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looked at Ellita； and smiled…〃and you； too； Sanchez； to get it for me。〃
There were four stacks of rust…colored accordion files on the table against the wall。 The major pointed at them。 〃I've been going through the old files。 These are fifty old unsolved homicides。 All of them go back a few years； some much longer than others。 Some of these； I know； could've been solved at the time。 But they weren't solved； or resolved in some way； because there wasn't enough time。 There's never enough time。 Most breaks； as you know； e in the first twenty…four hours。 After three or four days； something else es up； and after two weeks； unless you get a break accidentally； you're on a new case； or even three new cases。 After six months； the homicide's so far back in pending； it's colder than the victim。
〃I'm not telling you something you don't know already。 I didn't bee the Homicide chief because I was a detective。 I'm an administrator； and I was promoted for my administrative ability。 It didn't hurt that I was black； either； but I wouldn't have kept my rank if I couldn't do the work。 It seems to me； if we can solve some of these cold cases； it'll make our division and the entire department look even better than it is。 And if that happens； they'll have to make at least one of those new colonels a black man。 What I want is one of those silver eagles and another gold stripe on my sleeve。〃
〃Time's always been the problem； Willie；〃 Hoke said。 〃When we get a chance we work on old cases； but a new dead body is found damned near every day in a car trunk； a tomato field； an apartment…〃
〃I'm not finished； Hoke。 Time is what I'm going to give you。 You rank Bill； so you're in charge。 But the three of you are going to get two full months to do nothing else but work on these fifty cold cases I picked out。〃
〃What about the cases we're on now？〃 Henderson said。 〃We've got； me and Gonzalez； a triple murder in Liberty City； and no leads at all。 Tomorrow we're supposed to…〃
〃Gonzalez will have to handle that one by himself。 Hoke； you can give your current cases to Gonzalez； too。 I know he lacks experience； but he'll report directly to Lieutenant Slater； and he'll get all the help from Slater he needs。 I can't spare four men for this assignment； but the three of you。 in two months' time； should get some positive results。〃
〃Three months；〃 Henderson said； 〃would be better。〃
〃I know。〃 Brownley smiled。 〃And six months would be better than three months； but you've got two。 I've already gone through the old files and picked out these fifty。 Take them with you； go through 'em again； and decide which cases to work first。 You know more about the possibilities than I do。 Any questions？〃
〃That office we've got；〃 Hoke said。 〃It's too small for the three of us。 Can we have one of the interrogation rooms to work in on a permanent basis？〃
〃Take Room Three。 There's a table and some folding chairs in there already。 It's yours for as long's you need it。 I'll inform Lieutenant Slater。 Anything else？〃
〃When Hoke and I turn all our cases over to Gonzalez； he'll shit his pants；〃 Henderson said。
〃He'll be all right with Slater。 Just fill Slater in on what's been done so far。 Slater knows what you all will be doing； but Gonzalez doesn't。 Just tell him you're on a special assignment； Bill； and to do the best he can。 You have any questions； Sanchez？〃
〃No； sir。 I think it's a good idea； that's all。〃
〃It would be a better idea if we had three months；〃 Henderson said。
〃Solve at least ten of these cases in two months； and I'll give you the extra month；〃 Brownley said。
〃Fair enough。〃 Henderson picked up an armload of files and left the office。
After the cold cases were stacked in piles on Hoke's desk； he looked at them and shook his head。 〃It's fivethirty。 We'll start going through them tomorrow morning in the interrogation room。〃
〃If you want me to； I can take a couple home with me tonight to read；〃 Ellita said。 〃I haven't got anything else planned。〃
〃No。 I want to think about how best to work things out。 You guys go home。〃
Henderson broadened his smile slightly。 〃I think I'd better take Teddy out and buy him a drink before I give him the news。 Did you notice Gonzalez through the window when we were in Willie's office？ The poor bastard went to the can three times。 He probably thought the meeting was all about him。 But you can't blame him。 If I'd been left out there； I'd've thought the same thing。〃
After Henderson and Ellita left； Hoke locked the office； got his Pontiac from the lot； and drove out to Green Lakes to pay another visit to Mrs。 Hickey's house。
5
The rush…hour traffic on Flagler Street was heavier than usual because of the rain。 In July； during the rainy season； showers and thunderstorms begin at four or four…thirty every day and continue into the early evening hours。 Hoke didn't mind the rain or the traffic； or the fact that he was working overtime without pensation。 He appreciated doing anything that would delay his getting home to the Hotel Eldorado in Miami Beach…any delay； that is； that didn't cost money。 The long nights at the Eldorado were dull； so he was always glad when he had an excuse to postpone going home。
The pile of old cases on his desk troubled him a little； but not very much。 Brownley had had a good idea there； despite his selfish motivation； and Hoke looked forward to the two…month assignment。 He didn't think they would be able to solve ten cases； but even if they could solve three or four； it would be better than none。 He just wished that he had been the one to select the fifty cases to work on； instead of Willie Brownley。 If he and Henderson had gone through all the cold cases； and there must be several hundred； they could have done a much better job of winnowing them than Brownley。 On the other hand； the fact that Brownley had selected these particular files out of all the other unsolved cases gave Hoke at least a weak excuse for failure if they didn't resolve any of them at all。
The best way to work it； he decided； was to have each of them read all of the cases first。 Each reader could then select the ten most likely cases to work on。 If they all came up with the same three or four homicides on their lists； these would be the cases to work on first。 If they all had the same half…dozen； it would be even better。
Hoke didn't know why Brownley had assigned Sanchez instead of Gonzalez to his team； but it was probably because he didn't think Slater could work well with a woman。 Slater had a very short fuse； and Brownley undoubtedly felt that Slater would feel more fortable chewing on Gonzalez's ass every day than he would Sanchez's。 Regardless of the reason； Hoke was happy to have Sanchez instead of Gonzalez。 She could spell； as well as type； so he would have her keep the daily notes and write the weekly progress reports that Major Brownley wanted。 Sanchez didn't have much of a sense of humor； but he would be working with Henderson again； who did； and that was a big plus。
Loretta Hickey was no longer the distraught youthful mother Hoke had last seen sobbing on the lawn that morning。 When she opened the door； she was rested； clean and sweet…smelling； and wearing a black…and