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〃Did Jerry have kitchen privileges？〃
〃No； sir。 He didn't eat much； but I fed him sometimes。 I always got somethin' or other on the stove。〃
〃You didn't let him keep things in your refrigerator then？〃
〃No； but he never ast。〃
〃At least he was a clean housekeeper。〃
〃I cleaned up after he left。 And you can see there ain't no dog in here。〃
〃The two men who searched his room…what did they look like？〃
〃They was white mens； but they spoke Spanish to each other。 They was driving a green Eldorado with the top down。 They didn't stay long。 I was gonna call the police after they left； but I didn't want to get involved。 I had a little cardboard box packed up with some of Jerry's clothes he left here； but they took that along。 It was just some underwear and socks and a blue work shirt。 I always did Jerry's laundry with mine； and it was in the wash when he left。 He was staying with Reverend Jordan after that； but I wasn't going to carry it down to him。 He knew it was here； and he could've e and got it。〃
〃Did those men take Jerry's dog； too？〃
〃Jerry didn't have no dog！ I done tol' you that ten times！〃
〃All right。 Thank you； Mrs。 Fallon。 But if those two men e back； or if Jerry's dog es back； call me at this number。〃 Hoke gave her one of his cards。 〃And thank you for your cooperation。〃
As Hoke drove out of the yard； Mrs。 Fallon started to walk toward the garage。 She'll pump Harry Jordan； Hoke thought。 Jordan will tell her that Jerry's dead； and then she'll pray for Jerry； too。 Mrs。 Fallon's Christian prayers； Hoke decided； would help Jerry just about as much as Harry Jordan's。
17
A wire fence separated the Bajan sculptor's garage apartment and yard from the Robert E。 Lee housing project。 At least thirty black kids were playing some kind of grab…ass on the other side of the fence。 They came over to the fence to stare at Hoke while he pulled into the narrow backyard and parked。 There was a huge sculpture of a birdlike creature in the yard； blocking the way to the closed door of the garage。 The wings were fashioned from automobile fenders； and the body was formed with welded auto parts。 The 〃bird〃 had been painted with red rustproofing primer； and its eyes were red glass taillights。 The eyes were unlighted； and Hoke wondered for a moment if the sculptor would wire them for electricity when he was finished with the sculpture。 He then realized that he didn't give a shit what the sculptor decided to do； because he would never have to look at it again。
Ellita； if she moved into the small apartment above the garage； would be an object of curiosity； and she would be harassed by the kids in the project。 Nor could he take the place himself； there was no way that he could leave his girls alone all day in this neighborhood。 Without getting out of his car； he backed out of the yard。 Before his back wheels reached Tangerine Lane； a rock hit the windshield on the passenger's side； but it didn't crack the glass。 The kids on the other side of the fence； squealing； ran off in a dozen directions。
Hoke turned east to South Dixie Highway and then drove south to North Kendall Drive。 He took Kendall west to 136th Avenue； and turned into a Kendall Lakes shopping mall。 He parked in the lot； and then paced off the approximate distance to where Mary Rollins's hot pants and T…shirt were discovered。 The location was now a chain sandwich shop； featuring roast beef sandwiches。 The 〃Sunday Special〃 was a roast beef sandwich with a free Coke for 2。99。 Hoke went inside； ordered the special； and doused his sandwich with the chain's special horseradish sauce。 The teenagers behind the counter wore oversized red muslin tams and little red jackets that didn't meet in front。 Their white muslin shirts had balloon sleeves。 They wore their own blue jeans； however； which diluted by about five hundred years the medieval effect intended by the management。 The tables and benches were bolted to the floor； and the benches were set too far back from the table for fortable seating。 Three years ago； this shopping center had been a U…pick pole…bean field。 Now it held fifty different shops； anchored by a Publix supermarket and a K…Mart。 The mall was filled with Sunday shoppers； most of them wearing Izod alligator shirts and shorts； or running togs。 There were a great many small children。 Every one of them was eating some thing or other as the parents walked aimlessly around the mall。
Perhaps； Hoke thought； this cold…case idea of Brownley's was not such a good one after all。 West Kendall was the fastest…growing area in the county； and there were hundreds of condos filled already； with more under construction。 Not only did Miami have hundreds of new permanent residents moving in every day； there was also a daily tourist influx of at least thirty thousand strangers staying from one day to two months or more on vacations。 A colder case than Mary Rollins…missing only； with no body…would be hard to imagine。 It was perfectly possible that her body was buried somewhere under the thirty acres of asphalt parking lot。
Of course； Hoke hadn't expected to find anything out here anyway； but it had been more than two years since he had been this far out on Kendall Drive； and he hadn't realized how much the area had boomed。 Hoke finished his sandwich and Coke； then showed the kid behind the counter his badge。
The phone was in the small back storeroom； and the kid stood uneasily beside Hoke as he dialed。
〃This is police business； sonny。 Get out and close the door。〃 The boy left reluctantly but didn't argue。
Eddie Cohen answered on the twelfth ring。
〃This is Sergeant Moseley； Eddie。 Did Ms。 Sanchez phone and leave a number for me to call？〃
〃Just a second。 I got it written down。〃
Hoke waited； and then Eddie gave him a number in Delray Beach。 〃It's a pay phone； she said； and she'll either wait there； or be there at exactly two o'clock。 If you don't call by two； don't call at all； and she'll drive back to the hotel。〃
Hoke looked at his Timex。 It was 12：30。
〃All right； Eddie。 If she calls again； tell her I'm on my way to the station； and I'll call her at two from there。〃
〃I'll tell her。 Anything else？〃
〃Yeah。 Don't pull the plug on the air conditioning in my suite or in Ms。 Sanchez's room。〃
〃I already did。 Mr。 Bennett told me…〃
〃I don't care what he said。 You plug 'em in again right now； understand？〃
〃I'll see if I can find Emilio。〃
〃Never mind Emilio。 You do it yourself。 Now。〃
〃If you say so。〃
〃I say so。〃 Hoke replaced the receiver。
Before leaving the sandwich shop； Hoke bought an eightounce bottle of the special horseradish sauce from the boy behind the counter and thanked him for letting him use the phone。
When Hoke got to his office and turned on the desk light； two detectives on Sunday duty wandered over。 They stood in the doorway； not quite ing into the small room； waiting for an invitation they didn't get。 They both wore tattered jeans； ragged running shoes； and filthy sport shirts。 They both had scruffy beards and long hair。 Quevedo was a few years older than Donovan； but they had both been in the Homicide Division for more than three years。 They looked like the bums who hung out in Bayfron