第44部分(第4/7 頁)

　When　we　reached　the　duty　desk；　Brutal　put　the　straitjacket　behind　his　back；　which　was　broad　enough　to　conceal　it　easily。

〃Luck；〃　Dean　said。　He　was　as　pale　as　Harry；　and　looked　just　as　determined。

Percy　was　behind　my　desk；　all　right；　sitting　in　my　chair　and　frowning　over　the　book　he'd　been　toting　around　with　him　the　last　few　nights　…　not　Argosy　or　Stag　but　Caring　for　the　Mental　Patient　in　Institutions。　You　would　have　thought；　from　the　guilty；　worried　glance　he　threw　our　way　when　we　walked　in；　that　it　had　been　The　Last　Days　of　Sodom　and　Gomorrah。

〃What？〃　he　asked；　closing　the　book　in　a　hurry。　〃What　do　you　want？〃

〃To　talk　to　you；　Percy；〃　I　said；　〃that's　all。〃

But　he　read　a　hell　of　a　lot　more　than　a　desire　to　talk　on　our　faces；　and　was　up　like　a　shot；　hurrying　…　not　quite　running；　but　almost　…　toward　the　open　door　to　the　storeroom。　He　thought　we　had　e　to　give　him　a　ragging　at　the　very　least；　and　more　likely　a　good　roughing　up。

Harry　cut　around　behind　him　and　blocked　the　doorway；　arms　folded　on　his　chest。

〃Saaay！〃　Percy　turned　to　me；　alarmed　but　trying　not　to　show　it。　〃What　is　this？〃

〃Don't　ask；　Percy；〃　I　said。　I　had　thought　I'd　be　okay　…　back　to　normal；　anyway…once　we　actually　got　rolling　on　this　crazy　business；　but　it　wasn't　working　out　that　way。　I　couldn't　believe　what　I　was　doing。　It　was　like　a　bad　dream。　I　kept　expecting　my　wife　to　shake　me　awake　and　tell　me　I'd　been　moaning　in　my　sleep。　〃It'll　be　easier　if　you　just　go　along　with　it。

〃What's　Howell　got　behind　his　back？〃　Percy　asked　in　a　ragged　voice。　turning　to　get　a　better　look　at　Brutal。

〃Nothing；〃　Brutal　said。　〃Well　。。。　this；　I　suppose…！〃

He　whipped　the　straitjacket　out　and　shook　it　beside　one　hip；　like　a　matador　shaking　his　cape　to　make　th