jg.thepartner-第54部分

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　〃Seriously？〃　Sandy　asked。
　〃No；　but　his　vision　was　somewhat　impaired。　He　was　still　driving；　and　on　that　day　he　was　puttering　down　the　highway　in　his　1968　Chevrolet　pickup　when　our　car　passed　him。　Then；　just　over　the　next　hill；　old　Clovis　happened　upon　the　wreck。　Clovis　was　a　very　tender　old　man；　lived　alone；　no　close　family；　forgotten　and　neglected；　and　seeing　this　horrible　accident　moved　him　deeply。　He　tried　to　help　the　victims；　and　hung　around　for　a　while；　then　he　left。　He　didn't　say　anything　to　anybody。　He　was　too　upset。　He　told　me　later　he　didn't　sleep　for　a　week。
　〃Anyway；　we　got　word　that　one　of　the　later　arrivals　had　actually　videoed　the　accident　scene　while　the　ambulances　and　cops　and　fire　trucks　were　there。　Traffic　was　backed　up；　people　were　bored；　and；　hell；　they'll　video　anything；　so　we　borrowed　the　tape。　A　paralegal　analyzed　it　and　took　down　all　the　license　plate　numbers。　Then　he　found　the　owners；　trying　to　find　witnesses。　That's　how　we　found　Clovis。　He　said　he　practically　saw　the　wreck；　but　was　too　upset　to　talk　about　it。　I　asked　him　if　I　could　e　out　for　a　visit；　and　he　said　yes。
　〃Clovis　lived　in　the　country；　out　from　Wiggins；　in　a　small　white…frame　house　he　and　his　wife　had　built　back
　before　the　war。　She　had　been　dead　for　many　years。　So　had　his　only　child；　a　son　who'd　gone　astray。　He　had　two　grandchildren；　one　lived　in　California　and　the　other　near　Hattiesburg。　He　hadn't　seen　either　in　years。　I　learned　all　this　within　the　first　hour。　Clovis　was　a　lonely　old　man；　gruff　at　first；　as　if　he　didn't　trust　lawyers　and　resented　wasting　time；　but　not　long　into　the　first　visit　he　was　boiling　hot　water　for　instant　coffee　and　telling　family　secrets。　We　sat　on　the　porch；　in　rocking　chairs　with　a　dozen　old　cats　swarming　under　our　feet；　and　talked　about　everything　but　the　wreck。　Fortunately；　it　was　a　Saturday；　so　I　could　waste　time　and　not　worry　about　the　office。　He　was　a　wonderful　storyteller。　The　Depression　was　a　favorite　topic；　as　was　the　war。　After　a　couple　of　hours；　I　finally　mentioned　the　car　wreck；　and　he　went　quiet　and　looked　pained　and　informed　me　softly　that　he　just　couldn't　talk　about　it　yet。　Said　he　knew　something　important；　but　it　wasn't　the　right　time。　I　asked　him　how　fast　he　was　driving　when　our　car　went　by。　He　said　he　never　got　above　fifty。　I　asked　him　if　he　could　estimate　how　fast　our　car　was　going；　and　he　just　shook　his　head。
　〃Two　days　later；　I　stopped　by　late　one　afternoon；　and　we　settled　back　on　the　porch　for　another　round　of　war　stories。　Promptly　at　six；　Clovis　said　he　was　hungry；　said　furthermore　that　he　loved　catfish；　and　asked　if　I　would　like　to　join　him　for　dinner。　I　was　single　at　the　time；　and　so　Clovis　and　I　left　for　dinner。　I　drove；　of　course；　and　he　talked。　We　had　greasy　catfish　at　six　bucks　for　all　you　can　eat。　Clovis　ate　real　slow；　his　chin　just　inches　above　the　pile　of　fish。　The　waitress　put　the　check　on　the　table　and　Clovis　never　saw　it。　It　sat　there　for　ten　minutes。　He　kept　talking　with　a　mouthful　of　hush　puppies。　I　figured　the　dinner　was　money　well　spent　if　Clovis　ever　came　through　with　his　testimony。　We　eventually　left；　and　driving　back　to　his　house　he　announced　he　needed　a　beer；　just　one　beer　for　his　bladder；　and　at　that　moment　we　just　happened　to　be　nearing　a　country　store。　I　parked。　He　didn't　move；　and　so　I　bought　the　beer　too。　We　drove　and　drank；　and　he　said　he'd　like　to　show　me　where　he　grew　up。　It　wasn't　far　away；　he　said。　One　county　road　led　to　the　next；　and　after　twenty　minutes　I　had　no　idea　where　I　was。　Clovis　couldn't　see　very　well。　He　needed　another　beer；　also　for　his　bladder。　I　asked　directions　from　a　store　clerk；　and　Clovis　and　I　set　sail　again。　He　pointed　this　way　and　that；　and　we　finally　found　the　town　of　Necaise　Crossing　in　Hancock　County。　Once　we　found　it；　he　said　we　could　turn　around。　He　forgot　the　part　about　his　childhood　home。　More　beer。　More　directions　from　the　store　clerks。
　〃When　we　got　near　his　house；　I　realized　where　we　were；　and　I　started　asking　questions　about　the　car　wreck。　He　said　it　was　still　too　painful　to　talk　about。　I　helped　him　into　the　house　and　he　fell　onto　the　sofa；　snoring。　It　was　almost　midnight。　This　went　on　for　about　a　month。　Rocking　on　the　front　porch。　Catfish　on　Tuesdays。　Road　trips　for　his　bladder。　The　insurance　policy　had　limits　of　two　million。　Our　case　was　worth　every　bit　of　that；　and；　though　Clovis　didn't　know　it；　his　testimony　was　getting　more　crucial　by　the　day。　He　assured　me　no　one　else　had　contacted　him　about　the　accident；　so　it　was　critical　that　I　nail　down　his　facts　before　the　insurance　boys　found　him。〃
　〃How　much　time　had　passed　since　the　accident？〃　Sandy　asked。
　〃Four　or　five　months。　I　finally　pressed　him　one　day。　I　told　him　that　we　had　reached　an　important　point　in　the　lawsuit；　and　it　was　time　for　him　to　answer　some　questions。　He　said　he　was　ready。　I　asked　him　how　fast　our　car　was　going　when　it　passed　him。　He　said　it　sure　was　awful；　seeing　those　people　hurt　like　that；　crushed　and　bleeding；　especially　the　little　boy。　The　poor　old　man　had　tears　in　his　eyes。　A　few　minutes　later；　I　asked　him　again；　'Clovis；　can　you　estimate　how　fast　the　car　was　going　when　it　passed　you？'　He　said　he　sure　would　like　to　help　the　family。　I　said　they　would　certainly　appreciate　that。　And　then　he　looked　me　square　in　the　eyes；　and　said；　'How　fast　do　you　think　it　was　going？'
　〃I　said　that　in　my　opinion　it　was　going　about　fifty…five　miles　an　hour。　Clovis　said；　'Then　that's　what　it　was。　Fifty…five　miles　an　hour。　I　was　doing　fifty；　and　they　just　barely　eased　past　me。'
　〃We　went　to　trial；　and　Clovis　Goodman　was　the　best　witness　I've　ever　seen。　He　was　old；　humble；　but　wise　and　thoroughly　believable。　The　jury　ignored　all　the　fancy　accident　reconstruction　testimony　and　hung　their　verdict　on　Clovis。　They　gave　us　two　point　three　million　dollars。
　〃We　kept　in　touch。　I　did　his　will　for　him。　He　didn't　have　much；　just　the　house　and　six　acres；　seven　thousand　dollars　in　the　bank。　When　he　died；　he　wanted　everything　sold　and　the　money　given　to　the　Daughters　of　the　Confederacy。　Not　one　relative　was　mentioned　in　his　will。　The　grandson　in　California　had　been　gone　for　twenty　years。　The　granddaughter　in　Hattiesburg　hadn't　made　contact　since　he　received　an　invitation　to　her　high　school　graduation　in　1968。　He　neither　attended　nor　sent　a　gift。　He　seldom　mentioned　them；　but　I　knew　Clovis　longed　for　some　connection　with　his　family。
　〃He　got　sick　and　couldn't　live　by　himself；　so　I　moved　him　into　a　nursing　home　in　Wiggins。　I　sold　his　house　and　farm；　and　handled　all　of　his　financial　affairs。　At　the　time；　I　was　his　only　friend。　I　sent　him　cards　and　gifts；　and　every　time　I　went　to　Hattiesburg　or　Jackson　I　would　stop　and　visit　for　as　long　as　I　could。　At　least　once　a　month；　I　would　go　get　him　and　take　him　to　the　Catfish　Cabin。　Then　we'd　take　a　road　trip。　After　a　beer　or　two　he'd　start　with　his　stories。　I　took　him　fishing　one　day；　just　me　and　Clovis　in　a　boat　for　eight　hours；　and　I've　never　laughed　so　hard　in　my　life。
　〃He　caught　pneumonia　in　November　of　'91；　and　almost　died。　It　scared　him。　We　fixed　his　will　again。　He　wanted　to　leave　some　of　the　money　to　his　local　church；　the　rest　to　the　remnants　of　the　Confederacy。　He　picked　out　his　cemetery　plot；　made　his　burial　arrangements。　I　brought　up　the　idea　of　a　living　will；　so　he　wouldn't　be　kept　alive　by　machines。　He　liked　it；　and　he　insisted　that　I　be　designated　as　the　person　to　pull　the　plug；　in　consultation　with　his　doctors；　of　course。　Clovis　was　tired　of　the　nursing　home；　tired　of　the　loneliness；　tired　of　life。　He　said　his　heart　was　right　with　God；　and　he　was　ready　to　go。
　〃The　pneumonia　came　back　with　a　fury　in　early　January　of　'92。　I　had　him　transferred　to　the　hospital　here　in　Biloxi　so　I　could　watch　him。　I　went　by　every　day；　and　I　was　the　only　visitor　old　Clovis　ever　had。　No　other　friends。　No　relatives。　No　minister。　Not　one　single　person　but　me。　He　deteriorated　slowly；　and　it　became　apparent　he　would　never　leave。　He　lapsed　into　a　a；　never　to　return。　They　put　him　on　a　respirator；　and　after　about　a　week　of　that　the　doctors　said　he　was　brain　dead。　We；　myself　and　three　doctors；　read　his　living　will　together；　then　turned　off　the　respirator。〃
　〃What　day　was　it？〃　Sandy　asked。
　〃February　6；　1992。〃
　Sandy　exhaled；　closed　his　eyes　tightly；　and　slowly　shook　his　head。
　〃He　didn't　want　a　church　service　because　he　knew　no　one　would　e。　We　buried　him　in　a　cemetery　outside　Wiggins。　I　was　there；　as　a　pallbearer。　Three　old　widows　from　the　church　were　there；　crying；　but　you　got　the　impression　they　had　cried　over　every　burial　in　Wiggins　in　the　past　fifty　years。　The　minister　was　there；　and　he　dragged　with　him　five　elderly　deacons　to　act　as　pallbearers。　Two　other　folks　were　there；　for　a　total　of　twelve。　After　a　brief　service；　Clovis　was　laid　to　rest。〃
　〃It　was　a　pretty　light　casket；　wasn't　it？〃　Sandy　said。
　〃Yes　it　was。〃
　〃Where　was　Clovis？〃
　〃His　spirit　was　rejoicing　with　the　saints。〃
　〃Where　was　his　body？〃
　〃On　the　porch　of　my　cabin；　in　a　freezer。〃
　〃You　sick　puppy。〃
　〃I　didn't　kill　anybody；　Sandy。　Old　Clovis　was　singing　with　the　angels　when　his　remains　got　burned　up。　I　figured　he　wouldn't　mind。〃
　〃You　have　an　excuse　for　everything；　don't　you；　Patrick？〃
　Patrick's　legs　hung　from　the　side　of　his　bed。　His　feet　were　six　inches　from　the　floor。　He　didn't　respond。
　Sandy　paced　around　a　bit；　then　leaned　on　the　wall。　He　was　only　slightly　relieved　to　learn　his　friend　had　not　killed　anyone。　The　thought　of　burning　a　corpse　seemed　almost　as　repulsive。
　〃Let's　hear　the　rest　of　it；〃　Sandy　said。　〃I'm　sure　you　have　everything　mapped　out。〃
　〃I've　had　time　to　think　about　it；　yes。〃
　〃I'm　listening。〃
　〃There's　a　Mississippi　penal　statute　on　grave…snatching；　but　it　wouldn't　apply　to　me。　I　didn't　steal　Clovis　from　the　grave。　I　took　him　from　his　casket。　There's　another　statute　dealing　with　mutilating　a　corpse；　and　it's　the　only　one　Parrish　can　stick　on　me。　It's　a　felony；　and　carries　up　to　one　year　in　jail。　I　figure　that　if　that's　all　they　can　use；　then　Parrish　will　push　very　hard　for　the　one　year。〃
　〃He　can't　let　you　walk　away。〃
　〃No；　he　can't。　But　here's　the　catch。　He　won't　know　about　Clovis　unless　I　tell　him；　but　I　have　to　tell　him　before　he'll　drop　the　murder　charges。　Now；　telling　him　about　Clovis　is　one　thing；　but　testifying　in　cou