cwilleford.miamiblues-第34部分

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　　〃What　case　is　that？〃
　　〃It　was　in　the　papers。　This　woman　was　punishing　her　kid；　a　six…year…old；　and　she　sat　on　him。　She　weighs　about　two…forty；　and　she　crushed　in　his　chest。　The　kid　died；　and　now　she's　up　for　manslaughter。　It'll　probably　be　reduced　to　child　abuse；　but　we've　got　to　knock　on　doors　all　morning　to　see　what　the　neighbors've　got　to　say　about　her　and　the　kid。〃
　　〃Did　she　do　it　on　purpose？〃
　　〃I　think　so。　But　Lopez；　being　Cuban；　doesn't。　Cubans；　he　says；　don't　punish　their　kids　no　matter　what　they　do；　so　he　thinks　it　was　an　accident。　We'll　find　out　after　we've　knocked　on　a　few　doors。　Incidentally；　I　found　out　who　your　new　partner's　going　to　be。　Ellita　Sanchez。　D'you　know　her？〃
　　〃The　dispatcher？　The　girl　with　the　big　tits？〃
　　〃Girl？　She's　at　least　thirty；　Hoke；　and　she's　been　on　the　force　for　six　years。〃
　　〃Yeah；　as　a　dispatcher。　What　does　she　know　about　Homicide？　Shit；　I'm　sorry　I　called　you。〃
　　〃No；　you're　not。　I　got　Wilson　off　your　ass。　Besides；　Sanchez　really　has　got　a　nice　pair　of　knockers。　And　she　can　write　in　English；　too。　Lopez　can't。　If　it　wasn't　for　being　married；　I'd　trade　you　Lopez　for　Sanchez；　but　Marie　would　have　a　fit　if　I　had　myself　a　female　partner。〃
　　〃I　thought　Marie　was　liberated。〃
　　〃She　is；　but　I'm　not。〃
　　〃I'll　lock　your　little　thirty…two　in　your　desk　drawer。〃
　　〃Keep　it；　old　buddy。　I'm　not　in　any　hurry　for　it。〃
　　
　　Captain　Willie　Brownley；　wearing　his　navy　blue　uniform；　plete　with　heavy　jacket；　sat　behind　a　huge　pile　of　paperwork　in　his　glass…walled　office。　He　gave　Hoke　a　short　lecture　about　hanging　on　to　his　new　badge　and　。38　pistol　this　time。
　　〃In　my　report；　Hoke；　I　stressed　the　severity　of　the　attack；　and　there'll　be　no　problems　with　your　record。　The　only　problem　you　might　have　is　with　Ellita　Sanchez。　She　told　me　that　she　would　rather　work　with　someone　else　instead　of　you。　I　get　the　idea　she　doesn't　think　you're　macho　enough…losing　your　gun　and　all。〃
　　〃Jesus！　Didn't　you　tell　her　the　circumstances？〃
　　〃She　knows；　yes。　But　all　the　same；　she　wants　to　do　well　as　a　detective　and　asked　me　to　put　her　with　someone　else。　I　think　I　straightened　her　out　on　that　score；　but　I　want　you　to　know　how　she　feels　so　you　can　win　her　over。　She　realizes　that　you're　the　sergeant；　and　she'll　do　whatever　you　tell　her。〃
　　〃I'm　still　going　to　be　out　for　my　two　weeks'　leave。〃
　　〃I　know。　I'm　moving　Henderson　and　Lopez　into　the　bullpen；　and　Sanchez　into　your　office。　Maybe　she　can　catch　up　on　some　of　your　back　paperwork。〃
　　〃In　that　case；　I'll　see　you　in　two　weeks。〃
　　〃Get　rid　of　that　beard　before　you　e　back。　You　look　like　that　Puerto　Rican　actor；　José　Ferrer。〃
　　Hoke　drove　to　the　Trail　Gun　Shop　and　bought　a　new　holster　and　a　pair　of　handcuffs；　charging　them　to　his　MasterCard；　one　that　he　had　obtained　from　a　bank　in　Chicago　that　issued　them　without　a　thorough　credit　check。　It　was　the　only　charge　card　that　he　had　left；　and　he　never　missed　sending　the　bank　in　Chicago　the　monthly　minimum　payment　of　10。
　　He　then　drove　to　the　International　Hotel；　parked　in　the　yellow　zone；　and　looked　for　Pablo　Lhosa。　He　showed　Pablo　his　badge　and　ID；　and　asked　him　where　they　could　go　to　talk。　Pablo　took　him　downstairs　to　the　employees'　locker　room　and　opened　his　locker；　which　was　secured　with　two　padlocks。　He　took　out　a　leather　sports　jacket　and　handed　it　to　the　detective。
　　〃He　left　this　jacket　in　his　room；〃　Pablo　said。　〃He　checked　out　of　the　hotel　by　telephone；　paying　by　credit　card。　He　was　registered　under　the　name　of　Herman　T。　Gotlieb；　San　Jose；　California。　The　card；　it　turned　out；　was　stolen。　That's　all　I　know。　This　jacket's　too　small　for　me；　but　it's　expensive；　and　brand　new。　I　want　you　to　find　him；　lieutenant…〃
　　〃Sergeant。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。　This　guy　is　scary。　You　should　see　his　eyes…〃
　　〃I　have。〃
　　〃What　I　think；　I　think　he's　a　hitman　of　some　kind；　imported　from　California。〃
　　〃What　gave　you　that　idea？〃
　　〃Just　the　way　he　acts。〃　Pablo　shrugged。　〃I　don't　have　no　proof；　but　I　know　what　a　killer　looks　like。　I　served　ten　years　in　the　National　Guard　in　Nicaragua；　and　I've　dealt　with　men　who　looked　like　him　before。〃
　　〃I'll　find　him。　If　you　see　him　again；　or　if　you　can　think　of　anything　else；　call　me　at　my　home　address。〃　Hoke　gave　Pablo　one　of　his　cards。　〃Let　the　phone　ring　for　a　long　time。　Sometimes　no　one's　at　the　switchboard。　But　don't　call　me　at　the　department　for　the　next　two　weeks。　Call　me　at　home。〃
　　〃Have　you　checked　her　apartment？〃　Pablo　said。　〃They　might　be　out　there。　A　friend　of　mine　checked　once；　but　they　weren't　there。　That　doesn't　mean　that　they　won't　be　back。　If　you　want　to　go　out　there；　here's　the　keys　to　her　apartment。〃　Pablo　took　two　keys　off　his　ring　and　handed　them　to　Hoke。
　　〃How　e　you've　got　her　apartment　keys？〃
　　〃My　friend　gave　'em　to　me。　He's　got　keys　to　everything　in　Miami。　Here；　why　don't　you　keep　the　jacket；　too？　Except　for　the　shoulders；　you're　both　about　the　same　size。〃
　　〃Don't　you　want　it？　It's　an　expensive　jacket。〃
　　〃It　won't　fit　me。　I'm　a　forty…eight　portly。〃
　　〃Thanks。　I'll　find　him；　Pablo。〃
　　〃It　can't　be　too　soon　for　me。　I　don't　like　violence　of　any　kind。〃
　　〃Yeah　　　。　。　。　　〃　Hoke　smiled。　〃That's　why　you　left　the　Nicaraguan　National　Guard　after　only　ten　years。〃
　　
　　Hoke　used　the　pay　phone　in　the　lobby　to　call　a　friend　of　his　in　Records。　He　asked　his　friend　to　run　a　check　on　Herman　T。　Gotlieb　in　San　Jose；　California。
　　〃How　long　will　it　take？〃　Hoke　asked。
　　〃It　depends　on　a　lot　of　things。　Give　me　a　couple　of　hours；　okay？〃
　　〃I'll　call　you　back；　then。　I　don't　know　where　I'll　be　two　hours　from　now。〃
　　Hoke　drove　out　to　Kendall。　He　drew　his　pistol　before　he　knocked　on　the　door。　When　no　one　answered；　he　used　the　keys　to　get　in。　He　looked　through　the　rooms；　but　he　couldn't　tell　for　certain　whether　the　pair　was　still　living　there　or　not。　There　were　no　men's　clothes；　but　there　was　plenty　of　food　in　the　refrigerator。　The　air　conditioning　was　on；　set　for　seventy…five　degrees；　and　the　brass　bed　in　the　master　bedroom　was　unmade。　There　was　a　small　jar　of　Oil　of　Olay　and　a　can　of　Crisco　on　the　bedside　table。　Except　for　two　six…packs　of　San　Miguel　beer　in　the　refrigerator；　there　was　no　liquor　in　the　apartment。　Hoke　knew　he　shouldn't　be　in　the　apartment　without　a　warrant；　but　he　was　positive　that　a　fingerprint　check　on　the　jock　would　turn　up　a　record　in　California。　But　how　could　he　get　a　warrant？　He　couldn't　tell　a　state　attorney　that　he　was　positive　it　was　Mendez　who　had　attacked　him。　He　had　no　tangible　proof。
　　Hoke　ate　a　bowl　of　chili　and　two　tacos　at　a　Taco　Bell　before　going　home。　The　hell　with　his　diet。　He　needed　to　get　his　strength　back。　He　took　a　shower　and　opened　a　package　of　Kools。　The　mentholated　smoke　tasted　wonderful。　A　man　would　be　a　fool　to　give　up　smoking　altogether。　One　cigarette；　one；　just　one；　once　in　a　while；　couldn't　hurt。
　　He　called　his　friend　in　Records。　Herman　T。　Gotlieb；　a　mugging　victim　in　San　Francisco；　had　been　found　unconscious　on　Van　Ness　Avenue。　He　had　been　DOA　when　his　body　arrived　by　ambulance　at　the　San　Francisco　General　Hospital。
　　Hoke　was　not　surprised　by　the　information。　He　looked　in　the　telephone　book；　noted　the　page　and　a　half　of　Mendezes；　and　laughed。　There　were　five　Ramons　and　one　Ramona；　but　it　would　be　useless　to　call　any　of　them　because　he　knew　that　the　man's　name　was　not　Mendez。　All　he　knew　for　certain　was　that　the　man　was　armed　and　dangerous　and　that　he　somehow　had　to　find　him。
　　
　　
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　　For　several　days　after　the　fiasco　at　the　7…Eleven；　Freddy　was　moody　and　inactive。　His　aching　wrist　gave　him　a　good　deal　of　pain；　and　although　he　didn't　admit　it　to　Susan；　the　nagging　nature　of　the　hurt　made　it　difficult　for　him　to　sleep　at　night。　They　didn't　have　cable　television；　but　he　watched　a　Bowery　Boys　film　festival　on　Channel　51　night　after　night；　scowling　at　the　mercials。　Toward　four　A。M。；　when　a　faint　Atlantic　breeze　wafted　in　through　the　open　windows；　Freddy　would　turn　off　the　TV　and　fall　into　a　restless　sleep。　Susan　would　be　awakened　by　the　sudden　silence　as　the　set　clicked　off。　She　would　then　tiptoe　into　the　living　room　and　cover　him　with　a　sheet。
　　After　his　shower　and　breakfast　in　the　morning；　Freddy　sat　on　the　back