按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
so…and investigating officers didn't put out any free money for information。
Freddy told Susan to take the Venetian Causeway back to the Omni Hotel in Miami。 When they reached DiLido Island； he told her to stop on the other side of the island by the bridge。 When she stopped the car； he got out and threw the teeth in the bay。 He climbed into the front seat again。
〃What did you throw away？〃 Susan said。
〃None of your business。 If you needed to know； I would've told you。 How many times do I have to tell you not to ask questions？〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 Susan said。 〃I forgot。〃
They turned the car over to valet parking； and when Freddy showed his room key to the doorman； a bellman came out with a cart and brought Susan's prepared dinner up to their room。 Freddy dialed room service and ordered a bottle of champagne； a pot of coffee； and table service for two。 They ate the stuffed pork chops and still…warm sweet potatoes by candlelight in the handsomely appointed room； with a magnificent view of Biscayne Bay and the Miami Beach skyline。
Freddy plimented Susan on the pork chops and biscuits； even though they were cold。
If Susan was still curious； she kept her questions to herself。
14
When Hoke moved his right leg it hurt more than his jaw； but at least he could move it。 The top of his head seemed to rise and fall eerily with each breath。 His head was immobilized by two pillows so that he could not move it more than an inch or two to either side。 His wrists were tied loosely to the bedrails with gauze； which prevented him from feeling his face or poking at the bandages。 There were tubes and racks with bottles on each side of his bed； and clear fluids dripped into both arms。 Perhaps that was why his arms were restrained。
Hoke's lower face was pletely numb。 From his position on the bed； with his head raised slightly； all he could see was a gray steel contraption on the wall。 He wondered vaguely what it was； but it was two more days before he found out that the steel frame was a bracket for a television set； and that if he signed a piece of paper he could have a TV set brought in so he could watch the tube instead of the bracket。
By the end of the first week； when Hoke could sit up and go to the bathroom without help； he considered ordering the TV set； but he never did。 As he recalled； there were too many mercials about food； in color； on TV； and he knew that the mercials would make him hungrier than he was already。 Sometimes； when he closed his eyes； he could visualize the Burger King double cheeseburger with the bacon sizzling on top。 He was hungry all the time。
There were four beds in the ward； but Hoke was the only occupant。 This was a special oral surgeon's ward in St。 Mary's Hospital in Miami Shores； and it was used exclusively by dentists and oral surgeons who had patients with special problems。 Except for a fourteen…year…old Jewish American Prince whose mother had him checked in overnight to have a back tooth extracted； Hoke had the small ward to himself throughout his stay。 Hoke disliked the room； hated the hospital； and detested the gay male nurse； a Canary Islander who took an unseemly pleasure in giving Hoke an enema。
Hoke had been operated on by an oral surgeon named Murray Goldstein； and by his own dentist of several years standing； Dr。 David Rubin。 Dr。 Rubin professed sympathy for Hoke； but he had never forgiven him for having Doc Evans pull his teeth out in the morgue。 Still； he seemed elated by the fact that Hoke's damaged jaw would be able to support a new set of false teeth。 But the new teeth had to be held off until Hoke's jaw had healed and all of the bone splinters came out。 Meanwhile； his mandible was immobilized； wired here and there； and he drank his meals through a glass straw。 The bruise on top of his right leg was the size and shape of a football； and he limped for several days after he was up and into his bedside chair。
While he was still punchy from the drugs and unable to talk； Red Farris visited him and brought Louise along。 He could remember Red's droopy red mustache hanging over him； and Louise's white face and rain…dark hair hovering ghostily in the doorway。 He couldn't remember what Red Farris had said； but Red had left a note with his presents； all of which Hoke found later in his bedside table。 There was a bottle of Smirnoff vodka and a one…pound package of fudge wrapped in gold paper with the note：
Use the vodka for mouthwash。 It's breathless。
Louise made you some fudge。 When I get settled
in Sebring； you can e up for recuperation
and we'll go dove hunting。 Take care。
〃Red〃
When Farris didn't e back later； after Hoke could have visitors； Hoke assumed that he had left for Sebring。 But Hoke knew that he would never go dove hunting with Red Farris； once a man left Miami； that was the end of it； and Red knew it as well as he did。
Although his jaw was still wired and he could talk only with difficulty； Hoke was glad to see Bill Henderson。 Bill told Hoke that the case of the four dead Colombians had been solved。
Henderson had borrowed a skycap's uniform and cap； put them on one of his black detectives； and had him falsely finger the Colombian woman as the person in a purple Cadillac who had dropped off two men at the Miami International Airport。 Confronted by this direct； if false； identification； she had broken down。 The child； as it turned out； was the maid's； not her own； and the child was not supposed to be killed。 She was upset about that； which helped to make up her mind； too。 The killers were back safely in Cartagena and would never be extradited。 But at least their names were known now； so it was unlikely that the same pair would be used in Miami for more assassinations。
〃I knew she was in on it for sure； Hoke； when you told me there were no packages in the trunk。 The woman had nine hundred bucks in her purse； and there is no way that a woman could shop for two hours with that kind of money and not buy something。〃
Henderson shrugged。 〃But she hasn't been arraigned yet。 I've got a hunch that they'll set bail for a hundred thousand and let her skip back to Colombia。 That's what usually happens。〃
Hoke nodded； and made a circle with his thumb and forefinger。 Henderson pulled his chair closer to the bed。
〃You got any idea who did this to you； Hoke？〃
〃Uh…uh。〃 Hoke rolled his head back and forth on the pillow。
〃Got any ideas？〃
Hoke nodded and then shrugged。 He was tired； and he wanted Henderson to leave。
〃I talked some to Eddie Cohen； the old fart on the desk； and he says he didn't see any strangers in the hotel。 The manager questioned some of the old ladies who sit around the TV set in the lobby； and they didn't notice anyone either。〃
Henderson got up； and walked to the window。 He looked down into the parking lot。 〃I…ah…I checked your room； Hoke； and I really don't think you should be living in a crummy place like that。 All those social security types and Marielitos… it's depressing as shit； Hoke。 When you get out of here； you'll have to recuperate for a couple of weeks。 I can put you up at my house。 We can put a cot out in the Fl