cwilleford.miamiblues-第40部分

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ing　cars　on　Flagler。　A　battered　Pontiac　Le　Mans　stopped　suddenly　in　the　middle　of　the　street。
　　Freddy　and　Hoke　recognized　each　other　at　the　same　time。　Hoke　stuck　his　left　arm　through　the　open　window　and　pointed　his　pistol　at　Freddy。
　　〃Freeze！　Police！〃　Hoke　shouted。
　　There　were　three　women　with　umbrellas　on　the　sidewalk。　Freddy　stepped　in　among　them；　gave　Hoke　the　finger；　and　ran。　He　knew　that　the　cop　wouldn't　fire　into　the　pedestrians。　For　a　cop　to　use　deadly　force；　his　life　had　to　be　threatened。　Freddy　crossed　the　street　against　the　red　light；　dodging　the　slowly　moving　cars；　ignoring　their　horns；　and　trotted　up　Flagler　toward　Burdine's　Department　Store。　He　looked　back　once　as　he　entered　the　store；　but　no　one　was　following　him。　He　walked　briskly　through　the　store；　past　the　men's　clothing　section；　and　then　took　the　back　exit　to　First　Street。　There　were　more　than　a　dozen　people　in　a　ragged　half…formed　line　as　the　Hialeah　Metro　bus　pulled　up　to　the　bus　stop。　Freddy　pushed　through　the　umbrellas　to　the　head　of　the　line；　and　as　the　door　opened；　entered　the　bus　and　flashed　his　badge　in　the　driver's　face。
　　〃Police；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　looking　for　a　nigger　with　a　radio。〃
　　The　bus　driver　jerked　his　thumb。　〃There's　three　of　'em　back　there。〃
　　The　bus　was　crowded。　Every　seat　was　filled；　and　Freddy　had　to　elbow　his　way　through　the　standing　passengers。　There　were　three　black　men　with　radios　in　the　long　back　seat；　and　they　had　spread　out　so　no　one　else　could　sit　down。　But　only　one　man；　with　a　khaki　knitted　watch　cap　pulled　low　over　his　forehead；　had　his　radio　turned　on。　He　was　bobbing　his　head　to　a　reggae　beat。　Freddy　showed　the　man　his　badge　and　told　him　to　turn　off　his　radio。　Sullenly；　the　man　turned　down　the　volume　a　fraction　of　an　inch。
　　〃I　said；　'Off！'
　　The　man　apparently　saw　something　in　Freddy's　eyes。　The　radio　was　clicked　off；　and　several　nearby　passengers　clapped　their　hands。　After　three　blocks；　Freddy　pulled　the　cord；　and　the　driver　stopped　at　the　corner。　As　Freddy　pushed　through　the　back　doors；　the　radio　started　again。
　　
　　Hoke　got　out　of　the　car　and　watched　Mendez　dodge　nimbly　between　the　cars　as　he　ran　across　the　intersection　and　up　the　crowded　sidewalk。　Hoke　lost　sight　of　him　when　he　slipped　in　front　of　two　elderly　women　with　shielding　umbrellas。　Hoke　looked　around　for　a　uniformed　policeman。　There　was　usually　a　traffic　officer　on　this　corner；　but　there　was　no　cop　here　today。　He　was　probably　inside　somewhere；　drinking　coffee　and　staying　out　of　the　rain。　The　stalled　traffic　behind　Hoke's　car　honked　ominously。　He　couldn't　leave　the　car　in　the　middle　of　the　intersection　and　run　after　his　quarry。　Hoke　got　back　into　his　car；　scanning　the　sidewalk　as　he　picked　up　some　speed；　but　he　didn't　have　much　hope。　The　man　could　have　zipped　into　any　one　of　thirty　stores；　including　Woolworth's　and　Burdine's。
　　Susan；　Hoke　figured；　was　taking　the　I…95　Expressway　back　to　Dania；　which　would　get　her　home　twice　as　fast　as　a　trip　back　to　Dania　on　South　Dixie。　Hoke　would　have　to　go　back　to　Dania；　question　her；　and　then　if　she　refused　to　tell　him　where　Mendez　was；　could　threaten　to　book　her　on　a　solicitation　charge。　He　could　threaten　her；　but　he　couldn't　pick　her　up。　Dania　was　in　Broward　County；　and　Hoke　had　no　jurisdiction　in　Broward　County。
　　At　Sixth　Street；　Hoke　turned　right　and　found　a　parking　space　in　front　of　a　cigar　store。　He　went　inside；　showed　the　man　behind　the　counter　his　badge；　and　asked　for　the　phone。　The　phone　was　on　the　wall　behind　the　dealer's　back；　but　the　receiver　was　on　a　long　cord。　The　dealer；　a　white…haired　Latin　with　a　hoarse　voice；　handed　the　receiver　to　Hoke。
　　〃You　tell　me　number。　I　dial。　No　one　can　e　behind　counter。　I　dial。〃
　　Hoke　gave　the　man　his　office　number。　Ellita　Sanchez　answered　the　phone。
　　〃This　is　Sergeant　Moseley；　Sanchez。　Is　Bill　Henderson　around？〃
　　〃He　was　in　earlier；　but　he's　not　here　now。　I　think　he　went　downstairs　for　coffee。〃
　　〃You　don't　happen　to　know　any　cops　in　Dania；　do　you？
　　〃No。　I've　never　even　been　to　Dania。〃
　　〃That's　okay。　I　want　you　to　get　a　message　to　Sergeant　Henderson。　Tell　him　that　I　need　a　cop　from　Broward　County　to　meet　me　at　two…four…six　Poinciana；　in　Dania。　You　remember…　the　address　of　Susan　Waggoner　in　Dania　you　got　for　me　yesterday。〃
　　〃I've　got　a　cousin　on　the　force　in　Hollywood。　I　could　call　him；　if　you　want。〃
　　〃He'll　do；　but　I'd　rather　have　a　Dania　cop。　Talk　to　Henderson　first。　He'll　know　what　to　do。　But　if　you　can't　find　Henderson；　call　your　cousin　in　Hollywood。　Tell　Henderson　that　I've　got　a　good　chance　to　pick　up　Mendez。〃
　　〃You　can't　arrest　anybody　in　Broward　County。〃
　　〃I　know　it；　Sanchez。　That's　why　I　want　a　cop　from　Dania；　and　I　don't　know　anyone　there　and　it　would　all　be　too　plicated　to　explain　to　anyone　there　over　the　phone。　So　just　tell　Henderson　what　I've　told　you。　D'you　understand？〃
　　〃I'll　go　down　to　the　cafeteria　right　now　and　look　for　him。〃
　　〃Good　girl。〃　Hoke　handed　the　receiver　back　to　the　whitehaired　man。　The　man　smiled　and　held　up　two　fingers　as　he　took　the　receiver。　〃Last　month　at　Dania　I　hit　two　trifectas。〃
　　〃Wonderful；〃　Hoke　said。　〃Thanks　for　the　phone。〃
　　There　was　a　tiny　cafeteria　next　to　the　cigar　store。　Hoke　ordered　a　double　espresso；　drank　it；　and　then　bought　two　Jamaican　hot　meat　patties　to　eat　in　the　car　on　his　way　to　Dania。
　　
　　
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　　As　the　taillights　of　the　Metrobus　disappeared　into　the　rain；　Freddy　walked　through　an　A…l　Park…and…Lock　lot　and　into　an　Eckerd's　drugstore。　He　bought　a　roll　of　gauze　and　a　roll　of　adhesive　tape　and　left　the　store。　He　kept　his　injured　hand　in　his　trousers　pocket；　and　flexed　his　thumb　and　forefinger。　They　responded　in　time　with　the　shooting　pains　to　his　elbow。　The　hand　was　no　longer　numb；　but　the　pain　wasn't　steady。　It　flashed　and　flickered　off　and　on　like　a　broken　neon　sign。
　　A　bearded　man　in　his　early　thirties　wearing　a　dirty　yellow　T…shirt　stood　under　a　ragged　awning　in　front　of　a　boarded…up　storefront。　He　was　drinking　from　a　bottle　in　a　brown　paper　bag。
　　〃Are　you　drunk？〃　Freddy　asked　him。
　　The　man　shook　his　bearded　chin。　〃Not　yet。〃
　　〃I'll　give　you　five　bucks　to　do　something　for　me。〃
　　〃Okay。〃
　　〃Bind　up　my　hand。〃
　　Freddy　handed　the　bearded　man　the　sack　from　Eckerd's；　moved　back　into　the　recessed　doorway；　and　took　his　wounded　hand　out　of　his　pocket。　He　unwrapped　the　sticky　handkerchief。
　　The　derelict　put　down　his　bottle　carefully　by　the　wall　and　took　the　gauze　and　adhesive　tape　out　of　the　sack。　Freddy　held　out　his　hand　and　the　man　shook　his　head　and　clucked。
　　〃Nasty；〃　he　said。
　　He　wrapped　Freddy's　hand　tightly　with　the　gauze；　including　the　unimpaired　forefinger；　but　left　the　thumb　free。　The　man's　fingers　were　shaky　but　functional。
　　〃You　can't　do　nothin'　without　your　thumb；〃　he　explained。
　　He　used　all　the　gauze　and　all　the　tape　because　he　didn't　have　a　knife　to　cut　off　the　excess；　but　the　wrapping　was　so　tight　it　looked　like　a　professional　job。
　　〃That'll　do　her　till　you　get　to　a　doctor。〃
　　Freddy　gave　the　man　10。
　　〃This　is　a　ten；〃　the　man　said。
　　Freddy　shrugged。　〃Five's　for　the　bandage　job；　and　the　other　five's　for　getting　me　a　cab。〃
　　〃I'll　be　right　back。〃　The　man　hesitated。　〃Don't　let　nobody　touch　my　bottle。〃　Limping　slightly　in　his　huaraches；　the　man　hurried　toward　Flagler　in　the　rain。　The　rain　had　a　steady　beat　to　it　now；　as　though　it　would　last　forever。
　　Freddy　picked　up　the　bottle　and　took　a　long　swig　from　it。　Muscatel　wine。　Sweet　and　fruity；　and　devoid　of　subtlety。　Freddy　drank　the　rest　of　it　anyway　and　put　the　bottle　down　by　the　wall　again。　The　sweet　wine　didn't　lessen　the　pain　in　his　hand。　He　needed　whiskey　for　that；　but　the　Darvon　he　had　back　at　the　house　in　Dania　would　help　more　than　whiskey。　He　regretted　his　hasty　retreat　from　the　coin　exchange。　He　should　have　scooped　up　the　stubs　of　his　fingers　he　left　behind。　The　cops　would　get　his　fingerprints　from　them。　Shit。　Murder　One。　The　time　had　e　to　get　the　hell　out　of　Miami。　He　would　tell　Susie　to　drive　him　to　Okeechobee。　She　undoubtedly　knew　a　doctor　up　there；　and　after　he　got　his　hand　fixed　up　they　could　head　north。　They　could　hole　up　along　the　way　in　one　of　those　Days　Inns　that　dotted　I…95　in　every　sma