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ery sticks。 To keep Hoke pany； Mrs。 Hickey had a slice of Key lime pie。 She took two bites； then got up and started the percolator in the kitchen。
〃This is good tuna salad；〃 Hoke said； 〃but I never put hard…boiled eggs in mine。 I prefer the classic recipe。 One pound of tuna； one pound of chopped onions； and one pound of mayonnaise。〃
Loretta Hickey laughed。 〃Oh！ All that mayonnaise！ I'm sorry。 I guess I shouldn't laugh； but I couldn't help it。〃
〃Don't ever apologize for laughing； Mrs。 Hickey。 Life goes on； you know； no matter what。 That's what your neighbors were trying to tell you when they brought this food over。〃
〃I know。 And I don't want to seem callous。 I should feel sorry about Jerry's death； but I always knew that something would happen to him sooner or later。 So in a way； I'm just as glad it's over。 I don't mean I'm happy about his death…don't get me wrong…but his father and I gave up on Jerry a long time ago。〃
〃I understand； I think。 What I'd like from you now is a little background information on your son…〃
〃Jerry isn't my son。 That is； I wasn't responsible for him the way I would've been if he'd been my own son。 Or even my legal stepson。〃
〃That isn't quite clear。 Gerald Hickey isn't your son？〃
〃No。 I'm divorced。 Jerry's my ex…husband's son。 Only Jerry wasn't his natural son either。 He was my ex…husband's adopted son。 That is； Jerry was my ex…husband's ex…wife's son by her first husband。 Harold； my ex…husband； adopted Jerry when he married Marcella； his first wife； because she had custody of Jerry from her first marriage。 You see； when he married Marcella； she talked Harold into adopting Jerry。 Then； after they were divorced； Marcella left town； and he had to keep Jerry because Jerry was now his legal responsibility。 Harold didn't know where Marcella went； and he's never heard from her again。 Jerry was fifteen when they were divorced； and then Harold married me about a year later； when Jerry turned sixteen。 But I never adopted Jerry； so I wasn't his legal stepmother or anything like that。 He just came with Harold and the house。 This house。〃
〃You may not believe me；〃 Hoke said； pushing his plate to one side； 〃but I can follow you。 I run into a lot more plicated families than yours in Miami。 Then you divorced Harold； right？〃
〃That's right。 I never got along too well with Harold； but I always got along with Jerry because I didn't try to play the mother act with him。 Jerry was too old for me to try that anyway； when Harold and I got married； and I'm not the maternal type。 I got along with Jerry much better than Harold ever did； but then Harold was responsible for him legally。
〃At any rate； when I got my divorce I also got the house…this one…as part of the settlement。 Harold wanted a bachelor pad； so he asked me to keep Jerry； too。 He gave me an extra two hundred a month in the agreement； so I let Jerry stay on。 By that time Jerry and I were pretty good friends。 He did pretty much as he wanted to do； and I didn't care。 After he got his car； I didn't see him much。 He got into a little trouble with the police； but his father always got him out of it。 After he dropped out of school； he was sometimes away from the house for two or three weeks at a time。 He ran around with a bunch in Coconut Grove； but he never brought any of them here。 So to tell you the truth； Sergeant； I don't know all that much about what he was doing； or where he spent his time。 But I wasn't legally responsible for him。 I do know； or feel； that this place was a kind of a sanctuary for him。 I never bugged him； and there was always food to eat here if he wanted to e home and eat it。 Harold still sent me the two hundred every month； whether Jerry was here or not； even after Jerry turned eighteen。〃
〃Did you know that Jerry was on drugs？〃
〃I suspected it； but I wasn't positive。 As I said； I wasn't legally responsible for…〃
〃Yes； you did mention that。 Where did Jerry get his money to live on？ Did he have a job？〃
〃Not lately。 He used to get odd jobs now and then； at the Green Lakes Car Wash； and as a bag boy。 He offered to help me once in the flower shop； but I turned him down。 He wasn't a dependable boy； so I knew he wouldn't stay for more than a few days； and I didn't want to add another failure to his list。 Harold mailed him a check once in a while； but that was after he quit school。 While he was in school I gave him an allowance； but when he dropped out of school I stopped it。 After his driver's license was suspended； he sold his car。 He made about two thousand on the sale。 But that was several months ago。〃 She ate the last bite of her pie。 〃Anyway； it's all over with now； isn't it？ Including my extra two hundred a month from Harold。 That's what I wanted to ask you about。〃
〃What？〃
〃A favor。 Somebody has to tell Harold about Jerry。 And I just can't make myself do it。 Would you call and tell him for me？ I think he ought to be told soon； because it wouldn't be very pleasant for him to read about it in the papers or hear it on the radio。〃
〃Jerry's name won't be released to the papers until they've checked with us that his next…of…kin's been notified。 The press is pretty decent about things like that。 But I'll call him if you want me to。〃 Hoke got to his feet。 〃Where does he live？〃
〃At the Mercury Club； in Hallandale。 I'll get his number for you。〃
Harold Hickey； Hoke thought； must have a bundle。 The Mercury Club was right on the ocean； with tight security； and had its own small marina。 The Mercury Club was still restricted； too： no Jews； blacks； or Latins。 When all of the civil rights legislation was considered； it cost a great deal of money to keep a private club restricted nowadays。
Hoke dialed the number Mrs。 Hickey gave him。 After two rings； a voice came on the line。 The voice was deep and husky； each word was enunciated self…consciously。
〃This is a recording。 I am Harold Hickey； attorney at law。 I am temporarily unable to answer the phone in person。 In a moment or so； when I finish speaking； you will hear a tone。 At that time； if you are so inclined； you may leave your name； phone number； and message。 I will return your call at my earliest convenience。〃
Hoke waited for the tone； and said： 〃This is DetectiveSergeant Hoke Moseley； Homicide； Miami Police Department。 Your son Gerald died this morning under peculiar circumstances。 For additional information； call me after ten P。M。 at my residence； the Eldorado Hotel； Miami Beach。 Don't give up too quickly。〃 Hoke gave the number； then added； 〃If you don't call me at the hotel； you can reach me at Homicide； Miami police station； tomorrow after seventhirty A。M。〃
Hoke racked the phone and turned away。 Loretta had an expression of dismay。 〃What was that all about？ Were you talking to a recording？〃
〃He wasn't there； so I gave the machine the information。〃
〃Jesus！ You told the recording Jerry was dead？ I could've done that myself。 Except that I'd never tell a recording anyone was dead。 That'll be a shock to Harold when he plays it back。 The reason I asked you to call him in the first place was I thought you could do it gently。〃
〃There isn't any gentle way to tell someone that a member of his family's dead。 The direct method's as good as any。 Bes