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The bedroom was small； but the sitting room was furnished pleasantly with a fortable couch and an easy chair in matching blue…and…white stripes； a desk with a glass top； and a small bar with two stools。 The refrigerator behind the bar held vodka； gin； Scotch； and bourbon； several rows of mixers； and a split of champagne。 There was a price list taped to the door。 Freddy looked at the list and thought that the per…drink prices were outrageous。 He gave the bellman 2。
〃Thank you； sir。 And if you need me for anything at all； just call down to the bell captain and ask for Pablo。〃
〃Pablo。 Fine。 Where's the beach； Pablo？ I might want to go for a swim later。〃
〃The beach？ We're on Biscayne Bay； sir； not the ocean。 The ocean's over there in Miami Beach。 But we have a nice pool on the roof； and a sauna。 And if you want a massage…〃
〃No； that's okay。 I just thought that Miami was on the ocean。〃
〃No； sir。 That's Miami Beach。 They're separate cities； sir； connected by causeways。 You wouldn't like it over there anyway； sir…it's nothing but crime on the Beach。〃
〃You mean Miami isn't？〃
〃Not here； not on Brickell Avenue； anyway。 This is the fattest part of Fat City。〃
〃I noticed some shops off the lobby。 Can I buy some trunks there？〃
〃I'll get you a pair； sir。 What size？〃
〃Never mind。 I'll do some shopping later。〃
The bellman left； and Freddy opened the draperies。 He could see the towering AmeriFirst building； a part of the bay； the bridge across the Miami River； and the skyscrapers on Flagler Street。 The street he was on； Brickell； was lined with mirrored； shimmering buildings。 The air conditioning hummed quietly。
He had at least a week before the credit card numbers would be traced； but he didn't intend to stay in the International Hotel for more than one day。 From now on he was going to play things a little safer； unless； of course； he wanted something。 If he wanted something right away； that was a different matter altogether。 But what he wanted this time； before he was caught； was to have some fun and to do some of the things he had wanted to do during his three years in San Quentin。
So far； he liked the clean white look of Miami； but he was astonished to learn that the city was not on the ocean。
2
The VIP Room…or Golden Lounge； as it was sometimes called； after the gold plastic cards issued to first…class passengers by the three airlines that maintained it…was unusually crowded。 The dead man lying on the blue carpet was not the only one who was there without a gold card。
Sergeant Hoke Moseley； Homicide； Miami Police Department； filled a Styrofoam cup with free coffee…his third… picked up a glazed doughnut from the assortment on the clear plastic tray and put it back； then doctored his coffee with Sweet 'n' Low and N…Rich Coffee Creamer。 Sergeant Bill Henderson； Hoke's hefty partner； sat on a royal blue couch and read John Keasler's humor column in The Miami News。 Two middle…aged airport security men in electric blue sports jackets stood by the door； looking as if they were ready to take orders from anybody。
A black airport public relations man； wearing a hundreddollar brown silk sports shirt and yellow linen golf slacks； was making notes with a gold pencil in a leather notebook。 He put the notebook into his hip pocket and crossed the blue…carpeted room to talk to two men who said they were from Waycross； Georgia； John and Irwin Peeples。 They glowered at him。
〃Don't worry；〃 the PR man said。 〃As soon as the state attorney gets here； and I've had a chance to talk to him； you'll be on the next flight out for Atlanta。 And a plane of some kind leaves for Atlanta every half…hour。〃
〃We don't want no plane of some kind；〃 John Peeples said。 〃Me and Irwin fly Delta or nothing。〃
〃No problem。 If we have to； we'll bump a couple and get you on Delta inside of an hour。〃
〃If I was you；〃 Bill Henderson butted in； taking off his black…rimmed reading glasses； 〃I wouldn't promise these crackers anything。 What we may be dealing with here is a Murder Two。 For all I know； this whole thing might be a religious plot to murder that Krishna； with the two crackers in on it from the beginning。 Ain't that right； Hoke？〃
〃I don't know yet；〃 Hoke said。 〃Let's wait and see what the medical examiner and the state attorney have to say。 At the least； Mr。 and Mr。 Peeples； you've got a long session ahead of you。 We'll be wanting to talk to you downtown； and there'll be depositions to make out。 As material witnesses to the〃…he pointed to the body on the floor…〃demise of this Krishna here； the state attorney might decide to keep you in Miami under protective custody for several months。〃
The brothers groaned。 Hoke winked at Bill Henderson as he joined him on the couch。
The other Hare Krishna； the partner of the dead man； started to cry again。 Someone had given him back his wig and he had stuffed it into his jacket pocket。 He was at least twenty…five； but he looked much younger as he stifled his sobs and wiped his eyes with his fingertips。 His freshly shaven head glistened with perspiration。 He had never seen a dead person before； and here was his 〃brother；〃 a man he had prayed with and eaten brown rice with； as dead as anyone could ever be； stretched out on the blue carpet of the VIP Room； and covered…except for feet in white cotton socks and scuffed Hush Puppies…with a cream…colored Aeroméxico blanket。
Dr。 Merle Evans； the medical examiner； arrived with Violet Nygren； a blond and rather plain young assistant prosecutor from the state attorney's office。 Hoke nodded to the security men at the door； and the two were let through。 Hoke and Bill Henderson shook hands with Doc Evans； and the four of them moved to the back of the lounge； out of earshot of the Peeples； the PR man； and the weepy Krishna。
〃I'm new on the beat；〃 Violet Nygren said； as she introduced herself。 〃I've only been in the state attorney's office since I finished up at the UM Law School last June。 But I'm willing to learn； Sergeant Moseley。〃
Hoke grinned。 〃Fair enough。 This is my partner； Sergeant Henderson。 If you're an attorney； Miss Nygren； where's your briefcase？〃
〃I've got a tape recorder in my purse；〃 she said； holding up her leather drawstring bag。
〃I was kidding。 I've got a lot of respect for lady lawyers。 My ex…wife had one； and I've been paying half my salary for alimony and child support for the last ten years。〃
〃I haven't been on a homicide up to now；〃 she said。 〃My caseloads so far have been mostly muggings and holdups。 But； as I said； I'm here to learn； Sergeant。〃
〃This may not be a homicide。 That's why we wanted someone from the state attorney's office to e down with Doc Evans。 We hope it isn't。 We've had enough this year as it is。 But that'll be up to you and Doc Evans to decide。〃
〃That's awfully deferential； for you； Hoke；〃 Doc Evans said。 〃What's bothering you？〃
〃Here's what happened。 The body under the blanket's a Hare Krishna。〃 Hoke looked at his opened notebook。 〃His name's Martin Waggoner； and his parents； according to that other Krishna over there； live in Okeechobee。 He came down to Miami nine or ten months ago； joi