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shook her head。 〃Don't worry。 I'm not going to cry again。〃
〃What did you do to him？ You don't have to tell me； of course。〃
〃I'm pregnant； Hoke。 Seven weeks。 I've known for a week now； and this morning I told my mother。 I told her not to say anything to him； but I should've known better。 She tells him everything。〃
Hoke nodded and lit a Kool。 〃That explains why you started crying when I was talking to Captain Morrow in his room。 You didn't know his wife was pregnant when he killed her…〃
〃Of course I knew！〃 Ellita widened her eyes。 〃I read the file。 I'm not that unprofessional； Hoke。 I was crying out of frustration because of the damned battery on the tape recorder 。 。 。〃
Hoke saw that he had touched a nerve。 He decided to try to make Ellita feel better about having told her mother。
〃You couldn't hide a pregnancy from your father； Ellita。 He'd've found out sooner or later； unless you got an abortion。 But you've still got plenty of time for that。〃
〃I can't get an abortion； Hoke。 A baby's got a living soul。〃
〃Soul or no soul； a lot of women do。 What's the father got to say about it？〃
〃The father doesn't know about the baby。 He doesn't even know my last name。 I don't know his last name either； but I can find out easily enough。 His first name's Bruce。 That's all I know right now。〃
Hoke smoked his Kool and sat back。 He didn't have to ask any more questions。 She was going to tell him about it now anyway； whether he wanted to hear it or not。
〃I didn't date Bruce； Hoke。 It was just one of those things that happens。 All I ever do； it seems； is work； go home； sleep； and then pull my shift again。 I should've moved out and got my own apartment years ago。 But Cuban girls don't do things like that； because we can't give our parents a valid reason。 How e； your parents want to know； you want to rent an apartment and be lonely； and go to all that expense； when you can live fortably at home？ It makes no sense to them for an unmarried girl to leave home。 With a son it's a little different； but even then they don't like it。 But it didn't make any sense to me either； economically。 I'm very fortable at home。 I pay the rent on the house； but my parents pay for everything else…utilities and food。 I've got my own bedroom； my own TV set and stereo。 My mother works part…time in Hialeah； at the Golden Thread garment factory。 My father's with Triple…A Security。 He's not just a security guard； either。 He's in personnel and hires all the Latin guards because he's more or less bilingual。〃
〃He has a little English； you mean。〃
〃Enough。 Much more than my mother。 We speak Spanish at home。 What I'm trying to say； I guess； is that I somehow got into a rut； a fortable rut。 But for the last two years； ever since my thirtieth birthday； I felt that life was passing me by。 It was ridiculous to be a thirty…year…old virgin； and yet I never met anyone I liked； or who liked me well enough to…well； to pressure me。 And it didn't help that I had to be home by ten…thirty when I did go out。〃
〃You're kidding。 Ten…thirty？〃
〃You don't know Cuban fathers。 It's his house and his rules； I'm telling you。〃
〃But you pay the rent…〃
〃That doesn't matter。 What else would I do with my money…living at home？ With three ines； even though my mother just does piecework； there's plenty of money for whatever we need。 My mother cooks and cleans the house； and I don't do much of anything。 I studied hard at Miami…Dade。 Except for the one F I got in philosophy； I had straight As。〃
〃I know。 I checked your records。 And so； one night； you went out； and…〃
〃That's right。 On a Friday night； which is the big night in Coconut Grove； not Saturday…〃
〃I know； Ellita。 If you don't get something lined up on Friday night； you don't have anyone for the weekend。〃
〃I went to the Taurus； and it was jammed。 I met Bruce in the bar。 He bought me a drink； and then I bought him one。 He was nice…looking。 Blue eyes。 He wore a suit and tie。 A detail man for a pharmaceutical firm； he said。 We went to his apartment instead of getting a third drink。 This wasn't any Silhouette romance； Hoke。 We went straight at it； Bruce because that's what he does on Friday nights； and me because I wanted to have the experience。 It was a little exciting； I guess； but not what I expected。〃
〃And because you were drunk you didn't take any precautions。〃
〃I wasn't drunk； Hoke。 I wasn't even high。 Bruce had a vasectomy； he told inc。 I didn't believe him at first； and then he showed me the two little scars on his balls。〃
〃On his scrotum； you mean。〃
〃On his scrotum； right。〃 She managed a little laugh。 〃We did it twice。 Then I took a shower in his apartment； got dressed； and I was still home before ten…thirty。 Bruce was very nice； a lot younger than me； about twenty…five； I'd say。〃
〃But a liar。〃
〃I guess so。 Now。 But he did have those two little scars。 Maybe he had the operation and it didn't take。〃
〃More likely； he didn't want to wear a raincoat。 I can find out for you。 Remember where he lives？〃
She nodded。 〃I know where he lives； but I don't want to see him again。 I don't want him to know I'm pregnant。 I'll just go ahead and have my baby and take care of it。 But right now I'm scared。 I've never been away from home overnight before by myself； can you believe that？ And I don't have my gun； my badge； my checkbook； or my car。 I'll need my clothes； too。〃
Hoke sat for a moment； thinking。 Then he put the car in gear。
〃All right； let's go； Ellita。 I'll get your stuff for you。〃
12
Ellita didn't want her parents or neighbors to see her； so Hoke parked a block away from the Sanchez residence and walked the rest of the way to the house。 It was much bigger than Hoke had expected； a three…bedroom concrete…blockand…stucco house with a flat； white gravel roof and an attached garage。 The front lawn was freshly mown； and there were beds of blue delphiniums on both sides of the front porch。 Ellita's brown Honda Civic was parked in the driveway。 Old man Sanchez probably kept his own car in the garage。 His house； his rules。
Hoke opened the gate in the white picket fence and glanced curiously at the shrine to Santa Barbara in the yard。 The shrine was fashioned of oolite boulders and mortar； in the recess there was a blue vase of daisies and ferns at the feet of the not quite life…sized plaster statue of Santa Barbara。
The front door opened before Hoke could ring the bell。 Mrs。 Sanchez waited in the doorway。 If she had been crying； as Ellita claimed； she didn't look like it。 She was a handsome woman； about two inches shorter than Ellita； and her black hair was streaked with gray。 Her features were delicate； and she had brown luminous eyes。
〃I'm Sergeant Moseley； Mrs。 Sanchez。 I've e to pick up some of Ellita's things。〃
〃e in； Sergeant。〃 Mrs。 Sanchez stepped back。 〃Ellita's told us a lot about you。〃
Hoke entered the living room。 There was a bright yellow velvet couch against the wall； a matching easy chair was in one corner； and there was an abundance of black wooden furniture； carved with pear and leaf patterns； in both the living room and dining room。 The wall…to…wall carpeting was pale blue。 Dominating the living room； however； was a life…size plaster statu