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…to…wall carpeting was pale blue。 Dominating the living room； however； was a life…size plaster statue of St。 Lazarus in front of the fireplace。 A fireplace in Miami was rarely if ever used； so the Sanchezes had probably decided that St。 Lazarus was a better decorating solution than a pot of tropical plants。 On the carpeting surrounding the statue； and beneath the saint's outstretched； imploring hand； there were dozens of coins； most of them quarters。 It took eight quarters to park and four more quarters to ride the Metrorail； so St。 Lazarus would be a good candidate as the patron saint of Metrorail； Hoke thought。
〃Is Mr。 Sanchez at home？ I'd like to talk with him。〃
Mrs。 Sanchez pursed her lips and shook her head。 〃He's in his room。 This is not a good time； Sergeant。 This is a very bad time。〃
〃I understand。 But tell him I'd like to talk to him later。 Ellita's my partner； you know； and we think a lot of her in the department。 And in the division。 You should be very proud of your daughter； Mrs。 Sanchez。 I've got two daughters of my own； and I'd be happy if they turned out as well as Ellita。〃
〃Thank you。〃 She touched his arm。 〃I'll show you Ellita's room。〃
Ellita's room was the master bedroom at the back of the house； and on the right of the corridor。 She had her own bathroom； too。 Her parents； being so old； probably wanted their own separate； if smaller； bedrooms； and wouldn't mind sharing a bathroom。 There were three sets of curtains on the bedroom windows。 In addition to the layered curtains； there were heavy crimson draperies。 The unmade double bed was layered with pink sheets； a blanket； a forter； and a rose bedspread spaced with embroidered dark red roses。 There were four pillows on the bed； and a reading lamp was clamped to an ornately carved black walnut headboard。 The color TV was on a wheeled cart； so Ellita could watch it from the bed； or from the red velvet upholstered La…Z…Boy。 There was an oil painting of the Virgin in a gilt frame above the vanity table； with a lighted votive candle on a shelf below the painting。 There was a framed color poster of Julio Iglesias on the opposite wall。 The stereo； in a blond wooden cabinet； was directly beneath Julio's poster。
Mrs。 Sanchez slid back the louvered doors to the walk…in closet。 〃Her clothes are here。〃
〃I'll need her purse； too。 It's important that she has her ID； badge； and weapon。 And her checkbook。〃
Mrs。 Sanchez brought Ellita's purse from the dresser。 The 。38 and ID with the badge were in the purse； and so were Ellita's keys； checkbook； and wallet。 There was a corner desk； and Hoke looked through the drawers。 Ellita had a NOW checking account； as well as a regular checking account； so he added this checkbook to the purse。 He also found two white passbooks； they were two 10；000 Certificates of Deposit。 She would need them； too。 He picked up Ellita's gold wristwatch from the bedside table； and dropped it into his jacket pocket。
〃Does she have a suitcase？〃 Hoke asked。 〃Maybe you can help me pick out some clothes？〃
〃There's a box in the garage。〃 Mrs。 Sanchez hurried out of the room。
Hoke took two cream…colored silk blouses from the closet； the kind with long sleeves； and tossed them on the bed。 He removed a black skirt and a red skirt from the closet； and added them to the blouses。 That's all Ellita would need for a couple of days。 In midsummer； she wouldn't need any jackets or sweaters。 He went through her dresser； however； and picked out a purple silk nightgown； two pairs of black silk panties； and two brassieres。 He took a peek at the size； 38…C。 He added a jar of Eucerin； a toothbrush； and a tube of Colgate to the pile； but he did not include the atomizer of Shalimar or Ellita's bottle of musk。 She was wearing enough perfume already； he thought； to last her for a week。 Stockings； she would need stockings。 There was a pair of pantyhose drying in the bathroom。 He tossed the pantyhose on the pile； and then couldn't think of anything else。
Mrs。 Sanchez returned with a cardboard box that had once held a dozen boxes of Tide。
〃Ellita has a train case；〃 she said。 While Hoke packed the clothing into the cardboard box； Mrs。 Sanchez got the train case； a red…and…blue plaid one； down from the closet shelf and packed it with cosmetics and vials from the vanity table； including the Shalimar and the musk and a plastic tree that held a dozen pairs of earrings。
〃I guess this'll do for a few days；〃 Hoke said； 〃but if you would pack the rest of Ellita's stuff； she can e by for it one day when Mr。 Sanchez isn't home。〃
Mrs。 Sanchez started to cry。 She ran into Ellita's bathroom and closed the door。
Hoke decided not to wait for her to e out。 He put the box under his left arm and carried the train case in his right hand as he walked down the corridor to the living room。
Mr。 Sanchez； a short； stocky man with black hair and a gray mustache； wearing green poplin wash pants and a white long…sleeved guayabera； was standing in front of St。 Lazarus。 His short arms were folded across his chest； and he stared at Hoke without expression。
〃Mr。 Sanchez？ I'm Sergeant Moseley； your daughter's partner。〃
〃I have no daughter。〃 Keeping his arms crossed； Mr。 Sanchez turned his back on Hoke and faced the statue。
〃In that case； we have nothing to talk about。〃
Hoke left the house； put the box and the train case down beside the Honda Civic； dug the keys out of the purse； and unlocked the car。 He put the box； purse； and case on the back seat； then shoved the front seat back as far as it would go before maneuvering himself into the driver's seat。
He drove down the block and parked behind his Pontiac。 Ellita was standing on the curb。 Hoke handed her the keys and her wristwatch after he got out of the car。
〃What do you want to do now？〃
〃I don't know；〃 she said。 〃I guess I should find a motel or something； and then look around for an apartment。〃
〃Don't you have a girl friend or a cousin or someone who can put you up for a few days？〃
〃I've got some girl friends； but they live at home too。 Because of the situation； their parents wouldn't want them to get involved。 The same for relatives…even more…because of my father； you see。〃
〃Your father's a fucking asshole。〃
〃Please； don't say that； Sergeant Moseley。 You just don't understand him； that's all。〃
〃I don't want to understand him。 He wouldn't even talk to me； for Christ's sake。 What's more natural than a woman getting pregnant？ That's what women do！〃
〃My mother'll have the priest talk to him。 That might help some。 But I doubt it。〃
〃Jesus！〃 Hoke said； laughing。 〃I forgot all about the girls。 They're still down at the station； and I was going to suggest that we have lunch and discuss what you should do！〃
Hoke told Ellita about his daughters； about how they had arrived in the middle of the night。
〃Why not stay at the Eldorado with us over the weekend？〃 he said finally。 〃By Monday you can phone your mother and see how your father feels about things。 Maybe by Monday he'll want you back； once he realizes that he'll be stuck for the house rent。〃
〃No； he won't。 He knows I'll continue to pay the rent。〃
〃Even after he threw you out？〃
Ellita nodded。 〃My mother lives there； too； y