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〃I just heard a good one； Hoke；〃 he said。 〃How do you know when you're sleeping with a fag？〃 He took a sip of milk and wiped off the milk mustache with a paper napkin。 〃How？ His dick tastes like shit！〃 Slater laughed and took another sip of milk。
Hoke didn't laugh。 〃Let me tell you something； Slater； and I want you to get it straight。 You ever tell my girls a joke like that； and exec officer or no exec officer； I'll kick the living shit out of you。〃
〃I don't know what you're talking about。 It's just a joke； for Christ's sake。 All I was 。 。 。〃
But Slater was talking to Hoke's back as he walked out of the cafeteria。
16
On Sunday morning Hoke awoke at six； as usual； dressed； and drove to the 7/Eleven。 He bought a dozen bagels； a quart of milk； a package of cream cheese； and three large cans of Dinty Moore stew。 He also picked out a large Spanish onion； which he planned to dice and add to the canned stew for extra flavor。 Back in the suite； he heated water on the hot plate for instant coffee； and when it boiled he woke the girls for breakfast。 Then he walked down the hall and knocked on Ellita's door； telling her to join them in his suite for bagels and coffee。
Ellita wasn't wearing pantyhose with her skirt when she joined Hoke a few minutes later； and when she sat down and crossed her legs； he caught a glimpse of the inner side of her thighs。 Her soft thighs were as white as ivory； which surprised Hoke so much he stared a little longer than he had intended。 Hoke had always assumed that Ellita was the same golden tan all over…like her exposed face； neck； and arms。 Hoke knew that most Cubans thought of themselves as white； but he had always considered them as Third Worlders…an island mixture of Spanish； Caribe Indian； and black…and as being brown all over。 For that reason； he had never objected to the department Affirmative Action program； which gave preference to minorities； both in hiring practices and on promotion lists。 In Miami； however； although the majority of the population was Latin； they were still counted as a minority group。 If Ellita was white as well as Cuban； Hoke figured； maybe she hadn't really descrved a promotion to a detective's slot in the Homicide Division。 Ellita's white thighs were a revelation to him； opening up a whole line of new thoughts。 One of these days； he'd have to talk to Bill Henderson about this as something that should be discussed at the P。B。A。 On the other hand； even though Ellita had been given preference； as a Cuban； over several WASP policemen who also deserved to be detectives； she had paid her dues after working all those years as a police dispatcher。 So what difference did it make？ None at all。 It was just nice to know that Ellita was a white woman； after all…even if she was a Cuban。 Henderson liked her； and so did he； and they could hardly blame her for taking advantage of the program to get out of a boring； dead…end job。
The girls were still in the bedroom； and taking turns in the bathroom。 Ellita stirred her coffee and sat back a little in the desk chair。
〃I called Patsy last night； Hoke；〃 Ellita said。 〃Collect。 Sue Ellen also talked to her for a few minutes。 She said she'd send a check to the girls to make up the difference between what you gave them as an allowance and what she usually gave them。 Sue Ellen told her you were giving them a dollar a week； so she said she'd send them each a check for forty…six dollars every month。〃
〃What else did she say？〃
〃She wanted to know who I was； so I told her I was your partner。 But then； when Sue Ellen talked to her and told her we were all living here together； she probably got the wrong idea。〃
〃Does it bother you？〃
〃What a woman who deserts her children thinks of me is not worth bothering about。〃 Ellita added more Sweet 'n' Low to her coffee。
〃She's probably relieved that there's a woman around to look after the girls； but I'm sorry she got the wrong idea about you。〃
The girls emerged sleepily from the bedroom and mixed their coffee in the red plastic cups Ellita had brought from her room。
〃I don't see why we have to get up so early on a Sunday；〃 Sue Ellen said。
〃There're bagels and cream cheese in the sack；〃 Hoke explained。 〃This evening I'll cook some beef stew； and we'll still have enough bagels to go with it。 Do you think； Sue Ellen； that your mother'll send you allowance checks； like she said？〃
〃I know she will。〃
〃In that case； I'll lend both of you girls five dollars； and you can pay me back when you get your checks。 That way； if you want； you can buy some cigarettes。〃 Hoke gave them five dollars apiece。 Aileen put her money into her pocket； then soaked her bagel in her coffee to soften it。
〃How're your teeth this morning？〃 Hoke asked。
〃Fine； Daddy。 But I slept awful hard。 I don't think I moved all night。〃
〃Good。 But if they start to hurt again； and they might； ask Ellita for another T…3。〃
Aileen nodded。
〃How about you； Ellita？〃 Hoke said。 〃Did you call your mother too？〃
〃Three times； but each time my father answered； so I hung up。 Then I called my cousin Louisa and asked her to tell my mother I was staying here； and that I'd call her Monday。〃
Hoke opened his notebook and tore out a page。 〃I went to the office last night and took a look at the Mary Rollins file。 Here's the address of that woman up in Boca Raton。 Her name is Wanda Fridley； Mrs。 Fridley。 If you don't have anything else planned today； why not take the girls and drive up there and talk to her？ Mrs。 Fridley's the woman who called the department and said she saw Mary Rollins in Delray Beach。 Then when MacGellicot drove up and talked to her about it； she changed her story and said she wasn't sure。 His notes； that she probably didn't like him because he was a man； may or may not be valid。 But maybe she'll talk to you。 I was going to send you up there tomorrow； but it might be best to get this interview out of the way today； so we can work on our other cases tomorrow。 This way； we can at least tell Brownley we're working on the Rollins case。 I'll drive out to the site where they found her shorts and T…shirt and look around the area。 I know I won't find anything out there now； but it'll be something else to add to the report。 But if you don't want to go today； that's all right； too。 You can buy a bathing suit； and you girls can spend the day on the beach。〃
〃That's no choice at all。〃 Ellita laughed。 〃You couldn't pay me enough money to wear a bathing suit！〃
〃Why not？〃
Ellita patted the top of her leg。 〃Fat thighs。 Cellulite。 I don't wear a bikini； and I don't go to the beach。〃
〃I know you can swim。 You had to pass the swimming test at the academy。〃
〃I did。 But then I sat on my ass for seven years developing cellulite。 I don't mind driving up to Boca。 We should be back by noon or a little later； and the girls can still go to the beach。 I'll go with them and watch them from a chickee。〃
〃Okay； that's settled。 I'm going to check on that apartment in the Grove for you； and then see if I can run down Jerry Hickey's former landlady。 I got the address you left on my desk last night。〃
〃What can she tell you？〃
〃I don't know。 I just wonder where he got the money and the white lady； th