jg.atimetokill-第13部分

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　〃Don't　start　that　again。〃
　〃I'm　serious　and　you　know　it。　I'd　do　it。〃
　〃Jake；　you　couldn't　kill　a　man。〃
　〃Okay。　Whatever。　I'm　not　going　to　argue。　We've　been　through　it　before。〃
　Carla　yelled　at　Hanna　to　move　away　from　the　street。　She　sat　next　to　him　in　the　swing　and　rattled　her　ice　cubes。　〃Would　you　represent　him？〃
　〃I　hope　so。〃
　〃Would　the　jury　convict　him？〃
　〃Would　you？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃Well；　think　of　Hanna。　Just　look　at　that　sweet　little　innocent　child　out　there　skipping　rope。　You're　a　mother。　Now　think　of　the　little　Hailey　girl；　lying　there；　beaten；　bloody；　begging　for　her　momma　and　daddy…〃
　〃Shut　up；　Jake！〃
　He　smiled。　〃Answer　the　question。　You're　on　the　jury。　Would　you　vote　to　convict　the　father？〃
　She　placed　her　glass　on　the　windowsill　and　suddenly　became　interested　in　her　cuticles。　Jake　smelled　victory。
　〃e　on。　You're　on　the　jury。　Conviction　or　acquittal？〃
　〃I'm　always　on　the　jury　around　here。　Either　that　or　I'm　being　cross…examined。〃
　〃Convict　or　acquit？〃
　She　glared　at　him。　〃It　would　be　hard　to　convict。〃
　He　grinned　and　rested　his　case。
　〃But　I　don't　see　how　he　could　kill　them　if　they're　in　jail。〃
　〃Easy。　They're　not　always　in　jail。　They　go　to　court　and　they're　transported　to　and　from。　Remember　Oswald　and　Jack　Ruby。　Plus；　they　get　out　if　they　can　make　bail。〃
　〃When　can　they　do　that？〃
　〃Bonds　will　be　set　Monday。　If　they　bond　out；　they're　loose。〃
　〃And　if　they　can't？〃
　〃They　remain　in　jail　until　trial。〃
　〃When　is　the　trial？〃
　〃Probably　late　summer。〃
　〃I　think　you　should　report　it。〃
　Jake　bolted　from　the　swing　and　went　to　play　with　Hanna。
　K。　T。　Bruster；　or　Cat　Bruster；　as　he　was　known；　was；　to　his　knowledge；　the　only　one…eyed　black　millionaire　in　Memphis。　He　owned　a　string　of　black　topless　joints　in　town；　all　of　which　he　operated　legally。　He　owned　blocks　of　rental　property；　which　he　operated　legally；　and　he　owned　two　churches　in　south　Memphis；　which　were　also　operated　legally。　He　was　a　benefactor　for　numerous　black　causes；　a　friend　of　the　politicians；　and　a　hero　to　his　people。
　It　was　important　for　Cat　to　be　popular　in　the　munity　because　he　would　be　indicted　again　and　tried　again；　and　in　all　likelihood　acquitted　again　by　his　peers；　half　of　whom　were　black。　The　authorities　had　found　it　impossible　to　convict　Cat　of　killing　people　and　of　selling　such　things　as　women；　cocaine；　stolen　goods；　credit　cards；　food　stamps；　un…taxed　liquor；　guns；　and　light　artillery。
　He　had　one　eye　with　him。　The　other　one　was　somewhere　in　a　rice　paddy　in　Vietnam。　He　lost　it　the　same　day　in　1971　that　his　buddy　Carl　Lee　Hailey　was　hit　in　the　leg。　Carl　Lee　carried　him　for　two　hours　before　they　found　help。　After　the　war　he　returned　to　Memphis　and　brought　with　him　two　pounds　of　hashish。　The　proceeds　went　to　buy　a　small　saloon　on　South　Main；　and　he　almost　starved　before　he　won　a　whore　in　a　poker　game　with　a　pimp。　He　promised　her　she　could　quit　whoring　if　she　would　take　off　her　clothes　and　dance　on　his　tables。　Overnight　he　had　more　business　than　he　could　seat；　so　he　bought　another　bar；　and　brought　in　more　dancers。　He　found　his　niche　in　the　market；　and　within　two　years　he　was　a　very　wealthy　man。
　His　office　was　above　one　of　his　clubs　just　off　South　Main　between　Vance　and　Beale；　in　the　roughest　part　of　Memphis。　The　sign　above　the　sidewalk　advertised　Bud　and　breasts；　but　much　more　was　for　sale　behind　the　black　windows。
　Carl　Lee　and　Lester　found　the　lounge…Brown　Sugar…　around　noon；　Saturday。　They　sat　at　the　bar；　ordered　Bud；　and　watched　the　breasts。
　〃Is　Cat　in？〃　Carl　Lee　asked　the　bartender　when　he　walked　behind　them。　He　grunted　and　returned　to　the　sink；　where　he　continued　his　beer　mug　washing。　Carl　Lee　glanced　at　him　between　sips　and　dance　routines。
　〃Another　beer！〃　Lester　said　loudly　without　taking　his　eyes　off　the　dancers。
　〃Cat　Bruster　here？〃　Carl　Lee　asked　firmly　when　the　bartender　brought　the　beer。
　〃Who　wants　to　know？〃
　〃I　do。〃
　〃So。〃
　〃So　me　and　Cat　are　good　friends。　Fought　together　in　'Nam。〃
　〃Name？〃
　〃Hailey。　Carl　Lee　Hailey。　From　Mississippi。〃
　The　bartender　disappeared；　and　a　minute　later　emerged　from　between　two　mirrors　behind　the　liquor。　He　motioned　for　the　Haileys；　who　followed　him　through　a　small　door；　past　the　restrooms　and　through　a　locked　door　up　the　stairs。　The　office　was　dark　and　gaudy。　The　carpet　on　the　floor　was　gold；　on　the　walls；　red；　on　the　ceiling；　green。　A　green　shag　ceiling。　Thin　steel　bars　covered　the　two　blackened　windows；　and　for　good　measure　a　set　of　heavy；　dusty；　burgundy　drapes　hung　from　ceiling　to　floor　to　catch　and　smother　any　sunlight　robust　enough　to　penetrate　the　painted　glass。　A　small；　ineffective　chrome　chandelier　with　mirror　panes　rotated　slowly　in　the　center　of　the　room；　barely　above　their　heads。
　Two　mammoth　bodyguards　in　matching　three…piece　black　suits　dismissed　the　bartender　and　seated　Lester　and　Carl　Lee；　and　stood　behind　them。
　The　brothers　admired　the　furnishings。　〃Nice；　ain't　it？〃　Lester　said。　B。B。　King　mourned　softly　on　a　hidden　stereo。
　Suddenly；　Cat　entered　from　a　hidden　door　behind　the　marble　and　glass　desk。　He　lunged　at　Carl　Lee。　〃My　man！　My　man！　Carl　Lee　Hailey！〃　He　shouted　and　grabbed　Carl　Lee。　〃So　good　to　see　you；　Carl　Lee！　So　good　to　see　you！〃
　Carl　Lee　stood　and　they　bearhugged。　〃How　are　you；　my　man！〃　Cat　demanded。
　〃Doin'　fine；　Cat；　just　fine。　And　you？〃
　〃Great！　Great！　Who's　this？〃　He　turned　to　Lester　and　threw　a　hand　in　his　chest。　Lester　shook　it　violently。
　iuia　ucie　s　my　orother；　Lester；〃　Carl　Lee　said。　〃He's　from　Chicago。〃
　〃Glad　to　know　you；　Lester。　Me　and　the　big　man　here　are　mighty　tight。　Mighty　tight。〃
　〃He's　told　me　all　about　you；〃　Lester　said。　Cat　admired　Carl　Lee。　〃My；　my；　Carl　Lee。　You　lookin'　good。　How's　the　leg？〃
　〃It's　fine；　Cat。　Tightens　up　sometimes　when　it　rains；　but　it's　fine。〃
　〃We　mighty　tight；　ain't　we？〃
　Carl　Lee　nodded　and　smiled。　Cat　released　him。　〃You　fellas　want　a　drink？〃
　〃No　thanks；〃　said　Carl　Lee。
　〃I'll　take　a　beer；〃　said　Lester。　Cat　snapped　his　fingers　and　a　bodyguard　disappeared。　Carl　Lee　fell　into　his　chair　and　Cat　sat　on　the　edge　of　his　desk；　his　feet　dangling　and　swinging　like　a　kid　on　a　pier。　He　grinned　at　Carl　Lee；　who　squirmed　under　all　the　admiration。
　〃Why　don't　you　move　to　Memphis　and　go　to　work　for　me？〃　Cat　said。　Carl　Lee　knew　it　was　ing。　Cat　had　been　offering　him　jobs　for　ten　years。
　〃No　thanks；　Cat。　I'm　happy。〃
　〃And　I'm　happy　for　you。　What's　on　your　mind？〃
　Carl　Lee　opened　his　mouth；　hesitated；　crossed　his　legs　and　frowned。　He　nodded；　and　said；　〃Need　a　favor；　Cat。　Just　a　small　favor。〃
　Cat　spread　his　arms。　〃Anything；　big　man；　anything　you　want。〃
　〃You　remember　them　M…16's　we　used　in　'Nam？　I　need　one　of　them。　As　quick　as　possible。〃
　Cat　recoiled　his　arms　and　folded　them　across　his　chest。　He　studied　his　friend。　〃That's　a　bad　gun。　What　kinda　squirrels　you　huntin'　down　there？〃
　〃It　ain't　for　squirrels。〃
　Cat　analyzed　them　both。　He　knew　better　than　to　ask　why。　It　was　serious；　or　Carl　Lee　wouldn't　be　there。　〃Semi？〃
　〃Nope。　The　real　thing。〃
　〃You　talkin'　some　cash。〃
　〃How　much？〃
　〃It's　illegal　as　hell；　you　know？〃
　〃If　I　could　buy　it　at　Sears　I　wouldn't　be　here。〃
　Cat　grinned　again。　〃When　do　you　need　it？〃
　〃Today。〃
　The　beer　arrived　and　was　served　to　Lester。　Cat　moved　behind　his　desk；　to　his　orange　vinyl　captain's　chair。　〃Thousand　bucks。〃
　〃I　got　it。〃
　Cat　was　mildly　surprised；　but　didn't　show　it。　Where　did　this　simple　small…town　Mississippi　nigger　find　a　thousand　dollars？　Must　have　borrowed　it　from　his　brother。
　〃Thousand　for　anyone　else；　but　not　for　you；　big　man。〃
　〃How　much？〃
　〃Nothin'；　Carl　Lee；　nothin'。　I　owe　you　somethin'　worth　much　more　than　money。〃
　〃I'll　be　glad　to　pay　for　it。〃
　〃Nope。　I　won't　hear　it。　The　gun's　yours。〃
　〃That's　mighty　kind；　Cat。〃
　〃I'd　give　you　fifty　of　them。〃
　〃Just　need　one。　When　can　I　get　it？〃
　〃Lemme　check。〃　Cat　phoned　someone　and　mumbled　a　few　sentences　into　the　receiver。　The　orders　given；　he　hung　up　and　explained　it　would　take　about　an　hour。
　〃We　can　wait；〃　Carl　Lee　said。
　Cat　removed　the　patch　from　his　left　eye　and　wiped　the　empty　socket　with　a　handkerchief。　〃I　gotta　better　idea。〃　He　snapped　at　the　bodyguards。　〃Get　my　car。　We'll　drive　over　and　pick　it　up。〃