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Hoke had calmed down a little。 The drink had helped so much he poured another one。 His hands were steady now。 Hoke lit a Kool and picked up the phone。 After he listened to it buzz at the switchboard fifteen or sixteen times； he lost count。 Finally Eddie Cohen answered the phone。
〃Desk。〃
〃Eddie； this is Sergeant Moseley。 Dial my number at the police station for me； will you； please？〃
Ellita Sanchez picked up the phone before it could ring a second time。 〃Homicide。 Detective Sanchez。〃
〃Hello； Sanchez。 This is your new partner； Sergeant Hoke Moseley。 I was in earlier today to see Captain Brownley； but you looked so busy I didn't want to bother you。 Anyway； Captain Brownley…〃
〃Who？ You want Captain Brownley？〃
〃No。〃 Hoke hesitated。 Sanchez didn't have much of an accent； but Hoke realized that he was talking too fast for her to follow him。 〃This is Sergeant Moseley。 I am your new partner。〃
〃Yes； sergeant。〃
〃We're going to be working together。 You and me。 Captain Brownley told me today。 When I came to see him。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I want you to do a couple of things for me。〃
〃What？〃
〃You can probably handle it all with a few phone calls。 If not； take a car and visit Florida Power and Light； and the phone pany。 The water department； too。 Perhaps you should check the water pany first。〃
〃What case is this one？ Should I not read the file first？〃
〃No； that won't be necessary。 Just take down this information as I give it to you。〃
〃Captain Brownley told me you wouldn't be back to work for two weeks。 If you're on sick leave； why are we working on a new case？ And why are you withholding information from me when I'm your partner？ I don't understand this at all。 So； before I do anything for you； Sergeant Moseley； I'm going to check with Captain Browjiley to see if it's all right。 The way I…〃
〃Shut up。〃 Hoke's deep voice dropped an octave with anger。
〃What？〃
〃I said shut up。 Now listen； Sanchez； because I don't want to repeat myself。 We are indeed new partners； but I am the senior partner； and a sergeant。 You're the junior partner； and you're not a detective yet。 So far you're a dispatcher with a Latin name。 And because you have a Latin name； you've been given a chance to work with me as a detective。
〃Luckily for you； you've been assigned to a patient； understanding Homicide detective who'll take the time to explain the facts of life to you。 If； under any circumstances； I give you an order； or a request； or a suggestion； and you go over my head to check it out with Captain Brownley or go to anyone else who happens to be my superior； I guarantee you that you'll be lucky to bee a dispatcher again。
〃In fact； you'll never see the inside of a police station again。 I'll see to it that you're assigned permanently to the night shift at the Orange Bowl； from midnight to eight A。M。 So if you don't want to spend the rest of your police career checking the locks on vending machines； get a pencil and a piece of paper and follow my instructions。 Do you understand； or do I have to run it by you again？〃
〃I understand； sergeant。〃
〃Good。 Check with the water department； the F。 P。 and L。； and Ma Bell。 And see if anyone named Waggoner or Mendez…W…A…G…G…O…N…E…R； and you can spell Mendez…put down a new deposit in the last three weeks。 Water； Florida Power； and phone pany。 Just during the last three weeks。 If you don't get a list of names and addresses from these three； make another call to the Public Gas pany； just in case there's an outside tank。 Any questions？〃
〃No。 I got it。〃
〃Then call me back here at the Eldorado Hotel by five today on what you've found out。 Let the phone ring at least twenty times before you hang up。 The man at the desk is hard of hearing。 If I don't hear from you by five； I'll call you your desk by five…thirty。 Got that？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Till five； then。〃
〃Yes。〃
Hoke got up from the rolltop desk and crossed to the side table by the Victorian armchair where he had left his bottle of Early Times。
That wasn't exactly what Captain Brownley had in mind； Hoke thought； when he said I would have to win Ellita Sanchez over。 By the time I finish this drink； she'll be in Brow nley's office。 By the time I start to pour another； she'll be explaining to Willie Brownley how I have been discriminating against her for being a Latin； first； and for being a woman； second； She'll tell Brownley about my threat； and I'll have to make it good。 Whether there are enough people left in the department who owe me enough favors to send Sanchez to the Orange Bowl is a moot question。 But I can get her out of Homicide。 That much I know I can do。 Vice！ Sergeant Wilson。 Sergeant Wilson threw my teeth out the window。 He owes me for that。 I can get Wilson to ask for her in Vice。 A few months of trapping johns on 79th Street will be good training for Sanchez； and after she works for a mean prick like Wilson for a couple of weeks she will surely wish to hell she had done what kindly old Hoke Moseley asked her to do 。 。 。
Hoke finished his drink。 He lit another cigarette； smoked it down to the cork tip； and put it out in the ashtray with the Hotel Fontainebleau logo。 There was no telephone call from Captain Brownley。
At four…thirty P。M。 the phone woke Hoke from his nap。 Sanchez had a list of names and addresses for him。 There were two Mendezes； one Wagner； one Wegner； and one Susan Waggoner。 Susan Waggoner； however； was not in Dade County。 She had put down deposits for water； electricity； gas； and a telephone in Dania； which was right over the county line in Broward County。
Hoke hadn't told Sanchez to check in Broward County； but he had； apparently； frightened her into using initiative。
21
The rain began to fall lightly at four…thirty A。M。； but by six； when the lightning flashed and the thunder rumbled； passing over Dade County from the Everglades； the rain came down in torrents。 Hoke cursed the rain and rolled up the window to avoid getting drenched。 The windows steamed almost immediately； and he had to wipe the inside of the windshield with his handkerchief。
Hoke had been parked under a cluster of sea…grape trees since four A。M。 The overhanging branches with their huge leaves concealed most of his car from Susan Waggoner's little house a hundred yards away on the other side of the street。 The rain； as he thought about it； would make tailing easier。 He didn't know whether Mendez was in the house with Susan or not； but he was certain that she would lead him to Mendez if he followed her long enough。
When the lights in the house went on at six…fifteen； Hoke was more than a little surprised。 He hadn't expected the girl to get up so early。 Hoke took a leak in the coffee can； replaced the lid； and placed the warm can on the floor in front of the passenger's seat。 He wanted another cigarette； but he wouldn't light one now because the girl might see the glow。 The girl was his only lead to Mendez； and he didn't intend to take any chances。 The white TransAm； with its Kansas license plate； would be easy to follow； whereas his own beatup Pontiac blended right in with the thousands of dented cars on Miami's hig