American prisons were country clubs. And when a witness to a killing was found, which was seldom, he was too scared to point out the killer.
When Hoke ran across the address, "K.P.T.--157 Ave.-- 6--418E," he was puzzled for a few moments. Not only was he hungry but he had a lot on his mind. There was no name, and he didn't know anyone who lived out this far in Kendall. Then he recalled that this was Susan Waggoner's address. Inasmuch as 157th Avenue was Dade County, and not Miami Police Department territory, Hoke rarely got this far west. All of West Kendall came under Metro Police jurisdiction.
Hoke was curious about this peculiar couple, and especially the jock, although he didn't believe for a second that Susan had ordered "Junior Mendez" to break her brother's finger. She had seemed too dimwitted even to entertain the idea, but still, it wouldn't hurt anything to talk to her while he was out this way. He might pick up some information on the boyfriend. If they were college students studying for degrees in management, maybe he and Henderson should enroll in a seminary and work on doctor of divinity degrees.
The tall unfinished buildings in Kendall Pines Terrace reminded Hoke of the Roman apartment houses he had seen in Italian neorealist movies. The Salvadoran guard on the gate explained how to get to Building Six, and Hoke took the winding road to the last parking lot, avoiding the speed bumps by going around them on the grass. He parked in a visitors' slot to avoid being towed away--as advised by the gatekeeper--and rode the elevator to the fourth floor.
Susan opened the door on the first knock, having a little difficulty with the new deadbolt lock, which was still stiff.
"I don't have much to tell you, Miss Waggoner," Hoke said. "But I was out this way, so I thought I'd drop by for a few minutes and talk to you."
Susan was wearing a black dress with hose and black pumps. She had also applied some rouge to her cheeks and wore pink lipstick. There was a string of imitation pearls around her thin neck. The dress was too big for her, and she reminded Hoke of a little girl playing dress-up in her mother's clothes.
"Would you like a beer, sergeant? Coffee?"
"No, no. Thanks, but I just had lunch."
"Lunch? It's almost five-thirty."
"An early dinner, then. I missed lunch, actually, so I had something just now at the Roseate Spoon Bill."
"I go there a lot. I like the Mexican pizza."
"I've never tried that."
"It's really good. Lots of cheese."
"I'll try it some time. Your father came in this morning, Miss Waggoner, and he claimed the two hundred dollars."
"He would."
"But we're going to hold on to the effects for a while. I was going to call the Krishnas today, but I've been busy with other things. Has your father contacted you today?"
Susan shook her head. "He won't, either. But I don't plan on going to the funeral, anyway."
"He said he was going to cremate your brother and scatter the ashes on Lake Okeechobee."
"Martin would like that. He always liked the lake."
"Your father's staying at the Royalton, downtown, if you want to call him."
"I don't."
"Where's Mendez?"
"Who?"
"Ramon. Your fiancé?"
"Oh, Junior, you mean. His name is Ramon Mendez, Junior, but he always goes by Junior. He hates to be called Ramon."
"How'd you happen to meet him?"
"We met in English class at Dade. He helped me write my haikus. I was having trouble with them."
"Haikus? What are they?"
"It's some kind of Japanese poem."
"I see. So you met at school and got engaged."
"That's right. But now we have what's called a platonic marriage."
"He lives here with you, then?"
"He should be home soon. If you want to ask questions about Junior, you should talk to him."
"What smells so good?"
"That's dinner. I'm cooking stuffed pork chops. I use StoveTop dressing, shallots, and mushrooms, all smothered in brown gravy. Also, baked sweet potatoes, peas, and a tomato and cucumber and onion salad. Do you think I should make hot
When Hoke ran across the address, "K.P.T.--157 Ave.-- 6--418E," he was puzzled for a few moments. Not only was he hungry but he had a lot on his mind. There was no name, and he didn't know anyone who lived out this far in Kendall. Then he recalled that this was Susan Waggoner's address. Inasmuch as 157th Avenue was Dade County, and not Miami Police Department territory, Hoke rarely got this far west. All of West Kendall came under Metro Police jurisdiction.
Hoke was curious about this peculiar couple, and especially the jock, although he didn't believe for a second that Susan had ordered "Junior Mendez" to break her brother's finger. She had seemed too dimwitted even to entertain the idea, but still, it wouldn't hurt anything to talk to her while he was out this way. He might pick up some information on the boyfriend. If they were college students studying for degrees in management, maybe he and Henderson should enroll in a seminary and work on doctor of divinity degrees.
The tall unfinished buildings in Kendall Pines Terrace reminded Hoke of the Roman apartment houses he had seen in Italian neorealist movies. The Salvadoran guard on the gate explained how to get to Building Six, and Hoke took the winding road to the last parking lot, avoiding the speed bumps by going around them on the grass. He parked in a visitors' slot to avoid being towed away--as advised by the gatekeeper--and rode the elevator to the fourth floor.
Susan opened the door on the first knock, having a little difficulty with the new deadbolt lock, which was still stiff.
"I don't have much to tell you, Miss Waggoner," Hoke said. "But I was out this way, so I thought I'd drop by for a few minutes and talk to you."
Susan was wearing a black dress with hose and black pumps. She had also applied some rouge to her cheeks and wore pink lipstick. There was a string of imitation pearls around her thin neck. The dress was too big for her, and she reminded Hoke of a little girl playing dress-up in her mother's clothes.
"Would you like a beer, sergeant? Coffee?"
"No, no. Thanks, but I just had lunch."
"Lunch? It's almost five-thirty."
"An early dinner, then. I missed lunch, actually, so I had something just now at the Roseate Spoon Bill."
"I go there a lot. I like the Mexican pizza."
"I've never tried that."
"It's really good. Lots of cheese."
"I'll try it some time. Your father came in this morning, Miss Waggoner, and he claimed the two hundred dollars."
"He would."
"But we're going to hold on to the effects for a while. I was going to call the Krishnas today, but I've been busy with other things. Has your father contacted you today?"
Susan shook her head. "He won't, either. But I don't plan on going to the funeral, anyway."
"He said he was going to cremate your brother and scatter the ashes on Lake Okeechobee."
"Martin would like that. He always liked the lake."
"Your father's staying at the Royalton, downtown, if you want to call him."
"I don't."
"Where's Mendez?"
"Who?"
"Ramon. Your fiancé?"
"Oh, Junior, you mean. His name is Ramon Mendez, Junior, but he always goes by Junior. He hates to be called Ramon."
"How'd you happen to meet him?"
"We met in English class at Dade. He helped me write my haikus. I was having trouble with them."
"Haikus? What are they?"
"It's some kind of Japanese poem."
"I see. So you met at school and got engaged."
"That's right. But now we have what's called a platonic marriage."
"He lives here with you, then?"
"He should be home soon. If you want to ask questions about Junior, you should talk to him."
"What smells so good?"
"That's dinner. I'm cooking stuffed pork chops. I use StoveTop dressing, shallots, and mushrooms, all smothered in brown gravy. Also, baked sweet potatoes, peas, and a tomato and cucumber and onion salad. Do you think I should make hot
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