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d alone before； and you shouldn't be all alone while you're pregnant。 And certainly not after the baby's born。 The girls can watch the baby； and it'll be good for them to learn what it's like。〃
〃It doesn't seem right to move in on you； Hoke。 I love the girls； but…〃
〃They love you； too； Ellita。 You're a role model for them。 We're scheduled to go to the range next month； and I thought maybe we'd take the girls along and you could teach 'em how to shoot a pistol。 I'm too impatient to teach 'em； I know。〃
〃I don't have to move in on you to teach them how to shoot…〃
〃Don't say move in on； Ellita； say move in with us。 We'll be like a kind of family。 You can have the big bedroom； the master bedroom； all to yourself。 We'll get your bedroom furniture； and that way there'll plenty of room for you and the baby when it es。〃
〃When he es。〃 Ellita smiled。
Hoke grinned。 〃He or she； it doesn't make any difference。 Girls are all right； too。 My girls have been spoiled rotten by their mother； but they'll get straightened around gradually。 Right now； they're still confused about things。 But once they start working； they'll change their attitudes in a hurry。〃
〃The girls are fine now； Hoke。〃 Ellita finished her coffee。 〃I'm touched； Hoke； I really am。 And I guess you can see how half…hearted my protests are。 Last night I was just sitting here in this crummy little room； and it got to me。 I kept thinking； this is the way it's gonna be from now on。 Alone every night； and on long weekends； too。 I'm pretty tough； you know that by now； but I'm not ready to live by myself。 Not yet； anyway； even if I had a nice furnished apartment。 So I don't have to think about it； Hoke。 I'm ready to move when you are。〃 Ellita got up； and Hoke hugged her awkwardly。 He kissed her on the cheek； then took her cup。
〃I'm glad； Ellita。 We move on Friday。 The girls will stay in the hotel today； and I'll give 'em lunch money。 After you're dressed； e down for more coffee。 There're still a few bagels left； too。〃
Hoke opened the door。 〃I'll let you tell the girls you're going to live with us。 They'll be as pleased as I am。〃
Hoke； Bill and Ellita read their files and took notes with very little small talk until nine…thirty。 Hoke was called to the phone by the duty officer。 There were six cardboard boxes to be picked up at the Greyhound baggage office。
〃How late are you open？〃 Hoke asked the clerk。
〃Till six。〃
These boxes were the things Patsy had shipped to the girls from Vero Beach。 Hoke had forgotten all about them； but he was glad they had arrived at the station。 Now he had a legitimate excuse to get out of the office。 Of course； he didn't need to have a reason to e and go as he pleased （after all； he was in charge）； but Henderson would rather do almost anything than paperwork and usually wanted to e along。
When Hoke returned to the interrogation room； Armando Quevedo was talking to Henderson and Ellita。 Quevedo had shaved off his beard and was in a light…gray polyester suit； a white shirt； and a dark…blue necktie imprinted with silver pistols。 He hadn't cut his long hair； but he had tamed it with some kind of hair oil。 He reminded Hoke of an M。C。 at a wet T…shirt contest。 For a moment； Hoke hardly recognized his fellow detective。
Quevedo flashed his teeth in a smile。 〃I gotta go to court today； Hoke。 That's why I'm in disguise。 I was just telling Sergeant Henderson here that the lead you guys gave us on Wetzel didn't pan out。 As it turned out； we couldn't hold him for anything。 We had to let the bastard go； and he was the only suspect we had on the torchings and the Descanso Hotel fire。 He was picked up downtown by a patrolman right after the hotel fire because he was carrying a can of kerosene。 But you can't charge a man with anything just because he's got a can of kerosene。 Wetzel stuck to his dumb story； and he wouldn't change it。〃
〃Did he live at the Descanso？〃 Hoke asked。
〃No。 He usually lives under a tree in Bayfront Park。 Wetzel claimed he bought the can of kerosene to fill his Zippo lighter。 He had a Zippo filled with kerosene； so we were stuck with his story and so was he。〃
〃But what about Buford？ Did Wetzel say anything about that？〃
〃When Buford was killed three years ago； Wetzel was in jail in Detroit。 That checked out； so we released him。 But then we drove him up to Fort Lauderdale and dumped him in Broward Country。 I think we managed to scare him enough to keep him out of Dade County； anyway。 But on the hotel fire and the other torchings； we're back to square one。〃
〃What did you think of our boy Ray Vince？〃 Henderson said； broadening his metal…studded smile。
〃That sonofabitch is scary； isn't he？ He probably heard something； or he wouldn't've e up with Buford's name。 But when those guys get high on bang…bang； they're liable to say anything。 A lot of squeals e out of the stockade； but this one didn't pan out； that's all。〃
〃What exactly is bang…bang？〃 Ellita asked。
〃It's a drink the inmates make in the stockade under the barracks。 They save potato peelings from the kitchen； the syrup from canned pineapple； raisins from the canteen； and then they get some yeast and brew it up in any kind of container they can get。 When it ferments there's a high alcoholic content； but I wouldn't drink it for a million bucks。 You can go blind from drinking shit like that。 Pardon me； Ellita。〃
〃Claro； Armando！ I wouldn't drink shit like that either。〃 She smiled at Quevedo。
〃Maybe you and I can go out for a drink sometime…〃
Ellita shook her head。 〃I'll take a raincheck； Armando。 I've got to lose some weight。〃
〃I thought you said you had to go to court；〃 Hoke said。
〃You're right。〃 Quevedo looked at his watch。 〃I gotta get to court。〃
After Quevedo left； Hoke told them that he had to pick up his daughters' baggage at the bus station and see a realestate woman about a house。
〃You want me to help you with the stuff； Hoke？〃 Bill said； getting up from his chair。
〃No； it's just a few cardboard boxes。 You'd better stay here and take a look at the distribution。 By tomorrow sometime； I'd like to have a short list of cases we can get started on…even if it's only one case we can all agree on。〃
〃I'm ready to start on Bill's pile now；〃 Ellita said。
〃Okay。 Bill can start on yours when he's finished。 I'll just have to get back to mine later。〃
Hoke put on his jacket and left。 He drove to the Fina station a block away from the police department where he always traded and used the phone in the office while the manager filled his tank and checked under the hood。 Hoke called the morgue and asked for Doc Evans。
〃What made you think the Hickey kid had piles； Hoke？〃 Doc Evans said when he answered the phone。
〃The lab report。 There were some tinfoil balls in the ashtray by his bed； and they checked out as Nembutal suppositories。 Nembutal can kill a man； can't it？〃
〃If you take enough of it； yes。 But Hickey only had one； or maybe two； gobs up his ass。 There was enough to put him to sleep； but it didn't kill him。 He died from too much heroin； Hoke。〃
〃Did he have piles？〃
〃No。 He had diverticulitis； but no piles。 He was a little young to have diverticulitis already； but it wasn't bad enough to bother