Copyright 2018 by Stephen King.
Reprinted by permission of Scribner, a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Listen along to the below excerpt, courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio.
Credit: Illustration by Kakofonia for EW
Studying Samuels now, Ralph began to get an idea of how he had risen so high so quickly.
This is my first time playing with the big boys, and I just dont know any better.
Hello, Mr. Maitland, Samuels said.
Illustration by Kakofonia for EW
I work in the county DAs office.
Good start, Ralph thought.You are the county DAs office.
Youre wasting your time, Terry said.
Scribner
Im not going to talk to you until my lawyer gets here.
I will say that I see a sizeable wrongful arrest suit in your future.
I understand that youre upset, in your position, anyone would be.
Maybe we can iron it out right here.
Can you just tell me where you were when the Peterson boy was killed?
That was on last Tuesday afternoon.
His name is Howard Gold.
When he gets here, Ill want to talk to him privately.
I assume thats my right?
Since Im presumed innocent until proven guilty?
Quick recovery,Ralph thought.A career criminal couldnt have done it better.
It is indeed, Samuels said.
But if you havent done anything
Dont try, Mr. Samuels.
You didnt bring me here because youre a nice guy.
Actually, I am, Samuels said earnestly.
If theres been a mistake, Im as interested in getting it straightened out as you are.
You have some hair sticking up in back, Terry said.
Might want to do something about that.
It makes you look like Alfalfa in the old comedies I used to watch when I was a kid.
Ralph didnt even come close to laughing, but one corner of his mouth twitched.
That he couldnt help.
Momentarily put off-balance, Samuels raised a hand to smooth down the cowlick.
It laid flat for a moment, then sprang back up.
Are you sure you dont want to clear this up?
Samuels leaned forward, his earnest expression suggesting that Terry was making a bad mistake.
Im sure, Terry said.
And Im sure about the suit, too.
The innocent look disappeared.
you’re able to confer with your lawyer, Mr. Maitland, thats your right.
No audio, no video, well even draw the curtain.
If you two are quick about it, maybe we can get this squared away tonight.
Ive got an early tee time in the morning.
Terry looked as if he had misheard.
Its a game where you attempt to knock the little ball into the cup.
Im not very good at it, but Imverygood at this game, Mr. Maitland.
It wont actually be that long.
If we cant clarify this, well take you for arraignment bright and early on Monday morning.
Your arrest will be statewide news by then, so there will be plenty of coverage.
Im sure the photographers will get your good side.
Before he could open it, Terry said, Hey, Ralph.
Terry looked calm, which was extraordinary under the circumstances.
Ralph had seen it before.
That was Samuels, trying not to sound eager, but his face fell at what Terry said next.
Derek was the best drag bunter I ever had.
Oh, no, Ralph said.
He could hear the rage trembling in his voice, a kind of vibrato.
I dont want to hear my sons name come out of your mouth.
Not tonight, not ever.
So never mind what you dont want to hear.
Just listen a minute.
I think you owe me that for doing it the nasty way.
Ralph closed the door again and turned back to Terry, crossing his arms over his chest.
A suspect talking was always better than a suspect clamming up until his lawyer arrived.
Because one thing had a way of leading to another.
Terry said, Derek couldnt have been more than four-ten or -eleven back in Little League.
Hell be taller than you by the time he graduates from high school, I bet.
He was a shrimp, but he was never afraid in the batters box.
Got hit half a dozen times, but he never gave in.
It was the truth.
Once there had been a perfect black and blue circle on the nape of his neck.
The balls were softer.
Terry leaned forward, actually smiling a little.
Hed flail at just about anythinginside, outside, over his head or in the dirt.
At least for awhile.
Very interesting, Samuels said, but why dont we talk about Frank Peterson, instead?
Terrys eyes remained fixed on Ralph.
Long story short, when I saw he wouldnt take a walk, I taught him to bunt.
Lot of boys his ageten, eleventhey wont do it.
Not Derek, though.
He had a yard of guts, your boy.
They were still smudged with dirt, probably from throwing batting practice before tonights game.
Angle to the left, the ball squirts up the third base line.
Angle to the right, first base line.
He caught on fast.
The kids stopped calling him Swiffer and gave him a new nickname.
Me and Gavin, too.
And that was what they called him that whole last year, when we won the district.
Did you know that?
Ralph hadnt, maybe because it was strictly a team thing.
What he did know was that Derek had grown up a lot that summer.
He paused, then said, very softly, And you do this to me.
In front of everyone, you do this to me.
Ralph felt his cheeks heat up.
He paused just long enough to say one thing over his shoulder.
Ralph didnt do it to you, Maitland.
You did it to yourself.
Fine, Ralph said.
His cheeks were still burning.
Some of them are masters at getting under your skin.
You know that, right?
And you know he did this, right?
Ive never had a case sewn up so tight.
Which bothers me,Ralph thought.It didnt before, but it does now.
It shouldnt, because Samuels is right, but it does.
Did you notice his hands?
When he was showing how he taught Derek to bunt, did you see his hands?
No long pinky fingernail, Ralph said.
Not on either hand.
So he clipped it.
Are you sure youre all right?
Fine, Ralph said.
I just
The door between the office area and the detention wing buzzed, then banged open.
Hello, Bill, he said.
And hello to you, Detective Anderson.
Would either of you like to tell me why you have arrested Flint Citys 2015 Man of the Year?
Howard Gold had arrived.
