jg.atimetokill-第71部分

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　ordered　clothes　and　a　toothbrush。
　〃Where　are　we　going？〃　she　asked　Jean。
　〃It's　confidential；〃　Jean　said。
　〃It's　confidential；〃　she　repeated　over　the　phone　to　her　husband。
　By　seven；　the　families　had　responded　with　a　wild　assortment　of　luggage　and　boxes。　The　chosen　ones　loaded　a　chartered　Greyhound　bus　outside　the　rear　door。　Preceded　by　two　patrol　cars　and　an　army　jeep　and　followed　by　three　state　troopers；　the　bus　circled　the　square　and　left　Clanton。
　Stump　Sisson　died　Tuesday　night　at　the　burn　hospital　in　Memphis。　His　short；　fat　body　had　been　neglected　over　the　years　and　proved　itself　deficient　in　resisting　the　plications　bred　by　the　serious　burns。　His　death　brought　to　four　the　number　of　fatalities　related　to　the　rape　of　Tonya　Hailey。　Cobb；　Willard；　Bud　Twitty；　and　now　Sisson。
　Immediately；　word　of　his　death　reached　the　cabin　deep　in　the　woods　where　the　patriots　met；　ate；　and　drank　each　night　after　the　trial。　Revenge；　they　vowed；　an　eye　for　an　eye　and　so　on。　There　were　new　recruits　from　Ford　County…five　in　all…making　a　total　of　eleven　local　boys。　They　were　eager　and　hungry；　and　wanted　some　action。
　The　trial　had　been　too　quiet　so　far。　It　was　time　for　excitement。
　Jake　paced　in　front　of　the　couch　and　delivered　his　opening　statement　for　the　hundredth　time。　Ellen　listened　intently。　She　had　listened；　interrupted；　objected；　criticized；　and　argued　for　two　hours。　She　was　tired　now。　He　had　it　perfect。　The　margaritas　had　calmed　him　and　plated　his　tongue　silver。　The　words　flowed　smoothly。　He　was　gifted。　Especially　after　a　drink　or　two。
　When　he　finished　they　sat　on　the　balcony　and　watched　the　candles　inch　slowly　in　the　darkness　around　the　square。　The　laughter　from　the　poker　games　under　the　pavilions　echoed　softly　through　the　night。　There　was　no　moon。
　Ellen　left　for　the　final　round　of　drinks。　She　returned　with　her　same　beer　mugs　filled　with　ice　and　margaritas。　She　sat　them　on　the　table　and　stood　behind　her　boss。　She　placed　her　hands　on　his　shoulders　and　began　rubbing　the　lower　part　of　his　neck　with　her　thumbs。　He　relaxed　and　moved　his　head　from　side　to　side。　She　massaged　his　shoulders　and　upper　back；　and　pressed　her　body　against　his。
　〃Ellen；　it's　ten…thirty；　and　I'm　sleepy。　Where　are　you　staying　tonight？〃
　〃Where　do　you　think　I　should　stay？〃
　〃I　think　you　should　stay　at　your　apartment　at　Ole　Miss。〃
　〃I'm　too　drunk　to　drive。〃
　〃Nesbit　will　drive　you。〃
　〃Where；　may　I　ask；　are　you　staying？〃
　〃At　the　house　my　wife　and　I　own　on　Adams　Street。〃
　She　stopped　rubbing　and　grabbed　her　drink。　Jake　stood　and　leaned　over　the　rail　and　yelled　at　Nesbit。　〃Nesbit！　Wake　up！　You're　driving　to　Oxford！〃
　Carla　found　the　story　on　the　second　page　of　the　front　section。　〃All　White　Jury　Chosen　for　Hailey〃　read　the　headline。　Jake　had　not　called　Tuesday　night。　She　read　the　story　and　ignored　her　coffee。　The　beach　house　sat　by　itself　in　a　semisecluded　area　of　the　beach。　The　nearest　neighbor　was　two　hundred　yards　away。　Her　father　owned　the　land　in　between　and　had　no　plans　to　sell　it。　He　had　built　the　house　ten　years　earlier　when　he　sold　his　pany　in　Knoxville　and　retired　wealthy。　Carla　was　the　only　child；　and　now　Hanna　would　be　the　only　grandchild。　The　house…with　four　bedrooms　and　four　bathrooms　scattered　over　three　levels…had　room　for　a　dozen　grandchildren。
　She　finished　the　article　and　walked　to　the　bay　windows　in　the　breakfast　room　overlooking　the　beach；　and　then　the　ocean。　The　brilliant　orange　mass　of　the　sun　had　just　cleared　the　horizon。　She　preferred　the　warmth　of　the　bed　until　well　after　daybreak；　but　life　with　Jake　had　brought　new　adventure　to　the　first　seven　hours　of　each　day。　Her　body　was　conditioned　to　at　least　wake　up　at　five…thirty。　He　once　told　her　his　goal　was　to　go　to　work　in　the　dark　and　return　from　work　in　the　dark。　He　usually　achieved　this　goal。　He　took　great　pride　in　working　more　hours　each　day　than　any　lawyer　in　Ford　County。　He　was　different；　but　she　loved　him。
　Forty…eight　miles　northeast　of　Clanton；　the　Milburn　county　seat　of　Temple　lay　peacefully　beside　the　Tippah　River。　It　had　three　thousand　people　and　two　motels。　The　Temple　Inn　was　deserted；　there　being　no　moral　reason　to　be　there　this　time　of　year。　At　the　end　of　one　secluded　wing；　eight　rooms　were　occupied　and　guarded　by　soldiers　and　a　couple　of　state　troopers。　The　ten　women　had　paired　off　nicely；　as　had　Barry　Acker　and　Clyde　Sisco。　The　black　alternate；　Ben　Lester　Newton；　was　awarded　a　room　to　himself；　as　was　the　other　alternate；　Francie　Pitts。　The　televisions　had　been　disconnected　and　no　newspapers　were　allowed。　Supper　Tuesday
　night　had　been　delivered　to　the　rooms；　and　Wednesday's　breakfast　arrived　promptly　at　seven…thirty　while　the　Greyhound　warmed　and　blew　diesel　fumes　all　over　the　parking　lot。　Thirty　minutes　later　the　fourteen　loaded　aboard　and　the　entourage　set　out　for　Clanton。
　They　talked　on　the　bus　about　their　families　and　jobs。　Two　or　three　had　known　each　other　prior　to　Monday；　most　were　strangers。　They　awkwardly　avoided　any　mention　of　why　they　were　all　together　and　the　task　before　them。　Judge　Noose　had　been　very　plain　on　this　point；　no　discussions　about　the　case。　They　wanted　to　talk　about　many　things：　the　rape；　the　rapists；　Carl　Lee；　Jake；　Buckley；　Noose；　the　Klan；　lots　of　things。　Everyone　knew　of　the　burning　crosses；　but　they　weren't　discussed；　at　least　they　weren't　discussed　on　the　bus。　There　had　been　many　discussions　back　in　the　motel　rooms。
　The　Greyhound　arrived　at　the　courthouse　five　minutes　before　nine；　and　the　jurors　stared　through　dark　windows　to　see　how　many　blacks　and　how　many　Klansmen　and　how　many　others　were　being　separated　by　the　guardsmen。　It　eased　past　the　barricades　and　parked　at　the　rear　of　the　courthouse；　where　the　deputies　were　waiting　to　escort　them　upstairs　as　soon　as　possible。　They　went　up　the　back　stairs　to　the　jury　room；　where　coffee　and　doughnuts　were　waiting。　The　bailiff　informed　them　it　was　nine；　and　His　Honor　was　ready　to　start。　He　led　them　into　the　crowded　courtroom　and　into　the　jury　box；　where　they　sat　in　their　designated　seats。
　〃All　rise　for　the　court；〃　Mr。　Pate　yelled。
　〃Please　be　seated；〃　Noose　said　as　he　fell　into　the　tall　leather　chair　behind　the　bench。　〃Good　morning；　ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　he　said　warmly　to　the　jurors。　〃I　trust　you're　all　feeling　well　this　morning；　and　ready　to　go。〃
　They　all　nodded。
　〃Good。　I'm　going　to　ask　you　this　question　every　morning：　Did　anybody　attempt　to　contact　you；　talk　to　you；　or　influence　you　in　any　way　last　night？〃
　They　all　shook　their　heads。
　〃Good。　Did　you　discuss　this　case　among　yourselves？〃
　They　all　lied　and　shook　their　heads。
　〃Good。　If　anyone　attempts　to　contact　you　and　discuss
　me　as　soon　as　possible。　Do　you　understand？〃
　They　nodded。
　〃Now　at　this　time　we　are　ready　to　start　the　trial。　The　first　order　of　business　is　to　allow　the　attorneys　to　make　opening　statements。　I　want　to　caution　you　that　nothing　the　attorneys　say　is　testimony　and　is　not　to　be　taken　as　evidence。　Mr。　Buckley；　do　you　wish　to　make　an　opening　statement？〃
　Buckley　rose　and　buttoned　his　shiny　polyester　coat。　〃Yes；　Your　Honor。〃
　〃I　thought　so。　You　may　proceed。〃
　Buckley　lifted　the　small；　wooden　podium　and　moved　it　squarely　in　front　of　the　jury　box；　where　he　stood　behind　it　and　breathed　deeply　and　slowly　flipped　through　some　notes　on　a　legal　pad。　He　enjoyed　the　brief　period　of　quietness　with　all　eyes　on　him　and　all　ears　anxious　for　his　words。　He　started　by　thanking　the　jurors　for　being　there；　for　their　sacrifices；　for　their　citizenship　（as　if　they　had　a　choice；　thought　Jake）。　He　was　proud　of　them　and　honored　to　be　associated　with　them　in　this　most　important　case。　Again；　he　was　their　lawyer。　His　client；　the　State　of　Mississippi。　He　expressed　fear　at　this　awesome　responsibility　that　they；　the　people；　had　given　to　him；　Rufus　Buckley；　a　simple　country　lawyer　from　Smith…field。　He　rambled　on　about　himself　and　his　thoughts　on　the　trial；　and　his　hopes　and　prayers　that　he　would　do　a　good　job　for　the　people　of　this　state。
　He　gave　pretty　much　the　same　spiel　in　all　of　his　opening　statements；　but　this　was　a　better　performance。　It　was　refined　and　polished　garbage；　and　objectionable。　Jake　wanted　to　burn　him；　but　from　experience　he　knew　Ichabod　would　not　sustain　an　objection　during　an　opening　statement　unless　the　offense　was　flagrant；　and　Buckley's　rhetoric　did　not　qualify　…yet。　All　this　fake　sincerity　and　gushiness　irritated　Jake　to　no　end；　primarily　because　the　jury　listened　to　it　and；　more　often　than　not；　fell　for　it。　The　prosecutor　was　always　the　good　guy；　seeking　to　right　an　injustice　and　punish　a　criminal　for　some　heinous　crime；　to　lock　him　away　forever　so　he　could　sin　no　more。　Buckley　was　master　at　convincing　a　jury；　right　off　the　mark；　during　the　opening　statement；　that　it　was　up　to　them；　He　and　The　Twelve　Chosen　Ones；　to　search　diligently　for　the　truth；　together　as　a　team；　united　against
　evil。　It　was　the　truth　they　were　after；　nothing　but　the　truth。　Find　the　truth　and　justice　would　win。　Follow　him；　Rufus　Buckley；　the　people's　lawyer；　and　they　would　find　the　truth。
　The　rape　was　a　terrible　deed。　He　was　a　father；　in　fact　had　a　daughter　the　same　age　of　Tonya　Hailey；　and　when　he　first　heard　of　the　rape　he　was　sick　at　his　stomach。　He　grieved　for　Carl　Lee　and　his　wife。　Yes；　he　thought　of　his　own　little　girls　and　had　thoughts　of　retribution。
　Jake　smiled　quickly　at　Ellen。　This　was　interesting。　Buck…ley　had　chosen　to　confront　the　rape　instead　of　keeping　it　from　the　jury。　Jake　was　expecting　a　critical　confrontation　with　him　on　the　admissibility　of　any　testimony　regarding　the　rape。　Ellen's　research　found　the　law　to　be　clear　that　the　lurid　details　were　inadmissible；　but　it　wasn't　so　clear　as　to　whether　it　could　be　mentioned　or　referred　to。　Evidently　Buckley　felt　it　was　better　to　acknowledge　the　rape　than　try　to　hide　it。　Good　move；　thought　Jake；　since　all　twelve　and　the　rest　of　the　world　knew　the　details　anyway。
　Ellen　smiled　too。　The　rape　of　Tonya　Hailey　was　about　to　be　tried　for　the　first　time。
　Buckley　explained　it　would　be　natural　for　any　parent　to　want　revenge。　He　would　too；　he　admitted。　But；　he　continued　with　his　voice　growing　heavier；　there　is　a　mighty　distinction　between　wanting　revenge　and　getting　revenge。
　He　was　warming　up　now　as　he　paced　deliberately　back　and　forth；　igno