jg.atimetokill-第41部分
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Lucien took a long drink and studied the light brown liquid and the floating ice cubes。 〃You said you would help me。 God knows you owe me the favor。 How many divorces did I handle for you？〃
〃Three。 And I got cleaned out every time。〃
〃You deserved it every time。 It was either give in or go to trial and have your habits discussed in open court。〃
〃I remember。〃
〃How many clients； or patients； have I sent you over the years？〃
〃Not enough to pay my alimony。〃
〃Remember the malpractice case by the lady whose treatment consisted primarily of weekly sessions on your couch with the foldaway bed？ Your malpractice carrier refused to defend； so you called your dear friend Lucien who settled it for peanuts and kept it out of court。〃
〃There were no witnesses。〃
〃Just the lady herself。 And the court files showing where your wives had sued for divorce on the grounds of adultery。〃
〃They couldn't prove it。〃
〃They didn't get a chance。 We didn't want them to try； remember？〃
〃All right； enough； enough。 I said I would help。 What about my credentials？〃
〃Are you a pulsive worrier？〃
〃No。 I just get nervous when I think of courtrooms。〃
〃Your credentials are fine。 You've been qualified before as an expert witness。 Don't worry so much。〃
〃What about this？〃 He waved his drink at Lucien。
〃You shouldn't drink so much；〃 he said piously。
The doctor dropped his drink and exploded in laughter。 He rofled out of his chair and crawled to the edge of the porch； holding his stomach and shaking in laughter。
〃You're drunk；〃 Lucien said as he left for another bottle。
When Jake arrived an hour later； Lucien was rocking slowly in his huge wicker rocker。 The doctor was asleep in the swing at the far end of the porch。 He was barefoot； and his toes had disappeared into the shrubbery that lined the porch。 Jake walked up the steps and startled Lucien。
〃Jake； my boy； how are you？〃 he slurred。
〃Fine； Lucien。 I see you're doing quite well。〃 He looked at the empty bottle and one not quite empty。
〃I wanted you to meet that man；〃 he said； trying to sit up straight。
〃Who is he？〃
〃He's our psychiatrist。 Dr。 W。T。 Bass； from Jackson。 Good friend of mine。 He'll help us with Hailey。〃
〃Is he good？〃
〃The best。 We've worked together on several insanity cases。〃
Jake took a few steps in the direction of the swing and stopped。 The doctor was lying on his back with his shirt unbuttoned and his mouth wide open。 He snored heavily； with an unusual guttural gurgling sound。 A horsefly the size of a small sparrow buzzed around his nose and retreated to the top of the swing with each thunderous exhalation。 A rancid vapor emanated with the snoring and hung like an invisible fog over the end of the porch。
〃He's a doctor？〃 Jake asked as he sat next to Lucien。
〃Psychiatry；〃 Lucien said proudly。
〃Did he help you with those？〃 Jake nodded at the bottles。
〃I helped him。 He drinks like a fish； but he's always sober at trial。〃
〃That's forting。〃
〃You'll like him。 He's cheap。 Owes me a favor。 Won't cost a dime。〃
〃I like him already。〃
Lucien's face was as red as his eyes。 〃Wanna drink？〃
〃No。 It's three…thirty in the afternoon。〃
〃Really！ What day is it？〃
〃Wednesday； June 12。 How long have y'all been drinking？〃
〃 'Bout thirty years。〃 Lucien laughed and rattled his ice cubes。
〃I mean today。〃
〃We drank our breakfast。 What difference does it make？〃
〃Does he work？〃
〃Naw； he's retired。〃
〃Was his retirement voluntary？〃
〃You mean； was he disbarred； so to speak？〃
〃That's right； so to speak。〃
〃No。 He still has his license； and his credentials are impeccable。〃
〃He looks impeccable。〃
〃Booze got him a few years ago。 Booze and alimony。 I handled three of his divorces。 He reached the point where all of his ine went for alimony and child support； so he quit working。〃
〃How does he manage？〃
〃We； uh； I mean； he stashed some away。 Hid it from his wives and their hungry lawyers。 He's really quite fortable。〃
〃He looks fortable。〃
〃Plus he peddles a little dope； but only to a rich clientele。 Not really dope； but narcotics which he can legally prescribe。 It's not really illegal； just a little unethical。〃
〃What's he doing here？〃
〃He visits occasionally。 He lives in Jackson but hates it。 I called him Sunday after I talked to you。 He wants to meet Hailey as soon as possible； tomorrow if he can。〃
The doctor grunted and rolled to his side； causing the swing to move suddenly。 It swung a few times； and he moved again； still snoring。 He stretched his right leg； and his foot caught a thick branch in the shrubbery。 The swing jerked
sideways and threw the good doctor onto the porch。 His head crashed onto the wooden floor while his right foot remained lodged through the end of the swing。 He grimaced and coughed； then began snoring again。 Jake instinctively started toward him； but stopped when it was apparent he was unharmed and still asleep。
〃Leave him alone！〃 ordered Lucien between laughs。
Lucien slid an ice cube down the porch and just missed the doctor's head。 The second cube landed perfectly on the tip of his nose。 〃Perfect shot！〃 Lucien roared。 〃Wake up； you drunk！〃
Jake walked down the steps toward his car； listening to his former boss laugh and curse and throw ice cubes at Dr。 W。T。 Bass； psychiatrist； witness for the defense。
Deputy DeWayne Looney left the hospital on crutches； and drove his wife and three children to the jail； where the sheriff； the other deputies； the reserves； and a few friends waited with a cake and small gifts。 He would be a dispatcher now； and would retain his badge and uniform and full salary。
The fellowship hall of the Springdale Church had been thoroughly cleaned and shined； and the folding tables and chairs dusted and placed in perfect rows around the room。 It was the largest black church in the county and it was in Clanton； so the Reverend Agee deemed it necessary to meet there。 The purpose of the press conference was to get vocal； to show support of the local boy who made good； and to announce the establishment of the Carl Lee Hailey Legal Defense Fund。 The national director of the NAACP was present with a five…thousand…dollar check and a promise of serious money later。 The executive director of the Memphis branch brought five thousand and grandly laid it on the table。 They sat with Agee behind the two folding tables in the front of the room with every member of the council seated behind them and two hundred black church members in the crowded audience。 Gwen sat next to Agee。 A few reporters and cameras； much fewer than expected； grouped in the center of the room and filmed away。
Agee spoke first and was inspired by the cameras。 He talked of the Haileys and their goodness and innocence； and of baptizing Tonya when she was only eight。 He talked of a family wrecked by racism and hatred。 There were sniffles in the audience。 Then he got mean。 He tore into the judicial system and its desire to prosecute a good and decent man who had done no wrong； a man； who； if white； would not be on trial； a man who was on trial only because he was black and that was what was so wrong with the prosecution and persecution of Carl Lee Hailey。 He found his rhythm and the crowd joined in； and the press conference took on the fervor of a tent revival。 He lasted for forty…five minutes。
He was a hard act to follow。 But the national director did not hesitate。 He delivered a thirty…minute oratorical condemnation of racism。 He seized the moment and spouted national statistics on crime and arrests and convictions and inmate population and summed it all up by declaring that the criminal justice system was controlled by white people
who unfairly persecuted black people。 Then in a bewildering flurry of rationale he brought the national statistics to Ford County and pronounced the system unfit to deal with Carl Lee Hailey。 The lights from the TV cameras produced a line of sweat above his eyebrows and he warmed to the task。 He got angrier than Reverend Agee and pounded the podium and made the cluster of microphones jump and shake。 He exhorted the blacks of Ford County and of Mississippi to give until it hurt。 He promised demonstrations and marches。 The trial would be a battle cry for black and oppressed folk everywhere。
He answered questions。 How much money would be raised？ At least fifty thousand； they hoped。 It would be expensive to defend Carl Lee Hailey and fifty thousand may not be enough； but they would raise whatever it took。 But time was running short。 Where would the money go？ Legal fees and litigation expenses。 A battery of lawyers and doctors would be needed。 Would NAACP lawyers be used？ Of course。 The legal staff in Washington was already at work on the case。 The capital defense unit would handle all aspects of the trial。 Carl Lee Hailey had bee their top priority and all available resources would be devoted to his defense。
When he finished； Reverend Agee retook the podium and nodded at a piano player in the corner。 The music started。 They all stood； hand in hand； and sang a stirring rendition of 〃We Shall Overe。〃
Jake read about the defense fund in Tuesday's paper。 He had heard rumors of the special offering being administered by the council； but was told the money was for the support of the family。 Fifty thousand for legal fees！ He was angry； but interested。 Would he be fired again？ Suppose Carl Lee refused to hire the NAACP lawyers； what would happen to the money？ The trial was five weeks away； plenty of time for the capital defense team to descend on Clanton。 He had read about these guys； a team of six capital murder specialists who toured the South defending blacks accused of heinous and notorious crimes。 〃The Death Squad〃 was their nickname。 They were very bright； very talented； very educated lawyers dedicated to rescuing black murderers from the vari…
ous gas chambers and electric chairs around the South。 They handled nothing 。but capital murder cases and were very； very good at their work。 The NAACP ran their interference； raising money； organizing local blacks； and generating publicity。 Racism was their best； and sometimes only； defense and though they lost much more than they won； their record was not bad。 The cases they handled were supposed t
