Free The Way We Die Now by Charles Willeford

kitchen.
    "I work at the Green Lakes Car Wash," Sue Ellen said. "But I can do wax jobs for people on my own time. I could do a nice Simoniz job on that Henry J for you at a bargain price. Thirty-eight dollars. It'll cost you fifty at the car wash. I can't do it this Sunday because we're going to a party. But I can do it next Sunday."
    "That sounds fair to me." Hutton nodded. "I don't have a garage or a carport, so it might be a good idea. If it's going to sit out in the sun all day, that might be the thing to do."
    "Sunday week, then, Mr. Hutton. I'll also bring along a can of new car spray, and you can keep it in your car. It'll look like a new car when I finish, so you'll want it to smell like one, too."
    "Sure. Why not? This turkey's wonderful, Ms. Sanchez."
    Aileen came back from the kitchen. "There's a van over in front of your house, Mr. Hutton."
    "That's probably the FPL man." He started to get up.
    "I'll go," Hoke said. He got up and placed a hand on Hutton's shoulder. "I know where your meter is. Finish your dinner." Hoke left the house and went across the street. He hadn't been able to take another bite after Hutton had sat at the table.
    After the Florida Power electrician had turned on the electricity, Hoke signed "D. Hutton" and the time on the man's clipboard. He finished his cigarette before he went back to his house. He had calmed down by this time and was half amused by his former anger. He decided to say nothing to Ellita. It was as much her house as it was his, and if she wanted to invite the killer to dinner, she was entitled to feed him.
    When Hoke took his place at the head of the table again, Ellita was nursing Pepe. She had folded her T-shirt back, exposing her large alabaster breasts, with faint tiny blue veins. Hutton, a little bug-eyed, was trying to keep his violet eyes off them but couldn't quite manage it. He stared at his plate, and then cut his eyes over, and then shifted back to his plate again, obviously discomfited.
    Hoke was able to eat now. He finished quickly so the others could get to their desserts and coffee. Hoke enjoyed Hutton's uneasiness. Hoke hadn't paid that much attention to Ellita's breasts before, but he saw them with new eyes, thanks to Hutton. Ellita was a D cup before she began nursing, but her breasts were much larger now. Pepe, redfaced, nursed audibly.
    Hutton refused a second cup of coffee, finished his custard, thanked Ellita again, and left the house. Aileen walked him to the front door and then came back, hesitating in the archway between the living and dining room. Aileen looked at her sister and giggled.
    "Did you notice his eyelashes?"
    "Did I?" Sue Ellen rolled her brown eyes. "I'd give my left ovary for eyelashes like that."
    "His eyes are violet, not blue," Ellita said. "Just like Elizabeth Taylor's."
    "Jesus Christ," Hoke said, and he threw his napkin down on the table. He left the table and went into the living room to catch the last half of the -Kojak- rerun on Channel 33. The women cleared the table, and he could still hear them talking and laughing in the kitchen over the cacophony of the New York traffic coming from the television set.
    CHAPTER 6
    Saturday morning after breakfast Hoke mowed the lawn. The lawn mower was old, and the blades needed sharpening; but Hoke enjoyed the exercise. The activity, he felt, was good for him, but he wanted to finish before the sun got too hot. It had been eighty degrees at six-thirty, with humidity to match, when he went out to get the newspaper. The paper stated that the highs would probably be in the low nineties. The Henry J was gone, so Hutton, thankfully, was off somewhere. Hoke was pleased about that. He hadn't relished the thought that Hutton might sit out in his front yard and watch him work for two hours.
    At ten-thirty, when Hoke had finished the front lawn and was sweeping grass cuttings off the sidewalk, Ellita called him in to answer the telephone. It was Teodoro Gonzalez.
    "Hello, Teddy," Hoke said into the