jg.atimetokill-第26部分
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s unthinkable。
The case had real potential。 With the trial several months away； there was time to plan a rebellion。 They could march during the day around the courthouse in their white robes and pointed； hooded masks。 They could make speeches to a captive audience and parade in front of the cameras。 The press would love it…hate them； but love the altercations； the disruptions。 And at night they could intimidate with burning crosses and threatening phone calls。 The targets would be easy and unsuspecting。 Violence would be unavoidable。 They knew how to provoke it。 They fully appreciated what the sight of marching white robes did to crowds of angry niggers。
Ford County could be their playground for hide and seek； search and destroy； and hit and run。 They had time to organize and call in rades from other states。 What Kluxer would miss this golden moment？ And new recruits？ Why； this case could fuel the fires of racism and bring nigger haters out of the woods and onto the streets。 Membership was down。 Hailey would be their new battle cry； the rallying point。
〃Mr。 Cobb； can you get us the names and addresses of the nigger； his family； his lawyer； the judge； and the jurors？〃 asked Sisson。
Cobb pondered this task。 〃Everbody but the jurors。 They ain't been picked yet。〃
〃When will you know them？〃
〃Damned if I know。 I guess at trial。 What're y'all thinkin'？〃
〃We're not sure； but the Klan most likely will get involved。 We need to flex our muscle a bit； and this could be a good opportunity。〃
〃Can I help？〃 Cobb asked eagerly。
〃Sure； but you need to be a member。〃
〃We ain't got no Klan up there。 It folded a long time ago。 My granddaddy used to be a member。〃
〃You mean the grandfather of the victim was a Klansman？〃
〃Yep；〃 Cobb answered proudly。
〃Well； then； we must get involved。〃 The Klansmen shook their heads in disbelief and vowed revenge。 They explained to Cobb that if he could get five or six friends of similar thinking and motivation to agree to join； they would have a big； secret ceremony deep in the woods of Ford County with a huge burning cross and all sorts of rituals。…They would be inducted as members； full…fledged members； of the Ku Klux Klan。 Ford County Klavern。 And they would all join in and make a spectacle of the trial of Carl Lee Hailey。 They would raise so much hell in Ford County this summer that no juror with any mon sense would consider voting to acquit the nigger。 Just recruit half a dozen more； and they would make him the leader of the Ford County Klavern。
Cobb said he had enough cousins to start a klavern。 He left the meeting drunk with excitement of being a Klansman； just like his grandfather。
Buckley's timing was a little off。 His 4：00 P。M。 press show was ignored by the evening news。 Jake flipped the channels on a small black and white in his office； and laughed out loud when the networks and then Memphis； then Jackson； then Tupelo signed off with no news of the indictments。 He could see the Buckley family in their den glued to the set； turning knobs and searching desperately for their hero while he yelled at them all to be quiet。 And then at seven； after the Tupelo weather； the last weather； they backed away and left him alone in his recliner。 Maybe at ten； he probably said。
At ten； Jake and Carla laid cross…legged and tangled in the dark on the sofa； waiting on the news。 Finally； there he
was； on trie iront steps； waving papcis anu awuuiig i^*； u street preacher while the Channel 4 man on the scene explained that this was Rufus Buckley； the D。A。 who would prosecute Carl Lee Hailey now that he had been indicted。 After an awful glimpse of Buckley； the report panned around the square for a wonderful view of downtown Clanton； and then finally back to the reporter for two sentences about a trial in late summer。
〃He's offensive；〃 Carla said。 〃Why would he call a press conference to announce the indictments？〃
〃He's a prosecutor。 We defense lawyers hate the press。〃
〃I've noticed。 My scrapbook is rapidly filling up。〃
〃Be sure and make copies for Mom。〃
〃Will you autograph it for her？〃
〃Only for a fee。 Yours； I will autograph for free。〃
〃Fine。 And if you lose； I'll send you a bill for clipping and pasting。〃
〃I remind you； dear； that I have never lost a murder case。 Three and oh； as a matter of fact。〃
Carla punched the remote control and the weatherman remained but his volume disappeared。 〃You know what I dislike most about your murder trials？〃 She kicked the cushions from her thin； bronze； almost perfect legs。
〃The blood； the carnage； the gruesomeness？〃
〃No。〃 She unfolded her shoulder…length hair and let it fall around her on the arm of the sofa。
〃The loss of life； regardless of how insignificant？〃
〃No。〃 She was wearing one of his old； starched…out； sixteen…by…thirty…four； pinpoint Oxford button…downs； and she began to play with the buttons。
〃The horrible specter of an innocent man facing the gas chamber？〃
〃No。〃 She was unbuttoning it。 The bluish gray rays from the television flashed like a strobe in the dark room as the artchorperson smiled and mouthed good night。
〃The fear of a young family as the father walks into the courtroom and faces a jury of his peers？〃
〃No。〃 It was unbuttoned； and under it a thin； fluorescent band of white silk glittered against the brown skin。
〃The latent unfairness of our judicial system？〃
〃No。〃 She slid an almost perfect bronze leg up； up； up to the back of the sofa where it gently came to rest。
〃The unethical and unscrupulous tactics employed by cops and prosecutors to nail innocent defendants？〃
〃No。〃 She unsnapped the band of silk between the two almost perfect breasts。
〃The fervor； the fury； the intensity； the uncontrolled emotions； the struggle of the human spirit； the unbridled passion？〃
〃Close enough；〃 she said。 Shirts and shorts ricocheted off the lamps and coffee tables as the bodies meshed deep under the cushions。 The old sofa； a gift from her parents； rocked and squeaked on the ancient hardwood floor。 It was sturdy； and accustomed to the rocking and squeaking。 Max the mix…breed instinctively ran down the hall to stand guard by Hanna's door。
Harry Rex Vonner was a huge slob of a lawyer who specialized in nasty divorce cases and perpetually kept some jerk in jail for back child support。 He was vile and vicious； and his services were in great demand by divorcing parties in Ford County。 He could get the children； the house； the farm； the VCR； and microwave； everything。 One wealthy farmer kept him on retainer just so the current wife couldn't hire him for the next divorce。 Harry Rex sent his criminal cases to Jake； and Jake sent his nasty divorces to Harry Rex。 They were friends and disliked the other lawyers； especially the Sullivan firm。
Tuesday morning he barged in and growled at Ethel： 〃Jake in？〃 He lumbered toward the stairs； glaring at her and daring her to speak。 She nodded； knowing better than to ask if he was expected。 He had cursed her before。 He had cursed everybody before。
The stairway shook as he thundered upward。 He was gasping for air as he entered the big office。
〃Morning； Harry Rex。 You gonna make it？〃
〃Why don't you get an office downstairs？〃 he demanded between breaths。
〃You need the exercise。 If it weren't for those stairs your weight would be over three hundred。〃
〃Thanks。 Say； I just came from the courtroom。 Noose wants you in chambers at ten…thirty if possible。 Wants to talk about Hailey with you and Buckley。 Set up arraignment； trial date； all that crap。 He asked me to tell you。〃
〃Good。 I'll be there。〃
〃I guess you heard about the grand jury？〃
〃Sure。 I've got a copy of the indictment right here。〃
Harry Rex smiled。 〃No。 No； I mean the vote on the indictment。〃
Jake froze and looked at him curiously。 Harry Rex moved in silent and dark circles like a cloud over the county。 He was an endless source of gossip and rumor； and took great pride in spreading only the truth…most of the time。 He was the first to know almost everything。 The legend of
Harry Rex began twenty years earlier with his first jury trial。 The railroad he had sued for millions refused to offer a dime； and after three days of trial the jury retired to deliberate。 The railroad lawyers became concerned when the jury failed to return with a quick verdict in their favor。 They offered Harry Rex twenty…five thousand to settle when the deliberations went into the second day。 With nerves of steel； he told them to go to hell。 His client wanted the money。 He told his client to go to hell。 Hours later a weary and fatigued jury returned with a verdict for one hundred fifty thousand。 Harry Rex shot the bird at the railroad lawyers； snubbed his clients and went to the bar at the Best Western。 He bought drinks for everyone； and during the course of the long evening explained in detail exactly how he had wired the jury room and knew exactly what the jury was up to。 Word spread； and Murphy found a series of wires running through the heating ducts to the jury room。 The State Bar Association snooped around； but found nothing。 For twenty years the judges had ordered the bailiffs to inspect the jury room when Harry Rex was in any way connected with a case。
〃How do you know the vote？〃 Jake asked； suspicion hanging on every syllable。
〃I got sources。〃
〃Okay； what was the vote？〃
〃Twelve to six。 One fewer vote and you wouldn't be holding that indictment。〃
〃Twelve to six；〃 Jake repeated。
〃Buckley near 'bout died。 A guy named Crowell； white guy； took charge and almost convinced enough of them not to indict your man。〃
〃Do you know Crowell？〃
〃I handled his divorce two years ago。 He lived in Jackson until his first wife was raped by a nigger。 She went crazy and they got a divorce。 She took a steak knife and sliced her wrists。 Then he moved to Clanton and married some sleazebag out in the county。 Lasted about a year。 He ate Buckley's lunch。 Told him to shut up and sit down。 I wish I could've seen it。〃
〃Sounds like you did。〃
〃Naw。 Just got a good source。〃
〃Who？〃
〃Jake； e on。〃
〃You been wiring rooms again？〃
〃Nope。 I just listen。 That's a good sign； ain't it？〃
〃What？〃
〃The close vote。 Six outta eighteen voted to let him walk。 Five niggers and Crowell。 That's a
