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er in his tiny bathroom。 Thinking of Loretta Hickey again； and about how she must look under her robe； Hoke masturbated gloomily in the shower。 Christ； he thought unhappily； I'm getting too old to jerk off this way。 I've got to get out of this hole and find a place where I won't be ashamed to bring a woman。
6
As usual； Hoke awoke without the aid of a ringing alarm at 6 A。M。 It was a habit held over from his three years in the army。 He invariably awakened at six； regardless of the hour he went to bed。
After his one year of junior college in Palm Beach； Hoke had enlisted for three years as a Regular rather than wait to be drafted。 An R。A。 man had an advantage over the draftees； and the Vietnam War had had little effect on Hoke； except that he probably wouldn't have enlisted in the army if it hadn't been for the war。 He had spent three uneventful； but not unpleasant； years as an M。P。 at Fort Hood； Texas。 Most of that time had been spent at the front gate； saluting and waving cars on and off post。 He had also pulled his share of guard duty； wandering around unlighted warehouses； but on the whole his had been a safe war。 He had gone home twice to Riviera Beach； Florida； on leave； but spent his other furloughs in El Paso and Juarez； where he had some great times with his bunky； Burnley Johnson。
Hoke had never attended any of the army's special schools； which could have led to a promotion； nor had he applied for any。 He made PFC when he pleted basic training； and he was discharged as a PFC。 He then went home to Riviera Beach； worked in his father's hardware and chandlery store for two years； and married Patsy； a girl he had dated at Palm Beach High School。
He finally quit at the hardware store when he realized that his father would never relinquish the management to him for as long as he lived。 Hoke's salary was no larger than any of the other clerks'； and Hoke's father； who had bee wealthy from his real…estate investments on Singer Island （having bought up island property during the 1930s）； refused to give Hoke a larger salary because he said it would smack of favoritism。 The old man was tight； there was no question about that； but he had married an attractive well…to…do widow after Hoke's mother had died； and the two of them lived very well in a large house on the inland waterway。
Frank Moseley was seventy now； and he still went to the store every day。 He had never given Hoke a share of the profits； nor did Hoke expect to get anything when he died。 Hoke suspected that the bulk of the estate would go to the widow and to Hoke's two daughters； Sue Ellen and Aileen。 The old man doted on his granddaughters； and Patsy was wise enough to drive down from Vero Beach often enough to maintain the old man's interest； yet not often enough to bee a nuisance。 Hoke had not seen his girls since Patsy divorced him and moved to Vero Beach。 Patsy thought it would be better that way。 The most recent photographs he had of the girls were from four years ago。 He had never paid much attention to the children when they had lived together； Patsy said； and she didn't want their new lives upset by occasional； so…called duty visits。
Patsy was unfair in this regard； Hoke felt； but there was enough truth in what she said to discourage him from pursuing the matter legally。
Thanks to Hoke's M。P。 background； limited though it was； he had no trouble getting into the Riviera Beach Police Department； and he and Patsy were happy enough during the three years he spent on the force as a patrolman。 As a hometown boy…and a 〃Conch〃…Hoke got along well with people； and Riviera Beach； before the 1970s boom and the unforeseen development of condominiums on Singer Island； was relatively crime…free。 Patsy kept busy with the children all day； and Hoke drove a patrol car； alternating between day and night shifts。 During his off…duty time； he either fished or went to the beach at Singer Island； the widest and nicest beach on Florida's east coast。
One night Hoke stopped a speeding Caddy。 The driver dismounted with a gun in his hand when Hoke approached the car； and Hoke shot the man without even thinking about it。 There were three kilos of cocaine in the trunk of the Caddy。 The driver had been killed instantly； Hoke was cleared almost immediately and received a mendation from the chief。 The rest of his police work at Riviera Beach was routine。
A few months later； after three years on the Riviera Beach force； Hoke applied for and was accepted by the Miami Police Department。 It had been pleasant living in Riviera Beach； and Patsy had some family there； too； but with the girls growing up； Hoke needed the larger salary he could earn as a Miami policeman。
It was difficult at first。 Hoke made more money； but it cost more to live in Miami。 To earn extra money； Hoke volunteered for overtime； and he always worked the football games on Saturdays and Sundays in the Orange Bowl during his off…duty time。 He neglected Patsy and the girls； but after she started to nag him and make his life unpleasant at home； he spent even fewer hours there。 He met Bambi； began an intense affair； and studied for the sergeant's exam in the downtown public library。 The girls were noisy at home； and he couldn't concentrate。 Then Patsy joined a neighborhood 〃consciousness…raising〃 group； found out about Bambi； and their marriage was over。
Without any family obligations； except for endorsing and mailing every other check to Patsy； Hoke had prospered in the department。 He had enjoyed his earlier work in Traffic and liked being a detective even better； especially after he was promoted to sergeant。 But the life had taken a toll on his face。
Without his false teeth； Hoke looked much older than forty…two； and this morning； when he looked into the mirror； still thinking about Loretta Hickey； he wondered if she would ever be interested in him as a lover。 She could hardly be interested； he thought； if she saw him without his teeth。 His eyes were his best feature。 They were chocolate brown； a brown so richly dark it was difficult to see his pupils。 During his years in the Miami Police Department； this genetic gift had been useful to him on many occasions。 Hoke could stare at people for a long time before they realized he was looking at them。 By any aesthetic standard； Hoke's eyes were beautiful。 But the rest of his face； if not ordinary； was unremarkable。 He had lost most of his sandy hair in front； and his high balding dome gave his longish face a mournful expression。 His tanned cheeks were sunken and striated； and there were dark； deep lines from the wings of his prominent nose to the corners of his mouth。
Hoke took his dentures out of the plastic glass where they had been soaking overnight in Polident； rinsed them under the faucet； and set them in place with a few dabs of Stik…Gum。 He looked a little better； he thought； with the blue…gray teeth； and he always put his dentures in before shaving。 One thing he knew for certain； he looked much trimmer and felt much better at 182 pounds than he had at 205。
The window air conditioner labored away while he dressed （today he wore the yellow leisure suit）； and then he made a final check of the room to see if he had forgotten anythin