jg.atimetokill-第23部分

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ial。
　Ford　County　was　directly　north　of　Smithfield；　the　county　seat　of　Polk　County；　where　Rufus　lived。　He　had　grown　up　in　Tyler　County；　near　the　Tennessee　line；　north　of　Ford　County。　He　had　a　good　base；　politically。　He　was　a　good　prosecutor。　During　elections　he　boasted　of　a　ninety　percent　conviction　rate；　and　of　sending　more　men　to　death　row　than　any　prosecutor　in　the　state。　He　was　loud；　abrasive；　sanctimonious。　His　client　was　the　people　of　the　State　of　Mississippi；　by　God；　and　he　took　that　obligation　seriously。　The　people
　hated　crime；　and　he　hated　crime；　and　together　they　could　eliminate　it。
　He　could　talk　to　a　jury；　oh；　how　he　could　talk　to　a　jury。　He　could　preach；　pray；　sway；　plead；　beg。　He　could　inflame　a　jury　to　the　point　it　couldn't　wait　to　get　back　to　that　jury　room　and　have　a　prayer　meeting；　then　vote　and　return　with　a　rope　to　hang　the　defendant。　He　could　talk　like　the　blacks　and　he　could　talk　like　the　rednecks；　and　that　was　enough　to　satisfy　most　of　the　jurors　in　the　Twenty…second。　And　the　juries　were　good　to　him　in　Ford　County。　He　liked　Clanton。
　When　he　arrived　at　his　office　in　the　Polk　County　Courthouse；　Rufus　was　delighted　to　see　a　camera　crew　waiting　in　his　reception　room。　He　was　very　busy；　he　explained；　looking　at　his　watch；　but　he　might　have　a　minute　for　a　few　questions。
　He　arranged　them　in　his　office　and　sat　splendidly　in　his　leather　swivel　behind　the　desk。　The　reporter　was　from　Jackson。
　〃Mr。　Buckley；　do　you　have　any　sympathy　for　Mr。　Hai…ley？〃
　He　smiled　seriously；　obviously　in　deep　thought。　〃Yes；　I　do。　I　have　sympathy　for　any　parent　whose　child　is　raped。　I　certainly　do。　But　what　I　cannot　condone；　and　what　our　system　cannot　tolerate；　is　this　type　of　vigilante　justice。〃
　〃Are　you　a　parent？〃
　〃I　am。　I　have　one　small　son　and　two　daughters；　one　the　age　of　the　Hailey　girl；　and　I'd　be　outraged　if　one　of　my　daughters　were　raped。　But　I　would　hope　our　judicial　system　would　deal　effectively　with　the　rapist。　I　have　that　much　confidence　in　the　system。〃
　〃So　you　anticipate　a　conviction？〃
　〃Certainly。　I　normally　get　a　conviction　when　I　go　after　one；　and　I　intend　to　get　a　conviction　in　this　case。〃
　〃Will　you　ask　for　the　death　penalty？〃
　〃Yes；　it　looks　like　a　clear　case　of　premeditated　murder。　I　think　the　gas　chamber　would　be　appropriate。〃
　〃Do　you　predict　a　death　penalty　verdict？〃
　〃Of　course。　Ford　County　jurors　have　always　been　willing　to　apply　the　death　penalty　when　I　ask　for　it　and　it's　appropriate。　I　get　very　good　juries　up　there。〃
　〃Mr。　Brigance；　the　defendant's　attorney；　has　stated　the　grand　jury　may　not　indict　his　client。〃
　BucMey　chuckled　at　this。　〃Well；　Mr。　Brigance　should　not　be　so　foolish。　The　case　will　be　presented　to　the　grand　jury　Monday；　and　we'll　have　our　indictments　Monday　afternoon。　I　promise　you　that。　Really；　he　knows　better。〃　〃You　think　the　case　will　be　tried　in　Ford　County？〃　〃I　don't　care　where　it's　tried。　I'll　get　a　conviction。〃　〃Do　you　anticipate　the　insanity　defense？〃　〃I　anticipate　everything。　Mr。　Brigance　is　a　most　capable　criminal　defense　attorney。　I　don't　know　what　ploy　he　will　use；　but　the　State　of　Mississippi　will　be　ready。〃　〃What　about　a　plea　bargain？'*
　〃I　don't　much　believe　in　plea　negotiating。　Neither　does　Brigance。　I　wouldn't　expect　that。〃
　〃He　said　he's　never　lost　a　murder　case　to　you。〃　The　smile　disappeared　instantly。　He　leaned　forward　on　the　desk　and　looked　harshly　at　the　reporter。　〃True；　but　I　bet　he　didn't　mention　a　number　of　armed　robberies　and　grand　larcenies；　did　he？　I've　won　my　share。　Ninety　percent　to　be　exact。〃
　The　camera　was　turned　off　and　the　reporter　thanked　him　for　his　time。　No　problem；　said　Buckley。　Anytime。
　Ethel　waddled　up　the　stairs　and　stood　before　the　big　desk。　〃Mr。　Brigance；　my　husband　and　I　received　an　obscene　phone　call　last　night；　and　I've　just　taken　the　second　one　here　at　the　office。　I　don't　like　this。〃
　He　motioned　to　a　chair。　〃Sit　down；　Ethel。　What　did　these　people　say？〃
　〃They　weren't　really　obscene。　They　were　threatening。　They　threatened　me　because　I　work　for　you。　Said　I'd　be　sorry　because　I　worked　for　a　nigger　lover。　The　ones　here　threaten　to　harm　you　and　your　family。　I'm　just　scared。〃
　Jake　was　worried　too；　but　shrugged　it　off　for　Ethel。　He　had　called　Ozzie　on　Wednesday　and　reported　the　calls　to　his　house。
　〃Change　your　number；　Ethel。　I'll　pay　for　it。〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　change　my　number。　I've　had　it　for　seventeen　years。〃
　〃Good；　then　don't。　I've　had　my　home　number　changed；　and　it's　no　big　deal。〃
　〃Well；　I'll　not　do　it。〃
　〃Fine。　What　else　do　you　want？〃
　〃Well；　I　don't　think　you　should　have　taken　that　case。　I…〃
　〃And　I　don't　care　what　you　think！　You're　not　paid　to　think　about　my　cases。　If　I　want　to　know　what　you　think；　I'll　ask。　Until　I　do；　keep　quiet。〃
　She　huffed　and　left。　Jake　called　Ozzie　again。
　An　hour　later　Ethel　announced　through　the　inter：　〃Lucien　called　this　morning。　He　asked　me　to　copy　some　recent　cases；　and　he　wants　you　to　deliver　them　this　afternoon。　Said　it　had　been　five　weeks　since　your　last　visit。〃
　〃Four　weeks。　Copy　the　cases；　and　I'll　take　them　this　afternoon。〃
　Lucien　stopped　by　the　office　or　called　once　a　month。　He　read　cases　and　kept　abreast　of　current　developments　in　the　law。　He　had　little　else　to　do　except　drink　Jack　Daniel's　and　play　the　stock　market；　both　of　which　he　did　recklessly。　He　was　a　drunk；　and　he　spent　most　of　his　time　on　the　front　porch　of　his　big　white　house　on　the　hill；　eight　blocks　off　the　square；　overlooking　Clanton；　sipping　Jack　in　the　Black　and　reading　cases。
　He　had　deteriorated　since　the　disbarment。　A　full…time　maid　doubled　as　a　nurse　who　served　drinks　on　the　porch　from　noon　until　midnight。　He　seldom　ate　or　slept；　preferring　instead　to　rock　away　the　hours。
　Jake　was　expected　to　visit　at　least　once　a　month。　The　visits　were　made　out　of　some　sense　of　duty。　Lucien　was　a　bitter；　sick　old　man　who　cursed　lawyers；　judges；　and　especially　the　State　Bar　Association。　Jake　was　his　only　friend；　the　only　audience　he　could　find　and　keep　captive　long　enough　to　hear　his　sermons。　Along　with　the　preaching　he　also　freely　dispensed　unsolicited　advice　on　Jake's　cases；　a　most　annoying　habit。　He　knew　about　the　cases；　although　Jake　never　knew　how　Lucien　knew　so　much。　He　was　seldom　seen　downtown　or　anywhere　in　Clanton　except　at　the　package　store　in　the　black　section。
　The　Saab　parked　behind　the　dirty；　dented　Porsche；　and　Jake　handed　the　cases　to　Lucien。　There　were　no　hellos　or　other　greetings；　just　the　handing　of　the　copies　to　Lucien；　who　said　nothing。　They　sat　in　the　wicker　rockers　on　the　long
　porch　and　looked　out　over　Clanton。　The　top　floor　of　the　courthouse　stood　above　the　buildings　and　houses　and　trees　around　the　square。
　Finally　he　offered　whiskey；　then　wine；　then　beer。　Jake　declined。　Carla　frowned　on　drinking；　and　Lucien　knew　it。
　〃Congratulations。〃
　〃For　what？〃　Jake　asked。
　〃For　the　Hailey　case。〃
　〃Why　am　I　to　be　congratulated？〃
　〃I　never　had　a　case　that　big；　and　I　had　some　big　ones。〃
　〃Big　in　terms　of　what？〃
　〃Publicity。　Exposure；　That's　the　name　of　the　game　for　lawyers；　Jake。　If　you're　unknown；　you　starve。　When　people　get　in　trouble　they　call　a　lawyer；　and　they　call　someone　they've　heard　of。　You　must　sell　yourself　to　the　public；　if　you're　a　street　lawyer。　Of　course　it's　different　if　you're　in　a　big　corporate　or　insurance　firm　where　you　sit　on　your　ass　and　bill　a　hundred　bucks　an　hour；　ten　hours　a　day；　ripping　off　little　people　and…〃
　〃Lucien；〃　Jake　interrupted　quietly；　〃we've　talked　about　this　many　times。　Let's　talk　about　the　Hailey　case。〃
　〃All　right；　all　right。　I'll　bet　Noose　refuses　to　change　venue。〃
　〃Who　said　I　would　request　it？〃
　〃You're　stupid　if　you　don't。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Simple　statistics！　This　county　is　twenty…six　percent　black。　Every　other　county　in　the　Twenty…second　is　at　least　thirty　percent　black。　Van　Buren　County　is　forty　percent。　That　means　more　black　jurors；　potentialjurors。。　If　you　get　it　moved；　you　have　a　better　chance　for　blacks　in　the　jury　box。　If　it's　tried　here；　you　run　the　risk　of　an　all…white　jury；　and　believe　me；　I've　seen　enough　all…white　juries　in　this　county。　All　you　need　is　one　black　to　hang　it　and　get　a　mistrial。〃
　〃But　then　it'll　be　retried。〃　'　'
　〃Then　hang　it　again。　They'll　give　up　after　three　trials。　A