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n't understand what the problem is。 None of them would say why they backed out。 It may be the dog。 But you； being a cop and all； should be able to handle a dog。〃
〃As I told you on the phone； Ms。 Westphal； I'll be ing and going at odd hours； so it's probably a good idea to have a dog on the place。 I don't mind the dog。〃
〃That's about it； then。〃 Ms。 Westphal handed Hoke her business card； with the address of the house scribbled on the back。 〃But if you tell me no； too； you'll have to give me a reason。 Otherwise； I'm going to ask Mr。 Ferguson to try another agency。〃
〃What is it？ A house or an apartment？〃
〃It's a small house； but it's quite lovely。 Two bedrooms； one bath； with a kidney…shaped pool in back。 There are some orange trees； too； but you won't have to worry about the yard。 Mr。 Ferguson's got a gardener for that。 You'll have to spend your nights there； but the fact that you e and go at different times is a plus。 The house has a TV and air conditioning； but there are no nearby stores。 You've got a car； haven't you？〃
〃A 1973 Le Mans； but it's got a new engine。〃
〃Good。 I'm going out now myself； but I'll be back by two or two…thirty。 Talk to Mr。 Ferguson。 Then e back here and we'll work out the bond arrangement and the contract。〃
The mailbox on Main Highway had the number and Mr。 Ferguson's name stenciled on it。 There was a gravel driveway in a sigmoid loop； and the house was hidden pletely from the road by palmettos and a thick stand of loblolly pines。 As Hoke parked in front of the house； Mr。 Ferguson； together with his dog； a bushy black…and…burntorange Airedale； came out of the house。 The moment Hoke got out of the car； the dog； slavering； gripped Hoke's right leg tightly with his forelegs； dug his wet jowls into Hoke's crotch； and began to dry…hump Hoke's leg in a practiced； determined rhythm。 Mr。 Ferguson； a red…faced； red…haired man in his early forties； wearing a gray； heavy cardigan sweater despite the eighty…five…degree temperature； lit his pipe with a kitchen match。
Hoke tried to shake the dog loose。 〃Ms。 Westphal sent me out about the house…sitting job。〃
〃I know；〃 Mr。 Ferguson said after he got his pipe going； 〃she called me。 e on inside。〃 Mr。 Ferguson started toward the door； and Hoke managed to kick the amorous Airedale viciously enough to dislodge him when Mr。 Ferguson turned his back。 But the dog darted ahead through the door before Hoke could close it。 The moment Hoke closed the door； the dog was on him again； his forelegs clamped like a vise around Hoke's right thigh。 Hoke took out his pistol。
〃if you don't get this animal off me； I'm going to kill him。〃
〃No need to do that；〃 Mr。 Ferguson said。 〃Rex！ On the table； boy！〃
The dog released Hoke's leg at once and jumped to a chair； then onto the kitchen table； which still held the dirty dishes from Mr。 Ferguson's lunch。 Mr。 Ferguson reached between the dog's legs； above the red； pencil…sized penis。 〃Old Rex gets horny living here without a mate； but if you jack him off once or twice a day； he stays mighty quiet。〃 The dog climaxed； and Ferguson wiped the table with a paper napkin。 Rex jumped to the chair； then to the floor； and crossed to a corduroy cushion under the stove。
〃What I want to do；〃 Mr。 Ferguson said； 〃is go up to stay with my mama in Fitzgerald； Georgia。 She's dyin' of cancer； you see； and the doctors only give her six or seven months to live。 I don't think it'll be that long； but however long it takes； I'm gonna stay with her。 She's all alone up there； with no friends； so I have to go up whether I want to or not。 A man only has one mama； you know。〃
〃Why not bring her down here？ Wouldn't that be better than leaving your job and your house？〃 Hoke shivered。 The air conditioning was set for sixty or lower； no wonder Mr。 Ferguson was wearing a sweater。
〃No； I can't do that。 She's too old； and she don't want to leave her friends up there。〃
〃You just told me she didn't have any friends。〃
〃She has friends； all right； but they're all dead and in the cemetery。 Mama's eighty…six years old。 But she's got her own little house； and sick as she is； she wouldn't want to e down here to Miami。 And I can't take Rex up there with me。 Mama don't like dogs； and she never did。 And I know she wouldn't 'low Rex in the house。 I hate to leave Rex down here； but I don't see no other way out of the situation。 Do you？〃
〃You could hire somebody to stay with her。〃
〃No； I couldn't do that。 Jesus Christ Himself couldn't get along with that old woman。 Nobody'd stay with her for more'n a day or two。 No； I have to go。 A man's only got one mama。 Want to see the rest of the house？ I got a pool out back。 Rex likes to dive for rocks。 You can throw a rock in the deepest part； and he'll dive right in and bring it to you。 Labrador retrievers do that； but not many Airedales。〃
〃I've got another appointment； Mr。 Ferguson。 Ms。 Westphal will call you later。〃
〃You gonna sit my house for me？〃
〃I don't think so。 I've still got a couple of other options。〃
〃That's too bad。 Rex liked you a lot。 I could tell。〃
Hoke drove back into the Grove； parked behind the Hammock Bar； and drank two draft beers before returning to the Safe 'n' Sure office。 After his experience with the frigging dog； Hoke felt entitled to the drinks。 Except for Rex； the house would have been ideal。
Ms。 Westphal unlocked the front door； and they went into the office together。 〃Sorry you had to wait；〃 she said。 〃What I need is a secretary。 I was going to buy an answering machine； but most people won't talk to them anyway。〃
〃I don't want to sit Mr。 Ferguson's house。〃
〃You； too？ What's the problem out there； anyway？〃
〃Well； part of the deal is that you have to jerk the dog off every day。 I don't know why he didn't tell you about that in the first place。 But Mr。 Ferguson owns a concupiscent Airedale。〃
〃What kind of Airedale？〃
〃Sex…crazed。 He humps your leg； and he won't let go till you jack him off。〃
〃How long does it take？〃
〃Less than a minute。 Closer to thirty seconds than a minute。〃
〃What's the big deal then； Sergeant？ I used to jerk guys off in junior high。 Oh； don't look so surprised。 If you didn't； you never got a second date。 It seems to me that getting a lovely home to live in free； and five dollars a day besides； should be worth a minute of your time every day。〃
〃Not to me it isn't。 If it ever got out in the division that I…look； I'm just not interested。〃
〃Let's talk a minute。 I'll tell you what。 It'll only take me ten minutes to get over there。 Why don't you take the house； and then when the dog jumps your leg you can call me。 I'll drive over and handle it for you。〃
〃Why don't you sit the house yourself？ Then you could get a secretary and let her live here。 You'd have someone here to answer your phone when you were out； and you'd have a nice house with a pool for a few months。〃
〃That isn't a bad idea； you know。〃
〃I know。 What else do you have？〃
〃I've got a duplex in Hialeah。〃
〃No； it's got to be in Miami。 Not necessarily in the Grove； but within the city limits。〃
〃All I've got in the Grove right now is a week at Grove Isle。 A two…hundred…and…fifty…thousand…dollar condo； plete with sauna。〃
〃A week isn't