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had driven over to Watson Island and parked in the Japanese Garden parking lot。 But she wasn't that dimwitted。 Some traffic cop or meter maid had made her move； and she had either circled the block while he was still in the coin shop； or made a second tour of the block and perhaps a third。 She might still be downtown； circling the block again and again； but she would give up eventually and drive home to Dania。
Wet all the way through his jacket and shirt； Freddy slogged through the rain with soggy trousers and wet feet。 When he got home he would take a Darvon and drink some chocolate milk to settle his stomach。 It might be a good idea to get Edna Damrosch to take a look at his injured hand。 No； that would mean explanations； and this time she would call a doctor。 He would just take some Darvon； some penicillin tablets； and wait till they got to Okeechobee。 The pain wasn't all that bad。 He could stand a little pain； but those missing fingers would certainly make him a marked man…and for life； too。
The TransAm wasn't parked in the driveway。 The stupid little bitch。 She was still downtown； circling the block and looking for him。 He should have given her a time limit。 He needed her right now； and she wasn't home。
He let himself into the house； surprised to see that the lights were still on in the kitchen。 He thought he had turned them off when they left。 He went into the bathroom； swallowed two Darvons； and sipped some water from the cup on the sink。 The door to the closet was standing open。 Susan's two suitcases were missing。 Her black dress wasn't on the hanger in the closet。 He ran into the kitchen； took down the Ritz Cracker box from the back shelf where the provisions were kept； and ripped open the top。
The money was gone。 All of it； including the 10；000 Mexican pesos they hadn't been able to exchange。 Freddy laughed。 So Susan had skipped out on him； taken some of her clothes； the money； and gone home。 He had known she was nervous…she told him so…but he hadn't taken into account how truly scared she must have been。 Maybe she thought he was going to shoot the coin dealer。 Well； as it turned out； she was right。
She must have bolted as soon as he had rounded the corner to Flagler。 It was understandable； but unexpected。 Now he would have to find his own way up to Okeechobee； track her down； get his money back； and find a way to dispose of her body。 He couldn't let her live； not now； not after finding out what he had already known from the beginning…that he couldn't trust Susan； that； in the final analysis； a man couldn't trust anyone。 But especially a whore。
Freddy took Wulgemuth's wallet and the wad of bills from the till out of his jacket pocket。 With his good hand； he counted out five twenties and eight tens on the kitchen table。 He had another six or seven hundred in his own wallet； and there were seventy…five dollars in Wulgemuth's wallet。 Even though he had left the coin case in the shop； he was still ahead in the operation。 He wasn't broke； and he still had a shitload of credit cards…
Hoke Moseley stepped through the door to the kitchen from the screened back porch。 He pointed his 。38 at Freddy。
Freddy turned and stared at Moseley for a long moment； taking in the gray haggard face； the steady pistol； the wet； ill…fitting leisure jacket。
〃Raise your hands；〃 Hoke said； 〃level with your shoulders。〃
〃What'll you do if I don't； old man； shoot me？ And what are you doing in my house？ Where's your warrant？〃
〃I said to raise your hands。〃
Freddy grinned and raised his hands slowly。
〃Where's Susan？〃 Hoke said。
〃You tell me； man。〃 Freddy lifted his chin。 〃I had all my money in that Ritz cracker box； and she cleaned me out and took off。〃
〃Why'd she take off that way； after she dropped you off downtown on Miami Avenue？〃
〃Look； my hand hurts； and I've got to get to a doctor。 Can I drop my left hand？ It hurts like a sonofabitch。 You got some crazy people in this town； d'you know that？ I go into Wulgemuth's to sell some coins； and the crazy bastard and his bodyguard try to kill me with a damned sugarcane knife。 Is that why you're here？ I was ing down to tell you about it as soon as I saw a doctor。〃
Hoke was genuinely puzzled。 〃What happened in Wulgemuth's？〃
〃I just told you。〃 Freddy rested his bandaged hand on his chest。 〃I took some silver dollars down to Wulgemuth's Coin Exchange to get them appraised。 If the price was right； I was going to sell 'em。 Then him and his bodyguard； a crazy Cuban with a shotgun； tried to rob me。 Old man Wulgemuth tried to hack off my hand with a damned machete； and he got most of it； too。 I'm hurting； man； and you've got to get me to a doctor！〃
〃Then what happened？〃
〃When？〃
〃After this respectable businessman's unprovoked attack。〃
〃I took a cab home； because Susie wasn't waiting for me any longer； that's all。〃
〃Before that； before you left the store？〃
〃I got lucky。 Before these two crazy people could kill me； I was able to get the gun out of Wulgemuth's drawer and defend myself with it。〃
〃And you shot them？〃
〃I have no idea。 I just started shooting； and when they ducked for cover I ran out。 I don't think I hit either one of them。 I was just concerned with getting out and finding a doctor； that's all。〃 Freddy moved his feet； inching toward Moseley。 Hoke stepped back and extended his arm。
〃Back up！ Turn around slowly； lean against the wall； and spread your legs。〃
Freddy shook his head。 〃I can't do it。 I'd pass out。 Most of my fingers are gone； and I'm liable to go into shock any minute 。 。 。 〃 Freddy's voice dropped to a theatrical whisper。 〃Things are going black； all purple and black 。 。 。 〃 His knees buckled； and as he dropped to the floor； he managed to break his fall with his right hand。 He fell over on his left side； groaned piteously； and fished in his jacket pocket for his pistol。 As the 。38 cleared the pocket； Hoke shot him in the stomach。 Freddy screamed and rolled over； trying to get to his feet and get the pistol out of his pocket at the same time。 Hoke shot him in the spine； and Freddy stopped moving。 Hoke bent down and fired another round into the back of Freddy's head。
Hoke slumped into a kitchen chair and put his pistol on the table。 When Bill Henderson； Ellita Sanchez； and Sanchez's uniformed cop cousin from Hollywood came through the unlocked front door； Hoke was still sitting in the kitchen chair； smoking his third cigarette。
23
〃You okay； Hoke？〃 Henderson asked。
〃I'm not hurt； if that's what you mean。〃 Hoke dropped the cigarette on the floor and stepped on it as he got to his feet。
〃Stay there；〃 Henderson said。 〃Sit down。〃 Henderson told the uniformed officer to go out to the front porch； and to prevent anyone else from ing into the house。 〃You don't have to stay out in the rain； Mendez。 Just turn on the porch light； and stand inside the front door。〃
〃Mendez？〃 Hoke said； starting to get up again。
The officer left the kitchen。 〃Yeah；〃 Henderson said； 〃Mendez is Sanchez's cousin； a traffic officer from Hollywood。 Why in the hell didn't you wait for us； for Christ's sake？〃
Sanchez was on her knees besid