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uld steal one of your pieces。 Junior didn't have to play by the rules； but Hoke did。 Nevertheless； Hoke decided to keep this checkers analogy to himself。 No matter how he rationalized his actions； Hoke suspected that the real reason he had killed Freddy Frenger was that the man had invaded his room at the Eldorado Hotel and beat the shit out of him。 And if he could do it once； he could do it a second time。 On the other hand； to think that way was just another oversimplification。 After all； Frenger had tried to pull his gun； so Hoke had shot in selfdefense： the extra round he had put into the back of the man's head was merely insurance。 But any way Hoke looked at it； the quality of life in Miami would be improved immeasurably now that Freddy Frenger was no longer out on the streets 。
Henderson opened the door。 Ellita Sanchez； smiling； was with him。
〃Your turn； Hoke；〃 Henderson said。
〃We'll wait for you down in the cafeteria；〃 Sanchez said。
Hoke shook his head。 〃Not in the cafeteria。 I don't want a bunch of people ing around。〃 Hoke looked at his wristwatch。 〃Christ； it's after four A。M。 Why don't you guys go home？ You don't have to wait for me。〃
〃We'll wait for you in the parking lot；〃 Henderson said。 〃Then we'll go get a beer。〃
Henderson and Sanchez left before Hoke could say anything else。
Captain Brownley was on the phone。 As Hoke hesitated outside the office； Brownley held up his left hand； signaling Hoke to wait。 Hoke lit a cigarette； and tried not to look through the glass door at Brownley。 At last； Brownley hung up the phone； stood； and beckoned for Hoke to e in。
〃Sit down； Hoke。 I see you started smoking again。〃 Brownley sat down； and put his elbows on the desk。 Hoke pulled the ashtray toward him as he sat down； and stubbed out his cigarette。
〃I never really quit； captain。 I just abstained for a while； that's all。〃
〃How d'you feel？〃
〃Still a little shaky； but I'll be all right。〃
〃I know you will。 But for an experienced police officer； that was just about the dumbest trick you ever pulled。 Not only should you have waited for backup； but going after a man like Frenger called for a SWAT team。〃
〃I was afraid he was going to get away…〃
〃That's no excuse。 You knew he was armed； even if you didn't know he'd killed Wulgemuth and his bodyguard。〃
〃Maybe I should've waited a little longer； but…〃
〃Shut up！ How in the hell can I chew your ass if you keep interrupting me？〃 Brownley frowned； took a cigar out of the humidor on his desk； and began to unwrap it。
Brownley's face was creased with thousands of tiny wrinkles。 His face reminded Hoke of a piece of black silk that has been wadded into a tiny ball and then smoothed out again。 But the captain's cheeks were grayish with fatigue； and there were a few gray hairs in his mustache as well…gray hairs Hoke hadn't noticed before。 How old was Brownley； anyway？ Forty…five； forty…six？ Certainly no more than forty…seven； but he looked much much older。
Brownley； turning his cigar as he lighted it with a kitchen match； looked at Hoke with unreadable eyes。 The whites of his eyes were slightly yellow； and Hoke had never noticed that before either。
〃I just got through talking to the chief；〃 Brownley said； 〃and we made a promise。 I'm going to write you a letter of reprimand； and it'll go into your permanent file。〃
Hoke cleared his throat。 〃I deserve it。〃
〃Damned right！ The chief； on the other hand； is going to write you a letter of mendation。 You might be puzzled by the ambiguity of his letter； but it'll be a mendation。 That will also go into your permanent file。 So one letter will； in a sense； cancel out the other。〃
〃I don't deserve a letter of mendation。〃
〃I know you don't； but this case'll give the chief something positive to talk about at the University Club next week； and besides； it'll help you out at the hearing。 And in a way； maybe you do deserve a mendation from the chief。 That was good police work； getting Sanchez to call Ramon Mendez…〃
〃Who？〃
〃Ramon Mendez。 Sanchez's cop cousin in Hollywood。〃
〃I forgot for a minute。 Mendez was one of Frenger's names…〃
〃I know。 But the fact that we had at least one Broward County officer at the scene helped to get us off the hook when we entered Broward's jurisdiction。 Because of the seriousness of the crime； we probably would've been okay anyway； but having a Broward officer present helped save a little face。 This is politics； Hoke； not police work。 I'm sending Officer Mendez a mendation； as well as one for Henderson and Sanchez。 And your letter of reprimand will be fairly mild； because the chief just confirmed my majority。〃 Brownley puffed on his cigar。 〃As of the first of the month； you can call me Major Brownley。〃
〃Congratulations； Willie。〃 Hoke grinned。
〃Major Willie。〃 Brownley took a cigar out of the humidor and offered it to Hoke； but Hoke waved it away。
〃I'll stick to cigarettes； major。 What happens to me now？〃
〃As you know； there's no standard operating procedure。 Usually； when a cop shoots a suspect； we just send him home to wait for the hearing or we give him a desk job while he waits。 If the shooting's accidental or if it looks like a grand jury matter； the officer's usually suspended； with or without pay。 In your case； as long as you're on sick leave anyway； you just go home and wait for the hearing。〃
〃There're a few things to clear up first。 I want to call San Francisco； and…〃
〃You'll go home and stay there。 Don't e into the station until the hearing。 You can call Sanchez； and let her clear up any loose ends。 Don't talk to the press or to anyone else about the case。 You're not going to have any problems at the hearing。 Deadly force was justified； and you'll be cleared。〃
〃All right。 I'll call Sanchez。 She can handle things all right。〃
〃She likes you； too。 Of course； when I told you to win her over； I didn't mean for you to prove what a good shot you were； but at least she's not plaining about her supervisor。〃
〃It won't be the same as working with Bill Henderson； but then； Bill can't type eighty…five words a minute； and she can。 So I guess it'll even out。〃
〃Get the hell out of here； Hoke。 I've still got some calls to make。〃
Hoke got to his feet。 〃I'd like to go up to Riviera Beach to spend a few days with my father。〃
〃Okay。 Just call in every day。 As long's we can reach you by phone。〃
They shook hands； and Hoke left the office。
When Hoke got to the station parking lot； Henderson and Sanchez were waiting for him。 The morning air was moist and hot； and Hoke could feel his pores opening。 The humid air felt good after the stale air…conditioning of the station； and Hoke didn't really mind the little rivulets of perspiration that rolled down his sides。
Ellita Sanchez had removed her blue faille suit jacket； and her upper lip was beaded lightly with sweat。 Henderson's heavy shoulders slumped with fatigue； and his eyes were bloodshot。 Hoke knew that neither one of them wanted a beer as much as they wanted a bed； but he also suspected that they were as reluctant as he was to break up a process they had shared； a certain sense of teamwork。
〃How'd you make out； Hoke？〃 Henderson said。
〃I'm still on sick leave； but I'm supposed to stay away from the station until the hearing。 Brownley said I could go up to Riviera Beach； though； and stay with my father if！ want to； and I think I will。〃
〃You haven't been up to Riviera for a while； have you？〃
〃'Bout a year ago； when the old man got married again… remember？〃
〃Let's go to the Seven…Eleven；〃 Sanchez suggested。 〃You guys can get a beer； and I'll get a grape Slurpee。 My throat's dry； but it doesn't feel like a beer for breakfast。〃
〃Suits me；〃 Henderson said。 〃We can take my car。〃
〃Let's walk；〃 Hoke said。 〃It's only a block。 We can stretch our legs。〃
They walked to the 7…Eleven； down the narrow Overtown sidewalk； Hoke beside Sanchez； with Henderson lumbering a few feet ahead of them。
〃You ever been to Riviera Beach； Ellita？〃
〃Never。 I've been to Palm Beach； but not to Riviera。〃
〃Palm Beach is right across the inlet from Singer Island； and Singer's a part of the Riviera Beach municipality； with the best beach in Florida。 So； if you went as far as the northern end of Palm Beach； you were looking across at Singer。 I grew up in Riviera Beach； but I didn't know it was actually called Riviera until I was almost twenty years old。 We always called it Rivera。 Rivera…that's what everybody called it。 Funny； isn't it？〃
〃I've noticed that a lot of Miamians call Miami Mi…am…ah。 I guess it's what you grow up with。〃
〃In Riviera； that's how we can tell the natives from the tourists。 Most of us still say Rivera。〃
When they got to the 7…Eleven； Sanchez asked the manager to fix her a grape Slurpee。 Hoke and Henderson went to the freezer。 Henderson got a Bud； and Hoke reached deep into the box to get a cold Coors。 Each paid for his own drink； and then they went outside to drink them。 A few blocks away； in the nascent morning light； they could see the vultures circling above the county courthouse tower； preparing to fly to the city dump for their breakfast feeding。
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