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morning。 When she opened the door； she was rested； clean and sweet…smelling； and wearing a black…and…white silk djellabah。 Sober； Mrs。 Hickey was a handsome woman。 Her long hair； freshly shampooed； still had damp ends； and she had brushed it straight back。 Her high white forehead was shiny and without makeup； but there was a pink trace of lipstick on her full lips。
She asked Hoke for identification。 He had to tell her his name and show her his shield before she would unlock the screen door。 She stared at Hoke with bold blue eyes and without apparent recognition。
〃Are you always this cautious？〃 Hoke said； stepping into the living room。
〃No； not always。〃 Her face relaxed a little。 〃But I thought it might be those two men ing back。〃
〃What men？〃
〃They said they were friends of Jerry's； but I'd never seen them before。 Neighbors have been ing by all afternoon； bringing food； but these two came at about threethirty； when no one else was here。 They got upset when I told them that Jerry was dead。 Then they started looking in his room。〃
〃That room is sealed。〃
〃I told them that； but they broke the strip of paper and looked around in there anyway。 They asked me if Jerry had left a package for them； and I told them no。 Then one of them asked if the police had found twenty…five thousand dollars in the room！ I told them that Jerry had a thousand； but no twenty…five thousand。 But the thousand wasn't there either。 That's when they started dumping the drawers out on the floor。〃
〃What did they look like； these men？ Did you ask them for ID？〃
Mrs。 Hickey shook her head。 〃No。 I'd thought at first they might just be more neighbors。 I didn't know half the people who brought food over this afternoon。 And they didn't look like friends of Jerry's； either。 They looked more like Yuppies； well…dressed with blow…dry hair…like Brickell Avenue or Kendall types。 One of them was wearing a silk suit； and the other had on a linen jacket。 They were in their mid…twenties； I'd say。 The one in the suit had black loafers； the other man wore brown…and…white shoes。〃
Hoke grinned。 〃The man with the black shoes did all the talking； right？〃
Loretta Hickey nodded。 〃How'd you know that？〃
〃I didn't。 But guys who wear two…tone shoes have an ambivalent personality； and are indecisive。〃 Hoke studied the drape of the silk djellabah and wondered if she was wearing a bra。 〃What else did they say about the twenty…five thousand？〃
〃Jerry was supposed to deliver the money to them yesterday； but he didn't show up； and they'd been looking for him。 I told them that Jerry had a thousand dollars； and I knew that； because he showed it to me when I came home from work yesterday evening。 If he had more； he didn't tell me anything about it。 The thousand was on the dresser when I found him this morning。 I had assumed it was still there； because I didn't go back into the room again。 But it was gone when we went into the room； so…〃
〃I have it in my pocket；〃 Hoke said。 〃Tell me； did you let Jerry in yesterday？〃
〃No； I wasn't here。 I'd already gone to work； but he came to the house in the morning； he told me。〃
〃How'd he get in？ There was no key with his effects。〃
〃He used the key I keep hidden in a fake rock。 If you live all alone and happen to lock yourself out…and I've done it…you've got a problem。 I'll show you。〃
She opened the screen door and led Hoke outside。 She picked up a gray stone about four inches long and handed it to Hoke。 It weighed four or five ounces and had a flat bottom。 Hoke opened the flat part by sliding it to one side and found the key concealed in the recess。 He hefted the stone in his hand。 〃This is the phoniest fake stone I've ever seen。 Where'd you get it？〃
〃I ordered it from a catalog。 It's supposed to be granite。 It looks real to me。〃
〃Yeah； but we don't have any granite in south Florida。 We've got gravel； and we've got oolite； but not any granite。 A burglar who spotted this in your yard next to the house would know that it was a fake。 What you should do is leave the key with a neighbor instead。〃
〃I've done that。 Mrs。 Koontz； next door； has a key； and I've got a key to her house。〃
〃In that case； I'd advise you to keep this phony stone inside the house。 What else did these men say？〃 Hoke opened the screen door； and they went back into the living room。
〃Nothing else。 Mrs。 Ames； from across the street； came over with a Key lime pie； and while I was around the back letting her in； they slipped out the front door and left。〃
〃Did you see their car？〃
〃It was a convertible。 The top was down。 It was light green； an apple green。〃
〃You didn't take down the license number？〃
〃No； I was talking to Mrs。 Ames； telling her what had happened。 It wouldn't have occurred to me anyway。〃 She looked away。 〃Would you like a drink； Sergeant？〃
〃A beer would be okay。〃
〃I've got vodka； and a six…pack of Cokes； but no beer。〃
〃Make it a Coke； then。 I usually drink beer or bourbon； but I can drink almost anything； except for Mr。 Pibb。〃
Hoke followed Mrs。 Hickey into the dining area and sat at the Eames table while she went into the kitchen。 The table was loaded with food。 There was a baked ham； studded with cloves； two cheesecakes； two Key lime pies； and a large brown ceramic casserole dish filled with Boston baked beans； topped with parboiled strips of fatty bacon。
〃You ever see so much food？〃 Mrs。 Hickey said； ing back from the kitchen。 She handed Hoke a tall glass of Coca…Cola over ice cubes。 〃On top of all this〃…she made a sweeping gesture over the table…〃there's a big tuna salad in the fridge and a half a watermelon。〃 She blushed。 〃I've had two ham sandwiches already； and both with mayonnaise。〃
〃That's natural。 Death makes a person hungry。 Those beans look good to me。〃
〃Would you like some？ I'll never be able to eat all this food by myself。〃
〃I'm on a kind of diet。 I'd rather have the beans； but I'll settle for some tuna salad。〃
〃I'll fix you a plate。〃
Hoke didn't want the tuna salad either； but he thought it might help if he gave Mrs。 Hickey something to do with her hands。 She had to be embarrassed about her morning's performance； but she was covering it well。 He needed to know more about Jerry Hickey。 If Jerry had ripped off twentyfive thousand dollars； where was it？ Of course； he might not have ripped off anything。 The two guys could have been looking for him for something else； and told Mrs。 Hickey that as a cover story。 On the other hand； it was plausible。 Drug people stiffed each other all the time； and a junkie like Hickey might not have considered the consequences of taking down a dealer。 If these two dealers； or whoever they were； had been dumb enough to trust that kind of money to a junkie； they deserved to be ripped off。 The kid； if he took the money； had hidden it somewhere； stashed it away； figuring that he would hide out here for a few days； then pick it up and take off。 He had kept out a thousand； probably； as an emergency fund。 。
The tuna salad was attractively presented： a heaping portion on a lettuce bed； garnished with two deviled egg halves； green and black olives； and celery sticks。 To keep Hoke pany； Mrs。 Hickey had a slice of Key lime pie。 She took two bites； then got