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o him； as though he had been out of circulation for some time。 The way he had crooked that Charles Atlas arm around the tiny cup of flan…who did he think would try to take it away from him； anyway？ It wasn't enough that Carter had destroyed the city by sending in all the refugees； Reagan was importing ex…cons from California。 Even if immigration was stopped altogether； it would be another twenty years before Miami got back to normal again。
And the girl。 She had looked at her dead brother as if he were a piece of meat。 True； she had cried at the morgue； but she had cried much harder about the possible loss of her car and the 200。 How could a girl as simple…minded as Susan Waggoner get into college？
Hoke drove into the Dupont Plaza garage and parked on the ramp by the wall。 As he locked the car； a Cuban attendant came running over。 He had a parking stub in one hand； and a oneounce hit of café Cubano in the other。
〃I'll take those keys；〃 he said； holding out the parking stub。
Hoke showed him his shield and ignored the stub。 〃Police business。 I'll leave the car right where it is。 When more cars e in； drive around it。〃
Hoke went into the bar lounge； filled a paper plate with chicken wings； hot meatballs； and green olives； then went to the bar。 He ordered a beer reluctantly because a beer in the Dupont Plaza bar cost as much as a six…pack in the supermarket； but the free hors d'oeuvres just about made up for it。 Hoke liked the Dupont Plaza； the quiet Mickey Mouse music that came over the speakers； and the tables beside the windows where he could watch the traffic on the Miami River。 There was an older； dressed…up crowd here； and although his blue poplin leisure suit was out of place； he had once picked up a forty…year…old widow from Cincinnati； and she had taken him up to her room。
Hoke showed the bartender his shield and asked for the telephone。 The bartender reached under the bar and placed a white telephone in front of Hoke。 As a matter of principle； Hoke never gave Ma Bell a quarter to use a pay telephone。 He dialed Red Farris's number from memory。
〃Red；〃 Hoke said； when Farris answered； 〃let's go out and do something。〃
〃Hoke！ I'm glad you called。 I tried to get you twice today； once at the station； and once at your hotel。 The hotel didn't even answer。〃
〃You've got to let it ring。 Sometimes the clerk's away from the desk。〃
〃I let it ring ten times。〃
〃Try twenty next time。 I was out at the airport most of the afternoon； on a homicide。〃
〃How e they called you instead of Metro？〃
〃I'll tell you when I see you。 It's an interesting case。〃
〃That's why I tried to call you； Hoke； to tell you my good news。 Are you ready？ I resigned today。〃
〃Resigned from the department？ You're shitting me。〃
〃Not this time； Hoke。 I told you before I've been writing letters around the state。 Well； the chief of police in Sebring offered me a job as desk sergeant； and I took it。〃
〃That means going back into uniform； doesn't it？〃
〃So what？ I'll be out of Miami。 When I typed up my resignation； I never felt better。〃
〃What kind of salary goes with it？〃
〃Not much。〃
〃How much？ Sebring can't pay Miami's union scale。〃
〃I know。 It's only fourteen thousand； Hoke。 I'm making thirty…one in Robbery； but the chief said there'd probably be another two thousand a year when the new Sebring budget es out。〃
〃Christ； Red； that's less than half of what you're making now。〃
〃I know； and I don't give a shit。 It doesn't cost as much to live in Sebring； and the chances are that I'll live a hell of a lot longer up there。〃
〃There's nothing going on in Sebring。 They have the race once a year； and that's it。〃
〃I know。 That's why I took the job。 Last week； a kid in Overtown threw a brick through my window。〃
〃You shouldn't drive your car in Overtown。 You know that。〃
〃It was a squad car； Hoke。 I was down there with Nelson to pick up a fence。 We never found him； either。 But that brick was it。 I'd been wavering； because of the money and all； but the next morning I called the chief in Sebring。 He's a nice guy； too； Hoke。 You'd like him。 He's a retired detective from Newark。 That's in New Jersey。〃
〃I know where Newark is； for God's sake。〃
〃Don't get pissed off； Hoke。〃
〃I'm not pissed off； I'm just surprised； that's all。 I know damned well you aren't going to like living in a little town like that。 Why don't we meet some place and talk about it？〃
〃I can't； Hoke。 I've got a lot of things to do and then I've got to meet Louise later when she gets off work。〃
〃When are you leaving； Red？ I'll see you before you go； won't I？〃
〃Oh； sure。 I'll be in town for another week at least。 If I can't sell my condo； I'll have to rent it out。 But we'll get together。 We'll tie one on to celebrate。〃
〃Right。 I'm here at the Dupont bar； if you can get away for a while before you pick up Louise。〃
〃I can't； Hoke。 Not tonight。〃
〃Call me； then。〃
〃I'll call you。〃
〃I'm real happy for you； Red； if you think that's what you want。〃
〃Thanks； Hoke。 It's what I want。〃
〃Call me。〃
〃I will。〃
Hoke racked the phone； and the bartender put it beneath the bar again。 〃Another beer； sir？〃
〃Yeah。 And a double shot of Early Times。 I don't want any more of the stuff on this plate either。 Can you dump it for me？〃
Hoke took his shot of whiskey and fresh bottle of beer over to a table by the window。 He really hated to see Red Farris leave the department。 He was one of the few bachelor friends Hoke bad left。 Red was almost always available to go out for a few drinks； or a little bottle pool； or to bowl a few lines。 And Red Farris had saved his life； too。 They had gone to pick up a wife…beater who was out on bail。 The man's wife had died； and that upgraded the charge from assault to second degree murder。 It was a simple pickup； the man didn't put up any fight or argument。 He had been too shocked by the news of his wife's death。 And then； just as Hoke had started to put the handcuffs on him； the man's twelve…year…old son had e out of the bedroom and shot Hoke in the chest with a 。22 rifle。 Farris got the rifle out of the kid's hands before he could get off another shot； and Hoke spent six weeks in the hospital with a nicked left lung。 It still hurt if he took a very deep breath。 But if Red Farris hadn't twisted that rifle out of the kid's hands… Well； the kid was in a foster home somewhere； the kid's father was up in Raiford； and the boy's mother was dead。 In Miami； a family could break up in a hurry
It used to be a lot different when Hoke was still married。 Four or five couples would get together for a barbecue and some beer。 Then； after they ate； the women would all sit in the living room and talk about how difficult their deliveries had been； and the men would sit in the kitchen and play poker。 The big kids would watch TV； and the smaller kids would be put to sleep in the bedroom。 That had been real Florida living； but now all the white families were moving away。 There were six different detectives Hoke had known who had left Miami in the last year alone。 And now Farris…that was seven。 Of course； Henderson could get out for a night once in a while； but Bill Henderson was married； and he always worried about staying out too late。
Hoke looked out at the river； never the same river。 He wanted another double shot of Early Times； but not at these prices。 Hoke left the bar and got his car from the parking ramp。 As he checked the window locks； the smell of the vomit on the back seat was almost overpowering。 When he got to the Eldorado Hotel； he'd get one of the Marielitos who lived there to clean it out。
7
The one…way street was narrow after they left the well…lighted area of the Columbus Hotel on Biscayne。 The sidewalk was cracked and broken from recent roadwork； and there were few pedestrians。
〃Where's the parking garage？〃 Freddy took Susan's thin arm as they skirted a Bob's Barricade horse and a flaming kerosene pot。
〃Up about four blocks。 I didn't want the detective to see my car。 I'm sorry now I even mentioned it to him。 If he lets it slip out to daddy that I've got it； he'll take it。〃
〃That prick detective's pretty sharp。 Unless he does it on purpose； he won't let anything slip out。 He sure picked up on me in a hurry。 I think I had him fooled on the dessert business； because I really was in a foster home in Santa Barbara。 But he knows that a man can't hold down a regular job and still work out six hours a day building up muscles like mine。〃
〃Why'd you tell him your name was Ramon Mendez？ You don't look nothing like these Cubans。〃 She pointed to four ragged Marielitos across the street。 They were unwrapping a large bundle of clothes between two parked cars。
〃I told him Mendez because I checked into the hotel under the name of Gotlieb with a stolen credit card。 Wait。 Let's go over there and see what they've got in that bindle。〃
〃Let's don't！ You don't want to have nothing to do with these people； Junior。 It's just something they stole； anyway。〃 She tugged at his arm。
〃Okay。 But it's always interesting to look into a bindle。 You never know what you'll find。〃
〃You