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The inner cadre…the boys in the white turtlenecks…sat down near the front of the room。 Jack looked around and saw the others looking toward the open door with a sort of witless anticipation。 He thought it must be supper they were anticipating…it smelled very damn good； all right； especially after all those weeks of pick…up hamburgers interspersed with large helpings of nothing at all。 Then Sunlight Gardener walked briskly in and Jack saw the expressions of anticipation change to looks of gratification。 Apparently it hadn't been dinner they had been looking forward to； after all。 Morton； who had been cowering in the upper hallway with his pants puddled around his ankles only fifteen minutes ago； looked almost exalted。
The boys got to their feet。 Wolf sat； nostrils flaring； looking puzzled and frightened； until Jack grabbed a fistful of shirt and pulled him up。
'Do what they do； Wolf；' he muttered。
'Sit down； boys；' Gardener said； smiling。 'Sit down； please。' They sat。 Gardener was wearing faded blue jeans overtopped with an open…throated shirt of blinding white silk。 He looked at them； smiling benignly。 The boys looked back worshipfully； for the most part。 Jack saw one boy…wavy brown hair that came to a deep widow's peak on his brow； receding chin； delicate little hands as pale as Uncle Tommy's Delftware…turn aside and cup his mouth to hide a sneer； and he； Jack； felt some encouragement。 Apparently not everyone's head had been blown by whatever was going on here 。 。 。 but a lot of heads had been。 Wide…open they had been blown； from the way things looked。 The fellow with the great buck teeth was looking at Sunlight Gardener adoringly。
'Let us pray。 Heck； will you lead us？'
Heck did。 He prayed fast and mechanically。 It was like listening to a Dial…a…Prayer recorded by a dyslexic。 After asking God to favor them in the days and weeks ahead； to forgive them their trespasses and to help them bee better people； Heck Bast rapped out； 'ForJesussakeamen；' and sat down。
'Thank you； Heck；' Gardener said。 He had taken an armless chair； had turned it around backward； and was sitting on it like a range…ridin cowpoke in a John Ford Western。 He was at his most charming tonight； the sterile； self…referring craziness Jack had seen that morning was almost gone。 'Let us have a dozen confessions； please。 No more than that。 Will you lead us； Andy？' Warwick； an expression of ludicrous piety on his face； took Heck's place。
'Thank you； Reverend Gardener；' he said； and then looked at the boys。 'Confession；' he said。 'Who will start？'
There was a rustling stir 。 。 。 and then hands began to go up。 Two 。 。 。 six 。 。 。 nine of them。
'Roy Owdersfelt；' Warwick said。
Roy Owdersfelt； a tall boy with a pimple the size of a tumor on the end of his nose； stood up； twisting his rawboned hands in front of him。 'I stole ten bucks from my momma's purse last year！' he announced in a high； screamy voice。 One scabbed； grimy hand wandered up to his face； settled on the pimple； and gave it a fearful tweak。 'I took it down to The Wizard of Odds and I turned it into quarters and I played all these different games like Pac…Man and Laser Strike until it was gone！ That was money she had put away against the gas bill； and that's how e for a while they turned off our heat！' He blinked around at them。 'And my brother got sick and had to go in the hospital up in Indianapolis with pneumonia！ Because I stole that money！
'That's my confession。' Roy Owdersfelt sat down。
Sunlight Gardener said； 'Can Roy be forgiven？' In unison the boys replied； 'Roy can be forgiven。'
'Can anyone here forgive him； boys？'
'No one here。'
'Who can forgive him？'
'God through the power of His only begotten Son； Jesus。'
'Will you pray to Jesus to intercede for you？' Gardener asked Roy Owdersfelt。
'Sure am gonna！' Roy Owdersfelt cried in an unsteady voice； and tweaked the pimple again。 Jack saw that Roy Owdersfelt was weeping。
'And the next time your momma es here are you going to tell your momma that you know you sinned against her and your little brother and against the face of God and you're just as sorry a boy as ever there was？'
'You bet！' Sunlight Gardener nodded to Andy Warwick。
'Confession；' Warwick said。
Before confession was over at six o'clock； almost everyone except Jack and Wolf had his hand up； hoping to relate some sin to those gathered。 Several confessed petty theft。 Others told of stealing liquor and drinking until they threw up。 There were； of course； many tales of drugs。
Warwick called on them； but it was Sunlight Gardener they looked to for approval as they told 。 。 。 and told 。 。 。 and told。
He's got them liking their sins； Jack thought； troubled。 They love him； they want his approval； and I guess they only get it if they confess。 Some of these sad sacks probably even make their crimes up。
The smells from the dining hall had been getting stronger。 Wolf's stomach rumbled furiously and constantly next to Jack。 Once； during one boy's tearful confession of having hooked a Penthouse magazine so he could look at those filthy pictures of what he called 'sexed…out women；' Wolf's stomach rumbled so loudly that Jack elbowed him。
Following the last confession of the evening； Sunlight Gardener offered a short； melodious prayer。 Then he stood in the doorway； informal and yet resplendent in his jeans and white silk shirt； as the boys filed out。 As Jack and Wolf passed； he closed one of his hands around Jack's wrist。
'I've met you before。' Confess； Sunlight Gardener's eyes demanded。
And Jack felt an urge to do just that。
Oh yes； we know each other； yes。 You whipped my back bloody。
'No；' he said。
'Oh yes；' Gardener said。 'Oh yes。 I've met you before。 In California？ In Maine？ Oklahoma？ Where？'
Confess。
'I don't know you；' Jack said。
Gardener giggled。 Inside his own head； Jack suddenly knew； Sunlight Gardener was jigging and dancing and snapping a bullwhip。 'So Peter said when he was asked to identify Jesus Christ；' he said。 'But Peter lied。 So do you； I think。 Was it in Texas； Jack？ El Paso？ Was it in Jerusalem in another life？ On Golgotha； the place of the skull？'
'I tell you…'
'Yes； yes； I know； we've only just met。' Another giggle。 Wolf； Jack saw； had shied as far away from Sunlight Gardener as the doorway would allow。 It was the smell。 The gagging； cloying smell of the man's cologne。 And under it； the smell of craziness。
'I never forget a face； Jack。 I never forget a face or a place。 I'll remember where we met。'
His eyes flicked from Jack to Wolf…Wolf whined a little and pulled back…and then back to Jack again。
'Enjoy your dinner； Jack；' he said。 'Enjoy your dinner； Wolf。 Your real life at the Sunlight Home begins tomorrow。'
Halfway to the stairs； he turned and looked back。
'I never forget a place or a face； Jack。 I'll remember。'
Coldly； Jack thought； God； I hope not。 Not until I'm about two thousand miles away from this fucking pris…
Something slammed into him hard。 Jack flew out into the hall； pinwheeling his arms madly for balance。 He hit his head on the bare concrete floor and saw a ta