there was a caged deadliness in the thing that he had never sensed in his dad's.22 , .30-.30 , or even the shotgun ( although there was something about the shotgun , was n't there ? -something about the way it leaned , mute and oily , in the corner of the garage closet ; as if it might say i could be mean if i wanted to ; plenty mean , you bet if it could speak ) .