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Freddy was reminded of Miles Darrell； an old fence he had worked with in Los Angeles。 Miles would sometimes plan and bankroll a robbery and take half the profits。 If the perpetrators were caught； Miles wrote off his investment and let it go at that。 On the other hand； Miles was never a participant； and his careful plans usually worked out successfully。 If the hooligans he recruited for a job were picked up； they accepted the bust stoically； and none of them ever informed on Miles。 To do so would have been foolish。 Even when convicted； the average stay in the joint was only two years； and a man knew when he got out he could count on a stake from Miles until he got back on his feet again。
Freddy had learned early in his career that it was best to work alone。 If two or three men were in on a job and one was caught； the others would almost invariably be picked up later。 Either deals were made by the man who was apprehended； or they would be picked up as the apprehended man's friends or acquaintances。
On the other hand； Miles； who had never been arrested； only got half the haul when a job was successful。 The best method； Freddy concluded； was to plan and execute your own job。 That way； no one could inform on you； and if you were successful； everything you got was yours。 What he would like now was one large haul。 One well…planned job； where the take would be large enough for several years of semiretirement living。 Semi； not full retirement； because a man would have to put his hand in from time to time to keep from getting bored； but with enough money stashed away so that he could wait and pick and choose…like Miles。 Miles had been a careful planner； and 90 percent of his jobs had been successful。
Perhaps Freddy had been too pessimistic about his life。 He had figured； for as long as he could remember； that someday he would end up in prison for life； wandering around the yard as an old lag； muttering into a white beard and sniping cigarette butts。
But that didn't have to be…not if he could plan and execute one big job。 Just one big haul 。
But nothing came to him。 He had no concrete ideas except for the germ； and the germ was that he had Sergeant Hoke Moseley's badge and ID。 The badge was an automatic pass to free food and public transportation； it could also be used to bluff someone out of a considerable sum of cash。 But who？
After lunch and a Darvon； Freddy usually napped on the webbed recliner on the back porch。 He would awaken after an hour or two； covered with perspiration。 He would then do a dozen one…arm pushups with his good arm and take a shower。 He couldn't shave because of the cuts on his face。 After a few days these cuts began to fester。 They filled with yellow pus； and he had to pull off the colorful Band…Aids。 He awoke one afternoon from his nap with a fever； and it made him dizzy when he tried to sit up in the recliner。 He asked Susan to bring him some Bufferin and a pitcher of lemonade。
Susan brought the Bufferin and lemonade； and then left the house。 She returned a few minutes later with Mrs。 Damrosch； a short middle…aged woman who talked through a professional； meaningless； saleswoman's smile。
〃Susan said you refused to see a doctor； and that you probably wouldn't let me take a look at you either。 But you're wrong there； boy； I'm taking a look。 I nursed my husband for three years before he died； and I can do the same for you…although you aren't going to die。〃 She stuck a thermometer under his tongue and told him to close his mouth。
〃Not bad；〃 she said； when she removed the thermometer。 〃It's only one…oh…two； and we can get that down with some antibiotics。 I've got a medicine cabinet full of 'em。〃
She slipped her glasses down on her nose and peered into his face； still smiling and shaking her head。 〃Some of those punctures've still got glass in 'em。 I'll go home and be right back。〃
〃Go with her； Susie；〃 Freddy said； 〃and make sure she doesn't call a doctor。〃
Mrs。 Damrosch had no intention of calling a doctor。 She returned with medicines； unguents； a razor blade； and tweezers。 She crosscut each of the punctures in his face with the razor blade and removed bits of glass with her tweezers； telling Freddy in her cheerful voice that it would hurt。 She also removed the crude stitches Freddy had taken to replace his eyebrow。 She made some butterfly adhesive patches and replaced them on the gaping places that had not； as yet； grown back together。 She used two more butterfly patches on the two deepest wounds on his face but said it would be best just to let the others drain。
She and Susan helped Freddy walk to the bedroom。 Edna Damrosch poured Freddy a glass of gin； made him drink most of it； and then sponged his muscular body with a mixture of water and rubbing alcohol。 When she removed Freddy's jeans； Susan took the sponge away from her and said：
〃I'll take care of that part。〃
Edna laughed。 〃I would too if I were you！〃
This drastic treatment； in addition to penicillin tablets every four hours； broke Freddy's fever。 By noon the next day he was sitting up in bed and eating a roast beef sandwich。 He remained in the air…conditioned bedroom for two more days at Edna's insistence； then felt strong enough to take a long； soaking bath。
When he looked at his face in the mirror； he could barely discern the scabbed crisscrosses beneath his beard。 The thick stubble； a quarter of an inch long in some places； was a mixture of blond； brown； and jet…black whiskers…not matching his burnished yellow hair in the slightest。 If he was careful he could probably shave； but he decided to keep the incipient beard。 It would cover the scars somewhat； and it might be a way to change his appearance。 By now the Miami police were looking for him； but they weren't looking for a man with a blond； brown； and blackish beard。 The beard； together with the healing scabs； made his face itch； but he was determined not to scratch his neck or face。 His refusal to scratch caused jerky tics to develop on both cheeks； but at least the tics relieved the itching。 The following day he took a hammer to the cast on his arm。 His wrist was stiff and slightly atrophied； so while he watched TV he squeezed a tennis ball to strengthen his wrist and fingers。
Three weeks after the accident at the 7…Eleven； Freddy put on his Italian suit； took the car keys； and drove into downtown Miami。 He had studied the Yellow Pages and the ads in the 〃Miami Herald〃； and he had a tentative plan。 He cased three different coin dealers before picking a major one on Flagler Street。 Flagler was Miami's main street； and the downtown stretch of Flagler was one…way； but just around the corner on Miami Avenue there was a yellow loading zone。 If Susan pulled into the loading zone and sat in the car； a mere thirty yards around the corner from the coin dealer's； she could probably stay there for a half…hour or more before some cop came along and told her to move。 The coin dealer； a man named Ruben Wulgemuth； had a reinforced steel door to his shop； and there was a circular； revolving bulletproof window in the wall beside the door。 To transact business with the dealer； patrons outside on the sidewalk placed their co