第20部分(第3/8 頁)

had　it　out；　Percy　loved　that　hickory　stick。　As　for　me；　I　was　sitting　in　what　would　be　Wharton's　home　until　it　came　time　for　him　to　check　into　the　hot　place…first　cell　on　the　right　as　you　headed　down　the　corridor　toward　the　restraint　room。　I　had　my　clipboard　in　my　hands　and　was　thinking　of　nothing　but　making　my　little　set　speech　and　getting　the　hell　out。　The　pain　in　my　groin　was　building　up　again；　and　all　I　wanted　was　to　go　into　my　office　and　wait　for　it　to　pass。

Dean　stepped　forward　to　unlock　the　door。　He　selected　the　right　key　from　the　bunch　on　his　belt　and　slid　it　into　the　lock。　Wharton　came　alive　just　as　Dean　turned　the　key　and　pulled　the　handle。　He　voiced　a　screaming；　gibbering　cry　…　a　kind　of　Rebel　yell　…　that　froze　Harry　to　temporary　immobility　and　pretty　much　finished　Percy　Wetmore　for　the　entire　encounter。　I　heard　that　scream　through　the　partly　opened　door　and　didn't　associate　it　with　anything　human　at　first；　I　thought　a　dog　had　gotten　into　the　yard　somehow　and　had　been　hurt；　that　perhaps　some　mean　tempered　con　had　hit　it　with　a　hoe。

Wharton　lifted　his　arms；　dropped　the　chain　which　hung　between　his　wrists　over　Dean's　head；　and　menced　to　choke　him　with　it。　Dean　gave　a　strangled　cry　and　lurched　forward；　into　the　cool　electric　light　of　our　little　world。　Wharton　was　happy　to　go　with　him；　even　gave　him　a　shove；　all　the　time　yelling　and　gibbering；　even　laughing。　He　had　his　arms　cocked　at　the　elbows　with　his　fists　up　by　Dean's　ears；　yanking　the　chain　as　tight　a