；　the　man　vomited　and　fell　to　his　knees。　Freddy　kicked　him　behind　the　ear；　and　the　man　went　unconscious。
　　Freddy　picked　up　the　wallet　from　the　floor　and　stuffed　it　into　his　pocket。　He　searched　the　man　on　the　floor。　There　was　a　pearl…handled　switchblade　knife　in　his　right　front　pocket　and　a　roll　of　bills　held　together　with　a　rubber　band　in　the　left　hip　pocket。　He　found　another　wallet　in　an　inside　jacket　pocket。　Freddy　stuffed　these　into　his　pockets　and　washed　his　hands。　A　teenager；　wearing　a　red…billed　Red　Man　cap；　jeans；　and　a　CLASH　T…shirt；　walked　in　and　saw　the　man　on　the　floor；　bubbling　blood　from　his　mouth　and　ears；　then　went　to　the　urinal。
　　〃What's　the　matter　with　that　guy？〃
　　〃Ask　him；〃　Freddy　said；　blotting　his　hands　dry　on　a　brown　paper　towel。
　　〃I　don't　want　to　get　involved；〃　the　teenager　said；　unzipping　his　fly。
　　Freddy　left　the　men's　room　and　took　the　stairway　up　to　Level　Two。　He　bought　a　box　of　three　white…on…white　Excello　shirts　at　Baron's。　He　bought　a　pedestal　coffee　cup　that　had　〃Susie〃　painted　on　the　side　in　Old　English　script；　and　a　half…pound　bag　of　Colombian　coffee。　He　asked　the　girl　at　the　coffee　shop　to　gift…wrap　the　two　items　together；　which　cost　him　an　extra　1。50。　He　returned　to　his　car　and　locked　his　new　purchases　into　the　trunk　before　getting　into　the　front　seat　and　turning　on　the　engine　and　the　air　conditioning。
　　Freddy　counted　322　from　the　portly　man's　stolen　wallet；　809　from　the　tall　man's　wallet；　and　1；200　from　the　tight　roll　of　bills。　In　the　middle　of　the　tight　roll　of　American　money；　there　was　an　even　tighter　roll　of　10；000　Mexican　pesos。　So；　not　counting　the　pesos；　which　he　might　be　able　to　exchange　later；　he　was　2；331　richer　than　when