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rd。
A girl； sixteen or seventeen； was sitting in a webbed beach chair； nursing a baby。 Her heavy bare breasts seemed disproportionately large for her slender body。 Her acorn…brown hair reached almost to her waist； and she wore a soiled eggshell…colored skirt down to her ankles。 Her dirty； slender feet were bare。 A blue T…shirt was draped over the arm of the chair。 As Hoke got out of his car； she looked at him incuriously with sienna eyes and drummed on the baby's bare back with the tips of her fingers。 Her left eye was black and swollen； and there were mottled black…and…blue marks on her puffy left cheek。
The fenced…in backyard also contained a redwood table and two benches； a drooping clothesline hung with drying diapers； and several rows of vegetables…carrots； green peppers； and plum tomatoes。 The garage at the end of the dirt driveway was being used as a residence。 The wide garage door was missing； and the unpainted front of the small building； except for a normal door…sized entrance covered by a dusty blue velvet curtain； was posed of plywood and other odd…sized pieces of scrap lumber。 The garage had an unpainted corrugated…iron roof that looked new。
A monk came through the blue velvet curtain。 He was wearing a clean saffron robe and leather sandals without socks。 He was about thirty； and his head； except for a short tuft of blond hair at the crown； was shaved。 Despite his shaven head； he was noticeably balding。 He looked at Hoke with narrowed blue eyes。
〃Get in the house； Moira；〃 he said。
The girl； carrying her baby and the blue T…shirt； got up from the chair and sidled through the curtain。
〃How old's the girl； Harry？〃
〃Old enough to have a baby。〃
〃Does her mother know she's here？〃
〃No。 If she did； she'd send someone like you to take her home again。 And then it would take Moira another month or so to escape like she had to do the last time。 Why don't you people quit hassling us？〃
〃Moira's mother didn't send me here。 It's just that I've got a daughter about that age。〃 Hoke took out his cigarettes； and then returned them to his pocket。 〃What I want is some information about Jerry Hickey。 I'm a police officer。〃
〃I think he left Miami； probably Florida。〃
〃What makes you think that？〃
〃A couple of guys came around and searched his old room。〃 Jordan pointed to the pink house。 〃Then they talked to me。 He was supposed to deliver a package or something to a Holiday Inn in North Miami； hut apparently he never got there。 They didn't say what was in the package； but they searched my place； too； which I didn't appreciate。〃
〃Were they police officers？〃
Jordan smiled； and wiped his mouth。 〃Hardly。 They were both Latins in silk suits。 I hadn't seen Jerry for two days； not since…did you get a look at Moira's face？
〃It's quite a shiner…〃
〃Worse than that。 Jerry chipped a piece of bone from her cheek； and she's in a lot of pain。 I don't understand it； any of it。 I felt sorry for Jerry because I thought he needed a place to be； you know。 But when I was out； he tried to jump Moira。 When she resisted； he hit her。〃
〃He tried to rape the girl？ That doesn't sound like junkie behavior。 Could be； now that Jerry's dead； you're blaming him for something you did yourself。〃
〃I didn't know Jerry was dead。〃 Jordan's face became a solemn mask。 Jordan held his hands out； palms up； and showed Hoke his forearms。 They were covered with tiny red welts。 〃Ant bites； Mr。 Policeman； from my garden。 But I won't kill those ants； or any of God's creatures。 And I wouldn't hit my wife。〃
〃You're married； then？〃
〃In the eyes of God； yes。 Moira could also tell you I didn't hit her； but you probably wouldn't believe her either。 But I didn't know Jerry was dead： I'll pray for him now； and for you； too； whether you want me to or not。 Did those men kill him？〃
〃No。 It was an overdose。 Heroin。〃
〃May God rest his troubled soul。〃 Incongruously； Jordan crossed himself。
〃Can you show me Jerry's room？〃
〃That's up to Mrs。 Fallon。 I rent the garage from her； and Jerry had a room in her house up till about a month ago。 She caught him shooting up； and she kicked him out。 Then I took him in。〃 Jordan shrugged。 〃He needed a place to be； and I still think I did the right thing； but I'm finding it hard to forgive him。 I'm still working on that； but it'll be easier now； now that I know he's dead； I mean。 Mrs。 Fallon's a member of the Primitive Baptist Church； and they're down on junkies； but she'll probably let you look at his old room。 I know she hasn't rented it out again。〃
Hoke took out his wallet and gave Jordan a dollar bill。 〃Here。 Better get some Tylenol for Moira。〃
The dollar bill disappeared inside Jordan's robes。 〃God bless you； sir。〃 Jordan bowed from the waist； turned； and went into the garage through the curtain； colliding with Moira； who had been standing right behind it。
Hoke knocked at the back door of the pink house。 The door opened immediately because Mrs。 Fallon； a large black woman in a shapeless gray housecoat； had been watching Hoke through the kitchen window as he talked to Jordan。 Hoke had seen her sullen face when she pulled the white curtain to one side。 Hoke showed her his shield and ID。
〃I'm a police officer； Mrs。 Fallon； and I'd like to take a look at Jerry's old room。〃
〃You got a warrant？〃
〃No。 But I have reason to believe that you're holding Mr。 Hickey's dog a prisoner in your house。 And dognapping's a serious crime。〃
〃I don't know nothin' 'bout no dog。 Jerry didn't have no dog； and he's been out of the house 'most a month now； livin' with the reverend。〃
〃Who'd you sell the dog to？ I know there's been a dog here because of that digging around the bush over there…over there〃…Hoke pointed…〃by those oleanders。〃
〃I done that diggin' myself； weedin'。〃
〃Did you know oleanders were poison？ If you burn oleander bushes and breathe in the smoke； you can poison yourself and a dog； too。〃
〃There's never been no dog here！〃
〃I'd like to see for myself。 I'd also like to see your landlord's license for renting out rooms。 You've got one； haven't you？〃
〃I don't need no license。 Jerry was staying here； but I just let him stay as a favor； that's all。〃
〃Did you charge him rent for the favor？〃
〃Jerry didn't have no room…not exactly。 I just let him sleep in the utility room。 I don't run no roomin' house。 I told the other two mens that； who pushed their way in here。〃
〃I'd like to see where he slept。〃
〃I reckon I can show you where he slept。 But you got no right to look in the rest of my house。〃
〃That's all I want to see。 Just where he slept。〃
Mrs。 Fallon stepped back； and Hoke came into the kitchen。 She opened the door to the utility room； off the kitchen。 There was a canvas cot； a three…legged wooden stool； and some nails on the wall where clothes could be hung； but the spotlessly clean room was bare otherwise。 There was no window。 A single 40…watt bulb dangled on a cord from the ceiling。 A long piece of brown twine was attached to the light chain； it would be possible for someone to lie in bed and turn the light on and off without sitting up。
〃Did Jerry have kitchen privileges？〃
〃No； sir。 He didn't eat much； but I fed him sometimes。 I always got somethin