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〃Yes。〃
〃I want you to do a couple of things for me。〃
〃What？〃
〃You can probably handle it all with a few phone calls。 If not； take a car and visit Florida Power and Light； and the phone pany。 The water department； too。 Perhaps you should check the water pany first。〃
〃What case is this one？ Should I not read the file first？〃
〃No； that won't be necessary。 Just take down this information as I give it to you。〃
〃Captain Brownley told me you wouldn't be back to work for two weeks。 If you're on sick leave； why are we working on a new case？ And why are you withholding information from me when I'm your partner？ I don't understand this at all。 So； before I do anything for you； Sergeant Moseley； I'm going to check with Captain Browjiley to see if it's all right。 The way I…〃
〃Shut up。〃 Hoke's deep voice dropped an octave with anger。
〃What？〃
〃I said shut up。 Now listen； Sanchez； because I don't want to repeat myself。 We are indeed new partners； but I am the senior partner； and a sergeant。 You're the junior partner； and you're not a detective yet。 So far you're a dispatcher with a Latin name。 And because you have a Latin name； you've been given a chance to work with me as a detective。
〃Luckily for you； you've been assigned to a patient； understanding Homicide detective who'll take the time to explain the facts of life to you。 If； under any circumstances； I give you an order； or a request； or a suggestion； and you go over my head to check it out with Captain Brownley or go to anyone else who happens to be my superior； I guarantee you that you'll be lucky to bee a dispatcher again。
〃In fact； you'll never see the inside of a police station again。 I'll see to it that you're assigned permanently to the night shift at the Orange Bowl； from midnight to eight A。M。 So if you don't want to spend the rest of your police career checking the locks on vending machines； get a pencil and a piece of paper and follow my instructions。 Do you understand； or do I have to run it by you again？〃
〃I understand； sergeant。〃
〃Good。 Check with the water department； the F。 P。 and L。； and Ma Bell。 And see if anyone named Waggoner or Mendez…W…A…G…G…O…N…E…R； and you can spell Mendez…put down a new deposit in the last three weeks。 Water； Florida Power； and phone pany。 Just during the last three weeks。 If you don't get a list of names and addresses from these three； make another call to the Public Gas pany； just in case there's an outside tank。 Any questions？〃
〃No。 I got it。〃
〃Then call me back here at the Eldorado Hotel by five today on what you've found out。 Let the phone ring at least twenty times before you hang up。 The man at the desk is hard of hearing。 If I don't hear from you by five； I'll call you your desk by five…thirty。 Got that？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Till five； then。〃
〃Yes。〃
Hoke got up from the rolltop desk and crossed to the side table by the Victorian armchair where he had left his bottle of Early Times。
That wasn't exactly what Captain Brownley had in mind； Hoke thought； when he said I would have to win Ellita Sanchez over。 By the time I finish this drink； she'll be in Brow nley's office。 By the time I start to pour another； she'll be explaining to Willie Brownley how I have been discriminating against her for being a Latin； first； and for being a woman； second； She'll tell Brownley about my threat； and I'll have to make it good。 Whether there are enough people left in the department who owe me enough favors to send Sanchez to the Orange Bowl is a moot question。 But I can get her out of Homicide。 That much I know I can do。 Vice！ Sergeant Wilson。 Sergeant Wilson threw my teeth out the window。 He owes me for that。 I can get Wilson to ask for her in Vice。 A few months of trapping johns on 79th Street will be good training for Sanchez； and after she works for a mean prick like Wilson for a couple of weeks she will surely wish to hell she had done what kindly old Hoke Moseley asked her to do 。 。 。
Hoke finished his drink。 He lit another cigarette； smoked it down to the cork tip； and put it out in the ashtray with the Hotel Fontainebleau logo。 There was no telephone call from Captain Brownley。
At four…thirty P。M。 the phone woke Hoke from his nap。 Sanchez had a list of names and addresses for him。 There were two Mendezes； one Wagner； one Wegner； and one Susan Waggoner。 Susan Waggoner； however； was not in Dade County。 She had put down deposits for water； electricity； gas； and a telephone in Dania； which was right over the county line in Broward County。
Hoke hadn't told Sanchez to check in Broward County； but he had； apparently； frightened her into using initiative。
21
The rain began to fall lightly at four…thirty A。M。； but by six； when the lightning flashed and the thunder rumbled； passing over Dade County from the Everglades； the rain came down in torrents。 Hoke cursed the rain and rolled up the window to avoid getting drenched。 The windows steamed almost immediately； and he had to wipe the inside of the windshield with his handkerchief。
Hoke had been parked under a cluster of sea…grape trees since four A。M。 The overhanging branches with their huge leaves concealed most of his car from Susan Waggoner's little house a hundred yards away on the other side of the street。 The rain； as he thought about it； would make tailing easier。 He didn't know whether Mendez was in the house with Susan or not； but he was certain that she would lead him to Mendez if he followed her long enough。
When the lights in the house went on at six…fifteen； Hoke was more than a little surprised。 He hadn't expected the girl to get up so early。 Hoke took a leak in the coffee can； replaced the lid； and placed the warm can on the floor in front of the passenger's seat。 He wanted another cigarette； but he wouldn't light one now because the girl might see the glow。 The girl was his only lead to Mendez； and he didn't intend to take any chances。 The white TransAm； with its Kansas license plate； would be easy to follow； whereas his own beatup Pontiac blended right in with the thousands of dented cars on Miami's highways。 No； the only thing that bothered Hoke was the actual apprehension of Ramon Mendez； but he would be able to handle that when the time came 。 。 。
Freddy awoke at six； went to the bathroom； showered； and then shook Susan awake。 Freddy was pleased by the rain and asked Susan how long she thought it would last。 Susan； who was bustling in the kitchen preparing a large breakfast； went to the window and looked out。
〃This is the tail end of the hurricane season； and we always get a lot of rain。 It could last three or four days； or it may pass over in two or three hours。 From the looks of the sky； I'd say all day。〃
Susan ladled chipped beef and peppery milk gravy over six buttered toast points。 She set the plate in front of Freddy and stepped back as he forked a huge mouthful and chewed with his eyes closed。
〃This is good SOS；〃 he said。 〃But you should've fixed home fries to go with it。 SOS tastes better over potatoes than it does on toast。 That way； you can eat the toast separately with a little marmalade。 This gravy's so thick I can hardly taste the butter on the toast。〃
〃It won't take a minute to fix some home fries； if that's what you want。 There's a cold baked potato in the fridge； and I can slice it up…〃
〃No； this is okay。 I meant for next time。 I like a big breakfast when I go out on a job。 Gives a man energy。〃
〃How's your wrist？〃
Freddy got up from the table； dropped to the floor； and did a one…arm pushup with his bad arm。 〃That's one；〃 he said； wincing as he sat at the table again。 〃Tomorrow I'll try for two。〃
〃Does it still hurt； I mean？〃
〃A little； when I do pushups。 But I don't think it was ever broken； or it wouldn't've healed by now。 Probably just a bad sprain。〃
〃I guess this rain don't make no nevermind to your plans； does it？〃
〃It helps us； that's all； by cutting down the visibility。 Did you fix the lunch yet？〃
〃Tunafish sandwiches； what's left of the vinegar pie； some apples and bananas。 And two bags of Doritos。 There's tea in the thermos； and a six…pack of Dr。 Peppers。 I already put the stuff in the car。〃
Freddy nodded； and poured another cup of coffee。 〃That's plenty。 We probably won't be hungry anyway； after this big breakfast； but after you've been sitting in a car for a few hours； eating gives you something to do。 You'd better put an empty coffee can in the car； too。〃
〃What for？〃
〃Sometime； Susie； before you ask a stupid question； why don't you think for a minute？ Where d'you think the iced tea and those Dr。 Peppers are gonna go？〃
〃The can's to pee in？〃
〃See how easy it is？〃
Susan frowned。 The two little lines between her eyes deepened； and she pressed her lips。
〃If something's bothering you；〃 Freddy said； 〃spit it out。 I don't like the way you're behaving this morning。〃
〃What you're making me do isn't fair。〃
〃How's that？〃
〃The man's the man； and the woman's a woman in a marriage。 You're supposed to go out and bring in the money； and I stay home and keep house。 It isn't fair to make me help you do whatever it is you'r