thedeputyontheearlynightshiftwasabigblondguywithmeatyshouldersandafriendlygrin.hewasmichelle-agedandhadlongsinceoutlivedbothpityandanger.hewantedtoputineighteasyhoursandhelookedasifalmostanythingwouldbeeasydownhisstreet.heunlockedmydoor.

“companyforyou.guyfromthe’soffice.nosleep,huh?”

“it’salittleearlyforme.whattimeisit?”

“ten-fourteen.”hestoodinthedoorwayandlookedoverthecell.oneblanketwasspreadonthelowerbunk,onewasfoldedforapillow.therewereacoupleofusedpapertowelsinthetrashbucketandasmallwadoftoiletpaperontheedgeofthewashbasin.henoddedapproval.“anythingpersonalinhere?”

“justme.”

heleftthecelldooropen.wewalkedalongaquietcorridortotheelevatorandrodedowntothebookingdesk.afatmaninagraysuitstoodbythedesksmokingacorncob.hisfingernailsweredirtyandhesmelled.

“i’mspranklinfromthe’soffice,”hetoldmeinatoughvoice.“mr.grenzwantsyouupstairs.”hereachedbehindhishipandcameupwithapairofbracelets.“let’strytheseforsize.”

thejaildeputyandthebookingclerkgrinnedathimwithdeepenjoyment.“what’sthematter,sprank?afraidhe’llmugyouintheelevator?”

“idon’twantnotrouble,”hegrowled.“hadaguybreakfrommeonce.theyatemyassoff.let’sgo,boy.”

thebookingclerkpushedaformathimandhesigneditwithaflourish.“inevertakenounnecessarychances,”hesaid.“manneverknowswhathe’supagainstinthistown.”

aprowlcarcopbroughtinadrunkwithabloodyear.wewenttowardstheelevator.“you’reintrouble,boy,”spranklintoldmeintheelevator.“heapbadtrouble.”itseemedtogivehimavaguesatisfaction.“aguycangethisselfinalotoftroubleinthistown.”

theelevatormanturnedhisheadandwinkedatme.igrinned.

“don’ttrynothing,boy,”spranklintoldmeseverely.“ishotamanonce.triedtobreak.theyatemyassoff.”

“yougetitcomingandgoing,don’tyou?”

hethoughtitover.“yeah,”hesaid.“eitherwaytheyeatyourassoff.it’satoughtown.norespect.”

wegotoutandwentinthroughthedoubledoorsofthe’soffice.theswitchboardwasdead,withlinespluggedinforthenight.therewasnobodyinthewaitingchairs.lightswereoninacoupleofoffices.spranklinopenedthedoorofasmalllightedroomwhichcontainedadesk,afilingcase,ahardchairortwo,andathick-setmanwithahardchinandstupideyes.hisfacewasredandhewasjustpushingsomethingintothedrawerofhisdesk.

“youcouldknock,”hebarkedatspranklin.

“sorry,mr.grenz,”spranklinbumbled.“iwasthinkin’abouttheprisoner.”

hepushedmeintotheoffice.“shoulditakethecuffsoff,mr.grenz?”

“idon’tknowwhatthehellyouputthemonfor,”grenzsaidsourly.hewatchedspranklinunlockthecuffsonmywrist.hehadthekeyonabunchthesizeofagrapefruitandittroubledhimtofindit.

“okay,scram,”grenzsaid.“waitoutsidetotakehimback.”

“i’mkindofoffduty,mr.grenz.”

“you’reoffdutywhenisayyou’reoffduty.”

spranklinflushedandedgedhisfatbottomoutthroughthedoor.grenzlookedafterhimsavagely,thenwhenthedoorclosedhemovedthesamelooktome.ipulledachairoverandsatdown.

“ididn’ttellyoutositdown,”grenzbarked.

igotaloosecigaretteoutofmypocketandstuckitinmymouth.“andididn’tsayyoucouldsmoke,”grenzroared.

“i’mallowedtosmokeinthecellblock.whynothere?”

“becausethisismyoffice.imaketheruleshere.”arawsmellofwhiskeyfloatedacrossthedesk.

“takeanotherquickone,”isaid.“it’llcalmyoudown.yougotkindofinterruptedwhenwecamein.”

hisbackhitthebackofthechairhard.hisfacewentdarkred.istruckamatchandlitmycigarette.

afteralongminutegrenzsaidsoftly.“okay,toughboy.quiteaman,aren’tyou?youknowsomething?they’reallsizesandshapeswhentheycomeinhere,buttheyallgooutthesamesize—small.andthesameshape—bent.”

“whatdidyouwanttoseemeabout,mr.grenz?anddon’tmindmeifyoufeellikehittingthatbottle.i’mafellowthatwilltakeasnortmyself,ifi’mtiredandnervousandoverworked.”

“youdon’tseemmuchimpressedbythejamyou’rein.”

“idon’tfigurei’minanyjam.”

“we’llseeaboutthat.meantimeiwantaveryfullstatementfromyou.”heflickedafingeratarecordingsetonastandbesidehisdesk.“we’lltakeitnowandhaveittranscribedtomorrow.ifthechiefdeputyissatisfiedwithyourstatement,hemayreleaseyouonyourownundertakingnottoleavetown.let’sgo.”heswitchedontherecorder.hisvoicewascold,decisive,andasnastyasheknewhowtomakeit.buthisrighthandkeptedgingtowardsthedeskdrawer.hewastooyoungtohaveveinsinhisnose,buthehadthem,andthewhitesofhiseyeswereabadcolor.

“igetsotiredofit,”isaid.

“tiredofwhat?”hesnapped.

“hardlittlemeninhardlittleofficestalkinghardlittlewordsthatdon’tmeanagoddamthing.i’vehadfifty-sixhoursinthefelonyblock.nobodypushedmearound,nobodytriedtoprovehewastough.theydidn’thaveto.theyhaditoniceforwhentheyneededit.andwhywasiinthere?iwasbookedonsuspicion.whatthehellkindoflegalsystemletsamanbeshovedinafelonytankbecausesomecopdidn’tgetananswertosomequestions?whatevidencedidhehave?atelephonenumberonapad.andwhatwashetryingtoprovebylockingmeup?notadamnthingexceptthathehadthepowertodoit.nowyou’reonthesamepitch—tryingtomakemefeelwhatalotofpoweryougenerateinthiscigarboxyoucallyouroffice.yousendthisscaredbaby-sitteroverlateatnighttobringmeinhere.youthinkmaybesittingalonewithmythoughtsforfifty-sixhourshasmadegrueloutofmybrains?youthinki’mgoingtocryinyourlapandaskyoutostrokemyheadbecausei’msoawfulgoddamlonelyinthegreatbigjail?comeoffit,grenz.takeyourdrinkandgethuman;i’mwillingtoassumeyouarejustdoingyourjob.buttakethebrassknucklesoffbeforeyoustart.ifyou’rebigenoughyoudon’tneedthem,andifyouneedthemyou’renotbigenoughtopushmearound.”

hesatthereandlistenedandlookedatme.thenhegrinnedsourly.“nicespeech,”hesaid.“nowyou’vegotthecrapoutofyoursystem,let’sgetthatstatement.youwanttoanswerspecificquestionsorjusttellityourownway?”

“iwastalkingtothebirds,”isaid.“justtohearthebreezeblow.i’mnotmakinganystatement.you’realawyerandyouknowidon’thaveto.”

“that’sright,”hesaidcoolly.“iknowthelaw.iknowpolicework.i’mofferingyouachancetoclearyourself.ifyoudon’twantit,that’sjakewithmetoo.icanarraignyoutomorrowmorningattenandhaveyousetforapreliminaryhearing.youmaygetbail,althoughi’llfightit,butifyoudo,itwillbestiff.it’llcostyouplenty.that’sonewaywecandoit.”

helookeddownatapaperonhisdesk,readit,andturneditfacedown.