cwilleford.miamiblues-第38节

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nything　to　get　Freddy's　body　out　of　town　as　quickly　as　possible。　In　a　small　town　like　Dania；　shootings　of　any　kind　were　bad　for　business。
　　Susan　Waggoner　was　picked　up　by　a　Florida　state　trooper　in　Belle　Glade。　Her　TransAm　was　impounded　there；　and　she　was　brought　to　the　Miami　police　station　by　the　trooper。　The　trooper　who　picked　her　up　also　gave　her　a　ticket　for　having　tinted　windows　in　the　TransAm　that　were　twice　as　dark　as　the　law　allowed。
　　Hoke；　Henderson；　and　Sanchez　were　still　working　on　their　joint　report　when　Susan　was　brought　in。　They　took　her　down　to　an　interrogation　room；　and　Henderson　read　her　her　rights。
　　〃D'you　understand；〃　Hoke　said；　〃that　you　can　have　a　lawyer　present？　You　don't　have　to　tell　us　anything　if　you　don't　want　to；　but　we　need　to　clear　up　a　few　things。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　what　this　is　all　about；〃　Susan　said。　〃When　we　had　the　windows　tinted　on　the　car；　the　man　said　it　was　legal。　You　see　a　lot　of　people　driving　around　Miami　with　tinted　windows；　and　a　lot　of　them　are　darker　than　mine。〃
　　〃Never　mind　the　tinted　windows；〃　Hoke　said。　〃I　followed　you　in　my　car　from　Dania　to　downtown　Miami；　and　I　was　across　the　street　when　you　parked　in　the　yellow　loading　zone　on　Miami　Avenue。　I　saw　your　boyfriend　get　out　of　the　car…〃
　　〃Junior？〃
　　〃Junior。　And　then　you　took　off　almost　immediately。　Did　you　know　he　was　going　to　rob　the　coin　store？〃
　　〃No。　Why　would　he　rob　the　store？　He　had　some　silver　dollars　to　sell。　That's　what　he　told　me；　and　he　wanted　me　to　go　with　him。　I　didn't　want　to　go　because　of　the　rain；　and　when　I　said　I'd　stay　in　the　car　and　wait　for　him　he　got　mad　at　me。　That's　when　he　told　me　that　he　was　the　one　who　broke　my　brother's　finger　out　at　the　airport。　Remember　that？〃
　　〃He　told　you　that？〃
　　〃That's　right。　And　I'll　sign　a　statement　to　that；　too。　We'd　had　some　arguments　before；　and　he　even　hit　me　once；　but　I　stayed　with　him　because　of　his　other　good　qualities。　But　when　I　found　out　that　he　was　the　one　responsible　for　Martin's　death；　I　got　scared。　I　realized　that　I　was　in　danger　from　him；　and　I　got　scared。　Once　he　told　me　that；　you　see；　he'd　always　know　that　I　had　something　on　him；　and　he　could　kill　me；　too。　So　I　just　took　off；　came　home　to　Dania；　got　my　money；　and　left。　I　was　on　my　way　back　to　Okeechobee　when　the　state　trooper　pulled　me　over　in　Belle　Glade。〃
　　〃What　were　Junior's　good　qualities？〃　Sanchez　asked。
　　Susan　frowned。　She　poked　out　her　lips。　〃Well；　he　was　a　good　provider；　and　he　liked　everything　I　cooked　for　him。　There　were　lots　of　good　things　about　Junior　I　liked。　But　I'm　not　going　to　live　with　him　anymore。〃
　　〃Junior's　dead；　Susan；〃　Henderson　said。　〃Didn't　you　know　he　had　a　gun？〃
　　〃Yes；　but　I　didn't　know　he　was　going　to　rob　anybody。　He　carried　a　gun　for　protection。　He　almost　got　killed　a　few　weeks　ago　by　a　gunman　in　a　Seven…Eleven　store。　So　he　needed　the　gun　for　protection；　he　told　me。　Junior's　dead？〃
　　〃That's　right；〃　Henderson　said。　〃He　was　killed。〃
　　〃I　guess　his　gun　didn't　do　him　much　good；　then；　did　it？　I'm　sorry　to　hear　that。　I　never　wished　him　any　harm。　I　wasn't　going　to　tell　on　him；　either；　about　Martin；　I　mean；　but　I　don't　want　to　get　in　no　trouble　on　account　of　Junior。　I　didn't　do　anything。　I　just　want　to　go　back　to　Okeechobee。　All　I've　had　is　trouble　of　some　kind　or　other　ever　since　I　came　down　here　for　my　abortion。　What　I'd　say；　if　you　asked　me　about　Miami；　I'd　say　it's　not　a　good　place　for　a　single　girl　to　be。〃
　　〃Jesus　Christ；〃　Hoke　said；　〃let's　get　out　of　here　a　minute；　Bill。〃
　　Hoke　and　Henderson　went　out　into　the　hallway。
　　〃I'm　afraid；　Bill；〃　Hoke　said；　〃that　I'd　have　to　confirm　her　story。　She　did　drop　him　off；　and　then　leave　immediately；　and　I　followed　her　until　she　got　on　the　ramp　to　I…Ninety…five。　You　can't　charge　her　for　dropping　her　mon…law　husband　off　downtown。　If　she　claims　she　didn't　know　he　was　going　to　rob　the　store；　we　can't　hold　her　as　an　accessory。〃
　　〃Is　she　really　that　dumb；　or　is　it　an　act　of　some　kind？〃
　　〃It's　consistent；　whatever　it　is。　Why　don't　we　just　take　her　statement　and　put　her　on　a　bus　for　Belle　Glade　so　she　can　get　her　damned　car。〃
　　〃You　mean　just　let　her　go？〃
　　〃I　don't　see　what　else　we　can　do。　Her　statement　will　clear　up　the　death　of　Martin　Waggoner；　and　we　can　always　find　her　if　we　need　her　later。　Okeechobee's　a　small　town。　We'll　tell　her　not　to　leave　Okeechobee　or　e　back　to　Miami　again；　and　that's　it。〃
　　〃That's　just　hearsay。　We　still　can't　prove　that　Junior　killed　Martin；　or　broke　his　finger。〃
　　〃We'll　send　his　picture　up　to　those　two　Georgia　boys。　Maybe　they　can　identify　him　from　the　picture。　At　any　rate；　I'll　call　the　assistant　state　attorney；　and　tell　her　about　Susan's　statement。　She　can　decide　whether　to　close　the　case　or　not。　It's　not　up　to　us；　anyway。〃
　　Henderson　and　Sanchez　stayed　in　the　interrogation　room　to　obtain　a　statement　from　Susan　Waggoner；　and　Hoke　went　back　to　his　office。　He　found　Violet　Nygren's　phone　number；　and　called　the　office。
　　〃Thank　you；〃　a　female　voice　answered；　and　then；　for　five　minutes；　Hoke　listened　to　Muzak　as　he　held　the　phone　to　his　ear。
　　〃Thank　you　for　waiting；〃　a　man's　voice　said。　〃How　may　I　help　you？〃
　　〃Is　this　the　state　attorney's　office？〃
　　〃Yes；　it　is。　How　may　I　help　you？〃
　　〃This　is　Sergeant　Moseley；　Homicide。　I　want　to　talk　to　Miss　Violet　Nygren；　one　of　your　assistant　state　attorneys。　This　is　the　number　she　gave　me。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　we've　got　anybody　here　by　that　name。〃
　　〃Yes；　you　have。　She　was　assigned　to　that　case　at　the　airport。　A　guy　got　his　finger　broke　and　died　from　shock。　Martin　Waggoner。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　her。　What's　her　name　again？〃
　　〃Nygren。　N…Y…G…R…E…N。　She　was　young　and　had　just　joined　the　office。　A　UM　Law　School　graduate。〃
　　〃Okay。　Let　me　take　a　look　at　the　roster。　Can　you　hold　the　line　a　minute？〃
　　〃Yeah。〃
　　〃I'm　sorry；〃　the　man　said；　when　he　came　back　on　the　line；　〃but　we　don't　have　any　Nygrens　on　the　roster。　If　you　want　me　to；　I'll　check　with　a　few　people　here　and　then　call　you　back。　I　don't　know　half　the　people　here　myself。　We've　got　one　hundred　and　seventy…one　assistant　state　attorneys；　you　know。〃
　　〃That　many？　I　thought　you　only　had　about　a　hundred。〃
　　〃We　got　some　more　money　last　year。　But　they　e　and　go；　you　know。　Want　me　to　check　and　call　you　back？〃
　　〃No。　I'll　hold　the　line　while　you　check。　I　like　listening　to　the　Muzak。〃
　　〃That's　on　the　other　line。　I　can't　get　you　any　Muzak　on　this　phone。〃
　　〃Never　mind。　Just　find　out　what　happened　to　Violet　Nygren。〃
　　Hoke　lit　a　cigarette。　He　raised　his　shoulder　to　hold　the　phone　against　his　head　and　examined　his　hands。　They　were　shaking　slightly；　as　the　reaction　finally　settled　in；　but　as　long　as　he　kept　busy　he　wouldn't　have　to　think　about　it。　As　he　butted　the　cigarette　in　the　desk　ashtray；　a　woman's　voice　came　on　the　line。
　　〃Hello？　Are　you　there？〃
　　〃I'm　here；〃　Hoke　said。　〃Who　are　you？〃
　　〃Tim　asked　me　to　tell　you　about　Violet。　You　are　Sergeant　Moseley；　aren't　you？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Well；　Violet　Nygren　resigned　a　few　weeks　back。　She　got　married；　but　I　don't　know　her　married　name。　But　I　know　she　married　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；　H