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〃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。 Besides； if Mr。 Hickey was sensitive； he wouldn't have a recording answer his telephone for him。 By the time he calls me back； he'll have had time to digest the news。〃
〃You don't know Harold。〃 She looked away； toward the bedrooms。 〃But at least he didn't have to discover the body； the way I did。〃
〃I think the coffee may be ready。〃
〃Just a sec。 I'll see。〃
When Loretta returned with the coffee and cups on a tray； Hoke handed her the envelope containing 1；070 and asked her to count it。 He then asked her to sign a receipt。
〃This money's yours； or your ex…husband's。 Or you two can split it。 But you'd better tell him about it。〃
Loretta Hickey nodded。 〃Suppose those two men e back？ They might say it's theirs。〃
〃If they e back； call me。〃 Hoke put his card on the table。 〃Let me have your home and office number too。〃
She gave him the numbers； and Hoke wrote them down in his notebook。
〃Is this money evidence； Sergeant？〃
〃No。 I've got a list of the serial numbers； and that's all I'll need。 If I were you； I'd put the money into your night deposit at the bank。〃
〃I don't think I want to leave the house tonight。 Can't you keep the money for now； and give it to me tomorrow at the shop？〃
〃I suppose。〃 Hoke put the receipt into the envelope with the money； and returned the envelope to his jacket pocket。 〃Where do you work？〃
〃I have my own shop； The Bouquetique； a flower and gift shop in the Gables； on Miracle Mile。 Do you know where it is？〃
〃I can find it； but I don't know exactly when I can get there。 Did you make that name up all by yourself； or did you inherit it？〃
〃I made it up。 It's a bination of bouquet and boutique。〃
〃I suspected that。 What do you sell besides flowers？〃
〃Smart things。 Gifts。 Vases； ceramics； turquoise jewelry from New Mexico。 Little things like that。〃
〃All right。 I might have some more questions for you。 Try and make a list of Jerry's friends…men and women…and I'll see you then。 If I can't make it tomorrow； I'll call you。 When was the last time you saw Jerry？〃
〃This morning…but you mean before that； don't you？〃
Hoke nodded。
〃About a month ago。 He came by one night and got two shirts； but he only stayed for a few minutes。 He was living in the Grove； but he didn't tell me where； and I didn't ask。 Somebody drove him over and waited for him outside。 He was only here a few minutes。 He just got the shirts and left。〃
〃Who brought him…a man or a woman？〃
〃I don't know。 I was working on some accounts here at the dining table； and didn't go outside with him when he left。〃
〃It doesn't matter。 If you're pressed for money； I can leave you some of this thousand。〃
〃I'm not pressed for money； Sergeant。 What makes you think that？〃
〃I didn't say I thought so。〃 Hoke smiled。 〃I'm always pressed for money； so I guess I usually assume everybody else is； too。 Meanwhile； if you think of anything else about your conversation with those two men； or if they pester you again； call me at the Eldorado Hotel in Miami Beach。 I wrote the number on the back of my card。〃
〃The Eldorado？ That's in South Beach； isn't it？〃
〃Right。 Just off Alton Road； next to the condemned Vizcaya Hotel； on the bay side。〃
〃How can you possibly live in such a terrible place？ If you don't mind my asking。〃
〃When I got my divorce； my wife got the house； the car； the furniture； the children； the weed…eater； my tankful of guppies…the same old story。〃
〃You're not married now； then？〃
〃No。〃 And you've got a very nice house； Hoke thought。
〃Perhaps you can e over for dinner one night？ I've still got all this food。〃
〃Why not？〃 Hoke finished his coffee and got to his feet。 〃There'll be a postmortem on Jerry； but we'll let you know when you can recover the body。〃
〃That's all right。 Harold'll take care of all that。 So tell him； not me。 I don't think he'll want a funeral； but he'll probably call me about that。〃 She walked Hoke to the front door。 〃How e； Sergeant Moseley； you live in Miami Beach； anyway？ I thought it said in the paper that all the Miami police had to live in the city。〃
〃That's a long story； Mrs。 Hickey。 I'll save it for another time。 I don't think those men will e back； but keep the bolt on the door anyway； and if they do e back； don't let them in。 Just call me instead。 All right？〃
〃I will。 Good night； and I'll see you tomorrow。〃
〃Tomorrow。 And thanks for the tuna salad。〃
The rain had stopped； and the dark clouds had moved west over the Everglades。 Hoke drove cautiously on the stillslick streets。 At eight…thirty there was enough light left to drive by without his headlights； because of Daylight Saving Time。 But when he reached the MacArthur Causeway； Hoke turned on his lights anyway。 Some people drove like maniacs across this narrow link to Miami Beach。
Hoke hadn't been laid in four months； and Loretta Hickey； all fresh and sweet…smelling from her shower； had made him horny。 If he had stayed much longer； he might have made a move on her。 But the timing wasn't right。 Her emotions had been drained that morning。 She had discussed Jerry as if he were a stranger。 She had been ing on to him toward the end of their conversation； though。 She knew how sexy she was in that thin floor…length robe。 It was funny how some women were sexy and others were not。 Ellita Sanchez； despite her ample bosom and good legs； didn't do it for him。 But underneath； she probably smouldered。 She was thirty…two； and still lived with her mother and father。 He doubted if she had ever been laid。 On the other hand； her bed was Cuba： The right man could fry an egg on her G…spot。 Living at home that way； and saving her money； she would have one hell of a dowry for some macho Cuban to squander on a sexy mistress some day。 At thirty…two； however； her chances of getting married in the Cuban munity were negligible。 Most of those Cuban girls were married by the time they were eighteen or nineteen。 Ellita was no longer an old maid of twenty…five； officially； after thirty； she was a spinster。
Hoke parked in his marked slot in front of the hotel and glanced up at the electric sign。 The neon spluttered； but it still spelled ELDORADO in misty rose letters。 The shabby lobby was occupied by a half…circle of old ladies watching the flickering television； bolted and chained to the wall； and by four male Cuban residents playing dominoes at an old card table。 By tacit consent； the live…in residents of the hotel kept to their own sides of the lobby。 The only time the Cubans watched TV was when President Reagan； their hero； was on the tube。 The noise at the card table stopped when Hoke crossed the lobby to the desk to check his mail。 Eddie Cohen； the ancient desk clerk； was not behind the desk； and there was no mail in Hoke's box。
Hoke's thoughts kept returning to Loretta Hickey as he made his routine； if perfunctory； security check on each floor on his way up to his suite。 After he made out his report for Mr。 Bennett； which he would leave on the manager's desk in the morning； Hoke undressed and took a tepid shower in his tiny bathroom。 Thinking of Loretta Hickey again； and about how she mu