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〃Are you positive Martin was the father？〃
〃No doubt about that。 They was alone in the house all the time； and Martin； he never let her go out with no one else。 I didn't see what was going on at first。 I just thought he was protecting her from those other boys up there； the way a big brother'll look after his little sister。 But after they left； I looked around the house some； and I found things。 Martin； pretending to be so religious and all…butter beans wouldn't melt in his mouth…had two French ticklers hid in his old high school Blue Horse notebook way back in the closet。 And they was other things； too 。 。 。 〃 He looked at the toes of his boots and whispered。 〃Noises in the night 。 。 。 you know the kind。 Down deep； I guess I must've known what they was up to all along； but I didn't want to believe it； so I pretended it was something else。
〃I don't fear God or no man。 What I fear is that little hairpie； that's what I fear。 And knowing what I know； and knowing what kind of girl Susie is； a sneaky little girl； I just know she got her revenge on Martin。 But as I said； I can't prove nothing。 I had to tell you what I think。 The rest is up to you。 I just hope you prove I'm wrong。〃
〃If I type up a statement about your suspicions；〃 Henderson said； 〃will you sign it？〃
〃Well； no。 I told you； and that should be enough。 I'll sign for Martin's effects； though。 I know I've got to do that。〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 Hoke said； 〃but in view of what you've told us； we're going to hang on to them for a while。 At least until we plete the investigation。〃
〃Including the money？ Sergeant Henderson said Martin had more'n two hundred dollars in his wallet。〃
〃That's right。 The money； too。 He might've left a will； and in that case the money'll go into probate。〃
〃I understand。 I guess that's the price a man pays for doing his duty。 How do I get the body？〃
〃It depends upon when they finish the post…mortem。 But you can notify any funeral director to take care of it for you。 If you want a cremation； the Neptune Society will do it for you and scatter his ashes at sea。〃
〃Can't I get the ashes myself'？ I'd like to scatter 'em on the lake。 Martin always loved the lake as a boy； so that's where he'd like to be scattered。〃
〃You can do whatever you like。 You don't； by law； have to have the body embalmed； so don't let anybody talk you into that； Mr。 Waggoner。 Thank you for ing in。〃 Hoke stood up； and so did Mr。 Waggoner。
〃You'll let me know； then； how the investigation es out？〃
〃No。 All our inquiries will be confidential。 If the investigation's negative； it would be foolish to let anyone know we made one in the first place。 So you don't have to worry about any publicity。〃
〃I may not look it；〃 Mr。 Waggoner said； 〃but I'm ashamed。 I'm deeply ashamed of what I had to tell you。 Thank you both for being so patient。〃
〃I'll take you to the elevator；〃 Henderson said。 〃It's easy to get turned around in this building。〃
Henderson took a glazed doughnut out of his desk drawer； broke it in half； and offered the smaller half to Hoke。 Hoke shook his head； and Henderson began to eat the doughnut。
〃How'd you like Mr。 Waggoner's little story； Hoke？〃
〃I found the bit about the hair…pie instructive。〃
〃Me； too。 Although I knew already that I was weak in that regard。 You ever been in Okeechobee？〃
〃Years ago。 But not since I left Riviera Beach。 My dad and I went fishing for catfish on the lake a few times； but we only went into the town a couple of times。 There's nothing much there； or there wasn't ten years ago。 It's just an elbow bend on the highway north。 I wouldn't think the town could support a software store； even if Waggoner rents out films for TV。 But for all I know； Okeechobee's probably tripled in size by now； just like every other town in Florida the last few years。 If a man likes to fish； it wouldn't be a bad place to retire。〃
〃Apparently； there's a shortage of women。 Otherwise； a brother wouldn't have to screw his own sister。〃
〃You know I spent some time with the girl； Susan； last night； and there might be some truth to what Waggoner told us。〃
〃Bullshit。 If you hire somebody in Miami to do a beating for you； you get a professional job with bicycle chains。 You don't pay anyone fifty bucks to break a lousy finger。〃
〃But wouldn't a girl be chicken…hearted and not want her big brother hurt too badly？〃
〃Anything's possible。 You want to check it out？ We've got better things to do； you know。〃
〃Susan's boyfriend was with her when I took her down to the morgue。 He's an ex…con； I'm positive； and strong enough to break someone's arm。 He gave me a phony name； Ramon Mendez； and for no good reason that I could see…unless he's on the run。〃
〃Did you run a make on the name？〃
〃On Mendez？ We've got hundreds of them。 Remember when we tried to get a make on José Perez？ Twenty…seven with records popped up。 These Latins all have four last names and a half…dozen first names； including at least one saint on the list。 And they use the ones they want at the time。 But this boyfriend isn't a Latin in the first place。 Remember the intelligence seminar we went to last year； the one the agent from Georgia gave？ He was with the GBI。〃
〃I remember that sonofabitch all right。 He learned my name in the first class and called on me at every session。〃
〃Well； Susan's boyfriend had blue eyes just like his…flat and staring。 And he never looked away。 I'd planned to lean on him a little； but after we talked for a while I knew I'd be wasting my time。 Now； if Susan asked him to； this guy would break her brother's finger or neck without even thinking about it。 He's done time； I'm sure； and he might even be a fugitive。 He says he's from California； here to study management at Miami…Dade。〃
〃That's possible。 People e from all over the world to study at Miami…Dade。〃
〃Not from California。 In California； you can go to college free。 So why would a man e three thousand miles to pay out…of…state fees at Miami…Dade？〃
〃You can go to college free in California？〃
〃That's right； right on through a bachelor's。〃
〃Why don't you check him out； then； at Miami…Dade？〃
〃I will。 But I'll have to find out what his right name is first。〃 Hoke got up； and pushed his chair into the desk kneehole。
〃Is that where you're going now？〃
〃No。 I'm going down to the cafeteria for some coffee and a doughnut。〃
9
Susan made scrambled eggs with green peppers； buttered rye toast； and fried baloney slices for Freddy's breakfast。 After he finished eating； he took his cup of coffee out to the screened porch。 The brown； cultivated fields stretched out for several miles； and there were bands of dusty green that faded into a misty； darker green toward the horizon。 The country was so incredibly flat he couldn't get over it。 There wasn't a single mound or a dip or a gully for as far as he could see。 And； from the fourth floor； the horizon had to be at least twenty or twentyfive miles away。 Susie's apartment was on the western side of the building and shaded in the morning； but he knew that the sun would bake this side all afternoon。
Inside； with the air co