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Susan put her books into her oversize bag。 Freddy followed her into the corridor； carrying the laundry bag。 The teacher frowned at Freddy and shook his head。
〃This doesn't concern you； son。 Go back to your seat。〃
〃If it concerns Susan it concerns me；〃 Freddy said。 〃We're engaged。〃
Sergeant Hoke Moseley； looking at the floor； lifted his head and nodded when the student assistant asked him if she could leave。
〃Susan；〃 Mr。 Turner said； 〃do what you've got to do； and stay out of school as long as it takes。 When you return to class； see me in my office and I'll let you make up any assignments you missed。〃 He looked sternly at Freddy for a long moment。 〃You've already missed several classes； but the same goes for you。〃 He returned to his classroom and closed the door。
Hoke showed the pair his shield。 〃Sergeant Moseley。 Homicide。 Isn't there a lounge somewhere where we can sit down and talk？〃 Hoke hadn't expected to see such a young girl。 She looked more like a high school kid than a college student。 But if she was engaged to this hard…looking jock； she was probably older than she looked。 It was a help to have the fiancé present； maybe he wouldn't have to drive her out to hell…and…gone Kendall after all。 Her boyfriend could take her home。
〃There's a student lounge down on the second floor；〃 Susan said。 〃We can go there。 I haven't done anything bad。 Have I； Junior？〃
Hoke smiled。 〃Of course you haven't。〃 Hoke started toward the elevator。 〃Let's go down to the lounge。〃
They sat at a glass…topped table on three unstable wire Eames chairs in the study area near the Down escalator to the main floor。 Hoke lit a cigarette and held out the package。 When they shook their heads； he took one drag and dropped the cigarette into an empty Coke can on the table。
〃I've got some bad news for you； Miss Waggoner。 That's why I wanted you to be seated。 Your brother； Martin； in a freaky accident at the airport； died today。 And your father； when we called him in Okeechobee； asked us to have you identify the body。 We've got an ID already from the other man who was working with your brother at the airport； so there's no mistake。 It's just that we need a relative for a positive identification。 After the autopsy we can turn the body over to either you or your father。 You are eighteen； aren't you？〃
〃Nineteen；〃 Susan said。
〃Twenty；〃 Freddy amended。
〃Just barely twenty。 This is hard to believe。 How did it happen？〃
〃An unidentified assailant broke your brother's finger； and Martin went into immediate shock and died from this unexpected trauma to his middle digit。〃 Hoke pursed his lips。 〃It happens sometimes。〃
〃I've changed my mind； officer；〃 Freddy said。 〃Can I borrow one of your cigarettes？〃
〃Sure。〃 Hoke offered the pack； and held a match for Freddy to light the cigarette。
Susan shook her head； looking bewildered。 〃The airport's a dangerous place to work。 My brother's been attacked out there before； you know。 A man in the men's room gave him a black eye once； and a lady from Cincinnati kneed him in the balls one morning。 He walked bowlegged for almost three days。 He reported both cases to the security people out there and they just laughed。〃
〃I'm not surprised；〃 Hoke said。 〃Your brother was a Krishna； and the airport lost its case in court when they tried to get them barred from begging out there。 So I can see how security would turn their heads the other way when Krishnas are attacked。 On the other hand； the Krishnas annoy a lot of people with their aggressive tactics。〃
〃What do you think； Junior？〃 Susan turned her head。
Freddy dropped his cigarette into the Coke can。 〃I think we should go and take a look at the body right now。 It may not be Marty after all； and I'm pretty sure the sergeant here would like to get it over with and go home to his dinner。〃
〃My car's down in the patio。〃 Hoke started for the escalator； and they followed him。
Hoke's well…battered 1974 Le Mans was indeed parked on the school patio。 He had been unable to find a parking place on the street； so he had jumped the curb and driven over the flagstones to within a few yards of the escalator。 There were winos lounging on the patio benches。 Two old men； by the wall outside the bookstore； slept noisily on flattened cardboard boxes。 Two other derelicts on a nearby concrete bench jeered and gave Hoke the finger as he unlocked the alarm in the left front fender and then unlocked the door and took his police placard off the dashboard。 He shoved the placard under the front seat before unlocking the door to the passenger side of the car。
〃We'd better all sit in front；〃 Hoke suggested。 〃A man was sick on the back seat yesterday； and I haven't had a chance to get it cleaned up yet。〃
Susan sat in the middle。 Freddy； on the outside； unrolled his window。 〃Why does the college let these winos hang around the school？〃 Freddy said。
〃They suspended the old vagrancy laws a few years back。 We can't arrest 'em anymore； and if we could； where would we put 'em？ On top of the normal eight thousand vags who e down here for the winter； we've got another twenty thousand Nicaraguans； ten thousand Haitian refugees； and another twentyfive thousand Marielitos running around town。〃
〃What's a Marielito？〃 Freddy said。
〃Where have you been？〃 Hoke said； not unkindly。 〃Our wimpy ex…president； Jimmy Carter； opened his arms to one hundred and twenty…five thousand Cubans back in 1980。 Most of them were legitimate； with families already here in Miami； but Castro also opened his prisons and insane asylums and sent along another twenty…five thousand hardcore criminals； gays； and maniacs。 They sailed here from Marie！； in Cuba； so they call them Marielitos。〃
As Hoke reached forward and switched off the police calls on his radio； a ragged Latin man came up to his window and pounded on it with his fists； shouting：
〃Gimme money！ Gimme money！〃
〃See what I mean？〃 Hoke said。 〃When you drive around Miami； Susan； always keep your windows rolled up。 Otherwise； they'll reach in and steal your purse。〃
〃I know；〃 Susan said； 〃my brother told me。〃
Hoke backed expertly into the street； honking his horn until the traffic gave way。
As Hoke drove north on Biscayne Boulevard toward the city morgue； Freddy said； 〃This old boat rides pretty smooth。 You wouldn't think so； just from looking at it。〃
〃I had a new engine put in it。 It's my own car； not a police vehicle。 The radio belongs to the department； and the red light； but they give us detectives mileage if we use our own personal vehicles。 Fifteen cents a mile； which doesn't begin to cover it； and nothing for amortization。 But the convenience is worth it。 If you order a vehicle from the motor pool you have to wait for a half…hour or more； and then it may be low on gas or have a bad tire or something。 So I usually drive my own car。 I should do something about the dents； but I'd have them back again the next day。 Twenty percent of the drivers in Miami can't qualify for a license； so they drive without one。〃
The morgue was a low one…story building。 Its limited storage space had been supplemented by two leased air…conditioned trailers to keep up with the flow of bodies that were delivered every day。 Hoke parked； and they followed him into the office。 Dr。 Evans had left for the day； but Dr。 Ramirez； an assistant pathologist； took them to a gurney in the hallway and showed them the body。
〃That's Martin； all right；〃 Susan said quietly。
〃I never met Martin； sergeant； but he looks like a nice guy；〃 Freddy said。 〃He doesn't look anything like you； Susan。〃
〃Not now he doesn't； but back when we were little and almost the same size； people used to take us for fraternal twins。〃 She looked up at Hoke。 〃We were born only ten months apart； although Marty looks much older than me now。〃 Tears welled from Susan's eyes； and she brushed them away impatiently。
〃Is it true；〃 Freddy asked Hoke； 〃that a man's hair and fingernails keep growing after he's dead？ I noticed some stubble there on Marty's chin。〃
〃I don't know； although I've heard that myself。 Is it true； Dr。 Ramirez？〃
〃No； it isn't true。 That's just normal stubble on his face。 He probably shaved this morning； and that's just his growth for today。 One thing for sure； the nail on his middle finger won't grow any longer。 The finger was broke clean off。 We haven't done the autopsy yet； but Pussgut took a cursory look when he first came in； and there were no other wounds。〃
〃'Pussgut；' 〃Hoke explained to Freddy and Susan； 〃is what the people around here call Dr。 Evans when he isn't around to hear them say it。 They call him that because of his paunch。〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 Dr。 Ramirez said。 〃I meant to say 'Dr。 Evans。' Is the sister here going to sign the papers？〃
〃I'll sign something to say he's my brother； but I won't sign anything else。 Anything else； funeral arrangements or anything； you'll have to notify my father。 It's his responsibility； not mine。〃
In the office； Susan signed the form Dr。 Ramirez made out。 He Xeroxed a copy on the office machine and gave it to Hoke。 Hoke folded the Xeroxed form into a square and tucked it into his notebook。 They shook hands with Dr。 Ramir