第5部分(第2/7 頁)

to　know　what　those　wires　meant。　The　bleak　scenery

seemed　to　close　in　on　him；　and　he　stumbled　backwards。　Had　he　blacked　out　or　something？　Was

this　all　a　bad　dream？

Mitchell　let　his　shirt　drop　and　zipped　his　jacket　up　again。　He　took　a　step　toward　Nate；　as　if　he

was　worried　Nate　would　try　to　make　a　break　for　it。　？Sorry；　kid。　They　got　me。　I？m　working　for　the

man　now。？　He　jerked　his　head　at　the　benches　behind　them。　？Those　？dirtbags？　on　the　bench　are　all

cops；　okay；　so　don？t　try　to　run。　You　and　I　are　going　to　wait　here　until　I　give　the　sign；　and　then　one

of　them　is　going　to　walk　you　down　to　the　precinct　on　Amsterdam。Amsterdam　？pretty　ironic；　huh？？

Nate　could　tell　Mitchell　was　trying　to　get　him　to　smile　so　the　dealer　wouldn？t　have　to　feel　so　bad

for　busting　him。　？Okay；？　Nate　said　woodenly。　How　had　this　happened？　He？d　never　been

double…crossed　before；　and　it　was　a　pretty　crappy　feeling。　He　dropped　the　baggie　of　pot　on　the

ground　and　kicked　it　away　from　him。　？Shit；？　he　swore　under　his　breath。

Mitchell　picked　up　the　baggie　and　put　his　hand　on　Nate？s　shoulder。　He　raised　his　free　hand　in　the

air　and　waved　to　the　cops　on　the　benches。　Two　guys　stood　up　and　hurried　over。　They　didn？t　even

look　like　cops。　One　of　them　was　wearing　black　Club　Monaco　jeans　and　the　other　was　wearing　a

stupid　red　pom…pom　hat。　They　flashed　their　badges　at　Nate。

？We？re　not　going　to　cuff　you；？　Club　Monaco　explained。　？You？re　a　minor；　right？？

Nate　nodded　sullenly；　avoiding　the　cop？s　gaze。　He　didn？t　turn　eighteen　until　April。

？When　we　get　to　the　precinct　you　can　call　your　parents。？

I？m　sure　they？ll　be　thrilled；Nate　thought　bitterly。

Across　the　meadow　the　two　guys　playing　footba