按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Officer Hannigan； a rangy blonde in her early twenties with purple eye makeup and coral lipstick； opened the door before Hoke and Sanchez reached the front porch。 She had licked or gnawed most of the lipstick from her long lower lip。
〃Don't you have a hat either？〃 Hoke said。
〃It's in the car。〃 She flushed。 〃Besides； Sergeant Roberts said it was optional whether we wore hats or not。〃
〃No；〃 Hoke said； 〃it's not an option。 Any time you're wearing a sidearm； you'll keep your head covered。 If you want me to； I'll explain the reasons why to Sergeant Roberts。〃
〃I'd rather you didn't。〃
〃Where's the decedent？〃
〃Down the hail； in the small bedroom across from the master bedroom。 We didn't go into the room； but I looked at it…the boy； I mean…from the door。 He's an OD all right； and was DOA as reported。〃
〃That's very helpful； Hannigan。 Let's go into the dining area； and we'll see what else you can tell us。〃
The living room； except for two squashy； lemon…colored beanbag seats； was furnished with antique…white rattan furniture； with yellow Haitian cotton cushions on the couch； the armchair； and the ottoman。 There were vases of freshly cut daisies on three low； white Formica…topped tables。 The beige burlap draperies were closed； and three circular throw rugs； the same color as the draperies； were spaced precisely on the waxed terrazzo floor。 The dining area； which held a round Eames pedestal table and four matching chairs； was curtainless。 The open vertical Levolors filled the room with bright morning sunlight。 A blue bowl in the center of the table held a half…dozen Key limes。
〃All right；〃 Hoke said； as he sat at the table； 〃report。〃
〃Report？〃
〃Report。〃 Hoke took a limp package of his specially cutshort Kools out of his jacket pocket； looked at it for a moment and then put it back。 Sanchez； unsmiling； stared at the young woman but did not sit down。 Hannigan clutched her handbag with both hands and cleared her throat。
〃Well； we received the call on the DOA at oh…seventhirty。 I was driving； and we started right over。 There was a mix…up； I guess； and at Flagler we got another call to abort。 But just a few minutes later； before I could find a turnaround； we were told to continue。〃
〃Do you know why？〃
〃No。 They didn't say。〃
〃There was a boundary dispute； that's why。 A block away； on Ficus Avenue； the Hialeah boundary begins。 So at first they thought the DOA should go to Hialeah instead of Miami。 But after they rechecked the map； Miami won the body。 We would have preferred； naturally； to give it to Hialeah。〃 Hoke took out his notebook and ballpoint。 〃Who discovered the decedent？〃
〃The boy's mother； Mrs。 Hickey。 That's Loretta B。 Hickey。 She's divorced； and lives here alone with her son。〃
〃What's the dead child's name？〃
〃He isn't a child。 He's a young man； nineteen or twenty； I'd say； ofthand。〃
〃You said 'boy' before。 How old are you； Hannigan？〃
〃Twenty…four。〃
〃How long you been a police officer？〃
〃Since I graduated from Miami…Dade。〃
〃Don't be evasive。〃
〃Two years。 Almost two years。〃
〃Where's the mother？〃
〃Now？〃
〃If you keep twisting the strap on your handbag； you'll break it。〃
〃Sorry。〃
〃Don't be sorry； it's your purse。 The boy's mother。〃
〃Oh。 She's next door with a neighbor。 Mrs。 Koontz。 The young man's name is 。 。 。 was Jerry Hickey。 Gerald； with a 〃G〃。〃
Hoke wrote the information in his notebook。 〃Has the father been notified？〃
〃I don't know。 Joey； Officer Garcia； didn't notify anyone； and neither did I。 Mrs。 Koontz might've called him。 But we were just told to…〃
〃Okay。 Unlatch that death grip on your purse and dump the contents on the table。〃
〃I don't have to do that！〃 She looked at Sanchez for support； but Sanchez's disinterested expression didn't change。 〃You have no right to…〃
〃That's an order； Hannigan。〃
Hannigan hesitated for a moment； chewing some more on her lower lip。 With a shrug； she emptied the handbag on the table。 Hoke poked through the contents with his ballpoint； separating items that ranged from a half…empty package of Velamints to three wadded balls of used tissues。 He picked up the ostrich…skin wallet。 Tucked between a MasterCard plate and Hannigan's voter's registration card； in a plasticene card case； were two tightly folded one…hundreddollar bills。
〃That's my money；〃 she said。 〃I won it at Jai alai last night。〃
〃Did Garcia win； too？〃
〃Yes！ Yes； he did。 We went together。〃
〃Sit down。〃 Hoke indicated the chair across the table as he got to his feet。 〃Put your stuff back in your purse。〃
Hoke opened the front door and beckoned to Garcia。 As Garcia ambled toward him； Hoke fanned the two bills in his left hand； and extended his right。 〃Let me see your share； Garcia。〃
Garcia hesitated； his brown face mantling with anger。
〃He wants to see our Jai alai winnings！〃 Hannigan called shrilly from the dining area。
Garcia handed over his wallet。 Hoke found eight onehundred…dollar bills； folded and refolded into a tight square； behind the driver's license。
〃That what you call an even split； Garcia？ Eight for you； and only two for Hannigan？〃
〃Well…I found it； not Hannigan。〃
〃Where？〃
〃In plain sight； on top of the dresser。 I…I didn't touch nothing else。〃
〃You and Hannigan are assholes。 Stealing a ten…dollar bill is one thing； but don't you think Mrs。 Hickey would miss a thousand bucks and scream to the department？〃
Garcia looked away。 〃We…we figured the two of us could just deny it。〃
〃Sure。 The way you did with me。 Ever been interrogated by an Internal Affairs investigator？〃
〃No。〃
〃You're lucky then you didn't try to lie to me。 Now hustle your ass next door and get Mrs。 Hickey。 Bring her back over here。〃
〃What…what about the money？〃
〃The money's evidence。〃
〃What I mean； what about me and…？〃
〃Forget about it。 Try and learn a lesson。 That's all。〃
Hoke returned to the dining area。 〃Hannigan； we're going to examine the body。 While we're in the bedroom we can't watch the silverware and you； too； so go back to your car and listen to the radio。〃
The concrete…block…and…stucco house had three bedrooms and one bathroom。 Two of the bedrooms were half the size of the master bedroom。 The bathroom could be entered from the hallway； and also from the master bedroom。 At the back of the house there was also a Florida room that could serve as a second living room； with glass jalousies on three sides。 The back lawn sloped gently to the square milky lake。 A sliding glass door led from the master bedroom to the Florida room； and across the hall from the larger bedroom was the spartan room occupied by the dead Gerald Hickey。
Mrs。 Hickey's bedroom held a round； unmade king…sized bed； with a half…dozen pillows and an array of long…legged nineteenth…century dolls。 There was a pink silk chaise longue； a maple highboy with a matching dresser and vanity table； and a backless settee。 The vanity table； with three mirrors； was littered with unguents； cold creams； and other cosmetics。 The round bed was a tangle of crumpled Laura Ashley sheets in a floral pattern not observed in nature； with a wadded lavender nightgown…and…peignoir bination at the foot of the bed。
Sanchez picked up one of the lon