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there were no adolescent chest bumps yet beneath the thin cotton of her T…shirt。 They weren't pretty girls； Hoke thought； but they weren't plain either。
Aileen's generous mouth was filled with gold wire and tiny golden nuts and bolts。 Her teeth were hardly visible； because the places that weren't covered by gold wires were concealed by stretched rubber bands。 She wore a black elastic retainer； with the cords stretched across her cheeks； and headphones； with a cord leading down to a Sony Walkman on her red webbed belt。 Both girls appeared a little anxious。 Sue Ellen looked down at the photo in her hand； and then looked back at Hoke again before she favored him with a tentative smile。
〃Daddy？〃
〃You're Sue Ellen； right？〃 Hoke said； shaking her hand。 〃And this is Sister。〃 Hoke smiled at the younger girl。
〃We don't call her that anymore；〃 Sue Ellen said。
〃Aileen；〃 the younger girl said。 She shook hands with Hoke； and then backed away from him。 But Hoke didn't let her get away。 He hugged Aileen； and then hugged Sue Ellen。
Hoke turned to Eddie Cohen； who was grinning behind the desk。 〃These are my daughters； Eddie； Sue Ellen and Aileen。 Girls； this is Mr。 Cohen； the day man and the night man on the desk； and the assistant manager。〃
〃How do you do；〃 Sue Ellen said。 Aileen nodded and smiled； but didn't say anything。 She took off the earphones and switched off the radio。
〃Where's your mother？〃 Hoke said。
〃She should be in L。A。 by now；〃 Sue Ellen said。 〃She tried to call you； she said； but couldn't get ahold of you。 But I've got this letter 。 。 。〃 Sue Ellen took a sealed envelope from her banana…shaped leather purse and handed it to her father。
Hoke unsealed the envelope； but before he could remove the letter； a Latin man of about thirty…five or …six pushed through the lobby doors； shouting as he approached the desk。 〃What about my fare？ I can't wait around here all night！ I gotta get back to the terminal。〃
〃Did you girls fly down from Vero Beach？〃 Hoke said。
Sue Ellen shook her head。 Her curls； down to her shoulders； swirled as she looked toward the cab driver。 〃We came down on the Greyhound。 We got into Miami about seven； and we tried to call here a couple of times〃…she looked at Eddie Cohen…〃but no one answered the phone。 We had a pizza； and then we went to a movie。 Then； after the movie； we decided to take a cab over here。〃
〃You girls shouldn't be wandering around downtown Miami at night。 Don't ever do that again。〃
〃We were all right。 We checked our suitcases in a locker at the bus station before we went to the movie。〃
The suitcases were next to the desk： two large Samsonites and two khaki…colored overnighters。
〃What about my fare？〃 the cab driver said。 He was wearing a white dress shirt； with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows； and tattered blue jeans。 There were blue homemade tattoos on the backs of his dark hairy hands。 He put his hands on his hips and pushed his chin out。
〃How much is it？〃 Hoke said。
〃I'll have to take another look； now。 The meter's still runnin'。〃
〃I'll go with you。 Eddie； wake up Emilio and have him take a folding cot up to my room…and the girls' suitcases。〃
〃I've got some empty rooms on your floor；〃 Eddie said。
〃I'm aware of that。〃 Hoke shook his head。 〃But Mr。 Bennett would charge me for them。 The girls'll stay in my suite。〃
Hoke followed the driver outside； reached through the window； and punched the button to stop the meter。 The charge on the meter was 26。50。
〃How long you been waiting？〃 Hoke asked。
The driver shrugged。
Hoke looked into his wallet。 He had a ten and six ones。 Hoke showed the driver his shield and ID。 〃I'm Sergeant Moseley； Miami Police Department。 I'm going to inspect your cab。〃
Hoke opened the back door and looked inside。 The back seat had a small rip on the left side； and there were three cigarette butts on the floor。 All of the cab's windows were rolled down。
〃Did you turn on the air conditioning when the girls got into the cab？〃
〃No； but they didn't ask。〃
〃That's a Dade County violation。 You're supposed to turn it on when passengers get in； whether they ask for it or not。 The floor's dirty in back； and the seat's ripped。 Let me see your license。〃
After exploring his wallet； the driver reluctantly handed Hoke his chauffeur's license。 It was expired。
Hoke； holding the license； jerked his head toward the lobby。 〃Let's go inside。 Your license has expired。〃
At the desk； Hoke got a piece of hotel stationery； a ballpoint； and took down the man's name； José Rizal； and license number； and the number of his cab。 〃If you came across the MacArthur Causeway； José；〃 Hoke said； 〃a trip from the bus terminal wouldn't have been more than ten or eleven dollars。 So you must have e over to Miami Beach by way of the Seventy…ninth Street Causeway to run up a tab of twenty…six bucks。〃
〃There was too much traffic on Biscayne； and I couldn't get on the MacArthur。〃
〃Bullshit。〃 Hoke returned the driver's license and handed him six one…dollar bills。 〃I don't have my ticket book with me right now； but if you'll e by the Miami police station on Monday morning； I'll pay you the rest of your fare and write out your ticket for the county violations and your expired license。〃
For a long moment the driver stared at the bills in his hand； and then he wadded them into a ball and put them in his pocket。 He turned abruptly and walked to the double doors。 At the doorway the cabbie turned and shouted：
〃Lechon！〃
He ran out the door； got into his cab； and spun the wheels in the gravel as he raced out of the driveway。 Hoke knew that he would never see the driver again。
〃Did he cheat us； Daddy？〃 Sue Ellen asked。
〃Not if you enjoyed your unguided tour of Miami Beach。〃
Hoke then opened and read the letter from Patsy：
Dear Hoke；
I've had the girls for ten wonderful years； and nowit's your turn。 I'm going out to California to join Curly Peterson。 We're going to get married at the end of theseason。 The girls were given a choice； and they said they'd rather live with you instead of with me andCurly。 Perhaps they'll feel differently later； and can spend the Xmas season with us in California。 Anyway；you can take them for the next few months； and if they don't e out to Glendale at Xmas…time； I'll seethem when spring training begins again in Vero Beach。 It's about time you took some responsibilityfor your girls； anyway； and even though I'll miss them and love them； they want me to have my share of happiness and I know you do； too。
I'm pretty rushed right now； getting ready to leave；but I'll send down their shot records and school records and the rest of their things before I catch myplane。 Whatever else you were； you were always responsible； and I know that our girls will be happyand safe with you。
Sincerely yours；
Patsy
Sue Ellen took a package of Lucky Strikes out of her purse； then searched in the clutter for her Bic disposable lighter。
〃Let me have one of your Luckies；〃 Hoke said。 〃I left my pack upstairs。〃
Sue Ellen handed him the pack； lit her cigarette； and then Hoke's。 He returned her package。
〃Who's Curly Peterson？〃 Hoke said。
〃That's the man mom's been living with…you know；