第39部分(第2/8 頁)

ked　at　Janice。

〃How's　Melly？〃　she　asked。

〃Not　good。〃　I　told　her　what　Hal　had　told　me；　including　the　part　about　the　swearing；　although　I　left　out　cocksucker　and　rooster…dick　motherfucker。　I　finished　with　Hal's　word；　sinking；　and　Jan　nodded　sadly。　Then　she　took　a　closer　look　at　me。

〃What　are　you　thinking　about？　You're　thinking　about　something；　probably　no　good。　It's　in　your　face。〃

Lying　was　out　of　the　question；　it　wasn't　the　way　we　were　with　each　other。　I　just　told　her　it　was　best　she　not　know；　at　least　for　the　time　being。

〃Is　it　。。。　could　it　get　you　in　trouble？〃　She　didn't　sound　particularly　alarmed　at　the　idea　…　more　interested　than　anything　…　which　is　one　of　the　things　I　have　always　loved　about　her。

〃Maybe；〃　I　said。

〃Is　it　a　good　thing？〃

〃Maybe；〃　I　repeated。　I　was　standing　there；　still　turning　the　phone's　crank　idly　with　one　finger；　while　I　held　down　the　connecting　points　with　a　finger　of　my　other　hand。

〃Would　you　like　me　to　leave　you　alone　while　you　use　the　telephone？〃　she　asked。　〃Be　a　good　little　woman　and　butt　out？　Do　some　dishes？　Knit　some　booties？〃

I　nodded。　〃That's　not　the　way　I'd　put　it；　but…〃

〃Are　we　having　extras　for　lunch；　Paul？〃

〃I　hope　so；〃　I　said。

9。

I　got　Brutal　and　Dean　right　away；　because　both　of　them　were　on　the　exchange。　Harry　wasn't；　not　then；　at　least；　but　I　had　the　number　of　his　closest　neighbor　who　was。　Harry　called　me　back　about　twenty　minutes　later；　highl