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〃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； you know。〃
〃How much do you pay？〃
〃Five…fifty a month。〃
〃You can rent a damned nice one…bedroom apartment for that much…already furnished。〃
She shook her head。 〃Does the Eldorado have any empty rooms？〃
〃Plenty。 You know where it is。 Drive on over； and I'll meet you in the lobby after I pick up the girls。 But don't sign in…I'll negotiate a deal for you。〃
Hoke got into his car and let Ellita drive away first before he switched on the engine and the air conditioner。
He didn't understand women at all； he decided。 He had considered Ellita Sanchez a mature； responsible woman； and he had discovered in her a young； frightened child； in some things no more grown…up emotionally than his own teenage daughters。 But she was his partner； so he would have to look after her until she decided what she wanted to do。
And Hoke had other things on his mind。 He wanted to see Loretta Hickey sometime this afternoon。 There were only a couple of loose ends to tie up on Jerry Hickey's OD； and then he was almost certain he could get something on with Loretta。 He could tell when a woman was ing on to him； and it wouldn't take much effort on his part to get Loretta bedded。
Hoke drove back downtown to the station。 He drove cautiously； as a man had to do to survive in Miami traffic； but when the way was obviously clear； he drove through red lights and only paused at stop signs to shift。
13
Slater and the two girls were at the lieutenant's desk。 The executive officer was showing them slides of homicide victims on a viewer he had set up。 Some of the slides were in color and others were in black and white； but the photos were graphically clear on the lighted； eight…by…ten…inch glass screen。
〃I've been showing the girls some pictures； Hoke；〃 Slater said。 〃Explaining some cases。 You worked on the Merkle shotgun case； didn't you？ The one we called the 'Laura' case because her face was unrecognizable？〃
〃That was Quevedo's case；〃 Hoke said； 〃but I did some legwork for him。 I think we all did。 They caught the perp when he tried to sell the gold chain。 It was a driveway killing； girls。 This guy followed Mrs。 Merkle home from the supermarket because she was wearing a heavy gold chain around her neck。 He shot her for the chain and about forty bucks worth of groceries。 Any woman who wears a gold chain is asking for it in Miami。 And if she wears it every day； she can count on somebody snatching it eventually。 But this guy was a crazy。 He didn't have to kill her。 You girls don't wear neck chains； do you？〃
Sue Ellen and Aileen； still staring wide…eyed at the gory face on the screen； shook their heads。
〃Don't do it； girls；〃 Slater said。 〃They usually work in pairs； driving around town till they spot someone。 Then one guy jumps out； snatches the purse and chain； gets back in the car； and they drive off。 They're hard to catch because the woman usually gets hysterical and can't remember； half the time； whether the perps were black or white。 Our problem with Mrs。 Merkle was that even though we knew who she was； we couldn't prove it for a while。 There were no fingerprints of hers on file either； so we couldn't get an ID。 She was unrecognizable； as you can plainly see； and we were trying to identify her from an oil painting…a portrait…instead of a photo。 But the people who knew her said the painting didn't look like her； and they wouldn't give us a positive ID。 That's why we called it the 'Laura' case； from the old movie with Clifton Webb。 It was a pretty good movie； too。 If it es back on late TV some night； you girls oughta see it。〃
Hoke laughed。 〃We kidded Quevedo about falling in love with the oil painting。 Eventually he got so pissed we had to stop。 What made it so funny was that Quevedo had never heard of the movie； so he didn't even know what we were kidding him about。 Besides； no one could've loved that face in the painting。〃
Slater laughed。 〃I remember now。 I'd forgotten about that part of it。〃
〃I appreciate you looking after the girls； Lieutenant。 But I'll take 'em off your hands now。〃
〃Your partner okay； Hoke？ No trouble？〃
〃No； no； she's fine。 She just wanted me to take a look at a guy she thought she recognized at the supermarket。 But he was gone before I got there。 Thank the lieutenant； girls。〃
〃Thank you； Lieutenant Slater；〃 Sue Ellen said。 〃Especially for the dessert。〃
〃Thank you；〃 Aileen said。
They went back to Hoke's office as Slater began to put his slides away。
〃We got the special；〃 Sue Ellen said。 〃Macaroni and cheese； but didn't have enough money left over for dessert。 So Lieutenant Slater bought us apple pie。〃
〃That was nice of him； but don't ever let him get you anything else。 Slater's not into altruism； so…〃
〃What？〃
〃Never mind。〃 Hoke sat down behind his desk and looked at Sue Ellen。 〃I'll just say that Slater likes to have everybody under some kind of obligation to him 。 。 。 but don't worry about it。 Did you finish the letters to your mother？〃
〃I couldn't think of anything to write；〃 Sue Ellen said。
〃Me neither；〃 said Aileen。
〃Bring the paper and pens with you。 You might be able to think of something later。 We've got to get back to the Eldorado now； and then you can meet my partner。 She's going to be staying at the hotel with us for a few days。〃
〃You've got a lady detective partner？〃 Aileen said。
〃That's right； and she's a good one； too。〃
〃Think I could be a detective？ When I grow up？〃
〃No。 The best career for a girl is marriage。 Even my partner； who's a very good detective； probably wishes she was married now。 But don't mention that to her。〃
Hoke unlocked his desk drawer； retrieved the envelope of money for Mrs。 Hickey； and then drove the girls back to the Eldorado Hotel。
Ellita Sanchez was waiting for them in the lobby； and Hoke introduced her to Eddie Cohen as his partner。 There was an empty room two doors down from Hoke's suite； and Hoke told Eddie to give Ellita the professional rate…or 10 percent off the ten…dollar daily room charge。
〃I don't think Mr。 Bennett'll go for that；〃 Eddie said。
〃If he doesn't；〃 Hoke said； 〃tell him to talk to me。〃
After Ellita registered； they went upstairs。 Hoke carried Ellita's cardboard box； and Sue Ellen carried the train case。 The small room was hot and musty； but the window air conditioner worked after Hoke switched it on and kicked it a couple of times。 Hoke registered the expression on Ellita's usually impassive face； he detected depression beneath her attempt to smile。 The scarred linoleum floor had sections missing； and the furnishings； a metal cot with a thin mattress and patched sheets； a straight ladder…backed chair； and a dented three…drawer metal dresser…all painted dead…white…pleted the inventory。 The cracked gray walls had been painted with a cheap water…based paint； and the walls were powdery to the touch。 The faucets in the bathtub and sink dripped。 The washbasin； with most of the enamel missing； was rusty。 There was no toilet paper in the bathroom； and there was only one face towel。
〃I'll go down and get you some more towels and toile