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〃I thought you might feel that way； so I talked to Mr。 Bennett myself。 In fact； I won't go inside with you； because Bennett and me…well…we had some words。 I got on his ass about the lousy room he had you in； so finally he agreed to give you a small suite on the second floor。 Suite two…oh…seven。 The old lady who had it for eleven years died。〃
〃Mrs。 Schultz died？〃
〃I think that was her name。 Anyway； she had some nice things； and he's left them there and cleaned up the place。 You were missed around here while you were in the hospital。 The old people were scared shitless when you were attacked。 So I guess your Mr。 Bennett finally realized that a free security officer was worth two rooms instead of one。〃
〃I guess you knew all along I wouldn't move in on you and Marie？〃
〃I had a hunch。 The main thing was to give you a Miami address； so be sure to use my address on your correspondence。 Anyway； I brought all your stuff with me in the trunk of the car； just in case you wanted to stay here。〃
〃e on in； Bill。 You don't have to be worried about Bennett。〃
Eddie Cohep； the old man who was both night and day desk clerk when he wasn't doing something else； was happy to see Hoke。 Eddie rubbed his stubbled chin and pointed to Hoke's gray beard。
〃You look like Dr。 Freud； Sergeant Moseley。〃
They shook hands。 〃Before or after the prosthesis？〃
〃Before and after。 You lost yourself a little weight。〃
〃Twenty…seven pounds。〃 Hoke smiled。
〃Your new teeth are beautiful！ Simply beautiful！〃
〃Thanks。 You know Sergeant Henderson？〃
〃Oh； yes。 We talked the other day。 Mr。 Bennett said to say wele back for him。 He's up in Palm Beach for the weekend。 D'you know about your new suite？〃
〃Sergeant Henderson just told me。〃
Eddie shook his head。 〃Mrs。 Schultz went quietly in her sleep。 She watched 'Magnum P。I。' in the lobby； went on up to bed； and Mrs。 Feeny found her the next morning。〃
〃She was the expert on 'General Hospital' in the TV Club； wasn't she？〃
〃Right。 And 'Dallas；' too。〃
〃My stuff's out in Sergeant Henderson's car。 Some sonofabitch stole my radio and battery while I was…〃
〃No。〃 Cohen shook his head。 〃Just your radio。 I saw the radio was missing on my morning check outside； so I had Gutierrez take out your battery and put it in Mr。 Bennett's office。 So you've still got your battery。 You see；〃 he turned to Henderson； 〃when they built the Eldorado back in 'twentynine； people used to e down here by rail and ship。 So there weren't enough cars around then to build parking garages the way they do now。
〃Oh； yes； I've also got some money for you。〃
Eddie Cohen went into the office and returned with two manila envelopes。 The flaps were sealed with Scotch tape。
〃I opened these when they was delivered； and there was exactly two hundred and fifty dollars in each envelope。 I told Mr。 Bennett； of course； and we kept the money locked up in the safe。 Maybe I shouldn't've opened them〃…Eddie shrugged… 〃but I thought it might be something important。〃
〃That's okay； Eddie；〃 Hoke said。 SGT。 MOSLEY was printed in capitals with a black felt…tipped pen on each envelope。 〃Who brought the envelopes？〃
〃Some Cuban kid on a mini…bike。 Both times。 He just said to put the envelopes in the safe for Sergeant Moseley。 That's all I know。 I didn't have to sign a receipt or nothing。〃
Hoke counted the money on the desk。 The bills were all used tens； fives； and singles。
〃What's going on； Hoke？〃 Henderson asked。
〃I haven't got a clue。 Let's walk over to Irish Mike's and have a drink。〃
〃That's a lot of dough not to know anything about it…〃
〃I know。 Let's talk about it at Irish Mike's。 While we're gone； Eddie can get my stuff out of your car。 Okay； Eddie？〃
〃Sure。 Go ahead。 Gutierrez is around here someplace。 He'll take it up for you。〃
〃You said you felt a little weak before；〃 Henderson said。 〃Can you walk two blocks in the sun？〃
〃I need to walk off a little adrenaline。〃
They found seats at the bar in Irish Mike's。 Mike shook hands with Hoke； and frowned。 〃That beard looks terrible； sergeant。〃
〃The doc said to leave it on for a couple of weeks。〃
Hoke took one of the Manila envelopes out of his leisure jacket pocket and counted out 100 on the bar。 He pushed the money across to Irish Mike。 〃Take care of my tab； and leave what's over as a credit。〃
〃Your credit's always good here； sergeant。 You know that。 I'll just check your tab and give you back the change。〃
〃No。 Leave it。 I want to see what it feels like to have a credit for a change。 Early Times。 Straight up。 Water back。〃
〃Similar；〃 Henderson said。
Mike served their drinks and retreated to the other end of the bar to sell a twenty…five…cent punch on his punchboard to a white…bearded old man。
〃D'you think it's a good idea to be paying off old debts with money you don't know where it came from； Hoke？ Or do you？〃
〃Do I； what？〃
〃Know where the money came from。 That's a lot of money。 You aren't into something you haven't told me about； are you？〃
〃I don't know where it came from； and I don't care。 Maybe you guys in the division took up a collection for me？〃
〃That'll be the fucking day。 First you find an extra hundred on your dresser you don't know about； and then you get a couple of two…fifty payoffs in anonymous brown envelopes。 It must've e from the guy who clobbered you。〃
〃I hope so。 But it's no payoff； Bill。 Maybe the bastard feels guilty。 If so； it's because he assaulted the wrong man。 I've gone over every case I could think of in the last ten years。 Lying in the hospital； I've had plenty of time to think； and I couldn't think of anyone who'd lay for me like that。 There're a couple of guys who might've been happy to kill me； but that's what they would've done。 A beating like the one I got wouldn't've been enough。〃
〃Even so； Hoke； if it was me； I'd be damned leery of spending any of that dough till I found out where it came from。〃
〃Fuck where it came from。 I need it； and I can use it。 I'll be in Monday to pick up my paychecks； but Captain Brownley said to take two weeks' sick leave before ing back to duty。 And that's what I'm going to do。 How's your new partner Lopez working out？〃
〃Lopez is a Cuban； for Christ's sake。 He saw 〃The French Connection〃； so now he wears his gun in an ankle holster the way Popeye did in the movie。〃
〃No shit？〃 Hoke bared his yellow teeth in a smile。
〃God's truth。 Let's have the other half。〃 Henderson signaled to Irish Mike for two more； and took out his wallet。
〃Put your money away；〃 Hoke said。 〃I've got a credit going here。〃
Gutierrez had put all of Hoke's clothing away neatly by the time Hoke returned to his new suite。 It was a small suite； all right； even with the sitting room； and it looked even smaller because the late Mrs。 Schultz had crammed a great many purchases from garage sales into the sitting room during her eleven years of residence。 There was a fortable Victorian armchair stuffed with horsehair； where Hoke could sit and watch his little Sony； and there was a handsome rolltop desk with a matching swivel chair； flush against the wall。 Hoke put his files and papers into the desk drawers； happy to have a desk in his room。 In his tiny room on the eighth floor； he had had to unfold a bridge table that he kept under the bed； when he wanted to eat or to do some paperwork at home。 The brass bed in the bedroom was full…size； too； which meant that he could bring a woman to his room and not be embarrassed。
Hoke took out his dentures； which irritated his gums； and put them to soak in a plastic glass with some Polident。 Dr。 Rubin had said it would take a little time to get used to them and to note the rough spots； if any； and they could be adjusted on Hoke's next visit to the office。 Hoke examined his face in the mirror and was appalled。 Without his dentures； he looked even worse。 His gray beard； almost an inch long； reminded him of Mr。 Geezil in the old 〃Popeye〃 ic strip。 His chances of ever getting a woman into his new brass bed seemed negligible； and he hadn't been laid for five months。 With a sigh； Hoke left the bathroom。
There was a single window air conditioner in the bedroom； but very little cold air filtered into the sitting room。 If he couldn't wangle another room air conditioner from Mr。 Bennett； he would have to buy an overhead fan。 On the wall above the desk； there was a large painting of three white horses pulling a fire truck。 The horses' nostrils flared； and their eyes rolled wildly。 That was one hell of a painting； Hoke decided； and probably worth a lot of money。 He was surprised that Mr。 Bennett had left it in the room instead of selling it…
There was a rapping on the door…three sharp peremptory knocks。
Hoke panicked。 He pulled open drawers in the desk； ripping a fingernail in the process； forgetting for a frenzied moment or so that his gun had been stolen。 What could he use as a weapon？ There was a heavy glass paperweight on the desk； with a butterfly preserved in its interior。 Hoke snatched it up and stood with his back against the wall beside the door。
〃Who is it？〃 Hoke said。
〃Sergeant Wilson；〃 a deep voice rumbled。 〃Miami P