第52部分(第3/7 頁)

beyond　his　help。　There　was　barely　enough　time　for　him　to　get　away；　let　alone　to　take　Harry。　。。。

Harry；　he　thought　suddenly。　Where　was　Harry　now？　I　want　Harry　to　help　me。

But　he　wondered　if　there　was　time；　the　numbers　were　clicking　backward；　there　was　hardly　more　than　eight　minutes；　now。　。。。

〃I　came　back　for　you；　Beth。〃

〃Go；〃　she　said。　〃Go　now；　Norman。〃

〃But；　Beth…〃

〃…No；　Norman！　I　mean　it！　Go！　Why　don't　you　go？〃　And　then　she　began　to　get　suspicious；　she　started　to　look　around；　and　at　that　moment　Harry　stood　up　behind　her；　and　swung　the　big　wrench　down　on　her　head；　and　there　was　a　sickening　thud；　and　she　fell。

〃Did　I　kill　her？〃　Harry　said。

＇＇353＇＇　And　the　deep　male　voice　said；　〃Attention；　please。　Eight　minutes　and　counting。〃

Norman　concentrated　on　the　clock　as　it　ticked　backwards。　Stop。　Stop　the　countdown。

But　when　he　looked　again；　the　clock　was　still　ticking　backwards。　And　the　alarm：　Was　the　alarm　interfering　with　his　concentration？　He　tried　again。

Stop　now。　The　countdown　will　stop　now。　The　countdown　has　stopped。

〃Forget　it；〃　Harry　said。　〃It　won't　work。〃

〃But　it　should　work；〃　Norman　said。

〃No；〃　Harry　said。　〃Because　she's　not　pletely　unconscious。〃

On　the　floor　at　their　feet；　Beth　groaned。　Her　leg　moved。　〃She's　still　able　to　control　it；　somehow；〃　Norman　said。　〃She's　very　strong。〃

〃Can　we　inject　her？〃

Norman　shook　his　head。　There　was　no　time　to　go　back　for　the　syringe。　Anyway；　if　they　injected　her　and　it　didn't　work；　it　would　be　time　wasted…

〃Hit　her　again？〃　Harry　said。　〃Harder？　Kill　her？〃

〃No；〃　Norman　said。

〃Killing　her　is　the　only　way…〃

〃…No；〃　Norman　said；　thinking；　We　didn't　kill　you；　Harry；　when　we　had　the　chance。

〃If