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d dog。 At any rate； you've washed your last dog over here。 Some of these people over here on South Beach are crazy as shithouse rats。 You and Sue Ellen put on your bathing suits and we'll all go over to the beach for a swim。 If we're lucky； maybe we can get an hour or so on the beach before the rain starts。〃
19
Hoke only had one credit card； a Visa card from an obscure bank in Chicago。 He had applied for it in person when he had taken a prisoner to Chicago； and the bank never checked his abysmal credit rating。 He called two different seafood restaurants before he made a reservation； he wanted to make certain that his Chicago card would be honored。 The card itself was good because Hoke always paid the ten…dollar minimum charge every month。 He knew it was the only credit card he was ever likely to have。
La Pescador Haba？ero's ma？tre d' assured Hoke over the phone that his Visa card was acceptable。 Jackets were required at La Pescador； but if Hoke didn't have a jacket； there was a suitable selection in the cloakroom； and he would be furnished with a jacket at no extra charge。 Ties； of course； were not required； but if the visitor from Chicago found the evening too humid； he coutd have a corner table in the courtyard； where the absence of a jacket would not be noticed by the other patrons。
〃Never mind；〃 Hoke said。 〃We prefer the dining room； where it's air…conditioned。 And I'll be wearing a leisure suit。〃
〃Excellent！〃 the ma？tre d' said。 〃As I understand it； leisure suits are ing back into style again。〃
〃And I'll want a bottle of wine。 Bordeaux； if you have it…〃
〃Any particular vintage？〃
〃I don't care。 Just have it uncorked and breathing on the table when we get there。〃
That'll cost me； Hoke thought； but what the hell？ He hadn't been laid in a long time 。
Hoke had mixed feelings about having dinner with Loretta。 He was horny； but he was far from confident that he would end up in Loretta's bed。 Was she interested in him as a lover； or did she take him up on his invitation just because she wanted an expensive dinner？ In a way； Hoke knew he was indirectly trying to buy a piece of ass； but a man could spend a lot of money on a woman and end up without so much as a good…night kiss。
This woman was sexy as hell； and physically attractive； but Hoke knew how he looked。 He had no idea how Loretta felt about him。 One thing Hoke knew for sure： Some women liked to fuck cops just because they were cops； and he hoped that Loretta was one of them。 This was something he and Henderson had talked about and taken advantage of often enough in their police careers。
Women were attracted to power and money…not just to a man's looks。 They were interested in a man's personality； his occupation； especially interesting occupations。 How a man looked was way down there； about seventh on the list。 As Henderson had put it once； 〃Every woman wants to fuck her daddy； Hoke。 A cop's got a badge and a gun； so he's an authority figure。 She can't screw her daddy； so a cop's the next best thing。〃
Henderson's opinion was oversimplified perhaps。 Still； look at Harold Hickey。 He had power and confidence； plus good looks； or Loretta wouldn't have married him。 Hickey had been on the verge of big fees when she had married him； and she had known he would make it。 That's why Hoke hadn't believed Hickey when he said Loretta had been sleeping with Jerry。 She was too smart to jeopardize her marriage by sleeping with a skinny； run…down junkie。 It didn't make sense…unless there was something going on Hoke didn't know about。
On the other hand； Hickey took himself so seriously that he didn't recognize sarcasm when he heard it。 What did the kid say when Hickey had charged the boy with screwing Loretta？ 〃I didn't think you'd mind； Mr。 Hickey。〃 If that wasn't sarcasm； what was it？ And if the fat next…door neighbor had really told Hickey about the so…called affair； how had she found out？ Did she peep through the windows？ She was purportedly a friend of Loretta's； but it didn't seem likely that Loretta would confide that kind of information to anyone。 More likely； Ellen Koontz had merely suspected it； then reported her suspicions to Hickey as fact。 And he had bought her story。
Loretta was attracted to power all right。 Otherwise she wouldn't want to own her own shop…a business she could run her own way…instead of working as a designer for someone else who would have all of the problems。 The problem was； Hoke didn't know Loretta well enough to make any educated guesses about her。 The best thing to do； Hoke decided； was to get Loretta to talk about herself。 Once he got to know her a little better； everything would work out fine。
Before Hoke left the hgel； he shifted his holstered pistol from the small of his back； where he usually carried it； to the front。 When they got to the restaurant； he would unbutton his jacket so Loretta could see the butt of his revolver showing above the waistband。 As Henderson once said； 〃Showing a woman your pistol is just like showing her your cock。〃 Maybe so； and maybe not； Hoke thought； halfamused at Henderson's ready theories； but with a face like mine； I need every advantage I can get。
The dinner went very well； Hoke thought。 The bottle of wine was only twenty…eight dollars and the bouillabaisse for two； as remended by their waiter； only thirty。 A green salad and a rice pudding with raisins were included with the dinner； and they finished their meal with two dollar…fifty espressos。
Loretta Hickey； in a low…cut white chiffon dress； looked lovely to Hoke。 She was wearing a lavender orchid （Hoke had ordered it and charged it to the Eldorado's telephone） pinned to her narrow waist。 Hoke had told the Vietnamese girl at the Bouquetique to hand the orchid to Mrs。 Hickey when she left the shop； figuring that if he was going to order a corsage； he might as well give Loretta's shop the business。 Loretta was delighted with her orchid。
〃You may not believe it； Hoke；〃 she'd said when he picked her up at her house in Green Lakes； 〃but it's been years and years since I've been given any flowers。 People think that because I have my own shop； I can get all I want free。 That may be true； but I do love flowers； and I certainly didn't expect such a lovely orchid。 Even if I did pick it out myself。〃
〃On the phone I told the girl to pick it； and to hand it to you when you left。〃
〃Oh； no； Dotty wouldn't dare risk her taste against mine。 She's a Vietnamese refugee； you know； and she's practically helpless around the shop。 But she's all I can afford at the moment。 What I really need is a good designer。 Because I'm usually working in the back； I miss a lot of gift sales in front。 Dotty Chen couldn't sell a Cuban a cup of coffee。〃
Hoke grinned。 〃And they drink ten cups a day。〃
Three strolling guitar players came to their table in the dining room and played and sang a song。 Although Hoke's Spanish was limited； he got the drift that the three singers wanted to die in bat in Cuba with their faces turned up toward the sun。 He gave the player nearest him a dollar bill and they strolled off； singing lugubriously； to another table。
〃The only thing worse than three Spanish guitars；〃 Hoke said； 〃is one violin。