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ake any money on his own； they'd stop giving him the check。 He wouldn't jeopardize losing that check for anything。 He was brought up to think that way in Cuba； you see。 If he wanted to work and make a lot of money； he'd leave Miami and make fifteen or twenty bucks an hour in the East Texas oilfields。 But you girls are WASPS； and you've got to realize that you've got to make your own way in the world。 As girls； you've got two choices。 Either you work； or you marry some guy who'll support you。〃
〃I don't want to get married；〃 Aileen said。 〃Ever！〃
〃Okay； then。 You can wash dogs。 Don't be disappointed at first； when you get turned down a lot。 You may not get a single dog to wash。 But when someone does see you washing a dog out in the yard； they'll bring theirs over to you； too。 People are like that。 They don't want to be the first one； you see。 Later on； when we get settled in Miami； you'll get repeat business； too； a regular route。 Then you can go around and wash the same dogs every month or so。 But for the rest of the week； you can practice here on South Beach； and get some experience。〃
〃What about dog bites？ A lot of dogs don't like strangers。〃
〃I used to have a muzzle I put on them first。 So just wash small dogs at first。 Then； after you get your first five bucks； pick up a muzzle at a pet shop。 Don't wash any pit bulls； Dobermans； or Chows。 Do you know what these dogs look like？〃
Aileen nodded。 〃Curly Peterson's got two Dobermans。 Twins。〃
〃That figures。 Okay； now； everything's settled。 Except now I have to tell you about sex。 First； though； what did your mother tell you about sex？〃
〃She already told us everything； Daddy；〃 Sue Ellen said； looking at her fingernails。 〃You don't have to talk about sex。〃
〃She tell you about the clap； syphilis； AIDS； herpes； shit chancres？〃
〃Not about AIDS；〃 Sue Ellen admitted。
〃AIDS you don't have to worry about。 That es from anal sex。 If you avoid anal sex； you won't get AIDS； but the point is； I want you girls to avoid sex altogether。 There'll be a lot of pressure on you down here。 Miami isn't Vero Beach； you know。〃
〃There was pressure in Vero； too；〃 Sue Ellen said。
〃I know； I know； but the young guys running around down here are different。 They'll tell you anything。 They'll start by asking you to feel their dong。 Then the next thing you know； they'll ask you to jerk it a few times。 First thing you know they'll talk you into giving them a blow job。 Bang！ You've got herpes or gonorrhea of the throat。 So； no sex； period。 Any guy who gets laid won't ask you to marry him； either。 That's something else to remember。 But I'm not unreasonable； Sue Ellen。 If some guy wants to marry you； bring him around and I'll talk to him。 You're sixteen； so you can get married with my consent； but I'll have to check the guy out first。〃
〃How do you mean； check him out？〃
〃His father。 I can check his father's credit rating in Dun and Bradstreet。 I can check the boy's school records and find out what kind of I。Q。 he has。 You wouldn't want to marry a moron； would you？〃
Sue Ellen giggled。
〃Then there's his family。 I'd have to see his family； find out if there's a dwarf or something in his family。 You wouldn't want to have a baby dwarf； would you？〃
〃No！〃 Sue Ellen laughed。
〃It isn't funny； Sue Ellen。 Some of these guys have rap sheets； and I can check that out。 Or else the guy might be married already； and be lying to you。 That's why you shouldn't have sex until after you're married； you see。 Because once he gets it； he won't marry you。 Meanwhile； I know you girls are normal； and you'll have normal urges。 That's natural。 But to relieve your urges； just go into the bathroom； lock the door； and masturbate。 But remember this； masturbation is a private matter。 Do it alone； and not to each other； and don't ever talk about it。〃
〃Not even to Ellita？〃 Sue Ellen asked。
〃Especially not to Ellita。 Jesus。 She's a Cuban and a Catholic。 She'd be shocked if you told her about any of this stuff I'm telling you。 But VD is the worst。 A dose of clap'll make an old man out of you before you're thirty。〃
Both girls laughed。
Hoke grinned。 〃That's what my old first sergeant used to tell us every payday； when I was in the army。 So it won't make an old man out of you girls； but clap's harder on a woman than it is on a man because it can make you sterile。 Got any questions？〃
The girls looked at each other。 Aileen smiled； Sue Ellen studied the tip of her cigarette。 〃Can I let the hair grow under my arms？ Like Ellita？〃
〃Not yet。 Wait until you're eighteen。 Okay？ And any questions you have； ask me； and if I don't know the answer； I'll find out for you。 If you can't trust your father to give you the straight goods about sex； who else have you got？ Okay； run along now。 I'm going to stay up here for a while。〃
The girls kissed him and took the elevator down。 Hoke lit a cigarette and walked to the parapet。 The sun was down； but the entire western sky was still a watercolor wash of red； purple； and orange。 Low on the horizon； there were darker； slanting shafts of blue…black； indicating the rain that was passing through the Everglades。
All in all； Hoke thought； his little talk had gone fairly well； but he was glad it was over。 He had left out a lot； but there were some things the girls weren't ready for； even though they were brighter than he had thought they were。 They had made it easy for him； too； by not asking a lot of dumb questions。 But he still didn't know what he was going to do about finding a decent place to live。
18
Hoke let Sue Ellen off near the county courthouse in downtown Miami and told her to meet him across the street at the Government Center Metrorail station at 5 P。M。
Ellita had left the hotel earlier that morning； and she had dropped a note on Hoke's desk at the station； explaining that she was meeting her mother at her cousin's house。 Her mother had two boxes of clothing and some other things for her to pick up。 She intended to be back at the station by eight…thirty； if not before。 Before leaving the station； Ellita had taken all of the files to the interrogation room and aligned the three piles on the deal table。 She had left the Mary Rollins file and the Xerox copies of Rollins's birth certificate and driver's license on Hoke's desk。
Hoke typed a short report about finding Rollins； made a Xerox copy of the report for Lieutenant Slater； and then took the closed file into Major Brownley's office。 Brownley looked up and frowned when Hoke entered without knocking。
〃The Rollins girl's alive； Willie； and living in Delray Beach。 Sanchez found her yesterday。 But she also promised Rollins that she wouldn't tell her mother where she was living。 So now you can call Mrs。 Rollins and tell her that her daughter's alive and well。〃
〃Are you positive？〃
〃It's all in the report。 If you don't want to call Mrs。 Rollins； I'll do it。〃
Brownley was reading the report； and he didn't lift his head。 〃No； I'll call her； Hoke。 It'll be a pleasure to withhold the girl's address。 The mother really bugged me about her daughter。〃
Hoke left Brownley's office； put the Xerox copy of the report in Slater's in…box； and went down to join Bill Henderson in the inter