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ision for more than three years。 They looked like the bums who hung out in Bayfront Park and the Miamarina； because that was where they were working。 In the last month； two sleeping bums had been doused with gasoline and set on fire； and they were trying to get a lead on the killer（s）。
〃I hear；〃 Donovan said； 〃you're on a special assignment。〃
〃You hear a lot of things around here；〃 Hoke said。
Quevedo pointed to the stack of files。 〃Looks like a lot of cases to have out at the same time。〃
〃It is indeed。〃 Hoke said。 〃What's new on the torchings？〃
〃We got some leads。〃
〃Well； don't let me keep you。 I've got some reading to do and some phone calls to make。〃 Hoke belched； and got a second； searing taste of the horseradish sauce。 His stomach burned。
〃We're going downstairs for coffee；〃 Quevedo said。 〃Want me to bring you a cup？〃
〃No thanks。〃 Hoke took the bottle of horseradish sauce out of his jacket pocket。 〃Here； Quevedo。 You like hot stuff。 This horseradish sauce is muy sabroso。〃
〃You don't want it？〃 Quevedo said； taking the bottle。
〃I've got another bottle in my car。 Keep it。 It goes great on hamburgers。〃
〃Thanks。 Thanks a lot。〃
The two detectives left。 Hoke got up and shut the door。 He sat at his desk again； watching the detectives as they crossed to the elevator。
The word was out already； Hoke realized。 Quevedo and Donovan already knew about the cold…case assignment and were fishing around for confirmation。 That meant his problems would soon multiply。 Someone would notify the press； and then when the state attorney arraigned Captain Midnight； there would be reporters ing around to the division looking for details。
And what could he tell them？ That the Captain Morrow collar had been merely a lucky break？ That they hadn't even read through the old cases yet？ It was impossible to keep anything secret in Miami； despite its huge population； Miami was like a small town where everybody knew everyone else's business。 And there was too much business in the Homicide Division。
The phone rang。 It was Ellita； calling from Delray Beach。
〃I called Mr。 Cohen again； Hoke； and he said you were going to the office。 I called early because the girls are getting restless hanging around the mall here。 Besides； the news is good for a change。 I found Mary Rollins。 She's alive and working as a waitress in Delray Beach。〃
〃Are you sure？〃
〃Positive。 It was fairly simple； although I had to talk to Mrs。 Fridley for a long time before she would tell me where Rollins worked。 It's a long story； but now that I've found Rollins…which we didn't expect…I don't know the next step。 Wanda Fridley and Mary Rollins both went to Miami High together。 In the same class。 Mrs。 Fridley married a pre…development salesman in Boca； and she's been living in Boca ever since。 She just happened to run into Mary by accident at the Delray Beach café where Mary works。 Mary told her not to tell anyone she was there。 Apparently； Mary staged her own disappearance as a way to escape from her mother。 Mary worked at an S and L in Miami； and lived at home。 She had to turn over her paycheck each week to her mother； and she was a virtual prisoner。 Then she met a guy in the S and L one day； and dated him。 He's a married man with three children； and he lives here in Deiray Beach。 Mary got a raise at the S and L； but didn't tell her mother about it。 She started saving her extra raise money； telling her mother the pany was paying in cash now each week instead of by check。 That way； her mother wouldn't know about the extra money…〃
〃Can you shorten this a little？〃
〃Not very well。 Then； when Mary had two hundred dollars saved； she planted her bloody shorts and T…shirt in the pole…bean field out in Kendall； and caught a bus to Delray Beach。 She thought if her mother figured she was dead； she wouldn't look for her。〃
〃Where did the blood e from？〃 Hoke said。
〃Most of it came from a bloody nose。 When she gets excited； she said； her nose bleeds。 The rest was from a cut finger。 She already had a suitcase with some other clothes and things in it stashed away at the bus station in a locker。 She rented a room here in Delray； got a job as a waitress； and she's been up here ever since。 Her affair with the married man is still ongoing； as they say； and she gets to see him once a week…sometimes twice a week。 This is the story she told Mrs。 Fridley； and the same one she told me。 Mrs。 Fridley would've kept the secret； she said； but Mary borrowed fifty dollars from her； promising to pay her back the following week。 Then； when she didn't pay it back； Mrs。 Fridley got mad and called Homicide and said she'd seen Mary Rollins。 By the time we finally got around to sending MacGellicot up to Boca； Mary had already seen Mrs。 Fridley again and paid her ten dollars on account。 She was short； and could only pay her back at ten dollars a week。 So then； when MacGellicot talked to Mrs。 Fridley； she'd decided not to turn in her old school friend and she stalled MacGellicot。 She was ashamed； she told me； for not trusting Mary to pay her back the fifty bucks。 Mary lives in a ratty little room here in Delray； and she only spends an occasional afternoon in a motel with her boyfriend。
〃Actually；〃 Ellita chuckled； 〃Mrs。 Fridley was dying to tell someone the story。 Once she got started talking； it all tumbled out。
〃Anyway； I drove up to Delray and found Mary。 She's working at the Spotlight Café； so I got her address from the manager。 I talked to her then； and I believe her。 She knew； she said； that her mother was using her for support； and that she'd never have a life of her own unless she ran away。 I feel sorry for her； Hoke。 She's not too bright； and for a thin girl she's not bad…looking； either。 But she doesn't seem to realize that this guy's using her just as much as her mother did。 Eventually； she believes； after her boyfriend's children are grown； he'll divorce his wife and marry her； you see。〃
〃But did you get a positive ID？〃
〃Of course。 Driver's license and birth certificate。 She showed me both of them。 Do you want me to pick her up and bring her back down with me； or what？ I hate to turn this young woman over to her mother again； although…〃
Hoke laughed。 〃Sure。 Bring her in！ And then； after we return Mary to her mother； I'll drive you home and return you to your mother and father。〃
After a five…second silence； Ellita said； 〃I guess I wasn't thinking。〃
〃No； you weren't。 Just borrow Rollins's license and birth certificate； and we'll make Xeroxes down here and mail them back to her。 Major Brownley can then call Mrs。 Rollins and tell her that Mary's alive and well。 That'll be the end of it。 We don't have to tell Mrs。 Rollins where her daughter lives。 Twenty…six years old； she can live anywhere she wants。 We don't have to tell her mother shit。 But before you e back down here； reassure Mary that we won't give her address to her mother。 Otherwise； she might stage another fake disappearance and take off again。〃
〃She's really afraid of the mother； Hoke。 Do you want to talk to her？〃
〃Hell； no。 Just get her address and place of employment so I can write a memo on it to Brownley。 We'll attach the Xeroxes to it； and the case is closed。〃
〃I can give yo