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t worse than Puerto Rico。 So why I got to bodder with kids like Zip？ He thinks to be big is to kill。〃 Alfredo paused and then stared solemnly at Hernandez。 〃To be big is to live； no？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； Alfredo。〃
〃Sure。 But he's leader of the Latin Purples。 So I don' belong no gang； no Royal Guardians； no Spanish Dukes； nothin'。 So who's to protec' me？〃
〃I'm to protect you； Alfredo。〃
〃You？ What can you do？ You tink they afraid of cops？ If I don' show in the street； they call me turkey； they say I afraid of them。 So den everybody laugh at me。 So den how can I walk the street？ If I be turkey； how can I walk the street？〃
〃It's not turkey to want to live； Alfredo。 Every man wants to live。〃
〃I tell you the truth； I'm tired；〃 Alfredo said。 〃I'm tired of walkin' alone。 You walk alone； they all pick on you。 But I'm spose to join a gang？ I'm spose to go aroun' shootin' people？
What for I want to shoot people？〃
〃Don't leave the apartment today； Alfredo；〃 Hernandez said。
〃You'll be safe here。 I'll see to that。〃 〃And tomorrow？〃 Alfredo asked。 〃What about tomorrow？〃 〃We'll see。 Maybe this'll all be cleared up by tomorrow。〃 〃Will tomorrow be any better？〃 Alfredo asked。 〃Tomorrow I'm still here。 I'm always here in this neighborhood。〃 He began to weep suddenly and gently。 〃Always；〃 he said。 〃Always here。 Always。〃
There were four squad cars in the street outside when Hernandez got downstairs。 They formed a loose cordon about the bar called La Gallina； and Hernandez immediately wondered if a Vice Squad raid was in progress。 The street was filled with people who seemed to gather immediately at the sign of any excitement； who stood speculating in small knots outside the barrier formed by the squad cars on either end of the bar。 Hernandez pushed his way through the crowd； saw that Parker was standing and talking to Lieutenant Byrnes and Steve Carella； who stood leaning against a fender of one of the squad cars。 His first thought was Who's minding the store？ and he realized instantly that this was no vice raid； that something big must have happened。 Quickly； he walked to where the other detectives were standing。
〃When do we start； Lieutenant？〃 Parker asked。 There was a glow in Parker's eyes。 He reminded Hernandez of a Marine who had been in his outfit。 The guy's name had been Ray Walters； and he had joined the pany on the day before the Iwo Jima landings。 He hated the Japanese； and he couldn't wait for the landings to begin。 He was the first man out of the landing barge； his eyes glowing； a tight grim smile on his mouth。 The smile was still there when the Jap bullet took him between the eyes。
〃We're getting cars on the next block；〃 Byrnes said； 〃so we'll have radio contact with the men there。 We'll start as soon as they're ready。 This isn't going to be a picnic。 He said we wouldn't take him alive。〃
〃Are we sure it's him？〃 Parker asked。
〃Who knows？ We got a telephone tip。 If it is him； we can't take any chances。〃
A woman came out of the tenement doorway to the left of La Gallina。 She was carrying a baby in one arm and a bird cage in the other。 A blue parakeet fluttered wildly about the cage。 The woman came off the stoop； glancing over her shoulder to the windows above La Gallina。 She seemed to sense that she was a star performer stepping into the spotlight and that an impatient audience was waiting for the one line she had to deliver； a line which would suddenly solve and resolve doubts and uncertainties which would have been mounting ever since the curtain rose。 She stopped in the middle of the street； faced the crowd that milled restlessly beyond the squad cars and； in her loudest voice； shouted； 〃Ees Pepe！ Ees Pepe Miranda up there！〃 and then she extended the bird cage； pointing with it to the first…floor windows while the bird fluttered and screamed against the brass bars。
〃e on； lady；〃 a patrolman said； 〃before you stop a bullet。〃
The woman rushed into the crowd where the whisper had already gone up； a confirming whisper passed from mouth to mouth； acpanied by a knowledgeable shaking and nodding of heads； 〃Pepe Miranda； Pepe Miranda； Pepe Miranda。〃
〃Is that what this is？〃 Hernandez asked Byrnes。
〃It looks that way； Frankie；〃 Byrnes said。
〃Who called in the tip？〃
〃Don't know；〃 Carella said。 〃He gave the info and then hung up。〃
〃I'm going to see what the hell's happening with those other cars；〃 Byrnes said。 He walked around to the other side of the squad car； sat with his legs out on the street； and picked up the hand mike。 〃This is Lieutenant Byrnes；〃 he said。 〃We're about ready to roll here。 Are those other cars in position yet？〃
〃So we finally cornered your landsman〃 Parker said； grinning。 〃And we're gonna kill him。 I'm personally gonna see to that。〃
〃He's no landsman of mine；〃 Hernandez said。
〃Of course not；〃 Parker answered。 〃That's just a way of speaking。 All I meant was you're both Puerto Ricans。〃
〃Sure。〃
〃Hell； you know me better than that。 I don't care if a guy's Puerto Rican or even Chinese。〃
〃Sure。〃
Parker looked around suddenly。 〃Boy； look at these kids； will ya？ They think Miranda's a god。〃
〃He's only a god to the ones who don't know any better；〃 Carella said； looking at the kids who had joined the crowd around the squad cars。 The kids ranged in age from toddlers to adolescents。 Some of them tried to climb onto the squad cars； but the patrolmen swiped at them with their night sticks。 None of the kids seemed certain as to what sort of behavior was expected of them。 Some laughed； and some stood solemnly staring at the first…floor windows of the building。 Some seemed on the verge of tears。 It was curious to watch their faces and to study their fidgeting。 Each of them knew that this was an occurrence of unusual interest； and each of them was quite naturally excited by it。 But they had seen many things； these children； and their reactions to all of these things had always been mixed。 They had seen sudden blood； and every fiber in their bodies had urged them to scream at the sight of a man leaking his life onto the pavement； but fear had coalesced in their throats and erupted into the laughter of bravado。 For these children； the emotions had bee confused； with vague boundary lines separating one from the other。 Fear was a twin to courage； tears and laughter were interchangeable。
〃He's gonna be a dead god soon； that's for sure；〃 Parker said。 〃He's gonna pay for every damn heartache he ever gave this city。〃
Carella； watching the children； said simply； 〃The city gave him a few too； Andy。〃
〃Sure；〃 Parker agreed。 〃It's the neighborhood。 A kid grows up here； what the hell do you expect？ Miranda was cutting up people before he knew how to walk。〃
〃Maybe nobody ever took the trouble to teach him to walk；〃 Hernandez said。
〃Hey； you ain't getting sore at me； are you？〃 Parker asked； his eyes opening wide。 〃I thought he was no landsman of yours。〃
〃He isn't。 He's a punk。 He's going to die。 That doesn't make it all his fault。〃
〃I can understand how you feel；〃 Parker said。 〃There's a blood tie that。。。〃
〃There's no blood tie between me and。。。〃
〃I didn't mean a real blood tie； for God's sake。 I know he's not your relative or anything。 But； you know；