“All right,” Hogg repeated. “Now let’s just see you get your redneck ass down to the water and scrubbed up good.”

Watching Denny pull off his pants, Hogg put the money in his own pocket, reached down and rubbed my cheek. His fingers were tacky with half-dried scum. “The other sneaker too, stupid.”

“Oh.” Denny said. “Yeah.”

“Shit, cocksucker.” Hogg glanced down at me and shook his head. “I’d’a’ thought hell would’a froze over before you’d hear me tell somebody to take a bath. I mean, Jesus H. Fuckin’ Christ!”

Denny, naked, scrawny shoulders hunched, legs together, hands wedged between them, sat beside the soiled pile, staring at the dashboard. Another drop fell on his knee. His mouth hung slightly open. Another passing car lit his stained arms and sides. He pulled one hand into his lap to scratch; it stayed there, moving a little. “You got some soap?”

Hogg laughed. “You get yourself a handful of sand and scrub yourself off with that. When you come back here, you better be pink all over!”

Denny nodded, pushed up some of the matted hair stuck down on his forehead, opened the truck door, and jumped.

I raised my head to watch him, out the open door, walk gingerly over the shoulder’s gravel.

At the bushes he lifted his arms to wade into the high brush. Among the trees I could see the moonlight a-glint on the water.

“Sit up, cocksucker!”

While I got up, Hogg pulled Denny’s clothes over and began to stuff them back under the seat. “We can burn these fuckers later.” He shook his head. “The poor scumbag, I just hope he don’t flip out again and try to act up with me. ’Cause I’d hate to be the one to kill him myself.” I handed Hogg the other sneaker and he wedged it back under with the rest. “Yeah, I think you better suck him off once more when he comes back. You seen how it calms him down. Besides, it sort of tickles me to watch.” Hogg sat back again. “Maybe that thing through his dick is gonna heal up after all.”

A siren sounded down the road, grew louder.

Hogg frowned at me, then looked out the window.

Two police cars came up behind us screeching—and went past.

“Shit!” Hogg bent down again to push Denny’s clothes further under. He sat up, bit on his lower lip a moment, then turned on the radio: