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wel。
〃I'll go down and get you some more towels and toilet paper；〃 Hoke said； 〃but until this room cools off； you'd better e down to our suite。〃
Hoke left them in his suite to get acquainted； took the elevator downstairs again； and returned with two bath towels； two rolls of toilet paper； and a dozen small bars of soap。 He dropped these off in Ellita's room and returned to his suite。 Ellita was showing the girls her 。38 pistol…although she had taken the precaution of removing the rounds before letting them handle it。
〃Look；〃 Hoke said； 〃I've got to go out this afternoon。 There's not much to do around the hotel； so why don't you take the girls over to the Fifth Street Gym； Ellita； and watch the boxers work out？ Tony Otero； the Puerto Rican lightweight； is preparing for a fight later this month； and he's a pretty good boy。 You can walk over there and kill the rest of the afternoon。 Then this evening； when I e back； I'll take you all out to dinner。〃
〃I thought you said we're not supposed to go out alone；〃 Aileen said。
Hoke pointed to Ellita； who was sitting in the Victorian chair and reloading her pistol。 〃You won't be alone。 Ellita's with you； and she's armed。 You'll be safe with her； and besides； nobody'll bother you in the daytime。 I was going to suggest going to the beach； but I know Ellita hasn't got her suit with her。 It'll rain later this afternoon anyway。〃
〃The sun's out now；〃 Sue Ellen said。 〃How can you tell？〃
〃Because in July it always rains in the afternoon。〃
〃Don't worry about us； Hoke；〃 Ellita said。 〃We'll find something to do。 If you have somewhere to go； go ahead。〃
〃I'm out of cigarettes；〃 Sue Ellen said； 〃and the machine in the lobby takes six quarters for a pack。 Can I have some change for cigarettes？〃
〃No。〃 Hoke took two Kools out of his pack and handed them to her。 〃Better make these two last。 If you can't support your habit on the allowance I gave you； you'll just have to stop smoking till I can find you a job somewhere。〃
Sue Ellen poked out her lower lip。 〃I don't like the menthol kind。〃
Hoke snatched the two Kools back from her and returned them to his pack。
〃When will you be back？〃 Ellita asked。
〃I don't know exactly； but I'll be back before dark。 I've got to go to Coral Gables； and then； if Bill's back from the Metrozoo； I want to talk to him about something。〃
Ellita nodded and started for the bathroom。 As Hoke was on his way out； to his surprise the two girls each kissed him on the cheek。
Hoke parked on the second level of the bus station in Coral Gables； put his police placard in place instead of feeding the meter； and walked over to Miracle Mile； a block away。 The Bouquetique was a narrow shop between a luggage store and a Cuban joyeria。 The flower arrangements in the window were artificial for the most part； and there was no FTD logo； but there were signs for Visa and MasterCard on the glass door。 If Loretta Hickey wasn't a member of FTD； Hoke thought； and had to depend on walk…in customers only； she would be hard…pressed to pay the high rents charged on Miracle Mile。 During the last two years the street had been upgraded and tile sidewalks had been added。 The Mile merchants had all been assessed accordingly for the beautification。
A short Oriental woman was behind the counter。 Behind her a tall； lighted refrigerator held flower arrangements and a huge vase of red roses。 It was cool in the shop； and there was a pleasant odor of freshly cut flowers and ferns。 In a glass…topped case beside the counter were the so…called smart things Loretta Hickey sold as well as flowers。 There were silver bracelets； turquoise rings； earrings and necklaces； and a half…dozen glass paperweights。
〃Yes； sir？〃 the Asian woman said； in a high tiny voice。 She was the woman Hoke had talked to on the phone and had thought was a child。 She stepped back two paces as Hoke moved to the counter； and Hoke wondered why Mrs。 Hickey would hire such a shy woman as a salesperson。 He decided it was because Loretta could probably get her for the minimum wage。
〃Tell Mrs。 Hickey I want to see her。〃
〃She's designing in the back。 I can help you？〃
〃No。 Just tell her Sergeant Moseley is here。〃
The woman pushed through the bamboo curtains that separated the front from the back workroom。 It was almost three minutes before Loretta Hickey came through the curtains。 Her lipstick was freshly applied； and Hoke figured she had redone the rest of her makeup as well。
〃I meant to e earlier；〃 he said； 〃but I was delayed。〃 He opened the envelope and removed the receipt Loretta had already signed。 〃You'd better count it。〃
〃I trust you。〃 She smiled。
〃But cut the cards。〃
Loretta counted the money； replaced it in the envelope； and then put the envelope into the wide front pocket of her blue cotton smock。 Her honey…colored hair was in two braids down her back； and her face was flushed slightly。
〃I was going to ask you out to dinner tonight；〃 Hoke said； 〃but a few other things have e up。〃
〃I thought you were ing to my place for dinner。 I've still got all that ham； and…〃
〃Ham'll keep。 But I won't be free till Monday night。 And I'd prefer to take you out to dinner。 Then； if we don't get enough to eat； we can always go back to your house and snack on the ham。〃
〃All right。 But most restaurants in the Gables are closed Monday nights。〃
〃We don't have to eat in the Gables。 I know a nice place on Calle Ocho。 You like Spanish food？ I don't mean Cuban； I mean Spanish。〃
〃They use so much garlic 。 。 。〃
〃Okay。 Seafood it is； then。〃
〃I'm not picky。 It's just that even when you tell them no garlic they put it in anyway。〃
〃I know a good seafood place。 Incidentally； I talked to Mr。 Hickey； your ex； and he's going to have Jerry cremated。〃
〃Oh？ Have they released the body？〃
〃Not yet。 On Thursday； as I recall； there were about twenty…five P。M。s ahead of him。 They only do six or seven a day； unless there's an emergency； and then they hire extra help。 As you know； if you looked at the paper； there was a fire at the Descanso Hotel last week； and they've got about six charred bodies to identify； too； so…〃
〃I'm sure Harold'll call me when the cremation takes place。 Did he say anything to you about me？〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃About Jerry and me。 Harold had this ridiculous idea that Jerry and I…well； it was just crazy。 There's no way in the world I could ever get interested in a kid like Jerry。〃
〃No； he didn't say anything to me。 But I went through a divorce myself； Loretta； and it always changes people。 In fact； my wife accused me of having an affair with a young woman in the Grove。 At the time of our divorce I was putting in fourteen…hour days； so I wouldn't've had time for anything like that。 Even if I'd had the money it takes for motel rooms。〃
〃I often work twelve…hour days myself。 Right now； I'm making a funeral wreath。 I wish I could get more funerals。〃 She blushed。 〃I didn't mean what you think。〃
〃I know what you meant； and I hope you get more funerals； too。 Anyway； Minrow's Funeral Home will be taking care of Jerry's cremation。 So if you want to add anything to the announcement in the papers； or if you want to invite some of Jerry's friends； you should cal