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otel。〃
〃Is somebody after us； Junior？〃
〃Not us； but me； yes。 I'm not a likable person； so someone is usually after me。 And because you're with me now； that means somebody'll probably be after you； too。〃
〃I don't understand。〃
〃That isn't important。 When there's something important you really need to understand； I'll explain it to you。 Right now； when you finish your coffee； I want you to get moving。 Here's the extra room key。 Change clothes when you get home； too。 Wear a skirt and blouse and some saddle shoes。〃
〃What saddle shoes？ I don't have any shoes with saddles。 I can wear my running shoes。〃
〃Okay。 We'll get you some saddle shoes later； so you'll look like a college girl。 But that'll be after I deal with Pablo。〃
〃Do I have to see Pablo again？ I'm afraid of him。〃
〃Did Pablo fuck you when you first went to work for him？〃
〃No。 I just sucked him off； is all。 He wanted to see if I knew how to do it； and then he gave me some pointers； afterward。 Pablo knows a lot。〃
〃No； you don't have to see Pablo again。 Just beat it now； e back here； and if I'm not here； watch the TV until I get back。 If you get hungry； call room service。〃
After Susan left； Freddy drank what was left of the orange juice。 His mouth was still dry。 He found it exhausting to talk to Susan； and he was never certain whether she understood everything he told her。 Apparently she did； because so far she had done everything right； and she had also picked up on his lies when he had talked to the cop in the Brazilian steak house。 But she also had the bad habit of telling the truth when a lie would have done her more good。 She shouldn't have told the detective that she was hooking at the hotel。 The way she looked； no one would have ever guessed what she did for a living。 Later on； when he had more time； he would talk to her about what to say and what not to say； otherwise； she would get herself… and him…into some bad situations。
Freddy called the desk； and found out that the barber shop didn't open until eight…thirty。 He took a shower and glumly watched the 〃Today〃 show on television until eight A。M。 Restless； he got dressed again； and took the elevator to the lobby； sharing the cage with a Latin family with four small children and an old lady with a hairy mole on her chin。 The elevator reeked of musk and garlic； and because the rotten kids； on getting in； had pushed all the buttons； the elevator stopped at every floor on the way down。
The barber shop was open。 Freddy got a shave。 After the shave； the barber bed Freddy's hair and said：
〃You have lovely hair； but you really should let it grow。 It's much too short for today's stylings。〃
〃Your hair's too long；〃 Freddy said。 〃You look like a fruit； and if I couldn't tell by your hair； that Swiss army earring you're wearing still gives you away。〃
Freddy climbed into the first cab in line； and told the old woman who was driving it to take him to the International Hotel。
〃That's the one on Brickell； isn't it？
〃Are there two International Hotels？〃
〃Not that I know of…〃
〃Then it must be the one on Brickell； right？〃
〃That's what I meant。〃
People were going to work； and the traffic was heavy。 The cab's meter ticked away with the speed of light。 When she pulled up at the entrance； Freddy said：
〃I'm not going to be long。 If you want to wait； you can take me over to Miami Beach。〃
〃That beats going to the airport。 But you can pay me now； and I'll turn off the meter。〃
〃Don't you trust me？〃
〃As much as you trust me。〃
〃Keep the meter running。〃 Freddy counted out four twenties。 〃If it gets up to this much and I'm not back； you can leave without me。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
Freddy made a casual tour of the enormous lobby。 There were three restaurants and a coffeeshop； three bars； and a dozen specialty shops selling resort clothes and gifts。 There was a small conference room next to the Zanzi Bar； with a blacklettered sign outside the door：
BEET SUGAR INSTITUTE
SEMINAR AT 11 A。M。
CASH BAR IN ZANZI BAR AT 10
The Zanzi Bar wasn't open yet； and no one was in the small conference room； although there was a lectern； a movie screen； and thirty or more folding chairs set up for the seminar。 Freddy went to a house phone； asked for the bell captain； and waited for him to get on the line。
〃Tell Pablo Lhosa；〃 he said to the captain； 〃to e to the small conference room next to the Zanzi Bar。〃
〃Is anything wrong； sir？〃
〃Of course not。 I'm running the seminar for the beet sugar people； and if anything was wrong I'd call the manager…not Pablo。〃
〃Right away； sir。〃
The 240…pound Pablo arrived in three minutes； huffing slightly； the two bottom buttons of his monkey jacket unbuttoned because of his belly。 Freddy closed the door to the conference room and hit Pablo in the stomach。 Pablo gasped and staggered slightly； but he didn't fall。 A knife appeared in his right hand。 Freddy showed Pablo his badge。
〃Put the knife away； Pablo。〃
Pablo closed the knife and returned it to his pocket。
〃My name isn't Gotlieb； Pablo。 My name's Sergeant Moseley； Miami Police Department。 And that little girl you sent to my room； Susan Waggoner； is only fourteen years old。 Your fat ass is in trouble。〃
〃Her brother told me…〃
〃Her brother's dead； and he lied to you。 He was killed at the airport； and it was on the news。 You're one of the suspects。 Did you have Martin Waggoner hit； Pablo？〃
〃Hell； no！ I didn't…I don't know nothing about it！〃
〃I've got a signed deposition from Susan that you're her pimp； so your greasy ass is on the fire。〃
〃Susie's lying to you； sergeant。 She's nineteen； not fourteen。 I checked on that。 Sergeant Wilson knows I run a few girls here。 There's no problem。 Why don't you call Sergeant Wilson？ I pay him every week。 You guys ought to get together。〃
〃Wilson doesn't know you're hustling kids。 Susie told me about the pointers you gave her。〃
〃Honest to God； sergeant！〃 Pablo raised his right arm。 〃Her brother showed me her driver's license。〃
〃Her brother's dead； and licenses can be forged。 Your Cuban ass has had it。〃
〃I'm not a Cuban； I'm a Nicaraguan。 I was a major in the National Guard。 Sergeant Wilson told me…you know Sergeant Wilson； don't you？〃
〃Fuck Wilson； and fuck you； Pablo。 How much're you paying Wilson？〃
〃Who said I was paying him anything？〃
Freddy took out his blackjack and started toward Pablo。 Pablo held up his hands and backed away。
〃Don't。 Please。 I give him five hundred a week。〃
〃All right。〃 Freddy put the blackjack away。 〃I'll let you off the hook； Pablo。 From now on； you give Wilson two…fifty a week； and you can send the other two…fifty to me。 Just put it in an envelope and send it to me； Sergeant Hoke Moseley； at the Eldorado Hotel。 By messenger…not by mail。〃
Pablo shook his head。 〃I'll have to talk to Sergeant Wilson first。〃
〃Don't worry about Wilson。 I'm the man with Susie's signed deposition； not Wilson。〃
〃I guess you don't know Sergeant Wilson； then。 He won't stand for any split like that。〃
〃In that case； it'll cost you seven…fifty a week instead of five hundred；