第40部分(第2/8 頁)

ing。

〃I　think　he'll　keep　his　mouth　shut；〃　I　said。

〃Really？〃　Dean　looked　skeptical。　He　took　off　his　glasses　and　began　to　polish　them。　〃Convince　me。〃

〃First；　he　won't　know　what　really　happened　…　he's　going　to　judge　us　by　himself　and　think　it　was　just　a　prank。　Second　…　and　more　important　…　he'll　be　afraid　to　say　anything。　That's　what　I'm　really　counting　on。　We　tell　him　that　if　he　starts　writing　letters　and　making　phone　calls；　we　start　writing　letters　and　making　phone　calls。〃

〃About　the　execution；〃　Harry　said。

〃And　about　the　way　he　froze　when　Wharton　attacked　Dean；〃　Brutal　said。　〃I　think　people　finding　out　about　that　is　what　Percy　Wetmore's　really　afraid　of。〃　He　nodded　slowly　and　thoughtfully。　〃It　could　work。　But　Paul。。。　wouldn't　it　make　more　sense　to　bring　Mrs。　Moores　to　Coffey　than　Coffey　to　Mrs。　Moores？　We　could　take　care　of　Percy　pretty　much　the　way　you　laid　it　out；　then　bring　her　in　through　the　tunnel　instead　of　taking　Coffey　out　that　way。〃

I　shook　my　head。　〃Never　happen。　Not　in　a　million　years。〃

〃Because　of　Warden　Moores？〃

〃Mat's　right。　He's　so　hardheaded　he　makes　old　Doubting　Thomas　look　like　Joan　of　Arc。　If　we　bring　Coffey　to　his　house；　I　think　we　can　surprise　him　into　at　least　letting　Coffey　make　the　try。　Otherwise。。。〃

〃What　were　you　thinking　about　using　for　a　vehicle？〃　Brutal　asked。

〃My　first　thought　was　the　stagecoach；〃　I　said；　〃but　we'd　never　get　it　out　of　the　yard　without　being　noticed；　and　everyon