wes … it still gave me a chill。
〃I couldn't help…it； boss；〃 he said。 〃I tried to take it back； but it was too late！'
3。
〃You're going to have you some trouble with Percy；〃 Harry said as we walked back up the hall and into my office。 Dean Stanton； sort of my third in mand … we didn't actually have such things； a situation Percy Wetmore would have fixed up in a flash … was sitting behind my desk； updating the files； a job I never seemed to get around to。 He barely looked up as we came in； just gave his little glasses a shove with the ball of his thumb and dived back into his paperwork。
〃I been having trouble with that peckerwood since the day he came here；〃 I said； gingerly； pulling my pants away from my crotch and wincing。 〃Did you hear what he was shouting when he brought that big galoot down？〃
〃Couldn't very well not；〃 Harry said。 〃I was there； you know。〃
〃I was in the john and heard it just fine；〃 Dean said。 He drew a sheet of paper to him； held it up into the light so I could see there was a coffee…ring as well as typing on it； and then tossed it into the waste basket。 'Dead man walking。' Must have read that in one of those magazines he likes so much！〃
And he probably had。 Percy Wetmore was a great reader of Argosy and Stag and Men's Adventure。 There was a prison tale in every issue； it seemed； and Percy read them avidly； like a man doing research。 It was like he was trying to find out how to act； and thought the information was in those magazines。 He'd e just after we did Anthony Ray； the hatchet…killer … and he hadn't actually participated in an execution yet； although he'd witnessed one from the switch…room。
〃He knows people；〃 Harry said。 〃He's connected。 You'll have to answer for sending him off the block； a