第45部分(第1/7 頁)

〃Stick　those　arms　out　there；　honey；〃　Brutal　said；　〃or　you　get　another。〃

Harry　had　already　let　go　of　young　Mr。　Wetmore。　Sobbing　like　a　little　kid；　the　tears　which　had　been　standing　in　his　eyes　now　spilling　down　his　cheeks；　Percy　shot　his　hands　out　straight　in　front　of　him；　like　a　sleepwalker　in　a　movie　edy。　I　had　the　sleeves　of　the　straitjacket　up　his　arms　in　a　trice。　I　hardly　had　it　over　his　shoulders　before　Brutal　had　let　go　of　Percy's　ears　and　grabbed　the　straps　hanging　down　from　the　jacket's　cuffs。　He　yanked　Percy's　hands　around　to　his　sides；　so　that　his　arms　were　crossed　tightly　on　his　chest。　Harry；　meanwhile；　did　up　the　back　and　snapped　the　cross…straps。　Once　Percy　gave　m　and　stuck　out　his　arms；　the　whole　thing　took　less　than　ten　seconds。

〃Okay；　hon；〃　Brutal　said。　〃Forward　harch。〃

But　he　wouldn't。　He　looked　at　Brutal；　then　turned　his　terrified；　streaming　eyes　on　me。　Nothing　about　his　connections　now；　or　how　we'd　have　to　go　all　the　way　to　South　Carolina　just　to　get　a　free　meal；　he　was　far　past　that。

〃Please；〃　he　whispered　in　a　hoarse；　wet　voice。　〃Don't　put　me　in　with　him；　Paul。〃

Then　I　understood　why　he　had　panicked；　why　he'd　fought　us　so　hard。　He　thought　we　were　going　to　put　him　in　with　Wild　Bill　Wharton；　that　his　punishment　for　the　dry　sponge　was　to　be　a　dry　cornholing　from　the　resident　psychopath。　Instead　of　feeling　sympathy　for　Percy　at　this　realization；　I　felt　disgust　and　a　hardening　of　my　resolve。　He　was；　after　all；　judging　us　by　the　way　he　would　have　behaved；　had　our　positions　been　reversed。

〃Not　Wharton；〃　I　said。　〃The　restraint　room；　Percy。　You're　going　to　spend　three　or　four　hours　in　there；　all　by　yourself　in　the　dark；　thinking　about　what　you　did　to　Del。　It's　probably　too　late　for　you　to　learn　any　new　lessons　ab