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Chapter 76

THE SECOND NIGHT I WAS at the Gill house, after a supper of leftover chicken parts and grits, Jacob suggested we go for “a walk, a smoke, and a nip”

First he poured whiskey fro bottle into a half-pint bottle, which he stuck in his trouser pocket

He walked and drank I walked and looked anxiously down every dark alley

“You sure are one hell of a nervous critter tonight,” Jacob said

“You’d be nervous too, if they beat you half to death and strung you up and left you for dead,” I said “Excuselynched”

Aas if he had been waiting for us

I recognized hirammar school Byraht of hi me how to turn fractions into decimals

“Evening, Jacob,” he said “Ben”

Jacob turned toward the streetlight to roll a cigarette “I hope Byram didn’t startle you, Ben,” he said

“Glad you could join us this evening, Ben,” Byras will be hile for you Jacob spoke up for you”

Suddenly I realized that Byra for us I turned to Jacob to find out why

“I haven’t told him yet,” Jacob said to Byram

“Told me what?”

“You’d best go on and tell him,” said Byram “We’ll be to Scully’s in a minute”