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〃We'll find out when we talk to Willie Brownley at ten； I suppose。 But congratulations； Bill。 If anyone around here deserves a promotion； you do。〃
〃But I'm not so sure I want it。 The rank doesn't make sense。 Why call a man a mander if he doesn't mand anybody or anything except a desk？〃
〃They had to call it something； I suppose。 And they couldn't use warrant officer because everybody's already an officer； including the lowliest rookie on the street。〃
〃I don't like the insignia； either。 It's a silver lozenge。 When I think of a lozenge； I think of a piece of candy。〃
〃Don't look at it that way； Bill。〃 Hoke grinned。 〃Just think of the extra fifty bucks a month you'll get。〃
〃Big deal。 I could make that much in one night； wearing my uniform and watching the polka dancers at the PolishAmerican Club。〃
〃You still can…〃
〃No I can't either。 A mander has too much rank for that。 But I'm going to take it because of Marie and the kids。 I just talked to Marie on the phone； and she's happy as shit。〃
〃I'm happy for you； too； Bill； all shitting aside。〃
〃Thanks； Hoke。 But you should've got it instead of me。〃
〃I think Brownley wants to keep me on the cold cases。 But I don't know what you'll be doing。 You won't stay with me and Ellita； not as a mander。〃
〃I know that。 Where's Ellita； anyway？ Didn't she e in with you？〃
Hoke shook his head。 〃She's got a doctor's appointment at ten； so she won't be here for the meeting either。〃
〃Are you settled in yet； in the new house； I mean？〃
〃We're getting there。 We haven't picked up Ellita's bedroom suite； but we'll get it sometime this week。 But Saturday； Sue Ellen got a job at the Green Lakes Car Wash。 She started this morning。〃
〃Doing what？〃
〃They trade off。 Part of the time she'll be vacuuming the cars before they go through the wash； then they trade places and she dries the cars with towels after they've been through it。 Vacuuming is best； she said； because if she can talk the customer into a pine spray or a new car spray； she gets a fifty…cent mission。 Also； all the people pool tips； and they're divided equally at the end of the day。 But otherwise； she gets minimum wage。〃
〃That's a good job for a kid。 What about the little girl？〃
〃I don't know。 I'm going to see if I can get her an afternoon paper route in the neighborhood； delivering the Miami News。 But I want to keep her close by； in the neighborhood。 Sooner or later a route'll open up。 Otherwise； everything's working out fine so far。〃
〃What do you want me to do this morning？〃
〃I don't know。 You might just summarize all of the cases you've read so far； what your thoughts are on them。 We've picked the first five； but you won't be working on them now； so I don't know what else to tell you。〃
〃I've done that already； but it isn't typed。〃
〃You don't have to type it。 I'm closing out the Gerald Hickey case as a probable accidental OD this morning； and we won't start on the Dr。 Raybold case until I've talked to Ellita about it。 Raybold's the first one on our list。〃
〃It's got good potential； Hoke； and I'd like to work with you on it。〃
〃Why not？ You're staying in the division； no matter what else they give you to do； and you'll still be able to help with some of these cold cases。〃
Teddy Gonzalez knocked on the door； which was open； and then came into the office。 Gonzalez was in his early twenties； with an A。B。 in History from Florida International University。 He had wanted to teach history； but joined the police force instead when he couldn't find a teaching job。 He wore a suit and tie； and his shoes were shined； but he had a nervous habit of biting the cuticles on his fingers。
〃Congratulations； mander Henderson；〃 Gonzalez said； smiling。
〃Thanks； Teddy；〃 Henderson said。 〃What's on your mind？〃
〃Not much of anything； right now。 I just wanted to congratulate you； that's all。 I followed up on that tip you gave me about Leroy's floating crap game； and it's still in operation。 Leroy Mercer； who ran it all these years； has been dead for about eight months。 His son Earl runs it now； but they still call it Leroy's game。 I checked around at Northside； and found out that the game was held up about a month ago by three men。 And those three guys who were killed could've been the holdup men。 If so； they could've been found and killed for holding up the game。 That sounds reasonable； although it doesn't seem likely that they'd be killed for the small amount of money they took from the game。〃
〃How much was in the game？〃
〃I don't know。 But according to the snitch I talked to； there was never more than five or six thousand bucks in any of those games。〃
〃In Liberty City；〃 Hoke said； 〃five thousand bucks is a hell of a lot of money。 Did you talk to Earl Mercer？ Question him； find out who was playing when the game was held up。 Then run down each guy； and see where he was on the night of the murders。〃
〃Earl isn't in town； and the game isn't playing right now。 My snitch said he went back to Tifton； Georgia； to stay with his mother for a vacation。〃
〃Who's your snitch？〃
〃The old black man who takes tickets at the Royale Theater。 All they play at the Royale is kung…fu movies； and Shaft reruns。 They got a double…feature Shaft movie on now； and old Bert says he hasn't been able to get around much lately because they've been so busy。 Anyway； that's where the case stands。 I really don't know what to do next。 You got any more suggestions； Sergeant…I mean； mander？〃
〃I don't know； Teddy。 It seems to me you've got reasonable cause to get the chief up in Tifton to pick up Earl Mercer。 At least for questioning。 Then you can go up there and talk to him。 What do you think； Hoke？〃
〃I think that Slater should turn the case over to a black detective。 Nobody in Liberty City's going to tell Teddy much of anything。 And hearsay isn't enough to pick up Mercer either。 What did Slater tell you； Gonzalez？〃
〃I haven't talked to him about the crap game yet。 He won't be in today； anyway。 He's lecturing at the police academy。〃
〃We've got an appointment at ten with Major Brownley；〃 Henderson said。 〃I'll suggest to him that the case go to a black detective。〃
〃I'm not trying to get out of anything；〃 Teddy said。 He put a finger in his mouth and began to chew it。
〃We know that； Teddy。 But you've taken it about as far as you can。 Haven't you got anything else to work on？〃
〃A DOA on Fifth Street； but it looks like a suicide。 I won't know for sure till I see the P。M。〃
〃Work on that； then；〃 Henderson said； 〃and I'll talk to either Slater or Brownley about taking you off the triple murder。 If we were still working together； Teddy； if it makes you feel any better； I'd ask to get off the case myself。 If Lieutenant Slater won't take you off； he ought to at least get a black detective to work with you on it。〃
〃Captain Slater；〃 Hoke said； grinning。
〃That's right。〃 Henderson smiled。 〃He was insufferable before。 I wonder what he'll be like now with two bars。〃
〃The same；〃 Hoke said。 〃Actually； now that he finally made captain； he might mellow out a little。〃
〃Thanks a lot；〃 Teddy said。 〃And congratulations again； Sergeant Henderson。 mander。〃 Teddy left the office； and they watched him through the glass as