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when they found him； and he wasn't burnt。 But Quevedo and Donovan are looking for a firebug。〃
〃Quevedo？〃 Dyer said； frowning。 〃I know him。 He was the guy who fell in love with a painting； wasn't he？〃
〃That's the rumor；〃 Bill said； 〃but he got over it。 If I was you； I wouldn't mention it to him； though。〃
Bill and Hoke retrieved their pistols and handcuffs； and headed back to the station。
When they got back to the interrogation room and the files； Hoke sent Henderson out to the bullpen to fill Quevedo and Donovan in on the information Vince had given them about Wetzel。 Hoke then called the morgue from his office and asked the secretary if he could talk to Doc Evans。
〃He can't e to the phone now； Sergeant Moseley；〃 the woman told him。 〃He's doing a P。M。 and can't be interrupted。 But I can give him a message。〃
〃Do you know if you've done the autopsy on Hickey； Gerald？〃
〃Let me check 。 。 。〃 Hoke waited for almost two minutes before she came on the line again。 〃No； not yet。 But they might get to him tonight。 Evans is supposed to get a parttime pathologist in tonight to help out with the Descanso Hotel victims。 We've been pretty busy around here。〃
〃Okay； but just ask him to check…when he does the P。M。 on Hickey…and see if the man had piles。 And if so； what kind of suppositories he was using。〃
〃You mean like Preparation H？〃
〃That； or whatever。 Whether he had piles or not； I mean hemorrhoids。〃
〃I've made a note。 Where should he call you？〃
〃I don't know where I'll be yet； but tell Doc I'll call him back about this later on。〃
〃You spell 'Moseley' with an e； don't you？〃
〃That's right。 Most people leave out the second e。 And thanks a lot。〃
Hoke looked at his Timex。 It was only 3 P。M。； but he couldn't face the idea of reading files for another hour and a half。 There were times； he knew； when he could no longer look at the outside world from inside the asshole。 This was one of those times。 He left his office and returned to the interrogation room。
Sanchez looked up from her file and frowned。 〃Bill told me you'd been over to the Dade County Stockade。 You should've left me a note。 I didn't know where you were。〃
〃You don't need to know everything； and we weren't gone long。〃
〃I know that。 But if someone wanted to know where you were； and I couldn't tell them； it would make you look bad。 How could I cover for you？〃
〃All right。 Next time I'll leave you a message。 What else？〃 Jesus； Hoke thought； she's already practicing to be a mother。
〃Did you sign my voucher？〃
〃I didn't see it。〃
〃I put it in your in…box。〃
〃I didn't look in my in…box。 I'll sign it now； and then I'm going back to the hotel。 You can put the files away； and tell Bill to go home； too。 He can fill you in on what we found out at the stockade。 Okay？〃
〃It's only a little after three。〃 Ellita glanced at her gold watch。
〃I know what time it is。 I've got to go out tonight； and I don't know what to do about the girls。〃
〃Go ahead。 I'll take them out to dinner； and maybe we'll go to a movie。〃
〃That would be very kind of you。〃
〃Not really。 That hotel depresses me as much as it does the girls。 Maybe instead of a movie I should look for an apartment。 I've circled some classifieds in the Miami News。〃
〃Hold off on that for a while； Ellita。 I've got an idea I want to talk to you about later。 All right？〃
Ellita shrugged。 〃There's no great hurry； I guess。〃
〃Just put the stuff away and go back to the hotel； Ellita。 As far as I'm concerned； it's quitting time。〃
Hoke signed Sanchez's voucher； placed it in Lieutenant Slater's in…box； and left the station。 Hoke would need Ellita to help him with the girls； but this wasn't the right time to suggest that they share a house together。
Sue Ellen and Aileen were waiting for Hoke in the lobby of the Eldorado。 Aileen ran to meet him when he came through the double doors； hugged him； and stood on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek when he pulled back。 She handed him seven one…dollar bills。
〃I washed two dogs； Daddy；〃 she said； looking down at the floor； 〃a dachshund and a little toy poodle。 The lady who owned the dachshund paid me five dollars； but the man who had the poodle only gave me two。 He said the job wasn't worth more than two。〃
〃Did you tell him in advance that you charged five？〃
〃Yes； I did。 But he only gave me two。〃
Hoke returned the seven dollars。 〃Here； put it in your purse。 You earned it； and it's your money。 Do you remember where this guy lives？〃
〃The Alton Arms。〃 She nodded and pointed。 〃On Third Street。〃
〃What's his name？〃
〃Mr。 Lewis。〃
〃Okay； we'll go over and talk to him。〃
〃Can I go too？〃 Sue Ellen said。
〃No。 Ellita'll be here in a few minutes； and you can tell her we'll be back soon。 Otherwise she'd worry about where you were。〃
Hoke and Aileen walked the three blocks to the Alton Arms； a fading pistachio…colored apartment house two stories high with a pink Spanish tile roof。 There was a veranda in front； and a half…dozen residents…four old ladies and two old men…were sitting on plastic…webbed chairs and looking across the street。 Their view was another two…story apartment house； with four old people sitting on webbed chairs looking back at them。
〃Is that Mr。 Lewis； honey？〃 Hoke asked。 〃The man with the poodle in his lap？〃
〃That's him。 He's holding Thor。 That's the dog's name。〃
Hoke and Aileen climbed the porch。 Hoke took out his badge and ID case and showed it to the old man。 Mr。 Lewis； who had gray hair and a gray face； turned pink； and his arms and legs trembled。
〃Police Department； Mr。 Lewis；〃 Hoke said。 〃I understand that you owe this little girl three dollars。〃
Mr。 Lewis got to his feet and handed the miniature poodle to the old lady in the next chair。 The tiny dog snarled at Aileen and began to bark。 Mr。 Lewis took out his wallet； removed three dollars； and held them out to Hoke。 His fingers were trembling； and he worked his mouth in and out。 Hoke shook his head and inclined it toward Aileen。
〃Give it to the girl。〃
Mr。 Lewis gave Aileen the three dollars。 〃I was planning to eat on that money this week；〃 he said。 〃I hope you're satisfied。〃
〃Bullshit；〃 Hoke said。 〃If you can pay a hundred a week to live at the Alton； you can pay for getting your dog washed。 You can also apologize to the little girl。〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 Mr。 Lewis said。 He put his wallet back into his hip pocket and retrieved Thor from the old lady。 The dog stopped yapping immediately。 Mr。 Lewis walked to the doorway that led into the apartment house foyer。 He opened the door and turned。 〃I'm not sorry！ I'm not sorry！〃 he said in a high reedy voice。 He then stepped swiftly through the door and into the foyer； pulling the door closed behind him。
On their way back to the Eldorado； Aileen said； 〃If Mr。 Lewis needed that money to eat on； Daddy； I'd rather not take it。 But he never told me that this morning。〃
〃He's a liar； Aileen。 Don't feel sorry for him。 A miniature poodle like the one he had； if he's got the papers on it； sells for two or three hundred bucks。 If he gets hungry enough； he can always sell the goddamned dog。 At any rate； you've washed your last dog over here。 Some of these people over here on South B