jg.atimetokill-第102部分

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　The　thundering；　crackling　noise　of　the　fire；　plus　the　rumbling　of　the　fire　engines；　plus　the　loud　voices；　attracted
　neighbors　from　several　blocks。　They　crowded　together　in　the　lawns　across　the　street　and　watched。
　Jake　and　Nesbit　ran　down　the　street。　The　chief　spotted　them　and　came　running。
　〃Jake！　Is　anybody　in　the　house？〃
　〃No！〃
　〃Good。　I　didn't　think　so。〃
　〃Just　a　dog。〃
　〃A　dog！〃
　Jake　nodded　and　watched　the　house。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　said　the　chief。
　They　gathered　at　Ozzie's　car　in　front　of　Mrs。　Pickle's　house。　Jake　answered　questions；
　〃That's　not　your　Volkswagen　under　there；　is　it；　Jake？〃
　Jake　stared　in　stunned　silence　at　Carla's　landmark。　He　shook　his　head。
　〃I　didn't　think　so。　Looks　like　that's　where　it　started。〃
　〃I　don't　understand；〃　said　Jake。
　〃If　it　ain't　your　car；　then　somebody　parked　it　there；　right？　Notice　how　the　floor　of　the　carport　is　burnin'？　Concrete　don't　normally　burn。　It's　gasoline。　Somebody　loaded　the　VW　with　gasoline；　parked　it　and　ran　away。　Probably　had　some　kinda　device　which　set　the　thing　off。〃
　Prather　and　two　volunteers　agreed。
　〃How　long's　it　been　burning？〃　Jake　asked。
　〃We　got　here　ten　minutes　ago；〃　the　chief　said；　〃and　it　was　well　involved。　I'd　say　thirty　minutes。　It's　a　good　fire。　Somebody　knew　what　they's　doin'。〃
　〃I　don't　suppose　we　could　get　anything　out　of　there；　could　we？〃　Jake　asked　in　general；　knowing　the　answer。
　〃No　way；　Jake。　It's　too　involved。　My　men　couldn't　go　in　there　if　people　were　trapped。　It's　a　good　fire。〃
　〃Why　do　you　say　that？〃
　〃Well；　look　at　it。　It's　burnin'　evenly　through　the　house。　You　can　see　flames　in　every　window。　Downstairs　and　up。　？That's　very　unusual。　In　just　a　minute；　it'll　burn　through　the　roof。〃
　Two　squads　inched　forward　with　the　lines；　shooting　water　in　the　direction　of　the　windows　by　the　front　porch。　A　smaller　line　was　aimed　at　a　window　upstairs。　After　watching　for　a　minute　or　two　as　the　water　disappeared　into　the　flames
　with　no　noticeable　effect；　the　chief　spat　and　said；　〃It'll　burn　to　the　ground。〃　With　that　he　disappeared　around　an　engine　and　began　shouting。
　Jake　looked　at　Nesbit。　〃Will　you　do　me　a　favor？〃
　〃Sure；　Jake。〃
　〃Drive　over　to　Harry　Rex's　and　bring　him　back。　I'd　hate　for　him　to　miss　this。〃
　〃Sure。〃
　For　two　hours　Jake；　Ozzie；　Harry　Rex；　and　Nesbit　sat　on　the　patrol　car　and　watched　the　fire　fulfill　the　chiefs　prediction。　From　time　to　time　a　neighbor　would　stop　by　and　extend　sympathies　and　ask　about　the　family。　Mrs。　Pickle；　the　sweet　old　woman　next　door；　cried　loudly　when　informed　by　Jake　that　Max　had　been　consumed。
　By　three；　the　deputies　and　other　curious　had　disappeared；　and　by　four　the　quaint　little　Victorian　had　been　reduced　to　smoldering　rubble。　The　last　of　the　firemen　smothered　any　sign　of　smoke　from　the　ruins。　Only　the　chimney　and　burnt　frames　of　two　cars　stood　above　the　remains　as　the　heavy　rubber　boots　kicked　and　plowed　through　the　waste　looking　for　sparks　or　hidden　flames　that　might　somehow　leap　from　the　dead　and　burn　the　rest　of　the　wreckage。
　They　rolled　up　the　last　of　the　lines　as　the　sun　began　to　appear。　Jake　thanked　them　when　they　left。　He　and　Harry　Rex　walked　through　the　backyard　and　surveyed　the　damage。
　〃Oh　well；〃　Harry　Rex　said。　〃It's　just　a　house。〃
　〃Would　you　call　Carla　and　tell　her　that？〃
　〃No。　I　think　you　should。〃
　〃I　think　I'll　wait。〃
　Harry　Rex　looked　at　his　watch。　〃It's　about　breakfast　time；　isn't　it？〃
　〃It's　Sunday　morning；　Harry　Rex。　Nothing's　open。〃
　〃Ah；　Jake；　you're　an　amateur；　and　I'm　a　professional。　I　can　find　hot　food　at　any　time　of　any　day。〃
　〃The　truck　stop？〃
　〃The　truck　stop！〃
　〃Okay。　And　when　we　finish　we'll　go　to　Oxford　to　check　on　Row　Ark。〃
　〃Great。　I　can't　wait　to　see　her　with　a　butch　haircut。〃
　Sallie　grabbed　the　phone　and　threw　it　at　Lucien；　who　rumbled　with　it　until　it　was　arranged　properly　next　to　his　head。
　〃Yeah；　who　is　it？〃　he　asked；　squinting　through　the　window　into　the　darkness。
　〃Is　this　Lucien　Wilbanks？〃
　〃Yeah；　who's　this？〃
　〃Do　you　know　Clyde　Sisco？〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃It's　fifty　thousand。〃
　〃Call　me　back　in　the　morning。〃
　Sheldon　Roark　sat　in　the　window　with　his　feet　on　the　back　of　a　chair；　reading　the　Memphis　Sunday　paper's　version　of　the　Hailey　trial。　On　the　bottom　of　the　front　page　was　a　picture　of　his　daughter　and　the　story　about　her　encounter　with　the　Klan。　She　rested　fortably　in　the　bed　a　few　feet　away。　The　left　side　of　her　head　was　shaved　and　covered　with　a　thick　bandage。　The　left　ear　was　sewn　with　twenty…eight　stitches。　The　severe　concussion　had　been　downgraded　to　a　mild　concussion；　and　the　doctors　had　promised　she　could　leave　by　Wednesday。
　She　had　not　been　raped　or　whipped。　When　the　doctors　called　him　in　Boston　they　were　short　on　details。　He　had　flown　for　seven　hours　not　knowing　what　they　had　done　to　her；　but　expecting　the　worst。　Late　Saturday　night；　the　doctors　ran　more　X　rays　and　told　him　to　relax。　The　scars　would　fade　and　the　hair　would　grow　back。　She　had　been　frightened　and　roughed　up；　but　it　could　have　been　much　worse。
　He　heard　a　motion　in　the　hall。　Someone　was　arguing　with　a　nurse。　He　laid　the　paper　on　her　bed　and　opened　the　door。
　A　nurse　had　caught　Jake　and　Harry　Rex　sneaking　down　the　hall。　She　explained　that　visiting　hours　started　at　2：00　P。M。；　and　that　happened　to　be　six　hours　away；　that　only　family　members　were　allowed；　and　that　she　would　call　security　if　they　didn't　leave。　Harry　Rex　explained　that　he　didn't　give　a　damn　about　visiting　hours　or　any　other　silly　rules　of　the　hospital；　that　it　was　his　fiancee　and　that　he　would　see　her　one　last　time　before　she　died；　and　that　if　the　nurse　didn't　shut　up　he　would　sue　her　for　harassment　because　he　was　a　lawyer　and　hadn't　sued　anybody　in　a　week　and　was　getting　anxious。
　〃What's　going　on　here？〃　Sheldon　said。
　Jake　looked　at　the　small　man　with　the　red　hair　and　green　eyes；　and　said；　〃You　must　be　Sheldon　Roark。〃
　〃I　am。〃
　〃I'm　Jake　Brigance。　The　one…〃
　〃Yes；　I've　been　reading　about　you。　It's　okay；　nurse；　they're　with　me。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　Harry　Rex　said。　〃It's　okay。　We're　with　him。　Now　would　you　please　leave　us　alone　before　I　garnishee　your　check。〃
　She　vowed　to　call　security；　and　stormed　down　the　hall。
　〃I'm　Harry　Rex　Vonner；〃　he　said；　shaking　hands　with　Sheldon　Roark。
　〃Step　inside；〃　he　said。　They　followed　him　into　the　small　room　and　stared　at　Ellen。　She　was　still　asleep。
　〃How　bad　is　she？〃　Jake　asked。
　〃Mild　concussion。　Twenty…eight　stitches　in　her　ear；　and　eleven　in　her　head。　She'll　be　fine。　Doctor　said　she　might　leave　by　Wednesday。　She　was　awake　last　night　and　we　talked　for　a　long　time。〃
　〃Her　hair　looks　awful；〃　Harry　Rex　observed。。
　〃They　yanked　it　and　cut　it　with　a　dull　knife；　she　said。　They　also　cut　her　clothes　off；　and　at　one　time　threatened　to　bullwhip　her。　The　head　injuries　are　self…inflicted。　She　thought　they　would　either　kill　her　or　rape　her；　or　both。　So　she　banged　her　brains　out　against　the　pole　she　was　tied　to。　Must　have　scared　them。〃
　〃You　mean　they　didn't　beat　her？〃
　〃No。　They　didn't　hurt　her。　Just　scared　the　hell　out　of　her。〃
　〃What　did　she　see？〃
　〃Not　much。　Burning　cross；　white　robes；　about　a　dozen　men。　Sheriff　said　it　was　a　pasture　eleven　miles　east　of　here。　Owned　by　some　paper　pany。〃
　〃Who　found　her？〃　Harry　Rex　asked。
　〃The　sheriff　received　an　anonymous　phone　call　from　a　fella　by　the　name　of　Mickey　Mouse。〃
　〃Ah　yes。　My　old　friend。〃
　Ellen　moaned　softly　and　stretched。
　〃Let's　step　outside；〃　Sheldon　said。
　〃Does　this　place　have　a　cafeteria？〃　Harry　Rex　asked。　〃I　get　hungry　when　I　get　near　a　hospital。〃
　〃Sure。　Let's　have　coffee。〃
　The　cafeteria　on　the　first　floor　was　empty。　Jake　and　Mr。　Roark　drank　black　coffee。　Harry　Rex　started　with　three　sweet　rolls　and　a　pint　of　milk。
　〃According　to　the　paper；　things　aren't　going　too　well；〃　Sheldon　said。
　〃The　paper　is　very　kind；〃　Harry　Rex　said　with　a　mouthful。　〃Jake　here　is　gettin'　his　ass　kicked　all　over　the　courtroom。　And　life　ain't　so　great　outside　the　courtroom；　either。　When　they're　not　shooting　at　him；　or　kidnapping　his　law　clerk；　they're　burning　his　house。〃
　〃They　burned　your　house！〃
　Jake　nodded。　〃Last　night。　It's　still　smoldering。〃
　〃I　thought　I　detected　the　smell　of　smoke。〃
　〃We　watched　it　burn　to　the　ground。　It　took　four　hou