jg.atimetokill-第17部分

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　one　step　off　the　landing；　the　small；　dirty；　neglected；　unnoticed　door　to　the　janitor's　closet　burst　open　and　Mr。　Carl　Lee　Hailey　sprung　from　the　darkness　with　an　M…16。　At　point…blank　range　he　opened　fire。　The　loud；　rapid；　clapping；　popping　gunfire　shook　the　courthouse　and　exploded　the　silence。　The　rapists　froze；　then　screamed　as　they　were　hit…Cobb　first；　in　the　stomach　and　chest；　then　Willard　in　the　face；　neck；　and　throat。　They　twisted　vainly　up　the　stairs；　handcuffed　and　helpless；　stumbling　over　each　other　as　their　skin　and　blood　splashed　together。
　Looney　was　hit　in　the　leg　but　managed　to　scramble　up　the　stairs　into　the　holding　room；　where　he　crouched　and　listened　as　Cobb　and　Willard　screamed　and　moaned　and　the　crazy　nigger　laughed。　Bullets　ricocheted　between　the　walls　of　the　narrow　stairway；　and　Looney　could　see；　looking　down　toward　the　landing；　blood　and　flesh　splashing　on　the　walls　and　dripping　down。
　In　short；　sudden　bursts　of　seven　or　eight　rounds　each；　the　enormous　booming　sound　of　the　M…16　echoed　through　the　courthouse　for　an　eternity。　Through　the　gunfire　and　the　sounds　of　the　bullets　rattling　around　the　walls　of　the　stairway；　the　high…pitched；　shrill；　laughing　voice　of　Carl　Lee　could　be　plainly　heard。
　When　he　stopped；　he　threw　the　rifle　at　the　two　corpses　and　ran。　Into　the　restroom；　he　jammed　the　door　with　a　chair；　crawled　out　a　window　into　the　bushes；　then　onto　the　sidewalk。　Nonchalantly；　he　walked　to　his　pickup　and　drove　home。
　Lester　froze　when　the　shooting　started。　The　gunfire　was　heard　loudly　in　the　courtroom。　Willard's　mother　screamed　and　Cobb's　mother　screamed；　and　the　deputies　raced　into　the　holding　room；　but　did　not　venture　down　the　stairs。　Lester　listened　intently　for　the　sounds　of　handguns；　and　hearing　none；　he　left　the　courtroom。
　With　the　first　shot；　Bullard　grabbed　the　half　pint　and　crawled　under　his　desk　while　Mr。　Pate　locked　the　door。
　Cobb；　or　what　was　left　of　him；　came　to　rest　on　Willard。　Their　blood　mixed　and　puddled　on　each　step；　then　it　overflowed　and　dripped　to　the　next　step；　where　it　puddled　before
　overflowing　and　dripping　to　the　next。　Soon　the　foot　of　the　stairway　was　flooded　with　the　mixture。
　Jake　sprinted　across　the　street　to　the　rear　door　of　the　courthouse。　Deputy　Prather　crouched　in　front　of　the　door；　gun　drawn；　and　cursed　the　reporters　who　pressed　forward。　The　other　deputies　knelt　fearfully　on　the　doorsteps　next　to　the　patrol　cars。　Jake　ran　to　the　front　of　the　courthouse；　where　more　deputies　were　guarding　the　door　and　evacuating　the　county　employees　and　courtroom　spectators。　A　mass　of　bodies　poured　onto　the　front　steps。　Jake　fought　through　the　stampede　and　into　the　rotunda　and　found　Ozzie　directing　people　and　yelling　in　all　directions。　He　motioned　for　Jake；　and　they　walked　down　the　hall　to　the　rear　doors；　where　a　half　dozen　deputies　stood；　guns　in　hand；　gazing　silently　at　the　stairway。　Jake　felt　nauseated。　Willard　had　almost　made　it　to　the　landing。　The　front　of　his　head　was　missing；　and　his　brains　rolled　out　like　jelly　covering　his　face。　Cobb　had　been　able　to　twist　over　and　absorb　the　bullets　with　his　back。　His　face　was　buried　in　Willard's　stomach；　and　his　feet　touched　the　fourth　step　from　the　floor。　The　blood　continued　from　the　lifeless　bodies；　and　it　covered　pletely　the　bottom　six　steps。　The　crimson　pool　on　the　floor　inched　quickly　toward　the　deputies；　who　slowly　backed　away。　The　weapon　was　between　Cobb's　legs　on　the　fifth　step；　and　it　too　was　covered　with　blood。
　The　group　stood　silently；　mesmerized　by　the　two　bodies；　which；　though　dead；　continued　to　spew　blood。　The　thick　smell　of　gunfire　hung　over　the　stairway　and　drifted　toward　the　hall　into　the　rotunda；　where　the　deputies　continued　to　move　people　toward　the　front　door。
　〃Jake；　you'd　better　leave；〃　Ozzie　said　without　looking　from　the　bodies。
　〃Why？〃
　〃Just　leave。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃　'Cause　we　gotta　take　pictures　and　collect　evidence　and　stuff；　and　you　don't　need　to　be　here。〃
　cui　you　aon　t　interrogate　him　out　ot　my　presence。　Understand？〃　Ozzie　nodded。
　The　photographs　were　taken；　the　mess　cleaned；　the　evidence　gathered；　the　bodies　removed；　and　two　hours　later　Ozzie　left　town　followed　by　five　patrol　cars。　Hastings　drove　and　led　the　convoy　into　the　country；　toward　the　lake；　past　Bates　Grocery；　onto　Craft　Road。　The　Hailey　driveway　was　empty　except　for　Owen's　car；　Carl　Lee's　pickup；　and　the　red　Cadillac　from　Illinois。
　Ozzie　expected　no　trouble　as　the　patrol　cars　parked　in　a　row　across　the　front　yard；　and　the　deputies　crouched　behind　the　open　doors；　watching　as　the　sheriff　walked　alone　to　the　house。　He　stopped。　The　front　door　opened　slowly　and　the　Hailey　family　emerged。　Carl　Lee　walked　to　the　edge　of　the　porch　with　Tonya　in　his　arms。　He　looked　down　at　his　friend　the　sheriff；　and　behind　him　at　the　row　of　cars　and　deputies。　To　his　right　was　Gwen；　and　to　his　left　were　his　three　sons；　the　smallest　one　crying　softly　but　the　older　ones　brave　and　proud。　Behind　them　stood　Lester。
　The　two　groups　watched　each　other；　each　waiting　for　the　other　to　say　or　do　something；　each　wanting　to　avoid　what　was　about　to　happen。　The　only　sounds　were　the　soft　sniffles　of　the　little　girl；　her　mother；　and　the　youngest　boy。
　The　children　had　tried　to　understand。　Their　daddy　had　explained　to　them　what　he　had　just　done；　and　why。　They　understood　that；　but　they　could　not　prehend　why　he　had　to　be　arrested　and　taken　to　jail。
　Ozzie　kicked　at　a　clod　of　dirt；　occasionally　glancing　at　the　family；　then　at　his　men。
　Finally；　he　said；　〃You　better　e　with　me。〃
　Carl　Lee　nodded　slightly；　but　did　not　move。　Gwen　and　the　boy　cried　louder　as　Lester　took　the　girl　from　her　daddy。　Then　Carl　Lee　knelt　before　the　three　boys　and　whispered　to　them　again　that　he　must　leave　but　wouldn't　be　gone　long。　He　hugged　them；　and　they　all　cried　and　clutched　him。　He　turned；
　and　kissed　his　wife；　then　walked　down　the　steps　to　the　sner…iff。
　〃You　wanna　handcuff　me；　Ozzie？〃
　〃Naw；　Carl　Lee；　just　get　in　the　car。〃
　Moss　Junior　Tatum；　the　chief　deputy；　and　Jake　talked　quietly　in　Ozzie's　office　while　deputies；　reserves；　trusties；　and　other　jailhouse　regulars　gathered　in　the　large；　cluttered　workroom　next　to　the　office　and　waited　anxiously　for　the　arrival　of　the　new　prisoner。　Two　of　the　deputies　peered　through　the　blinds　at　the　reporters　and　cameramen　waiting　in　the　parking　lot　between　the　jail　and　the　highway。　The　television　vans　were　from　Memphis；　Jackson；　and　Tupelo；　and　they　were　parked　in　various　directions　throughout　the　crowded　lot。　Moss　did　not　like　this；　so　he　walked　slowly　down　the　sidewalk　and　ordered　the　press　to　regroup　in　a　certain　area；　and　to　move　the　vans。
　〃Will　you　make　a　statement？〃　yelled　a　reporter。
　〃Yeah；　move　the　vans。〃
　〃Can　you　say　anything　about　the　murders？〃
　〃Yeah；　two　people　got　killed。〃
　〃How　about　the　details？〃
　〃Nope。　I　wasn't　there。〃
　〃Do　you　have　a　suspect？〃
　〃Yep。〃
　〃Who　is　it？〃
　〃I'll　tell　you　when　the　vans　are　moved。〃
　The　vans　were　immediately　moved　and　the　cameras　and　microphones　were　bunched　together　near　the　sidewalk。　Moss　pointed　and　directed　until　he　was　satisfied；　then　stepped　to　the　crowd。　He　calmly　chewed　on　a　toothpick　and　stuck　both　thumbs　in　the　front　belt　loops；　just　under　the　overlapping　belly。
　〃Who　did　it？〃
　〃Is　he　under　arrest？〃
　〃Was　the　girl's　family　involved？〃
　〃Are　both　dead？〃
　Moss　smiled　and　shook　his　head。　〃One　at　a　time。　Yes　we　have　a　suspect。　He's　under　arrest　and　will　be　here　in　a　minute。　Keep　the　vans　outta　the　way。　That's　all　I　have。〃
　Moss　walked　back　to　the　jail　as　they　continued　to　can　at　mm。　He　ignored　them　and　entered　the　crowded　workroom。
　〃How's　Looney？〃　he　asked。
　〃Prather's　with　him　at　the　hospital。　He's　fine…slight　wound　to　the　leg。〃
　〃Yeah；　that　and　a　slight　heart　attack；〃　Moss　said　with　a　smile。　The　others　laughed。
　〃Here　they　e！〃　a　trusty　shouted；　and　everyone　inside　moved　to　the　windows　as　the　line　of　blue　lights　rolled　slowly　into　the　parking　lot。　Ozzie　drove　the　first　car　with　Carl　Lee　seated；　unhandcuffed；　in　the　front。　Hastings　reclined　in　the　back　and　waved　at　the　cameras　as　the　car　passed　them　and　continued　through　the　crowd；　past　the　vans　and　around　to　the　rear　of　the　jail；　where　Ozzie　parked　and　the　three　walked　casually　inside。　Carl　Lee　was　g