jg.atimetokill-第16部分

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　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　at　the　two　rapists；　who　sat　at　the　same　table　between　their　lawyers。　The　vodka　felt　good。　He　took　a　sip　of　what　appeared　to　be　ice　water　from　a　Styrofoam　cup　and　managed　a　slight　grin。　It　burned　slowly　downward　and　his　cheeks　flushed。　What　he　ought　to　do　was　order　the　deputies　out　of　the　courtroom　and　throw　Cobb　and　Willard　to　the　niggers。　That　would　be　fun　to
　watch；　and　justice　would　be　served。　He　could　just　see　the　fat　nigger　women　stomping　up　and　down　while　their　men　carved　on　the　boys　with　switchblades　and　machetes。　Then；　when　they　were　finished；　they　would　collect　themselves　and　all　march　quietly　from　the　courtroom。　He　smiled　to　himself。
　He　motioned　for　Mr。　Pate；　who　approached　the　bench。　〃I've　got　a　half　pint　of　ice　water　in　my　desk　drawer；〃　he　whispered。　〃Pour　me　some　in　a　Styrofoam　cup。〃
　Mr。　Pate　nodded　and　disappeared。
　〃This　is　a　bail　hearing；〃　he　declared　loudly；　〃and　I　don't　intend　for　it　to　last　long。　Are　the　defendants　ready？〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Tyndale。
　〃Yes；　Your　Honor；〃　said　Mr。　Bernard。
　〃The　State　ready？〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　answered　Childers　without　standing。
　〃Good。　Call　your　first　witness。〃
　Childers　addressed　the　judge。　〃Your　Honor；　the　State　will　call　no　witnesses。　His　Honor　is　well　aware　of　the　charges　against　these　two　defendants；　since　His　Honor　held　the　preliminary　hearing　last　Wednesday。　It　is　my　understanding　the　victim　is　now　home；　so　we　do　not　anticipate　further　charges。　The　grand　jury　will　be　asked　next　Monday　to　indict　the　two　defendants　for　rape；　kidnapping；　and　aggravated　assault。　Because　of　the　violent　nature　of　these　crimes；　because　of　the　age　of　the　victim；　and　because　Mr。　Cobb　is　a　convicted　felon；　the　State　would　ask　for　the　maximum　bonds；　and　not　a　penny　less。〃
　Bullard　almost　choked　on　his　ice　water。　What　maximum？　There's　no　such　thing　as　a　maximum　bond。
　〃What　do　you　suggest；　Mr。　Childers？〃
　〃Half　a　million　apiece！〃　Childers　announced　proudly　and　sat　down。
　Half　a　million！　Out　of　the　question；　thought　Bullard。　He　sipped　furiously　and　glared　at　the　prosecutor。　Half　a　million！　Double…crossed　in　open　court。　He　sent　Mr。　Pate　after　more　ice　water。
　〃The　defense　may　proceed。〃
　Cobb's　new　lawyer　stood　purposefully。　He　cleared　his　throat　and　removed　his　horn…rimmed；　academic；　go…to…hell　reading　glasses。　〃May　it　please　the　court；　Your　Honor；　my
　name　is　Peter　K。　Bernard。　1　am　irom　jviempms；　aim　i　uavt　been　retained　by　Mr。　Cobb　to　represent　him…〃
　〃Do　you　have　a　license　to　practice　in　Mississippi？〃　interrupted　Bullard。
　Bernard　was　caught　off…guard。　〃Well；　uh；　not　exactly；　Your　Honor。〃
　〃I　see。　When　you　say　'not　exactly；'　do　you　mean　something　other　than　no？〃
　Several　lawyers　in　the　jury　box　snickered。　Bullard　was　famous　for　this。　He　hated　Memphis　lawyers；　and　required　them　to　associate　local　counsel　before　appearing　in　his　court。　Years　before　when　he　was　practicing；　a　Memphis　judge　had　kicked　him　out　of　court　because　he　was　not　licensed　in　Tennessee。　He　had　enjoyed　revenge　since　the　day　he　was　elected。
　〃Your　Honor；　I　am　not　licensed　in　Mississippi；　but　I　am　licensed　in　Tennessee。〃
　〃I　would　hope　so；〃　came　the　retort　from　the　bench。　More　suppressed　laughter　from　the　jury　box。　〃Are　you　familiar　with　our　local　rules　here　in　Ford　County？〃　His　Honor　asked。
　〃Er；　uh；　yes；　sir。〃
　〃Do　you　have　a　copy　of　these　rules？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃And　you　read　them　carefully　before　you　ventured　into　my　courtroom？〃
　〃Uh；　yes；　sir；　most　of　them。〃
　〃Did　you　understand　Rule　14　when　you　read　it？〃
　Cobb　glanced　up　suspiciously　at　his　new　lawyer。
　〃Uh；　I　don't　recall　that　one；〃　Bernard　admitted。
　〃I　didn't　think　so。　Rule　14　requires　out…of…state　unlicensed　attorneys　to　associate　local　counsel　when　appearing　in　my　courtroom。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　From　his　looks　and　mannerisms；　Bernard　was　a　polished　attorney；　at　least　he　was　known　as　such　in　Memphis。　He　was；　however；　in　the　process　of　being　totally　degraded　and　humbled　before　a　small…town；　redneck　judge　with　a　quick　tongue。
　〃Yes；　sir；　what？〃　snapped　Bullard。
　〃Yes；　sir；　I　think　I've　heard　of　that　rule。〃
　〃There　is　none；　but　I　planned…〃
　〃Then　you　drove　down　here　from　Memphis；　carefully　read　my　rules；　and　deliberately　ignored　them。　Right？〃
　Bernard　lowered　his　head　and　stared　at　a　blank　yellow　legal　pad　on　the　table。
　Tyndale　rose　slowly。　〃Your　Honor；　for　the　record；　I　show　myself　as　associated　counsel　for　Mr。　Bernard　for　purposes　of　this　hearing　and　for　no　other　purpose。〃
　Bullard　smiled。　Slick　move；　Tyndale；　slick　move。　The　ice　water　warmed　him　and　he　relaxed。　〃Very　well。　Call　your　first　witness。〃
　Bernard　stood　straight　again。　He　cocked　his　head。　〃Your　Honor；　on　behalf　of　Mr。　Cobb；　I　would　like　to　call　his　brother；　Mr。　Fred　Cobb；　to　the　stand。〃
　〃Make　it　brief；〃　Bullard　mumbled。
　CobB's　brother　was　sworn　and　seated　in　the　witness　chair。　Bernard　assumed　the　podium　and　began　a　long；　detailed　direct　examination。　He　was　well　prepared。　He　elicited　proof　that　Billy　Ray　Cobb　was　gainfully　employed；　owned　real　estate　in　Ford　County；　grew　up　there；　had　most　of　his　family　there；　and　friends；　and　had　no　reason　to　leave。　A　solid　citizen　with　deep　roots　with　much　to　lose　if　he　fled。　A　man　who　could　be　trusted　to　show　up　for　court。　A　man　worthy　of　a　low　bond。
　Bullard　sipped；　tapped　his　pen；　and　searched　the　black　faces　in　the　audience。
　Childers　had　no　questions。　Bernard　called　Cobb's　mother；　Cora；　who　repeated　what　her　son　Fred　said　about　her　son　Billy　Ray。　She　managed　a　couple　of　tears　at　an　awkward　moment；　and　Bullard　shook　his　head。
　Tyndale　was　next。　He　went　through　the　same　motions　with　Willard's　family。
　Half　a　million　dollars　bond！　Anything　less　would　be　too　little；　and　the　blacks　wouldn't　like　it。　The　judge　had　new　reason　to　hate　Childers。　But　he　liked　the　blacks　because　they　elected　him　last　time。　He　received　fifty…one　percent　of　the　vote　countywide；　but　he　got　all　the　nigger　vote。
　〃Anything　else？〃　he　asked　when　Tyndale　finished。
　The　three　lawyers　looked　blankly　at　each　other；　then　at　the　judge。　Bernard　stood。　〃Your　Honor；　I　would　like　to
　summarize　my　client's　position　in　regard　to　a　reasonable　bond…〃
　〃Forget　it；　pal。　I've　heard　enough　from　you　and　your　client。　Sit　down。〃
　Bullard　hesitated；　then　rapidly　announced：　〃Bond　is　hereby　set　at　one　hundred　thousand　for　Pete　Willard；　and　two　hundred　thousand　for　Billy　Ray　Cobb。　Defendants　will　remain　in　the　custody　of　the　sheriff　until　they　are　able　to　make　bail。　Court's　adjourned。〃　He　rapped　the　gavel　and　disappeared　into　his　chambers；　where　he　finished　the　half　pint　and　opened　another　one。
　Lester　was　pleased　with　the　bonds。　His　had　been　fifty　thousand　for　the　murder　of　Monroe　Bowie。　Of　course；　Bowie　was　black；　and　bonds　were　generally　lower　for　those　cases。
　The　crowd　inched　toward　the　rear　door；　but　Lester　did　not　move。　He　watched　closely　as　the　two　white　boys　were　handcuffed　and　taken　through　the　door　into　the　holding　room。　When　they　were　out　of　sight；　he　placed　his　head　in　his　hands　and　said　a　short　prayer。　Then　he　listened。
　At　least　ten　times　a　day　Jake　walked　through　the　French　doors　and　onto　the　balcony　to　inspect　downtown　Clanton。　He　sometimes　puffed　a　cheap　cigar　and　blew　smoke　over　Washington　Street。　Even　in　the　summer　he　left　the　windows　open　in　the　big　office。　The　sounds　of　the　busy　small　town　made　good　pany　as　he　worked　quietly。　At　times　he　was　amazed　at　the　volume　of　noise　generated　on　the　streets　around　the　courthouse；　and　at　other　times　he　walked　to　the　balcony　to　see　why　things　were　so　quiet。
　Just　before　2：00　P。M。；　Monday；　May　20；　he　walked　to　the　balcony　and　lit　a　cigar。　A　heavy　silence　engulfed　downtown　Clanton；　Mississippi。
　Cobb　went　first　down　the　stairs；　cautiously；　with　his　hands　cuffed　behind　him；　then　Willard；　then　Deputy　Looney。　Ten　steps　down；　then　the　landing；　turn　right；　then　ten　steps　to　the　first　floor。　Three　other　deputies　waited　outside　by　the　patrol　cars　smoking　cigarettes　and　watching　reporters。
　When　Cobb　reached　the　second　step　from　the　floor；　and　Willard　was　three　steps　behind；　and　Looney　was　one　step　off　the　landing；　the　small；　dirty；