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第8部分（第1页）

ad　no　meaning。　So　no；　you　didnt　walk　off　a　steady　paycheck　job　like　mine　。。。　not　in　cold　blood；　that　was。　But　my　blood　wasnt　cold　that　fall。　The　temperatures　outside　were　unseasonable；　and　the　infection　crawling　around　inside　me　had　turned　the　thermostat　up　even　more。　And　when　a　mans　in　that　kind　of　situation；　why；　sometimes　his　fist　flies　out　pretty　much　of　its　own　accord。　And　if　you　slug　a　connected　man　like　Percy　Wetmore　once；　you　might　as　well　just　go　right　on　slugging；　because　theres　no　going　back。

〃Stick　with　it；〃　Moores　said　quietly。　〃Thats　what　I　called　you　in　here　to　say。　I　have　it　on　good　authority　…　the　person　who　called　me　this　morning；　in　fact　…　that　Percy　has　an　application　in　at　Briar；　and　that　his　application　will　be　accepted。〃

〃Briar；〃　I　said。　That　was　Briar　Ridge；　one　of　two　state…run　hospitals。　Whats　this　kid　doing？　Touring　state　facilities？〃

〃Its　an　administration　job。　Better　pay；　and　papers　to　push　instead　of　hospital　beds　in　the　heat　of　the　day。〃　He　gave　me　a　slanted　grin。　〃You　know；　Paul；　you　might　be　shed　of　him　already　if　you　hadnt　put　him　in　the　switch…room　with　Van　Hay　when　The　Chief　walked。〃

For　a　moment　what　he　said　seemed　so　peculiar　I　didnt　have　a　clue　what　he　was　getting　at。　Maybe　I　didnt　want　to　have　a　clue。

〃Where　else　would　I　put　him？〃　I　asked。　〃Christ；　he　hardly　knows　what　hes　doing　on　the　block！　To　make　him　part　of　the　active　execution　team　…　〃　I　didnt　finish。　Couldnt　finish。　The　potential　for　screw…ups　seemed　endless。

〃Nevertheless；　youd　do　well　to　put　him　out　for　Delacroix。　If　you　want　to　get　rid　of　him；　that　is。〃

I　looked　at　him　with　my　jaw　hung。　At　last　I　was　able　to　get　it　up　where　it　belonged　so　I　could　talk。　〃What　are　you　saying？　That　he　wants　to　experience　one　right　up　close　where　he　can　smell　the　guys　nuts　cooking？〃

Moores　shrugged。　His　eyes；　so　soft　when　he　had　been　speaking　about　his　wife；　now　looked　flinty。　〃Delacroixs　nuts　are　going　to　cook　whether　Wetmores　on　the　team　or　not；〃　he　said。　〃Correct？〃

〃Yes；　but　he　could　screw　up。　In　fact；　Hal；　hes　almost　bound　to　screw　up。　And　in　front　of　thirty　or　so　witnesses　。。。　reporters　all　the　way　up　from　Louisiana　。　。　。〃

〃You　and　Brutus　Howell　will　make　sure　he　doesnt；〃　Moores　said。　〃And　if　he　does　anyway；　it　goes　on　his　record；　and　itll　still　be　there　long　after　his　statehouse　connections　are　gone。　You　understand？〃

I　did。　It　made　me　feel　sick　and　scared；　but　I　did。

〃He　may　want　to　stay　for　Coffey；　but　if　were　lucky；　hell　get　all　he　needs　from　Delacroix。　You　just　make　sure　you　put　him　out　for　that　one。〃

I　had　planned　to　stick　Percy　in　the　switch…room　again；　then　down　in　the　tunnel；　riding　shotgun　on　the　gurney　that　would　take　Delacroix　to　the　meatwagon　parked　across　the　road　from　the　prison；　but　I　tossed　all　those　plans　back　over　my　shoulder　without　so　much　as　a　second　look。　I　nodded。　I　had　the　sense　to　know　it　was　a　gamble　I　was　taking；　but　I　didnt　care。　If　it　would　get　rid　of　Percy　Wetmore；　Id　tweak　the　devils　nose。　He　could　take　part　in　his　execution；　clamp　on　the　cap；　and　then　look　through　the　grille　and　tell　Van　Hay　to　roll　on　two；　he　could　watch　the　little　Frenchman　ride　the　lightning　that　he；　Percy　Wetmore；　had　let　out　of　the　bottle。　Let　him　have　his　nasty　little　thrill；　if　thats　what　state…sanctioned　murder　was　to　him。　Let　him　go　on　to　Briar　Ridge；　where　he　would　have　his　own　office　and　a　fan　to　cool　it。　And　if　his　uncle　by　marriage　was　voted　out　of　office　in　the　next　election　and　he　had　to　find　out　what　work　was　like　in　the　tough　old　sunbaked　world　where　not　all　the　bad　guys　were　locked　behind　bars　and　sometimes　you　got　your　own　head　whipped；　so　much　the　better。

〃All　right；〃　I　said；　standing　up。　〃Ill　put　him　out　front　for　Delacroix。　And　in　the　meantime；　Ill　keep　the　peace。〃

〃Good；〃　he　said；　and　stood　up　himself。　〃By　the　way；　hows　that　problem　of　yours？〃　He　pointed　delicately　in　the　direction　of　my　groin。

〃Seems　a　little　better。〃

Well；　thats　fine。〃　He　saw　me　to　the　door。　〃What　about　Coffey；　by　the　way？　Is　he　going　to　be　a　problem？〃

〃I　dont　think　so；〃　I　said。　〃So　far　hes　been　as　quiet　as　a　dead　rooster。　Hes　strange　…　strange　eyes　…　but　quiet。　Well　keep　tabs　on　him；　though。　Dont　worry　about　that！〃

〃You　know　what　he　did；　of　course。〃

〃Sure。〃