jg.atimetokill-第108部分

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nks　of　the　rape　and　asks　herself　a　thousand　questions。　She　relives　it；　step　by　step；　minute　by　minute；　and　it　hurts　just　as　bad。
　Perhaps　the　most　horrible　crime　of　all　is　the　violent　rape　of　a　child。　A　woman　who　is　raped　has　a　pretty　good　idea　why　it　happened。　Some　animal　was　filled　with　hatred；　anger　and　violence。　But　a　child？　A　ten…year…old　child？　Suppose　you're　a　parent。　Imagine　yourself　trying　to　explain　to　your　child　why　she　was　raped。　Imagine　yourself　trying　to　explain　why　she　cannot　bear　children。
　〃Objection。〃
　〃Sustained。　Please　disregard　that　last　statement；　ladies　and　gentlemen。〃
　Jake　never　missed　a　beat。　Suppose；　he　said；　your　ten…year…old　daughter　is　raped；　and　you're　a　Vietnam　vet；　very　familiar　with　an　M…16；　and　you　get　your　hands　on　one　while　your　daughter　is　lying　in　the　hospital　fighting　for　her　life。　Suppose　the　rapist　is　caught；　and　six　days　later　you　manage　to　maneuver　to　within　five　feet　of　him　as　he　leaves　court。　And　you've　got　the　M…16。
　What　do　you　do？
　Mr。　Buckley　has　told　you　what　he　would　do。　He　would　mourn　for　his　daughter；　turn　the　other　cheek；　and　hope　the　judicial　system　worked。　He　would　hope　the　rapist　would　receive　justice；　be　sent　to　Parchman；　and　hopefully　never　paroled。　That's　what　he　would　do；　and　they　should　admire　him　for　being　such　a　kind；　passionate；　and　forgiving　soul。　But　what　would　a　reasonable　father　do？
　What　would　Jake　do？　If　he　had　the　M…16？　Blow　the　bastard's　head　off！
　It　was　simple。　It　was　justice。
　Jake　paused　for　a　drink　of　water；　then　shifted　gears。　The　pained　and　humble　look　was　replaced　with　an　air　of　indignation。　Let's　talk　about　Cobb　and　Willard。　They　started　this　mess。　It　was　their　lives　the　State　was　attempting　to　justify。　Who　would　miss　them　except　their　mothers？　Child　rapists。　Drug　pushers。　Would　society　miss　such　productive　citizens？　Wasn't　Ford　County　safer　without　them？　Were　not　the　other　children　in　the　county　better　off　now　that　two　rapists　and　pushers　had　been　removed？　All　parents　should　feel　safer。　Carl　Lee　deserves　a　medal；　or　at　least　a　round　of　applause。　He　was　a　hero。　That's　what　Looney　said。　Give　the　man　a　trophy。　Send　him　home　to　his　family。
　He　talked　about　Looney。　He　had　a　daughter。　He　also　had　one　leg；　thanks　to　Carl　Lee　Hailey。　If　anyone　had　a　right　to　be　bitter；　to　want　blood；　it　was　DeWayne　Looney。　And　he　said　Carl　Lee　should　be　sent　home　to　his　family。
　He　urged　them　to　forgive　as　Looney　had　forgiven。　He　asked　them　to　follow　Looney's　wishes。
　He　became　much　quieter；　and　said　he　was　almost　through。　He　wanted　to　leave　them　with　one　thought。　Picture　this　if　they　could。　When　she　was　lying　there；　beaten；　bloodied；　legs　spread　and　tied　to　trees；　she　looked　into　the　woods　around　her。　Semiconscious　and　hallucinating；　she　saw　some…
　one　running　toward　her。　It　was　her　daddy；　running　desperately　to　save　her。　In　her　dreams　she　saw　him　when　she　needed　him　the　most。　She　cried　out　for　him；　and　he　disappeared。　He　was　taken　away。
　She　needs　him　now；　as　much　as　she　needed　him　then。　Please　don't　take　him　away。　She　waits　on　the　front　row　for　her　daddy。
　Let　him　go　home　to　his　family。
　The　courtroom　was　silent　as　Jake　sat　next　to　his　client。　He　glanced　at　the　jury；　and　saw　Wanda　Womack　brush　away　a　tear　with　her　finger。　For　the　first　time　in　two　days　he　felt　a　flicker　of　hope。
　At　four；　Noose　bid　farewell　to　his　jury。　He　told　them　to　elect　a　foreman；　get　organized；　and　get　busy。　He　told　them　they　could　deliberate　until　six；　maybe　seven；　and　if　no　verdict　was　reached　he　would　recess　until　nine　Tuesday　morning。　They　stood　and　filed　slowly　from　the　courtroom。　Once　out　of　sight；　Noose　recessed　until　six　and　instructed　the　attorneys　to　remain　close　to　the　courtroom　or　leave　a　number　with　the　clerk。
　The　spectators　held　their　seats　and　chatted　quietly。　Carl　Lee　was　allowed　to　sit　on　the　front　row　with　his　family。　Buckley　and　Musgrove　waited　in　chambers　with　Noose。　Harry　Rex；　Lucien；　and　Jake　left　for　the　office　and　a　liquid　supper。　No　one　expected　a　quick　verdict。
　The　bailiff　locked　them　in　the　jury　room　and　instructed　the　two　alternates　to　take　a　seat　in　the　narrow　hallway。　Inside；　Barry　Acker　was　elected　foreman　by　acclamation。　He　laid　the　jury　instructions　and　exhibits　on　a　small　table　in　a　corner。　They　sat　anxiously　around　two　folding　tables　placed　end　to　end。
　〃I　suggest　we　take　an　informal　vote；〃　he　said。　〃Just　to　see　where　we　are。　Any　objections　to　that？〃
　There　were　none。　He　had　a　list　of　twelve　names。
　〃Vote　guilty；　not　guilty；　or　undecided。　Or　you　can　pass　for　now。〃
　〃Reba　Betts。〃
　〃Undecided。〃
　〃Bernice　Toole。〃
　〃Guilty。〃
　〃Carol　Corman。〃
　〃Guilty。〃
　〃Donna　Lou　Peck。〃
　〃Undecided。〃
　〃Sue　Williams。〃
　〃Pass。〃
　〃Jo　Ann　Gates。〃
　〃Guilty。〃
　〃Rita　Mae　Plunk。〃
　〃Guilty。〃
　〃Frances　McGowan。〃
　〃Guilty。〃
　〃Wanda　Womack。〃
　〃Undecided。〃
　〃Eula　Dell　Yates。〃
　〃Undecided；　for　now。　I　wanna　talk　about　it。〃
　〃We　will。　Clyde　Sisco。〃
　〃Undecided。〃
　〃That's　eleven。　I'm　Barry　Acker；　and　I　vote　not　guilty。〃
　He　tallied　for　a　few　seconds　and　said；　〃That's　five　guil…ties；　five　undecideds；　one　pass；　and　one　not　guilty。　Looks　like　we've　got　our　work　cut　out　for　us。〃
　They　worked　through　the　exhibits；　photographs；　fingerprints；　and　ballistics　reports。　At　six；　they　informed　the　judge　they　had　not　reached　a　verdict。　They　were　hungry　and　wanted　to　go。　He　recessed　until　Tuesday　morning。
　They　sat　for　hours　on　the　porch；　saying　little；　watching　as　darkness　surrounded　the　town　below　and　ushered　in　the　mosquitoes。　The　heat　wave　had　returned。　The　soggy　air　clung　to　their　skin　and　moistened　their　shirts。　The　sounds　of　a　hot　summer　night　echoed　softly　across　the　front　lawn。　Sallie　had　offered　to　cook。　Lucien　declined　and　ordered　whiskey。　Jake　had　no　appetite　for　food；　but　the　Coors　filled　his　system　and　satisfied　any　hunger　pangs　stirring　within。　When　things　were　good　and　dark；　Nesbit　emerged　from　his　car；　walked　across　the　porch；　through　the　front　screen　door；　and　into　the　house。　A　moment　later　he　slammed　the　door；　walked　past　them　with　a　cold　beer；　and　disappeared　down　the　driveway　in　the　direction　of　his　car。　He　never　said　a　word。
　Sallie　stuck　her　head　through　the　door　and　made　one　last　offer　of　food。　Both　declined。
　〃Jake；　I　got　a　call　this　afternoon。　Clyde　Sisco　wants　twenty…five　thousand　to　hang　the　jury；　fifty　thousand　for　an　acquittal。〃
　Jake　began　shaking　his　head。
　〃Before　you　say　no；　listen　to　me。　He　knows　he　can't　guarantee　an　acquittal；　but　he　can　guarantee　a　hung　jury。　It　just　takes　one。　That's　twenty…five　thousand。　I　know　it's　a　lot　of　money；　but　you　know　I've　got　it。　I'll　pay　it　and　you　can　repay　me　over　the　years。　Whenever；　I　don't　care。　If　you　never　repay　it；　I　don't　care。　I've　got　a　bankful　of　C。D。's。　You　know　money　means　nothing　to　me。　If　I　were　you　I'd　do　it　in　a　minute。〃
　〃You're　crazy；　Lucien。〃
　〃Sure　I'm　crazy。　You　haven't　been　acting　so　good　yourself。　Trial　work'll　drive　you　crazy。　Just　take　a　look　at　what　this　trial　has　done　to　you。　No　sleep；　no　food；　no　routine；　no　house。　Plenty　of　booze；　though。〃
　〃But　I've　still　got　ethics。〃
　〃And　I　have　none。　No　ethics；　no　morals；　no　conscience。　But　I　won；　bubba。　I　won　more　than　anybody　has　ever　won　around　here；　and　you　know　it。〃
　〃It's　corrupt；　Lucien。〃
　〃And　I　guess　you　think　Buckley's　not　corrupt。　He　would　lie；　cheat；　bribe；　and　steal　to　win　this　case。　He's　not　worried　about　fancy　ethics；　rules；　and　opinions。　He's　not　concerned　about　morality。　He's　concerned　with　one　thing　and　only　one　thing…winning！　And　you've　got　a　golden　chance　to　beat　him　at　his　own　game。　I'd　do　it；　Jake。〃
　〃Forget　it；　Lucien。　Please；　just　forget　it。〃
　An　hour　passed　with　no　words。　The　lights　of　the　town　below　slowly　disappeared。　Nesbit's　snoring　was　audible　in　the　darkness。　Sallie　brought　one　last　drink　and　said　good　night。
　〃This　is　the　hardest　part；〃　Lucien　said。　〃Waiting　on　twelve　average；　everyday　people　to　make　sense　of　all　this。〃
　〃It's　a　crazy　system；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Yes；　it　is。　But　it　usually　works。　Juries　are　right　ninety　percent　of　the　time。〃
　〃I　just　don't　feel　lucky。　I'm　waiting　on　the　miracle。〃
　〃Jake；　my　boy；　the　miracle　happens　tomorrow。〃
　〃Tomorrow？〃
　〃Yes。　Early　tomorrow　morning。〃
　〃Would　you　care　to　elaborate？〃
　〃B