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Hoke left Brownley's office； put the Xerox copy of the report in Slater's in…box； and went down to join Bill Henderson in the interrogation room。 He told Bill about Sanchez's finding Rollins。 They both read silently for a halfhour。 Then Ellita came in at a quarter to nine； bringing them some coffee and doughnuts she had picked up in the cafeteria。
〃Everything go all right？〃 Hoke said。
〃Much better than I expected。 My mother's on my side now； and she even agreed with me that it was time I found a place of my own。 Meanwhile； my furniture and the rest of my things will just have to stay there till I find an apartment。 But I feel a lot better after talking to my mom。〃
〃If you're looking for a house to rent；〃 Henderson volunteered； 〃I can ask Marie to find you something。 She handles a lot of rental properties in Little Havana。〃
〃Thanks； Sergeant Henderson。〃 Ellita shook her head。 〃That was my original plan； to find a place near my parents； but I think a one…bedroom apartment in a different area would be better。 I don't even want to be in the same neighborhood now； and I don't want to live in Little Havana either。 Talking to Mary Rollins taught me a lot about my own feelings。 I know they didn't do it consciously； but my parents were taking advantage of me。〃 She smiled at Hoke and sat at her place at the table。 〃What did Major Brownley say about Mary Rollins； Hoke？〃
〃He said he'd call her mother。〃
〃Is that all？〃
〃He won't kiss you； Ellita。 Willie isn't much for patting people on the head。 But he's happy about it。 Now that we've arrested Captain Midnight and cleared the Rollins file； he'll probably get together with Slater and give the media the info on our cold…case assignment。 I've decided that none of us will talk to reporters。 No matter what you tell these people； it's never enough。 They'll be after us every day for progress reports。 We can't say what we're working on； because it might alert someone we're checking on。 So let's just say nothing at all。 I'll talk to Brownley about this later and tell him that he'll have to be the spokesman…he or Slater。 Slater loves to talk to reporters； as if you didn't know； and I've already told him I'll send him the same progress reports we send the major。〃
〃So we just say 'No ment；' right？〃 Henderson said。
〃No； not 'No ment；' just refer reporters； either on the phone or in person； to Slater。〃
A few minutes later Major Brownley came into the room。 He puffed on his pipe； then pulled his jacket down in the back。
〃Seeing as to how yesterday was Sunday； Sanchez；〃 he said； 〃I don't mind authorizing four hours of overtime pay。〃 He placed a hand on Hoke's shoulder。 〃Add Sunday's overtime to the voucher； Hoke； when you send it through。〃 He left the room and closed the door。
Bill Henderson grinned at Ellita。 〃That's about as close to ecstasy as Willie ever gets； Ellita。 Congratulations。〃
〃I didn't ask for overtime；〃 Ellita said。
〃Don't reject it；〃 Henderson said。 〃You may never get it again。 On this assignment； we aren't even entitled to p time…are we； Hoke？〃
〃It's just us three；〃 Hoke said； 〃so we'll adjust our hours to what we have to do； that's all。 I've got to take some time off this week for house hunting； and so does Ellita。 Any time you need a few hours off； Bill； just tell me。〃
Henderson tapped the file he was reading。 〃I haven't run into a promising case yet。 All this shit is just too old； Hoke。 I really should be out there on the street with Teddy Gonzalez； working on the triple murder。〃
〃We haven't winnowed 'em all out yet； Bill。 Out of fifty； we should get four or five…〃
〃We've solved two already；〃 Ellita said。
〃That doesn't help us；〃 Henderson said。 〃With two out of the way already； Brownley's gonna expect miracles now； and we may not resolve another case in the next two months。〃
〃In that event；〃 Hoke smiled； 〃consider the assignment a vacation。 Slater's running Teddy around in circles out there。〃
〃I know。〃 Henderson shook his head。 〃The poor bastard。 But he was happy as hell when I told him about Leroy's crap game。〃
At ten…thirty； Hoke went into his office to check the distribution。 He skipped through the junk； looking for the lab report on Jerry Hickey。 There was no lab report； so he took the elevator to the forensic lab。
Dan Jessup； the chief technician； was lighting a cigar with a Bunsen burner。 His long left arm was covered by the sleeve of a dark blue cardigan； but the right arm of the sweater dangled。 The rest of the sweater was bunched up and pinned to the back of his shirt。 He looked like he was either taking the sweater off or putting it on； but Hoke knew that Jessup always wore it that way because his arthritic left arm was always cold。 Jessup was a bald； wiry man in his late thirties。 The corners of his short mouth pointed down； it gave him a petulant expression。
〃I didn't get the lab report on Hickey； Gerald；〃 Hoke said。
〃No shit。〃
〃It was promised for today。〃
〃Today isn't over。 You'll get it through normal distribution。〃
〃It isn't in this morning's distribution。〃
〃Should be。 I remember initialing it。〃 Jessup went to his desk and searched through three file boxes。 One was marked NOW； the second NEVER； and the third； SOME DAY。 The Hickey report； together with a half…dozen others； was in the NOW box。 Jessup put his glasses on and read it。
〃That was good shit the kid had； Hoke。 About as close to pure heroin as you'll ever see。 It was only five percent procaine and thirty percent mannitol。 The rest was almost pure H； with a few impurities。〃
〃Mannitol？ That's the baby laxative； isn't it？〃
〃You might say mannitol's also used as a baby laxative。 The dealers probably use more mannitol to cut coke and heroin nowadays than they ever used for babies。 Anyway； if Hickey wasn't used to shit this strong； it could've been an accidental OD。〃
〃Dan。 You know an overdose can't be proved either way。〃
〃I know that。 I'm just saying that an accidental OD was possible。 I know what you can prove and what you can't。 I've spent ten fucking years in this freezing lab。 Did Hickey have piles？〃
〃I don't know。 They haven't done the P。M。 yet。 He could have； but I don't know。〃
〃Well；〃 Jessup said； 〃if he had 'em； he had 'em bad； because the blue tinfoil wrappers you sent came from Nembutal suppositories。 To get Nembutal suppositories； you need a doctor's prescription。〃
〃Can't you buy them on the street？〃
〃You can buy anything on the street； Hoke。 But I never heard of anyone selling hemorrhoid suppositories on the street。 Have you？ You can't get high on 'em。 They just relieve your pain and put you to sleep； that's all。〃
〃There are people in Miami who'd pay damned near anything for a good night's sleep。〃
Jessup smiled。 〃I wish they had 'em for arthritis。 I could slip one under my arm at night。 That's all I can tell you； Hoke。〃 Jessup handed Hoke the typed report。 〃It don't make no never…mind anyway。 If Hickey had piles； they don't bother him now。〃
Hoke nodded； folding the typed sheets in half。 〃Thanks； Dan。〃 Hoke hesitated at the door。 〃You know； Dan； I can remember when we used to go out to lunch once in a while。〃
〃Me； too； and it's my fault。 It's just that I've been so damned busy lately。 Wh