cwilleford.miamiblues-第18部分

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　　〃I've　been　trying；　but　all　I　get　is　nunca；　like　it　was　the　only　word　she　knows。〃
　　〃Find　out　what　her　husband　and　brother　were　doing　in　Miami。〃
　　〃They　were　on　vacation；　she　said。〃
　　〃That　isn't　good　enough。〃
　　〃Martinez　told　me　we　should　threaten　to　take　her　out　to　Krome　to　the　alien　detention　camp　and　turn　her　over　to　the　INS。　She　has　no　papers；　and　as　an　illegal　alien；　a　few　days　living　with　those　Haitian　women　out　there　might　get　her　to　talking。〃
　　〃Don't　just　threaten　her。　If　she　won't　say　anything；　take　her　out　there　and　let　the　INS　have　her。　Tell　them　she　might　harm　herself；　and　they　can　slap　her　in　solitary　for　a　couple　of　days。〃
　　〃As　soon　as　we　can　get　her　out　of　emergency　and　into　a　private　room；　I'll　be　able　to　get　tougher。　There's　no　problem　getting　her　a　room…she's　got　nine　hundred　dollars　in　her　purse。　The　hospital'll　be　glad　to　give　her　a　private　room　until　her　money　runs　out。〃
　　〃Whatever　you　decide；　Bill；　it's　okay　by　me。　Evans　is　taking　the　bodies　now；　and　the　forensic　crew's　almost　finished。　I'll　wait　around　and　seal　up　the　townhouse；　and　check　with　the　morgue　later。　Then　I'll　call　you。〃
　　
　　Two　hours　later；　Hoke　stopped　at　a　restaurant　in　Kendall　Lakes。　He　had　eaten　his　usual　diet　breakfast　（one　poached　egg；　one　slice　of　dry　toast；　and　coffee）　but　nothing　since。　It　was　almost　four…thirty　when　he　looked　over　the　menu　of　Roseate　Spoon　Bill　of　Fare；　a　popular　short…order　restaurant　in　the　rambling　shopping　center。　When　it　came　to　eating；　Hoke　had　a　major　problem。　He　had　lost　weight　the　year　before；　dropping　from　205　to　185　pounds；　and　he　wanted　to　keep　it　off；　but　at　the　same　time　he　was　always　hungry。　He　could　stick　to　his　diet　for　two　days　at　most；　and　then　he　went　overboard　on　meat　and　mashed　potatoes。　With　his　new　teeth；　he　could　chew　almost　anything。
　　After　a　prolonged　study　of　the　wide…ranging　menu；　he　decided　to　promise。　He　ordered　a　Spanish　omelet　with　cottage　cheese　instead　of　french　fries；　a　dish　of　applesauce；　and　told　the　waitress　to　hold　the　toast。
　　While　he　waited；　Hoke　leafed　through　his　notebook　and　tried　to　organize　his　thoughts。　He　crossed　out　the　name　of　Ronald　I。　France。　He　could　do　nothing　to　help　him；　the　grand　jury　had　decided　to　prosecute　this　old　man　for　shooting　and　killing　a　twelve…year…old　boy　who　had　ripped　up　his　flower　bed。　The　old　man　was　seventy…two　years　old；　and　he　had　cried　when　Hoke　had　taken　him　in　for　booking。　According　to　the　neighbors；　he　had　been　a　nice　old　man；　but　killing　a　kid　for　ripping　up　a　flower　bed　had　been　too　drastic。　It　didn't　help　that　Mr。　France　had　claimed　he　only　wanted　to　wound　the　kid　a　little　with　his　twelve…gauge　shotgun。　If　that　had　been　the　case；　why　had　he　loaded　the　gun　with　double…aught　shells？　But　Hoke　didn't　cross　out　the　address　of　Mr。　France。　Sides　had　been　taken　in　the　neighborhood；　and　Mrs。　France；　also　seventy…two；　was　going　to　get　some　harassment。
　　Marshall　Fisher…a　DOA…suicide。　That　was　cut…and…dried；　but　there　was　going　to　be　an　inquest；　and　he'd　have　to　appear。　He　made　a　check　mark　to　watch　his　in　box　for　a　notice　on　Fisher。
　　There　were　three　convenience…store　killings　under　investigation；　but　no　leads。　Signs　were　posted　in　English　and　Spanish　in　all　the　convenience　stares；　stating　that　the　managers　were　only　allowed　to　have　35　in　the　cash　register。　But　the　Cuban　managers　were　killed　by　Cuban　gunmen　for　the　35。　American　prisons　didn't　frighten　Marielito　criminals；　after　Castro's；　American　prisons　were　country　clubs。　And　when　a　witness　to　a　killing　was　found；　which　was　seldom；　he　was　too　scared　to　point　out　the　killer。
　　When　Hoke　ran　across　the　address；　〃K。P。T。…157　Ave。…　6…418E；〃　he　was　puzzled　for　a　few　moments。　Not　only　was　he　hungry　but　he　had　a　lot　on　his　mind。　There　was　no　name；　and　he　didn't　know　anyone　who　lived　out　this　far　in　Kendall。　Then　he　recalled　that　this　was　Susan　Waggoner's　address。　Inasmuch　as　157th　Avenue　was　Dade　County；　and　not　Miami　Police　Department　territory；　Hoke　rarely　got　this　far　west。　All　of　West　Kendall　came　under　Metro　Police　jurisdiction。
　　Hoke　was　curious　about　this　peculiar　couple；　and　especially　the　jock；　although　he　didn't　believe　for　a　second　that　Susan　had　ordered　〃Junior　Mendez〃　to　break　her　brother's　finger。　She　had　seemed　too　dimwitted　even　to　entertain　the　idea；　but　still；　it　wouldn't　hurt　anything　to　talk　to　her　while　he　was　out　this　way。　He　might　pick　up　some　information　on　the　boyfriend。　If　they　were　college　students　studying　for　degrees　in　management；　maybe　he　and　Henderson　should　enroll　in　a　seminary　and　work　on　doctor　of　divinity　degrees。
　　
　　The　tall　unfinished　buildings　in　Kendall　Pines　Terrace　reminded　Hoke　of　the　Roman　apartment　houses　he　had　seen　in　Italian　neorealist　movies。　The　Salvadoran　guard　on　the　gate　explained　how　to　get　to　Building　Six；　and　Hoke　took　the　winding　road　to　the　last　parking　lot；　avoiding　the　speed　bumps　by　going　around　them　on　the　grass。　He　parked　in　a　visitors'　slot　to　avoid　being　towed　away…as　advised　by　the　gatekeeper…and　rode　the　elevator　to　the　fourth　floor。
　　Susan　opened　the　door　on　the　first　knock；　having　a　little　difficulty　with　the　new　deadbolt　lock；　which　was　still　stiff。
　　〃I　don't　have　much　to　tell　you；　Miss　Waggoner；〃　Hoke　said。　〃But　I　was　out　this　way；　so　I　thought　I'd　drop　by　for　a　few　minutes　and　talk　to　you。〃
　　Susan　was　wearing　a　black　dress　with　hose　and　black　pumps。　She　had　also　applied　some　rouge　to　her　cheeks　and　wore　pink　lipstick。　There　was　a　string　of　imitation　pearls　around　her　thin　neck。　The　dress　was　too　big　for　her；　and　she　reminded　Hoke　of　a　little　girl　playing　dress…up　in　her　mother's　clothes。
　　〃Would　you　like　a　beer；　sergeant？　Coffee？〃
　　〃No；　no。　Thanks；　but　I　just　had　lunch。〃
　　〃Lunch？　It's　almost　five…thirty。〃
　　〃An　early　dinner；　then。　I　missed　lunch；　actually；　so　I　had　something　just　now　at　the　Roseate　Spoon　Bill。〃
　　〃I　go　there　a　lot。　I　like　the　Mexican　pizza。〃
　　〃I've　never　tried　that。〃
　　〃It's　really　good。　Lots　of　cheese。〃
　　〃I'll　try　it　some　time。　Your　father　came　in　this　morning；　Miss　Waggoner；　and　he　claimed　the　two　hundred　dollars。〃
　　〃He　would。〃
　　〃But　we're　going　to　hold　on　to　the　effects　for　a　while。　I　was　going　to　call　the　Krishnas　today；　but　I've　been　busy　with　other　things。　Has　your　father　contacted　you　today？〃
　　Susan　shook　her　head。　〃He　won't；　either。　But　I　don't　plan　on　going　to　the　funeral；　anyway。〃
　　〃He　said　he　was　going　to　cremate　your　brother　and　scatter　the　ashes　on　Lake　Okeechobee。〃
　　〃Martin　would　like　that。　He　always　liked　the　lake。〃
　　〃Your　father's　staying　at　the　Royalton；　downtown；　if　you　want　to　call　him。〃
　　〃I　don't。〃
　　〃Where's　Mendez？〃
　　〃Who？〃
　　〃Ramon。　Your　fiancé？〃
　　〃Oh；　Junior；　you　mean。　His　name　is　Ramon　Mendez；　Junior；　but　he　always　goes　by　Junior。　He　hates　to　be　called　Ramon。〃
　　〃How'd　you　happen　to　meet　him？〃
　　〃We　met　in　English　class　at　Dade。　He　helped　me　write　my　haikus。　I　was　having　trouble　with　them。〃
　　〃Haikus？　What　are　they？〃
　　〃It's　some　kind　of　Japanese　poem。〃
　　〃I　see。　So　you　met　at　school　and　got　engaged。〃
　　〃That's　right。　But　now　we　have　what's　called　a　platonic　marriage。〃
　　〃He　lives　here　with　you；　then？〃
　　〃He　should　be　home　soon。　If　you　want　to　ask　questions　about　Junior；　you　should　talk　to　him。〃
　　〃What　smells　so　good？〃
　　〃That's　dinner。　I'm　cooking　stuffed　pork　chops。　I　use　StoveTop　dressing；　shallots；　and　mushrooms；　all　smothered　in　brown　gravy。　Also；　baked　sweet　potatoes；　peas；　and　a　tomato　and　cucumber　and　onion　salad。　Do　you　think　I　should　make　hot　biscuits？〃
　　〃Does　Junior　like　biscuits？〃
　　〃I　really　don't　know。　I've　got　white　bread；　but　I　think　I'll　fix　some。　Most　men　like　hot　biscuits。　Would　you　like　to　stay　for　dinner？〃
　　〃I've　already　eaten。　I　told　you。　You've　got　a　lovely　apartment　here；　Miss　Waggoner。〃
　　〃Oh；　I　don't　own　it。　I　rent　it；　furnished。〃
　　〃It　must　be　rough　on　you；　working　and　going　to　school；　too。〃
　　〃It　isn't　so　bad。　The　work　at　the　International　Hotel　isn't　hard；　and　I　don't　have　to　work　at　night。〃
　　〃What　are　you…a　maid？〃
　　〃Oh；　no！〃　Susan　laughed。　〃Maids　only　get　minimum　wage。　I　get　fifty　dollars　a　trick；　and　split　it　down　the　middle　with　Pablo。　I'm　one　of　Pablo　Lhos