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at invasion as one of his reporting duties when he had agreed to take on the unpaid security position at the hotel。
The girls were in Ellita's room。 The three of them had been shopping； and Ellita had made curtains from red crepe paper and tacked them above the window with thumbtacks。 The girls had arranged two large crepe paper bows； and these bows had been thumbtacked to the gray walls。 Ellita had bought takeout food from a Cuban restaurant； together with red plastic plates and tableware。 The girls had brought up one of the card tables from the lobby。 There was enough red crepe paper left over for a tablecloth； and the table was set for four。 A small pot of African violets had been brought from Hoke's suite as a centerpiece。 A styrofoam cooler filled with iced Cokes and beer was next to the card table。
〃What's all this？〃 Hoke said。 〃A party？〃
〃I hope you don't mind； Hoke；〃 Ellita said； 〃but we decided to eat in instead of going out tonight。 The girls said they never had any Cuban food before； and we wanted to surprise you。〃
〃I'm surprised。 But there's only one chair。 If you move the table by the bed； I can sit on the bed。 I'll get a couple of more chairs。〃
Hoke walked down the hall； opened an empty room with his master key； and brought back two straight chairs。
〃Where'd you get all this stuff； anyway？〃 Hoke said； arranging the chairs around the table。
〃The food's from El Gaitero's； but the rest of the stuff's from Eckerd's and the 7/Eleven。〃
〃We met Tony Otero； Daddy；〃 Aileen said； smiling behind her hand； 〃and Sue Ellen asked him if she could feel his muscle。〃
〃Shut up； Aileen；〃 Sue Ellen said； punching her sister on the arm。
〃Did he let you feel it？〃 Hoke asked。
Sue Ellen nodded and blushed。 〃Aileen felt it too。〃
〃How about you； Ellita？〃 Hoke said。 〃Did you feel Tony's muscle； too？〃
Ellita laughed； showing her white teeth。 〃He's just a little fellow； Hoke。 He only weighs a hundred and thirty…four pounds。〃
〃I didn't ask you how much he weighed。〃 Hoke grinned。 〃I asked you if you felt his muscle。〃
〃Of course。〃 Ellita laughed again and began to open the cartons。
There were fried pork chunks； black beans and rice； yucca； and fried plantains； all packed in separate cartons with tight foil…topped cardboard lids。 There were two loaves of buttered Cuban bread； sliced lengthwise。
The girls didn't like the yucca and refused to eat it。 Aileen pushed the chunks of pork around on her plate； and Hoke asked her why she wasn't eating the best part of the dinner。
〃They hurt my teeth and gums； Daddy。 My teeth hurt all the time anyway； and I can't chew anything hard。 I was supposed to see the orthodontist last Wednesday； but Mom was too busy to take me and said you'd make an appointment with someone down here。〃
〃Do you like those ugly braces？〃 Hoke said。 〃They look like hell； to tell the truth。〃
〃They're too tight。 I told Dr。 Osmond that； but he said they're supposed to feel too tight。〃
〃I'll take 'em off for you when we finish eating。 You got any Valium in your purse； Ellita？〃
〃I should have；〃 Ellita said。 She got up from the table and looked into her purse for her pillbox。 〃I've got Valium； Tylenol…3； and some Midol。〃
〃Give her a half Valium now； and one T…3。 By the time we're through eating； they should be working a little。〃
Aileen took the Tylenol…3 and the half Valium with a sip of Coke。
〃Do you know how to take off braces； Daddy？〃 Aiheen asked。
〃Sure。 I was a dental assistant for a while when I was in the army。 I learned how to do everything； including extractions。 They never taught me how to make false teeth though。 If they had； I'd make a better set than the ones I've got now。〃
〃I think I feel a little dizzy already；〃 Aileen said； putting the back of her hand to her forehead dramatically。
〃Are you all through eating？〃
Aileen nodded。 〃I'm not hungry。〃
〃There's flan for dessert；〃 Ellita said； 〃but I'll save yours for you。〃
〃Flan？〃
〃It's a caramelized custard。 You can eat it without chewing。〃
〃I don't think I want it。 Not now； anyway。〃
〃In that case；〃 Hoke said； 〃go back to the suite and sit in the armchair。 I'll be down in a few minutes。〃
Holding the back of her hand to her forehead； and staggering slightly； Aileen left the room； closing the door behind her。
Hoke grinned。 〃She's pretty good； isn't she？〃
〃I never knew you studied dentistry； Hoke；〃 Ellita said。
〃Neither did I。 But you want the girl to have a little confidence in me； don't you？〃
Sue Ellen giggled。 Hoke poked Sue Ellen in the ribs with a forefinger； and she giggled again。
〃And don't you tell her any different。〃 Hoke finished the rest of his dinner。 He then ate the pork chunks on Aileen's plate； and opened another can of beer。
〃Are you ready for your flan？〃 Ellita said； opening another carton。
〃I'll skip dessert。 I'm trying to cut down on sweets。 What I'll do； Ellita； I'll clip those braces off with my toe…nail cutters。 I've got a good pair； made in Germany； and they'll cut damned near anything。 You can hold her head still。 Here； go down to the suite now and give her the other half Valium； and take her Coke along。〃
It took Hoke more than a half…hour to clip off the rubber bands and the tiny bolts that held Aileen's braces together。 The tight rubber bands were more difficult to snip away than the tiny bolts。 There was a narrow gold strip glued to her lower teeth； however； and he couldn't get it off。 There was no way that he could get a purchase on it with the clippers。
〃I think；〃 Ellita said； 〃you'll need some kind of solvent to remove that。〃
〃Does the lower band hurt； Aileen？〃 Hoke said。
〃I don't know。 My whole mouth hurts now； so I can't tell。〃
〃I'll leave the lower band on； then。 I've got to go to the morgue on Monday or Tuesday； and I'll ask Doc Evans about it。 He's probably got some kind of solvent he can lend me。 But right now； you'd better lie down。 Give her another T…3； Ellita。〃
Ellita took the girl into the bedroom。 Hoke told Sue Ellen to gather up all the garbage in Ellita's room and take it downstairs to the dumpster。 〃But don't throw away the plastic silverware or plates。 Wash that in Ellita's bathroom； and put it away in her dresser。〃
Hoke lit a cigarette and turned on the TV。 Ellita came out of the bedroom and closed the door just as the phone rang。 She picked it up。
〃Put him on；〃 she said into the phone。 〃Yes； sir； he's here。 Me？ We were just going over our plans for Monday； that's all。 Yes； sir。 Just a second。〃
She covered the mouthpiece。 〃It's Major Brownley。〃
〃Shit；〃 Hoke said。 〃You shouldn't've answered the phone。〃 He took the phone from her。
〃Sergeant Moseley。〃
〃What's Ellita doing in your room； Hoke？〃 Brownley was pissed。
〃We're trying to get a handle on what to do Monday； that's all。 In fact； I met with Bill Henderson earlier this afternoon。 We're all enthusiastic about the assignment； Willie； but there's so much to do it's hard to tell what to do first。〃
〃That shouldn't be a problem if you saw my flag。〃
〃What flag？〃
〃The red flag I attached to the Mary Rollins file。 I put the Rollins file on the top of the stack so you'd get to it first。〃
〃I didn't see it。 What I did； you see； was t