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rd wedding gifts at a reception。 There's fifty bucks in it； less Slater's ten percent for giving you the job； but you have to wear your uniform。 That isn't bad； Hoke； fifty bucks for drinking champagne for three hours while you just stand around。 But I couldn't take it because I promised Marie I'd take her and the kids to the Metrozoo。 Now if you can use fifty bucks； Hoke； you could get the job if you asked Slater。〃
〃My uniform's too loose on me now； Bill。 But I wouldn't take it anyway。 When I made sergeant； I promised myself I wouldn't do any more moonlighting。 I'm not uptight about it； and I could use the dough； but I resent Slater's ten percent rake…off。 I've told him so； and that's why he never asks me to take any moonlighting jobs。 So if I asked him for this one； he'd think I'd changed my mind。〃
〃I know what you mean。 I was just passing along the suggestion。 The other reason I'm late； I had to talk to my son this morning。 I had a note from his P。E。 coach that Jimmy won't take a shower after P。E。〃
〃How old is Jimmy now？〃
〃Fourteen。 I asked him about it； and he said he doesn't want the other boys looking at his thing。〃
〃Is it too big or too small？〃
〃I don't know。 He won't show it to me either。 But he was stubborn about it； so I gave him a note to take to the coach； telling him that Jimmy has scabies。 I said he couldn't take showers until he got through using sulfur ointment to get rid of it。〃
〃He'll have to take a shower sooner or later。〃
〃I know。 But Jimmy's sensitive； Hoke。 Daphne's a year younger； and she's tougher than he is。 If they'd let her； she'd take a shower with the boys in Jimmy's place。〃
〃That's because your wife's in NOW。 Does Marie let Daphne read her Ms。 magazines？〃
〃Daphne doesn't read anything。 And she hasn't learned a fucking thing in school。 Last week； she asked me when we were going to have the next Bicentennial celebration。 She still reads at the third…grade level。 But she isn't dumb。 She can watch a mystery on the tube； and tell you who the guilty person is before the first mercial。 I thought she might have dyslexia； but I had her tested and her eyes are okay。 She just doesn't like to read。 But Jimmy's read my entire Doc Savage collection already； and most of my Edgar Rice Burroughs Mars books。〃
〃I don't know whether my daughters can read or not。〃
〃Do you ever miss 'em；Hoke？ The girls？〃
〃No。 I mean； I do once it a while。 。 。 but I don't。 They were real little when they left； and I didn't know them that well。 I'm just not a family man。〃
The three of them worked until eleven…thirty； and then Hoke checked his in…box in the office。 There were two phone messages to call Harold Hickey； in addition to the regular distribution。 The second telephone message from Hickey said he would be at home all day。 There were no lab reports； and nothing pressing to answer in the mail。
Hoke told Henderson and Ellita that he was going out for a few hours； and suggested that the two of them break for lunch。
〃I should be back before four o'clock； but I've got some house…hunting to do。〃
〃Don't rush into anything； Hoke；〃 Henderson said。 〃If push es to shove； I can always put you up on a cot in my Florida room for a few days。〃
〃Thanks； Bill； but I don't get along too well with Marie； as you know。 She's always accusing me of making a sexist remark； and I never know what she's talking about。〃
〃I didn't mean on a permanent basis。 But it would be better to sleep in my Florida room for a few days than to get a suspension without pay。〃
〃Thanks； Bill。 If I have to take you up on it； I will。 Anyway； if I'm not back by four…thirty； lock the files up in my office and we'll start on 'em again Monday。 Until we start work on an actual case or two； we'll just put in a normal eight…hour day。〃
〃I might e in tomorrow for a couple of hours；〃 Ellita said。
〃That's up to you。 But you don't have to…anyway； I should be back before four。〃
Hoke left the office and drove to Hallandale； but he took U。S。 1 instead of the I…95 Expressway。 About once a month； when Hoke had to be in the north part of town； he stopped at Sam's Sandwich Shoppe for a tongue on rye。 Hoke didn't abuse the privilege （once a month was just about right）； but he liked to stop at Sam's because Sam always tore up his lunch check。 Not only was the sandwich free； but except for Wolfie's in Miami Beach； Sam made the best tongue sandwiches in Dade County。
7
The guard at the sentry box outside the Hallandale Mercury Club wore a powder…blue uniform； a gold cap with a black bill； and a shiny black…patent…leather Sam Browne belt； plete with holster。 There was no weapon in the holster。 The man held a Lucite clipboard in his left hand and a one…ounce paper cup of Cuban coffee in his right。 Droplets of coffee from the guard's thick mustache had dribbled onto the light…blue jacket。
Hoke stopped at the lowered black…and…yellow…striped semaphore arm。 The guard looked at his clipboard； and at his coffee； then put the cup down； realizing that he would need his right hand to write on the pad in the clipboard。
〃Ramon Novarro；〃 Hoke said； 〃to see Mr。 Harold Hickey。〃
The guard looked at his mimeographed sheet； found Hickey's name and apartment number； and wrote 〃R。 Novarro〃 opposite Hickey's name。 He checked Hoke's auto tag number； added that to the clipboard； and pushed a button that raised the arm。
〃Apartment 406；〃 the guard said。
Hoke drove through the gate； parked on the grassy verge； and walked back to the gatehouse。 The pact plex of clubhouse and three separate low…rise apartment buildings was enclosed by a buff…colored ten…foot wall。 The wall was topped with three strands of barbed wire。 Two locked gates on the ocean side； opening to the marina and the beach； were marked 〃Members。〃 Hoke assumed that members held keys to both gates。
〃How do you know；〃 Hoke asked the guard； 〃that my name's Ramon Novarro？〃
〃What？〃
〃I said； 'How do you know my name's Ramon Novarro？' You didn't ask me for any ID。 You didn't look very hard to see if I was 'armed； either。〃 Hoke took his 。38 out of the belt holster； showed it to the guard； and returned it。
〃In fact；〃 Hoke continued； 〃you don't know who I am； or who I'm going to see。 All you know is that Harold Hickey has an apartment here； and you knew that much before I drove up to the gate。 Why didn't you call Mr。 Hickey and tell him that a Mr。 Ramon Novarro was here to see him？ He might've told you that Novarro is dead； and has been dead； for several years。〃
Hoke showed the guard his shield and ID folder。 〃I'm a police officer。 How much they pay you； three sixty…five an hour？〃
〃No； sir。 Four dollars。〃
〃For what you aren't doing； that's a good sum。〃
Hoke got back into his car； drove to the guest parking area in front of the clubhouse； and made a guess。 If the three buildings were each three stories； and they were； Apartment 406 should be in Building Two on the first floor。 He was right。 He lifted and dropped the brass knocker on Hickey's front door three times。 The door was opened by a Filipino houseboy； actually a wizened man of about sixty wearing pink linen trousers； a gray silk house jacket and a white shirt with a black bow tie。 He led Hoke down