第21部分(第2/7 頁)

face　as　I　told　her　so。　Maybe　I　should　have。　It's　terrible　to　be　alone　and　frightened　at　any　age；　but　I　think　it's　worst　when　you're　old。　But　I　had　this　other　thing　on　my　mind；　this　load　of　old　and　still　unfinished　business。

〃Anyway；〃　I　said；　〃you're　right…I've　been　scribbling　about　how　Wharton　came　on　the　block　and　almost　killed　Dean　Stanton　…　One　of　the　guys　I　worked　with　back　then　…　when　he　did。〃

〃How　could　he　do　that？〃　Elaine　asked。

〃Meanness　and　carelessness；〃　I　said　grimly。　〃Wharton　supplied　the　meanness；　and　the　guards　who　brought　him　in　supplied　the　carelessness。　The　real　mistake　was　Wharton's　wrist…chain　…　it　was　a　little　too　long。　When　Dean　unlocked　the　door　to　E　Block；　Wharton　was　behind　him。　There　were　guards　on　either　side　of　him；　but　Anderson　was　right　…　Wild　Billy　just　didn't　care　about　such　things。　He　dropped　that　wrist…chain　down　over　Dean's　head　and　started　choking　him　with　it。〃

Elaine　shuddered。

〃Anyway；　I　got　thinking　about　all　that　and　couldn't　sleep；　so　I　came　down　here。　I　turned　on　AMC；　thinking　you　might　e　down　and　we'd　have　us　a　little　date…〃

She　laughed　and　kissed　my　forehead　just　above　the　eyebrow。　It　used　to　make　me　prickle　all　over　when　Janice　did　that；　and　it　still　made　me　prickle　all　over　when　Elaine　did　it　early　this　morning。　I　guess　some　things　don't　ever　change。

〃…and　what　came　on　was　this　old　black…and…white　gangster　movie　from　the　forties。　Kiss　of　Death；　it's　called。〃

I　could　feel　myself　wanting　to　start　shaking　again　and　tried　to　suppress　it。

〃Richard　Widmark's　in　it；〃　I　said。　〃It　was　his　first　big　part；　I　think。　I　never　went　to　see　it　with　Jan　…　we　gave　the　cops　and　robbers　a　miss；　usually　…　but　I　remember　reading　somewhere　that　Widmark　gave　one　hell　of　a　performance　as　t