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〃Sure。〃 Hoke nodded。 Henderson broadened his metalstudded smile； and then offered Morrow a cigarette。
〃No thanks。 I don't smoke。〃
Ellita opened the door； and took her place against the dresser。 〃Thanks for waiting；〃 she said。
Morrow nodded and pursed his lips。 He looked blankly at Hoke。
〃Did you lose all the money？〃 Hoke said。
Morrow nodded。 〃Except for a thousand dollars I left here in Miami。 I've been living on that。 They wouldn't extend my leave of absence； so next week I've got to find another flying job somewhere and get requalified。 Then； when I get another stake together； I'm going to Europe。 But this time I won't stay so long in one place。 I'll go to Monte Carlo for a few days； and then to Biarritz。 The system works on any roulette table； so long as they don't change the wheel。〃
〃You won't have to go back to flying again； Captain；〃 Henderson said； unhooking his handcuffs from his belt。 〃We're going over to the station now； and then； after we get your confession typed and you sign it； about eight years from now…it takes about eight years for all the appeals； right； Hoke？〃
〃About eight years。〃 Hoke nodded。
〃About eight years from now；〃 Bill went on； 〃they'll burn your gambler's ass in the electric chair。〃
Bill handcuffed Morrow's hands and pushed him toward the doorway。 Ellita snapped her purse closed。
〃Can I have my notebook？〃 Morrow asked。
〃Sure。〃 Hoke picked up the notebook； unbuttoned the top button of the pilot's shirt； and dropped the notebook in。
Then； while Henderson and Sanchez escorted Morrow to the car； Hoke got six dollars back from an unhappy Grogan （for the two nights' rent Morrow had paid in advance）； gave the landlord a receipt； and added the six dollars to the thirty…seven dollars left in Morrow's wallet。
10
Bill Henderson had Captain Morrow handcuffed to the desk in Hoke's office。 While Ellita typed a condensed confession for Morrow to sign； Hoke telephoned Major Brownley at home。
〃It isn't necessary for you to e down； Willie；〃 Hoke explained。 〃I'll get an assistant state attorney over here and get Morrow booked for first degree。〃
〃Is he dangerous？ I mean； dangerous to himself？ If he is； you'd better have him locked up in the psycho cell at Jackson。〃
〃He's disoriented； but not suicidal。 Altogether he lost more than two hundred thousand bucks； including the insurance money he collected on his wife。 Losing the money's just about all he can think about。 Everything else seems irrelevant to him now； and the confession's just a minor annoyance。 If we put him in a psycho cell； it might weaken the case。 I think the best thing to do is just book him and then let the judge decide whether he wants a psychiatric evaluation or not。 Morrow didn't ask for a lawyer； but I called the public defender's office anyway； and they're going to send someone over。 But the confession'll be signed before anyone gets here。 Sanchez has just about got it typed now。 Besides； we still have his confession on tape。〃
〃You read him his rights？〃
〃It's on the tape。〃
〃You did a good job； Hoke。〃
〃Henderson spotted him； not me。 It was just a fluke； Willie； a lucky accident。 We didn't even know Morrow was back in the city。 So I don't think it's a good idea to put out any PR about our special assignment yet。 Hell； we haven't finished reading through the cases you picked out。〃
〃The papers'll pick up on it soon； Hoke。 Morrow's wife was pregnant when he killed her； and reporters love stuff like that。〃
〃But we can still release this first one as just another routine case for the division。 Later on； if we get lucky again； we can fill them in on the cold…case business。 So why not just say we've been working on this case for a long time； which we have； and let it go at that？〃
〃Okay。 If the public defender gives you any flak； have him call me。 I'll be home all evening。〃
Hoke went down to the cafeteria and got four cups of coffee。 By the time Hoke got back to the office； Morrow's confession was signed； all five copies； and had been notarized by the division secretary。 Ellita and Henderson had signed it as witnesses。
The assistant state attorney was a happy man； but the public defender； a young woman who had passed the bar recently； was not。 If they had called her in time； she plained； she would have advised Captain Morrow not to sign the confession。
〃Why not？〃 Hoke said。 〃We had it on tape anyway； and this makes it easier to follow。〃
〃Are you going to ask Captain Morrow any more questions？〃
〃No。 All we need to know's in your copy of the confession。 But if we do； we'll call you first； now that you've advised him to remain silent。〃
〃You guys think you've got away with something； don't you？〃
〃The important thing is that Morrow didn't。 He killed a young woman of twenty…five who was carrying his child。 She never did any harm to anyone； and she didn't deserve having her head crushed by a sledgehammer just so this sonofabitch could gamble away their savings。〃
〃He's unbalanced now； and he had to be insane at the time of…〃
〃Maybe so； but if you plead him not guilty by reason of insanity； he'll fry for sure。 I'd advise you to plead guilty to second degree and let him take a mandatory twenty…five years。 But I don't care what you do。 Right now； unless you want to talk to him some more； we're taking him over to the jail。〃
Hoke told Ellita to lock up the cold cases in the office and go home。 He and Henderson would take Morrow to the lockup。
Henderson took Morrow's arm and guided him out of the office。 Ellita got to her feet； blocking Hoke from the door。 〃Did you people say anything while I was out of the room at Grogan's？〃
〃No； but I didn't think it was very professional for you to take a side trip to the can in the middle of an interrogation。〃
〃It was all I could think of to do；〃 Ellita said。 〃The battery in the recorder went dead； so I had to get out of the room to change it； that's all。〃
〃Did you have an extra battery？〃
〃Of course。〃
〃Okay； then。 That's professional。 Did you get it all on tape？〃
〃Everything； if you didn't talk while I was out of the room。〃
Hoke patted her awkwardly on the shoulder。 〃You did the right thing； Ellita。 Go on home。〃
On the way to the Dade County Jail in the car； Morrow cleared his throat。 〃I signed the confession； the way you wanted and all； so I'd like to ask you guys a favor。〃
〃Sure； Captain；〃 Henderson said。 〃What can we do for you？〃
〃Well。〃 Morrow licked his lips。 〃I'd appreciate it if you guys didn't tell the airline about this matter。 If they found out I was a gambler； they'd put the word out on me； and I'd never get another crack at flying again。 Airlines are like that。 They consider gambling as obsessive behavior； you know； and if it ever gets on your record； they won't rehire you as a pilot。〃
〃I won't tell the airline；〃 Bill said。 〃How about you； Hoke？〃
〃I won't tell 'em either。〃
〃Thanks；〃 Morrow said； 〃thanks a lot。〃 Relieved； he sat back and studied his notebook until they got to the jail。
It was after 11 P。M。 when Hoke got back to his suite at the Eldorado。 He was exhausted from the long day； and he was hungry。 He heated a can of chunky turkey…noodle soup o