jg.atimetokill-第50部分
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sed a few feet away。 Next to the man was a neat pile of a dozen sticks of dynamite。 Between his legs was a large； round…faced clock with wires bound together with silver electrical tape。
〃Is it defused？〃 Ozzie asked anxiously。
〃Yeah；〃 he replied between heavy； rapid breaths。
Ozzie knelt before him and removed the clock and the wires。 He did not touch the dynamite。 〃Where are your buddies？〃
No response。
He removed his nightstick and moved closer to the man。 〃I'm gonna start breakin' ribs one at a time。 You better start talkin'。 Now where are your buddies？〃
〃Kiss my ass。〃
Ozzie stood and quickly looked around； not at Jake and the deputies； but at the house next door。 Seeing nothing； he raised the nightstick。 The suspect's left arm hung from the gas meter； and Ozzie planted the stick just below the left armpit。 He squealed and jerked to the left。 Jake almost felt sorry for him。
〃Where are they？〃 Ozzie demanded。
No response。
Jake turned his head as the sheriff landed another blow to the ribs。
〃Where are they？〃
No response。
Ozzie raised the nightstick。
〃Stop 。 。 。 please stop；〃 the suspect begged。
〃Where are they？〃
〃Down that way。 A couple of blocks。〃
〃How many？〃
〃One。〃
〃What vehicle？〃
〃Pickup。 Red GMC。〃
〃Get the patrol cars；〃 Ozzie ordered。
Jake waited impatiently under the carport for his wife to return。 At two…fifteen she drove slowly into the driveway and parked。
〃Is Hanna asleep？〃 Jake asked as he opened the door。
〃Yes。〃
〃Good。 Leave her there。 We'll be leaving in a few minutes。〃
〃Where are we going？〃
〃We'll discuss it inside。〃
Jake poured the coffee and tried to act calm。 Carla was scared and shaking and angry and making it difficult to act calm。 He described the bomb and suspect and explained that Ozzie was searching for the acplice。
〃I want you and Hanna to go to Wilmington and stay with your parents until after the trial；〃 he said。
She stared at the coffee and said nothing。
〃I've already called your dad and explained everything。
They're scared too； and they insist you stay with them until this thing is over。〃
〃And what if I don't want to go？〃
〃Please； Carla。 How can you argue at a time like this？〃
〃What about you？〃
〃I'll be fine。 Ozzie will give me a bodyguard and they'll watch the house around the clock。 I'll sleep at the office some。 I'll be safe； I promise。〃
She was not convinced。
〃Look； Carla； I've got a thousand things on my mind right now。 I've got a client facing the gas chamber and his trial is ten days away。 I can't lose it。 I'll work night and day from now until the twenty…second； and once the trial starts you won't see me anyway。 The last thing I need is to be worried about you and Hanna。 Please go。〃
〃They were going to kill us； Jake。 They tried to kill us。〃
He couldn't deny it。
〃You promised to withdraw if the danger became real。〃
〃It's out of the question。 Noose would never allow me to withdraw at this late date。〃
〃I feel as though you've lied to me。〃
〃That's not fair。 I think I underestimated this thing； and now it's too late。〃
She walked to the bedroom and began packing。
〃The plane leaves Memphis at six…thirty。 Your father will meet you at the Raleigh airport at nine…thirty。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
Fifteen minutes later they left Clanton。 Jake drove and Carla ignored him。 At five； they ate breakfast in the Memphis airport。 Hanna was sleepy but excited about seeing her grandparents。 Carla said little。 She had much to say； but as a rule； they didn't argue in front of Hanna。 She ate quietly and sipped her coffee and watched her husband casually read the paper as if nothing had happened。
Jake kissed them goodbye and promised to call every day。 The plane left on time。 At seven…thirty he was in Ozzie's office。
〃Who is he？〃 Jake asked the sheriff。
〃We have no idea。 No wallet； no identification； nothin'。 And he ain't talkin'。〃
〃Does anybody recognize him？〃
Ozzie thought for a second。 〃Well； Jake； he's kinda hard to recognize right now。 Got a lot of bandages on his face。〃
Jake smiled。 〃You play rough； don't you； big guy？〃
〃Only when I have to。 I didn't hear you object。〃
〃No； I wanted to help。 What about his friend？〃
〃We found him sleepin' in a red GMC 'bout a half a mile from your house。 Terrell Grist。 Local redneck。 Lives out from Lake Village。 I think he's a friend of the Cobb family。〃
Jake repeated the name a few times。 〃Never heard of him。 Where is he？〃
〃Hospital。 Same room with the other。〃
〃My God； Ozzie； did you break his legs too？〃
〃Jake； my friend； he resisted arrest。 We had to subdue him。 Then we had to interrogate him。 He didn't want to cooperate。〃
〃What did he say？〃
〃Not much。 Don't know nothin'。 I'm convinced he doesn't know the guy with the dynamite。〃
〃You mean they brought in a professional？〃
〃Could be。 Riley looked at the firecrackers and timin' device and said it was pretty good work。 We'd have never found you； your wife； your daughter； probably never found your house。 It was set for two A。M。 Without the tip； you'd be dead； Jake。 So would your family。〃
Jake felt dizzy and sat on the couch。 Reaction set in like a hard kick to the groin。 A case of diarrhea almost manifested itself； and he was nauseated。
〃You get your family off？〃
〃Yeah；〃 he said weakly。
〃I'm gonna assign a deputy to you full…time。 Got a preference？〃
〃Not really。〃
〃How 'bout Nesbit？〃
〃Fine。 Thanks。〃
〃One other thing。 I guess you want this kept quiet？〃
〃If possible。 Who knows about it？〃
〃Just me and the deputies。 I think we can keep it under wraps until after the trial； but I can't guarantee anything。〃
〃I understand。 Try your best。〃
〃I will； Jake。〃
〃I know you will； Ozzie。 I appreciate you。〃
Jake drove to the office； made the coffee and lay on the couch in his office。 He wanted a quick nap； but sleep was impossible。 His eyes burned； but he could not close them。 He stared at the ceiling fan。
〃Mr。 Brigance；〃 Ethel called over the inter。
No response。
〃Mr。 Brigance！〃
Somewhere in the deep recesses of his subconscious； Jake heard himself being paged/。He bolted upright。 〃Yes！〃 he yelled。
〃Judge Noose is on the phone。〃
〃Okay； okay；〃 he mumbled as he staggered to his desk。 He checked his watch。 Nine A。M。 He had slept for an hour。
〃Good morning； Judge；〃 he said cheerfully； trying to sound alert and awake。
〃Good morning； Jake。 How are you？〃
〃Just fine； Judge。 Busy getting ready for the big trial。〃
〃I thought so。 Jake； what is your schedule today？〃
What's today； he thought。 He grabbed his appointment book。 〃Nothing but office work。〃
〃Good。 I would like to have lunch with you at my home。 Say around eleven…thirty。〃
〃I would be delighted； Judge。 What's the occasion？〃
〃I want to discuss the Hailey case。〃
〃Fine； Judge。 I'll see you at eleven…thirty。〃
The Nooses lived in a stately antebellum home off the town square in Chester。 The home had been in the wife's family for over a century； and although it could stand some maintenance and repair； it was in decent condition。 Jake had never been a guest in the house； and had never met Mrs。 Noose； although he had heard she was a snobby blue blood whose family at one time had money but lost it。 She was as unattractive as Ichabod； and Jake wondered what the children looked like。 She was properly polite when she met Jake at
the door and attempted small talk as she led him to the patio； where His Honor was drinking iced tea and reviewing correspondence。 A maid was preparing a small table nearby。
〃Good to see you； Jake；〃 Ichabod said warmly。 〃Thanks for ing over。〃
〃My pleasure； Judge。 Beautiful place you have here。〃
They discussed the Hailey trial over soup and chicken salad sandwiches。 Ichabod was dreading the ordeal； although he didn't admit it。 He seemed tired； as if the case was already a burden。 He surprised Jake with an admission that he detested Buckley。 Jake said he felt the same way。
〃Jake； I'm perplexed over this venue ruling；〃 he said。 〃I've studied your brief and Buckley's brief； and I've researched the law myself。 It's a tough question。 Last weekend I attended a judges' conference on the Gulf Coast； and I had a few drinks with Judge Denton on the Supreme Court。 He and I were in law school together； and we were colleagues in the state senate。 We're very close。 He's from Dupree County in south Mississippi； and he says that everybody down there talks about the case。 People on the street ask him how he's gonna rule if the case winds up on appeal。 Everybody's got an opinion； and that's almost four hundred miles away。 Now； if I agree to change venue； where do we go？ We can't leave the state； and I'm convinced that everyone has not only heard about your client； but already prejudged him。 Would you agree？〃
〃Well； there's been a lot of publicity；〃 Jake said carefully。
〃Talk to me； Jake。 We're not in court。 That's why I invited you here。 I want to pick your brain。 I know there's been a lot of publicity。 If we move it； where do we go？〃
〃How about the delta？〃
Noose smiled。 〃You'd like that； wouldn't you？〃
〃Of course。 We could pick us a good jury over there。 One that would truly understand the issues。〃
〃Yeah； and one that would be half black。〃
〃I hadn't thought about that。〃
〃Do you really believe those folks haven't already prejudged this defendant？〃
〃I suppose so。〃
〃So where do we go？〃
〃Did Judge Denton have a suggestion？〃
〃Not really。 We discussed the court's traditional refusal to allow changes of venue except in the most heinous of cases。 It's a difficult issue with a notorious crime that arouses passion both for and against the defendant。 With television and all the press nowadays； these crimes are instant news； and everyone knows the details long before the trial。 And this case tops them all。 Even Denton admitted he'd never seen a case with this much publicity； and he admitted it would be impossible to find a fair and impartial jury anywhere in Mississippi。 Suppose I leave it in Ford County and your man is convicted。 Then you appeal claiming venue should have been changed。 Denton indicated he would be sympathetic with my decision not to move it。 He thinks a majority of the court would uphold my denial of the
