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〃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 want to get in no trouble on account of Junior。 I didn't do anything。 I just want to go back to Okeechobee。 All I've had is trouble of some kind or other ever since I came down here for my abortion。 What I'd say； if you asked me about Miami； I'd say it's not a good place for a single girl to be。〃
〃Jesus Christ；〃 Hoke said； 〃let's get out of here a minute； Bill。〃
Hoke and Henderson went out into the hallway。
〃I'm afraid； Bill；〃 Hoke said； 〃that I'd have to confirm her story。 She did drop him off； and then leave immediately； and I followed her until she got on the ramp to I…Ninety…five。 You can't charge her for dropping her mon…law husband off downtown。 If she claims she didn't know he was going to rob the store； we can't hold her as an accessory。〃
〃Is she really that dumb； or is it an act of some kind？〃
〃It's consistent； whatever it is。 Why don't we just take her statement and put her on a bus for Belle Glade so she can get her damned car。〃
〃You mean just let her go？〃
〃I don't see what else we can do。 Her statement will clear up the death of Martin Waggoner； and we can always find her if we need her later。 Okeechobee's a small town。 We'll tell her not to leave Okeechobee or e back to Miami again； and that's it。〃
〃That's just hearsay。 We still can't prove that Junior killed Martin； or broke his finger。〃
〃We'll send his picture up to those two Georgia boys。 Maybe they can identify him from the picture。 At any rate； I'll call the assistant state attorney； and tell her about Susan's statement。 She can decide whether to close the case or not。 It's not up to us； anyway。〃
Henderson and Sanchez stayed in the interrogation room to obtain a statement from Susan Waggoner； and Hoke went back to his office。 He found Violet Nygren's phone number； and called the office。
〃Thank you；〃 a female voice answered； and then； for five minutes； Hoke listened to Muzak as he held the phone to his ear。
〃Thank you for waiting；〃 a man's voice said。 〃How may I help you？〃
〃Is this the state attorney's office？〃
〃Yes； it is。 How may I help you？〃
〃This is Sergeant Moseley； Homicide。 I want to talk to Miss Violet Nygren； one of your assistant state attorneys。 This is the number she gave me。〃
〃I don't think we've got anybody here by that name。〃
〃Yes； you have。 She was assigned to that case at the airport。 A guy got his finger broke and died from shock。 Martin Waggoner。〃
〃I don't know her。 What's her name again？〃
〃Nygren。 N…Y…G…R…E…N。 She was young and had just joined the office。 A UM Law School graduate。〃
〃Okay。 Let me take a look at the roster。 Can you hold the line a minute？〃
〃Yeah。〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 the man said； when he came back on the line； 〃but we don't have any Nygrens on the roster。 If you want me to； I'll check with a few people here and then call you back。 I don't know half the people here myself。 We've got one hundred and seventy…one assistant state attorneys； you know。〃
〃That many？ I thought you only had about a hundred。〃
〃We got some more money last year。 But they e and go； you know。 Want me to check and call you back？〃
〃No。 I'll hold the line while you check。 I like listening to the Muzak。〃
〃That's on the other line。 I can't get you any Muzak on this phone。〃
〃Never mind。 Just find out what happened to Violet Nygren。〃
Hoke lit a cigarette。 He raised his shoulder to hold the phone against his head and examined his hands。 They were shaking slightly； as the reaction finally settled in； but as long as he kept busy he wouldn't have to think about it。 As he butted the cigarette in the desk ashtray； a woman's voice came on the line。
〃Hello？ Are you there？〃
〃I'm here；〃 Hoke said。 〃Who are you？〃
〃Tim asked me to tell you about Violet。 You are Sergeant Moseley； aren't you？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； Violet Nygren resigned a few weeks back。 She got married； but I don't know her married name。 But I know she married a chiropractor out in Kendall； and I can get her married name for you tomorrow； if you like。 I didn't know Violet very well； but I know she wasn't happy here as a state attorney。 I don't think she'd've been with us much longer even if she hadn't got married and quit…if you know what I mean。〃
〃I think I do。 But it's not important。 Somebody must've taken over her caseload； so I'll just send a memo over to your office； and you people can take it from there。〃
〃I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful。〃
〃You've helped a lot。 Thanks。〃
When Henderson and Sanchez went into Captain Brownley's office to go over the written report； Hoke was excluded from the meeting and told that his turn would be next。
Hoke could see the three of them through the smudged glass walls of Brownley's office； and he felt a little apprehension at being left out。 Brownley was a good reader； and if he spotted any discrepancies； Hoke knew that he could be in some deep trouble。 Hoke went into the men's room to take a leak and two younger Homicide detectives congratulated him warmly； so warmly that he decided not to go down to the cafeteria for coffee and a sweet roll。 As far as his fellow police officers were concerned； the department had won one for a change。 The robbery…murder on Flagler and the killing of the suspect would only rate a three… or four…inch story in the local sections of the Miami newspapers； but it was big news within the department。
Hoke returned to his little office and waited； trying to sort out his feelings； and came to the conclusion that Freddy Frenger； Jr。； AKA Ramon Mendez； had played out the game to the end and didn't really mind losing his life in a last…ditch attempt to win。 Junior would have been good at checkers or chess； thought Hoke； where sometimes a poor player can beat a much better one if he is aggressive and stays boldly on the attack。 That was Junior； all right； and if you turned your head away from the board for an instant； to light a cigarette or to take a sip of coffee； he would steal one of your pieces。 Junior didn't have to play by the rules； but Hoke did。 Nevertheless； Hoke decided to keep this checkers analogy to himself。 No matter how he rationalized his actions； Hoke suspected that the real reason he had killed Freddy Frenger was that the man had invaded his room at the Eldorado Hotel and beat the shit out of him。 And if he could do it once； he could do it a second time。 On the other hand； to think that way was just another oversimplification。 After all； Frenger had tried to pull his gun； so Hoke had shot in selfdefense： the extra round he had put into the back of the man's head was merely insurance。 But any way Hoke looked at it； the quality of life in Miami would be improved immeasurably now that Freddy Frenger was no longer out on the streets 。
Henderson opened the door。 Ellita Sanchez； smiling； was with him。
〃Your turn； Hoke；〃 Henderson said。
〃We'll wait for you down in the cafeteria；〃 Sanchez said。
Hoke shook his head。 〃Not in the cafeteria。 I don't want a bun