gan to swell immediately。
〃Part of being married；〃 Freddy explained； 〃is learning to do exactly what your platonic husband tells you to do。 I'm not some daddy you can defy； and I'm not a dumb brother you can manipulate。 Do you know what 'manipulate' means？〃
Susan nodded through her tears。 〃Uh…huh。 I saw a program on it once； on 'Donahue。'〃
〃I'm not unreasonable。 You're probably right about the interest rate and all。 I don't know much about things like that。 But the main thing here is that you didn't do what I told you to do。 And you weren't really concerned about the interest rate； either。 You kept the other ten thousand because you didn't trust me。 Don't say anything。 Not a word。 I don't want to hear any lies。 What I'm going to do； I'm going to let you keep the other ten thousand in the S and L。 I don't need it right now； and you don't need it； and I realize you're insecure and need the money for your peace of mind。 Now； put the pork chops back on the table and leave them there so they'll thaw out。 I'll want them for dinner tonight； with whatever else you fix that'll go good with the pork chops。〃
〃Will baked sweet potatoes be all right？〃
〃That's your department。 Now； aren't you going to ask me where I got the pork chops？〃
〃I figure that's none of my business。〃
〃That's right。 Now you're learning。〃
Freddy looked through Susan's purse and took out the car keys。 〃I'm going down to the hotel to fix things up with Pablo for you。 Then I'm going to get oriented around town。 I should be back around six…that is； if I don't get lost。 But I've checked out the map； and I don't think I will as long as I keep the avenues and the streets straight。〃
〃I'm supposed to go to social science tonight。 English on Monday and Wednesday； and social science on Tuesday and Thursday nights。〃
〃No； I don't think so。 I don't want you in school right now。 Call up and tell your science teacher there's been a death in the family。 Professor Turner already knows。 I'll decide whether I want you to go back at all。〃
Freddy counted off a thousand dollars and pushed the rest of the money across the table。 〃Here。〃 He folded the bills in half and put the roll into his right front pocket。 〃Take the rest of the money and stash it in a safe place somewhere in the apartment。〃
Freddy turned at the door。 〃One other thing。 Call a locksmith and have him e out and put a deadbolt lock on the door。 These push…button locks are engraved invitations for burglars。〃
〃I already checked on deadlocks； and they cost more than sixty dollars。 Is that all right？ To pay that much； I mean？〃
Freddy pointed to the stack of money on the table。 〃What would you rather lose？ Sixty dollars； or all of that？〃 He pushed in the button on the doorknob； and closed the door gently behind him as he left。
Susan； slightly dazed； opened the refrigerator； stared into its depths for a moment； closed the door； took a roll of toilet paper out of the grocery sack； looked at it； dropped it back inside； started toward the bathroom； changed her mind； and then ran swiftly to the South Miami telephone book and turned to the Yellow Pages。
10
Hoke Moseley and Bill Henderson sat close together on a pink silk loveseat in the living room of 11K； a townhouse in the Tahitian Village。 Two…bedroom townhouses in the Tahitian Village started at 189；000； and the owners of this three…bedroom townhouse had also put out a good deal of money for the Latin Baroque furnishings。 There were twisted； ornate bars on all of the downstairs windows。 The interior color scheme was predominantly purple and rose。 The wall…to…wall carpeting was richly purple； and the color was echoed without subtlety in the violet velvet draperies。 The thick draperies hung in deep folds from two…headed iron spears in the living and dining rooms。
In the purple living room； two men； definitely Latins； with their hands and feet bound with copper wire； were face down on the floor。 They had both been shot in the back of the head； and their faces were unrecognizable。 A dark…haired young woman wearing a black…and…white maid's uniform； plete with a white frilly cap； had been shot in the hallway that led to the kitchen。 Her hands and feet were also bound with copper wire。 A small boy； two； or possibly three years old； had been shot in the head； but the child did not have his hands and feet bound。 He was in the sunken bathtub in the rose…tiled bathroom on the second floor。
There was considerable activity in the townhouse。 The forensic crew was busy。 Two technicians were dusting for fingerprints； and another man was taking flash photographs from various angles。 The ME； Dr。 Merle Evans； was sitting at the glass…topped wrought…iron table in the dining room and writing notes on his clipboard。
The lady of the house； who had been out shopping at the Kendall Lakes Mall； said that she had returned to find her husband； her brother； the boy； and her maid dead。 A Colombian with only rudimentary English； she had bee hysterical。 When he arrived； Doc Evans had given her a shot and sent her in an ambulance to the American Hospital emergency room。
After a quick initial look at the scene； Hoke Moseley and Bill Henderson had knocked on the nearby doors in the Tahitian Village； dividing up the townhouses； asking questions； and now they were paring notes。
〃No one I talked to；〃 Henderson said； 〃heard or saw anything。〃
〃I didn't do any better。 These people here apparently kept to themselves； and I couldn't find anyone who knew or talked to them。 They spoke Spanish and nothing else。 Sometimes； in the morning； the maid took the little boy to the pool； but the adults never used the pool。 And that's where the people of this plex get acquainted。 A Colombian corporation； the manager told me； owns this townhouse； pays all the bills and the maintenance； and people just e and go。 When they e； they've got a letter in Spanish authorizing their stay； and he hands over the keys。 When they leave； one of them returns the keys。 He's never had any trouble with any of the tenants； he claims。 They're always nice； quiet tenants； or so he says。〃
〃Did he have their names？〃
〃No。 The letter he showed me just said to admit the bearers for an extended stay。 I don't read Spanish； but he does； and that's what the letter said。〃
〃He wouldn't lie about something like that；〃 Henderson said； 〃but we can check it out； anyway。 There had to be at least four shots； but no one heard even one。 I can't get over that。〃
〃Maybe it's a good thing they didn't hear the shots and e running out。 Chances are； they'd be dead； too。〃
〃Somebody had to hear something。 They just don't want to get involved； that's all。〃
Doc Evans joined them。 〃They've been dead about two hours。 That may not be exact； but from the body temperatures； I'm not far off。〃
Hoke nodded。 〃That coincides with what the woman said。 She was gone for about two hours； and they were all alive when she left。 I hope you can find some evidence of heroin when you open 'em up； doe。 There's no dope in the apartment。 Without some indication of dope； we can't say positively that the killings are drug…related。 We can say that we think they are； but that isn't the same。 If they're dope…related； nobody gives a shit； but if this was a murder…robbery； all these folks living out here'll get panicky。〃
〃It's obviously a professional job；〃 Doc said。 〃Too bad about the kid； though。 At his age； he couldn't've identified anybody anyway。〃
〃Colombian drug families are like that； doc；〃 Henderson said。 〃They kill everyone in the family。 They have to do it。 If they hadn't killed the boy； someday； as a man； he'd kill them。 When can I talk to the woman at the hospital？〃
〃Any time。 She'll be a little dopey； but she can talk now。 Why？〃
〃I've got a theory。 I think she knew the killers。 I also think they killed these people here； and then she drove them to the airport to catch a plane。 Then she drove back here to report the bodies。 As soon as she knew they were safely away； she called the department。〃
〃Jesus； Bill；〃 Hoke said； 〃you don't seriously believe that a mother would help the killers of her own child get away； do you？〃
〃Well； how do we know it's her child？ Life is cheap for those fuckers in Colombia。 They might've brought the kid along with that plan in mind all along。 Anyway； that's what I think； and I've got another reason besides。 I'll take Martinez along to use as an interpreter。〃
〃Why not？ I'll wait here。 I asked Kossowski from Narcotics to get a warrant so we can search her Caddy。 She went shopping； she said； but I didn't see any packages in the car。 If there's nothing in the trunk； your theory might be better than I think it is right now。 Anyway；〃 Hoke finished； 〃after we search the car； I'll call you at American。〃
〃I'm going to lean on her。〃 Henderson got to his feet。 〃Maybe their passports are in the trunk； too。 There's not a scrap of ID in the house。〃
〃The killers probably took the passports。 But go ahead。 You're bound to find out more than we know now。〃
Kossowski； together with an assistant state attorney； arrived a few minutes later with a search warrant for the purple Cadillac。 Kossowski