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."You'll recognize Eucalyptus Avenue when you see it," he said."It's a divided street and there's a double row of eucalyptus trees planted down the median.""What's a eucalyptus tree look like?""They're tall gray mothers and the branches start way up there.The bark, when they have bark, looks like it's ready to fall off.Besides, they smell like eucalyptus."Hoke thanked the Korean and left the station.He was pleased with how well everything was going so far.He had discovered a hungry lawyer and he had picked up a bargain in the shotgun, which had been on sale for $79.95, plus tax, and he had found an articulate Korean who had given him a vivid description of what eucalyptus trees looked like.Before he got to Glendale, Hoke spotted a good many of the trees, which were usually in rows in empty lots.There had been a lot of them beside the highway when he drove down from Riverside but he hadn't known what they were.The Verdugo Woodlands above Glendale had more oaks than eucalyptus, however, and the roads curved steeply as he climbed the hills in second gear.He drove by Patsy's house without noticing it, and then parked on the median when he realized he had passed the number.He walked back, spotted the small numbered plate on a concrete block in the thick grass and examined the four cars parked in front of the house in the circular driveway.The cars were a Mercedes convertible, a Chrysler New Yorker, a Continental Mark IV, and a pink, well-preserved 1949 Jeepster with a fringed white canvas top.Patsy and Curly had company, apparently, but at least he had found the house.The two-story house was an old building with a double-garage in the rear, and the foundation, for the first four feet, had been reinforced with round field stones and concrete.The rest of the wooden house was painted green, but the paint had been applied several years back.Hoke returned to his truck, made a U-turn through the trees on the median and drove into downtown Glendale.He parked on the street and had lunch in a drugstore, ordering the Blue Plate Special at the counter (meatloaf, mashed potatoes and canned green beans) and drank a glass of iced tea.He returned to his truck, parked in an A-OK park-and-lock lot a half-block from the Rialto Theater, and went to the matinee'.The movie, Local Hero, had little or no plot and took place in Houston and in a small Scottish fishing village.It featured Burt Lancaster as a crazy financier and a young actress with webbed toes.There was no explanation given for her webbed feet, but because she spent most of the time in the water, and because there was talk about mermaids, Hoke guessed that the audience was supposed to believe that the girl was, indeed, a mermaid.The small bay in Scotland, washed by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, looked like a nice place to swim.But the story ended unhappily.An old man, who lived in a driftwood cottage on the beach, was forced out of his home by the Texas oil company.After the movie, Hoke returned to the A-OK park-and-lock lot and discovered that someone had stolen his truck.Hoke had his parking stub and keys, but the attendant, a college student wearing an S.C.T-shirt and cut-off jeans, said he couldn't remember seeing anyone drive out of the lot in a white Datsun truck.Hoke pointed out his empty space and the boy became upset about the missing vehicle.Hoke agreed that it was possible that he had parked in a different space, and the two of them checked the lot--about forty cars--but the truck was definitely missing.The boy telephoned the police department and they waited almost five minutes before a squad car pulled up and parked by the tiny office.Hoke showed the patrolman, a tall, rangy red-faced man, his keys and parking stub, and explained that the truck had been stolen while he was in the movie down the street.The officer's plastic name tag read "Arthur," and Hoke wasn't able to tell whether "Arthur" was the man's first or last name, nor was he going to ask.After reading Joseph Wambaugh's book, anything was possible out here."At least you didn't leave your keys in the ignition," the patrolman said."The windows were locked, too," Hoke said."It's no trick getting the door open with a coat hanger, but whoever took the truck had to hot-wire the ignition.""I'll tell you what," the policeman said, "sometimes kids steal a vehicle for a joy-ride.Why not take a ride with me, and we'll look around for it.Sometimes, when they get through riding around, they just park the vehicle at Carl's Market, and leave it.I've found three stolen cars at Carl's in the last six months."Hoke got into the front seat of the squad car and they drove to Carl's Supermarket."The tag number's Florida EYK-796," Hoke said, "with a Dade County designation.""You drive all the way out here from Florida?""That's right.Just got in this morning."The truck wasn't in Carl's lot.The patrolman parked the squad car."It isn't here, but that doesn't mean that it won't show up later.I'll put it on the radio, and then I'll check back later here myself.Where are you staying.I'll drive you home.""I don't have an address yet.As I told you, I just got in this morning.To tell you the truth, Officer, the reason I came out here was to get a reconciliation with my wife.She lives in Glendale now and that's why I drove out from Florida.We have two daughters, and they're staying with their grandparents back in Florida.They need their mother and I hope to take my wife back with me.""She ran off, did she?"Hoke lit a Lucky and looked out of the window."She ran off with a Negro."The tall cop shook his head, and looked out his own side window for a moment."Jesus." His red face turned a deeper shade of red."Listen, Officer," Hoke said, "I was a cop in Miami for twelve years.Homicide.It isn't easy for me to tell you about this and if it wasn't for the two girls, I'd say to hell with it.""Are you sure they're in Glendale? We don't have many niggers living in Glendale.There's no regulation against it, but they just can't afford to live here, that's all.""He can afford it.He swings a bat a couple of times a day for the Dodgers, and then he goes home.""Curly Peterson? The pinch hitter?""Yeah.He lives on Eucalyptus Avenue.""That explains everything, doesn't it? He must be a millionaire by now, for Christ's sake.""Right.So if you'd drive me up to their house, I'd appreciate it.I'll make my little pitch, and then take a cab back to the police station and check with you on the truck.""I take it you're not on the force any longer, is that right?""I quit the department.I work in my father's hardware store now.""I don't like to discourage you, Mr.Moseley, but you may not be able to effect a reconciliation.""I've got the girls and she's their mother.I've got to try.And if it doesn't work out, I'll just fly back to Miami.I wasn't going to drive back anyway.It's a brutal trip to drive out here all alone, believe me.""You got enough money? I mean for the plane and all?""Plenty.""Let's go, then." The tall cop drove out of Carl's parking lot [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]