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s Bruce guy she picked up was a one…night stand； but she must've experimented at least a few times before she met him。 Hell； she went to Shenandoah Junior High； Southwest High； and Miami…Dade。〃
〃Think about what you just said for a minute； Hoke。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃You've got two teenage girls now； that's what I mean。 Fourteen and sixteen； right？ Have you talked to them about sex yet？ If you don't talk to them soon and get them on the pill； you could have three pregnant girls on your hands before school starts。〃
〃I hate to think about anything like that。〃
〃You have to； Hoke。 You're a father now； and you don't know what Patsy told them； or if she told them anything。 Over on Miami Beach there's teenage boys running around with perpetual hard…ons； and they can talk a couple of provincial girls from Vero Beach into doing damned near anything。〃
〃Okay； I'll talk to them。 You want another brew？〃
〃I'll get 'em。〃
Henderson went over to the bar to order。 Hoke had wanted some advice； but not the kind he was getting。 Henderson came back with two frosted mugs of beer。
〃You ever talked to your kids about sex； Bill？〃
〃That's Marie's department。 I might talk to Jimmy a little later and give him the standard lecture。 I've warned them about drugs。 Cripes； even the kids in elementary school are smoking pot already。〃
〃I've got to find a decent place to live； Bill。 That's my first priority。〃
〃Why don't you borrow some money from the credit union？〃
〃I owe 'em too much already。 I'm still paying for last year's vacation and for the new engine in my car。 But I'll be a little better off now； because I won't have to send Patsy any more paychecks。〃
〃Do you want to bring Ellita and the girls over to the house for dinner tomorrow？ I can barbecue some burgers in the back yard； and we can drink a few beers。 It'll get Ellita's mind off her troubles。〃
〃I'll take a raincheck； Bill。 I'm gonna spend the day looking for a house； or maybe a two…bedroom apartment。〃
The afternoon rain began； and the temperature in the air…conditioned bar dropped immediately。 The bartender switched off the overhead fans。 Hoke looked through the window。 The rain came down so hard and the sky was so dark； it was difficult to see across Red Road。
〃I haven't been much help； have I？〃 Bill said。
〃Sure you have； Bill。 Sometimes just talking about things is enough。 The problem is I've got girls instead of boys。 If they were boys； I could give 'em ten bucks apiece； tell 'em to hitchhike out to the West Coast for the rest of the summer。 Then； by the time they came back； I'd have everything straightened out。〃
〃Would you do that？〃
〃Why not？ That's what my old man did for me when I was sixteen。 When I got out to Santa Monica； I worked on a live…bait boat and saved enough money to ride the Greyhound back to Riviera Beach。 I had a great summer out there in California； even though the ocean was too damned cold to swim in。 But you can't do something like that with girls。 I'll get them jobs next week； though。 If they're working all day； they won't get into any trouble。〃
〃I might be able to help you there； Hoke。 Marie knows a lot of people。 Sue Ellen can get a work permit。 But Aileen； all you can get for her is maybe a baby…sitting job。 You have to be sixteen to get a work permit。〃
〃I'll worry about that next week。 But if you can find something for Sue Ellen； I'd appreciate it。〃
〃I'll talk to Marie。〃
〃You want another beer； Bill？〃
〃I don't think so。 To tell you the truth； I feel a little guilty about taking the day off。 Teddy Gonzalez called me at home last night。 He's stuck on the triple murder in Liberty City； and Slater's no help at all。 These three guys…all of them black…were tied hand and foot with copper wire； and then machine…gunned from the doorway。 We know the killer was in the doorway because of the way the empty cartridges were scattered； and because there were no powder burns on the victims。 Two were dead when the patrol car got there； and the third guy died before the ambulance arrived。〃
〃It sounds like a professional hit。〃
〃More like a semi…professional hit； Hoke。 The guy said 'Leroy' before he died。 A pro would've made sure they were all dead before leaving。〃
〃Just 'Leroy'？ Nothing else？〃
〃That's all。 There was no evidence of drugs in the house。 The neighbors said these three guys had been living there about a week。 We got an ID on all of them； but none of them was a Leroy。〃
〃Christ； Bill； there must be ten thousand men named Leroy in Liberty City。〃
〃It could've been worse。 He could've said 'Tyrone。' Anyway； Slater told Teddy Gonzalez to check out everyone in the neighborhood named Leroy。 In the first place； no one wants to talk to a white cop down there； especially a Latin cop； and Teddy's been running into problems without a partner。 That's why he called me； and I didn't know what to tell him。〃
〃What about Leroy's floating crap game？〃 Hoke said； taking a sip of beer。 〃I don't know if it's still in business； but Leroy's game used to move around the neighborhood in the vicinity of Northside； and that might be what the guy was talking about； or trying to say。 Tell Teddy to check out the game。 If it's still around； that might be a lead。〃
〃I never worked in Liberty City。 Where was the game？〃
〃Tell Teddy to check the files。 Leroy's game was busted a few times； and he moved it around a lot； but the game was always in the vicinity of the Northside Shopping Center； because that was where the gamblers had to park。 They had to walk to the game from there。 Tell him to check with some of the patrol cars in the area。〃
〃I don't know； Hoke。 But it's a better lead than trying to check ten thousand Leroys who won't open the door。 I'll give Teddy a ring when I get home。〃
〃Sure you don't want another beer？〃
〃I don't think so。 I didn't really want this one。 It's still early； I think I'll drive over and look at the Toros。〃 Henderson got up； slapped Hoke on the shoulder； and pushed through the swinging doors into the rain。
The Clash was playing 〃London Calling〃 on the jukebox。 Hoke strained to listen； trying to make out the lyrics； but could only understand every third or fourth word。 The whole song made no sense to him。 He finished his beer and the rest of Henderson's。
Hoke drove back to Miami Beach in the pelting rain。 He drove slowly。 He was in no hurry to get back to the hotel。 His little suite was no longer a sanctuary； it was full of females with unresolved problems。
15
After Hoke parked in his space at the Eldorado； he circled the hotel to check the bay side。 Some of the residents had been dumping their trash into the sand of the filled…in swimming pool again； and the garbage pickup people had left a lot of litter scattered around the dumpster。 Hoke entered the hotel from the rear entrance and wrote out his report at the manager's desk； reminding Mr。 Bennett to call the exterminators again。 Hoke wondered sometimes whether Mr。 Bennett ever read his reports。 The conditions rarely changed； but that was the manager's problem； not his…although Hoke hadn't considered the Norway rat invasion as one of his reporting duties when he had agreed to take on the unpaid security positio