Outer Banks by Russell Banks Read Free Book Online

completed his exercises and has gone into the showers, the Subject departs, and, as he departs, he drops, or perhaps throws, to the ground the small piece of paper on which he earlier was observed writing:
    Right-handed, favors left knee and hip slightly (chondromalacia, probably). Will doubtless move to his right when threatened. Large muscles are overdeveloped, small ones underdeveloped: not as much endurance as he probably thinks he can rely on if threatened. Could be dangerous, if threatened, especially because of martial skills, but can be overcome by almost any opponent using disciplined, intelligent force.
    On the strength of this note, the Subject is arrested and imprisoned, where he presently languishes unafraid.
    7.
    F IRST I NTERROGATION
    I NQUISITOR:     Are you working alone?
    S UBJECT:         Alone?
    I NQUISITOR:     Do you have co-conspirators?
    S UBJECT:         No. Of course not.
    I NQUISITOR:     Then you are working alone!
    S UBJECT:         Well, yes.
    S UMMATION:    Subject insists no one else involved in his assassination plot.
    8.
    S ECOND I NTERROGATION
    I NQUISITOR:     Did you realize, when you hatched your insidious plot, that in this country assassination is a capital offense? Did you know that we execute assassins?
    S UBJECT:         I surmised it.
    I NQUISITOR:     Aha!
    S UMMATION:    Subject is not insane, as was formerly thought, and must be judged responsible for his actions.
    9.
    T HIRD I NTERROGATION
    I NQUISITOR:     What is your real name? Your legal name.
    S UBJECT:          Steve Katz.
    I NQUISITOR:     Don’t fuck with me, wiseass, or I’ll break your fingers. What’s your real name? We have ways…
    S UBJECT:          Ronald Sukenick.
    I NQUISITOR:     Cut the funny stuff. This is serious! You are in no position to be funny.
    S UBJECT:         Artemas Ward. Laurence Sterne. Lamar Sabacthani.
    I NQUISITOR:     One last time, before we break all your limbs. What’s your real name?
    S UBJECT:          John Doe.
    S UMMATION:    Subject is hereinafter to be referred to as John Doe.
    10.
    F OURTH I NTERROGATION
    I NQUISITOR:     Why were you in the vicinity of Blue Job mountain when Prince Dread was shot and killed?
    J OHN D OE:       I went there to watch him hunt a cougar. I wanted to know if he was the hunter he thought he was.
    I NQUISITOR:     And was he?
    J OHN D OE:      No. Obviously not.
    S UMMATION:    John Doe freely admits to having tracked down Prince Dread on the ill-fated “Blue Job Cougar Hunt.”
    11.
    F IFTH I NTERROGATION
    I NQUISITOR:     What were you doing at Lulu’s the night Prince Egress was killed by the Indian band?
    J OHN D OE:       I wanted to see if he was as in touch with his anger as he seemed to think he was.
    I NQUISITOR:     And was he? No, never mind. Disregard that last question.
    S UMMATION:    John Doe freely admits to having goaded the child-like band of Abenaki “Friendlies” into attacking Prince Egress at Lulu’s.
    12.
    S IXTH I NTERROGATION
    I NQUISITOR:     Do you know a schoolgirl named 37-24-37? She claims that you are her father and that you made obscene sexual overtures toward her.
    J OHN D OE:       I know her only slightly. But I’m not her father, a man who insults and reviles her and who, therefore, is probably the person who made a pass at her. Thus, she’s only half-right. Someone made a pass at her. But I would never do such a thing. I’m virtually a stranger to her.
    I NQUISITOR:     Do you know