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〃We aren't going to be here； son。 If you hadn't called me； I would've called you on Monday。 But in ten days； Helen and me are taking a round…the…world cruise on the Q。 E。 II。 Twelve thousand dollars apiece for an inside stateroom； but the boat goes everywhere。 I've never had a real vacation； except for the week of our honeymoon； when Helen and I went to St。 Thomas。 And Helen wanted to go on the Q。E。 II； so that's that。〃
〃I think that's great； Dad。 In ten days； you say。〃
〃That's right。 The boat leaves from New York； but it stops in Fort Lauderdale。 You can bring the girls up to Port Everglades to see us off； and we'll have a little going…away party in the stateroom。 They say it's quite a ship； and I know the girls would like to see it。 My tickets are in the mail； and when I get them I'll leave boarding passes for you； with the stateroom number and so on。 You can meet us on the ship。〃
〃If I can make it； I'd like to see it。 How's Helen； by the way？〃
〃Excited。 She's got a wardrobe trunk and two suitcases packed already； more than enough stuff for three months。 She made me buy a tuxedo。 On the ship； you wear a tux every night。〃
〃Not on the first night； Dad。 The first night out； as I understand it； is informal。〃
〃I know that much from watching 'Love Boat。' But Helen says it won't be the first night out for us because the first night out will be from New York； so I'll have to wear mine。 But I don't mind。 I look pretty good in it for an old man。 Something like that DeLorean fellow； only I'm a lot better…looking。〃 The old man laughed。
〃I'd like to see you in it。〃
〃I'll show it to you on the boat。 I don't like the suspenders though。 They hurt my shoulders。〃
〃Don't wear 'em then。 With the jacket on； nobody'll know。〃
〃Helen will。 She said if you don't wear suspenders； the pants don't hang right。 But I'll be okay。 You give the girls love from Grandpa； and I'll see you all on the boat。〃
〃If I can't make it； I'll let you know。〃
〃Try and make it。 I think you'd like to see the boat； but I also know how busy you are。 If you send me your size； Hoke； I'll get a suit made for you in Hong Kong。〃
〃I don't need a suit； Dad。〃
〃Send me your measurements。 I'll get you one anyway。 A man can always use a new suit； and in Hong Kong they're dirt cheap。 Helen'll get presents for the girls。〃
〃It was nice talking to you； Dad。 Give Helen my best regards。〃
〃I'll tell Helen you called 。 。 。 I'm awful sorry…〃 Frank started to cough； and then he gasped for a moment before catching his breath。 〃Excuse me。 I'm…I'm really sorry about Patsy and that colored ballplayer。〃
〃I don't want to talk about it； Dad。〃
〃Right。 Me neither。 Well； you give the girls my love； hear？〃
〃I will； Dad。 And have a bon voyage。〃
〃Thanks。 I've got to get down to the store。 There's a lot to do before I leave。〃
〃Sure。 And if you send postcards； mail 'em here to the station。 I'm moving； but I don't have my new address yet。〃
〃I can call you from the boat。 There'll be a phone in the stateroom； so I can call the store every day。 So we'll be in touch； son。〃
〃Sure； Dad。 I've got to get to work myself。〃
Hoke hung up the phone； wondering how Helen had managed to talk the old man into a round…the…world cruise。 It was probably the phone in the stateroom that did it； he concluded。 The fact that Frank could call every day and pass on some unneeded advice to his manager had been the clincher。 Nevertheless； even though Frank wouldn't be able to take the girls； Hoke was happy for the old man。 Christ； Frank had all the money in the world from his real…estate deals。 It was about time he spent some of it。
Hoke rechecked the paperwork on the Captain Morrow case； wrote a short covering memo to Major Brownley； and then took the file case into Brownley's empty office and left it on the chief's desk。
Hoke took the next case from his unread stack of files and opened it。 There had been an argument in a bowling alley； and a man named Rodney DeMaris； an ex…Green Beret captain； had gone out to his car； returned to the bowling alley with a 。357 magnum； and shot a bowler named Mark Demarest five times in the chest。 The five holes in Demarest's chest； fired at close range； could be covered by a playing card。 Hoke looked at the Polaroid shot of Demarest's chest； taken at the P。M。 by the pathologist； and marveled at the tight pattern。 DeMaris had then driven away and disappeared。 Hoke wondered why Brownley had selected this old case； dating back five years； and then he found a Xeroxed page from a detective's notebook stating that a man who looked something like DeMans had been seen in town two weeks ago； driving a green 1982 Plymouth。 The officer had tried to stop the driver； but the suspect had evaded him on 1…95。 That wasn't much of a lead； the detective didn't even get the license number of the Plymouth。 The detective wasn't positive that the man had been DeMaris； but the fact that the suspect refused to stop had reinforced the possible identification。 Hoke decided not to waste any time on that one。 What was he supposed to do…drive around town looking for a green Plymouth？ Hoke put the file to one side； and reached for the next one。
The phone rang。 It was Ellita Sanchez； and she was crying。
〃I'm so glad you answered； Sergeant Moseley；〃 she sobbed。 〃I've been trying to call your hotel 。 。 。〃 Ellita was crying so hard Hoke had difficulty understanding her。 She was also talking over band music…some kind of frantic salsa。 He could hear horns honking and street noises in the background。
〃Where're you calling from？ I can hardly hear you。〃
〃Just a second…don't hang up！〃
〃I'm not going to hang up。 Try and calm down a little。〃
As Hoke listened； trying to pick Ellita's voice out of the background noises； Lieutenant Slater came into his office。 His white； pockmarked face loomed above the desk like a dead planet。 He wore a blue shirt with a white collar and white barrel cuffs； and the vest and black raw…silk trousers of his five hundred…dollar suit。
〃What're those girls doing down in Number Three？〃
〃Just a minute； Slater； I'm talking to my partner。〃
〃I'm at the little cafeteria outside the La paflIa Supermarket at Ninth Avenue and Eighth Street；〃 Ellita was saying。 〃Can you e right away？〃 She had stopped crying and her voice was calm。
〃I guess so。 What's the matter？〃
〃I'll tell you when you get here。 It's an emergency； of my own； and I don't know what to do。 Do you have any money？〃
〃A little。 How much do you need？〃
〃A dollar。 I've had three coffees； and I want to give the cafeteria lady a quarter for using her phone。〃
〃I've got that much。 I'll be there as soon as I can。〃
〃Please hurry。〃
〃I'll be right there。 Everything will be all right。〃
Hoke put the phone down。 Slater was still glaring down at him。
〃Those girls are my daughters； Lieutenant。 Why？ What's the matter？〃
〃You should've checked them in with me； that's what's the matter。〃
〃You weren't at your desk when we came in。〃
〃I was at my desk when you sneaked that file into Major Brownley's office。〃
〃I didn't sneak it in； I took it in。〃
〃Everything's supposed to go through me。 Otherwise； I won't know what's going on around here。〃
〃Take a loo