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〃I had a Filipino boy living with me once； too； in Oakland。 But he was a jealous little bastard； and he questioned me all the time。 I don't like to be questioned； you know。〃
〃I know。〃
〃What I'm getting at； Susie； or what I want； is a regular life。 I want to go to work in the morning； or maybe at night； and e home to a clean house； a decent dinner； and a loving wife like you。 I don't want any babies。 The world's too mean to bring another little kid into it； and I'm not that irresponsible。 The niggers and the Catholics don't care； but somebody's got to… d'you know what I mean？ Do you think you could handle it？〃
Susan began to cry and nod her head。 〃Yes； oh； yes； that's what I've always wanted； too； Junior。 And I'll be a good wife to you； too。 You just wait and see！〃
〃All right； then。 I'm going to take a shower。 You can stop crying and pack up everything； and then we can get moving。 If you think you're happy now； wait'll you see the little house I've got for you in Dania。〃
Susan wiped her eyes。 〃But what about your shirt and pants I sent to the cleaners？〃
〃The bellboy'll hang 'em up in the closet。 I'm not giving up this nice room。 It'll be like an office for me； because most of my work'll be in the Omni shopping mall。〃
But it wasn't that simple。 The widow in Dania； as it turned out； couldn't leave for two more days。 They spent those two days shopping for things they needed for the house； including a new microwave oven for Susan。 Then； when they did get into the house； the water and electricity had been turned off； and it took Susan an entire morning to find the water pany and Florida Power to put down deposits。 There was also the gas pany to contact； and they had to have a man e out to fill the propane tank outside the kitchen window。
Freddy also sent Susan to the bank to exchange the ten thousand pesos he had lifted from the Mexican pickpocket； but she brought the money back。
〃The man at the bank told me they weren't changing pesos anymore；〃 Susan said。 〃He said my best bet would be to go out to the airport and find someone who was going to Mexico and to make a deal with him。 Should I？〃
〃I think not。 The airport's too dangerous to be bothering the tourists out there。 Remember what happened to your brother？ Just put the pesos back in the Ritz cracker box with the rest of the money。〃
When they got into the house； Freddy streamlined the house by moving everything he didn't like into the garage。 Susan wanted a telephone； but Freddy didn't。
〃If we had one；〃 he said； 〃who would we call？〃
〃The repairman for the washer。 The washer works okay； but there's a leak in it or something because there's always a big pool of water after every load。 And you might get in trouble sometime and want to call me from jail or something。〃
〃Don't put a damned jinx on me。〃
〃I'm not； but a house isn't like an apartment where you can always call the manager to fix something。 We've got a septic tank out front。 Did you see the bright green grass in the big square patch under the mango tree outside the living room？ That's where it is； and I'll bet you those roots are breaking through the tiles。 If you treat 'em right； septic tanks work like magic； but if you don't； they'll back shit up through the john and fill the whole house。〃
〃Get a phone； then。 But put it in your name； not mine。〃
Susan wanted the car； so did Freddy。 They promised and Susan drove Freddy to the Omni every morning at nine。 She picked him up at four P。M。 and brought him back to Dania。
In the mornings； Freddy would go directly to his hotel room and change into slacks； running shoes； and a sports shirt with long square tails。 The tails covered the holstered pistol he wore at his back； and the handcuffs on his belt were also hidden。 He carried the sap in his right hip pocket； and his badge and ID in his right front pocket。
He got to know each shopping level well； and he had escape routes mentally mapped out for quick getaways from each floor。 He was soon able to tell vacationing South Americans from permanent Miami Latin residents。 He could spot the South American men by their dark suits； and the women did not； for the most part； have that little shelf above their buttocks that Cuban and Puerto Rican women had。 If he was unsure； he could listen to them talk： the South Americans spoke Spanish softer and slower than the Cubans。
He came to realize how lucky he had been on that first day when he had mugged the Mexico City pickpocket。
There were a good many security people working the mall； some in uniform； and others in plain clothes。 He could almost set his watch by the security officer in Penney's。 The man wore a billed fisherman's cap； a flowered sports shirt； and jeans。 He spent an average of fifteen minutes on each floor and took fifteen…minute breaks at 10：30 A。M。 and 3：30 P。M。 in the employees' lounge。 Every day at lunchtime he ordered the special； whatever it happened to be； in the deli on Level Three。
There were others； Freddy was sure； who were not that regular and much harder to spot。 If they didn't have uniforms； they could be damned near anybody。 But Freddy felt protected with Sergeant Moseley's buzzer in his pocket。 The lost badge was undoubtedly on the puter of the Miami Police Department； and any Miami cop might question it； but the MPD didn't pass on that kind of information to the private agencies that firms like Omni International and the department stores hired。 So； if he got into any trouble； all he had to do was flash the buzzer； and he could get out of almost any situation。
During his first three days of work at the Omni； the only thing Freddy managed to steal was a package he took out of an unlocked station wagon on Rose Two。 Later； when he opened the package in his hotel room； he found two pairs of kid's jeans； size eight； husky。 He gave the jeans to one of the Jamaican maids。
His fourth day of work was also frustrating。 That night after dinner he took the TransAm and drove around the city； then broke into an appliance store on Twenty…seventh Avenue。 The alarm went off the moment he heaved a concrete block through the wire…mesh window of the back door。 He reached in and opened the door； and grabbed an RCA color TV set and two electric digital clocks。 Forty minutes later； when he cruised slowly by the store； driving in the opposite direction； the alarm bell was still ringing and the cops still had not investigated。
Susan hooked up the TV set to the aerial that was already on the house； and the set worked fine； except for a snowy Channel 2； but neither one of the digital clocks kept accurate time。
The next day was better。 Freddy caught two pot peddlers in the Jordan Marsh restroom on the second floor。 They were arguing fiercely about money when he came in and didn't even look in his direction until he had them covered with his 。38。
〃Freeze。 Police；〃 Freddy said。
They froze。 He took their wallets and six ounces of marijuana in a plastic Baggie。 He handcuffed both of them； left wrist and right wrist； around the pipe in the first toilet stall； and left the restroom。 He would have left the keys to the handcuffs just out of reach； but he di