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p house。 It isn't fair to make me help you do whatever it is you're going to do； and I'm scared。〃
〃What're you afraid of？ All you've got to do is park the car in the yellow zone and wait for me to e back。〃
〃I think you're going to do something illegal； and if I'm helping you； I could get into trouble； too。 I gave up a promising college career to marry you and take care of the house and all； and I shouldn't have to…〃
〃Who's been filling your head with all this shit？ Edna Damrosch； next door？〃
〃Nobody has to tell me when to be scared。 I know enough to be scared when I'm doing something I'm not supposed to do。〃
〃So if I tell you what I'm going to do； you won't be scared； is that it？〃
〃That's right。〃
〃I'm going to rob this coin dealer； a guy named Wulgemuth。 The coin collection I'm taking with me will help me get inside his shop。 It's worth a couple of hundred bucks； or more； but I'll leave it there when I take the man's cash。 He's got his own safe； and he deals in gold and big money； so his safe'll have a lot of cash in it。 No telling how much。 That's what I plan to get。 So now you can relax。〃
〃Relax？ I'm more scared than ever。〃
〃See what I mean？ That's why I didn't tell you before。 I knew you'd act this way。 Just keep in mind how simple your part is。 You park and drive the car。 There's nothing to wet your pants about。〃
〃And I won't get into trouble？〃
〃Not a chance。 This job is foolproof。 I've checked it out from every angle。 When it's all over we'll have so much money I'll take you on a Caribbean cruise。〃
〃Why can't you do it alone？〃
〃Because I can't take a chance and have the car towed away while I'm in the store。 You've got to be in it。〃
Susan nodded and started to gather the dishes。
〃Leave the dishes。 You can do them later tonight； after we e home。〃
The heavy rain and several accidents on the highway had slowed traffic on the Dixie Highway to a crawl； and Hoke Moseley had no trouble following the TransAm。
Although it was after nine A。M。； the bruised sky and the heavy rain made it seem like early dawn。 Impatient drivers with their lights and wipers on inched along the flooded streets； crowding over toward the center line。 Some honked their horns just to be honking their horns。 When Susan sped up to race through a yellow light； Freddy told her to slow down。
〃There's no hurry；〃 he said。 〃It doesn't make any real difference when we get there。 Even the noon hour would be okay。 I've checked twice； and the man is alone in his shop and doesn't close up for lunch。 Probably brings it with him。〃
〃I'm sorry。 It's just that I'm still scared and a little nervous。 Besides； if you stop for a yellow light in Miami you get rearended。〃
〃I can't understand why you're scared。 All you've got to do is park in the yellow zone； and…〃
〃I know all that！ I'm going to be all right。〃
The yellow loading zone on Miami Avenue was vacant。 It was long enough for three pact cars or for one car and a full…size truck。 After Susan pulled into the loading zone； Freddy told her to back up to the end of the zone so she couldn't be blocked from behind。 〃That still leaves room for a truck to park in front of you in case somebody needs to unload something for that ropa store。〃
Next to the Cuban clothing store there was a narrow shop with a stuffed llama in the window。 The store claimed to sell genuine Peruvian imports； but the floor beneath the llama was layered with Timex watches and zircon rings in black velvet boxes。 On the corner was a small Cuban cafeteria with a Formica counter to serve customers on the sidewalk。
Freddy held the coin case in his lap。 He took out his 。38 pistol； checked it； and then put the pistol back in his right coat pocket。
〃You…you aren't going to shoot Mr。 Wulgemuth； are you？〃 Susan said； licking her thin lips。
〃Not unless I have to；〃 Freddy said。 〃But sometimes；〃 Freddy shrugged； 〃they make you do it。〃 Freddy smiled like a butcher's dog。 〃Like the time I broke your brother's finger。 He irritated me； and I had to break it。〃
〃You killed Martin？〃
〃I didn't kill anybody。 I broke his fucking finger； that's all。 And if you force me into it； by not doing exactly what I tell you； I'll break your skinny neck。〃
Freddy got out of the car and ordered two café Cubanos at the counter。 He downed his quickly and took the other one； in its one…ounce paper cup； back to the car。 Susan rolled down the window； and he handed her the coffee。 Her hand trembled so much she spilled most of the coffee on her jeans。 There was a rim of white around her lips。 Freddy shook his head impatiently。
〃D'you want another cup？〃
Susan shook her head。 Her knuckles holding the wheel were white。
〃All right； then。 Stay awake； keep the engine running； and I should be back in about ten minutes。〃 Carrying the coin case in his left hand； Freddy walked away from the car。
Hoke was stopped by the red light。 Susan； in the TransAm； had made it across just in time。 Hoke watched her pull into the yellow loading zone on Miami Avenue and then back up to the end of the zone。 Except for the spaces in front of her TransAm； there were no other vacant spaces on the street。 A horn honked behind him。 Hoke rolled down the window and waved the driver around。 The man had to back up before he could pull forward again to get around Hoke's car。 He cursed Hoke and shook his fist as he roared by。
Hoke watched Mendez get out of the car and buy coffee at the cafeteria。 He took a cup back to the car。 Hoke wondered if that was why they had stopped…to get a fucking cup of Cuban coffee？ Another car pulled up behind Hoke and stopped。 The light was green again； and the driver leaned on her horn。 Hoke waved her around。
When Hoke looked back at the TransAm； he noticed Mendez turning the corner onto Flagler。 As Mendez disappeared into the rain； the TransAm pulled away from the curb； with its tires squealing on the wet street； and raced down Miami Avenue。 Hoke followed the TransAm； thinking； he's going to buy something on Flagler； and she's going to circle the block to pick him up so he won't get wet。 But Hoke had guessed wrong。 That's why a man needed a partner。 If he had had Bill Henderson with him…or even Ellita Sanchez…she could have followed Susan； and he could have gone after Mendez on foot。
When Hoke realized that the TransAm had got into the lane leading to the I…95 overpass； he switched lanes； bluffed his way into the outside lane； and made a left turn at First Street。 He drove down a block； made another left； and finally got back on Flagler。 The cars were barely moving and Hoke was caught by two red lights； but he inched along Flagler； watching the pedestrians make short dashes from one overhanging awning to the next。 There was a crowd of South Americans with shopping bags standing in the arcade that catered to Venezuelans and Colombians。 Hoke stopped pletely to look them over。 Mendez； in his light suit； would stand out among all those foreigners in funereal black。 Hoke took out his pistol and laid it on the seat beside him。 He looked at the empty bracket from which his radio had been stolen； and swore。 Horns honked behind him； and he moved forward again。 His only chance was to spot Mendez in the street； and that seemed damned unlikely。 Deep down； way down there in the pit of his stomach； he hoped he wouldn't find him。
Freddy's hair was wet and the shoulders of his gray silk suitcoat were soaked through by the time he rounded the corner to Flagler and reached the window of Wulgemuth's Coin Exchange。 Freddy pressed the buzzer beside the window and smiled when he saw Wulgemuth's alert face behind the glass。 The coin expert was in his early fifties but looked older because of his bald head； which was encircled by a clipped wreath of stubby white hair above his ears。 His bulbous nose and his sunken cheeks were pitted with old acne scars。
〃I'm a police officer；〃 Freddy said into the recessed microphone。 〃Turn the window。〃
The bulletproof window revolved。 Freddy placed the cowhide coin case in the drawer； and dropped his ID card and badge； still in its leather holder； on top of the case。 The window revolved and Wulgemuth's face disappeared。
There were more people shopping on Flagler than Freddy had expected to see on such a miserable； rainy day； but most of them； Freddy supposed； were used to the rain。 The rain was warm； and in places the sidewalk steamed。 The temperature； despite the rain； was eighty…two degrees； as Freddy could see by the lighted digital clock on the bank tower a block away。 The time was 10：04。 The time and temperature flashed off； and were replaced by an aqueous message in dotted green lights：
THE AMERICAN WAY
IS OUR IRA
The message puzzled Freddy。 What was an IRA？ He heard the window revolve。 The badge and the ID were in the drawer； but not the coin case。 Wulgemuth's face was in the window again。 〃What's your business； sergeant？〃
〃Police business；〃 Freddy said。 〃I've been trying to get a line on these stolen coins； and I've got some other things to ask you about。 Open the door。〃 Freddy took his badge out of the drawer。
The face disappeared。 A buzzer on the doo