第40部分(第3/7 頁)

　had　hoped。

Harry　Terwilliger　picked　up　the　remains　of　his　second　sandwich；　looked　at　it　for　a　second；　then　put　it　down　again。　〃If　we　was　to　actually　do　this　crazy　thing；〃　he　said；　〃I　guess　we　could　use　my　pickup　truck。　Sit　him　in　the　back　of　that。　Wouldn't　be　nobody　much　on　the　roads　at　that　hour。　We're　talking　about　well　after　midnight；　ain't　we？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said。

〃You　guys're　forgetting　one　thing；〃　Dean　said。　〃I　know　Coffey's　been　pretty　quiet　ever　since　he　came　on　the　block；　doesn't　do　much　but　lay　there　on　his　bunk　and　leak　from　the　eyes；　but　he's　a　murderer。　Also；　he's　huge。　If　he　decided　he　wanted　to　escape　out　of　the　back　of　Harry's　truck；　the　only　way　we　could　stop　him　would　be　to　shoot　him　dead。　And　a　guy　like　that　would　take　a　lot　of　killing；　even　with　a　。45。　Suppose　we　weren't　able　to　put　him　down？　And　suppose　he　killed　someone　else？　I'd　hate　losing　my　job；　and　I'd　hate　going　to　jail　…　I　got　a　wife　and　kids　depending　on　me　to　put　bread　in　their　mouths　…　but　I　don't　think　I'd　hate　either　of　those　things　near　as　much　as　having　another　dead　little　girl　on　my　conscience。〃

〃That　won't　happen；〃　I　said。

〃How　in　God's　name　can　you　be　so　sure　of　that？〃

I　didn't　answer。　I　didn't　know　just　how　to　begin。　I　had　known　this　would　e　up；　of　course　I　did；　but　I　still　didn't　know　how　to　start　telling　them　what　I　knew。　Brutal　helped　me。

〃You　don't　think　he　did　it；　do　you；　Paul？〃　He　looked　incredulous。　〃You　think　that　big　lug　is　innocent。〃

〃I'm　positive　he's　innocent；〃　I　said。

〃How　in　the　name　of　Jesus　can　you　be？〃

〃There　are　two　things；〃　I　said。　〃One　of　them　is　my　shoe。〃　I　leaned　forward　over　the　table　and　began　talking。

Part　Five：

Night　Journey

1。

Mr。　H。　G。　Wells　once　wrote　a　story