A rangy red…haired waitress came over to take his order。
〃Coffee。 Is that okay； or do I have to order something with it？〃
〃Most people do； but you don't have to。〃
〃Okay。 And pie； then。〃
〃What kind？〃
〃I'm not going to eat it； so what difference does it make？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
Freddy didn't want the coffee； either。 But the long walk in the cool air had allayed his anxiety somewhat； and he began to work out a plan that would lead to a purpose。 What he needed to do； he decided； was to get organized and to start over。 The haiku about the frog ing to Miami and making a splash of some kind made a lot of sense。 Alone； with this new city and a new chance； he could do something or other if he could only figure out what it was he was meant to do。 What he wanted to do was to dump Susan； but he realized that he was now stuck with her。 He had； strictly by accident； caused the death of her stupid brother。 The fact that it was her brother's fault and not his didn't make any difference。 Without anyone else to look after her now； she had bee Freddy's responsibility。 She would get no help from her father； that was a certainty。 So now it was up to him。 His first idea； about buying her a Burger King franchise； was out。 She had no real interest in the idea； and she wouldn't be capable of running a place like that if she had one。 Her dumb brother； in all probability； wouldn't have been able to run one either。
Freddy sipped his black coffee and counted the pecan halves on top of the piece of pie the redhead had brought with the coffee。 The pie was warm and smelled good； but he had eaten one hell of a dinner。 He wasn't hungry 。
A black man wearing a Raiders fedora walked into the restaurant carrying a hunting knife。 He grabbed the red…haired waitress's wrist and twisted her arm into a half…nelson。 She squealed and he put the point of the knife into her neck a quarter of an inch； just far enough to draw a trickle of blood； and told her to open the register。
There were two patrons in the restaurant besides Freddy； and they sat paralyzed at the cuunter。 They were middle…aged Canadian tourists； getting an early breakfast before a drive to the Keys。 The robber apparently hadn't noticed Freddy in the corner booth； or else he wasn't concerned about him。 His concentration was on the waitress and the money in the till when Freddy shot him in the left kneecap。 The report of the 。38 was loud； but the man's scream was piercing enough to make the Canadians shudder。 He dropped the waitress's arm and his knife； then fell； still screaming； to the floor。 Freddy stopped the screaming in mid…shrill when he tapped him behind his right ear with the heavy leather sap。
Freddy flashed his badge。 〃It's okay； dear；〃 he said to the waitress。 〃I'm a police officer。〃 He held up the badge so the middle…aged couple at the counter could see it。 Freddy smiled。 〃Police。 Go ahead and finish your breakfast。〃
The waitress sat at the counter； put her head down on her crossed arms； and began to cry。 Freddy took the billfold from the unconscious man's hip pocket and dropped it into his own jacket pocket with the handcuffs。 He took out the handcuffs； decided he didn't need to use them； and then told the middle…aged couple to stay where they were while he made a call for an ambulance from the radio in his police car。 They both nodded； still too numb to reply。
Freddy put a dollar bill under his coffee cup at his booth； left the restaurant； and walked back to the Omni Hotel。 As he entered the lobby； he heard the police siren as the panda car hurtled down Biscayne toward Sammy's。 He sat in a red leather chair in the lobby and took out the robber's billfold。 Eighty dollars。 There were three driver's licenses in the billfold； all with different names but with the same picture。 Freddy had no use for the licenses or the billfold； but he could always use another eighty dollars。 He dropped the billfold into a potted plant and took the elevator up to his room。 He had an idea now； on how to take care of Pablo Lhosa。
Freddy shook Susan awake； told her to take a shower and to get dressed。 He ordered coffee； orange juice； and sweet rolls from room service。 The continental breakfast was at the door by the time Susan was dressed。
〃The breakfast's for you； to wake you up；〃 he said。 〃Go ahead and eat while I tell you what to do。〃
〃Want some？〃 she said； biting into a prune Danish。
〃If I'd wanted something I would've ordered it。〃
Freddy told Susan to drive back to the apartment and to pack up his purchases from the day before and to bring them to the hotel。 He told her where he had hidden the coin collection in the leather case； and to bring that； too。 Also； while she was home； she could pack a few things she might need herself for a few days' stay at the hotel。 〃Don't think about it too much。 If you forget something； we can always buy it here at Omni。 The important thing is to pack my stuff and get the money； then e back here without running into Pablo。 He won't be up this early in the morning。 On your way back； make sure you aren't followed。 If you pick up a tail； lose him before you drive back to the hotel。〃
〃Is somebody after us； Junior？〃
〃Not us； but me； yes。 I'm not a likable person； so someone is usually after me。 And because you're with me now； that means somebody'll probably be after you； too。〃
〃I don't understand。〃
〃That isn't important。 When there's something important you really need to understand； I'll explain it to you。 Right now； when you finish your coffee； I want you to get moving。 Here's the extra room key。 Change clothes when you get home； too。 Wear a skirt and blouse and some saddle shoes。〃
〃What saddle shoes？ I don't have any shoes with saddles。 I can wear my running shoes。〃
〃Okay。 We'll get you some saddle shoes later； so you'll look like a college girl。 But that'll be after I deal with Pablo。〃
〃Do I have to see Pablo again？ I'm afraid of him。〃
〃Did Pablo fuck you when you first went to work for him？〃
〃No。 I just sucked him off； is all。 He wanted to see if I knew how to do it； and then he gave me some pointers； afterward。 Pablo knows a lot。〃
〃No； you don't have to see Pablo again。 Just beat it now； e back here； and if I'm not here； watch the TV until I get back。 If you get hungry； call room service。〃
After Susan left； Freddy drank what was left of the orange juice。 His mouth was still dry。 He found it exhausting to talk to Susan； and he was never certain whether she understood everything he told her。 Apparently she did； because so far she had done everything right； and she had also picked up on his lies when he had talked to the cop in the Brazilian steak house。 But she also had the bad habit of telling the truth when a lie would have done her more good。 She shouldn't have told the detective that she was hooking at the hotel。 The way she looked； no one would have ever guessed what she did for a living。 Later on； when he had more time； he would talk to her about what to say and what not to say； otherwise； she would get herself… and him…into some bad situations。
Freddy called the desk； and found out that the barber shop didn't open until eight…thirty。 He took a shower and glumly watched the 〃Today〃 show on television until eight A。M。 Restless； he got dressed again； and took the elevator to the lobby； sharing the cage with a Latin family with four small children and an old lady with a hairy mole on her chin。 The elevator reeked of musk and garlic； and because the rotten kids； on getting in； had pushed all the buttons； the elevator stopped at every floor on the way down。
The barber shop was open。 Freddy got a shave。 After the shave； the barber bed Freddy's hair and said：
〃You have lovely hair； but you really should let it grow。 It's much too short for today's stylings。〃
〃Your hair's too long；〃 Freddy said。 〃You look like a fruit； and if I couldn't tell by your hair； that Swiss army earring you're wearing still gives you away。〃
Freddy climbed into the first cab in line； and told the old woman who was driving it to take him to the International Hotel。
〃That's the one on Brickell； isn't it？
〃Are there two International Hotels？〃
〃Not that I know of…〃
〃Then it must be the one on Brickell； right？〃
〃That's what I meant。〃
People were going to work； and the traffic was heavy。 The cab's meter ticked away with the speed of light。 When she pulled up at the entrance； Freddy said：
〃I'm not going to be long。 If you want to wait； you can take me over to Miami Beach。〃
〃That beats going to the airport。 But you can pay me now； and I'll turn off the meter。〃
〃Don't you trust me？〃
〃As much as you trust me。〃
〃Keep the meter running。〃 Freddy counted out four twenties。 〃If it gets up to this much and I'm not back； you can leave without me。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
Freddy made a casual tour of the enormous lobby。 There were three restaurants and a coffeeshop； three bars； and a dozen specialty shops selling resort clothes and gifts。 There was a small conference room next to the Zanzi Bar； with a blacklettered sign outside the door：
BEET SUGAR INSTITUTE
SEMINAR AT 11 A。M。
CASH BAR IN ZANZ