cwilleford.miamiblues-第22节
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known the caller。 He had hidden his drink behind the photograph of his two daughters。 Why？ He was entitled； for Christ's sake； to have a drink in his own room and to answer his door with a drink in his hand。 It wasn't the Dominican maid； he knew her timid； tentative knock； and it wasn't Mr。 Bennett。 If that bastard Bennett had wanted to clobber him； he would have gypped the assailant on the fee； and the job wouldn't have been so thorough。
That left the Marielitos； but Hoke felt that the resident Cubans could be eliminated。 When Hoke had first moved into the Eldorado； the refugees had been a continual problem。 There had been twenty of them all in one room； and Mr。 Bennett had charged them three bucks a night to sleep on mattresses on the floor。 They got drunk； they fought； they were loud； and they brought women in； terrifying the Jewish retirees who lived there on social security。 Hoke had shaken down their room a couple of times and picked up a 。32 pistol （no one had claimed it or knew how it got there） and three knives。 Finally； when Reagan took away their 115…a…month government checks； the refugees without jobs had moved out； unable to pay the three bucks a night。 Hoke had then persuaded Mr。 Bennett to get rid of the worst offenders； so now there were only five or six Marielitos left； and they all had jobs of some kind。 Hoke figured they all liked him。 He would pass out a dollar now and then…to wash his car or to bring him a sandwich from Gold's Deli。 So if his attacker was a Marielito； it had to be one that he had evicted。 But the attack wasn't in the Latin manner。 When a Latin wanted revenge； he also wanted you to know all about it； and he would tell you at great length precisely what he was going to do to you and why before he got around to doing it。
Hoke knew that he had his share of enemies。 What policeman hasn't？ He had put his quota of people away； and the parole board released them faster than they were incarcerated。 There were bound to be a few who might keep their promise to get him when they were released。 On the other hand； a stretch in prison had a way of cooling people off。 There was ample time for reflection in prison； and time； if it didn't eliminate animosity； at least ameliorated it。 Hoke； like most men； considered himself a good guy。 He couldn't conceive how anyone who knew him could attack him in such a cruel； impersonal way。
Hoke came to the conclusion that he had been mistaken for someone else； and the incident was some kind of crazy mixup。
He also thought it was peculiar that both boxes of fudge； the one from Louise and the one from Captain Brownley； had been wrapped in the same gold paper and tied with the same kind of flexible gold string。 A few days later； when he was limping around the hospital corridors； just to get out of his room； he went into the hospital gift shop。 There was a pyramid of fudge on the counter； each pound wrapped in gold paper。 Hoke looked at a box and saw the sticker on the bottom： 〃Gray Lady Fudge…4。 95〃。
15
Freddy had always been a light sleeper； but noise had seldom interrupted his sleep。 In prison； he could sleep soundly while two men in the same cell argued at the top of their voices； and with bars clanging throughout the block。 But if there was a change in the pattern of the usual noises he would awake immediately； as alert as an animal； until he discovered what had disturbed the pattern。 He could then drop back to sleep as easily as he had awakened。
He awoke now； at four…thirty A。M。； but heard nothing except the gentle hissing of the cold air from the wall ducts。 Susan； her left thumb in her mouth； slept soundlessly beside him； naked except for the sheet they had pulled waist…high over themselves。 There was a gentle flurry in Freddy's stomach； as though mice were scrambling around inside。 His mouth was dry； and despite the air conditioning； there was a light film of perspiration on his forehead。 His right leg began to jerk involuntarily； and it took him a moment or two to control the tic。 He threw off the sheet and sat on the edge of the bed。 To his surprise； he was a little dizzy。 He poured a glass of water from the bedside carafe and ate the piece of chocolate that the maid had left on his pillow when she had turned down the bedcovers。
Freddy was having an anxiety attack； but because it was his first； he didn't know what was happening。 He picked up his watch and watched the second hand sweep around as he took his pulse。 He found the rate of seventy disturbing； as a rule； his pulse was a steady fifty…five。 He went to the dresser； picked up Hoke's 。38 police special； cocked it； and checked both closets and the bathroom。 No one。 He lowered the hammer carefully and replaced the weapon in the holster。 He wanted to smoke a cigarette。 All he had to do was to pick up the phone and he could have a carton in the room within minutes； but he didn't reach for the telephone。 People in hell； he thought； want pi？a coladas； too。 Their problem is that they can't have them。 My problem is that I can have everything and anything I want； but what do I want？
He didn't want anything； including the cigarette he had thought he wanted。 What did he want？ Nothing。 In prison he had made mental lists of all kinds of things he would get when he was released； ranging from milk shakes to powder blue Caddy convertibles。 But he didn't like milk shakes because of the furry aftertaste； and a convertible in Florida would be too unfortably hot…unless he kept the top up and the air conditioning going full blast。 So who would want a convertible？
What he needed was a purpose； and then； after he had the purpose； he would need a plan。
Freddy pulled Susan into a sitting position。 〃Are you awake； Susie？〃
〃I think so。〃
〃Then open your eyes。〃
〃I'm sleepy。〃
Freddy poured a glass of water and splashed some water into Susan's face。 She rubbed her puffy eyes and blinked。 〃I'm awake。〃
〃Tell me again；〃 he said； 〃about the Burger King franchise。〃
〃What？〃
〃The Burger King franchise。 You and your brother； remember？ How does it work？ How much money do you need； and why do you want one？〃
〃It wasn't my idea； it was Marty's。 What you need； he said； is about fifty thousand dollars。 Then you borrow another fifty thousand from the bank and go to the Burger King people。 They tell you what's available； and you buy it or lease it and run it by their rules。 Marty wanted to build one up in Okeechobee。 He even had the location picked out。〃
〃But why did he want it？ What was his purpose？〃
〃To make a living； that's all。 You hire school kids real cheap； and you make a nice profit。 All you have to do； as the manager； is hang around all the time； see that the place is clean； and count your money。 When you pay back the bank loan； everything else you make from then on is gravy。〃
〃What was your part supposed to be in all this？〃
〃Well； he said we'd split up the work； so that one of us would be there at all times。 Otherwise； these kids who work for next to nothing will steal you blind。 So if he was there days and I was there nights； we could prevent that。〃
〃Is that what you wanted？〃
〃I don't know。 It seemed like such a long way off； I didn't think much about it。 Marty liked to talk about it； though。 I guess I didn't care。 It would be something to do； I guess。 I don't know。〃
〃Well； I think it's stupid。 I can't see any point to hanging around a Burger King all day； no matter how much money you make。 Don't you know why it's stupid？〃
〃I never thought too much about it。〃
〃I'll tell you why。 Your life would depend on the random desires of people who wanted a hamburger。 So you can just forget about Burger King。〃
〃Okay。 Can I go back to sleep now？〃
〃Yeah。 I'm going out for a while。 Don't let anyone in while I'm gone。 Do you want anything while I'm out？〃
〃Uh…uh 。 。 。 〃 She was asleep。
Freddy； carrying Hoke's sap and handcuffs in his jacket pocket and the holstered pistol clipped to his belt in the back； and with the badge and ID case in his right trousers pocket； left the deserted lobby。 He walked down Biscayne toward Sammy's； which was open twenty…four hours。 The predawn air was damp； cooler this time of morning； and there was a taste of salt in the air from the bay。
At the corner； a tall black whore at the curb clawed at his arm with long black fingers。
〃Lookin' for some fun？〃 she said。
Freddy showed her his badge。 〃Call it a night。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 She crossed the street on the yellow light and walked swiftly away； her high heels clattering in the dark。
Freddy continued on to Sammy's； went into the clean； welllighted restaurant； and took a corner booth。 Power； he thought。 Without the badge； he would have had an argument； and it would have been difficult to get rid of the whore unless he had decided to kick her in the ass。 And that could have； might have； caused him some trouble。 It was trouble he could handle but a hassle all the same。 With the badge； it was so easy 。 。 。
A rangy red…haired waitress came over to take his order。
〃Coffee。 Is that okay； or do I have to order something with it？〃
〃Most people do； but you don't have to。〃
〃Okay。 A
