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i； to the giant condo plexes in North Miami； and to the new and affordable subdivisions in West Miami。
The city's policemen were required to carry their badges and weapons at all times； to be ready to make an off…hours arrest or assist an officer in trouble。 But with so many men living out of town； few were actually available。 It seemed logical to the new chief of police that if all thousand Miami police officers were living within the city limits； there would be a marked drop in the crime rate。 There had in fact always been an official rule to this effect； that a cop had to reside within the city； but until the new chief had taken over it had never been enforced。 Now； unpromising deadlines had been established for all of the Miami police officers living in the other municipalities to move back to the city。 To most cops； the rule was unreasonable and unfair； because many of them had purchased homes in the other munities。 Many resigned rather than move back； and had little difficulty in finding new police jobs in their adopted municipalities； although most took a pay cut。 Others； with too much time in the department to resign； left their families in the other cities and rented small； cramped apartments or moved in with their Miami relatives。 Still others； after desperate searches； of course； found suitable housing。
The strict enforcement rule had resulted in the loss of more than a hundred officers； many of them highly petent veterans。 Because of city budget problems； the department was already short more than 150 people； so the force was reduced to approximately 850 full…time policemen。 With this personnel shortage； plus the difficulty in recruiting new minority policemen； who had a priority under the Affirmative Action plan； it now seemed imperative for the new chief to maintain the rule。 The damage had been done； but at least most of the remaining cops now lived within the city limits and were available during their off…duty hours。
Hoke Moseley； however； had a special problem。 As a sergeant； his annual salary was 34；000。 For a single； divorced man； this should have been enough to live on fairly well in Miami。 But because of the terms of his divorce settlement； Hoke had to send half of his salary…every other paycheck…to his ex…wife； who lived in Vero Beach； Florida。 Ten years earlier； when Hoke had signed the agreement…which also gave his ex…wife； Patsy； the full…time custody of their two daughters…he had been willing to sign almost anything to get out of his untenable marriage。 At the time of their separation； he had been living rent…free with a young advertising woman named Bambi in her twobedroom condo in Coconut Grove； a desirable neighborhood within the city limits。 But later on； after the divorce； and after he had broken up with Bambi； he realized how foolish he had been to agree to the pre…divorce settlement。 He still had to pay the ine tax on 34；000 out of the 17；000 he had left； plus paying out money for the pension plan； PBA dues； Social Security； and everything else。 The everything else included medical expenses for his two daughters； and these bills had been costly over the years； especially dentists' and orthodontists' bills。 Patsy also sent him the bills for the girls' new Easter and Christmas outfits； school clothes； and for the summer camp the girls liked to go to in Sebring； Florida； which included horseback riding…an extra fee。 If Hoke had only had his own lawyer； instead of sharing Patsy's； and had opted for alimony instead of a pre…divorce settlement； he could have at least taken alimony payments off his ine tax。 But Patsy had hired a sharp woman lawyer who had persuaded Hoke to sign the financial agreement。
After Bambi； he had been forced to live in cheap efficiency apartments； and he had even tried living in private homes with kitchen privileges。 But he had gone deeper into debt as the years passed。 He ran up large dental bills himself as his dentist tried vainly to save his teeth； but at last they were all extracted； and he was fitted with a plete set of grayish…blue dentures。 These fragile…looking teeth were so patently false that they were the first thing people noticed about Hoke when they met him。
Two years earlier； before the department had been taken over by the new chief； Hoke had found a solution that had solved some of his financial problems。 Howard Bennett； the owner…manager of the Eldorado Hotel； a seedy Art Deco establishment in South Miami Beach； had taken Hoke on as security officer。 Hoke was given a rent…free two…room suite； and all he had to do was to spend his nights in the hotel； and most weekends。 He had a view of Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline from his window； and he could take the MacArthur Causeway into Miami and reach the downtown police station in fifteen minutes。 Or less； depending upon the traffic。 On the other hand； Miami Beach was not Miami； and Major Willie Brownley； the Homicide Division chief； had told Hoke to move back inside the city。
〃It's imperative that you get out of the Eldorado as soon as possible；〃 Major Brownley had told him。 〃Next to Coral Gables； South Beach probably has the highest crime rate in Dade County。 And sooner or later； in that crummy neighborhood； you're going to get mixed up in a shooting or something and have to make an arrest。 Then； when it es Out that you're a Miami cop； and not a Miami Beach cop； I'll be blamed because you aren't supposed to be living there in the first place。〃
〃It's a quiet place； the Eldorado；〃 Hoke had said。 〃Mostly retired Jewish ladies on Social Security。〃
〃And Mariel refugees。〃
〃Only five left now； Willie。 I got rid of the troublemakers。 But I'll get out。 I just want to know how much time I've got； that's all。〃
〃Two weeks。 You've got p days ing。 Take a few days off； find a place to live； and get the hell out of there。 You're the only man left in my division who hasn't got a Miami address。〃
〃I've got a Miami address。 Officially； my mail goes to Bill Henderson's house。〃
〃But I know you're still living in the Eldorado。〃
〃I'll be out in two weeks； Willie。 Don't worry about it。〃
〃I'm not worried。 Two weeks； or you'll be suspended without pay till you're back in the city。〃
A week had gone by already； and Hoke still hadn't found a rent…free place to live。 He had contacted several downtown hotels about the sort of arrangement he had with the Eldorado； but he had been turned down flat。 The fleabag transient hotels downtown weren't suitable for Hoke。 The better hotels wanted full…time security officers only and weren't willing to provide a free room to a part…time security officer with irregular hours…not when they could rent out the same room for seventy…eight dollars a night or more。
Maybe； Hoke thought； the Safe 'n' Sure Home…Sitting Service in Coconut Grove would be the solution。 It was worth a try； and if it didn't work； he would have to find a room in a private house again； with kitchen privileges…some place with a private entrance。 The way rents had increased in the last few years； he could no longer afford a cheap efficiency apartment： There were no cheap efficiencies。 Once again； Hoke marveled at the brilliance of Patsy's lawyer。 No specific sum of money had been mentioned