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f us； and I won't contact my friend in the DEA no matter what I discover。〃
〃What's this homicide investigation of yours got to do with the Drug Enforcement Agency？〃
〃Absolutely nothing。 But there's a DEA agent I know； a guy I used to ride patrol with a few years back； who would also like to know what's in Mrs。 Hickey's account。 That is； he would if he knew what I know about Mrs。 Hickey。 But he doesn't know what I know； and I'm promising you I won't tell him。 Any information you give me will be strictly between us； and no matter what es up later； your name'll never be mentioned。〃 Hoke pushed the deposit slip back toward the banker。
Llhosa…Garcia got up； went to the desk in front of his； and said something quietly to the young woman sitting there。 She nodded and left her desk。 Llhosa…Garcia sat at her desk； and Hoke came up behind him to look over his shoulder。 The banker rubbed his fingers on the lapels of his suit coat for a moment and then started to key some numbers into the desktop puter terminal。 Hoke had his notebook out； but green numbers appeared and disappeared on the screen so quickly there was no time to make any notes。 Llhosa…Garcia logged out； the screen went blank； and they returned to the banker's desk。
〃I'm not giving you anything in writing。 Understand？〃
Hoke nodded。 〃Of course not。 It isn't necessary。〃
〃She's got four hundred and eighty…two dollars in her checking account。〃
〃That much I know is true。〃
〃She owes the bank eighteen thousand dollars； and she hasn't paid the last two installments on her loan。 But that doesn't mean anything to us； because she's been late before。〃 He shrugged。 〃That's the flower business； Sergeant。 It's feast or famine。 But over the years； Mrs。 Hickey's been a good customer； and her credit's good with us。 She also rented a safe…deposit box last Wednesday； a Class C box at thirty dollars a year。 There are also a few outstanding checks； but the names don't matter。 If you want to look into her safe…deposit box； e back with your court order。 We don't know； or care； what people put in their boxes； except in the case of the lady last year who put a bluefish in her box because she didn't like us。 We had a hell of a time finding where the smell was ing from。〃
〃Thank you。 I appreciate your cooperation； Mr。 LlhosaGarcia；〃 Hoke said。
〃Don't patronize me； you slimy sonofabitch；〃 the banker said hoarsely； lowering his voice。 〃I didn't tell you a fucking thing。〃
〃Maybe not。 But I've got a hunch that Mrs。 Hickey will pay her overdue installments in a few days。 And maybe the entire loan。〃
〃I don't give a shit whether she pays it off or not。 My salary doesn't go up or down on a little business loan like hers。〃
〃You speak English very well； Mr。 Llhosa…Garcia。〃
〃That's because I was born in Evanston； Illinois…not Cuba； where you think。 My surname helped me get this job； but it also makes me vulnerable to pricks like you； and you took advantage of me。 If you told your DEA friend you suspected a Latin banker of laundering； he'd be down here interrupting our work； even though we have nothing to hide。 But if you'd gone to Bruce Waterman with this crap instead of ing to me； he'd've called the Coral Gables chief of police。〃
〃We've got a Latin quota in the Miami Police Department； too。〃
Hoke stood up and extended his hand。 Lihosa…Garcia got to his feet to remove his jacket and draped it over the back of his chair。 He ignored Hoke's hand and sat down again； without looking up； to remove some papers from his intray。 Hoke picked up the deposit slip； put it back in his wallet； and walked out of the bank。
Two doors down from the bank； Hoke went into a shoe store。 There was only one customer； a heavyset Latin woman who was trying on a pair of gold…satin pumps。 The clerk who was helping her had a dozen shoe boxes scattered around him on the floor。 The other clerk was sorting sales slips behind the cash register。
〃I'd like to use your phone；〃 Hoke said； showing the clerk his badge。
〃Right there。 On the counter。〃
Hoke looked up the number in his notebook and then dialed the Bouquetique。 Loretta Hickey answered。
〃This is Hoke； Loretta。 I want to take you to lunch。〃
〃Oh？ Just like that？ After the way you acted？〃
〃Yeah。 I had a lot on my mind。 The thing is； I want to talk to you； and I can't talk to you privately in your shop； not with customers ing in。 Besides； you have to eat lunch anyway； and so do I。〃
〃I don't know that I want to see you again。〃
〃Yes； you do。 But whether you want to see me again or not is irrelevant。 I want to see you。 Have you got your car？〃
〃How do you think I got to work？〃
〃You have your car； then。〃
〃Of course。〃
〃Do you know where Captain Billy's Raw Bar is； in Coconut Grove？〃
〃Off Bayshore Drive？〃
〃That's it； about two blocks north of City Hall； on the bay。 Meet me there at one o'clock。 I'll get there a little earlier and find us a table on the outside patio。〃
〃What's this all about； Hoke？〃
〃You； me； Jerry； a cold beer； and lunch。〃 Hoke hung up the phone。
〃Thanks；〃 Hoke said to the clerk。
The clerk； who had been listening to the call； said； 〃That didn't sound like police business to me。〃
〃No shit。 When was the last time you cleaned your rest room？ It's filthy in there。〃
〃What makes you say that？ We got a woman es in every Friday night。〃
〃In that case； I'll send an inspector over next Thursday to take a look at it。〃
Hoke left the shop as the clerk headed for the back of the store。
21
Hoke parked in the Coconut Grove marina lot near the boat launch ramp and walked the block back to Captain Billy's Raw Bar。 Captain Billy's had been owned and lost by eight different owners during the last ten years； but the neon sign that flashed CAPTAIN BILLY'S off and on had never been changed。 The sign had cost the original proprietor a good deal of money； so the name of the restaurant didn't change when the owners did。 The current owner had finally made a success out of the place by enlarging the patio and having Seminole Indians construct palm…thatched chickees over more than half of the outside tables。 Some patrons still preferred to sit at tables in the sun instead of beneath the roofed chickees； because they were afraid that a lizard might fall from the fronds into their conch chowder。 The patio was popular with a younger crowd in the evenings。 There was a small raised stage in the center of the patio； and at night a bluegrass group played until 2 A。M。 At lunchtime； however； rock music was played over outside speakers； so Hoke got a table by the edge of the pier； as far away from a speaker as he could get。
Hoke sat with his back to the bay under the shade of a chickee。 He was only about ten feet away from the restaurant's tame pelican； which sat on a post at the base of the short wooden pier。 This pelican had squatted on this same post for more than three years； and he had lost his ability to fish because restaurant patrons fed him chunks of their leftover fish sandwiches。 In the beginning of his residence； the pelican had eaten pieces of fish with the breading still on them； but now he wouldn't accept any fish unless the breading was removed。 Every time Hoke came to Captain Bi