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ng； in his dresser drawer。 Also； there was a pot of coffee in the Mr。 Coffee machine in the kitchen。 The pot was half full； and the red light on the base of the coffee maker showed that it was still warm enough to drink。 He had； for some reason； lingered in the convenience store； establishing an alibi with the manager before returning home。 Two witnesses had seen him on his walk to the store and back； but that merely confirmed that he had been in the store。
The case had been frustrating。 Hoke and Bill had talked to Morrow several times。 At one point； Hoke had advised him to confess and to plead 〃post…Vietnam stress syndrome；〃 which would mean； in all probability； a lighter sentence or a mitment of a year or two to a psychiatric hospital。
〃I didn't do it；〃 Captain Morrow said。 〃And I don't have any stress problems。 If I did； they wouldn't have me flying a 707 back and forth to Rio。〃
After the pilot passed the lie detector test； they had put the case away； pulling it out occasionally only to take another look at it。 But there were no more leads； and it looked as though Captain Morrow had managed to get away with murder。
〃Why not？〃 Hoke said。 〃It won't hurt to talk to him again。 Bill and I will do the talking； Ellita。 But you check out a micro…cassette recorder from Supply and keep it in your purse。 Just record everything that's said； and don't get too close to him。 You got handcuffs； Bill？〃
Bill nodded。
〃I didn't bring mine today。 I didn't think I'd need 'em。〃
9
From the looks of Grogan's rooming house； an ocher concrete…block…and…stucco two…story structure on Second Avenue； very few repairs； if any； had been made since Grogan had lost his city contract to run a halfway house。 The unpainted concrete porch； almost flush with the cracked sidewalk； held two rusty metal chairs。 They were occupied by two aging winos。 There was no rail； and as soon as Hoke； Henderson； and Ellita stepped onto the porch； the winos stepped off the other end of the porch and started briskly down the street。 Hoke wore high…topped； lace…up； doublesoled black shoes； which gave him away as a cop if his face did not。 Henderson usually reminded people of a high…school football coach。 Ellita； of course； although she wore sensible low…heeled black pumps； was not so obviously a police officer。 Today she wore a red…and…white verticalstriped ballerina…length skirt with her cream…colored silk blouse。
A black…and…white TV crackled in the living room； but although the set was on； no one was in the room to watch it。 There were some battered chairs of wicker； and a low coffee table piled high with old Sports Illustrated and Gourmet magazines。 There was a sign on the wall saying 〃Thank you for not smoking；〃 and there were no ashtrays in the room； nevertheless； there were more than a dozen cigarette butts ground into the scuffed linoleum floor。
The landlord was in the kitchen。 He was sitting at a table by the window； overlooking a backyard that contained a wheelless 1967 Buick on concrete blocks； a discarded and cracked toilet； and a pile of tin cans。 The backyard was enclosed by a wooden fence； but only the top third of the fence was visible because of the jungly growth of tall grass and clumps of wild bamboo。 The proprietor； a gray…haired man in his mid…sixties； was eating a bacon…and…fried…egg sandwich。
Hoke showed the man his badge。 〃Are you Mr。 Grogan？〃
〃You're looking at him。 Reginald B。 Grogan。 What can I do for you； Officer？〃
〃We'd like to talk to Captain Morrow。〃
〃No Captain Morrow here。 People e and go； but I haven't had a boat captain here since I lost the methadone people。〃
〃He's an airplane captain。 A pilot。〃
〃No pilots either。 Never had one of them。 People here now are mostly day laborers； although a couple are on Social Security。 But no Morrow。〃
Henderson showed Grogan the photograph of Captain Morrow but pulled it back when Grogan reached for it。 〃Your fingers are greasy。 Just look at it。〃
〃You can't eat a bacon…and…egg sandwich without getting a little grease on your fingers。〃 Grogan peered at the photo； squinting。 〃That looks something like Mr。 Smith； but Mr。 Smith's a lot older than that。〃
〃Smith？〃 Hoke said。
〃John Smith。 Lives upstairs； last door on your right down the hail。 Right across from the john。〃 Grogan bit into the sandwich； and a trickle of undercooked yolk ran onto his chin。
〃Mind if we talk to him？〃 Hoke said。 〃We don't have a warrant。 We just want to talk to him。〃
〃Sure。 Go ahead。 I'm eating my second breakfast now； or I'd show you up。 Besides； my fingers are greasy。 But you can't miss his room。 It's right across from the john。 He's paid up through Sunday； but I don't know if he's in or not。〃
Upstairs； the house had been modified by plywood partitions to make ten small bedrooms out of four larger ones； but the bathroom at the end of the corridor had not been altered。 Two dangling unshaded light bulbs； one of them lighted； illuminated the narrow corridor。 The door to the room across from the bathroom was closed。 Hoke tapped on the door。 No answer。 He tried the knob； then opened the unlocked door。
John Smith； né Robert Morrow； was sitting on the edge of a narrow cot。 He was using a metal TV table as a desk； and was writing with a ballpoint in a Blue Horse notebook。 He looked up when the three detectives entered the room； but there was no curiosity in his face or eyes。 His disheveled gray hair needed cutting； and he hadn't shaved in several days； but he wasn't dirty。 His khaki work pants and his blue work shirt were both patched； but they were clean。 He tapped his right foot； and as he did so the upper part of the shoe moved but the sole did not； because it was detached from the upper。 The room was about eight feet by four； and a four…drawer metal dresser； painted to look like wood； pleted the furnishings。 Because the room was at the end of the building it had a window； and the jalousies were open。 The tiny room was filled with light from the afternoon sun。 With four people in the room； it was very crowded。 Bill stood in the open doorway。 Ellita moved to the dresser and leaned against it。 Hoke smiled as he bent over and put out his right hand to shake Morrow's。 Morrow shook hands reluctantly。
〃It's good to see you again； Captain；〃 Hoke said。 〃Do you remember my partner； Sergeant Henderson？ That's Ms。 Sanchez over there。 She was talking to you earlier…〃
〃She was harassing me； and I had to leave my bench。 But I've got no plaints against her。 A man can't just sit in his room all the time。 But it's quiet here in the daytime； so I usually work here anyway。 If you don't mind； I'd rather you'd all go away。〃
〃What kind of work are you doing？〃 Hoke said。
〃You can remain silent if you want to；〃 Bill added。 〃What you say could even be held against you。〃
〃That's right；〃 Hoke said。 〃You don't have to tell me anything。〃
〃That's a fact；〃 Bill said； loud enough for Ellita to get it on tape。
Hoke rubbed his chin。 〃If you've got enough money； you could have a lawyer present。〃
〃He doesn't need any money； Hoke；〃 Bill said。 〃If he can't pay； we can get him a lawyer free。〃
〃This is a benevolent state。〃 Hoke smiled。 〃The government will pay for a lawyer if you'