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adder； the one that was usually kept in the storage room； which also happened to serve as the final stop for the state's condemned。 There was a shelf jutting out from the back of the ladder near the top； the sort of thing a workman would use to hold his toolkit or a painter the bucket he was working out of。 There was a flashlight on it。 Brutal handed it to me。
〃Get on up there。 You're shorter than me； so you'll have to go pretty near all the way； but I'll hold your legs！〃
〃I'm ticklish down there；〃 I said； starting up。 〃Especially my knees！'
〃I'll mind that！〃
〃Good；〃 I said； 〃because a broken hip's too high a price to pay in order to discover the origins of a single mouse。〃
〃Huh？〃
〃Never mind。〃 My head was up by the caged light in the center of the ceiling by then； and I could feel the ladder wiggling a little under my weight。 Outside； I could hear the winter wind moaning。 〃Just hold onto me。〃
〃I got you； don't worry。〃 He gripped my calves firmly； and I went up one more step。 Now the top of my head was less than a foot from the ceiling； and I could see the cobwebs a few enterprising spiders had spun in the crotches where the roof beams came together。 I shone the light around but didn't see anything worth the risk of being up here。
'No；〃 Brutal said。 〃You're looking too far away； Paul。 Look to your left； where those two beams e together。 You see them？ One's a little discolored！'
〃I see。〃
〃Shine the light on the join！〃
I did； and saw what he wanted me to see almost right away。 The beams had been pegged together with dowels； half a dozen of them； and one was gone； leaving a black； circular hole the size of a quarter。 I looked at it； then looked doubtfully back over my shoulder at Brutal。 〃It w
