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new where the restaurant was she had no trouble finding the old hotel on the bay。
〃Wait in the car；〃 Freddy told her； after she parked in the small lot beside the hotel。
〃How long？〃
〃Far as long as it takes me。 If he's home； it won't take long。 If he isn't home； I'll have to wait in his roam till he gets there。 So just sit here and wait。〃
〃Can I play the radio？〃
〃Na。 It might attract attention。 Stop asking dumb questions。〃
Freddy went into the lobby； and Old Man Zuckerman tottered over to him and handed him a napkin。 Freddy nodded his thanks； and the old man went back to his chair and fell into a half…daze。 There were four men playing dominoes in the corner of the lobby and some old ladies watching TV at the other end。 The battered card table； where the Latins were playing； was lighted by a 1930s wrought…iran bridge lamp with a rose shade and tarnished gold tassels。 The men all wore T…shirts and jeans； none of them clean。 One man had a machete scar running from the top of his head dawn his left cheek； ending beneath his chin。 All four men had blackish homemade tattoos an the backs of their hands and arms。
Freddy walked to the table； and the conversation stopped。
〃Sergeant Maseley's room？〃 Freddy handed 10 to the man with the scar。
〃Top floor。〃 He pointed his finger at the ceiling。 〃Eight…OhNine。 〃Gracias〃。〃
〃A casa？〃
The man ignored the question； pursed his lips； and studied his dominoes。 Freddy grabbed the man's wrist； squeezed it； and took the 10 bill out of his paralyzed fingers。
〃Si； se？or；〃 the man said。 〃A casa。〃
〃Un hombre duro；〃 Freddy said。 He wadded the ten into the man's palm and closed his fingers on it。
〃Despotico！〃 The scar…faced man nodded； and the other three Cubans laughed。 Freddy crossed the dim lobby to the elevators。
Outside 809； Freddy took out his pistol； knocked on the door； and pressed his back against the wall。 Hoke Moseley opened the door； saw no one； and took a step forward。 Freddy； with a sweeping motion of the gun； caught Hoke on the side of the jaw。 As Hoke fell sideways； Freddy had time for another backhand blow； and Hoke's false teeth flew out of his mouth and bounced on the dusty hall carpet。 Freddy put the teeth into his jacket pocket and dragged the unconscious body inside the room。 After closing the door； he kicked the supine man in the jaw with the point of his shoe。 The jaw cracked audibly； and blood poured from Hoke's nose and mouth。
After taking off his jacket； Freddy sat on the edge of the unmade bed。 He needed to coal off for a minute or so。 His shirt was already drenched with sweat； and he didn't want it to darken his new suit jacket。 The air conditioner in the window labored away； but it produced more noise than cold air。 In the humidity； the slightest exercise provoked a good deal of perspiration。 In California； Freddy would have had to work out for at least a half…hour to build up such a sweat。 It was like breathing through a wet bath towel。
The room was grungy。 Here was a pig； Freddy thought； who actually lived like a pig。 Aluminum foil covered the sliding glass door that opened onto the tiny balcony。 The foil was there to reflect the heat away from the room in the afternoons； but it hadn't helped much。 The dirty beige carpet was ringed and spotted with coffee and other food spills。 The sheets on the three…quarter…size bed were dirty； and there was a pile of unwashed laundry in the corner next to an overflowing wastebasket。
There were two police uniforms in heavy plastic garment bags in the closet； along with a black suit and two poplin leisure suits。 There were a half…dozen clean short…sleeve sports shirts on hangers； one white dress shirt； and three neckties。
In the bottom drawer of the dresser there was a one…ring hot plate； a small saucepan； a tablespoon； a knife； a fork； three cans of Chunky Turkey Soup with noodles； and a box of Krispy saltines。 There was a half…loaf of rye bread； four eggs in a brown carton； a jar of instant coffee； and a bottle of Tabasco sauce。 The other dresser drawers contained papers neatly filed away in cardboard folders； Fruit of the Loom underwear； and black lisle socks。 There were several T…shirts； two pairs of ragged khaki gym shorts； and a pair of blue…and…red running shoes。 The cop didn't have another pair of black dress shoes； except for the pair he was wearing。 Of course； Freddy thought； he might have more shoes and clothes in his locker at the police station。
The detective； in any event； was living incredibly cheap； and Freddy couldn't understand it。 On top of the man's dresser was a ticket to a lot of money： a badge and an ID in a worn leather holder； a holstered 。38 police special； a sap； and handcuffs。 Freddy searched Hoke's pockets。 He found keys； a wallet； a package of Kools； Dupont Plaza Hotel paper matches； and eighty cents in change。 There were 18 in the wallet； several business cards with notes on them； and one MasterCard。 There were also two small photos in the wallet； older versions of the two young girls in the framed photo on the dresser。 The detective's notebook was in his leisure jacket。 Freddy flipped through it idly but could make out nothing intelligible from the shorthand Hoke used in the notebook。
Freddy sat on the edge of the bed again and tapped the black leather sap gently into the palm of his other hand。 The light blow stung。 The tapered sap； eight inches long； with a wrist loop at one end； was filled with buckshot。 Once； in Santa Barbara； a cop had slapped Freddy on the leg with one almost like this one。 There had been no reason to hit Freddy with the blackjack； Freddy had been handcuffed at the time and was sitting quietly in a straight…backed chair。 The cop had tapped him because he had wanted to tap him。 The pain had been excruciating。 His entire leg had gone numb； and unbidden tears had burned his eyes。
Still seated； Freddy reached out； and slapped the sap sharply against the top of Hoke's right leg。 Hoke groaned； and made scrabbling motions with his fingers on the frayed carpet。 Freddy shrugged。 Hitting the unconscious man had given him no pleasure； he still didn't know why the cop in Santa Barbara had tapped him with the sap。 Policemen undoubtedly had some kind of inborn perverted streak that normal men like himself didn't have。
Freddy got a brown paper sack from the closet and dropped the holstered 。38； the badge； and ID holder into it； along with the sap。 He now possessed a cop's license to steal； and the equipment to go with it。 He added the handcuffs to the sack and put Hoke's 18 on top of the dresser。 He then put five 20 bills on top of the 18； it would help to confuse the pig even more when he woke up。
Freddy closed the door； which locked behind him； took the elevator down； and left the lobby by the side terrace French windows to avoid being seen by the domino players and the old ladies。 The players could identify him； he knew； but four Latins with homemade prison tattoos wouldn't volunteer any information about an injured cop。 Not unless； Freddy grinned； someone slipped them ten bucks or so…and investigating officers didn't put out any free money for information。
Freddy told Susan