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There were others； Freddy was sure； who were not that regular and much harder to spot。 If they didn't have uniforms； they could be damned near anybody。 But Freddy felt protected with Sergeant Moseley's buzzer in his pocket。 The lost badge was undoubtedly on the puter of the Miami Police Department； and any Miami cop might question it； but the MPD didn't pass on that kind of information to the private agencies that firms like Omni International and the department stores hired。 So； if he got into any trouble； all he had to do was flash the buzzer； and he could get out of almost any situation。
During his first three days of work at the Omni； the only thing Freddy managed to steal was a package he took out of an unlocked station wagon on Rose Two。 Later； when he opened the package in his hotel room； he found two pairs of kid's jeans； size eight； husky。 He gave the jeans to one of the Jamaican maids。
His fourth day of work was also frustrating。 That night after dinner he took the TransAm and drove around the city； then broke into an appliance store on Twenty…seventh Avenue。 The alarm went off the moment he heaved a concrete block through the wire…mesh window of the back door。 He reached in and opened the door； and grabbed an RCA color TV set and two electric digital clocks。 Forty minutes later； when he cruised slowly by the store； driving in the opposite direction； the alarm bell was still ringing and the cops still had not investigated。
Susan hooked up the TV set to the aerial that was already on the house； and the set worked fine； except for a snowy Channel 2； but neither one of the digital clocks kept accurate time。
The next day was better。 Freddy caught two pot peddlers in the Jordan Marsh restroom on the second floor。 They were arguing fiercely about money when he came in and didn't even look in his direction until he had them covered with his 。38。
〃Freeze。 Police；〃 Freddy said。
They froze。 He took their wallets and six ounces of marijuana in a plastic Baggie。 He handcuffed both of them； left wrist and right wrist； around the pipe in the first toilet stall； and left the restroom。 He would have left the keys to the handcuffs just out of reach； but he didn't have them。 They could explain their situation to whoever it was that rescued them； he supposed； but at least he had plenty of time to get back to his room in the Omni Hotel。
There were 300 in cash； four 50 unsigned travelers' checks； and a gold St。 Christopher's medal in the wallets。 There were no credit cards； and only one driver's license…a license for Angel Salome。 The wallets weren't worth keeping； and neither was the driver's license； but the small medal was a nice gift for Susan。 The unsigned travelers' checks were good to have； and it was the first time he had ever seen pletely blank checks like that； which a man could sign with any name he wanted。
Susan settled in very quickly to a domestic routine。 She cooked ample breakfasts for Freddy； surprising him with Belgian walnut waffles； shirred eggs； and French toast made with sourdough bread。 Then； after she dropped him off at the Omni； she shopped at the supermarkets； cleaned house； and planned her dinners。 One day she was able to buy Okeechobee catfish； which she fried； together with hush puppies； and she served steak fries and collard greens on the side。 Freddy didn't like the catfish because of the bones； but he enjoyed the other meals she prepared。 She always topped off the dinners with tart desserts； too； like Granny Smith apple pie； bubbly with butter； brown sugar； and cinnamon。 One night she baked a turkey breast and served it with all the trimmings； including a mince pie that she baked from scratch。
She washed and ironed the clothes and sheets； and started a small vegetable garden in the back yard； planting cucumbers； radishes； and a single row of tomato plants along the back fence。 She made friends with Mrs。 Edna Damrosch； the widow next door； who worked as a saleslady in a Dania antique store on Wednesdays and Saturdays。
On the days Mrs。 Damrosch didn't work and when Freddy wasn't home； they visited each other's houses to watch soap operas and to discuss the lives of the characters。
One night Susan cooked fried chicken。 She planned to serve cheese grits； Stove…Top dressing； canned peas； and milk gravy with the chicken but discovered she was out of milk。 She grabbed her purse and asked Freddy for the car keys。 Freddy was watching the news on television and； as usual when he was home； was wearing only jeans。 There was a window air conditioner in the bedroom； but none in the living room where the TV had been set up； and the room was always warm and stuffy。
〃Where do you want to go？〃
〃I just want to run down to the Seven…Eleven for some milk。〃
〃Fix iced tea instead。〃
〃I need milk for the gravy。〃
〃I'll go。 You'd better stay here and watch what you're cooking。〃
Freddy； without putting on a shirt or his shoes； picked up his wallet and the keys from the cobbler's bench and drove the six blocks to the nearest 7…Eleven。 He went to the dairy case； deliberated for a moment on whether to buy a quart or a halfgallon of milk； and then slid back the glass door。 A short stickup man entered the store； held a gun on the manager； and told him in Spanish to give him the money in the register。 The stickup man； in his early twenties； was very nervous； and the gun danced in his shaking hand。
The frightened manager； without a word； gave the gunman the 36 in the till。 The stickup man put the bills in his pocket and backed toward the glass double doors。 He then stuck the pistol in his waistband and took four cartons of cigarettes from a counter display。 He noticed Freddy for the first time。 Startled； he dropped the cigarettes and reached for his pistol again。 Freddy； reacting impulsively； picked up a can of Campbell's pork and beans and threw it at the gunman； who turned sideways； just in time。 The can hit the window； narrowly missing the man's left shoulder。
The glass shattered and a triangular sliver of glass gashed the man's throat。 It was a shallow cut； but it began to bleed。 The man dropped his gun； clutched his neck； and rushed through the double doors。 Freddy went after him； but as the man got into the passenger seat of a heavy Chevrolet Impala； the driver drove forward and up over the curb； heading for the doors。 By the time Freddy skirted the stacked bread shelves and reached the doorway； so had the car bumper。 Both doors crashed down on Freddy as the driver rammed them。 The car then backed away and careened into the street。 The falling doors slammed Freddy onto the floor and pinned him。 The manager lifted off the doors； and Freddy got shakily to his feet。 As the manager hurried to the phone； Freddy got into his car and drove home…without the milk。
When he got home； Freddy gave Susan the car keys and wrote out a list of supplies for her to get at Eckerd's drugstore。 He turned off the gas under the food in the kitchen before going into the bathroom to check his injuries。 His left wrist was sprained badly； but he didn't think it was broken。 There might be a hairline fracture； but he didn't think it was any worse than that。 There were a dozen cuts on his face； however； and more on his chest where his chest had been scraped by shards of glass。 The worst thing was his right eyebrow。 The eyebrow； skin and all； was one big flap hanging down over his eye。 He would have to sew it back on and hope that it would grow together again。 The other cuts in his face were not only deep； they were penetrating punctures； but they wouldn't require stitches。 The cuts on his chest were ridged scrapes； but not as deep as the punctures on his face； so he figured they would scab over within a few days。
When Susan got back； he asked her to thread the smallest needle in the packet with black thread。 He sewed the eyebrow flap on to his forehead with small stitches。 Susan watched the first stitch and then vomited into the toilet bowl。
〃That doesn't help me much； you know；〃 he said。 〃Go into the bedroom and lie down。〃
The flap； after he had put as many stitches into it as he thought it would hold； was more than a little crooked； and the eyebrow slanted up at a curious angle； but that was about the best he could do。 He was in considerable pain； but he felt lucky that he hadn't lost the eye。 By midnight； he knew that the entire eye area would be black and blue。 His face was swelling already。 He dabbed at his face cuts with balls of cotton soaked in peroxide； and when all of the cuts had stopped trickling blood； he plastered them with Band…Aids。 Susan had bought the kind that were blue and red and dotted with white stars； and he ended up with fourteen patriotic Band…Aids on his face and neck。 He washed his chest with a washrag； and then with peroxide； but decided not to bandage the scrapes。
His sprained wrist was now twice its normal size。 He had Susan splint it with tongue depressors and bind it as tightly as she could with strips of adhesive tape。 He could move his fingers； but it hurt。 He sent her back to Eckerd's to get a canister of plaster of Paris and cut pieces of gauze into eightinch strips while she was gone。 When she returned； they mixed