jg.atimetokill-第15部分

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　〃You　don't　sound　too　confident。〃
　You　big　stupid　idiot；　thought　Jake。　How　could　he　be　confident　at　a　time　like　this。　The　bodies　were　still　warm。　Sure；　he　was　confident　before　the　killings；　but　now　it　was　different。　His　client　was　facing　the　gas　for　a　crime　which　he　admits　he　mitted。
　〃Where'd　you　get　the　gun？〃
　〃A　friend　in　Memphis。〃
　〃Okay。　Did　Lester　help？〃
　〃Nope。　He　knew　'bout　what　Fs　gonna　do；　and　he　wanted　to　help；　but　I　wouldn't　let　him。〃
　〃How's　Gwen？〃
　〃She's　pretty　crazy　right　now；　but　tester's　with　her。　She　didn't　know　a　thing　about　it。〃
　〃The　kids？〃
　〃You　know　how　kids　are。　They　don't　want　their　daddy　in　jail。　They　upset；　but　they'll　make　it。　Lester'll　take　care　of　them。〃
　〃Is　he　going　back　to　Chicago？〃
　〃Not　for　a　while。　Jake；　when　do　we　go　to　court？〃
　〃The　preliminary　should　be　tomorrow　or　Wednesday；　depends　on　Bullard。〃
　〃Is　he　the　judge？〃
　〃He　will　be　for　the　preliminary　hearing。　But　he　won't　hear　the　trial。　That'll　be　in　Circuit　Court。〃
　〃Who's　the　judge　there？〃
　〃Omar　Noose　from　Van　Buren　County；　same　judge　who　tried　Lester。〃
　〃Good。　He's　okay；　ain't　he？〃
　〃Yeah；　he's　a　good　judge。〃
　〃When　will　the　trial　be？〃
　〃Late　summer　or　early　fall。　Buckley　will　push　for　a　quick　trial。〃
　〃Who's　Buckley？〃
　〃Rufus　Buckley。　District　attorney。　Same　D。A。　who　prosecuted　Lester。　You　remember　him。　Big；　loud　guy…〃
　〃Yeah；　yeah；　I　remember。　Big　bad　Rufus　Buckley。　I'd　forgot　all　about　him。　He's　pretty　mean；　ain't　he？〃
　〃He's　good；　very　good。　He's　corrupt　and　ambitious；　and　he'll　eat　this　up　because　of　the　publicity。〃
　〃You've　beat　him；　ain't　you？〃
　〃Yeah；　and　he's　beat　me。〃
　Jake　opened　his　briefcase　and　removed　a　file。　Inside　was　a　contract　for　legal　services；　which　he　studied　although　he　had　it　memorized。　His　fees　were　based　on　the　ability　to　pay；　and　the　blacks　generally　could　pay　little　unless　there　was　a　close　and　generous　relative　in　St。　Louis　or　Chicago　with　a　good…paying　job。　Those　were　rare。　In　Lester's　trial　there　had　been　a　brother　in　California　who　worked　for　the　post　office　but　he'd　been　unwilling　or　unable　to　help。　There　were　some　sisters　scattered　around　but　they　had　their　own　problems　and　had　offered　only　moral　support　for　Lester。　Gwen　had　a　big　family；　and　they　stayed　out　of　trouble；　but
　they　were　not　prosperous。　Carl　Lee　owned　a　few　acres　around　his　house　and　had　mortgaged　it　to　help　Lester　pay　Jake　before。
　He　had　charged　Lester　five　thousand　for　his　murder　trial；　half　was　paid　before　trial　and　the　rest　in　installments　over　three　years。
　Jake　hated　to　discuss　fees。　It　was　the　most　difficult　part　of　practicing　law。　Clients　wanted　to　know　up　front；　immediately；　how　much　he　would　cost；　and　they　all　reacted　differently。　Some　were　shocked；　some　just　swallowed　hard；　a　few　had　stormed　out　of　his　office。　Some　negotiated；　but　most　paid　or　promised　to　pay。
　He　studied　the　file　and　the　contract　and　thought　desperately　of　a　fair　fee。　There　were　other　lawyers　out　there　who　would　take　such　a　case　for　almost　nothing。　Nothing　but　publicity。　He　thought　about　the　acreage；　and　the　job　at　the　paper　mill；　and　the　family；　and　finally　said；　〃My　fee　is　ten　thousand。〃
　Carl　Lee　was　not　moved。　〃You　charged　Lester　five　thousand。〃
　Jake　anticipated　this。　〃You　have　three　counts；　Lester　had　one。〃
　〃How　many　times　can　I　go　to　the　gas　chamber？〃
　〃Good　point。　How　much　can　you　pay？〃
　〃I　can　pay　a　thousand　now；〃　he　said　proudly。　〃And　I'll　borrow　as　much　as　I　can　on　my　land　and　give　it　all　to　you。〃
　Jake　thought　a　minute。　〃I've　got　a　better　idea。　Let's　agree　on　a　fee。　You　pay　a　thousand　now　and　sign　a　note　for　the　rest。　Borrow　on　your　land　and　pay　against　the　note。〃
　〃How　much　you　want？〃　asked　Carl　Lee。
　〃Ten　thousand。〃
　〃I'll　pay　five。〃
　〃You　can　pay　more　than　that。〃
　〃And　you　can　do　it　for　less　than　ten。〃
　〃Okay；　I　can　do　it　for　nine。〃
　〃Then　I　can　pay　six。〃
　〃Eight？〃
　〃Seven。〃
　〃Can　we　agree　on　seventy…five　hundred？〃
　〃Yeah；　I　think　I　can　pay　that　much。　Depends　on　how
　much　they'll　loan　me　on　my　land。　You　want　me　to　pay　a　thousand　now　and　sign　a　note　for　sixty…five　hundred？〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃Okay；　you　got　a　deal。〃
　Jake　filled　in　the　blanks　in　the　contract　and　promissory　note；　and　Carl　Lee　signed　both。
　〃Jake；　how　much　would　you　charge　a　man　with　plenty　of　money？〃
　〃Fifty　thousand。〃
　〃Fifty　thousand！　You　serious？〃
　〃Yep。〃
　〃Man；　that's　a　lotta　money。　You　ever　get　that　much？〃
　〃No；　but　I　haven't　seen　too　many　people　on　trial　for　murder　with　that　kind　of　money。〃
　Carl　Lee　wanted　to　know　about　his　bond；　the　grand　jury；　the　trial；　the　witnesses；　who　would　be　on　the　jury；　when　could　he　get　out　of　jail；　could　Jake　speed　up　the　trial；　when　could　he　tell　his　version；　and　a　thousand　other　questions。　Jake　said　they　would　have　plenty　of　time　to　talk。　He　promised　to　call　Gwen　and　his　boss　at　the　paper　mill。
　He　left　and　Carl　Lee　was　placed　in　his　cell；　the　one　next　to　the　cell　for　state　prisoners。
　The　Saab　was　blocked　by　a　television　van。　Jake　inquired　as　to　who　owned　it。　Most　of　the　reporters　had　left　but　a　few　loitered　about；　expecting　something。　It　was　almost　dark。
　〃Are　you　with　the　sheriffs　department？〃　asked　a　reporter。
　〃No；　I'm　a　lawyer；〃　Jake　answered　nonchalantly；　attempting　to　seem　disinterested。
　〃Are　you　Mr。　Hailey's　attorney？〃
　Jake　turned　and　stared　at　the　reporter　as　the　others　listened。　〃Matter　of　fact；　I　am。〃
　〃Will　you　answer　some　questions？〃
　〃You　can　ask　some。　I　won't　promise　any　answers。〃
　〃Will　you　step　over　here？〃
　Jake　walked　to　the　microphones　and　cameras　and　tried　to　act　annoyed　by　the　inconvenience。　Ozzie　and　the　deputies　watched　from　inside。　〃Jake　loves　cameras；〃　he　said。
　〃All　lawyers　do；〃　added　Moss。
　〃What　is　your　name；　sir？〃
　〃Jake　Brigance；〃
　〃You're　Mr。　Hailey's　attorney。〃
　〃Correct；〃　Jake　answered　coolly。
　〃Mr。　Hailey　is　the　father　of　the　young　girl　raped　by　the　two　men　who　were　killed　today？〃
　〃Correct。〃
　〃Who　killed　the　two　men？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃Was　it　Mr。　Hailey？〃
　〃I　said　I　don't　know。〃
　〃What's　your　client　been　charged　with？〃
　〃He's　been　arrested　for　the　murders　of　Billy　Ray　Cobb　and　Pete　Willard。　He　hasn't　formally　been　charged　with　anything。〃
　〃Do　you　expect　Mr。　Hailey　to　be　indicted　for　the　two　murders？〃
　〃No　ment。〃
　〃Why　no　ment？〃
　〃Have　you　talked　with　Mr。　Hailey？〃　asked　another　reporter。
　〃Yes；　just　a　moment　ago。〃
　〃How　is　he？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃Well；　uh；　how　is　he？〃
　〃You　mean；　how　does　he　like　jail？〃　Jake　asked　with　a　slight　grin。
　〃Uh；　yeah。〃
　〃No　ment。〃
　〃When　will　he　be　in　court？〃
　〃Probably　tomorrow　or　Wednesday。〃
　〃Will　he　plead　guilty？〃
　Jake　smiled　and　replied；　〃Of　course　not。〃
　After　a　cold　supper；　they　sat　in　the　swing　on　the　front　porch　and　watched　the　lawn　sprinkler　and　talked　about　the　case。　The　killings　were　big　news　across　the　country；　and　Carla　recorded　as　many　television　reports　as　possible。　Two　of　the　networks　covered　the　story　live　through　their　Memphis　affiliates；　and　the　Memphis；　Jackson；　and　Tupelo　stations　re…
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　house　surrounded　by　deputies；　and　seconds　later；　being　carried　from　the　courthouse　under　white　sheets。　One　of　the　stations　played　the　actual　audio　of　the　gunfire　over　film　of　the　deputies　scrambling　for　cover。
　Jake's　interview　was　too　late　for　the　evening　news；　so　he　and　Carla　waited；　with　the　recorder；　for　the　ten　o'clock；　and　there　he　was；　briefcase　in　hand；　looking　trim；　fit；　handsome；　and　arrogant；　and　very　disgusted　with　the　reporters　for　the　inconvenience。　Jake　thought　he　looked　great　on　TV；　and　he　was　excited　to　be　there。　There　had　been　one　other　brief　appearance；　after　Lester's　acquittal；　and　the　regulars　at　the　Coffee　Shop　had　kidded　him　for　months。
　He　felt　good。　He　relished　the　publicity　and　anticipated　much　more。　He　could　not　think　of　another　case；　another　set　of　facts；　another　setting　which　could　generate　as　much　publicity　as　the　trial　of　Carl　Lee　Hailey。　And　the　acquittal　of　Carl　Lee　Hailey；　for　the　murder　of　the　two　white　men　who　raped　his　daughter；　before　an　all…white　jury　in　rural　Mississippi^
　〃What're　you　smiling　about？〃　Carla　interrupted。
　〃Nothing。〃
　〃Sure。　You're　thinking　about　the　trial；　and　the　cameras；　the　reporters；　the　acquittal；　and　walking　out　of　the　courthouse；　arm　around　Carl　Lee；　reporters　chasing　you　with　the　cameras　rolling；　people　slapping　you　on　the　back；　congratulations　everywhere。　I　know　exactly　what　you're　thinking　about。〃
　〃Then　why'd　you　ask？〃
　〃To　see　if　you'd　admit　it。〃
　〃Okay；　I　admit　it。　This　case　could　make　me　famous　and　make　us　a　million　bucks；　in　the　long　run。〃
　〃If　you　win。〃
　〃Yes；　if　I　win。〃
　〃And　if　you　lose？〃
　〃I'll　win。〃
　〃But　if　you　don't？〃
　〃Think　positive。〃
　The　phone　rang　and　Jake　spent　ten　minutes　with　the　editor；　owner；　and　only　reporter　of　The　Clanton　Chronicle。　It　rang　again；　and　Jake　talked　with　a　reporter　with　the　Mem…
　phis　morning　paper。　He　hung　up　and　called　Lester　ana　Gwen；　then　the　foreman　at　the　paper　mill。
　At　eleven…fifteen　it　rang　again；　and　Jake　received　his　first　death　threat；　anonymous　of　course。　He　was　called　a　nigger…loving　son　of　a　bitch；　one　who　would　not　live　if　the　nigger　walked。
　Dell　Perkins　served　more　coffee　and　grits　than　usual　Tuesday　morning　after　the　killings。　All　the　regulars　and　some　extras　had　gathered　early　to　read　the　papers　and　talk　about　the　killings；　which　had　taken　place　less　than　three　hundred　feet　from　the　front　door　of　the　Coffee　Shop。　Claude's　and　the　Tea　Shoppe　were　also　crowded　earlier　than　usual。　Jake's　picture　made　the　front　page　of　the　Tupelo　paper；　and　the　Memphis　and　Jackson　papers　had　front…page　photos　of　Cobb　and　Willard；　both　before　the　shootings　and　afterward　as　the　bodies　were　loaded　into　the　ambulance。　There　were　no　pictures　of　Carl　Lee。　All　three　papers　ran　detailed　accounts　of　the　past　six　days　in　Clanton。
　It　was　widely　accepted　around　town　that　Carl　Lee　had　done　the　killing；　but　rumors　of　additional　gunmen　surfaced　and　flourished　until　one　table　at　the　Tea　Shoppe　had　a　whole　band　of　wild　niggers　in　on　the　attack。　However；　the　deputies　in　the　Coffee　Shop；　though　not　talkative；　throttled　the　gossip　and　kept　it　pretty　much　under　control。