urned； they mixed the plaster with water； soaked the strips of gauze； and he had her wrap them in overlapping strips around his wrist。 The cast； when she finished； was thick and heavy； but when it dried it would immobilize his arm just in case there was a hairline fracture。 Freddy took three Bufferin； then ate some fried chicken； although he had no appetite for it。
〃Are you going to tell me about it； Junior？〃
〃About how dumb I was； d'you mean？ Sure； I'll tell you about it。 I forgot for a minute that Miami； like any other city； is a dangerous place。 I didn't take my gun to the store； not even my sap。 Not only that； I broke my own rule； and I tried to help someone else instead of looking after my own ass。 This straight life we've been leading has given me a misplaced sense of security； that's all。 For a moment there； I must've thought that I was some kind of solid citizen。 That's all。〃
〃But what happened to you？〃
〃Two guys in a blue Impala ran over me。〃
Susan nodded but looked thoughtful。 〃I thought it must've been something like that。〃
18
Marie Henderson was active in a Miami NOW chapter and had a subscription to Ms。 magazine。 When Bill Henderson had first told Hoke that his wife was subscribing to Ms。； Hoke didn't believe him； so Henderson brought one of her copies down to the office and showed him the printed address label。 It was made out to Ms。 Marie Henderson。
〃That's incredible；〃 Hoke had said； shaking his head morosely at the irrefutable evidence。
〃Isn't it？〃 Henderson agreed。 〃Now you've got some kind of idea of what I have to put up with 。 。 。 〃
Hoke parked at the curb in front of Henderson's ranch…style house。 He didn't see Henderson's car in the carport。 He walked reluctantly up the brick walk to knock on the door anyway。 Perhaps； he thought； Bill wouldn't be gone very long。
Marie Henderson； a tall bony woman of thirty…eight with brown； frizzy hair； seemed happy enough to see Hoke。 She invited him in； pointed toward Henderson's fortable recliner； and asked him if he would like a drink。
〃Sure；〃 Hoke nodded。 〃Early Times； if you've got it。〃
〃We've got it。〃 She brought a bottle of Early Times and two shot glasses from the bar and put them on the coffee table in front of him。 She went into the kitchen and returned with a pitcher of ice and water。
〃That's the way Bill drinks it…straight with water back； so I suppose you do； too。〃
〃Yeah。 It gives you a little lift this way。〃
〃I'm sure it does。〃 Marie smiled。 〃You don't look too bad； Hoke。 Bill said you looked like death warmed over。 The beard could do with some trimming。〃
〃The doctor said to leave it on for a while。〃
〃He didn't tell you not to trim it； did he？ You know who you remind me of with that beard？ Ray Milland。 Did you see that picture when he was sick and in a wheelchair？ His daughter was a librarian； and he had her wait on him hand and foot。 The way it turned out； he didn't need the wheelchair at all。 He was faking it to make a slave out of his daughter。 Finally； the girl pushed him over a cliff and got all the money he was hoarding in a cigar box under his bed； or something。 Did you see it？〃
〃No； I didn't see it。〃
〃Well； you didn't miss much。 It was on the cable a couple of months ago。 If it es back； I'll call you。〃
〃I don't have cable。 I saw Ray Milland in 〃Love Story〃； when he played the father； but I don't remember exactly how he looked。〃
〃He looked good then。 That was several years ago。 But you look a lot like him now； something about your smile； I think。〃
〃Thanks。 When is Bill ing back？〃
〃He's out bowling。 He's not on a regular team； but when Green Lakes Landscaping is short a man； they e by and get Henderson。 He's only got a one…thirty average； so they don't e by for him often。〃
〃He did tell me that he was doing some bowling for the exercise。〃
〃Bowling for two hours once or twice a month isn't too much exercise； is it？〃
〃I guess not。 When'll he be home？ Maybe I'd better e back later？〃
〃Stick around。 He'll be home soon。 Pour yourself another drink。〃
〃How're the kids； Marie？〃
〃Out； I'm happy to say。〃
Hoke had two more drinks before Henderson came home； but there was no more conversation because Hoke and Marie had run out of things to talk about。
When Henderson came in； carrying his bowling ball and bowling shoes in a blue nylon bag； Marie got up from her chair and went into the kitchen。 Hoke rose quickly。 He was a trifle dizzy and feeling the effects of three drinks。
〃Did Captain Brownley get a hold of you？〃 Bill asked as he got a shot glass from the bar。
〃No。 I've been here for almost an hour。〃
Bill poured a drink； and tossed it down。 〃I tried to get you before I left。 I let the phone ring about fifteen times； and no one answered。 What kind of a hotel is that； anyway？〃
〃Sometimes Eddie's doing something else； and he isn't on the switchboard。 I told Mr。 Bennett he needs someone on the desk all the time； but he says the old people don't get that many calls。 The Eldorado's probably got the smallest staff of any hotel on the Beach。 So what's up； Bill？〃
〃You're here； so that's why I thought Brownley had called you。 Sit down a minute。 I'll be right back。〃 Bill left the room and returned a few moments later with a large brown envelope； which he handed to Hoke。 Hoke opened the envelope and took out a pair of handcuffs。
〃Are those yours？〃 Bill asked。 〃There's an 〃M〃 in red fingernail polish on the right cuff…〃
〃Yeah。〃 Hoke nodded。 〃They're mine all right。 Remember Bambi； the woman in the Grove I was sleeping with about two years back？ We were playing a little game one night and…well； anyway； I used her nail polish to mark one cuff。 Where'd you get them？〃
〃Robbery。 They've had 'em for a few days。 Two guys were cuffed together in the men's john in Jordan Marsh； in the Omni store。 They claimed they were cuffed up by some crazy cop who took their money。 The Robbery people just figured these two guys were into something kinky and let them go。 Then； a couple of days later； one of the detectives in Robbery happened to notice the initial； and remembered the red…liner memo on your lost buzzer and pistol。 He sent the cuffs over to Captain Brownley through interoffice mail。 So that's that。〃
〃No； Bill； it's much worse than that。〃
Hoke filled Henderson in on Sergeant Wilson's visit； and told him about the order to get the girl； Susan； back to the International Hotel in the morning。 Still sensitive about his fragile； ill…fitting teeth； he omitted the part about Wilson throwing them out of the window。
〃This guy's trying to get you into trouble； Hoke。 It may be the girl's boyfriend； and maybe not。 Why； though； is something else。 One guy I really know is Wilson。 He was in Vice when I was still in Vice； and he's a vicious sonofabitch。 Mean； but I always thought he was straight。 I haven't seen him in a couple of years； however； and a lot can happen to a man in two years。〃
Hoke scratched his bearded jaw。 〃In two seconds a lot can happen to a man。〃
〃What're you going to do about Wilson？〃
〃I don't know。 I could go to Brownley with it； but how do I explain the five hundred bucks？〃
〃You just tell it like it happened； and you're covered。 I was there； and I can back up your story。 It links up with the way this guy…what's his name？〃
〃Mendez。 Only that isn't his name。〃
〃Anyway； it links in with the way he used your cuffs to rob two bastards and leave 'em in the john。 If you want me to； we can leave Brownley out of it； and I'll talk to Wilson。〃
〃If you could get across to him that he's after the wrong guy…〃
〃I will。 But it won't be all that easy because you were spending his money。〃
〃I didn't know it was Wilson's。 Besides； he got his five hundred back。 I can't get the girl back and wouldn't if I could。〃
〃I'll talk to him。 I know how to deal with a prick like that。〃
〃I appreciate that； Bill。〃
〃D'you have a gun？〃
〃I get my new gun and shield back Monday； when I see Captain Brownley。〃
〃I'll get you one。 I've got a chrome Colt thirty…two automatic you can have。 I used to carry it in Liberty City in case I needed a throw…down piece。 It's not much good； but the magazine holds seven rounds。〃
〃I can give it back to you on Monday。 It really feels funny as hell driving and walking around Miami without a weapon。〃
〃I can imagine。〃
Henderson got the 。32 out of the desk in the dining room and gave it to Hoke。 Hoke removed the magazine； checked the chamber； and then slipped the magazine in again and loaded the pistol with a round in the chamber。 He flipped up the safety with his thumb and put the weapon into his hip pocket。
〃In case you're interested； Hoke； I gave Martin Waggoner's effects to his father when he took the body back to Okeechobee。 I used my key to your desk。〃
〃That's okay； but what about the Krishnas？〃
〃They didn't have any claims。〃 Henderson smiled。 〃I called the head honcho out there when I didn't hear from them； and I got the impression that Martin Waggoner was a novice； not a full member； and was about to be thrown out anyway。〃
〃Did he tell you that？〃
〃Not in so man