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h mirror on the back of the bathroom door。〃
Pepper slipped into the dress； turned sideways as she looked into the mirror； and smiled。 〃It looks nice on me； doesn't it？ I'd have to take it in some at the waist though。〃
〃You can have it for fifty bucks。〃
〃All I've got with me's a twenty。 I'll give you a free blow job for it。〃
〃That's no offer！ A man can get a free blow job anywhere。 The hell with it。 I'm not a salesman。 Keep the dress。 And while you're here； take this suitcase full of stuff。 There're some skirts and other things in it； and a nice cashmere sweater。 Take the suitcase too。〃
〃Where'd you get all these nice clothes？〃
〃They belong to my wife。 When I left my wife I took the stuff with me。 I paid for it； so it was mine to take。〃
〃You left your wife？〃
〃Yeah。 We're getting a divorce。〃
〃Because of the boys？〃
〃What boys？〃
〃You said you were used to boys； and I just assumed that…〃
〃Jesus Christ。 How long've you been working for Pablo？〃
〃Since the beginning of the semester。 I go to Miami…Dade munity College； Downtown。 I need the money for school。〃
〃Well； one of the first things you should learn is not to ask clients personal questions。〃
〃I'm sorry。 I didn't mean to pry。〃 She started to cry。
〃Why're you crying； for Christ's sake？〃
〃I don't know。 I just do sometimes。 I'm not doing very good at this； not even nooners； and when I go back to Pablo without any money； he'll…〃
〃There's a plastic laundry bag in the closet。 Put the clothes in it； and give Pablo the empty suitcase。 He can get the locks fixed； and he'll have a two…hundred…dollar suitcase。 I'll square you with Pablo later。 Okay？〃
Pepper stopped crying； wiped her eyes； and got back into her own clothes。 She packed the clothing neatly into the plastic laundry bag。
〃What do you do when you get off duty at five？〃
〃I usually walk downtown； have some dinner； and then go to class。 Tonight's my English class at six…fifteen； and it runs until seven…forty； unless Mr。 Turner lets us out early。 Sometimes； when we've got a paper to write； he lets us go home to write it。〃
Why； Freddy wondered； is she lying to me？ No college would ever accept this incredibly stupid young woman as a student。 On the other hand； he had known a few college men in San Quentin。 Although they usually got the best jobs there； they didn't appear to be any smarter than the majority of the cons。 Maybe the girl wasn't lying。 He didn't know anything about college requirements； but maybe they would be much lower for women than for men。 It would be a good idea to have a woman with a car show him the city。 So far it was all white buildings and a blur of greenery。
〃I'll tell you what； Pepper。 I'll buy you dinner and then wait for you to get out of class。 Then you can drive me around some。 You've got a license； so I suppose you've got a car？〃
〃My brother's car。 I get to keep it all the time； but I've got to meet him at the airport at eight…thirty tonight to collect some money from him。 He works out there； and gives me his pay every day to deposit in the bank。 Where he works； he isn't allowed to have a car。〃
〃You don't live together？〃
〃Not anymore。 We did at first； when we first came down to Miami from Okeechobee； but now I've got the apartment to myself。〃
〃That's all right。 I don't mind riding out to the airport again。 I just want to get familiar with the city。 I'll give you a decent tip； or buy you a drink； or maybe take you to a movie。 What do you say？〃
She smiled。 〃I'd like that。 I haven't had a date date since I came down here； Mr。 Gotlieb…〃
〃You can call me Junior。〃
〃Junior？ All right； and you can call me Susie。 Pablo told me to call myself Pepper so that customers would think I was hot。 Pablo's my manager； like； and he knows all about these things。 Most men； I've noticed； just laugh when I tell them my name is Pepper。 You didn't…Junior…and I think you're awfully nice。〃
〃I am nice； Susie； and I like you a lot。 I'll tell you what。 Just leave the bag of clothes with me and take the suitcase down to Pablo。 That way he won't know you got the stuff； and I can take it with me when we meet。〃
〃I usually eat dinner at Granny's。 It's a health food restaurant right near the campus； about eight blocks from here。 I walk because I leave the car in the parking garage near the school； but you can take a cab there。 The cabbies all know where it is； even the ones who don't speak English。〃
She handed him the bag of clothing。
〃I'll see you at Granny's at five； then。〃
〃It'll be closer to five…fifteen； but I'll get there as soon as I can。〃
〃Good。 And have a prosperous afternoon。〃
〃Thank you。 But whatever you do； don't tell Pablo。 We aren't supposed to go out with the johns…that's why I want you to meet me at Granny's。〃
〃Pablo； in my opinion； is an asshole。 I'll just tell him I had jet lag and that kept me from performing。 I'll slip him ten bucks and he'll be so happy he won't say a word to you。 But I won't tell him about our date。 Don't worry。〃
Susan blushed； and looked shyly at the floor。 〃You can kiss me on the cheek and sorta seal our date。 That way I know you'll really e to Granny's。 I know you men don't like to kiss us on the mouth 。 。 。 〃
〃I don't mind kissing you on the mouth。〃
〃You don't？〃
Freddy kissed her chastely； almost tenderly； on the lips； and then led her to the door。 She waggled her fingers and smiled； then he closed the door after her and chain…locked it。 She had forgotten the empty suitcase； and he still had the bag of clothes。 He would give the suitcase to Pablo instead of the ten bucks he had intended to give him。 As long as he had the clothes； he knew she would e to Granny's。
He still had plenty of time to do some shopping。
4
Bill Henderson and Hoke Moseley worked on their reports for the rest of the afternoon at the double desk they shared in a glass…walled cubbyhole at the new Miami Police Station。 As sergeants they were entitled to the tiny office； which had a door that could be closed and locked； but it was much more crowded and unfortable than the space the other plainclothes detectives had in the large； outer bullpen。 The room was undecorated； except for a twenty…two by thirty…inch poster on the one unglassed wall。 A hand holding a pistol； with the pistol pointed at the viewer； was in the center of the wall。 The message； in bold black letters beneath the pointing pistol； read MIAMI…SEE IT LIKE A NATIVE。
When they took the depositions of the brothers Peeples； only one man at a time could be acmodated in the tiny room。 Irritated by the Georgians' uncooperative attitudes； they let the two men find their own way back to the airport by taxi instead of returning them to the PR man in a police car。
Hoke flipped a quarter。 Henderson lost； which meant that Henderson had to call Martin Waggoner's father in Okeechobee and break the sad news。 While Henderson called； Hoke went downstairs to the station cafeteria and got two cups of coffee in Styrofoam cups。 He drank his in the cafeteria and brought the other cup； now barely warm； back upstairs to Henderson。 Henderson took one s