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to prepare a meal fit for free world humans。〃
〃Sounds delicious。〃
〃Oh； I'll share it with you。 I've often wondered why they feed you before they kill you。 They also bring the doctor in and give you a preexecution physical。 Can you believe it？ Gotta make sure you're fit to die。 And they have a shrink on staff here who examines you before the execution； and he must report to the warden in writing that you're mentally sound enough to gas。 And they have a minister on the payroll who'll pray and meditate with you and make sure your soul is headed in the right direction。 All paid for by the taxpayers of the State of Mississippi and administered by these loving people around here。 Don't forget the conjugal visit。 You can die with your lust satisfied。 They think of everything。 They're very considerate。 Really concerned about your appetite and health and spiritual well…being。 Right at the very last； they put a catheter in your penis and a plug up your ass so you won't make a mess。 This is for their benefit； not yours。 They don't wanna have to clean you afterward。 So； they feed you real good； anything you want； then they plug you up。 Sick； isn't it？ Sick； sick； sick； sick。〃
〃Let's talk about something else。〃
Sam finished the last cigarette and thumped it on the floor in front of the guard。 〃No。 Let's stop talking。 I've had enough for one day。〃
〃Fine。〃
〃And no more about Eddie； okay？ It's really not fair to e in here and hit me with stuff like that。〃
〃I'm sorry。 No more about Eddie。〃
〃Let's try to focus on me the next three weeks； okay？ That's more than enough to keep us busy。〃
〃It's a deal； Sam。〃
Along Highway 82 from the east； Greenville was growing in an unsightly sprawl； with its strip shopping centers filled with video rental and dinky liquor stores； and its endless fast…food franchises and drive…up motels with free cable and breakfast。 The river blocked such progress to the west； and since 82 was the main corridor it had evidently bee the developers' favorite territory。
In the past twenty…five years； Greenville had grown from a sleepy river town of thirtyfive thousand to a busy river city of sixty thousand。 It was prosperous and progressive。 In 1990； Greenville was the fifth…largest city in the state。
The streets leading into the central district were shaded and lined with stately old homes。 The center of the town was pretty and quaint； well preserved and apparently unchanged； Adam thought； in stark contrast to the thoughtless chaos along Highway 82。 He parked on Washington Street； at a few minutes after five； as downtown merchants and their customers were busy preparing for the end of the day。 He removed his tie and left it with his jacket in the car because the temperature was still in the nineties and showed no sign of relenting。
He walked three blocks； and found the park with the life…sized bronze statue of two little boys in the center。 They were the same size with the same smile and the same eyes。 One was running while the other one skipped； and the sculptor had captured them perfectly。 Josh and John Kramer； forever five years old； frozen in time with copper and tin。 A brass plate below them said simply：
JOSH AND JOHN KRAMER DIED HERE ON APRIL 21； 1967 （MARCH 2； 1962 …APRIL 21； 1967）
The park was a perfect square； half a city block which had once held Marvin's law office and an old building next to it。 The land had been in the Kramer family for years； and Marvin's father gave it to the city to be used as a memorial。 Sam had done a fine job of leveling the law office； and the city had razed the building next to it。 Some money had been spent on Kramer Park； and a lot of thought had gone into it。 It was pletely fenced with ornamental wrought iron and an entrance on each side from the sidewalks。 Perfect rows of oaks and maples followed the fencing。 Lines of manicured shrubs met at precise angles； then encircled flower beds of begonias and geraniums。 A small amphitheater sat in one corner under the trees； and across the way a group of black children sailed through the air on wooden swings。
It was small and colorful； a pleasant little garden amid the streets and buildings。 A teenaged couple argued on a bench as Adam walked by。 A bicycle gang of eight…year…olds roared around a fountain。 An ancient policeman ambled by and actually tipped his hat to Adam as he said hello。
He sat on a bench and stared at Josh and John； less than thirty feet away。 〃Never forget the victims；〃 Lee had admonished。 〃They have the right to want retribution。 They've earned it。〃
He remembered all the gruesome details from the trials … the FBI expert who testified about the bomb and the speed at which it ripped through the building； the medical examiner who ＇delicately described the little bodies and what 〃exactly killed them； the firemen who tried to I…rescue but were much too late and were left only to retrieve。 There had been photographs of the building and the boys； and the trial judges had used great restraint in allowing just a few of these to go to the jury。 McAllister； typically； had wanted to show huge enlarged color pictures of the mangled bodies； but they were excluded。
Adam was now sitting on ground which had once been the office of Marvin Kramer； and he closed his eyes and tried to feel the ground shake。 He saw the footage from his video of smoldering debris and the cloud of dust suspended over the scene。 He heard the frantic voice of the news reporter； the sirens shrieking in the background。
Those bronze boys were not much older than he was when his grandfather killed them。 They were five and he was almost three； and for some reason he kept up with their ages。 Today； he was twenty…six and they would be twenty…eight。
The guilt hit hard and low in the stomach。 It made him shudder and sweat。 The sun hid behind two large oaks to the west； and as it flickered through the branches the boys' faces gleamed。
How could Sam have done this？ Why was Sam Cayhall his grandfather and not someone else's？ When did he decide to participate in the Klan's holy war against Jews？ What made him change from a harmless cross…burner to a full…fledged terrorist？
Adam sat on the bench； stared at the statue； and hated his grandfather。 He felt guilty for being in Mississippi trying to help the old bastard。
He found a Holiday Inn and paid for a room。 He called Lee and reported in； then watched the evening news on the Jackson channels。 Evidently； it had been just another languid summer day in Mississippi with little happening。 Sam Cayhall and his latest efforts to stay alive were the hot topics。 Each station carried somber ments by the governor and the Attorney General about the newest petition for relief filed by the defense this morning； and each man was just sick and tired of the endless appeals。 Each would fight valiantly to pursue this matter until justice was realized。 One station began its own countdown … twenty…three days until execution； the anchorperson rattled off； as if reciting the number of shopping days left until Christmas。 The number 23 was plastered under the same overworked photo of Sam Cayhall。
Adam ate dinner in a small downtown cafe。 He sat alone in a booth； pic