decided to give this one a miss。
Sitting in the front row was an elderly couple I didn't recognize at first； even though I had seen their pictures in a good many newspaper articles by that day in the third week of November。 Then； as we neared the platform where Old Sparky waited； the woman spat； 〃Die slow； you son of a bitch！〃 and I realized they were the Dettericks； Klaus and Marjorie。 I hadn't recognized them because you don't often see elderly people who haven't yet climbed out of their thirties。
John hunched his shoulders at the sound of the woman's voice and Sheriff Cribus's grunt of approval。 Hank Bitterman； who had the guard…post near the front of the meager group of spectators； never took his eyes off Klaus Detterick。 That was per my orders； but Detterick never made a move in John 's direction that night。 Detterick seemed to be on some other pla。
Brutal； standing beside Old Sparky； gave me a small finger…tilt as we stepped up onto the platform。 He holstered his sidearm and took John 's wrist； escorting him toward the electric chair as gently as a boy leading his date out onto the floor for their first dance as a couple。
〃Everything all right； John ？〃 he asked in a low voice。
〃Yes； boss； but。 。 。〃 His eyes were moving from side to side in their sockets； and for the first time he looked and sounded scared。 〃But they's a lot of folks here hate me。 A lot。 I can feel it。 Hurts。 Bores in like bee…stings an； hurts。〃
〃Feel how we feel