jg.atimetokill-第14部分

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s。　〃Get　my　car。　We'll　drive　over　and　pick　it　up。〃
　They　followed　Cat　through　a　secret　door　and　down　a　hall。　〃I　live　here；　you　know。〃　He　pointed。　〃Through　that　door　is　my　pad。　Usually　keep　some　naked　women　around。〃
　〃I'd　like　to　see　it；〃　Lester　volunteered。
　〃That's　okay；〃　said　Carl　Lee。
　Farther　down　the　hall　Cat　pointed　to　a　thick；　black；　shiny　iron　door　at　the　end　of　a　short　hallway。　He　stopped　as　if　to　admire　it。　〃That's　where　I　keep　my　cash。　Post　a　guard　in　there　around　the　clock。〃
　〃How　much？〃　Lester　asked　with　a　sip　of　beer。
　Cat　glared　at　him　and　continued　down　the　hall。　Carl　Lee　frowned　at　his　brother　and　shook　his　head。　Where　the　hall　ended　they　climbed　a　narrow　stairway　to　the　fourth　floor。　It　was　darker；　and　somewhere　in　the　darkness　Cat　found　a　button　on　a　wall。　They　waited　silently　for　a　few
　__〃〃〃　u；。m　me　wait　opened　and　revealed　a　bright　elevator　with　red　carpet　and　a　NO　SMOKING　sign。　Cat　pushed　another　button。
　〃You　gotta　walk　up　to　catch　the　elevator　goin'　down；〃　he　said　with　amusement。　〃Security　reasons。〃　They　nodded　approval　and　admiration。
　It　opened　in　the　basement。　One　of　the　bodyguards　waited　by　the　open　door　of　a　clean　white　stretch　limo；　and　Cat　invited　his　guests　in　for　a　ride。　They　moved　slowly　past　a　row　of　Fleetwoods；　several　more　limos；　a　Rolls；　and　an　assortment　of　European　luxury　cars。　〃They're　all　mine；〃　he　said　proudly。
　The　driver　honked　and　a　heavy　door　rolled　up　to　reveal　a　one…way　side　street。　〃Drive　slow；〃　Cat　yelled　to　the　chauffeur　and　the　bodyguard　way　up　front。　〃I　wanna　show　you　fellas　around　some。〃
　Carl　Lee　had　received　the　tour　a　few　years　earlier　during　his　last　visit　to　Cat。　There　were　rows　of　beaten　and　paintless　shacks　that　the　great　man　referred　to　as　rental　properties。　There　were　ancient　red…bricked　warehouses　with　blackened　or　boarded　windows　and　no　clue　as　to　what　was　stored　inside。　There　was　a　church；　a　prosperous　church；　and　a　few　blocks　away；　another　one。　He　owned　the　preachers　too；　he　said。　There　were　dozens　of　corner　taverns　with　open　doors　and　groups　of　young　blacks　sitting　on　benches　outside　drinking　quart　bottles　of　Stag　beer。　He　pointed　proudly　to　a　burned…out　building　near　Beale　and　told　with　great　zeal　the　story　of　a　petitor　who　had　attempted　to　gain　a　foothold　in　the　topless　business。　He　had　no　petitors；　he　said。　And　then　there　were　the　clubs；　places　with　names　like　Angels　and　Cat's　House　and　Black　Paradise；　places　where　a　man　could　go　for　good　drink；　good　food；　good　music；　naked　women；　and　possibly　more；　he　said。　The　clubs　had　made　him　a　very　rich　man。　Eight　of　them　in　all。
　They　were　shown　all　eight。　Plus　what　seemed　like　most　of　the　real　estate　in　south　Memphis。　At　the　dead　end　of　a　nameless　street　near　the　river；　the　driver　turned　sharply　between　two　of　the　red…bricked　warehouses　and　drove　through　a　narrow　alley　until　a　gate　opened　to　the　right。　Past　the　gate　a　door　opened　next　to　a　loading　dock　and　the　limo　disap…
　peared　into　the　building。　It　stopped　and　the　bodyguard　got　out。
　〃Keep　your　seats；〃　Cat　said。
　The　trunk　opened；　then　shut。　In　less　than　a　minute　the　limo　was　again　cruising　the　streets　of　Memphis。
　〃How　'bout　lunch？〃　Cat　asked。　Before　they　answered　he　yelled　at　the　driver；　〃Black　Paradise。　Call　and　tell　them　I'm　in'　for　lunch。
　〃Got　the　best　prime　rib　in　Memphis；　right　here　in　one　of　my　clubs。　Course　you　won't　read　about　it　in　the　Sunday　paper。　I've　been　shunned　by　the　critics。　Can　you　imagine？〃
　〃Sounds　like　discrimination；〃　Lester　said。
　〃Yeah；　I'm　sure　it　is。　But　I　don't　use　that　until　I'm　indicted。〃
　〃We　ain't　read　about　you　lately；　Cat；〃　Carl　Lee　said。
　〃It's　been　three　years　since　my　last　trial。　Tax　evasion。　Feds　spent　three　weeks　puttin'　on　proof；　and　the　jury　stayed　out　twenty…seven　minutes　and　returned　with　the　two　most　precious　words　in　the　Afro…English　language…'Not　guilty。'　〃
　〃I've　heard　them　myself；〃　Lester　said。
　A　doorman　waited　under　the　canopy　at　the　club；　and　a　set　of　matching　bodyguards；　different　bodyguards；　escorted　the　great　one　and　his　guests　to　a　private　booth　away　from　the　dance　floor。　Drinks　and　food　were　served　by　a　squad　of　waiters。　Lester　switched　to　Scotch　and　was　drunk　when　the　prime　rib　arrived。　Carl　Lee　drank　iced　tea　and　swapped　war　stories　with　Cat。
　When　the　food　was　gone；　a　bodyguard　approached　and　whispered　to　Cat。　He　grinned　and　looked　at　Carl　Lee。　〃Y'all　in　the　red　Eldorado　with　Illinois　plates？〃
　〃Yeah。　But　we　left　it　at　the　other　place。〃
　〃It's　parked　outside　。。。　in　the　trunk。〃
　〃What？〃　said　Lester。　〃How…〃
　Cat　roared　and　slapped　him　on　the　back。　〃Don't　ask；　my　man；　don't　ask。　It's　all　taken　care　of；　my　man。　Cat　can　do　anything。〃
　As　usual；　Jake　worked　Saturday　morning；　after　breakfast　at　the　Coffee　Shop。　He　enjoyed　the　tranquility　of　his　office　on　Saturday…no　phones；　no　Ethel。　He　locked　the　office；　ig…
　uuicu　me　pnone；　and　avoided　clients。　He　organized　files；　read　recent　decisions　from　the　Supreme　Court　and　planned　strategy　if　a　trial　was　approaching。　His　best　thoughts　and　ideas　came　during　quiet　Saturday　mornings。
　At　eleven　he　phoned　the　jail。　〃Sheriff　in？〃　he　asked　the　dispatcher。
　〃Lemme　check；〃　came　the　reply。
　Moments　passed　before　the　sheriff　answered。　〃Sheriff　Walls；〃　he　announced。
　〃Ozzie；　Jake　Brigance。　How　are　you？〃
　〃Fine；　Jake。　You？〃
　〃Fine。　Will　you　be　there　for　a　while？〃
　〃Coupla　hours。　What's　up？〃
　〃Not　much。　Just　need　to　talk　for　a　minute。　I'll　be　there　in　thirty　minutes。〃
　〃I'll　be　waitin'。〃
　Jake　and　the　sheriff　had　a　mutual　like　and　respect　for　each　other。　Jake　had　roughed　him　up　a　few　times　during　cross…examinations；　but　Ozzie　considered　it　business　and　nothing　personal。　Jake　campaigned　for　Ozzie；　and　Lucien　financed　the　campaigns；　so　Ozzie　didn't　mind　a　few　sarcastic　and　pointed　questions　during　trial。　He　liked　to　watch　Jake　at　trial。　And　he　liked　to　kid　him　about　the　game。　In　1969；　when　Jake　was　a　sophomore　quarterback　at　Karaway；　Ozzie　was　a　senior　all…conference；　all…state　tackle　at　Clanton。　The　two　rivals；　both　undefeated；　met　in　the　final　game　at　Clanton　for　the　conference　championship。　For　four　long　quarters　Ozzie　terrorized　the　Karaway　offense；　which　was　much　smaller　and　led　by　a　gutsy　but　battered　sophomore　quarterback。　Late　in　the　fourth　quarter；　leading　44…0；　Ozzie　broke　Jake's　leg　on　a　blitz。
　For　years　now　he　had　threatened　to　break　the　other　one。　He　always　accused　Jake　of　limping　and　asked　about　the　leg。
　〃What's　on　your　mind；　buddy？〃　Ozzie　asked　as　they　sat　in　his　small　office。
　〃Carl　Lee。　I'm　a　little　worried　about　him。〃
　〃What　way？〃
　〃Look；　Ozzie；　whatever　we　say　here　is　said　in　confidence。　I　don't　want　anyone　to　know　about　this　conversation。〃
　〃You　sound　serious；　Jake。〃
　〃I　am　serious。　I　talked　to　Carl　Lee　Wednesday　after　the　hearing。　He's　out　of　his　mind；　and　I　understand　that。　I　would　be　too。　He　was　talking　about　killing　the　boys；　and　he　sounded　serious。　I　just　think　you　ought　to　know。〃
　〃They're　safe；　Jake。　He　couldn't　get　to　them　if　he　wanted　to。　We've　had　some　phone　calls；　anonymous　of　course；　with　all　kinds　of　threats。　Black　folks　are　bad　upset。　But　the　boys're　safe。　They're　in　a　cell　by　themselves；　and　we're　real　careful。〃
　〃That's　good。　I　haven't　been　hired　by　Carl　Lee；　but　I've　represented　all　the　Haileys　at　one　time　or　another　and　I'm　sure　he　considers　me　to　be　his　lawyer；　for　whatever　reason。　I　feel　a　responsibility　to　let　you　know。〃
　〃I'm　not　worried；　Jake。〃
　〃Good。　Let　me　ask　you　something。　I've　got　a　daughter；　and　you've　got　a　daughter；　right？〃
　〃Got　two　of　them。〃
　〃What's　Carl　Lee　thinking？　I　mean；　as　a　black　father？〃
　〃Same　thing　you'd　be　thinkin'。〃
　〃And　what's　that？〃
　Ozzie　reared　back　in　his　chair　and　crossed　his　arms。　He　thought　for　a　moment。　〃He's　wonderin'　if　she's　okay；　physically；　I　mean。　Is　she　gonna　live；　and　if　she　does；　how　bad　is　she　hurt。　Can　she　ever　have　kids？　Then　he's　wonderin'　if　she's　okay　mentally　and　emotionally；　and　how　will　this　affect　her　for　the　rest　of　her　life。　Thirdly；　he　wants　to　kill　the　bastards。〃
　〃Would　you？〃
　〃It's　easy　to　say　I　would；　but　a　man　don't　know　what　he'd　do。　I　think　my　kids　need　me　at　home　a　whole　lot　more　than　Parchman　needs　me。　What　would　you　be　thinkin'；　Jake？〃
　〃About　the　same；　I　guess。　I　d