cwilleford.miamiblues-第12部分

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t　Miami　in　the　last　year　alone。　And　now　Farris…that　was　seven。　Of　course；　Henderson　could　get　out　for　a　night　once　in　a　while；　but　Bill　Henderson　was　married；　and　he　always　worried　about　staying　out　too　late。
　　Hoke　looked　out　at　the　river；　never　the　same　river。　He　wanted　another　double　shot　of　Early　Times；　but　not　at　these　prices。　Hoke　left　the　bar　and　got　his　car　from　the　parking　ramp。　As　he　checked　the　window　locks；　the　smell　of　the　vomit　on　the　back　seat　was　almost　overpowering。　When　he　got　to　the　Eldorado　Hotel；　he'd　get　one　of　the　Marielitos　who　lived　there　to　clean　it　out。
　　
　　
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　　The　one…way　street　was　narrow　after　they　left　the　well…lighted　area　of　the　Columbus　Hotel　on　Biscayne。　The　sidewalk　was　cracked　and　broken　from　recent　roadwork；　and　there　were　few　pedestrians。
　　〃Where's　the　parking　garage？〃　Freddy　took　Susan's　thin　arm　as　they　skirted　a　Bob's　Barricade　horse　and　a　flaming　kerosene　pot。
　　〃Up　about　four　blocks。　I　didn't　want　the　detective　to　see　my　car。　I'm　sorry　now　I　even　mentioned　it　to　him。　If　he　lets　it　slip　out　to　daddy　that　I've　got　it；　he'll　take　it。〃
　　〃That　prick　detective's　pretty　sharp。　Unless　he　does　it　on　purpose；　he　won't　let　anything　slip　out。　He　sure　picked　up　on　me　in　a　hurry。　I　think　I　had　him　fooled　on　the　dessert　business；　because　I　really　was　in　a　foster　home　in　Santa　Barbara。　But　he　knows　that　a　man　can't　hold　down　a　regular　job　and　still　work　out　six　hours　a　day　building　up　muscles　like　mine。〃
　　〃Why'd　you　tell　him　your　name　was　Ramon　Mendez？　You　don't　look　nothing　like　these　Cubans。〃　She　pointed　to　four　ragged　Marielitos　across　the　street。　They　were　unwrapping　a　large　bundle　of　clothes　between　two　parked　cars。
　　〃I　told　him　Mendez　because　I　checked　into　the　hotel　under　the　name　of　Gotlieb　with　a　stolen　credit　card。　Wait。　Let's　go　over　there　and　see　what　they've　got　in　that　bindle。〃
　　〃Let's　don't！　You　don't　want　to　have　nothing　to　do　with　these　people；　Junior。　It's　just　something　they　stole；　anyway。〃　She　tugged　at　his　arm。
　　〃Okay。　But　it's　always　interesting　to　look　into　a　bindle。　You　never　know　what　you'll　find。〃
　　〃You　mess　with　these　Cubans　and　they'll　pull　a　knife　on　you。〃　At　the　next　corner；　they　waited　for　the　light　to　change。　〃If　your　name　isn't　Gotlieb；　and　it　isn't　Mendez；　what　is　it？〃
　　〃Junior；　like　I　told　you。　My　last　name's　Frenger。　I'm　really　German；　I　suppose；　but　I　don't　remember　my　parents。　I　was　in　four　different　foster　homes；　but　no　one　ever　told　me　anything　about　my　parents。　They　said　I　was　an　orphan；　but　they　could've　been　lying　about　that。　They　lied　about　everything　else；　so　it's　possible　my　parents　are　still　alive　somewhere。　I've　always　thought　my　father　must've　been　an　important　man；　though；　or　he　wouldn't've　named　me　Junior。　At　least　that　proves　I'm　not　a　bastard。　You　don't　name　a　kid　after　yourself　if　you　aren't　married。　What　d'you　think？〃
　　〃I'm　too　upset　to　think　right　now。　On　top　of　everything　else；　I　think　Mr。　Turner's　going　to　make　us　write　a　haiku；　and　I　don't　think　I　can　do　it。〃
　　〃It　seems　simple　enough　to　me。　There're　only　seventeen　syllables。　Five；　seven；　and　five。　I'll　write　some　for　you；　and　you　can　keep　'em　in　your　purse。　Then；　if　he　gives　you　a　makeup　paper　in　his　office；　you　can　just　copy　them　in　your　own　handwriting。〃
　　〃Suppose　I　have　to　explain　what　they　mean？〃
　　〃I'll　tell　you　what　they　mean　after　I　write　them。〃
　　〃Would　you？〃
　　〃Sure。　We're　engaged；　aren't　we？〃
　　〃Did　you　really　mean　that？　When　you　told　Mr。　Turner　we　were　engaged？〃
　　〃Why　not？　I've　never　been　engaged　before。〃
　　〃Me　neither。　I've　never　even　gone　steady　before。〃
　　They　reached　the　six…story　parking　garage。　Susan　showed　her　parking　pass　to　the　attendant　behind　the　bulletproof　window。　He　took　her　keys　from　the　board；　raised　the　grate　an　inch；　and　slid　them　across　the　Formica　countertop。
　　〃I　pay　eighty　dollars　a　month　to　park　here。　And　that's　the　student　rate。　Some　of　these　downtown　lots　charge　three　dollars　an　hour；　and　they　make　so　much　money　they　won't　give　you　a　monthly　rate。〃　They　took　the　elevator　to　the　fifth　floor。　〃But　they're　nasty　about　it　here。　If　I　don't　get　here　early　enough　in　the　morning　to　get　a　space；　the　garage　fills　up　and　they　put　out　a　full　sign。　So　even　though　I've　paid　in　advance；　I　still　can't　park。　It　isn't　fair。〃
　　〃You　use　that　word　a　lot。〃
　　〃What　word？〃
　　〃〃Fair〃。　Now　that　you're　twenty　years　old…〃
　　〃Only　by　one　month…〃
　　〃…you'd　better　forget　about　things　like　〃fair〃　and　〃unfair〃。　Even　when　people　talk　about　the　weather；　〃fair〃　doesn't　mean　anything。〃
　　〃But　there's　such　a　thing　as…〃
　　〃No；　there　isn't。　Jesus；　is　this　your　car？〃
　　Susan　unlocked　the　driver's　door　to　a　white　1982　TransAm。　There　was　a　flaming　red　bird　decal　on　the　hood　and　flowing　red　flames　painted　on　all　four　of　the　fenders。
　　〃It's　mine　now；　if　they　don't　take　it　away　from　me。　It　was　the　first　thing　we　bought　when　we　had　enough　saved　for　the　down　payment。　Marty　was　crazy　about　it。　But　he　only　got　to　drive　it　two　or　three　times。　What　he　wanted　was　a　car　that　would　impress　his　friends　when　we　went　back　to　Okeechobee。　That's　why　I'm　pretty　sure　he　never　told　daddy　about　the　car。　He　wanted　to　surprise　everybody。　These　are　real　leather　seats；　you　know。　Black　glove　leather。　D'you　want　to　drive；　Junior？〃
　　〃No。　I　can　drive；　but　I'm　not　a　very　good　driver。　And　even　though　I've　got　three　California　licenses　on　me；　I　don't　fit　the　descriptions。　Besides；　you'd　have　to　tell　me　where　to　turn　and　all。〃
　　Freddy　got　into　the　passenger's　soft　bucket　seat。　He　felt　as　though　he　were　sitting　in　a　deep　pit；　even　though　the　visibility　was　excellent　through　the　tinted　front　window。　The　side　and　back　windows　had　been　layered　with　chocolate　film；　they　were　almost　black。
　　Susan　started　the　engine。　〃I'll　turn　the　air　conditioning　down　in　just　a　second。　It'll　really　freeze　your　ass　off　if　you　leave　it　on　high　very　long。〃
　　〃Do　you　need　gas？　I've　got　Ramon　Mendez's　Seventy…six　card。〃
　　〃This　thing　always　needs　gas。　It　only　gets　about　nine　miles　to　a　gallon。　Something's　wrong　with　the　carburetor；　I　think。〃
　　〃Well；　don't　worry　about　gas。　I　can　get　all　of　the　gas　credit　cards　we'll　need。〃
　　Susan　roared　down　the　spiraling　driveway　and　into　the　street。　She　drove　through　the　streets　aggressively；　taking　the　Eighth　Street　ramp　to　the　overhead　freeway　to　South　Dixie。　But　once　on　South　Dixie；　in　three　lanes；　the　traffic　was　heavy；　and　it　was　stop…and…go　driving　until　they　reached　South　Miami　and　Sunset　Drive。　The　heavy　traffic　thinned　out　slightly　when　she　turned　west　on　Sunset。
　　〃People　can't　see　in　at　all；　can　they？〃　Freddy　said。
　　〃Not　very　well。　To　see　inside　you　have　to　put　your　face　right　up　against　the　glass。〃
　　〃I　haven't　seen　much　of　the　city；　either。〃
　　〃You　can't　see　much　at　night。　I'll　take　you　around　tomorrow；　anywhere　you　want　to　go。〃
　　They　had　the　car　filled　at　a　Shell　station。　Freddy　paid　for　the　gas　with　Gotlieb's　credit　card。　As　the　attendant　wrote　down　the　license　number　on　the　sales　slip；　Freddy　shook　his　head。　〃I　forgot　they　did　that。　Tomorrow　we're　going　to　either　get　some　new　license　plates　or　a　new　car。　We　should've　stopped　along　the　way　so　I　could've　picked　up　some　new　license　plates。　I　could've　changed　them　before　we　got　the　gas。〃
　　Susan　opened　the　door；　jumped　out；　and　dashed　after　the　attendant。　She　got　the　credit　slip　back；　and　paid　the　man　cash　for　the　fuel。　She　got　back　into　the　driver's　seat　and　tore　up　the　credit　slip。
　　〃I'll　probably　lose　the　car；　but　we　might　as　well　keep　it　as　long　as　we　can。〃
　　〃That　was　quick　thinking；　Susie。　I'm　so　used　to　using　credit　cards；　I　never　thought　about　paying　cash。〃
　　〃I　always　pay　cash。　Still；　I　try　not　to　carry　more'n　fifty　dollars　on　me　at　a　time。〃
　　〃Tomorrow　I'll　get　us　some　out…of…state　plates　we　can　switch。　And　tomorrow　night　I'd　better　get　some　Miami　credit　cards。　I'll　get　some　for　you；　too；　some　ladies'　cards；　so　you　can　buy　things　when　I'm　not　around。〃
　　
　　There　were　thirty　four…story　condominium　apartment　buildings　in　the　plex　that　made　up　Kendall　Pines　Terrace；　but　only　six　of　the　buildings　had　been　pleted　and　occupied。　The　other　buildings　were　unpainted；　windowless；　co