cwilleford.miamiblues-第36节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


r；　and　then　if　she　refused　to　tell　him　where　Mendez　was；　could　threaten　to　book　her　on　a　solicitation　charge。　He　could　threaten　her；　but　he　couldn't　pick　her　up。　Dania　was　in　Broward　County；　and　Hoke　had　no　jurisdiction　in　Broward　County。
　　At　Sixth　Street；　Hoke　turned　right　and　found　a　parking　space　in　front　of　a　cigar　store。　He　went　inside；　showed　the　man　behind　the　counter　his　badge；　and　asked　for　the　phone。　The　phone　was　on　the　wall　behind　the　dealer's　back；　but　the　receiver　was　on　a　long　cord。　The　dealer；　a　white…haired　Latin　with　a　hoarse　voice；　handed　the　receiver　to　Hoke。
　　〃You　tell　me　number。　I　dial。　No　one　can　e　behind　counter。　I　dial。〃
　　Hoke　gave　the　man　his　office　number。　Ellita　Sanchez　answered　the　phone。
　　〃This　is　Sergeant　Moseley；　Sanchez。　Is　Bill　Henderson　around？〃
　　〃He　was　in　earlier；　but　he's　not　here　now。　I　think　he　went　downstairs　for　coffee。〃
　　〃You　don't　happen　to　know　any　cops　in　Dania；　do　you？
　　〃No。　I've　never　even　been　to　Dania。〃
　　〃That's　okay。　I　want　you　to　get　a　message　to　Sergeant　Henderson。　Tell　him　that　I　need　a　cop　from　Broward　County　to　meet　me　at　two…four…six　Poinciana；　in　Dania。　You　remember…　the　address　of　Susan　Waggoner　in　Dania　you　got　for　me　yesterday。〃
　　〃I've　got　a　cousin　on　the　force　in　Hollywood。　I　could　call　him；　if　you　want。〃
　　〃He'll　do；　but　I'd　rather　have　a　Dania　cop。　Talk　to　Henderson　first。　He'll　know　what　to　do。　But　if　you　can't　find　Henderson；　call　your　cousin　in　Hollywood。　Tell　Henderson　that　I've　got　a　good　chance　to　pick　up　Mendez。〃
　　〃You　can't　arrest　anybody　in　Broward　County。〃
　　〃I　know　it；　Sanchez。　That's　why　I　want　a　cop　from　Dania；　and　I　don't　know　anyone　there　and　it　would　all　be　too　plicated　to　explain　to　anyone　there　over　the　phone。　So　just　tell　Henderson　what　I've　told　you。　D'you　understand？〃
　　〃I'll　go　down　to　the　cafeteria　right　now　and　look　for　him。〃
　　〃Good　girl。〃　Hoke　handed　the　receiver　back　to　the　whitehaired　man。　The　man　smiled　and　held　up　two　fingers　as　he　took　the　receiver。　〃Last　month　at　Dania　I　hit　two　trifectas。〃
　　〃Wonderful；〃　Hoke　said。　〃Thanks　for　the　phone。〃
　　There　was　a　tiny　cafeteria　next　to　the　cigar　store。　Hoke　ordered　a　double　espresso；　drank　it；　and　then　bought　two　Jamaican　hot　meat　patties　to　eat　in　the　car　on　his　way　to　Dania。
　　
　　
　　22
　　
　　As　the　taillights　of　the　Metrobus　disappeared　into　the　rain；　Freddy　walked　through　an　A…l　Park…and…Lock　lot　and　into　an　Eckerd's　drugstore。　He　bought　a　roll　of　gauze　and　a　roll　of　adhesive　tape　and　left　the　store。　He　kept　his　injured　hand　in　his　trousers　pocket；　and　flexed　his　thumb　and　forefinger。　They　responded　in　time　with　the　shooting　pains　to　his　elbow。　The　hand　was　no　longer　numb；　but　the　pain　wasn't　steady。　It　flashed　and　flickered　off　and　on　like　a　broken　neon　sign。
　　A　bearded　man　in　his　early　thirties　wearing　a　dirty　yellow　T…shirt　stood　under　a　ragged　awning　in　front　of　a　boarded…up　storefront。　He　was　drinking　from　a　bottle　in　a　brown　paper　bag。
　　〃Are　you　drunk？〃　Freddy　asked　him。
　　The　man　shook　his　bearded　chin。　〃Not　yet。〃
　　〃I'll　give　you　five　bucks　to　do　something　for　me。〃
　　〃Okay。〃
　　〃Bind　up　my　hand。〃
　　Freddy　handed　the　bearded　man　the　sack　from　Eckerd's；　moved　back　into　the　recessed　doorway；　and　took　his　wounded　hand　out　of　his　pocket。　He　unwrapped　the　sticky　handkerchief。
　　The　derelict　put　down　his　bottle　carefully　by　the　wall　and　took　the　gauze　and　adhesive　tape　out　of　the　sack。　Freddy　held　out　his　hand　and　the　man　shook　his　head　and　clucked。
　　〃Nasty；〃　he　said。
　　He　wrapped　Freddy's　hand　tightly　with　the　gauze；　including　the　unimpaired　forefinger；　but　left　the　thumb　free。　The　man's　fingers　were　shaky　but　functional。
　　〃You　can't　do　nothin'　without　your　thumb；〃　he　explained。
　　He　used　all　the　gauze　and　all　the　tape　because　he　didn't　have　a　knife　to　cut　off　the　excess；　but　the　wrapping　was　so　tight　it　looked　like　a　professional　job。
　　〃That'll　do　her　till　you　get　to　a　doctor。〃
　　Freddy　gave　the　man　10。
　　〃This　is　a　ten；〃　the　man　said。
　　Freddy　shrugged。　〃Five's　for　the　bandage　job；　and　the　other　five's　for　getting　me　a　cab。〃
　　〃I'll　be　right　back。〃　The　man　hesitated。　〃Don't　let　nobody　touch　my　bottle。〃　Limping　slightly　in　his　huaraches；　the　man　hurried　toward　Flagler　in　the　rain。　The　rain　had　a　steady　beat　to　it　now；　as　though　it　would　last　forever。
　　Freddy　picked　up　the　bottle　and　took　a　long　swig　from　it。　Muscatel　wine。　Sweet　and　fruity；　and　devoid　of　subtlety。　Freddy　drank　the　rest　of　it　anyway　and　put　the　bottle　down　by　the　wall　again。　The　sweet　wine　didn't　lessen　the　pain　in　his　hand。　He　needed　whiskey　for　that；　but　the　Darvon　he　had　back　at　the　house　in　Dania　would　help　more　than　whiskey。　He　regretted　his　hasty　retreat　from　the　coin　exchange。　He　should　have　scooped　up　the　stubs　of　his　fingers　he　left　behind。　The　cops　would　get　his　fingerprints　from　them。　Shit。　Murder　One。　The　time　had　e　to　get　the　hell　out　of　Miami。　He　would　tell　Susie　to　drive　him　to　Okeechobee。　She　undoubtedly　knew　a　doctor　up　there；　and　after　he　got　his　hand　fixed　up　they　could　head　north。　They　could　hole　up　along　the　way　in　one　of　those　Days　Inns　that　dotted　I…95　in　every　small　Florida　town。　Then；　when　his　hand　had　healed；　he　would　decide　what　to　do　next。　Maybe　they　could　fly　out　to　Vegas。　There　was　a　lot　going　on　in　Vegas。
　　A　Veteran's　Cab　pulled　up　to　the　curb。　The　derelict　got　out；　and　Freddy　handed　him　another　5。　〃I　finished　off　your　bottle；〃　Freddy　said。　〃Buy　yourself　another。〃
　　〃That's　all　right。　Thanks　a　lot。　I　didn't　mean　you；　anyway。　I　meant　if　somebody　else　came　along。　Thanks！〃
　　Freddy　got　into　the　cab。　He　began　to　sweat；　and　a　wave　of　nausea　swept　over　him　as　his　stomach　cramped。　He　leaned　forward　and　vomited　on　the　floor。　It　all　came　up；　filling　the　cab　with　the　aromas　of　chipped　beef；　milk　gravy；　and　muscatel　wine。
　　〃That's　gonna　cost　you；　mister！〃　the　driver　said　bitterly。
　　〃Don't　worry　about　it。〃　Freddy　passed　a　twenty…dollar　bill　across　the　back　of　the　seat；　and　the　driver's　fingers　snatched　it。　〃Just　drive　north　on　Dixie　until　I　tell　you　to　stop。〃
　　〃Okay；〃　the　driver　said；　〃but　this　twenty's　for　the　cleanup；　not　for　the　fare　on　the　meter。〃
　　When　they　reached　Dania；　Freddy　told　the　driver　to　stop　at　a　closed　Union　service　station　on　the　highway。　Freddy　doubled　the　tab　on　the　meter；　but　he　got　no　thanks　from　the　grim…faced　driver。　The　cabbie　made　a　U…turn　and　started　back　toward　Miami　without　a　word。
　　Freddy's　house　was　twelve　blocks　away　from　the　gas　station；　a　long　walk　in　the　rain；　but　now　that　he　had　a　Murder　One　rap　hanging　over　him　he　sure　as　hell　didn't　want　the　driver　to　know　his　address。　Jesus；　it　had　all　happened　so　fast。　He　had　gone　by　the　place　three　or　four　times　when　he　had　cased　out　the　coin　dealer；　but　the　man　had　always　been　alone　in　his　shop。　Who　would　have　suspected　that　Wulgemuth　had　a　dumb　sonofabitch　in　the　storeroom　with　a　shotgun？　Well；　that　was　tough　shit　for　Pedro；　and　tough　shit　for　Wulgemuth…and　tough　shit　for　his　fingers；　too。　Susan　would　be　home　now；　unless　she　had　misunderstood　everything　he　had　told　her　and　had　driven　over　to　Watson　Island　and　parked　in　the　Japanese　Garden　parking　lot。　But　she　wasn't　that　dimwitted。　Some　traffic　cop　or　meter　maid　had　made　her　move；　and　she　had　either　circled　the　block　while　he　was　still　in　the　coin　shop；　or　made　a　second　tour　of　the　block　and　perhaps　a　third。　She　might　still　be　downtown；　circling　the　block　again　and　again；　but　she　would　give　up　eventually　and　drive　home　to　Dania。
　　Wet　all　the　way　through　his　jacket　and　shirt；　Freddy　slogged　through　the　rain　with　soggy　trousers　and　wet　feet。　When　he　got　home　he　would　take　a　Darvon　and　drink　some　chocolate　milk　to　settle　his　stomach。　It　might　be　a　good　idea　to　get　Edna　Damrosch　to　take　a　look　at　his　injured　hand。　No；　that　would　mean　explanations；　and　this　time　she　would　call　a　doctor。　He　would　just　take　some　Darvon；　some　penicillin　tablets；　and　wait　till　they　got　to　Okeechobee。　The　pain　wasn't　all　that　bad。　He　could　stand　a　little　pain；　but　those　missing　fingers　would　certainly　make　him　a　marked　man…and　for　life；　too。
　　The　TransAm　wasn't　parked　in　the　driveway。　The　stupid　little　bitch。　She　was　still　downtown；　circling　the　block　and　looking　for　him。　He　should　have　given　her　a　time　limit。　He　needed　her　right　now；　and　she　wasn't　home。
　　He　let　himself　into　the　house；　surprised　to　see　that　the　lights　were　still　on　in　the　kitchen。　He　thought　he　had　turned　them　off　when　they　left。　He　went　into　the　bathroom；　swallowed　two　Darvons；　and　sipped　some　water　from　the　cup　on　the　sink。　The　door　to　the　closet　was　standing　open。　Susan's　two　suitcases　were　missing。　Her　black　dress　wasn't　on　the　hanger　in　the　closet。　He　ran　into　the　kitchen；　took　down　the　Ritz　Cracker　box　from　the　back　shelf　where　the　provisions　were　kept；　and　ripped　open　the　top。
　　The　money　was　gone。　All　of　it；　including　the　10；000　Mexican　pesos　they　hadn't　been　able　to　exchange。　Freddy　laughed。　So　Susan　had　skipped　out　on　him；　taken　some　of　her　clothes；　the　money；　and　gone　home。　He　had　known　she　was　nervous…she　told　him　so…but　he　hadn't　taken　into　account　how　truly　scared　she　must　have　been。　Maybe　she　thought　he　was　going　to　shoot　the　coin　dealer。　Well；　as　it　turned