written up for lake fishing anyway。〃
〃So you're just about out of business； right？〃
〃Oh； no…I'm doing all right。 But I borrowed money to expand； and the interest is hurting me。 My movie rental club alone pays my rent each month； but I'm in pretty heavy to the bank； you see。 But I ain't here to talk business。 What I was telling Sergeant Henderson here is that I suspect foul play。〃
〃What kind of foul play？〃
〃That was no accident that killed Martin。 That was murder。〃
〃If so； it's the first of a kind。〃
〃Let him finish；〃 Henderson said。 〃There's more。〃
〃That's the best kind；〃 Mr。 Waggoner continued； 〃the kind that looks like an accident but really ain't。 I've seen it on 'The Rockford Files' more 'n once； and if it wasn't for Jim Rockford； a lot of people'd get away with it； too。〃
〃What makes you think your son's death wasn't an accident？〃
〃I'd really rather not talk about it because it's so painful to me； as a father； you see。 But I'm also a good citizen； and justice； no matter how harsh； must be done。 Even to kith and kin 。 。 。 〃 He started to cry again； softer this time； and reached for his handkerchief。
Hoke took the plastic lid off his coffee and sipped it。 It was cold。 〃When did you get this coffee？〃
〃I got in a little early today；〃 Henderson said。 〃But I didn't know you'd be a half…hour late。〃
Hoke replaced the plastic lid and dropped the cup of coffee into the wastebasket。 He lit a cigarette； took a long drag； and butted the cigarette in the ashtray as he allowed the smoke to trickle out through his nose。
〃So you think； Mr。 Waggoner；〃 Hoke said； 〃that this unidentified assailant who broke your son's middle finger killed him on purpose？ Is that right？〃
〃That's about the size of it。〃 Mr。 Waggoner blew his nose； examined his handkerchief； and then put it back into his pocket。 〃I think the man； whosoever he was； was hired to do it。 That's what I think。〃
〃The chances of killing a man that way are pretty remote； Mr。 Waggoner。 I doubt if more than one man in a thousand… I don't know the actual statistics…would die from a trauma to his finger。 It would be pretty stupid to hire someone to kill anybody in that manner。〃
〃You might be right about that。 But if a man was hired to injure somebody on purpose； and then that person died because of the injury； wouldn't that be a murder for hire？〃
〃A case could be made for that； I suppose。 Except for a thousand unidentified passengers a day who don't like Hare Krishnas； who hated your son enough to hire someone to break his middle finger？〃
〃That's what's so painful to me。〃 Mr。 Waggoner sighed。 〃I think my daughter hired him。〃
Hoke took the morgue identification form out of his notebook； unfolded it； and placed it on the desk。 〃Susan； the daughter who identified the body？ Or do you have another daughter in mind？〃
〃No。 Susan's the only daughter I got。 And Martin was my only son。 None of us got along too good； I'll admit that； and I sent her packing when she got pregnant。 But Martin； even though he's the one that done it to her； was my only son； and she shouldn't've had him killed。 Susan's just like her mother； who was no good either； so I know she talked Martin into doing it to her in the first place。〃 Mr。 Waggoner lowered his voice and his head。 〃Men are weak。 I know that because I'm weak when it es to women myself。 We all are； even you two gentlemen； if you don't mind my saying so。 A woman can make you do anything she wants you to do with that there little hair…pie they've got between their legs。 I know it； and you know it； too。〃
〃Let me get this straight；〃 Hoke said。 〃Your own son impregnated his sister； your daughter； Susan； and then Susan hired someone to kill him for revenge。 Is that right？〃
〃That's right。 Yes； sir。〃
〃And where's the baby？〃
〃Susan had her an abortion here in Miami。 I gave her eight hundred dollars when I sent her down here to get it。 You can check that out easy enough； and Martin went with her； telling me he'd e back。 He never did； though。〃
〃Are you positive Martin was the father？〃
〃No doubt about that。 They was alone in the house all the time； and Martin； he never let her go out with no one else。 I didn't see what was going on at first。 I just thought he was protecting her from those other boys up there； the way a big brother'll look after his little sister。 But after they left； I looked around the house some； and I found things。 Martin； pretending to be so religious and all…butter beans wouldn't melt in his mouth…had two French ticklers hid in his old high school Blue Horse notebook way back in the closet。 And they was other things； too 。 。 。 〃 He looked at the toes of his boots and whispered。 〃Noises in the night 。 。 。 you know the kind。 Down deep； I guess I must've known what they was up to all along； but I didn't want to believe it； so I pretended it was something else。
〃I don't fear God or no man。 What I fear is that little hairpie； that's what I fear。 And knowing what I know； and knowing what kind of girl Susie is； a sneaky little girl； I just know she got her revenge on Martin。 But as I said； I can't prove nothing。 I had to tell you what I think。 The rest is up to you。 I just hope you prove I'm wrong。〃
〃If I type up a statement about your suspicions；〃 Henderson said； 〃will you sign it？〃
〃Well； no。 I told you； and that should be enough。 I'll sign for Martin's effects； though。 I know I've got to do that。〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 Hoke said； 〃but in view of what you've told us； we're going to hang on to them for a while。 At least until we plete the investigation。〃
〃Including the money？ Sergeant Henderson said Martin had more'n two hundred dollars in his wallet。〃
〃That's right。 The money； too。 He might've left a will； and in that case the money'll go into probate。〃
〃I understand。 I guess that's the price a man pays for doing his duty。 How do I get the body？〃
〃It depends upon when they finish the post…mortem。 But you can notify any funeral director to take care of it for you。 If you want a cremation； the Neptune Society will do it for you and scatter his ashes at sea。〃
〃Can't I get the ashes myself'？ I'd like to scatter 'em on the lake。 Martin always loved the lake as a boy； so that's where he'd like to be scattered。〃
〃You can do whatever you like。 You don't； by law； have to have the body embalmed； so don't let anybody talk you into that； Mr。 Waggoner。 Thank you for ing in。〃 Hoke stood up； and so did Mr。 Waggoner。
〃You'll let me know； then； how the investigation es out？〃
〃No。 All our inquiries will be confidential。 If the investigation's negative； it would be foolish to let anyone know we made one in the first place。 So you don't have to worry about any publicity。〃
〃I may not look it；〃 Mr。 Waggoner said； 〃but I'm ashamed。 I'm deeply ashamed of what I had to tell you。 Thank you both for being so patient。〃
〃I'll take you to the elevator；〃 Henderson said。 〃It's easy to get turned around in this building。〃
Henderson took a glazed doughnut out of his desk drawer； broke it in half； and offered the smaller half to Hoke。 Hoke shook his head； and Henderson began to eat the doughnut。
〃How'd you like Mr。 Waggoner's little story； Hoke？〃
〃I found the bit about the hair…pie instructive。〃
〃Me； too。 Although I knew already that I was weak in that regard。 You ever been in Okeechobee？〃
〃Years ago。 But not since I left Riviera Beach。 My dad and I went fishing for catfish on the lake a few times； but we only went into the town a couple of times。 There's nothing much there； or there wasn't ten years ago。 It's just an elbow bend on the highway north。 I wouldn't think the town could support a software store； even if Waggoner rents out films for TV。 But for all I know； Okeechobee's probably tripled in size by now； just like every other town in Florida the last few years。 If a man likes to fish； it wouldn't be a bad place to retire。〃
〃Apparently； there's a shortage of women。 Otherwise； a brother wouldn't have to screw his own sister。〃
〃You know I spent some time with the girl； Susan； last night； and there might be some truth to what Waggoner told us。〃
〃Bullshit。 If you hire somebody in Miami to do a beating for you； you get a professional job with bicycle chains。 You don't pay anyone fifty bucks to break a lousy finger。〃
〃But wouldn't a girl be chicken…hearted and not want her big brother hurt too badly？〃
〃Anything's possible。 You want to check it out？ We've got better things to do； you know。〃
〃Susan's boyfriend was with her when I took her down to the morgue。 He's an ex…con； I'm positive； and strong enough to break someone's arm。 He gave me a phony name； Ramon Mendez； and for no good reason that I could see…unless he's on the run。〃
〃Did you run a make on the name？〃
〃On Mendez？ We've got hundreds of them。 Remember when we tried to get a make on José Perez？ Twenty…seven with records popped up。 These Latins all have four last names and a half…dozen first names； including at least one saint on the list。 And they use the ones they want at the time。 But this boyfriend isn't a Latin in the first place。 Remember the intelligence seminar we went to last yea