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第42部分（第2页）

〃The　killer？〃　Brutal　asked。

〃The　killer。　He　might　have　raped　them　already；　or　maybe　the　rape　was　what　Coffey　heard。　In　any　case；　that　bloody　patch　in　the　grass　was　where　the　killer　finished　the　business；　dashed　their　heads　together；　dropped　them；　and　then　hightailed　it。〃

〃Hightailed　it　northwest；〃　Brutal　said。　〃The　direction　the　coon…dogs　wanted　to　go。〃

〃Right。　John　Coffey　es　through　a　stand　of　alders　that　grows　a　little　way　southeast　of　the　spot　where　the　girls　were　left；　probably　curious　about　all　the　noise；　and　he　finds　their　bodies。　One　of　them　might　still　have　been　alive；　I　suppose　its　possible　both　of　them　were；　although　not　for　much　longer。　John　Coffey　wouldnt　have　known　if　they　were　dead；　thats　for　sure。　All　he　knows　is　that　hes　got　a　healing　power　in　his　hands；　and　he　tried　to　use　it　on　Cora　and　Kathe　Detterick。　When　it　didnt　work；　he　broke　down；　crying　and　hysterical。　Which　is　how　they　found　him。〃

〃Why　didnt　he　stay　there；　where　he　found　them？〃　Brutal　asked。　〃Why　take　them　south　along　the　riverbank？　Any　idea？〃

〃I　bet　he　did　stay　put；　at　first；〃　I　said。　〃At　the　trial；　they　kept　talking　about　a　big　trampled　area；　all　the　grass　squashed　flat。　And　John　Coffeys　a　big　man。〃

〃John　Coffeys　a　fucking　giant；〃　Harry　said；　pitching　his　voice　very　low　so　my　wife　wouldnt　hear　him　cuss　if　she　happened　to　be　listening。

〃Maybe　he　panicked　when　he　saw　that　what　he　was　doing　wasnt　working。　Or　maybe　he　got　the　idea　that　the　killer　was　still　there；　in　the　woods　upstream；　watching　him。　Coffeys　big；　you　know；　but　not　real　brave。　Harry；　remember　him　asking　if　we　left　a　light　on　in　the　block　after　bedtime？〃

〃Yeah。　I　remember　thinking　how　funny　that　was；　what　with　the　size　of　him。〃　Harry　looked　shaken　and　thoughtful。

〃Well；　if　he　didnt　kill　the　little　girls；　who　did？〃　Dean　asked。

I　shook　my　head。　〃Someone　else。　Someone　white　would　be　my　best　guess。　The　prosecutor　made　a　big　deal　about　how　it　would　have　taken　a　strong　man　to　kill　a　dog　as　big　as　the　one　the　Dettericks　kept；　but…〃

〃Thats　crap；〃　Brutus　rumbled。　〃A　strong　twelve　year…old　girl　could　break　a　big　dogs　neck；　if　she　took　the　dog　by　surprise　and　knew　where　to　grab。　If　Coffey　didnt　do　it；　it　could　have　been　damned　near　anyone　。。。　any　man；　that　is。　Well　probably　never　know。〃

I　said；　〃Unless　he　does　it　again。〃

〃We　wouldnt　know　even　then；　if　he　did　it　down　Texas　or　over　in　California；〃　Harry　said。

Brutal　leaned　back；　screwed　his　fists　into　his　eyes　like　a　tired　child；　then　dropped　them　into　his　lap　again。　〃This　is　a　nightmare；〃　he　said。　〃Weve　got　a　man　who　may　be　innocent　…　who　probably　is　innocent　…　and　hes　going　to　walk　the　Green　Mile　just　as　sure　as　God　made　tall　trees　and　little　fishes。　What　are　we　supposed　to　do　about　it？　If　we　start　in　with　that　healing…fingers　shit；　everyone　is　going　to　laugh　their　asses　off；　and　hell　end　up　in　the　Fry…O…Lator　just　the　same。〃

〃Lets　worry　about　that　later；〃　I　said；　because　I　didnt　have　the　slightest　idea　how　to　answer　him。　〃The　question　right　now　is　what　we　do　…　or　dont　do　…　about　Melly。　Id　say　step　back　and　take　a　few　days　to　think　it　over；　but　I　believe　every　day　we　wait　raises　the　chances　that　he　wont　be　able　to　help　her。〃

〃Remember　him　holding　his　hands　out　for　the　mouse？〃　Brutal　asked。　〃Give　im　to　me　while　theres　still　time；　he　said。　While　theres　still　time。〃

〃I　remember。〃

Brutal　considered；　then　nodded。　〃Im　in。　I　feel　bad　about　Del；　too；　but　mostly　I　think　I　just　want　to　see　what　happens　when　he　touches　her。　Probably　nothing　will；　but　maybe　。。。〃

〃I　doubt　like　hell　we　even　get　the　big　dummy　off　the　block；〃　Harry　said；　then　sighed　and　nodded。　〃But　who　gives　a　shit？　Count　me　in。〃

〃Me；　too；〃　Dean　said。　〃Who　stays　on　the　block；　Paul？　Do　we　draw　straws　for　it？〃

〃No；　sir；〃　I　said。　〃No　straws。　You　stay。〃

〃Just　like　that？　The　hell　you　say！〃　Dean　replied；　hurt　and　angry。　He　whipped　off　his　spectacles　and　began　to　polish　them　furiously　on　his　shirt。　〃What　kind　of　a　bum　deal　is　that？〃

〃The　kind　you　get　if　youre　young　enough　to　have　kids　still　in　school；〃　Brutal　said。　〃Harry　and　mes　bachelors。　Pauls　married；　but　his　kids　are　grown　and　off　on　their　own；　at　least。　This　is　a　mucho　crazy　stunt　were　planning　here；　I　think　were　almost　sure　to　get　caught。〃　He　gazed　at　me　soberly。　〃One　thing　you　didnt　mention；　Paul；　is　that　if　we　do　manage　to　get　him　out　of　the　slam　and　then　Coffeys　healing　fingers　dont　work；　Hal　Moores　is　apt　to　turn　us　in　himself。〃　He　gave　me　a　chance　to　reply　to　this；　maybe　to　rebut　it；　but　I　couldnt　and　so　I　kept　my　mouth　shut。　Brutal　turned　back　to　Dean　and　went　on。　〃Dont　get　me　wrong；　youre　apt　to　lose　your　job；　too；　but　at　least　youd　have　a　chance　to　get　clear　of　prison　if　the　heat　really　came　down。　Percys　going　to　think　it　was　a　prank；　if　youre　on　the　duty　desk；　you　can　say　you　thought　the　same　thing　and　we　never　told　you　any　different。〃

〃I　still　dont　like　it；〃　Dean　said；　but　it　was　clear　hed　go　along　with　it；　like　it　or　not。　The　thought　of　his　kiddies　had　convinced　him。　〃And　its　to　be　tonight？　Youre　sure？〃

〃If　were　going　to　do　it；　it　had　better　be　tonight；〃　Harry　said。　〃If　I　get　a　chance　to　think　about　it；　Ill　most　likely　lose　my　nerve。〃

〃Let　me　be　the　one　to　go　by　the　infirmary；〃　Dean　said。　〃I　can　do　that　much　at　least；　cant　I？〃

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

Dean　looked　offended；　and　I　clapped　h