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o； not counting the pesos； which he might be able to exchange later； he was 2；331 richer than when he had arrived at the Omni…minus the cash he had put out for his shopping； of course。 This was absolutely the best haul Freddy had ever made in a single day。 He had also picked up two new credit cards…the fat man's… a Visa and a MasterCard。 The tall man with sideburns； apparently the other half of a Mexico City pickpocket team； had a green card in the name of Jaime Figueras in his wallet。 This meant that he could work in Miami； but it didn't authorize him to work as a pickpocket； he would be unlikely to report his mugging to the police。 If that damned kid hadn't e into the men's room； Freddy could have waited for a few minutes and made another nice haul after the short partner came down for his cut。 But probably it was just as well。 He had gotten in trouble before by staying too long in a men's room。 Vice Squad caps pretending to be gay； and some who didn't have to pretend； hit public rest rooms all the time to top off their daily arrest quotas。
Freddy paid the parking fee to the Cuban girl at the exit and drove south on Biscayne Boulevard； planning what he would say to Pablo Lhosa at the International Hotel。
By the time he had crawled through the heavy traffic to Dupont Plaza； Freddy decided that it might be best not to see Pablo at all。 Pablo knew him as Gotlieb； and by now； or at least in another day or two； the hotel would find out that it bad been stifled by a stolen credit card。 Of course； the hotel would get its money； in all probability； but Pablo would have some leverage to use against him。 Perhaps for the moment it would be best to do nothing。 He would tell Susan not to answer her phone； and when Pablo came out to see her he could take care of him。 By that time； some kind of solution would occur to him。
Freddy circled the Dupont Plaza and drove back down Biscayne to the Omni。 This time he pulled into the hotel entrance。 He turned over the ignition key； but not the trunk key； to the valet。 He registered at the desk as Mr。 and Mrs。 Junior Waggoner and pocketed the room key。 He counted out 1；000 in cash for a 1 20…a…day room and told the clerk he would return with his baggage later when he came back from the airport with his wife。
No； he told the clerk； he didn't know how long he would be staying； but to remind him when his bill got up to 900； and he would either check out then or put down some more cash as an advance。 Freddy waved off the bellman and took the elevator up to his room。
He stashed the extra wallets and the pesos in the bedside table next to the king…size bed and went back down to the lobby entrance for his car。 He paid for the valet parking； gave the valet a quarter； and turned off the salsa that was blaring full blast from his radio。 If the valet hadn't turned on the radio he would have gotten a dollar instead of a quarter； Freddy reflected。 He headed south on Biscayne again。 He crossed the Miami River and drove down Brickell。 He now had two nice hidey…holes； one in Kendall and another downtown in Omni。 To avoid the sun and the heat； he could work the Omni Mall； the way the Omni was laid out； it was a thief's paradise。 If he only robbed pickpockets； he could work for weeks without any fear of detection。 Of course； there would be petition； there was bound to be in a perfect setup like that。 Freddy didn't mind a little petition。 As the fly said； crossing the mirror； 〃That's just another way of looking at it。〃
Freddy parked on the roof of the bus pany's parking garage and spent two hours exploring the Miracle Mile in Coral Gables。 The stores were owned by Americans； but they catered to Latin tastes。 Women's clothing was on the garish side； with lots of ruffles and flounces。 Primary colors were predominant； with very few pastels in evidence。 Men's suits were gray or blue； with thin stripes in rust or coral； and the shirts and ties were like those Freddy remembered from Santa Anita； when he used to spend his afternoons at the track。 Except for the incredible cleanliness； the Coral Gables shopping street reminded Freddy of East Los Angeles； although East LA had never been this prosperous。
In a sporting goods stare； Freddy bought three All…American Official Frisbees； charging them to the Mendez credit card。 He went back to the roof of the parking garage； took the Frisbees out of the paper sack； and ripped off their plastic wrappings。 He then sailed them； one at a time； across the street； and aver a lower roof； watching them land and skitter in the heavy traffic an LeJeune Road。 Two cellmates at San Quentin had owned a Frisbee； and Freddy had often watched them throw it back and forth to each other in the yard。 They would laugh when they caught it； and they would laugh even harder when one of them failed to catch it。 Freddy had always wanted to toss it himself； but the two cons never let anyone else into their game； and of course； no one ever asked them for a turn。 But throwing the three Frisbees hadn't been much fun； perhaps you needed a partner to aim at。
Freddy got lost twice trying to get through the plex of the University of Miami； gave up； and finally drove around the school before he could find Miller Road。 He got back to Kendall Pines Terrace at six…thirty。
Freddy dumped his packages on the couch； handed Susan her gift…wrapped present； and checked the new deadbolt lack on the front door。 He accepted the girlish kiss she planted on his cheek for the gift and told her to buy some 3…in…One Oil the next time she went to the store。 She told Freddy about Sergeant Moseley's visit and handed him the detective's card。 Freddy made her repeat word for word everything that had been said。
〃Did he say 'local' mug shots； or 'wanted' mug shots？〃
〃He just said mug books。 He said you'd know what he meant。〃
〃You shouldn't've told him you worked for Pablo。 That wasn't too bright。〃
〃I thought he knew。〃
〃The best thing to say to a cop is nothing。 Remember that。 Did Pablo call you？〃
〃No。 Well； he might have。 There were two phone calls； but I didn't answer the phone。 If it was Pablo； I knew I wouldn't know what to say； and if it was you； you would've said you'd call and you didn't。〃
〃At least you did something right。 Get your purse。 I'm going over to Miami Beach and see the cop。〃
〃What about dinner？ Everything's ready。〃
〃We'll take it with us。〃
In the closet there was a large cardboard box filled with Martin's fishing gear。 Freddy dumped it out； and Susan packed the box with the Crackpot and the rest of the items on her menu。 Working hurriedly； she was soon ready to go； and she had to wait for Freddy to shower and change into his new suit and Bally loafers。 The 。38 made a bulge in Freddy's jacket pocket； but he didn't like to carry a pistol in his waistband because of an accident a friend of his had once in San Diego。
As the blacks used to say in the yard at Quentin when they wanted to get even with a bully； Freddy was 〃going to pull that fucker's teeth； man！〃
12
When Hoke walked into the lobby of the Eldorado Hotel； Old Man Zuckerman jumped up from his faded brocade chair by the entrance and handed him a neatly folded paper napkin。 Hoke thanked the old man and put the napkin in his pocket。 Mr。 Zuckerman smiled toothlessly and sat back down in his chair。 Mr。 Zuckerman was well into his eighties； and his 〃job〃 was to give every person who entered the hotel a paper napkin； and he forced it on visitors and residents alike； including Mr。 Howard Bennett； the owner…manager； every time they came in。 Hoke figured that this job that Mr。 Zuckerman had invented for himself helped to keep the old fellow alive。 And Old Man Zuckerman had an endless supply of paper napkins； because he helped himself to all he would need when he ate his meals at Gold's Deli down the street。
The Eldorado Hotel was a deteriorating art…deco hotel that was on the verge of being condemned。 It was scheduled to be torn down if Redevelopment came to South Miami Beach。 But Redevelopment had been in the planning stage for almost ten years now； and nothing was ever done。 Because of the building moratorium on South Beach the owners weren't repairing anything they didn't positively have to take care of； except for meeting the most minimal requirements for fire and safety。 By acting as an unpaid hotel security officer when he was off duty； Hoke got a free room； but he had been considering moving out for several months。
His problem was money。 Every other paycheck went to his ex…wife in Vero Beach； and he had to live on the other half。 After term life insurance payments； car insurance； retirement payments； and union dues； he had to live on less than 12；000 a year。 With a free room and with his battered Le Mans paid for； that should have been enough…or more than enough…but there had been his own hospital bills； plus a new and enormous bill for his two daughters' orthodontist。 He had ripped up the bill from the orthodontist； but then Patsy； his ex…wife； had threatened to take him to court。 Part of the divorce settlement was that he would pay for the girls' medical expenses。 Straightening teeth； in Hoke's opinion； came under beautification；