第43部分(第2/8 頁)

e　said；　buttoning　the　front　of　my　new　fall　coat。　It　had　been　in　the　closet　since　my　birthday　at　the　beginning　of　September；　but　this　was　only　the　third　or　fourth　time　I'd　actually　worn　it。　〃Take　it。〃

And　she　practically　pushed　me　out　the　door。

4。

I　clocked　in　that　night　…　in　many　ways　the　strangest　night　of　my　entire　life　…　at　twenty　past　six。　I　thought　I　could　still　smell　the　faint；　lingering　odor　of　burned　flesh　on　the　air。　It　had　to　be　an　illusion　…　the　doors　to　the　outside；　both　on　the　block　and　in　the　storage　room；　had　been　open　most　of　the　day；　and　the　previous　two　shifts　had　spent　hours　scrubbing　in　there　…　but　that　didn't　change　what　my　nose　was　telling　me；　and　I　didn't　think　I　could　have　eaten　any　dinner　even　if　I　hadn't　been　scared　almost　to　death　about　the　evening　which　lay　ahead。

Brutal　came　on　the　block　at　quarter　to　seven；　Dean　at　ten　'til。　I　asked　Dean　if　he　would　go　over　to　the　infirmary　and　see　if　they　had　a　heating　pad　for　my　back；　which　I　seemed　to　have　strained　that　early　morning；　helping　to　carry　Delacroix's　body　down　into　the　tunnel。　Dean　said　he'd　be　happy　to。　I　believe　he　wanted　to　tip　me　a　wink；　but　restrained　himself。

Harry　clocked　on　at　three　minutes　to　seven。

〃The　truck？〃　I　asked。

〃Where　we　talked　about。〃

So　far；　so　good。　There　followed　a　little　passage　of　time　when　we　stood　by　the　duty　desk；　drinking　coffee　and　studiously　not　mentioning　what　we　were　all　thinking　and　hoping：　that　Percy　was　lat