cwilleford.miamiblues-第33部分

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　　〃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'm　happy　to　say。〃
　　Hoke　had　two　more　drinks　before　Henderson　came　home；　but　there　was　no　more　conversation　because　Hoke　and　Marie　had　run　out　of　things　to　talk　about。
　　When　Henderson　came　in；　carrying　his　bowling　ball　and　bowling　shoes　in　a　blue　nylon　bag；　Marie　got　up　from　her　chair　and　went　into　the　kitchen。　Hoke　rose　quickly。　He　was　a　trifle　dizzy　and　feeling　the　effects　of　three　drinks。
　　〃Did　Captain　Brownley　get　a　hold　of　you？〃　Bill　asked　as　he　got　a　shot　glass　from　the　bar。
　　〃No。　I've　been　here　for　almost　an　hour。〃
　　Bill　poured　a　drink；　and　tossed　it　down。　〃I　tried　to　get　you　before　I　left。　I　let　the　phone　ring　about　fifteen　times；　and　no　one　answered。　What　kind　of　a　hotel　is　that；　anyway？〃
　　〃Sometimes　Eddie's　doing　something　else；　and　he　isn't　on　the　switchboard。　I　told　Mr。　Bennett　he　needs　someone　on　the　desk　all　the　time；　but　he　says　the　old　people　don't　get　that　many　calls。　The　Eldorado's　probably　got　the　smallest　staff　of　any　hotel　on　the　Beach。　So　what's　up；　Bill？〃
　　〃You're　here；　so　that's　why　I　thought　Brownley　had　called　you。　Sit　down　a　minute。　I'll　be　right　back。〃　Bill　left　the　room　and　returned　a　few　moments　later　with　a　large　brown　envelope；　which　he　handed　to　Hoke。　Hoke　opened　the　envelope　and　took　out　a　pair　of　handcuffs。
　　〃Are　those　yours？〃　Bill　asked。　〃There's　an　〃M〃　in　red　fingernail　polish　on　the　right　cuff…〃
　　〃Yeah。〃　Hoke　nodded。　〃They're　mine　all　right。　Remember　Bambi；　the　woman　in　the　Grove　I　was　sleeping　with　about　two　years　back？　We　were　playing　a　little　game　one　night　and…well；　anyway；　I　used　her　nail　polish　to　mark　one　cuff。　Where'd　you　get　them？〃
　　〃Robbery。　They've　had　'em　for　a　few　days。　Two　guys　were　cuffed　together　in　the　men's　john　in　Jordan　Marsh；　in　the　Omni　store。　They　claimed　they　were　cuffed　up　by　some　crazy　cop　who　took　their　money。　The　Robbery　people　just　figured　these　two　guys　were　into　something　kinky　and　let　them　go。　Then；　a　couple　of　days　later；　one　of　the　detectives　in　Robbery　happened　to　notice　the　initial；　and　remembered　the　red…liner　memo　on　your　lost　buzzer　and　pistol。　He　sent　the　cuffs　over　to　Captain　Brownley　through　interoffice　mail。　So　that's　that。〃
　　〃No；　Bill；　it's　much　worse　than　that。〃
　　Hoke　filled　Henderson　in　on　Sergeant　Wilson's　visit；　and　told　him　about　the　order　to　get　the　girl；　Susan；　back　to　the　International　Hotel　in　the　morning。　Still　sensitive　about　his　fragile；　ill…fitting　teeth；　he　omitted　the　part　about　Wilson　throwing　them　out　of　the　window。
　　〃This　guy's　trying　to　get　you　into　trouble；　Hoke。　It　may　be　the　girl's　boyfriend；　and　maybe　not。　Why；　though；　is　something　else。　One　guy　I　really　know　is　Wilson。　He　was　in　Vice　when　I　was　still　in　Vice；　and　he's　a　vicious　sonofabitch。　Mean；　but　I　always　thought　he　was　straight。　I　haven't　seen　him　in　a　couple　of　years；　however；　and　a　lot　can　happen　to　a　man　in　two　years。〃
　　Hoke　scratched　his　bearded　jaw。　〃In　two　seconds　a　lot　can　happen　to　a　man。〃
　　〃What're　you　going　to　do　about　Wilson？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　I　could　go　to　Brownley　with　it；　but　how　do　I　explain　the　five　hundred　bucks？〃
　　〃You　just　tell　it　like　it　happened；　and　you're　covered。　I　was　there；　and　I　can　back　up　your　story。　It　links　up　with　the　way　this　guy…what's　his　name？〃
　　〃Mendez。　Only　that　isn't　his　name。〃
　　〃Anyway；　it　links　in　with　the　way　he　used　your　cuffs　to　rob　two　bastards　and　leave　'em　in　the　john。　If　you　want　me　to；　we　can　leave　Brownley　out　of　it；　and　I'll　talk　to　Wilson。〃
　　〃If　you　could　get　across　to　him　that　he's　after　the　wrong　guy…〃
　　〃I　will。　But　it　won't　be　all　that　easy　because　you　were　spending　his　money。〃
　　〃I　didn't　know　it　was　Wilson's。　Besides；　he　got　his　five　hundred　back。　I　can't　get　the　girl　back　and　wouldn't　if　I　could。〃
　　〃I'll　talk　to　him。　I　know　how　to　deal　with　a　prick　like　that。〃
　　〃I　appreciate　that；　Bill。〃
　　〃D'you　have　a　gun？〃
　　〃I　get　my　new　gun　and　shield　back　Monday；　when　I　see　Captain　Brownley。〃
　　〃I'll　get　you　one。　I've　got　a　chrome　Colt　thirty…two　automatic　you　can　have。　I　used　to　carry　it　in　Liberty　City　in　case　I　needed　a　throw…down　piece。　It's　not　much　good；　but　the　magazine　holds　seven　rounds。〃
　　〃I　can　give　it　back　to　you　on　Monday。　It　really　feels　funny　as　hell　driving　and　walking　around　Miami　without　a　weapon。〃
　　〃I　can　imagine。〃
　　Henderson　got　the　。32　out　of　the　desk　in　the　dining　room　and　gave　it　to　Hoke。　Hoke　removed　the　magazine；　checked　the　chamber；　and　then　slipped　the　magazine　in　again　and　loaded　the　pistol　with　a　round　in　the　chamber。　He　flipped　up　the　safety　with　his　thumb　and　put　the　weapon　into　his　hip　pocket。
　　〃In　case　you're　interested；　Hoke；　I　gave　Martin　Waggoner's　effects　to　his　father　when　he　took　the　body　back　to　Okeechobee。　I　used　my　key　to　your　desk。〃
　　〃That's　okay；　but　what　about　the　Krishnas？〃
　　〃They　didn't　have　any　claims。〃　Henderson　smiled。　〃I　called　the　head　honcho　out　there　when　I　didn't　hear　from　them；　and　I　got　the　impression　that　Martin　Waggoner　was　a　novice；　not　a　full　member；　and　was　about　to　be　thrown　out　anyway。〃
　　〃Did　he　tell　you　that？〃
　　〃Not　in　so　many　words；　but　that's　the　impression　the　honcho　gave　me。　He　wasn't　even　interested　in　the　funeral　arrangements；　even　though　I　told　him　what　Mr。　Waggoner　had　in　mind。〃
　　〃Martin　was　probably　ripping　them　off。　That's　some　family；　isn't　it？　Incest；　prostitution；　fanaticism；　software　。　。　。　　。　I'd　better　go　home；　Bill。　This　is　really　only　my　first　day　to　be　traipsing　around；　and　I'm　bushed　as　hell。〃
　　〃Want　me　to　drive　you　home？〃
　　〃Hell；　no。　I　just　mean　that　I'm　tired。　Otherwise　I'm　okay。〃
　　〃Be　careful；　Hoke。　This　guy；　this　Mendez；　or　whatever　his　name　is；　seems　like　a　crazy　bastard　to　me。　And　when　he　finds　out　that　you're　up　and　around；　he　might　e　after　you　again。〃
　　〃I'll　watch　myself　all　right；　don't　worry。〃
　　Hoke　was　almost　certain　that　the　man　from　California　was　after　him；　but　he　couldn't　figure　out　why。　He　didn't　feel　safe　until　he　got　home　and　had　locked　the　door　and　bolted　it　behind　him。
　　
　　On　Sunday；　Hoke　stayed　in　bed　almost　all　day。　He　braved　the　heat　at　noon　and　walked　to　Gold's　Deli　for　the　Sunday　chickenin…the…pot　special；　but　he　napped　again　during　the　afternoon。　At　six；　he　made　his　regular　rounds　of　the　hotel　and　discovered　that　Mr。　Bennett　had；　during　his　absence　in　the　hospital；　put　chains　and　a　padlock　around　the　quick…release　handles　to　the　back　fire　door　exit。　Hoke　got　the　keys　from　the　office；　unlocked　the　chains；　and　put　them　into　the　storage　room　behind　the　unused　kitchen。　Later；　when　he　made　out　his　report　and　put　it　on　Mr。　Bennett's　desk；　he　reminded　the　manager　that　the　fire　marshal　could　close　the　hotel　down　for　a　serious　violation　like　that。
　　For　dinner；　Hoke　heated　a　can　of　Chunky　Turkey　Soup　on　the　hot　plate　in　his　room；　and　then　watched　〃Archie　Bunker's　Place〃　on　television。　After　the　show；　he　called　Bill　Henderson。
　　〃Everything's　okay；　Hoke；〃　Henderson　said。　〃I　talked　to　Wilson　last　night；　explained　things　to　him；　and　he'll　be　on　the　lookout　for　Mendez　himself。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　that's　his　real　name。〃
　　〃All　right；　all　right！　What　do　we　call　him　then？〃
　　〃I'm　sorry。　Mendez；　I　guess。〃
　　〃Anyway；　Wilson　wants　to　find　him　as　much　as　we　do　now。　Apparently　the　guy　scared　the　hell　out　of　Pablo；　and　Wilson　told　me　that　Pablo's　talking　about　going　back　to　Nicaragua。　I　also　reassured　Wilson　that　neither　one　of　us　is　going　to　say　anything　to　Internal　Affairs。　We've　got　enough　to　do　in　Homicide　without　worrying　about　what's　going　on　in　Vice。　He　also　told　me　to　tell　you　he's　sorry　about　your　teeth。〃
　　〃I'm　sorry　about　them；　too。　I　have　to　pour　hot　sauce　on　everything　now　in　order　to　get　any　taste。〃
　　〃How　you　feeling　otherwise？〃
　　〃Okay。　I'll　probably　see　you　in　the　morning　when　I　e　in　to　get　my　gun　and　badge　from　Brownley。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　so。　I'll　be　out　with　Lopez。　We're　doing　that　investigation　about　the　woman　who　sat　on　her　kid；　and　I'm　letting　him　handle　it。　But　I'm　watching　him。〃
　　〃What　case　is　that？〃
　　〃It　was　in　the　papers。　This　woman　was　puni