jg.atimetokill-第12部分

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　They　stepped…；　into　the　hall；　away　from　the　relatives。　〃How　is　she？〃　Lester　asked。
　〃Better。　Much　better。　Might　go　home　this　weekend。〃
　Lester　was　relieved。　When　he　left　Chicago　eleven　hours　earlier　she　had　been　near　death；　according　to　the　cousin　who　had　called　and　scared　him　from　bed。　He　lit　a　Kool　under　the　NO　SMOKING　sign　and　stared　at　his　big　brother。　〃You　okay？〃
　Carl　Lee　nodded　and　glanced　down　the　hall。
　〃How's　Gwen？〃
　〃Crazier　than　normal。　She's　at　her　momma's。　You　e　by　yourself？〃
　〃Yeah；〃　Lester　answered　defensively。
　〃Good。〃
　〃Don't　get　smart。　I　didn't　drive　all　day　to　hear　crap　about　my　wife。〃
　〃Okay；　okay。　You　still　got　gas？〃
　Lester　smiled　and　chuckled。　He　had　been　plagued　by　stomach　gas　since　the　day　he　married　the　Swede。　She　pre…
　pared　dishes　he　couldn't　pronounce；　and　his　system　behaved　violently。　He　longed　for　collards；　peas；　okra；　fried　chicken；　barbecue　pork；　and　fatback。
　They　found　a　small　waiting　room　on　the　third　floor　with　folding　chairs　and　a　card　table。　Lester　bought　two　cups　of　stale；　thick　coffee　from　a　machine　and　stirred　the　powdered　cream　with　his　finger。　He　listened　intently　as　Carl　Lee　detailed　the　rape；　the　arrests；　and　the　hearing。　Lester　found　some　napkins　and　diagrammed　the　courthouse　and　the　jail。　It　had　been　four　years　since　his　murder　trial；　and　he　had　trouble　with　the　drawings。　He　had　spent　only　a　week　in　jail；　prior　to　posting　bond；　and　had　not　visited　the　place　since　his　acquittal。　In　fact；　he　had　left　for　Chicago　shortly　after　his　trial。　The　victim　had　relatives。
　They　made　plans　and　discarded　them；　plotting　well　past　midnight。
　At　noon　Thursday　Tonya　was　removed　from　intensive　care　and　placed　in　a　private　room。　She　was　listed　as　stable。　The　doctors　relaxed；　and　her　family　brought　candy；　toys；　and　flowers。　With　two　broken　jaws　and　a　mouthful　of　wire；　she　could　only　stare　at　the　candy。　Her　brothers　ate　most　of　it。　They　clung　to　her　bed　and　held　her　hand；　as　if　to　protect　and　reassure。　The　room　stayed　full　o'f　friends　and　strangers；　all　patting　her　gently　and　saying　how　sweet　she　was；　all　treating　her　as　someone　special；　someone　who　had　been　through　this　horrible　thing。　The　crowd　moved　in　shifts；　from　the　hall　into　her　room；　and　back　into　the　hall；　where　the　nurses　watched　carefully。
　The　wounds　hurt；　and　at　times　she　cried。　Every　hour　the　nurses　cleared　a　path　through　the　visitors　and　found　the　patient　for　a　dose　of　painkiller。
　That　night　in　her　room；　the　crowd　hushed　as　the　Memphis　station　talked　about　the　rape。　The　television　showed　pictures　of　the　two　white　men；　but　she　couldn't　see　very　well。
　The　Ford　County　Courthouse　opened　at　8：00　A。M。　and　closed　at　5：00　P。M。　every　day　except　Friday；　when　it　closed　at　four…thirty。　At　four…thirty　on　Friday　Carl　Lee　was　hiding　in　a
　moi…iiuui　icsiroom　wnen　tney　locked　the　courthouse。　He　sat　on　a　toilet　and　listened　quietly　for　an　hour。　No　janitors。　No　one。　Silence。　He　walked　through　the　wide；　semidark　hall　to　the　rear　doors；　and　peeked　through　the　window。　No　one　in　sight。　He　listened　for　a　while。　The　courthouse　was　deserted。　He　turned　and　looked　down　the　long　hall；　through　the　rotunda　and　through　the　front　doors；　two　hundred　feet　away。
　He　studied　the　building。　The　two　sets　of　rear　doors　opened　to　the　inside　into　a　large；　rectangular　entrance　area。　To　the　far　right　was　a　set　of　stairs；　and　to　the　left　was　an　identical　stairway。　The　open　area　narrowed　and　led　into　the　hall。　Carl　Lee　pretended　to　be　on　trial。　He　grabbed　his　hands　behind　him；　and　touched　his　back　to　the　rear　door。　He　walked　to　his　right　thirty　feet　to　the　stairs；　up　the　stairs；　ten　steps；　then　a　small　landing；　then　a　ninety…degree　turn　to　the　left；　just　like　Lester　said；　then；　ten　more　steps　to　the　holding　room。　It　was　a　small　room；　fifteen　by　fifteen；　with　nothing　but　a　window　and　two　doors。　One　door　he　opened；　and　walked　into　the　huge　courtroom　in　front　of　the　rows　of　padded　pews。　He　walked　to　the　aisle　and　sat　in　the　front　row。　Surveying　the　room；　he　noticed　in　front　of　him　the　railing；　or　bar；　as　Lester　called　it；　which　separated　the　general　public　from　the　area　where　the　judge；　jury；　witnesses；　lawyers；　defendants；　and　clerks　sat　and　worked。
　He　walked　down　the　aisle　to　the　rear　doors　and　examined　the　courtroom　in　detail。　It　looked　much　different　from　Wednesday。　Back　down　the　aisle；　he　returned　to　the　holding　room　and　tried　the　other　door；　which　led　to　the　area　behind　the　bar　where　the　trial　took　place。　He　sat　at　the　long　table　where　Lester　and　Cobb　and　Willard　had　sat。　To　the　right　was　another　long　table　where　the　prosecutors　sat。　Behind　the　tables　was　a　row　of　wooden　chairs；　then　the　bar　with　swinging　gates　on　both　ends。　The　judge　sat　high　and　lordly　behind　the　elevated　bench；　his　back　to　the　wall　under　the　faded　portrait　of　Jefferson　Davis；　frowning　down　on　everyone　in　the　room。　The　jury　box　was　against　the　wall　to　Carl　Lee's　right；　to　the　judge's　left；　under　the　yellow　portraits　of　other　forgotten　Confederate　heroes。　The　witness　stand　was　next　to　the　bench；　but　lower；　of　course；　and　in　front　of　the　jury。　To　Carl　Lee's　left；　opposite　the　jury　box；　was　a　long；　enclosed　workbench　covered　with　large　red　docket　books。
　Clerks　and　lawyers　usually　milled　around　behind　it　during　a　trial。　Behind　the　workbench；　through　the　wall；　was　the　holding　room。
　Carl　Lee　stood；　still　as　though　handcuffed；　and　walked　slowly　through　the　small　swinging　gate　in　the　bar；　and　was　led　through　the　first　door　into　the　holding　room；　then　down　the　steps；　ten　of　them；　through　the　narrow；　shadowy　stairway；　then　he　stopped。　From　the　landing　halfway　down　the　steps；　he　could　see　the　rear　doors　of　the　courthouse　and　most　of　the　entrance　area　between　the　doors　and　the　hall。　At　the　foot　of　the　stairs；　to　the　right；　was　a　door　that　he　opened　and　found　a　crowded；　junky　janitor's　closet。　He　closed　the　door　and　explored　the　small　room。　It　turned　and　ran　under　the　stairway。　It　was　dark；　dusty；　crowded　with　brooms　and　buckets　and　seldom　used。　He　opened　the　door　slightly　and　looked　up　the　stairs。
　For　another　hour　he　roamed　the　courthouse。　The　other　rear　stairway　led　to　another　holding　room　just　behind　the　jury　box。　One　door　went　to　the　courtroom；　the　other　to　the　jury　room。　The　stairs　continued　to　the　third　floor；　where　he　found　the　county　law　library　and　two　witness　rooms；　just　as　Lester　said。
　Up　and　down；　up　and　down；　he　traced　and　retraced　the　movements　to　be　made　by　the　men　who　raped　his　daughter。
　He　sat　in　the　judge's　chair　and　surveyed　his　domain。　He　sat　in　the　jury　box　and　rocked　in　one　of　the　fortable　chairs。　He　sat　in　the　witness　chair　and　blew　into　the　microphone。　It　was　finally　dark　at　seven　when　Carl　Lee　raised　a　window　in　the　restroom　next　to　the　janitor's　closet；　and　slid　quietly　through　the　bushes　and　into　the　darkness。
　〃Who　would　you　report　it　to？〃　Carla　asked　as　she　closed　the　fourteen…inch　pizza　box　and　poured　some　more　lemonade。
　Jake　rocked　slightly　in　the　wicker　swing　on　the　front　porch　and　watched　Hanna　skip　rope　on　the　sidewalk　next　to　the　street。
　〃Are　you　there？〃　she　asked。
　〃No。〃
　〃Who　would　you　report　it　to？〃
　〃I　don't　plan　to　report　it；〃　he　said。
　〃i　mink　you　should。〃
　〃I　think　I　shouldn't。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　His　rocking　gained　speed　and　he　sipped　the　lemonade。　He　spoke　slowly。　〃First　of　all；　I　don't　know　for　sure　that　a　crime　is　being　planned。　He　said　some　things　any　father　would　say；　and　I'm　sure　he's　having　thoughts　any　father　would　have。　But　as　far　as　actually　planning　a　crime；　I　don't　think　so。　Secondly；　what　he　said　to　me　was　said　in　confidence；　just　as　if　he　was　a　client。　In　fact；　he　probably　thinks　of　me　as　his　lawyer。〃
　〃But　even　if　you're　his　lawyer；　and　you　know　he's　planning　a　crime；　you　have　to　report　it；　don't　you？〃
　〃Yes。　If　I'm　certain　of　his　plans。　But　I'm　not。〃
　She　was　not　satisfied。　〃I　think　you　should　report　it。〃
　Jake　did　not　respond。　It　wouldn't　matter。　He　ate　his　last　bite　of　crust　and　tried　to　ignore　her。
　〃You　want　Carl　Lee　to　do　it；　don't　you？〃
　〃Do　what？〃
　〃Kill　those　boys。〃
　〃No；　I　don't。〃　He　was　not　convincing。　〃But　if　he　did；　I　wouldn't　blame　him　because　I'd　do　the　same　thing。〃
　〃Don't　start　that　again。〃
　〃I'm　serious　and　you　know　it。　I'd　do　it。〃
　〃Jake；　you　couldn't　kill　a