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The window air conditioner labored away while he dressed （today he wore the yellow leisure suit）； and then he made a final check of the room to see if he had forgotten anything。 Today was Friday； and his sheets wouldn't be changed until Saturday morning。 The sitting room was a mess； and there was a pile of dirty laundry in the corner of the bedroom。 The Peruvian maid would pick up his laundry when she changed the sheets and bring it back on Saturday evening。 There was a sour； locker…room smell in both rooms。
Hoke checked his 。38 Chief's Special； slipped it into his holster； and clipped the holster into his belt at the back。 He would be reading most of the day； so he left his handcuffs and leather sap on the dresser before going down to the lobby。
As Hoke took his daily report into Mr。 Bennett's office； Eddie Cohen； the desk clerk； called to him from the desk。
〃Sergeant Moseley；〃 the old man said； 〃you had a call about three A。M。； but I told the lady I couldn't wake you up unless it was an emergency。 She said it wasn't an emergency； and she didn't give her name。 But I wouldn't wake nobody at three o'clock in the morning for nothing。〃
〃Thanks； Eddie。 What did she sound like？ The caller； I mean？〃
〃Like a woman。 It was a woman's voice； that's all。〃
〃Okay。 If she happens to call back today； try and get her name and number。 The plug on my air conditioner was pulled out again when I got to my room last night。 I've told you before not to pull it out。 The room was like a damned oven with the burners on high when I came home。〃
〃Mr。 Bennett sends me around to pull out the plugs when nobody's home。 If no one's in the room； it just wastes energy； he said。〃
〃I understand your position； Eddie； but that rule doesn't apply to me。 It takes about two hours for that beat…up air conditioner to cool off the suite。 Also； tell Emilio to set some rat traps around the dumpster again。 I spotted two Norways in the back corridor last night。〃
〃It ain't the dumpster they're after。〃 Eddie shook his head。 〃These old ladies put their garbage in the hallways instead of taking it down to the dumpster。〃
〃Never mind。 Have Emilio set the traps。 I put it in my report to Mr。 Bennett。 He can pay off the inspectors； but if one of these old ladies ever gets bitten by a Norway； they'll e down on us again。〃
Hoke got into his car； wondering why he should be concerned。 Within a week； he'd have to get out of the hotel anyway。 He didn't know where he would be； but he would be somewhere else。 With all of the money he owed； a suspension without pay would be a disaster。 And any time his check to Patsy was more than a day late； he got a threatening call from her bitchy lawyer。
When Hoke got to the station at seven…thirty； he learned that Ellita was already there and had moved all of the cold case files down to the interrogation room。 He sent her down to the cafeteria to get coffee and a jelly doughnut。 He hadn't felt like poaching eggs； and boiling two more； on his hot plate this morning； now his stomach rumbled with hunger。 He divided the huge pile into three more or less even stacks without counting them。 He also got some legal pads and Bic ballpoints from his office。 Sanchez returned with three coffees and Hoke's doughnut。
〃Sergeant Henderson's still out there in the bullpen talking to Lieutenant Slater and Teddy Gonzalez；〃 she said； 〃but I brought coffee for him； too。 Are you going to brief Teddy on what we've been doing？〃
〃Gonzalez'll be busy enough as it is。 For now； we'll hang onto our own cases。 There's only the one child…abuse case and a suicide。 We can plete them and handle the cold cases； too。〃
〃But Major Brownley said…〃
〃I know what he said。 But there's no hurry on our pending cases。 After we get the P。M。； we can close out the Hickey overdose case； too。 I talked to Mrs。 Hickey last night and found out that the kid was in over his head。 Two guys came around yesterday afternoon and told her that Hickey had ripped them off for twenty…five thousand bucks。〃
〃There was only a thousand in his room。〃
〃I know。 I'm giving it to her today。 What I figure； Hickey stashed the money somewhere； and then was so excited by the idea that he gave himself a stronger fix than he thought he was getting。〃
Ellita nodded。 〃It could've happened that way。 But Mrs。 Hickey could've also taken the extra twenty…four thousand and left the thousand on top of the dresser。〃
〃No。〃 Hoke shook his head。 〃She wouldn't do that。〃
〃You told me yesterday that an amateur never takes it all； and that only pros take everything。〃
〃That's true as a general rule； but it doesn't apply to Mrs。 Hickey。 I talked to her for a long time； and she isn't the kind of woman who'd steal from her stepson。〃
〃Jerry isn't her son？〃
〃No； she inherited him from her ex…husband； along with the house； when they got divorced。〃
〃It's a possibility； just the same。〃
〃No way。 She's a successful businesswoman； with her own flower shop in the Gables。 Forget about it。 We've got a lot of work to do。〃
Sanchez watched him and sipped her coffee。
Hoke took off his jacket and draped it over the back of the folding chair。 He had been wearing the same shortsleeved flowered sports shirt for three days； and there were three concentric white rings of dried sweat under the armpits。 He wouldn't have a clean shirt until Saturday evening。 The windowless room was cool enough； with plenty of cold air ing through the ducts； but he realized that if he could smell the dried perspiration on his shirt； Ellita could； too。 So what？ He could smell her overdose of Shalimar perfume； with an extra overlay of added musk。 Like most Cuban women； she used too much perfume。
〃Just take a stack；〃 Hoke said； 〃and read them all。 When I get through my stack we'll exchange。 After we've read all the cases； we'll each vote on the three most likely cases to work on。 Then we'll see what we've got。 Take your time； Ellita。 My idea's to discover the ten most likely cases。 If we all e up with the same ten； we'll have a consensus。 But we won't look at each other's choices till we've each gone through all fifty of them。 I don't want to prejudice you or Bill by telling you my choices as we go along。〃
〃You won't。 But we won't get through all these cases today。〃
Hoke shrugged。 〃We've got two months。 But the ones we do agree on； even if it takes us a week； will save us a lot of useless running around later。〃
They went to work； not speaking； and taking occasional notes。 Bill Henderson joined them at nine…thirty。 Hoke briefed him on the plan； and Henderson moved his stack down to the far end of the table。
〃That extra cup of coffee's yours； Bill；〃 Hoke said。
〃Thanks； Ellita；〃 Henderson said； removing the plastic lid。 He sipped the coffee and made a face。 〃Christ； it's stone cold。 I'll go down for some more。 Anybody else ready for more coffee？〃
〃I'll get it；〃 Ellita said； getting up。 〃I didn't think you'd be out there so long with Slater and Gonzalez。〃
When she was gone； Henderson got up and sat on the table next to Hoke。 〃I was already late this morning in the first place； and then I had to argue with Slater。 He wanted me to go over tomorrow afternoon to Miami Beach and guard wedding gifts at a r