cwilleford.miamiblues-第32部分

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lon　of　milk；　and　then　slid　back　the　glass　door。　A　short　stickup　man　entered　the　store；　held　a　gun　on　the　manager；　and　told　him　in　Spanish　to　give　him　the　money　in　the　register。　The　stickup　man；　in　his　early　twenties；　was　very　nervous；　and　the　gun　danced　in　his　shaking　hand。
　　The　frightened　manager；　without　a　word；　gave　the　gunman　the　36　in　the　till。　The　stickup　man　put　the　bills　in　his　pocket　and　backed　toward　the　glass　double　doors。　He　then　stuck　the　pistol　in　his　waistband　and　took　four　cartons　of　cigarettes　from　a　counter　display。　He　noticed　Freddy　for　the　first　time。　Startled；　he　dropped　the　cigarettes　and　reached　for　his　pistol　again。　Freddy；　reacting　impulsively；　picked　up　a　can　of　Campbell's　pork　and　beans　and　threw　it　at　the　gunman；　who　turned　sideways；　just　in　time。　The　can　hit　the　window；　narrowly　missing　the　man's　left　shoulder。
　　The　glass　shattered　and　a　triangular　sliver　of　glass　gashed　the　man's　throat。　It　was　a　shallow　cut；　but　it　began　to　bleed。　The　man　dropped　his　gun；　clutched　his　neck；　and　rushed　through　the　double　doors。　Freddy　went　after　him；　but　as　the　man　got　into　the　passenger　seat　of　a　heavy　Chevrolet　Impala；　the　driver　drove　forward　and　up　over　the　curb；　heading　for　the　doors。　By　the　time　Freddy　skirted　the　stacked　bread　shelves　and　reached　the　doorway；　so　had　the　car　bumper。　Both　doors　crashed　down　on　Freddy　as　the　driver　rammed　them。　The　car　then　backed　away　and　careened　into　the　street。　The　falling　doors　slammed　Freddy　onto　the　floor　and　pinned　him。　The　manager　lifted　off　the　doors；　and　Freddy　got　shakily　to　his　feet。　As　the　manager　hurried　to　the　phone；　Freddy　got　into　his　car　and　drove　home…without　the　milk。
　　When　he　got　home；　Freddy　gave　Susan　the　car　keys　and　wrote　out　a　list　of　supplies　for　her　to　get　at　Eckerd's　drugstore。　He　turned　off　the　gas　under　the　food　in　the　kitchen　before　going　into　the　bathroom　to　check　his　injuries。　His　left　wrist　was　sprained　badly；　but　he　didn't　think　it　was　broken。　There　might　be　a　hairline　fracture；　but　he　didn't　think　it　was　any　worse　than　that。　There　were　a　dozen　cuts　on　his　face；　however；　and　more　on　his　chest　where　his　chest　had　been　scraped　by　shards　of　glass。　The　worst　thing　was　his　right　eyebrow。　The　eyebrow；　skin　and　all；　was　one　big　flap　hanging　down　over　his　eye。　He　would　have　to　sew　it　back　on　and　hope　that　it　would　grow　together　again。　The　other　cuts　in　his　face　were　not　only　deep；　they　were　penetrating　punctures；　but　they　wouldn't　require　stitches。　The　cuts　on　his　chest　were　ridged　scrapes；　but　not　as　deep　as　the　punctures　on　his　face；　so　he　figured　they　would　scab　over　within　a　few　days。
　　When　Susan　got　back；　he　asked　her　to　thread　the　smallest　needle　in　the　packet　with　black　thread。　He　sewed　the　eyebrow　flap　on　to　his　forehead　with　small　stitches。　Susan　watched　the　first　stitch　and　then　vomited　into　the　toilet　bowl。
　　〃That　doesn't　help　me　much；　you　know；〃　he　said。　〃Go　into　the　bedroom　and　lie　down。〃
　　The　flap；　after　he　had　put　as　many　stitches　into　it　as　he　thought　it　would　hold；　was　more　than　a　little　crooked；　and　the　eyebrow　slanted　up　at　a　curious　angle；　but　that　was　about　the　best　he　could　do。　He　was　in　considerable　pain；　but　he　felt　lucky　that　he　hadn't　lost　the　eye。　By　midnight；　he　knew　that　the　entire　eye　area　would　be　black　and　blue。　His　face　was　swelling　already。　He　dabbed　at　his　face　cuts　with　balls　of　cotton　soaked　in　peroxide；　and　when　all　of　the　cuts　had　stopped　trickling　blood；　he　plastered　them　with　Band…Aids。　Susan　had　bought　the　kind　that　were　blue　and　red　and　dotted　with　white　stars；　and　he　ended　up　with　fourteen　patriotic　Band…Aids　on　his　face　and　neck。　He　washed　his　chest　with　a　washrag；　and　then　with　peroxide；　but　decided　not　to　bandage　the　scrapes。
　　His　sprained　wrist　was　now　twice　its　normal　size。　He　had　Susan　splint　it　with　tongue　depressors　and　bind　it　as　tightly　as　she　could　with　strips　of　adhesive　tape。　He　could　move　his　fingers；　but　it　hurt。　He　sent　her　back　to　Eckerd's　to　get　a　canister　of　plaster　of　Paris　and　cut　pieces　of　gauze　into　eightinch　strips　while　she　was　gone。　When　she　returned；　they　mixed　the　plaster　with　water；　soaked　the　strips　of　gauze；　and　he　had　her　wrap　them　in　overlapping　strips　around　his　wrist。　The　cast；　when　she　finished；　was　thick　and　heavy；　but　when　it　dried　it　would　immobilize　his　arm　just　in　case　there　was　a　hairline　fracture。　Freddy　took　three　Bufferin；　then　ate　some　fried　chicken；　although　he　had　no　appetite　for　it。
　　〃Are　you　going　to　tell　me　about　it；　Junior？〃
　　〃About　how　dumb　I　was；　d'you　mean？　Sure；　I'll　tell　you　about　it。　I　forgot　for　a　minute　that　Miami；　like　any　other　city；　is　a　dangerous　place。　I　didn't　take　my　gun　to　the　store；　not　even　my　sap。　Not　only　that；　I　broke　my　own　rule；　and　I　tried　to　help　someone　else　instead　of　looking　after　my　own　ass。　This　straight　life　we've　been　leading　has　given　me　a　misplaced　sense　of　security；　that's　all。　For　a　moment　there；　I　must've　thought　that　I　was　some　kind　of　solid　citizen。　That's　all。〃
　　〃But　what　happened　to　you？〃
　　〃Two　guys　in　a　blue　Impala　ran　over　me。〃
　　Susan　nodded　but　looked　thoughtful。　〃I　thought　it　must've　been　something　like　that。〃
　　
　　
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　　Marie　Henderson　was　active　in　a　Miami　NOW　chapter　and　had　a　subscription　to　Ms。　magazine。　When　Bill　Henderson　had　first　told　Hoke　that　his　wife　was　subscribing　to　Ms。；　Hoke　didn't　believe　him；　so　Henderson　brought　one　of　her　copies　down　to　the　office　and　showed　him　the　printed　address　label。　It　was　made　out　to　Ms。　Marie　Henderson。
　　〃That's　incredible；〃　Hoke　had　said；　shaking　his　head　morosely　at　the　irrefutable　evidence。
　　〃Isn't　it？〃　Henderson　agreed。　〃Now　you've　got　some　kind　of　idea　of　what　I　have　to　put　up　with　　。　。　。　〃
　　Hoke　parked　at　the　curb　in　front　of　Henderson's　ranch…style　house。　He　didn't　see　Henderson's　car　in　the　carport。　He　walked　reluctantly　up　the　brick　walk　to　knock　on　the　door　anyway。　Perhaps；　he　thought；　Bill　wouldn't　be　gone　very　long。
　　Marie　Henderson；　a　tall　bony　woman　of　thirty…eight　with　brown；　frizzy　hair；　seemed　happy　enough　to　see　Hoke。　She　invited　him　in；　pointed　toward　Henderson's　fortable　recliner；　and　asked　him　if　he　would　like　a　drink。
　　〃Sure；〃　Hoke　nodded。　〃Early　Times；　if　you've　got　it。〃
　　〃We've　got　it。〃　She　brought　a　bottle　of　Early　Times　and　two　shot　glasses　from　the　bar　and　put　them　on　the　coffee　table　in　front　of　him。　She　went　into　the　kitchen　and　returned　with　a　pitcher　of　ice　and　water。
　　〃That's　the　way　Bill　drinks　it…straight　with　water　back；　so　I　suppose　you　do；　too。〃
　　〃Yeah。　It　gives　you　a　little　lift　this　way。〃
　　〃I'm　sure　it　does。〃　Marie　smiled。　〃You　don't　look　too　bad；　Hoke。　Bill　said　you　looked　like　death　warmed　over。　The　beard　could　do　with　some　trimming。〃
　　〃The　doctor　said　to　leave　it　on　for　a　while。〃
　　〃He　didn't　tell　you　not　to　trim　it；　did　he？　You　know　who　you　remind　me　of　with　that　beard？　Ray　Milland。　Did　you　see　that　picture　when　he　was　sick　and　in　a　wheelchair？　His　daughter　was　a　librarian；　and　he　had　her　wait　on　him　hand　and　foot。　The　way　it　turned　out；　he　didn't　need　the　wheelchair　at　all。　He　was　faking　it　to　make　a　slave　out　of　his　daughter。　Finally；　the　girl　pushed　him　over　a　cliff　and　got　all　the　money　he　was　hoarding　in　a　cigar　box　under　his　bed；　or　something。　Did　you　see　it？〃
　　〃No；　I　didn't　see　it。〃
　　〃Well；　you　didn't　miss　much。　It　was　on　the　cable　a　couple　of　months　ago。　If　it　es　back；　I'll　call　you。〃
　　〃I　don't　have　cable。　I　saw　Ray　Milland　in　〃Love　Story〃；　when　he　played　the　father；　but　I　don't　remember　exactly　how　he　looked。〃
　　〃He　looked　good　then。　That　was　several　years　ago。　But　you　look　a　lot　like　him　now；　something　about　your　smile；　I　think。〃
　　〃Thanks。　When　is　Bill　ing　back？〃
　　〃He's　out　bowling。　He's　not　on　a　regular　team；　but　when　Green　Lakes　Landscaping　is　short　a　man；　they　e　by　and　get　Henderson。　He's　only　got　a　one…thirty　average；　so　they　don't　e　by　for　him　often。〃
　　〃He　did　tell　me　that　he　was　doing　some　bowling　for　the　exercise。〃
　　〃Bowling　for　two　hours　once　or　twice　a　month　isn't　too　much　exercise；　is　it？〃
　　〃I　guess　not。　When'll　he　be　home？　Maybe　I'd　better　e　back　later？〃
　　〃Stick　around。　He'll　be　home　soon。　Pour　yourself　another　drink。〃
　　〃How're　the　kids；　Marie？〃
　　〃Out；　I'