jg.atimetokill-第15部分

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lot　more　than　Parchman　needs　me。　What　would　you　be　thinkin'；　Jake？〃
　〃About　the　same；　I　guess。　I　don't　know　what　I'd　do。　Probably　go　crazy。〃　He　paused　and　stared　at　the　desk。　〃But　I　might　seriously　plan　to　kill　whoever　did　it。　It'd　be　mighty　hard　to　lie　down　at　night　knowing　he　was　still　alive。〃
　〃What　would　a　jury　do？〃
　〃Depends　on　who's　on　the　jury。　You　pick　the　right　jury　and　you　walk。　If　the　D。A。　picks　the　right　jury　you　get　the　gas。　It　depends　strictly　on　the　jury；　and　in　this　county　you　can
　。　me　ngrit　lolks。　People　are　tired　of　raping　and　robbing　and　killing。　I　know　white　folks　are。〃
　〃Everbody　is。〃
　〃My　point　is　that　there'd　be　a　lot　of　sympathy　for　a　father　who　took　matters　into　his　own　hands。　People　don't　trust　our　judicial　system。　I　think　I　could　at　least　hang　a　jury。　Just　convince　one　or　two　that　the　bastard　needed　to　die。〃
　〃Like　Monroe　Bowie。〃
　〃Exactly。　Just　like　Monroe　Bowie。　He　was　a　sorry　nigger　who　needed　killing　and　Lester　took　a　walk。　By　the　way；　Ozzie；　why　do　you　suppose　Lester　drove　from　Chicago？〃
　〃He's　pretty　close　to　his　brother。　We're　watchin'　him　too。〃
　The　conversation　changed　and　Ozzie　finally　asked　about　the　leg。　They　shook　hands　and　Jake　left。　He　drove　straight　home；　where　Carla　was　waiting　with　her　list。　She　didn't　mind　the　Saturdays　at　the　office　as　long　as　he　was　home　by　noon　and　pretty　much　followed　orders　thereafter。
　On　Sunday　afternoon　a　crowd　gathered　at　the　hospital　and　followed　the　little　Hailey　girl's　wheelchair　as　it　was　pushed　by　her　father　down　the　hall；　through　the　doors；　and　into　the　parking　lot；　where　he　gently　raised　her　and　sat　her　in　the　front　seat。　As　she　sat　between　her　parents；　with　her　three　brothers　in　the　back　seat；　he　drove　away；　followed　by　a　procession　of　friends　and　relatives　and　strangers。　The　caravan　moved　slowly；　deliberately　out　of　town　and　into　the　country。
　She　sat　up　in　the　front　seat　like　a　big　girl。　Her　father　was　silent；　her　mother　tearful；　and　her　brothers　mute　and　rigid。
　Another　throng　waited　at　the　house　and　rushed　to　the　porch　as　the　cars　moved　up　the　driveway　and　parked　on　the　grass　on　the　long　front　yard。　The　crowd　hushed　as　he　carried　her　up　the　steps；　through　the　door；　and　laid　her　on　the　couch。　She　was　glad　to　be　home；　but　tired　of　the　spectators。　Her　mother　held　her　feet　as　cousins；　uncles；　aunts；　neighbors；　and　everybody　walked　to　her　and　touched　her　and
　smiled；　some　through　tears；　and　said　nothing。　Her　daddy　went　outside　and　talked　to　Uncle　Lester　and　the　men。　Her　brothers　were　in　the　kitchen　with　the　crowd　devouring　the　pile　of　food。
　Rocky　Childers　had　been　the　prosecutor　for　Ford　County　for　more　years　than　he　cared　to　remember。　The　job　paid　fifteen　thousand　a　year　and　required　most　of　his　time。　It　also　destroyed　any　practice　he　hoped　to　build。　At　forty…two　he　was　washed　up　as　a　lawyer；　stuck　in　a　dead…end　part…time；　full…time　job；　elected　permanently　every　four　years。　Thankfully；　he　had　a　wife　with　a　good　job　so　they　could　drive　new　Buicks　and　afford　the　country　club　dues　and　in　general　put　on　the　necessary　airs　of　educated　white　people　in　Ford　County。　At　a　younger　age　he　had　political　ambitions；　but　the　voters　dissuaded　him；　and　he　was　malcontent　to　exhaust　his　career　prosecuting　drunks；　shoplifters；　and　juvenile　delinquents；　and　being　abused　by　Judge　Bullard；　whom　he　despised。　Excitement　crept　up　occasionally　when　people　like　Cobb　and　Willard　screwed　up；　and　Rocky；　by　statutory　authority；　handled　the　preliminary　and　other　hearings　before　the　cases　were　sent　to　the　grand　jury　and　then　to　Circuit　Court；　and　then　to　the　real　prosecutor；　the　big　prosecutor；　the　district　attorney；　Mr。　Rufus　Buckley；　from　Polk　County。　It　was　Buckley　who　had　disposed　of　Rocky's　political　career。
　Normally；　a　bail　hearing　was　no　big　affair　for　Childers；　but　this　was　a　bit　different。　Since　Wednesday　he　had　received　dozens　of　phone　calls　from　blacks；　all　registered　voters　or　claiming　to　be；　who　were　very　concerned　about　Cobb　and　Willard　being　released　from　jail。　They　wanted　the　boys　locked　up；　just　like　the　black　ones　who　got　in　trouble　and　could　not　make　bail　before　trial。　Childers　promised　his　best；　but　explained　the　bonds　would　be　set　by　County　Judge　Percy　Bullard；　whose　number　was　also　in　the　phone　book。　On　Ben…nington　Street。　They　promised　to　be　in　court　Monday　to　watch　him　and　Bullard。
　At　twelve…thirty　Monday；　Childers　was　summoned　to　the　judge's　chambers；　where　the　sheriff　and　Bullard　were　waiting。　The　judge　was　so　nervous　he　could　not　sit。
　〃How　much　bond　do　you　want？〃　he　snapped　at　Childers。
　〃I　dunno；　Judge。　I　haven't　thought　much　about　it。〃
　〃Don't　you　think　it's　about　time　you　thought　about　it？〃　He　paced　rapidly　back　and　forth　behind　his　desk；　then　to　the　window；　then　back　to　his　desk。　Ozzie　was　amused　and　silent。
　〃Not　really；〃　Childers　answered　softly。　〃It's　your　decision。　You're　the　judge。〃
　〃Thanks！　Thanks！　Thanks！　How　much　will　you　ask　for？〃
　〃I　always　ask　for　more　than　I　expect；〃　replied　Childers　coolly；　thoroughly　enjoying　the　judge's　neurosis。
　〃How　much　is　that？〃
　〃I　dunno。　I　hadn't　thought　much　about　it。〃
　Dullard's　neck　turned　dark　red　and　he　glared　at　Ozzie。　〃Whatta　you　think；　Sheriff？〃
　〃Well；〃　Ozzie　drawled；　〃I　would　suggest　pretty　stiff　bonds。　These　boys　need　to　be　in　jail　for　their　own　safety。　Black　folk　are　restless　out　there。　They　might　get　hurt　if　they　bond　out。　Better　go　high。〃
　〃How　much　money　they　got？〃
　〃Willard's　broke。　Can't　tell　about　Cobb。　Drug　money's　hard　to　trace。　He　might　could　find　twenty；　thirty　thousand。　I　hear　he's　hired　some　big…shot　Memphis　lawyer。　Supposed　to　be　here　today。　He　must　have　some　money。〃
　〃Damn；　why　don't　I　know　these　things。　Who'd　he　hire？〃
　〃Bernard。　Peter　K。　Bernard；〃　answered　Childers。　〃He　called　me　this　morning。〃
　〃Never　heard　of　him；〃　retorted　Bullard　with　an　air　of　superiority；　as　though　he　memorized　some　kind　of　judicial　rap　sheet　on　all　lawyers。
　Bullard　studied　the　trees　outside　the　window　as　the　sheriff　and　prosecutor　exchanged　winks。　The　bonds　would　be　exorbitant；　as　always。　The　bail　bondsmen　loved　Bullard　for　his　outrageous　bonds。　They　watched　with　delight　as　desperate　families　scraped　and　mortgaged　to　collect　the　ten　percent　premiums　they　charged　to　write　the　bonds。　Bullard　would　be　high；　and　he　didn't　care。　It　was　politically　safe　to　set　them　high　and　keep　the　criminals　in　jail。　The　blacks　would　appreciate　it　and　that　was　important　even　if　the　county　was　seventy…four　percent　white。　He　owed　the　blacks　a　few　favors。
　〃Let's　go　a　hundred　thousand　on　Willard　and　two　hundred　on　Cobb。　That　oughtta　satisfy　them。〃
　〃Satisfy　who？〃　asked　Ozzie。
　〃Er；　uh；　the　people；　the　people　out　there。　Sound　okay　to　you？〃
　〃Fine　with　me；〃　said　Childers。　〃But　what　about　the　hearing？〃　he　asked　with　a　grin。
　〃We'll　give　them　a　hearing；　a　fair　hearing；　then　I'll　set　the　bonds　at　a　hundred　and　two　hundred。〃
　〃And　I　suppose　you　want　me　to　ask　for　three　hundred　apiece　so　you　can　look　fair？〃　asked　Childers。
　〃I　don't　care　what　you　ask　for！〃　yelled　the　judge。
　〃Sounds　fair　to　me；〃　said　Ozzie　as　he　headed　for　the　door。　〃Will　you　call　me　to　testify？〃　he　asked　Childers。
　〃Naw；　we　don't　need　you。　I　don't　guess　the　State　will　call　anybody　since　we're　having　such　a　fair　hearing。〃
　They　left　the　chambers　and　Bullard　stewed。　He　locked　the　door　behind　them　and　pulled　a　half　pint　of　vodka　from　his　briefcase；　and　gulped　it　furiously。　Mr。　Pate　waited　outside　the　door。　Five　minutes　later　Bullard　barged　into　the　packed　courtroom。
　〃All　rise　for　the　court！〃　Mr。　Pate　shouted。
　〃Be　seated！〃　screamed　the　judge　before　anyone　could　stand。　〃Where　are　the　defendants？　Where？〃
　Cobb　and　Willard　were　escorted　from　the　holding　room　and　seated　at　the　defense　table。　Cobb's　new　lawyer　smiled　at　his　client　as　the　handcuffs　were　removed。　Willard's　lawyer；　Tyndale；　the　public　defender；　ignored　him。
　The　same　crowd　of　blacks　had　returned　from　last　Wednesday；　and　had　brought　some　friends。　They　closely　followed　the　movements　of　the　two　white　boys。　Lester　saw　them　for　the　first　time。　Carl　Lee　was　not　in　the　courtroom。
　From　the　bench　Bullard　counted　deputies…nine　in　all。　That　had　to　be　a　record。　Then　he　counted　blacks…hundreds　of　them　all　bunched　together；　all　glaring　a