第57部分(第2/7 頁)

s。

〃What's　wrong？〃　Janice　asked。　〃Why　are　you　looking　at　each　other　that　way？　Surely　this　man　McGee　will　have　to…〃

〃Rob　McGee　struck　me　as　a　good　man；　and　I　think　he's　a　hell　of　a　law　officer〃；　I　said；　〃but　he　swings　no　weight　in　Trapingus　County。　The　power　there　is　Sheriff　Cribus；　and　the　day　he　reopens　the　Detterick　case　on　the　basis　of　what　I　was　able　to　find　out　would　be　the　day　it　snows　in　hell。〃

〃But　。。。　if　Wharton　was　there　。。。　if　Detterick　can　identify　a　picture　of　him　and　they　know　he　was　there。　。　。　〃

〃Him　being　there　in　May　doesn't　mean　he　came　back　and　killed　those　girls　in　June〃；　Brutal　said。　He　spoke　in　a　low；　gentle　voice；　the　way　you　speak　when　you're　telling　someone　there's　been　a　death　in　the　family。　〃On　one　hand　you've　got　this　fellow　who　helped　Klaus　Detterick　paint　a　barn　and　then　went　away。　Turns　out　he　was　mitting　crimes　all　over　the　place；　but　there's　nothing　against　him　for　the　three　days　in　May　he　was　around　Tefton。　On　the　other　hand；　you've　got　this　big　Negro；　this　huge　Negro；　that　you　found　on　the　riverbank；　holding　two　little　dead　girls；　both　of　them　naked；　in　his　arms。〃

He　shook　his　head。

〃Paul's　right；　Jan。　McGee　may　have　his　doubts；　but　McGee　doesn't　matter。　Cribus　is　the　only　one　who　can　reopen　the　case；　and　Cribus　doesn't　want　to　mess　with　what　he　thinks　of　as　a　happy　ending　…　'it　was　a　nigger〃　thinks　he；　'and　not　one　of　our'n　in　any　case。　Beautiful。　I'll　go　up　there　to　Cold　Mountain；　have　me　a　steak　and　a　draft　beer　at　Ma's；　then　watch　him　fry；　and　there's　an　end　to　it；　〃

Janice　listened　to　all　this　with　a　mounting　expression　of　horror　on　her　face；　then　turned　to　me。　〃But　McGee　believes　it；　doesn't　he；　Paul？　I　could　see　it　on　your　face。　Deputy　McGee　knows　he　arrested　the　wrong　man。　Won't