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第43部分（第1页）

〃As　long　as　you　can　do　what　needs　doing　without　getting　caught；〃　Brutal　said。

Dean　looked　offended；　and　I　clapped　him　on　the　shoulder。　〃As　soon　after　you　clock　in　as　you　can　。。。　all　right？〃

〃You　bet。〃

My　wife　popped　her　head　through　the　door　as　if　Id　given　her　a　cue　to　do　so。　〃Whos　for　more　iced　tea？〃　she　asked　brightly。　〃What　about　you；　Brutus？〃

〃No；　thanks；〃　he　said。　〃What　Id　like　is　a　good　hard　knock　of　whiskey；　but　under　the　circumstances；　that　might　not　be　a　good　idea。〃

Janice　looked　at　me；　smiling　mouth；　worried　eyes。　〃What　are　you　getting　these　boys　into；　Paul？〃　But　before　I　could　even　think　of　framing　a　reply；　she　raised　her　hand　and　said；　〃Never　mind；　I　dont　want　to　know。〃

3。

Later；　long　after　the　others　were　gone　and　while　I　was　dressing　for　work；　she　took　me　by　the　arm；　swung　me　around；　and　looked　into　my　eyes　with　fierce　intensity。

〃Melinda？〃　she　asked。

I　nodded。

〃Can　you　do　something　for　her；　Paul？　Really　do　something　for　her；　or　is　it　all　wishful　dreaming　brought　on　by　what　you　saw　last　night？〃

I　thought　of　Coffeys　eyes；　of　Coffeys　hands；　and　of　the　hypnotized　way　Id　gone　to　him　when　hed　wanted　me。　I　thought　of　him　holding　out　his　hands　for　Mr。　Jingless　broken；　dying　body。　While　theres　still　time；　he　had　said。　And　the　black　swirling　things　that　turned　white　and　disappeared。

〃I　think　we　might　be　the　only　chance　she　has　left；〃　I　said　at　last。

〃Then　take　it；〃　she　said；　buttoning　the　front　of　my　new　fall　coat。　It　had　been　in　the　closet　since　my　birthday　at　the　beginning　of　September；　but　this　was　only　the　third　or　fourth　time　Id　actually　worn　it。　〃Take　it。〃

And　she　practically　pushed　me　out　the　door。

4。

I　clocked　in　that　night　…　in　many　ways　the　strangest　night　of　my　entire　life　…　at　twenty　past　six。　I　thought　I　could　still　smell　the　faint；　lingering　odor　of　burned　flesh　on　the　air。　It　had　to　be　an　illusion　…　the　doors　to　the　outside；　both　on　the　block　and　in　the　storage　room；　had　been　open　most　of　the　day；　and　the　previous　two　shifts　had　spent　hours　scrubbing　in　there　…　but　that　didnt　change　what　my　nose　was　telling　me；　and　I　didnt　think　I　could　have　eaten　any　dinner　even　if　I　hadnt　been　scared　almost　to　death　about　the　evening　which　lay　ahead。

Brutal　came　on　the　block　at　quarter　to　seven；　Dean　at　ten　til。　I　asked　Dean　if　he　would　go　over　to　the　infirmary　and　see　if　they　had　a　heating　pad　for　my　back；　which　I　seemed　to　have　strained　that　early　morning；　helping　to　carry　Delacroixs　body　down　into　the　tunnel。　Dean　said　hed　be　happy　to。　I　believe　he　wanted　to　tip　me　a　wink；　but　restrained　himself。

Harry　clocked　on　at　three　minutes　to　seven。

〃The　truck？〃　I　asked。

〃Where　we　talked　about。〃

So　far；　so　good。　There　followed　a　little　passage　of　time　when　we　stood　by　the　duty　desk；　drinking　coffee　and　studiously　not　mentioning　what　we　were　all　thinking　and　hoping：　that　Percy　was　late；　that　maybe　Percy　wasnt　going　to　show　up　at　all。　Considering　the　hostile　reviews　hed　gotten　on　the　way　hed　handled　the　electrocution；　that　seemed　at　least　possible。

But　Percy　apparently　subscribed　to　that　old　axiom　about　how　you　should　get　right　back　on　the　horse　that　had　thrown　you；　because　here　he　came　through　the　door　at　six　minutes　past　seven；　resplendent　in　his　blue　uniform；　with　his　sidearm　on　one　hip　and　his　hickory　stick　in　its　ridiculous　custom…made　holster　on　the　other。　He　punched　his　time…card；　then　looked　around　at　us　warily　（except　for　Dean；　who　hadnt　e　back　from　the　infirmary　yet）。　〃My　starter　busted；〃　he　said。　〃I　had　to　crank。…〃

〃Aw；〃　Harry　said；　〃po　baby。〃

〃Should　have　stayed　home　and　got　the　cussed　thing　fixed；〃　Brutal　said　blandly。　〃We　wouldnt　want　you　straining　your　arm　none；　would　we；　boys？〃

〃Yeah；　youd　like　that；　wouldnt　you？〃　Percy　sneered；　but　I　thought　he　seemed　reassured　by　the　relative　mildness　of　Brutals　response。　That　was　good。　For　the　next　few　hours　wed　have　to　walk　a　line　with　him　…　not　too　hostile；　but　not　too　friendly；　either。　After　last　night；　hed　find　anything　even　approaching　warmth　suspect。　We　werent　going　to　get　him　with　his　guard　down；　we　all　knew　that；　but　I　thought　we　could　catch　him　with　it　a　long　piece　from　all　the　way　up　if　we　played　things　just　right。　It　was　important　that　we　move　fast；　but　it　was　also　important　…　to　me；　at　least　…　that　nobody　be　hurt。　Not　even　Percy　Wetmore。

Dean　came　back　and　gave　me　a　little　nod。

〃Percy；〃　I　said；　〃I　want　you　to　go　on　in　the　storeroom　and　mop　down　the　floor。　Stairs　to　the　tunnel；　too。　Then　you　can　write　your　report　on　last　night。〃

〃That　should　be　creative；〃　Brutal　remarked；　hooking　his　thumbs　into　his　belt　and　looking　up　at　the　ceiling。

〃You　guys　are　funniern　a　fuck　in　church；〃　Percy　said；　but　beyond　that　he　didnt　protest。　Didnt　even　point　out　the　obvious；　which　was　that　the　floor　in　there　had　already　been　washed　at　least　twice　that　day。　My　guess　is　that　he　was　glad　for　the　chance　to　be　away　from　us。