cwilleford.miamiblues-第13部分

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ix　of　the　buildings　had　been　pleted　and　occupied。　The　other　buildings　were　unpainted；　windowless；　concrete　shells。　Construction　had　been　suspended　for　more　than　a　year。　Almost　all　of　the　apartments　in　the　occupied　buildings　were　empty。　For　the　most　part；　their　owners　had　purchased　them　at　preconstruction　prices　during　the　real　estate　boom　in　1979。　But　now；　in　fall　1982；　construction　prices　had　risen；　and　very　few　people　could　qualify　for　loans　at　17　percent　interest。
　　〃There's　been　some　vandalism　out　here；〃　Susan　said；　when　she　parked　in　her　numbered　space　in　the　vast　and　almost　empty　parking　lot。　〃So　they　built　a　cyclone　fence　and　hired　a　Cuban　to　drive　around　at　night　in　a　Jeep。　That's　stopped　it。　But　sometimes；　late　at　night；　it's　a　little　scary　out　here。〃
　　There　was　a　tropical　courtyard　in　the　hollow　square　of　Building　Six…East。　Broad…leaved　plants　had　been　packed　in　thickly　around　the　five…globed　light　in　the　center　of　the　patio；　and　cedar　bark　had　been　scattered　generously　around　the　plants。　There　was　a　pleasant　tingle　of　cedar　and　night…blooming　jasmine　in　the　air。
　　Susan　had　a　corner　two…bedroom；　two…bath　apartment　with　a　screened　porch　facing　the　Everglades。　There　was　eggshell　wall…to…wall　carpet　throughout　the　apartment；　except　for　the　kitchen；　which　had　a　linoleum　floor　in　a　white　brick　pattern。　Both　bathrooms　had　been　tiled　in　blue　and　pink。　The　furniture　in　the　living　room　was　rattan；　with　blue…and…green…striped　cushions。　There　was　a　large　brass　bed　in　the　master　bedroom。　In　the　smaller　bedroom；　Susan's；　there　was　a　Bahama　bed　and　a　rattan　desk。　There　were　antique　white　Levolors　in　all　of　the　windows；　but　no　curtains　or　draperies。
　　While　Freddy　looked　around　the　apartment；　Susan　got　two　San　Miguel　beers　out　of　the　refrigerator。　She　took　Freddy　out　to　the　screened　porch　and　pointed　toward　the　dark　Everglades。
　　〃In　the　daytime　you　can　see　them；　but　not　now。　For　the　next　four　miles　or　so；　those　are　all　tomato　and　cucumber　fields。　Then　you　get　to　Krome　Avenue；　and　beyond　that　it's　the　East　Everglades…nothing　but　water　and　alligators。　It　gets　too　drowned　with　water　to　build　on　the　other　side　of　Krome；　and　Kendall　Pines　Terrace　is　the　last　plex　in　Kendall。　Eventually；　the　rest　of　those　fields　will　all　be　condos；　because　Kendall　is　the　chicest　neighborhood　in　Miami。　But　they　won't　be　able　to　build　anymore　in　the　'Glades　unless　they　drain　them。〃
　　〃This　apartment　looks　expensive。〃
　　〃It　is；　for　the　girl　that　owns　it。　She　put　every　cent　she　had　into　it；　and　then　found　out　she　couldn't　afford　to　live　here。　She's　just　a　legal　secretary；　so　she　had　to　rent　it　out；　furniture　and　all。　We　only　pay　her　four　hundred　a　month　rent；　but　she　was　glad　to　get　it。　She　tried　to　sell　or　rent　it　for　four　months　before　we　came　along。　Even　with　our　four　hundred；　she　still　has　to　e　up　with　another　four…fifty　every　month。〃
　　〃Where　does　she　live　now？〃
　　〃She　had　to　move　back　with　her　parents　in　Hallandale；　and　she's　twenty…five　years　old。　I　know　how　bad　she　feels。　I'd　never　move　back　in　with　daddy。　I'd　rather　die　first。〃
　　〃This　is　good　beer。〃
　　〃San　Miguel　dark。　It's　the　best；　and　it　es　all　the　way　from　the　Philippine　Islands。　The　man　at　Crown　gets　it　for　me。　Of　course；　in　addition　to　the　four　hundred　a　month；　the　electric　bill　es　to　another　two　hundred。〃
　　〃No　shit？〃
　　Susan　nodded。　〃On　account　of　the　air　conditioning。　And　it'll　be　going　up　again　soon。　The　anchorette　on　Channel　Ten　said　so　last　night。　Without　the　money　from　Marty　ing　in；　I　don't　think　I　can　handle　it。　I'm　worried。〃
　　〃Don't　be。　We're　engaged；　so　I'll　take　care　of　it。〃
　　Freddy　put　his　fingers　on　the　screen。　The　dead　man　in　the　morgue　was　sure　as　hell　the　same　guy　at　the　airport。　He　hadn't　meant　to　kill　him；　all　he　had　wanted　to　do　was　break　the　guy's　finger。　Just　because　of　the　jacket；　and　now　he　didn't　even　have　the　leather　jacket　with　him。　What　he　did　have　was　the　simple。　minded　younger　sister。　He　could　feel　the　damp　jets　of　air　corn。　ing　through　the　screen。　There　were　only　six　cars　parked　in　the　ten…acre　parking　lot。　The　white　TransArn；　in　its　numbered　slot；　seemed　to　glow　in　the　sixth　row。　Every　other　parking　light　in　the　lot　had　been　turned　off；　to　save　energy；　perhaps；　and　the　other　lights　had　been　dimmed。　The　moon　wasn't　up　yet；　and　beyond　the　cyclone　fence　was　blackness。　Looking　out　and　down　into　that　dark　land　mass；　Freddy　felt　as　if　he　were　on　the　edge　of　an　abyss。　Perspiration　from　his　armpits　trickled　down　his　sides。
　　〃Let's　go　back　inside；〃　Freddy　said。　〃Doesn't　it　even　cool　off　at　night？〃
　　〃A　little。　Around　four　in　the　morning　it'll　drop　down　to　seventy…seven　or　so；　but　then　the　humidity'll　go　up。〃
　　Freddy　took　off　his　shoes　and　his　shirt。　Susan　sat　on　the　couch　in　the　living　room。　〃D'you　want　to　watch　some　TV；　Junior？〃
　　〃Not　now。　I've　got　to　make　a　phone　call。　Where's　the　telephone　book？〃
　　〃There's　two　books　over　there；　under　the　breakfast　table。　The　phone's　on　the…〃
　　〃I　can　see　the　phone。〃
　　Freddy　looked　up　the　number　of　the　International　Hotel。　He　called　the　desk；　checked　out；　and　told　the　clerk　to　charge　everything；　including　his　barber　bill；　to　his　Gotlieb　credit　card。　〃Yes；〃　he　finished；　〃I　did　have　a　pleasant　stay。〃
　　Freddy　joined　Susan　on　the　couch　and　told　her　to　bring　him　a　pair　of　scissors。　He　cut　up　the　Gotlieb　credit　and　identification　cards；　and　put　the　cut　pieces　into　the　ashtray。
　　〃Now；〃　he　said；　〃Mr。　Gotlieb's　no　longer　in　Miami。〃
　　Freddy　patted　the　lounge；　and　Susan　sat　beside　him。　〃I　liked　the　way　you　handled　yourself　at　the　morgue；　Susan。　What　were　you　thinking　about；　anyway；　when　you　saw　your　dead　brother？〃
　　〃I　was　thinking　about　the　times　when　he　used　to　bend　my　fingers　back　when　he　wanted　me　to　do　something。　It　really　hurt；　and　after　a　while　he　didn't　have　to　bend　them　back。　All　he　had　to　do　was　threaten　to　do　it；　and　I'd　do　whatever　he　wanted。　He　was　religious；　I　guess；　but　he　was　awfully　mean。　He　said　he　wanted　to　go　to　heaven；　and　now　he's　finally　got　what　he　wanted。〃　She　was　lost　in　thought　for　a　moment；　then　she　looked　up。
　　〃What　I　want　to　do；　first　thing　tomorrow；　is　go　down　to　the　bank　and　take　out　the　CD。　Then　I　can　start　another　one　some　place　else。　We've　got　a　ten…thousand…dollar　CD　saved；　plus　another　four　thousand　in　our　joint　NOW　account。　And　I　sure　don't　want　daddy　or　the　Krishnas　to　get　it。〃
　　〃Good。　We'll　do　that　first　thing。　Now　that　we're　engaged；　we're　going　to　start　our　platonic　marriage。　D'you　know　what　that　is？〃
　　Susan　nodded。　〃Beth　had　one；　on　'The　Days　of　Our　Lives；'　when　she　moved　in　with　the　lawyer。　And　I　want　one　too。　I've　been　really　lonely　out　here　at　night。　I　didn't　like　Marty；　but　even　so；　I　missed　him　when　he　moved　out　to　the　camp。〃
　　〃Why　didn't　you　like　him？　He　was　your　brother。〃
　　〃Remember；　before；　when　I　told　you　I　never　went　steady？　Marty's　why；　that's　why。　He's　the　one　that　got　me　pregnant；　and　I　think　daddy　suspicioned　it；　too。　And　then　when　we　came　down　to　Miami　and　I　got　the　abortion；　Marty　couldn't　find　any　work。　He　met　Pablo　when　he　was　looking　for　work　at　the　hotel。　So　then　he　made　me　go　to　work　for　Pablo。　I　don't　like　working　at　the　hotel；　Junior；　I　really　don't。　That　old　man　from　Dayton；　Ohio；　today　was　disgusting。〃
　　〃You've　turned　your　last　trick　for　Pablo。　You're　living　with　me　now。〃
　　〃You　really　don't　know　Pablo。　He　smiles　and　bows　and　all　that；　but　he's　mean。　And　he　knows　where　I…where　we　live；　Junior。〃
　　〃Don't　worry　about　Pablo。　I'll　take　care　of　him。　Do　you　remember　that　Bob　Dylan　song　about　the　lady　laying　across　a　brass　bed？〃
　　〃I　don't　remember。　Maybe　I　did。　They　don't　play　much　Dylan　on　the　radio　anymore。〃
　　〃Well；　here's　what　you　do。　Go　into　the　bedroom；　take　off　your　clothes；　put　two　pillows　under　your　stomach；　and　lay　face　down　on　that　big　brass　bed。　I'm　gonna　have　another　beer；　and　then　I'll　be　right　in。〃
　　〃You're　gonna　do　it　to　me　the　back　way　whether　I　want　to　or　not；　aren't　you？〃
　　〃Yeah。〃
　　〃In　that　case；　I'd　better　get　another　San　Miguel　for　you；　and　some　Crisco　for　me。〃
　　
　　Later；　bars　of　moonlight　came　through　the　slanted　vertical　Levolors　and　made　yellow　bars　across　Freddy's　hairless　chest。　Susan；　in　a　shorty　nightgown；　snuggled　close　t