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〃My house； you mean？ The mortgage is one sixty…eight a month； but it goes up every year when the taxes change。 What's this got to do with anything？ I never did anything to Jerry； and you can't prove I did。〃
〃I don't have to prove anything； Loretta。 I'm a detective； an investigator。 I turn in my findings； and based on my report the state attorney either makes an indictment herself or turns the information over to the grand jury。 The guilt or innocence is determined by a jury of your peers； and half of that jury will be Roman Catholics with very little English。 But either way； the trial will get a lot of notoriety。 No matter what the jury decides； by the time the trial's over； you'll be lucky if you can get a job hawking flowers at a stoplight。 No matter what happens； your career as a Coral Gables businesswoman is finished。〃
〃I'm innocent； Hoke。 I've got some money in my lock…box； I'll admit that。 But this was money a man in Atlanta owed me for a long time； and…〃
〃What's his name and address？〃 Hoke said； taking out his notebook。 〃I'd like to talk with him。〃
〃I can't tell you that。〃 Loretta shook her head。 〃He wouldn't want his name brought into this。 He's a married man 。 。 。 His wife doesn't know he paid me the money back。〃
〃Sure。〃 Hoke put his notebook away and ate another oyster。
〃You're not going through with this； are you？〃
〃I don't have to； no。 I've got a little plan where you and Jerry can redeem yourselves。 Jerry never did anything for anyone while he was alive； and you're as selfish as he was。 But I've got a proposition for you。 Move to Atlanta； and take that designer's job you've been offered up there。 Sell your shop in the Gables for whatever you can get for it； and clear out。 Stay in Atlanta for four years。 During those four years I'll live in your house in Green Lakes and pay the mortgage payments of one sixty…eight a month。 At the end of this exile you can have your house back； and if you save your money in Atlanta； maybe you can open a new business down here again。 I don't give a shit what you do。 All I want is the use of your house for four years； and I'll maintain the place。〃
Loretta stubbed out the butt of her smouldering cigarette。 For a long moment she stared at the brown pelican on the post。 〃None of this makes any sense；〃 she said at last。 〃Why do you want my house？ If you think I've got money hidden in the walls； or anything like that； you're crazy。〃
〃I need a house to live in for four years。 It's that simple。 There's nothing crazy about it。〃
〃You have no evidence against me。 Zero。 If you went to the state attorney with a wild story like that； she'd laugh at you。〃
〃I wouldn't go today。 I have a few more loose ends to tie up first。 That's why I only put a temporary seal on your lock…box。 But when I file my report； all the gaps will be filled。 Meanwhile； it'll just say in the newspapers tomorrow that you are being investigated in the alleged homicide of your stepson； Jerry Hickey。 Sex； drugs 。 。 。 your Gables customers will like that； won't they？ And so will the bank； when you ask for another loan。〃
〃What about my furniture？〃
〃Take it； leave it； or put it in storage。 Just be out of the house by noon Friday； and I'll drop everything。 I'll e by your shop tomorrow for a few minutes and bring a written agreement for a four…year lease。 Then I'll take the seal off your lock…box； you can get your money； and you're off to Atlanta。 Or wherever you want to go。〃
〃It isn't that easy to sell a business； not that quick。 Not a flower shop。〃
〃Move into a hotel。 Get an agent to handle it。 But I want that house by Friday noon。 That's the deadline。〃
〃You're a rotten sonofabitch！〃
〃If you don't want your conch chowder； try one of my oysters。〃 Hoke refilled his beer glass。
Loretta lit another cigarette； using her own lighter。 〃You're getting into something a lot deeper than you realize； Hoke。 Can you wait here for a while？ I want to make a phone call。〃
〃If you're going to call a lawyer； you'd better call your ex…husband。 You might ask him how he found out you were fucking Jerry。〃
〃Jerry told him； and it was a lie。〃
〃Uh…uh。 Your fat friendly neighbor； Mrs。 Koontz； told him。 Jerry just confirmed it； that's all。〃
〃Ellen？ I don't believe it。〃
〃Ask your husband when you call him。〃
〃I'm not calling Harold。 I want you to talk to a couple of friends of mine。 Will you wait？〃
〃Sure。〃
Loretta picked up her purse and crossed the patio to the bar。 She passed something to the bartender； and he put a phone on the bar。 As she talked into the phone； she gestured with her left hand； making circles in the air。 Hoke had a good idea about who these two men would be； but he wasn't certain。 Maybe； despite what she'd said； she was just talking to Harold Hickey。 Or maybe to her own lawyer。 Hoke took out his pistol； set it on his lap； and covered it with a paper napkin。 Loretta came back to the table and sat down。
〃I don't want to move to Atlanta； Hoke。 My business is going to get a lot better now； and if I had to stay away for four years before ing back； it would mean starting all over again。〃
〃Look at it this way。 If the case goes to trial； a good attorney could probably get the charge reduced to manslaughter。 At most you'd get three years； and you'd be out in one。 But with a dope lawyer like Harold Hickey on the stand as your chief character witness； probation would be out of the question with the tough judges we've got down here。 Believe me； Loretta； four years of living well in Atlanta will be a lot better than a year in the women's prison working in the laundry。〃
〃None of this makes any sense； Hoke。 It was only a matter of time before Jerry died of an overdose or got killed by the people he was working with…〃
〃Just shut up about it before I change my mind。〃
〃My friends'll be here in a minute。 I want you to talk with them first。 Then； if we can't work something out； you can have my house…if that's all you want。〃
〃That's all I want。〃
〃I'll wait…over by the gate。〃 Loretta got up and left the table。 Hoke watched her teetering walk as she crossed the gravel to the gate in the wooden fence。 He drank another glass of beer。 Five minutes later； two young men came into the patio。 Loretta talked to them for a moment before the three of them came over and joined Hoke at the chickee。 Loretta sat down； but the two men on either side of her stayed standing。 Both were in their late twenties； and they both wore linen jackets； open…collared sports shirts； and lightweight slacks。 The taller of the two had a St。 Christopher medal the size of a silver dollar on a gold chain around his neck； and there was a bulge under the left armpit of his white linen jacket。 They were sleek and well…fed； with the expensive sculptured haircuts of TV anchormen； but Hoke wasn't deceived by their appearance。 He had seen too many like them in the courtrooms； acpanied by attorneys in three…piece suits。
〃Loretta here；〃 the tallest man said； 〃told us that you've got something that belongs to us。〃
〃What's that？〃
〃Twenty…four thousand dollars。〃
〃Why not say twenty…five； and round it off？〃
〃Because she returned a thousand already。〃 He turned sideways and pointed to the top of a brown