cwilleford.miamiblues-第30节

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ull　member；　and　was　about　to　be　thrown　out　anyway。〃
　　〃Did　he　tell　you　that？〃
　　〃Not　in　so　many　words；　but　that's　the　impression　the　honcho　gave　me。　He　wasn't　even　interested　in　the　funeral　arrangements；　even　though　I　told　him　what　Mr。　Waggoner　had　in　mind。〃
　　〃Martin　was　probably　ripping　them　off。　That's　some　family；　isn't　it？　Incest；　prostitution；　fanaticism；　software　。　。　。　　。　I'd　better　go　home；　Bill。　This　is　really　only　my　first　day　to　be　traipsing　around；　and　I'm　bushed　as　hell。〃
　　〃Want　me　to　drive　you　home？〃
　　〃Hell；　no。　I　just　mean　that　I'm　tired。　Otherwise　I'm　okay。〃
　　〃Be　careful；　Hoke。　This　guy；　this　Mendez；　or　whatever　his　name　is；　seems　like　a　crazy　bastard　to　me。　And　when　he　finds　out　that　you're　up　and　around；　he　might　e　after　you　again。〃
　　〃I'll　watch　myself　all　right；　don't　worry。〃
　　Hoke　was　almost　certain　that　the　man　from　California　was　after　him；　but　he　couldn't　figure　out　why。　He　didn't　feel　safe　until　he　got　home　and　had　locked　the　door　and　bolted　it　behind　him。
　　
　　On　Sunday；　Hoke　stayed　in　bed　almost　all　day。　He　braved　the　heat　at　noon　and　walked　to　Gold's　Deli　for　the　Sunday　chickenin…the…pot　special；　but　he　napped　again　during　the　afternoon。　At　six；　he　made　his　regular　rounds　of　the　hotel　and　discovered　that　Mr。　Bennett　had；　during　his　absence　in　the　hospital；　put　chains　and　a　padlock　around　the　quick…release　handles　to　the　back　fire　door　exit。　Hoke　got　the　keys　from　the　office；　unlocked　the　chains；　and　put　them　into　the　storage　room　behind　the　unused　kitchen。　Later；　when　he　made　out　his　report　and　put　it　on　Mr。　Bennett's　desk；　he　reminded　the　manager　that　the　fire　marshal　could　close　the　hotel　down　for　a　serious　violation　like　that。
　　For　dinner；　Hoke　heated　a　can　of　Chunky　Turkey　Soup　on　the　hot　plate　in　his　room；　and　then　watched　〃Archie　Bunker's　Place〃　on　television。　After　the　show；　he　called　Bill　Henderson。
　　〃Everything's　okay；　Hoke；〃　Henderson　said。　〃I　talked　to　Wilson　last　night；　explained　things　to　him；　and　he'll　be　on　the　lookout　for　Mendez　himself。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　that's　his　real　name。〃
　　〃All　right；　all　right！　What　do　we　call　him　then？〃
　　〃I'm　sorry。　Mendez；　I　guess。〃
　　〃Anyway；　Wilson　wants　to　find　him　as　much　as　we　do　now。　Apparently　the　guy　scared　the　hell　out　of　Pablo；　and　Wilson　told　me　that　Pablo's　talking　about　going　back　to　Nicaragua。　I　also　reassured　Wilson　that　neither　one　of　us　is　going　to　say　anything　to　Internal　Affairs。　We've　got　enough　to　do　in　Homicide　without　worrying　about　what's　going　on　in　Vice。　He　also　told　me　to　tell　you　he's　sorry　about　your　teeth。〃
　　〃I'm　sorry　about　them；　too。　I　have　to　pour　hot　sauce　on　everything　now　in　order　to　get　any　taste。〃
　　〃How　you　feeling　otherwise？〃
　　〃Okay。　I'll　probably　see　you　in　the　morning　when　I　e　in　to　get　my　gun　and　badge　from　Brownley。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　so。　I'll　be　out　with　Lopez。　We're　doing　that　investigation　about　the　woman　who　sat　on　her　kid；　and　I'm　letting　him　handle　it。　But　I'm　watching　him。〃
　　〃What　case　is　that？〃
　　〃It　was　in　the　papers。　This　woman　was　punishing　her　kid；　a　six…year…old；　and　she　sat　on　him。　She　weighs　about　two…forty；　and　she　crushed　in　his　chest。　The　kid　died；　and　now　she's　up　for　manslaughter。　It'll　probably　be　reduced　to　child　abuse；　but　we've　got　to　knock　on　doors　all　morning　to　see　what　the　neighbors've　got　to　say　about　her　and　the　kid。〃
　　〃Did　she　do　it　on　purpose？〃
　　〃I　think　so。　But　Lopez；　being　Cuban；　doesn't。　Cubans；　he　says；　don't　punish　their　kids　no　matter　what　they　do；　so　he　thinks　it　was　an　accident。　We'll　find　out　after　we've　knocked　on　a　few　doors。　Incidentally；　I　found　out　who　your　new　partner's　going　to　be。　Ellita　Sanchez。　D'you　know　her？〃
　　〃The　dispatcher？　The　girl　with　the　big　tits？〃
　　〃Girl？　She's　at　least　thirty；　Hoke；　and　she's　been　on　the　force　for　six　years。〃
　　〃Yeah；　as　a　dispatcher。　What　does　she　know　about　Homicide？　Shit；　I'm　sorry　I　called　you。〃
　　〃No；　you're　not。　I　got　Wilson　off　your　ass。　Besides；　Sanchez　really　has　got　a　nice　pair　of　knockers。　And　she　can　write　in　English；　too。　Lopez　can't。　If　it　wasn't　for　being　married；　I'd　trade　you　Lopez　for　Sanchez；　but　Marie　would　have　a　fit　if　I　had　myself　a　female　partner。〃
　　〃I　thought　Marie　was　liberated。〃
　　〃She　is；　but　I'm　not。〃
　　〃I'll　lock　your　little　thirty…two　in　your　desk　drawer。〃
　　〃Keep　it；　old　buddy。　I'm　not　in　any　hurry　for　it。〃
　　
　　Captain　Willie　Brownley；　wearing　his　navy　blue　uniform；　plete　with　heavy　jacket；　sat　behind　a　huge　pile　of　paperwork　in　his　glass…walled　office。　He　gave　Hoke　a　short　lecture　about　hanging　on　to　his　new　badge　and　。38　pistol　this　time。
　　〃In　my　report；　Hoke；　I　stressed　the　severity　of　the　attack；　and　there'll　be　no　problems　with　your　record。　The　only　problem　you　might　have　is　with　Ellita　Sanchez。　She　told　me　that　she　would　rather　work　with　someone　else　instead　of　you。　I　get　the　idea　she　doesn't　think　you're　macho　enough…losing　your　gun　and　all。〃
　　〃Jesus！　Didn't　you　tell　her　the　circumstances？〃
　　〃She　knows；　yes。　But　all　the　same；　she　wants　to　do　well　as　a　detective　and　asked　me　to　put　her　with　someone　else。　I　think　I　straightened　her　out　on　that　score；　but　I　want　you　to　know　how　she　feels　so　you　can　win　her　over。　She　realizes　that　you're　the　sergeant；　and　she'll　do　whatever　you　tell　her。〃
　　〃I'm　still　going　to　be　out　for　my　two　weeks'　leave。〃
　　〃I　know。　I'm　moving　Henderson　and　Lopez　into　the　bullpen；　and　Sanchez　into　your　office。　Maybe　she　can　catch　up　on　some　of　your　back　paperwork。〃
　　〃In　that　case；　I'll　see　you　in　two　weeks。〃
　　〃Get　rid　of　that　beard　before　you　e　back。　You　look　like　that　Puerto　Rican　actor；　José　Ferrer。〃
　　Hoke　drove　to　the　Trail　Gun　Shop　and　bought　a　new　holster　and　a　pair　of　handcuffs；　charging　them　to　his　MasterCard；　one　that　he　had　obtained　from　a　bank　in　Chicago　that　issued　them　without　a　thorough　credit　check。　It　was　the　only　charge　card　that　he　had　left；　and　he　never　missed　sending　the　bank　in　Chicago　the　monthly　minimum　payment　of　10。
　　He　then　drove　to　the　International　Hotel；　parked　in　the　yellow　zone；　and　looked　for　Pablo　Lhosa。　He　showed　Pablo　his　badge　and　ID；　and　asked　him　where　they　could　go　to　talk。　Pablo　took　him　downstairs　to　the　employees'　locker　room　and　opened　his　locker；　which　was　secured　with　two　padlocks。　He　took　out　a　leather　sports　jacket　and　handed　it　to　the　detective。
　　〃He　left　this　jacket　in　his　room；〃　Pablo　said。　〃He　checked　out　of　the　hotel　by　telephone；　paying　by　credit　card。　He　was　registered　under　the　name　of　Herman　T。　Gotlieb；　San　Jose；　California。　The　card；　it　turned　out；　was　stolen。　That's　all　I　know。　This　jacket's　too　small　for　me；　but　it's　expensive；　and　brand　new。　I　want　you　to　find　him；　lieutenant…〃
　　〃Sergeant。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。　This　guy　is　scary。　You　should　see　his　eyes…〃
　　〃I　have。〃
　　〃What　I　think；　I　think　he's　a　hitman　of　some　kind；　imported　from　California。〃
　　〃What　gave　you　that　idea？〃
　　〃Just　the　way　he　acts。〃　Pablo　shrugged。　〃I　don't　have　no　proof；　but　I　know　what　a　killer　looks　like。　I　served　ten　years　in　the　National　Guard　in　Nicaragua；　and　I've　dealt　with　men　who　looked　like　him　before。〃
　　〃I'll　find　him。　If　you　see　him　again；　or　if　you　can　think　of　anything　else；　call　me　at　my　home　address。〃　Hoke　gave　Pablo　one　of　his　cards。　〃Let　the　phone　ring　for　a　long　time。　Sometimes　no　one's　at　the　switchboard。　But　don't　call　me　at　the　department　for　the　next　two　weeks。　Call　me　at　home。〃
　　〃Have　you　checked　her　apartment？〃　Pablo　said。　〃They　might　be　out　there。　A　friend　of　mine　checked　once；　but　they　weren't　there。　That　doesn't　mean　that　they　won't　be　back。　If　you　want　to　go　out　there；　here's　the　keys　to　her　apartment。〃　Pablo　took　two　keys　off　his　ring　and　handed　them　to　Hoke。
　　〃How　e　you've　got　her　apartment　keys？〃
　　〃My　friend　gave　'em　to　me。　He's　got　keys　to　everything　in　Miami。　Here；　why　don't　you　keep　the　jacket；　too？　Except　for　the　shoulders；　you're　both　about　the　same　size。〃
　　〃Don't　you　want　it？　It's　an　expensive　jacket。〃
　　〃It　won't　fit　me。　I'm　a　forty…eight　portly。〃
　　〃Thanks。　I'll　find　him；　Pablo。〃
　　〃It　can't　be　too　soon　for　me。　I　don't　like　violence　of　any　kind。〃
　　〃Yeah　　　。　。　。　　〃　Hoke　smiled。　〃That's　why　you　left　the　Nicaraguan　National　Guard　after　only　ten　years。〃
　　
　　Hoke　used　the　pay　phone　in　the　lobby　to　call　a　friend　of　his　in　Records。　He　asked　his　friend　to　run　a　check　on　Herman　T。　Gotlieb　in　San　Jose；　California。
　　〃How　long　will　it　take？〃　Hoke　asked。
　　〃It　depends　on　a　lot　of　things。　Give　me　a　couple　of　hours；　okay？〃
　　〃I'll　call　you　back；　then。　I　don't　know　where　I'll　be　two　hours　from　now。〃
　　Hoke　drove　out　to　Kendall。　He　drew　his　pistol　before　he　knocked　on　the　door。　When　no　one　answered；　he　used　the　keys　to　get　in。　He　looked　through　the　rooms；　but　he　couldn't　tell　for　certain　whether　the　pair　was　still　living　there　or　not。　There　were　no　men's　clothes；　but　there　was　plenty　of　food　in　the　refrigerator。　The　air　conditioning　was　on；　set　for　seventy…five　degrees；　and　the　brass　bed　in　the　master　bedroom　was　unmade。　There　was　a　small　jar　of　Oil　of　Olay　and　a　can　of　Crisco　on　the　bedside　table。　Except　for　two　six…packs　of　San　Miguel　beer　in　the　refrigerator；　there　was　no　liquor　in　the　apartment。　Hoke　knew　he　shouldn't　be　in