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ood。 Why in the hell didn't you wait for us； for Christ's sake？〃
Sanchez was on her knees beside Freddy's body。 She took a Swiss army knife out of her handbag； opened the small scissors； and started to cut away the bandage on Freddy's left hand。 Hoke watched her with keen interest。
〃I was afraid he'd get away； Bill。 It looked as if he was preparing to leave； and I didn't think I'd have any trouble。 I didn't intend to shoot him； but when he went for his gun 。 。 。 well 。 。 。 〃
〃Did you know he killed Wulgemuth and his bodyguard at the coin exchange store？〃
〃He said he shot his pistol； but denied hitting anyone。 According to him； he was attacked by the two men and he shot back in order to get away。〃
〃Bullshit。 It was on the radio。 Didn't you have the radio on when you drove after him to Dania？〃
〃I haven't got a radio。 Remember？ Somebody stole it when I was in the hospital。〃
〃But you did see him ing out of Wulgemuth's Coin Exchange； right？〃
〃With a gun in his hand；〃 Sanchez said； looking up with a smile。 She raised Freddy's unbandaged left hand。 〃See？ Three fingers missing。 When the ME matches them up； Sergeant Moseley'll be credited with a quick solution to a double murder。〃
Hoke shook his head。 〃I didn't see him e out of any coin exchange。 I was tailing him； hoping to get some probable cause to shake him down。 As an ex…felon； if he had a pistol on him； I was going to pick him up。 I lost him； and then picked him up again on the corner of Flagler and Miami Avenue。〃
〃Listen carefully； Hoke。〃 Bill took a chair from the table and sat in front of Hoke； looking directly into his eyes。 〃You're in some jurisdictional trouble if you don't get your story straight。 And here's the way you tell it； and this is the way we'll write it up。 You were tailing him； yes； and you lost him for a while； right？ Then you saw him ing out of Wulgemuth's store and putting a gun into his pocket as he came out。 Suspecting him of a robbery； you called Sanchez for backup from Broward County； and then drove here to his house after losing him downtown when he ran away。 Isn't that what happened？〃
〃Something like that。〃
〃No； exactly like that。〃
〃All right。 Exactly like that。〃
〃After you called Sanchez and she got a hold of me； we found out about the killing of the two men。 Sanchez called her cousin； and he came here in his own car。 We knew you were in danger； so we didn't have time to contact the Broward County sheriff's office； you see。 You knew he had a gun because you saw it when he came out of the store。 As an off…duty police officer； you went after him and contacted higher authority； through Sanchez。〃
〃I also suspected him of a California assault； and I had reasonable cause to pick him up on that。〃
〃Okay。 That's your story。 Don't change it。 I'll call Captain Brownley and Doc Evans。 Brownley'll call the Broward sheriff； and I imagine Doc Evans will contact the Broward County ME。 The report's going to be a jurisdictional mess。〃
〃What about the girl？〃 Sanchez said； joining them at the table。 〃What's her name？〃
〃Susan Waggoner；〃 Henderson said。 〃We'll put out an APB on her。 In this rain； she can't get too far away。 I'll get out the all…points as soon as I call Brownley。〃
〃D'you want me to call？〃 Sanchez said。
〃No； I'll call。 Why don't you make some coffee？ This is going to be a helluva long evening。〃
〃I'll make the coffee；〃 Hoke said； getting up。
Sanchez went to the sink； and turned on the tap。 〃Find the pot；〃 she said。 〃We'll make it together。〃
Captain Brownley and the Broward County sheriff both made some promises； and so did the Broward County medical examiner。 It was more important to clear up the murders of the coin exchange proprietor and his bodyguard than it was to hold hearings in Broward County。 A young lieutenant from the Dania Police Departthent； who was temporarily in charge while the Dania chief of police was hunting wolves in Canada； was awed by all of the brass from Dade and Broward counties and was willing to do almost anything to get Freddy's body out of town as quickly as possible。 In a small town like Dania； shootings of any kind were bad for business。
Susan Waggoner was picked up by a Florida state trooper in Belle Glade。 Her TransAm was impounded there； and she was brought to the Miami police station by the trooper。 The trooper who picked her up also gave her a ticket for having tinted windows in the TransAm that were twice as dark as the law allowed。
Hoke； Henderson； and Sanchez were still working on their joint report when Susan was brought in。 They took her down to an interrogation room； and Henderson read her her rights。
〃D'you understand；〃 Hoke said； 〃that you can have a lawyer present？ You don't have to tell us anything if you don't want to； but we need to clear up a few things。〃
〃I don't know what this is all about；〃 Susan said。 〃When we had the windows tinted on the car； the man said it was legal。 You see a lot of people driving around Miami with tinted windows； and a lot of them are darker than mine。〃
〃Never mind the tinted windows；〃 Hoke said。 〃I followed you in my car from Dania to downtown Miami； and I was across the street when you parked in the yellow loading zone on Miami Avenue。 I saw your boyfriend get out of the car…〃
〃Junior？〃
〃Junior。 And then you took off almost immediately。 Did you know he was going to rob the coin store？〃
〃No。 Why would he rob the store？ He had some silver dollars to sell。 That's what he told me； and he wanted me to go with him。 I didn't want to go because of the rain； and when I said I'd stay in the car and wait for him he got mad at me。 That's when he told me that he was the one who broke my brother's finger out at the airport。 Remember that？〃
〃He told you that？〃
〃That's right。 And I'll sign a statement to that； too。 We'd had some arguments before； and he even hit me once； but I stayed with him because of his other good qualities。 But when I found out that he was the one responsible for Martin's death； I got scared。 I realized that I was in danger from him； and I got scared。 Once he told me that； you see； he'd always know that I had something on him； and he could kill me； too。 So I just took off； came home to Dania； got my money； and left。 I was on my way back to Okeechobee when the state trooper pulled me over in Belle Glade。〃
〃What were Junior's good qualities？〃 Sanchez asked。
Susan frowned。 She poked out her lips。 〃Well； he was a good provider； and he liked everything I cooked for him。 There were lots of good things about Junior I liked。 But I'm not going to live with him anymore。〃
〃Junior's dead； Susan；〃 Henderson said。 〃Didn't you know he had a gun？〃
〃Yes； but I didn't know he was going to rob anybody。 He carried a gun for protection。 He almost got killed a few weeks ago by a gunman in a Seven…Eleven store。 So he needed the gun for protection； he told me。 Junior's dead？〃
〃That's right；〃 Henderson said。 〃He was killed。〃
〃I guess his gun didn't do him much good； then； did it？ I'm sorry to hear that。 I never wished him any harm。 I wasn't going to tell on him； either； about Martin； I mean； but I don't wan