ss.iftomorrowcomes-第7部分

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　〃Harriet；　may　I　speak　to　Mr。　Stanhope；　please？〃
　
　〃I'm　sorry；　Miss　Whitney。　He's　on　his　way　to　Houston　for　a　meeting。　If　you'll　give　me　your　number；　I'm　sure　he'll　telephone　you　as　soon　as　he　can。〃
　
　〃I…〃　There　was　no　way　she　could　have　him　telephone　her　at　the　jail。　Not　until　she　had　a　chance　to　explain　things　to　him　first。
　
　〃I…　I'll　have　to　call　Mr。　Stanhope　back。〃　She　slowly　replaced　the　receiver。
　
　Tomorrow；　Tracy　thought　wearily。　I'll　explain　it　all　to　Charles　tomorrow。
　
　That　afternoon　Tracy　was　moved　to　a　larger　cell。　A　delicious　hot　dinner　appeared　from　Galatoire's；　and　a　short　time　later　fresh　flowers　arrived　with　a　note　attached。　Tracy　opened　the　envelope　and　pulled　out　the　card。　CHIN　UP；　WE'RE　GOING　TO　BEAT　THE　BASTARDS。　PERRY　POPE。
　
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　He　came　to　visit　Tracy　the　following　morning。　The　instant　she　saw　the　smile　on　his　face；　she　knew　there　was　good　news。
　
　〃We　got　lucky；〃　he　exclaimed。　〃I've　just　left　Judge　Lawrence　and　Topper；　the　district　attorney。　Topper　screamed　like　a　banshee；　but　we've　got　a　deal。〃
　
　〃A　deal？〃
　
　〃I　told　Judge　Lawrence　your　whole　story。　He's　agreed　to　accept　a　guilty　plea　from　you。〃
　
　Tracy　stared　at　him　in　shock。　〃A　guilty　plea？　But　I'm　not…〃
　
　He　raised　a　hand。　〃Hear　me　out。　By　pleading　guilty；　you　save　the　state　the　expense　of　a　trial。　I've　persuaded　the　judge　that　you　didn't　steal　the　painting。　He　knows　Joe　Romano；　and　he　believes　me。〃
　
　〃But。。。　if　I　plead　guilty；〃　Tracy　asked　slowly；　〃what　will　they　do　to　me？〃
　
　〃Judge　Lawrence　will　sentence　you　to　three　months　in　prison　with…〃
　
　〃Prison！〃
　
　〃Wait　a　minute。　He'll　suspend　the　sentence；　and　you　can　do　your　probation　out　of　the　state。〃
　
　〃But　then　I'll…　I'll　have　a　record。〃
　
　Perry　Pope　sighed。　〃If　they　put　you　on　trial　for　armed　robbery　and　attempted　murder　during　the　mission　of　a　felony；　you　could　be　sentenced　to　ten　years。〃
　
　Ten　years　in　jail！
　
　Perry　Pope　was　patiently　watching　her。　〃It's　your　decision；〃　he'said。　〃I　can　only　give　you　my　best　advice。　It's　a　miracle　that　I　got　away　with　this。　They　want　an　answer　now。　You　don't　have　to　take　the　deal。　You　can　get　another　lawyer　and…〃
　
　〃No。〃　She　knew　that　this　man　was　honest。　Under　the　circumstances；　considering　her　insane　behavior；　he　had　done　everything　possible　for　her。　If　only　she　could　talk　to　Charles。　But　they　needed　an　answer　now。　She　was　probably　lucky　to　get　off　with　a　three…month　suspended　sentence。
　
　〃I'll…　I'll　take　the　deal；〃　Tracy　said。　She　had　to　force　the　words　out。
　
　He　nodded。　〃Smart　girl。〃
　
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　She　was　not　permitted　to　make　any　phone　calls　before　she　was　returned　to　the　courtroom。　Ed　Topper　stood　on　one　side　of　her；　and　Perry　Pope　on　the　other。　Seated　on　the　bench　was　a　distinguished…looking　man　in　his　fifties；　with　a　smooth；　unlined　face　and　thick；　styled　hair。
　
　Judge　Henry　Lawrence　said　to　Tracy；　〃The　court　has　been　informed　that　the　defendant　wishes　to　change　her　plea　from　not　guilty　to　guilty。　Is　that　correct？〃
　
　〃Yes；　Your　Honor。〃
　
　〃Are　all　parties　in　agreement？〃
　
　Perry　Pope　nodded。　〃Yes；　Your　Honor。〃
　
　〃The　state　agrees；　Your　Honor；〃　the　district　attorney　said。
　
　Judge　Lawrence　sat　there　in　silence　for　a　long　moment。　Then　he　leaned　forward　and　looked　into　Tracy's　eyes。　〃One　of　the　reasons　this　great　country　of　ours　is　in　such　pitiful　shape　is　that　the　streets　are　crawling　with　vermin　who　think　they　can　get　away　with　anything。　People　who　laugh　at　the　law。　Some　judicial　systems　in　this　country　coddle　criminals。　Well；　in　Louisiana；　we　don't　believe　in　that。　When；　during　the　mission　of　a　felony；　someone　tries　to　kill　in　cold　blood；　we　believe　that　that　person　should　be　properly　punished。〃
　
　Tracy　began　to　feel　the　first　stirrings　of　panic。　She　turned　to　look　at　Perry　Pope。　His　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　judge。
　
　〃The　defendant　has　admitted　that　she　attempted　to　murder　one　of　the　outstanding　citizens　of　this　munity…　a　man　noted　for　his　philanthropy　and　good　works。　The　defendant　shot　him　while　in　the　act　of　stealing　an　art　object　worth　half　a　million　dollars。〃　His　voice　grew　harsher。　〃Well；　this　court　is　going　to　see　to　it　that　you　don't　get　to　enjoy　that　money…　not　for　the　next　fifteen　years；　because　for　the　next　fifteen　years　you're　going　to　be　incarcerated　in　the　Southern　Louisiana　Penitentiary　for　Women。〃
　
　Tracy　felt　the　courtroom　begin　to　spin。　Some　horrible　joke　was　being　played。　The　judge　was　an　actor　typecast　for　the　part；　but　he　was　reading　the　wrong　lines。　He　was　not　supposed　to　say　any　of　those　things。　She　turned　to　explain　that　to　Perry　Pope；　but　his　eyes　were　averted。　He　was　juggling　papers　in　his　briefcase；　and　for　the　first　time；　Tracy　noticed　that　his　fingernails　were　bitten　to　the　quick。　Judge　Lawrence　had　risen　and　was　gathering　up　his　notes。　Tracy　stood　there；　numb；　unable　to　prehend　what　was　happening　to　her。
　
　A　bailiff　stepped　to　Tracy's　side　and　took　her　arm。　〃e　along；〃　he　said。
　
　〃No；〃　Tracy　cried。　〃No；　please！〃　She　looked　up　at　the　judge。　〃There's　been　a　terrible　mistake；　Your　Honor。　I…〃
　
　And　as　she　felt　the　bailiff's　grip　tighten　on　her　arm；　Tracy　realized　there　had　been　no　mistake。　She　had　been　tricked。　They　were　going　to　destroy　her。
　
　Just　as　they　had　destroyed　her　mother。
　
　
　
　BOOK　ONE
　Chapter　04
　
　
　
　The　news　of　Tracy　Whitney's　crime　and　sentencing　appeared　on　the　front　page　of　the　New　Orleans　Courier；　acpanied　by　a　police　photograph　of　her。　The　major　wire　services　picked　up　the　story　and　flashed　it　to　correspondent　newspapers　around　the　country；　and　when　Tracy　was　taken　from　the　courtroom　to　await　transfer　to　the　state　penitentiary；　she　was　confronted　by　a　crew　of　television　reporters。　She　hid　her　face　in　humiliation；　but　there　was　no　escape　from　the　cameras。　Joe　Romano　was　big　news；　and　the　attempt　on　his　life　by　a　beautiful　female　burglar　was　even　bigger　news。　It　seemed　to　Tracy　that　she　was　surrounded　by　enemies。　Charles　will　get　me　out；　she　kept　repeating　to　herself。　Oh；　please；　God；　let　Charles　get　me　out。　I　can't　have　our　baby　born　in　prison。
　
　It　was　not　until　the　following　afternoon　that　the　desk　sergeant　would　permit　Tracy　to　use　the　telephone。　Harriet　answered。　〃Mr。　Stanhope's　office。〃
　
　〃Harriet；　this　is　Tracy　Whitney。　I'd　like　to　speak　to　Mr。　Stanhope。〃
　
　〃Just　a　moment；　Miss　Whitney。〃　She　heard　the　hesitation　in　the　secretary's　voice。　〃I'll…　I'll　see　if　Mr。　Stanhope　is　in。〃
　
　After　a　long；　harrowing　wait；　Tracy　finally　heard　Charles's　voice。　She　could　have　wept　with　relief。　〃Charles…〃
　
　〃Tracy？　Is　that　you；　Tracy？〃
　
　〃Yes；　darling。　Oh；　Charles；　I've　been　trying　to　reach…〃
　
　〃I've　been　going　crazy；　Tracy！　The　newspapers　here　are　full　of　wild　stories　about　you。　I　can't　believe　what　they're　saying。〃
　
　〃None　of　it　is　true；　darling。　None　of　it。　I…〃
　
　〃Why　didn't　you　call　me？〃
　
　〃I　tried。　I　couldn't　reach　you。　I…〃
　
　〃Where　are　you　now？〃
　
　〃I'm…　I'm　in　a　jail　in　New　Orleans。　Charles；　they're　going　to　send　me　to　prison　for　something　I　didn't　do。〃　To　her　horror；　she　was　weeping。
　
　〃Hold　on。　Listen　to　me。　The　papers　say　that　you　shot　a　man。　That's　not　true；　is　it？〃
　
　〃I　did　shoot　him；　but…〃
　
　〃Then　it　is　true。〃
　
　〃It's　not　the　way　it　sounds；　darling。　It's　not　like　that　at　all。　I　can　explain　everything　to　you。　I…〃
　
　〃Tracy；　did　you　plead　guilty　to　attempted　murder　and　stealing　a　painting？〃
　
　〃Yes；　Charles；　but　only　because…〃
　
　〃My　God；　if　you　needed　money　that　badly；　you　should　have　discussed　it　with　me。。。。　And　trying　to　kill　someone。。。。　I　can't　believe　this。　Neither　can　my　parents。　You're　the　headline　in　this　morning's　Philadelphia　Daily　News。　This　is　the　first　time　a　breath　of　scandal　has　ever　touched　the　Stanhope　family。〃
　
　It　was　the　bitter　self…control　of　Charles's　voice　that　made　Tracy　aware　of　the　depth　of　his　feelings。　She　had　counted　on　him　so　desperately；　and　he　was　on　their　side。　She　forced　herself　not　to　scream。　〃Darling；　I　need　you。　Please　e　down　here。　You　can　straighten　all　this　out。〃
　
　There　was　a　long　silence。　〃It　doesn't　sound　like　there's　much　to　straighten　out。　Not　if　you've　confessed　to　doing　all　those　things。　The　family　can't　afford　to　get　mixed　up　in　a　thing　like　this。　Surely　you　can　see　that。　This　has　been　a　terrible　shock　for　us。　Obviously；　I　never　really　knew　you。〃
　
　Each　word　was　a　hammerblow。　The　world　was　falling　in　on　her。　She　felt　more　alone　than　she　had　ever　felt　in　her　life。　There　was　no　one　to　turn　to　now；　no　one。　〃What…　what　about　the　baby？〃
　
　〃You'll　have　to　do　whatever　you　think　best　with　your　baby；〃　Charles　said。　〃I'm　sorry；　Tracy。〃　And　the　connection　was　broken。
　
　She　stood　there　holding　the　dead　receiver　in　her　hand。
　
　A　prisoner　behind　her　said；　〃if　you're　through　with　the　phone；　honey；　I'd　like　to　call　my　lawyer。〃
　
　When　Tracy　was　returned　to　her　cell；　the　matron　had　instructions　for　her。　〃Be　ready　to　leave　in　the　morning。　You'll　be　picked　up　at　five　o'clock。〃
　
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　She　had　a　visitor。　Otto　Schmidt　seemed　to　have　aged　years　during　the　few　hours　since　Tracy　had　last　seen　him。　He　looked　ill。
　
　〃I　just　came　to　tell　you　how　sorry　my　wife　and　I　are。　We　know　whatever　happened　wasn't　your　fault。〃
　
　If　only　Charles　had　said　that！
　
　〃The　wife　and　I　will　be　at　Mrs。　Doris's　funeral　tomorrow。〃
　
　〃Thank　you；　Otto。〃
　
　They're　going　to　bury　both　of　us　tomorrow；　Tracy　thought　miserably。
　
　She　spent　the　night　wide　awake；　lying　on　her　narrow　prison　bunk；　staring　at　the　ceiling。　In　her　mind　she　replayed　the　conversation　with　Charles　again　and　again。　He　had　never　even　given　her　a　chance　to　explain。
　
　She　had　to　think　of　the　baby。　She　had　read　of　women　having　babies　in　prison；　but　the　stories　had　been　so　remote　from　her　own　life　that　it　was　as　though　she　were　reading　about　people　from　another　planet。　Now　it　was　happening　to　her。　You'll　have　to　do　whatever　you　think　best　with　your　baby；　Charles　had　said。　She　wanted　to　have　her　baby。　And　yet；　she　thought；　they　won't　let　me　keep　it。　They'll　take　it　away　from　me　because　I'm　going　to　be　in　prison　for　the　next　fifteen　years。　It's　better　that　it　never　knows　about　its　mother。