The Criminal by Jim Thompson Read Free Book Online

people playing."
    "Well, that's nice, isn't it?" I said, "You lay out of school all day and walk eight or ten miles, just as if shoe leather didn't cost anything, and you don't have a nickel to show for it. That's certainly smart, that is!"
    "Well, all right!" he said. "All right! I said I wouldn't do it any more, didn't I?"
    "You just bet you won't," I said. "Now hush up that yelling before Mrs. Eddleman hears you. Hush up and act like you've got some sense for a change."
    Fay was out in front of her house, of course. When was she ever any other place? She said, "Hi, Martha, Bob. Did you see Josie at school today, Bob?"
    "Huh?" Bob stared at her like a big goop, like he wanted her to know he'd been playing hooky. "What'd you say, Miz Eddleman?"
    "I asked you if you'd seen Jo-"
    "The cat's got his tongue, Fay," I laughed. "He always gets that way whenever anyone mentions Josie. He saw her all right. I just got through asking him myself."
    "Aren't kids funny?" Fay laughed, too. "Well, I guess she'll be along pretty soon. It's still early yet."
    Bob and I went on home. I knew he must be half-starved, so I told him to run up and wash real quick and I'd fix him a sandwich and a glass of milk. –
    "I'm not very hungry," he said. "I'd just as soon wait until dinner time. I-I think I'll take a bath, Mom."
    "Bath?" I said. "Are my ears deceiving me? You're going to take a bath without being… Bob," I said, "come here a minute. What's that-what in the world have you got on the front of your pants?"
    "Nothin'," he mumbled, kind of putting his hands in front of himself. "I just, well, I was straddling a fence on the way to the golf course, and I guess I must have scratched myself a little."
    "Well, I should think you did!" I said. "Now, those pants will have to go to the cleaners and you've probably got blood all over your underwear, and-"
    It was just too much for one day. You know, a person can just take so much and that's all they can take. I sat down on the lounge and began to bawl.
    "Please, Mom," he said. "I'm sorry, and I p-promise I won't-"
    "Oh, go on," I said. "Go on and get your bath, and be sure you soak good and use plenty of hot water. We'll be lucky if you don't get lockjaw."
    He went on up the stairs and pretty soon I heard water running in the tub. I closed my eyes and lay back, listening to it, and it was kind of peaceful, and I guess I must have been extremely tired because the first thing I knew I'd gone to sleep. I mean, I didn't know it when I went to sleep, of course, but when I woke up I knew I'd been asleep.
    It was practically dark, I'd been asleep for more than two hours.
    I could hear Bob moving around in the bathroom; he was still up there after all this time. And that was all wrong, of course: you'd have to know Bob to know how crazy it was. But there was something else wrong, too.
    I could feel it inside of me, and it made me all sick and kind of shaky. I went to the door-it was like something was drawing me to it- -and stepped out on the porch.
    Fay Eddleman was out on her walk, and Jack, her husband, was there, too. He had his arms around her, and you couldn't see her face, just his, and it was as white as a sheet. He looked as sick as I felt. There were a couple of other men standing off a little to one side, policemen I guessed, though they didn't have on uniforms. And there was a police car drawn up at the curb. I thought, now, what in the world, but I didn't really wonder. Somehow I knew what was wrong, not exactly, you know, but close enough. I stood and looked at them, and finally I made myself look away. I turned and looked up the street, and I saw Al coming.
    He was walking so slow, like he hated every step he took, so I guess he must have known, too.
    One of the policemen said something to Jack, and he glanced up and nodded. Then, they started down the walk toward Al.

5
    ROBERT TALBERT
    I don't know why. Why does everyone always want to know why, anyway? Gosh, if you always stop to wonder why