cwilleford.miamiblues-第43部分

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　　〃I　guess　his　gun　didn't　do　him　much　good；　then；　did　it？　I'm　sorry　to　hear　that。　I　never　wished　him　any　harm。　I　wasn't　going　to　tell　on　him；　either；　about　Martin；　I　mean；　but　I　don't　want　to　get　in　no　trouble　on　account　of　Junior。　I　didn't　do　anything。　I　just　want　to　go　back　to　Okeechobee。　All　I've　had　is　trouble　of　some　kind　or　other　ever　since　I　came　down　here　for　my　abortion。　What　I'd　say；　if　you　asked　me　about　Miami；　I'd　say　it's　not　a　good　place　for　a　single　girl　to　be。〃
　　〃Jesus　Christ；〃　Hoke　said；　〃let's　get　out　of　here　a　minute；　Bill。〃
　　Hoke　and　Henderson　went　out　into　the　hallway。
　　〃I'm　afraid；　Bill；〃　Hoke　said；　〃that　I'd　have　to　confirm　her　story。　She　did　drop　him　off；　and　then　leave　immediately；　and　I　followed　her　until　she　got　on　the　ramp　to　I…Ninety…five。　You　can't　charge　her　for　dropping　her　mon…law　husband　off　downtown。　If　she　claims　she　didn't　know　he　was　going　to　rob　the　store；　we　can't　hold　her　as　an　accessory。〃
　　〃Is　she　really　that　dumb；　or　is　it　an　act　of　some　kind？〃
　　〃It's　consistent；　whatever　it　is。　Why　don't　we　just　take　her　statement　and　put　her　on　a　bus　for　Belle　Glade　so　she　can　get　her　damned　car。〃
　　〃You　mean　just　let　her　go？〃
　　〃I　don't　see　what　else　we　can　do。　Her　statement　will　clear　up　the　death　of　Martin　Waggoner；　and　we　can　always　find　her　if　we　need　her　later。　Okeechobee's　a　small　town。　We'll　tell　her　not　to　leave　Okeechobee　or　e　back　to　Miami　again；　and　that's　it。〃
　　〃That's　just　hearsay。　We　still　can't　prove　that　Junior　killed　Martin；　or　broke　his　finger。〃
　　〃We'll　send　his　picture　up　to　those　two　Georgia　boys。　Maybe　they　can　identify　him　from　the　picture。　At　any　rate；　I'll　call　the　assistant　state　attorney；　and　tell　her　about　Susan's　statement。　She　can　decide　whether　to　close　the　case　or　not。　It's　not　up　to　us；　anyway。〃
　　Henderson　and　Sanchez　stayed　in　the　interrogation　room　to　obtain　a　statement　from　Susan　Waggoner；　and　Hoke　went　back　to　his　office。　He　found　Violet　Nygren's　phone　number；　and　called　the　office。
　　〃Thank　you；〃　a　female　voice　answered；　and　then；　for　five　minutes；　Hoke　listened　to　Muzak　as　he　held　the　phone　to　his　ear。
　　〃Thank　you　for　waiting；〃　a　man's　voice　said。　〃How　may　I　help　you？〃
　　〃Is　this　the　state　attorney's　office？〃
　　〃Yes；　it　is。　How　may　I　help　you？〃
　　〃This　is　Sergeant　Moseley；　Homicide。　I　want　to　talk　to　Miss　Violet　Nygren；　one　of　your　assistant　state　attorneys。　This　is　the　number　she　gave　me。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　we've　got　anybody　here　by　that　name。〃
　　〃Yes；　you　have。　She　was　assigned　to　that　case　at　the　airport。　A　guy　got　his　finger　broke　and　died　from　shock。　Martin　Waggoner。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　her。　What's　her　name　again？〃
　　〃Nygren。　N…Y…G…R…E…N。　She　was　young　and　had　just　joined　the　office。　A　UM　Law　School　graduate。〃
　　〃Okay。　Let　me　take　a　look　at　the　roster。　Can　you　hold　the　line　a　minute？〃
　　〃Yeah。〃
　　〃I'm　sorry；〃　the　man　said；　when　he　came　back　on　the　line；　〃but　we　don't　have　any　Nygrens　on　the　roster。　If　you　want　me　to；　I'll　check　with　a　few　people　here　and　then　call　you　back。　I　don't　know　half　the　people　here　myself。　We've　got　one　hundred　and　seventy…one　assistant　state　attorneys；　you　know。〃
　　〃That　many？　I　thought　you　only　had　about　a　hundred。〃
　　〃We　got　some　more　money　last　year。　But　they　e　and　go；　you　know。　Want　me　to　check　and　call　you　back？〃
　　〃No。　I'll　hold　the　line　while　you　check。　I　like　listening　to　the　Muzak。〃
　　〃That's　on　the　other　line。　I　can't　get　you　any　Muzak　on　this　phone。〃
　　〃Never　mind。　Just　find　out　what　happened　to　Violet　Nygren。〃
　　Hoke　lit　a　cigarette。　He　raised　his　shoulder　to　hold　the　phone　against　his　head　and　examined　his　hands。　They　were　shaking　slightly；　as　the　reaction　finally　settled　in；　but　as　long　as　he　kept　busy　he　wouldn't　have　to　think　about　it。　As　he　butted　the　cigarette　in　the　desk　ashtray；　a　woman's　voice　came　on　the　line。
　　〃Hello？　Are　you　there？〃
　　〃I'm　here；〃　Hoke　said。　〃Who　are　you？〃
　　〃Tim　asked　me　to　tell　you　about　Violet。　You　are　Sergeant　Moseley；　aren't　you？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Well；　Violet　Nygren　resigned　a　few　weeks　back。　She　got　married；　but　I　don't　know　her　married　name。　But　I　know　she　married　a　chiropractor　out　in　Kendall；　and　I　can　get　her　married　name　for　you　tomorrow；　if　you　like。　I　didn't　know　Violet　very　well；　but　I　know　she　wasn't　happy　here　as　a　state　attorney。　I　don't　think　she'd've　been　with　us　much　longer　even　if　she　hadn't　got　married　and　quit…if　you　know　what　I　mean。〃
　　〃I　think　I　do。　But　it's　not　important。　Somebody　must've　taken　over　her　caseload；　so　I'll　just　send　a　memo　over　to　your　office；　and　you　people　can　take　it　from　there。〃
　　〃I'm　sorry　I　couldn't　be　more　helpful。〃
　　〃You've　helped　a　lot。　Thanks。〃
　　
　　When　Henderson　and　Sanchez　went　into　Captain　Brownley's　office　to　go　over　the　written　report；　Hoke　was　excluded　from　the　meeting　and　told　that　his　turn　would　be　next。
　　Hoke　could　see　the　three　of　them　through　the　smudged　glass　walls　of　Brownley's　office；　and　he　felt　a　little　apprehension　at　being　left　out。　Brownley　was　a　good　reader；　and　if　he　spotted　any　discrepancies；　Hoke　knew　that　he　could　be　in　some　deep　trouble。　Hoke　went　into　the　men's　room　to　take　a　leak　and　two　younger　Homicide　detectives　congratulated　him　warmly；　so　warmly　that　he　decided　not　to　go　down　to　the　cafeteria　for　coffee　and　a　sweet　roll。　As　far　as　his　fellow　police　officers　were　concerned；　the　department　had　won　one　for　a　change。　The　robbery…murder　on　Flagler　and　the　killing　of　the　suspect　would　only　rate　a　three…　or　four…inch　story　in　the　local　sections　of　the　Miami　newspapers；　but　it　was　big　news　within　the　department。
　　Hoke　returned　to　his　little　office　and　waited；　trying　to　sort　out　his　feelings；　and　came　to　the　conclusion　that　Freddy　Frenger；　Jr。；　AKA　Ramon　Mendez；　had　played　out　the　game　to　the　end　and　didn't　really　mind　losing　his　life　in　a　last…ditch　attempt　to　win。　Junior　would　have　been　good　at　checkers　or　chess；　thought　Hoke；　where　sometimes　a　poor　player　can　beat　a　much　better　one　if　he　is　aggressive　and　stays　boldly　on　the　attack。　That　was　Junior；　all　right；　and　if　you　turned　your　head　away　from　the　board　for　an　instant；　to　light　a　cigarette　or　to　take　a　sip　of　coffee；　he　would　steal　one　of　your　pieces。　Junior　didn't　have　to　play　by　the　rules；　but　Hoke　did。　Nevertheless；　Hoke　decided　to　keep　this　checkers　analogy　to　himself。　No　matter　how　he　rationalized　his　actions；　Hoke　suspected　that　the　real　reason　he　had　killed　Freddy　Frenger　was　that　the　man　had　invaded　his　room　at　the　Eldorado　Hotel　and　beat　the　shit　out　of　him。　And　if　he　could　do　it　once；　he　could　do　it　a　second　time。　On　the　other　hand；　to　think　that　way　was　just　another　oversimplification。　After　all；　Frenger　had　tried　to　pull　his　gun；　so　Hoke　had　shot　in　selfdefense：　the　extra　round　he　had　put　into　the　back　of　the　man's　head　was　merely　insurance。　But　any　way　Hoke　looked　at　it；　the　quality　of　life　in　Miami　would　be　improved　immeasurably　now　that　Freddy　Frenger　was　no　longer　out　on　the　streets　。
　　Henderson　opened　the　door。　Ellita　Sanchez；　smiling；　was　with　him。
　　〃Your　turn；　Hoke；〃　Henderson　said。
　　〃We'll　wait　for　you　down　in　the　cafeteria；〃　Sanchez　said。
　　Hoke　shook　his　head。　〃Not　in　the　cafeteria。　I　don't　want　a　bunch　of　people　ing　around。〃　Hoke　looked　at　his　wristwatch。　〃Christ；　it's　after　four　A。M。　Why　don't　you　guys　go　home？　You　don't　have　to　wait　for　me。〃
　　〃We'll　wait　for　you　in　the　parking　lot；〃　Henderson　said。　〃Then　we'll　go　get　a　beer。〃
　　Henderson　and　Sanchez　left　before　Hoke　could　say　anything　else。
　　Captain　Brownley　was　on　the　phone。　As　Hoke　hesitated　outside　the　office；　Brownley　held　up　his　left　hand；　signaling　Hoke　to　wait。　Hoke　lit　a　cigarette；　and　tried　not　to　look　through　the　glass　door　at　Brownley。　At　last；　Brownley　hung　up　the　phone；　stood；　and　beckoned　for　Hoke　to　e　in。
　　〃Sit　down；　Hoke。　I　see　you　started　smoking　again。〃　Brownley　sat　down；　and　put　his　elbows　on　the　desk。　Hoke　pulled　the　ashtray　toward　him　as　he　sat　down；　and　stubbed　out　his　cigarette。
　　〃I　never　really　quit；　captain。　I　just　abstained　for　a　while；　that's　all。〃
　　〃How　d'you　feel？〃
　　〃Still　a　little　shaky；　but　I'll　be　all　right。〃
　　〃I　know　you　will。　But　for　an　experienced　police　officer；　that　was　just　about　the