cwilleford.miamiblues-第39部分

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oked　at　the　empty　bracket　from　which　his　radio　had　been　stolen；　and　swore。　Horns　honked　behind　him；　and　he　moved　forward　again。　His　only　chance　was　to　spot　Mendez　in　the　street；　and　that　seemed　damned　unlikely。　Deep　down；　way　down　there　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach；　he　hoped　he　wouldn't　find　him。
　　
　　Freddy's　hair　was　wet　and　the　shoulders　of　his　gray　silk　suitcoat　were　soaked　through　by　the　time　he　rounded　the　corner　to　Flagler　and　reached　the　window　of　Wulgemuth's　Coin　Exchange。　Freddy　pressed　the　buzzer　beside　the　window　and　smiled　when　he　saw　Wulgemuth's　alert　face　behind　the　glass。　The　coin　expert　was　in　his　early　fifties　but　looked　older　because　of　his　bald　head；　which　was　encircled　by　a　clipped　wreath　of　stubby　white　hair　above　his　ears。　His　bulbous　nose　and　his　sunken　cheeks　were　pitted　with　old　acne　scars。
　　〃I'm　a　police　officer；〃　Freddy　said　into　the　recessed　microphone。　〃Turn　the　window。〃
　　The　bulletproof　window　revolved。　Freddy　placed　the　cowhide　coin　case　in　the　drawer；　and　dropped　his　ID　card　and　badge；　still　in　its　leather　holder；　on　top　of　the　case。　The　window　revolved　and　Wulgemuth's　face　disappeared。
　　There　were　more　people　shopping　on　Flagler　than　Freddy　had　expected　to　see　on　such　a　miserable；　rainy　day；　but　most　of　them；　Freddy　supposed；　were　used　to　the　rain。　The　rain　was　warm；　and　in　places　the　sidewalk　steamed。　The　temperature；　despite　the　rain；　was　eighty…two　degrees；　as　Freddy　could　see　by　the　lighted　digital　clock　on　the　bank　tower　a　block　away。　The　time　was　10：04。　The　time　and　temperature　flashed　off；　and　were　replaced　by　an　aqueous　message　in　dotted　green　lights：
　　
　　THE　AMERICAN　WAY
　　IS　OUR　IRA
　　
　　The　message　puzzled　Freddy。　What　was　an　IRA？　He　heard　the　window　revolve。　The　badge　and　the　ID　were　in　the　drawer；　but　not　the　coin　case。　Wulgemuth's　face　was　in　the　window　again。　〃What's　your　business；　sergeant？〃
　　〃Police　business；〃　Freddy　said。　〃I've　been　trying　to　get　a　line　on　these　stolen　coins；　and　I've　got　some　other　things　to　ask　you　about。　Open　the　door。〃　Freddy　took　his　badge　out　of　the　drawer。
　　The　face　disappeared。　A　buzzer　on　the　door　lock　sounded；　and　Freddy　turned　the　knob　as　the　door　lock　was　released。　The　buzzing　stopped　as　he　stepped　inside。
　　〃Shut　the　door！〃　Wulgemuth　called　from　the　back　of　the　shop。
　　Freddy　closed　the　door　with　his　hip。　Wulgemuth　had　the　coin　case　open　on　the　counter　at　the　end　of　the　narrow　shop。
　　〃These　coins　were　stolen；　you　say？〃
　　〃Yeah。　I　brought　them　down　from　the　property　room。　We　picked　them　up　on　a　fencing　bust；　and　we　figured　if　we　could　get　a　line　on　the　owner　we　could　find　out　something　more　on　the　burglars。　Is　this　a　valuable　collection；　or　not？〃
　　Wulgemuth　shrugged。　〃What　you're　talking　about　here；　sergeant；　is　intrinsic　value。　That's　what　I　deal　in。　It's　worth　what　someone　wants　to　pay　for　it；　and　that's　probably　a　lot　more　than　its　face　value。　This　is　by　no　means　a　rare　collection；　even　though　a　cursory　look　shows　that　all　the　coins　are　in　pretty　fair　condition。〃
　　〃Did　you　ever　see　it　before？〃
　　〃As　a　collection；　no；　but　I've　seen　a　lot　like　it。　What　happened　to　your　eye；　anyway？〃
　　〃Car　accident。〃
　　〃You　oughta　sue　the　doctor　who　sewed　you　up。　You　could　make　a　bundle。〃
　　〃He　said　it　would　look　okay　once　it　scarred　over。〃
　　〃He　lied。　Anyway；　this　isn't　my　coin　case；　either。〃
　　Freddy　closed　the　lid　on　the　case；　and　snapped　the　two　hasp　locks　closed。　〃I'll　try　another　dealer。　Can　you　show　me　one　of　your　coin　cases？　I'd　like　to　see　how　different　yours　are　from　this　one。〃
　　〃I　don't　have　any　on　hand；　not　right　now。〃
　　〃Not　even　in　your　safe？〃
　　〃None　for　silver　dollars。〃
　　〃Who　else　sells　cowhide　cases　like　this　one；　then？〃
　　〃You're　on　the　wrong　track；　sergeant。　All　the　trade　magazines　advertise　cases　like　this。　You　can　order　coin　cases　by　mail；　from　cheap　canvas　jobs　to　custom…made　ostrich　with　your　initials　in　gold。〃
　　〃I　see。〃
　　〃How　e　a　Homicide　detective's　so　interested　in　tracing　stolen　property？　Is　there　a　murder　involved　in　this　collection？〃
　　〃That's　confidential；　Mr。　Wulgemuth。　I'm　also　checking　out　your　place　here　for　security。　We've　had　a　tip；　you　see；　and　we're　thinking　about　putting　a　stakeout　in　here。　Someone…we　don't　know　who…has　been　hitting　coin　dealers。〃
　　〃You're　telling　me！　D'you　know　how　many　times　I've　been　robbed？　Before　I　put　in　that　window；　I　was　hit　three　times　in　one　month！　But　I　don't　need　any　stakeouts　now。〃
　　〃Why　not？〃　Freddy　smiled；　and　reached　into　his　jacket　pocket　for　his　pistol。　His　fingers　closed　over　the　crosshatched　grip。
　　〃Because　of　Pedro。〃　Wulgemuth　turned　his　head。　〃Pedro！〃　The　door　in　the　back　opened　with　a　bang。　A　short；　wideshouldered；　dark…haired　man　came　through　the　doorway。　His　double…barreled　shotgun　was　pointed　at　Freddy's　chest。　His　dark；　serious　face　was　expressionless。
　　〃He's　been　watching　you　all　the　time　through　the　peephole　in　the　door。〃　Wulgemuth　laughed。　〃It's　okay；　Pedro。　This　is　Detective　Sergeant　Moseley。　He's　with　the　police　department。〃
　　Pedro　lowered　his　shotgun　and　turned　toward　the　back　door。　As　he　turned；　Freddy　pulled　out　his　。38　and　shot　him　in　the　back。　Pedro　fell；　face　down；　through　the　open　door　to　the　back　storeroom。　The　shotgun　clattered　on　the　terrazzo　floor　but　did　not　go　off。　Freddy　was　still　looking　down　at　Pedro；　deciding　whether　to　fire　another　shot；　when　Wulgemuth　with　a　sweeping　motion　brought　up　a　machete　from　beneath　the　counter。　In　a　wide　arc；　he　brought　it　down　on　Freddy's　left　hand；　which　was　resting　on　the　coin　case。　Freddy's　little　finger；　the　ring　finger；　and　the　middle　finger　were　lopped　off　cleanly　at　their　second　joints。　The　force　of　the　downward　swing　drove　the　blade　into　the　leather　of　the　case。　Freddy　shot　Wulgemuth　in　the　face。　The　bullet　made　a　round　hole　just　below　his　nose。　He　fell　back　with　a　gurgling　sound；　dead　before　his　bald　head　hit　the　terrazzo　floor。
　　For　a　long　moment；　Freddy　looked　without　prehension　at　the　exposed　and　bloody　bones　of　his　left　hand。　The　hand　was　numb　at　first；　and　then　he　felt　a　jolt　that　raced　back　and　forth　from　his　hand　to　his　elbow。　The　stumps　of　his　fingers　were　bleeding；　but　not　as　much　as　he　would　have　expected　them　to　bleed。　He　wrapped　his　handkerchief　around　his　wounded　hand；　lifted　the　hinged　Formica　lid；　and　went　behind　the　counter。　He　tried　to　open　the　six…foot　wall　safe；　but　the　bination　safe　was　closed　and　locked。　He　opened　the　cash　drawer　behind　the　counter。　There　were　several　bills　in　various　denominations；　as　well　as　change　in　separate　partments。　Freddy　dropped　his　pistol　back　into　his　jacket　pocket　and　scooped　up　the　stack　of　tens　and　twenties。　He　turned　over　Wulgemuth's　body　with　his　good　hand　and　took　the　coin　dealer's　wallet　out　of　his　hip　pocket。　Freddy　stuffed　the　wallet　and　the　bills　into　his　inside　jacket　pocket　and　went　to　the　front　door。
　　He　couldn't　open　it。　He　returned　to　the　counter　and　stuck　a　paper　clip　into　the　door's　buzzer　release　so　he　could　get　out。　He　shut　the　heavy　door　behind　him　as　he　left；　and　the　door　lock　continued　to　buzz。　Anyone　could　walk　in　now；　and　the　first　one　to　do　so　would　discover　the　bodies。　But　he　still　had　plenty　of　time。　Freddy　put　his　wounded　hand　into　his　trousers　pocket　and　walked　through　the　rain　to　the　corner；　fighting　an　urge　to　run。
　　There　was　a　white　Toyota　half…ton　truck　in　the　yellow　loading　zone；　but　Susan　and　the　white　TransAm　were　gone。
　　Freddy　made　an　abrupt　about…face　and　started　back　toward　Flagler。　Perhaps　it　had　been　a　mistake　to　tell　Susie　that　he　had　broken　Martin's　finger。　Anyone　else　might　have　questioned　him　about　it；　it　was　so　unlikely　to　meet　a　brother　and　a　sister　in　two　different　places　on　the　same　day　in　a　strange　town。　But　she　had　believed　him　because　he　had　never　lied　to　her　before。　He　hadn't　told　her　much　of　anything　about　himself；　so　there　had　been　no　need　to　lie。　But　her　whining　had　pissed　him　off。　Of　course；　she　might　have　been　forced　to　move　by　a　meter　maid。　In　that　case　she　would　be　ing　up　Flagler　by　now　and　he　could　wave　her　down　from　the　curb。　In　the　pelting　rain；　he　stared　down　the　street　at　the　crawling　cars　on　Flagler。　A　battered　Pontiac　Le　Mans　stopped　suddenly　in　the　middle　of　the　street。
　　F