jg.atimetokill-第19部分

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　〃That's　right。〃
　〃Okay；　you　got　a　deal。〃
　Jake　filled　in　the　blanks　in　the　contract　and　promissory　note；　and　Carl　Lee　signed　both。
　〃Jake；　how　much　would　you　charge　a　man　with　plenty　of　money？〃
　〃Fifty　thousand。〃
　〃Fifty　thousand！　You　serious？〃
　〃Yep。〃
　〃Man；　that's　a　lotta　money。　You　ever　get　that　much？〃
　〃No；　but　I　haven't　seen　too　many　people　on　trial　for　murder　with　that　kind　of　money。〃
　Carl　Lee　wanted　to　know　about　his　bond；　the　grand　jury；　the　trial；　the　witnesses；　who　would　be　on　the　jury；　when　could　he　get　out　of　jail；　could　Jake　speed　up　the　trial；　when　could　he　tell　his　version；　and　a　thousand　other　questions。　Jake　said　they　would　have　plenty　of　time　to　talk。　He　promised　to　call　Gwen　and　his　boss　at　the　paper　mill。
　He　left　and　Carl　Lee　was　placed　in　his　cell；　the　one　next　to　the　cell　for　state　prisoners。
　The　Saab　was　blocked　by　a　television　van。　Jake　inquired　as　to　who　owned　it。　Most　of　the　reporters　had　left　but　a　few　loitered　about；　expecting　something。　It　was　almost　dark。
　〃Are　you　with　the　sheriffs　department？〃　asked　a　reporter。
　〃No；　I'm　a　lawyer；〃　Jake　answered　nonchalantly；　attempting　to　seem　disinterested。
　〃Are　you　Mr。　Hailey's　attorney？〃
　Jake　turned　and　stared　at　the　reporter　as　the　others　listened。　〃Matter　of　fact；　I　am。〃
　〃Will　you　answer　some　questions？〃
　〃You　can　ask　some。　I　won't　promise　any　answers。〃
　〃Will　you　step　over　here？〃
　Jake　walked　to　the　microphones　and　cameras　and　tried　to　act　annoyed　by　the　inconvenience。　Ozzie　and　the　deputies　watched　from　inside。　〃Jake　loves　cameras；〃　he　said。
　〃All　lawyers　do；〃　added　Moss。
　〃What　is　your　name；　sir？〃
　〃Jake　Brigance；〃
　〃You're　Mr。　Hailey's　attorney。〃
　〃Correct；〃　Jake　answered　coolly。
　〃Mr。　Hailey　is　the　father　of　the　young　girl　raped　by　the　two　men　who　were　killed　today？〃
　〃Correct。〃
　〃Who　killed　the　two　men？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃Was　it　Mr。　Hailey？〃
　〃I　said　I　don't　know。〃
　〃What's　your　client　been　charged　with？〃
　〃He's　been　arrested　for　the　murders　of　Billy　Ray　Cobb　and　Pete　Willard。　He　hasn't　formally　been　charged　with　anything。〃
　〃Do　you　expect　Mr。　Hailey　to　be　indicted　for　the　two　murders？〃
　〃No　ment。〃
　〃Why　no　ment？〃
　〃Have　you　talked　with　Mr。　Hailey？〃　asked　another　reporter。
　〃Yes；　just　a　moment　ago。〃
　〃How　is　he？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃Well；　uh；　how　is　he？〃
　〃You　mean；　how　does　he　like　jail？〃　Jake　asked　with　a　slight　grin。
　〃Uh；　yeah。〃
　〃No　ment。〃
　〃When　will　he　be　in　court？〃
　〃Probably　tomorrow　or　Wednesday。〃
　〃Will　he　plead　guilty？〃
　Jake　smiled　and　replied；　〃Of　course　not。〃
　After　a　cold　supper；　they　sat　in　the　swing　on　the　front　porch　and　watched　the　lawn　sprinkler　and　talked　about　the　case。　The　killings　were　big　news　across　the　country；　and　Carla　recorded　as　many　television　reports　as　possible。　Two　of　the　networks　covered　the　story　live　through　their　Memphis　affiliates；　and　the　Memphis；　Jackson；　and　Tupelo　stations　re…
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　house　surrounded　by　deputies；　and　seconds　later；　being　carried　from　the　courthouse　under　white　sheets。　One　of　the　stations　played　the　actual　audio　of　the　gunfire　over　film　of　the　deputies　scrambling　for　cover。
　Jake's　interview　was　too　late　for　the　evening　news；　so　he　and　Carla　waited；　with　the　recorder；　for　the　ten　o'clock；　and　there　he　was；　briefcase　in　hand；　looking　trim；　fit；　handsome；　and　arrogant；　and　very　disgusted　with　the　reporters　for　the　inconvenience。　Jake　thought　he　looked　great　on　TV；　and　he　was　excited　to　be　there。　There　had　been　one　other　brief　appearance；　after　Lester's　acquittal；　and　the　regulars　at　the　Coffee　Shop　had　kidded　him　for　months。
　He　felt　good。　He　relished　the　publicity　and　anticipated　much　more。　He　could　not　think　of　another　case；　another　set　of　facts；　another　setting　which　could　generate　as　much　publicity　as　the　trial　of　Carl　Lee　Hailey。　And　the　acquittal　of　Carl　Lee　Hailey；　for　the　murder　of　the　two　white　men　who　raped　his　daughter；　before　an　all…white　jury　in　rural　Mississippi^
　〃What're　you　smiling　about？〃　Carla　interrupted。
　〃Nothing。〃
　〃Sure。　You're　thinking　about　the　trial；　and　the　cameras；　the　reporters；　the　acquittal；　and　walking　out　of　the　courthouse；　arm　around　Carl　Lee；　reporters　chasing　you　with　the　cameras　rolling；　people　slapping　you　on　the　back；　congratulations　everywhere。　I　know　exactly　what　you're　thinking　about。〃
　〃Then　why'd　you　ask？〃
　〃To　see　if　you'd　admit　it。〃
　〃Okay；　I　admit　it。　This　case　could　make　me　famous　and　make　us　a　million　bucks；　in　the　long　run。〃
　〃If　you　win。〃
　〃Yes；　if　I　win。〃
　〃And　if　you　lose？〃
　〃I'll　win。〃
　〃But　if　you　don't？〃
　〃Think　positive。〃
　The　phone　rang　and　Jake　spent　ten　minutes　with　the　editor；　owner；　and　only　reporter　of　The　Clanton　Chronicle。　It　rang　again；　and　Jake　talked　with　a　reporter　with　the　Mem…
　phis　morning　paper。　He　hung　up　and　called　Lester　ana　Gwen；　then　the　foreman　at　the　paper　mill。
　At　eleven…fifteen　it　rang　again；　and　Jake　received　his　first　death　threat；　anonymous　of　course。　He　was　called　a　nigger…loving　son　of　a　bitch；　one　who　would　not　live　if　the　nigger　walked。
　Dell　Perkins　served　more　coffee　and　grits　than　usual　Tuesday　morning　after　the　killings。　All　the　regulars　and　some　extras　had　gathered　early　to　read　the　papers　and　talk　about　the　killings；　which　had　taken　place　less　than　three　hundred　feet　from　the　front　door　of　the　Coffee　Shop。　Claude's　and　the　Tea　Shoppe　were　also　crowded　earlier　than　usual。　Jake's　picture　made　the　front　page　of　the　Tupelo　paper；　and　the　Memphis　and　Jackson　papers　had　front…page　photos　of　Cobb　and　Willard；　both　before　the　shootings　and　afterward　as　the　bodies　were　loaded　into　the　ambulance。　There　were　no　pictures　of　Carl　Lee。　All　three　papers　ran　detailed　accounts　of　the　past　six　days　in　Clanton。
　It　was　widely　accepted　around　town　that　Carl　Lee　had　done　the　killing；　but　rumors　of　additional　gunmen　surfaced　and　flourished　until　one　table　at　the　Tea　Shoppe　had　a　whole　band　of　wild　niggers　in　on　the　attack。　However；　the　deputies　in　the　Coffee　Shop；　though　not　talkative；　throttled　the　gossip　and　kept　it　pretty　much　under　control。　Deputy　Looney　was　a　regular；　and　there　was　concern　for　his　wounds；　which　appeared　to　be　more　serious　than　originally　reported。　He　remained　in　the　hospital；　and　he　had　identified　the　gunman　as　Lester　Hailey's　brother。
　Jake　entered　at　six　and　sat　near　the　front　with　some　farmers。　He　nodded　at　Prather　and　the　other　deputy；　but　they　pretended　not　to　see　him。　They'll　be　okay　once　Looney　is　released；　he　thought。　There　were　some　remarks　about　the　front…page　picture；　but　no　one　questioned　Jake　about　his　new　client　or　the　killings。　He　detected　a　certain　coolness　among　some　of　the　regulars。　He　ate　quickly　and　left。
　At　nine　Ethel　called　Jake。　Bullard　was　holding。
　〃Hello；　Judge。　How　are　you？〃
　〃Terrible。　You　represent　Carl　Lee　Hailey？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃When　do　you　want　the　preliminary？〃
　〃Why　are　you　asking　me；　Judge？〃
　〃Good　question。　　Look；　　the　funerals　are　tomorrow
　morning　sometime；　and　I　think　it　would　be　best　to　wait　till　they　bury　those　bastards；　don't　you？〃
　〃Yeah；　Judge；　good　idea。〃
　〃How　'bout　tomorrow　afternoon　at　two？〃
　〃Fine。〃
　Bullard　hesitated。　〃Jake；　would　you　consider　waiving　the　preliminary　and　letting　me　send　the　case　straight　to　the　grand　jury？〃
　〃Judge；　I　never　waive　a　preliminary；　you　know　that。〃
　〃Yeah；　I　know。　Just　thought　I'd　ask　a　favor。　I　won't　hear　this　trial；　and　I　have　no　desire　to　get　near　it。　See　you　tomorrow。〃
　An　hour　later　Ethel　squawked　through　the　inter　again：　〃Mr。　Brigance；　there　are　some　reporters　here　to　see　you。〃
　Jake　was　ecstatic。　〃From　where？〃
　〃Memphis　and　Jackson；　I　believe。〃
　〃Seat　them　in　the　conference　room。　I'll　be　down　in　a　minute。〃
　He　straightened　his　tie　and　brushed　his　hair；　and　checked　the　street　below　for　television　vans。　He　decided　to　make　them　wait；　and　after　a　couple　of　meaningless　phone　calls　he　walked　down　the　stairs；　ignored　Ethel；　and　entered　the　conference　room。　They　asked　him　to　sit　at　one　end　of　the　long　table；　because　of　the　lighting。　He　declined；　told　himself　he　would　control　things；　and　sat　at　one　side　with　his　back　to　the　rows　of　thick；　expensive　law