jg.atimetokill-第103部分

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　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　hours。〃
　〃I'm　sorry　to　hear　that。　They've　threatened　me　with　that　before；　but　the　worst　I've　had　was　slashed　tires。　I've　never　been　shot　at　either。〃
　〃I've　been　shot　at　a　couple　of　times。〃
　〃Do　y'all　have　the　Klan　in　Boston？〃　asked　Harry　Rex。
　〃Not'that　I　know　of。〃
　〃It's　a　shame。　Those　folks　add　a　real　dimension　to　your　law　practice。〃
　〃Sounds　like　it。　We　saw　the　television　reports　of　the　riot　around　the　courthouse　last　week。　I've　watched　it　pretty　close　since　Ellen　became　involved。　It's　a　famous　case。　Even　up　there。　I　wish　I　had　it。〃
　〃It's　all　yours；〃　said　Jake。　〃I　think　my　client　is　looking　for　a　new　lawyer。〃
　〃How　many　shrinks　will　the　State　call？〃
　〃Just　one。　He'll　testify　in　the　morning；　and　we'll　have　closing　arguments。　The　jury　should　get　it　by　late　tomorrow　afternoon。〃
　〃I　hate　that　Ellen　will　miss　it。　She　called　me　every　day　and　talked　about　the　case。〃
　〃Where　did　Jake　go　wrong？〃　Harry　Rex　asked。
　〃Don't　talk　with　your　mouth　full；〃　Jake　said。
　〃I　think　Jake　has　done　a　good　job。　It's　a　lousy　set　of　facts　to　begin　with。　Hailey　mitted　the　murders；　planned　them　carefully；　and　is　relying　on　a　rather　weak　plea　of　insanity。　Juries　in　Boston　would　not　be　too　sympathetic。〃
　〃Nor　in　Ford　County；〃　added　Harry　Rex。
　〃I　hope　you　have　a　soul…stirring　final　summation　up　your　sleeve；〃　Sheldon　said。
　〃He　　doesn't　　have　　any　　sleeves；〃　　said　　Harry　　Rex。
　〃They've　all　been　burned。　Along　with　his　pants　and　underwear。〃
　〃Why　don't　you　e　over　tomorrow　and　watch？〃　Jake　asked。　〃I'll　introduce　you　to　the　judge　and　ask　that　you　have　privileges　of　chambers。〃
　〃He　wouldn't　do　that　for　me；〃　Harry　Rex　said。
　〃I　can　understand　why；〃　Sheldon　said　with　a　smile。　〃I　might　just　do　that。　I　had　planned　to　stay　until　Tuesday　anyway。　Is　it　safe　over　there？〃
　〃Not　really。〃
　Woody　Mackenvale's　wife　sat　on　a　plastic　bench　in　the　hall　next　to　his　room　and　cried　quietly　while　trying　to　be　brave　for　her　two　small　sons　seated　next　to　her。　Each　boy　squeezed　a　well…used　wad　of　Kleenexes；　occasionally　wiping　their　cheeks　and　blowing　their　noses。　Jake　knelt　before　her　and　listened　intently　as　she　described　what　the　doctors　had　said。　The　bullet　had　lodged　in　the　spine…the　paralysis　was　severe　and　permanent。　He　was　a　foreman　at　a　plant　in　Booneville。　Good　job。　Good　life。　She　didn't　work；　at　least　until　now。　They　would　make　it　somehow；　but　she　wasn't　sure　how。　He　coached　his　sons'　Little　League　team。　He　was　very　active。
　She　cried　louder　and　the　boys　wiped　their　cheeks。
　〃He　saved　my　life；〃　Jake　said　to　her；　and　looked　at　the　boys。
　She　closed　her　eyes　and　nodded。　〃He　was　doing　his　jotx。　We'll　make　it。〃
　Jake　took　a　Kleenex　from　the　box　on　the　bench　and　wiped　his　eyes。　A　group　of　relatives　stood　nearby　and　watched。　Harry　Rex　paced　nervously　at　the　end　of　the　hall。
　Jake　hugged　her　and　patted　the　boys　on　the　head。　He　gave　her　his　phone　number…office…and　told　her　to　call　if　he　could　do　anything。　He　promised　to　visit　Woody　when　the　trial　was　over。
　The　beer　stores　opened　at　noon　on　Sunday；　as　if　the　church　folks　needed　it　then　and　would　stop　on　the　way　home　from　the　Lord's　house　to　pick　up　a　couple　of　six…packs；　then　on　to　Grandmother's　for　Sunday　dinner　and　an　afternoon　of　hell…
　raising。　Oddly；　they　would　close　again　at　six　in　the　afternoon；　as　if　the　same　folks　should　then　be　denied　beer　as　they　returned　to　church　for　the　Sunday　night　services。　On　the　other　six　days　beer　was　sold　from　six　in　the　morning　until　midnight。　But　on　Sunday；　the　selling　was　curtailed　in　honor　of　the　Almighty。
　Jake　bought　a　six…pack　at　Bates　Grocery　and　directed　his　chauffeur　toward　the　lake。　Harry　Rex's　antique　Bronco　carried　three　inches　of　dried　mud　across　the　doors　and　fenders。　The　tires　were　imperceptible。　The　windshield　was　cracked　and　dangerous；　with　thousands　of　splattered　insects　caked　around　the　edges。　The　inspection　sticker　was　four　years　old　and　unseen　from　the　outside。　Dozens　of　empty　beer　cans　and　broken　bottles　littered　the　floorboard。　The　air　conditioner　had　not　worked　in　six　years。　Jake　had　suggested　use　of　the　Saab。　Harry　Rex　had　cursed　him　for　his　stupidity。　The　red　Saab　was　an　easy　target　for　snipers。　No　one　would　suspect　the　Bronco。
　They　drove　slowly　in　the　general　direction　of　the　lake；　to　no　place　in　particular。　Willie　Nelson　wailed　from　the　cassette。　Harry　Rex　tapped　the　steering　wheel　and　sang　along。　His　normal　speaking　voice　was　coarse　and　unrefined。　With　song；　it　was　heinous。　Jake　sipped　his　beer　and　searched　for　daylight　through　the　windshield。
　The　heat　wave　was　about　to　be　broken。　Dark　clouds　loomed　to　the　southwest；　and　when　they　passed　Huey's　Lounge　the　rains　fell　and　showered　the　parched　earth。　It　cleansed　and　removed　the　dust　from　the　kudzu　that　lined　the　roadbeds　and　hung　like　Spanish　moss　from　the　trees。　It　cooled　the　scorched　pavement　and　created　a　sticky　fog　that　rose　three　feet　above　the　highway。　The　red　baked　gullies　absorbed　the　water；　and　when　full　began　to　carry　tiny　streams　downward　to　the　larger　field　drains　and　road　ditches。　The　rains　drenched　the　cotton　and　soybeans；　and　pounded　the　crop　rows　until　small　puddles　formed　between　the　stalks。
　Remarkably；　the　windshield　wipers　worked。　They　slapped　back　and　forth　furiously　and　removed　the　mud　and　insect　collection。　The　storm　grew。　Harry　Rex　increased　the　volume　of　the　stereo。
　The　blacks　with　their　cane　poles　and　straw　hats　camped
　under　the　bridges　and　waited　for　the　storm　to　blow　over。　Below　them；　the　still　creeks　came　to　life。　Muddy　water　from　the　fields　and　gullies　rushed　downward　and　stirred　the　small　streams　and　brooks。　The　water　rose　and　moved　forward。　The　blacks　ate　bologna　and　crackers　and　told　fishing　stories。
　Harry　Rex　was　hungry。　He　stopped　at　Treadway's　Grocery　near　the　lake；　and　bought　more　beer；　two　catfish　dinners；　and　a　large　bag　of　Cajiin…spiced　red…hot　barbecue　pork　skins。　He　threw　them　at　Jake。
　They　crossed　the　dam　in　a　blinding　downpour。　Harry　Rex　parked　next　to　a　small　pavilion　over　a　picnic　area。　They　sat　on　the　concrete　table　and　watched　the　rain　batter　Lake　Chatulla。　Jake　drank　beer　while　Harry　Rex　ate　the　catfish　dinners。
　〃When　you　gonna　tell　Carla？〃　he　asked；　slurping　beer。
　The　tin　roof　roared　above。　〃About　what？〃
　〃The　house。〃
　〃I'm　not　gonna　tell　her。　I　think　I　can　have　it　rebuilt　before　she　gets　back。〃
　〃You　mean　by　the　end　of　the　week？〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃You're　cracking　up；　Jake。　You're　drinking　too　much；　and　you're　losing　your　mind。〃
　〃I　deserve　it。　I've　earned　it。　I'm　two　weeks　away　from　bankruptcy。　I'm　about　to　lose　the　biggest　case　of　my　career；　for　which　I　have　been　paid　nine　hundred　dollars。　My　beautiful　home　that　everyone　took　pictures　of　and　the　old　ladies　from　the　Garden　Club　tried　to　get　written　up　in　Southern　Living　has　been　reduced　to　rubble。　My　wife　has　left　me；　and　when　she　hears　about　the　house；　she'll　divorce　me。　No　question　about　that。　So　I'll　lose　my　wife。　And　once　my　daughter　learns　that　her　damned　dog　died　in　the　fire；　she'll　hate　me　forever。　There's　a　contract　on　my　head。　I've　got　Klan　goons　looking　for　me。　Snipers　shooting　at　me。　There's　a　soldier　lying　up　in　the　hospital　with　my　bullet　in　his　spine。　He'll　be　a　vegetable；　and　I'll　think　about　him　every　hour　of　every　day　for　the　rest　of　my　life。　My　secretary's　husband　was　killed　because　of　me。　My　last　employee　is　in　the　hospital　with　a　punk　haircut　and　a　concussion　because　she　worked　for　me。　The　jury　thinks　I'm　a　lying　crook　because　of　my　expert　witness。　My　client　wants　to　fire　me。　When　he's　convicted；　every…
　body　will　blame　me。　He'll　hire　another　lawyer　for　the　appeal；　one　of　those　ACLU　types；　and　they'll　sue　me　claiming　ineffective　trial　counsel。　And　they'll　be　right。　So　I'll　get　my　ass　sued　for　malpractice。　I'll　have　no　wife；　no　daughter；　no　house；　no　practice；　no　clients；　no　money；　nothing。〃
　〃You　need　psychiatric　help；　Jake。　I　think　you　should　make　an　appointment　with　Dr。　Bass。　Here；　have　a　beer。〃
　〃I　guess　I'll　move　in　with　Lucien　and　sit　on　the　porch　all　day。〃
　〃Can　I　have　your　office？〃
　〃Do　you　think　she'll　divorce　me？〃
　〃Probably　so。　I've　had　four　divorc