jg.atimetokill-第25部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃Thanks；　Stan；　for　the　vote　of　confidence。〃
　〃e　on；　Jake；　I've　got　confidence　in　your　ability；　but　I　can't　loan　money　on　it。　If　anybody　can　get　him　off；　you　can。　And　I　hope　you　do。　But　I　can't　make　this　loan。　The　auditors　would　scream。〃
　Lester　tried　the　Peoples　Bank　and　Ford　National；　with　the　same　results。　They　hoped　his　brother　was　acquitted；　but　what　if　he　wasn't。
　Wonderful；　thought　Jake。　Nine　hundred　dollars　for　a　capital　murder　case。
　Claude　had　never　seen　the　need　for　printed　menus　in　his　cafe。　Years　before　when　he　first　opened　he　couldn't　afford　menus；　and　now　that　he　could　he　didn't　need　them　because　most　folks　knew　what　he　served。　For　breakfast　he　cooked　everything　but　rice　and　toast；　and　the　prices　varied。　For　Friday　lunch　he　barbecued　pork　shoulder　and　spare　ribs；　and　everybody　knew　it。　He　had　few　white　customers　during　the　week；　but　at　noon　Friday；　every　Friday；　his　small　cafe　was　half　white。　Claude　had　known　for　some　time　that　whites　enjoyed　barbecue　as　much　as　blacks；　they　just　didn't　know　how　to　prepare　it。
　Jake　and　Atcavage　found　a　small　table　near　the　kitchen。　Claude　himself　delivered　two　plates　of　ribs　and　slaw。　He　leaned　toward　Jake　and　said　softly；　〃Good　luck　to　you。　Hope　you　get　him　off。〃
　〃Thanks；　Claude。　I　hope　you're　on　the　jury。〃
　Claude　laughed　and　said　louder；　〃Can　I　volunteer？〃
　Jake　attacked　the　ribs　and　chewed　on　Atcavage　for　not　making　the　loan。　The　banker　was　steadfast；　but　did　offer　to　lend　five　thousand　if　Jake　would　cosign。　That　would　be　unethical；　Jake　explained。
　On　the　sidewalk　a　line　formed　and　faces　squinted　through　the　painted　letters　on　the　front　windows。　Claude　was　everywhere；　taking　orders；　giving　orders；　cooking；　counting　money；　shouting；　swearing；　greeting　customers；　and　asking　them　to　leave。　On　Friday；　the　customers　were　allotted　twenty　minutes　after　the　food　was　served；　then　Claude　asked　and　sometimes　demanded　that　they　pay　and　leave　so　he　could　sell　more　barbecue。
　〃Quit　talkin'　and　eat！〃　he　would　yell。
　〃I've　got　ten　more　minutes；　Claude。〃
　〃You　got　seven。〃
　On　Wednesday　he　fried　catfish；　and　allowed　thirty　minutes　because　of　the　bones。　The　white　folks　avoided　Claude's　on　Wednesday；　and　he　knew　why。　It　was　the　grease；　a　secret　recipe　grease　handed　down　by　his　grandmother；　he　said。　It
　was　heavy　and　sticky　and　wreaked　havoc　with　the　lower　intestines　of　white　people。　It　didn't　faze　the　blacks；　who　piled　in　by　the　carloads　every　Wednesday。
　Two　foreigners　sat　near　the　cash　register　and　watched　Claude　fearfully　as　he　directed　lunch。　Probably　reporters；　thought　Jake。　Each　time　Claude　drew　nigh　and　glared；　they　obediently　picked　up　and　gnawed　a　rib。　They　had　not　experienced　ribs　before；　and　it　was　obvious　to　everyone　they　were　from　the　North。　They　had　wanted　chef　salads；　but　Claude　cursed　them；　and　told　them　to　eat　barbecue　or　leave。　Then　he　announced　to　the　crowd　these　silly　fools　wanted　chef　salads。
　〃Here's　your　food。　Hurry　up　and　eat　it；〃　he　had　demanded　when　he　served　them。
　〃No　steak　knives？〃　one　had　asked　crisply。
　Claude　rolled　his　eyes　and　staggered　away　mumbling。
　One　noticed　Jake；　and；　after　staring　for　a　few　minutes；　finally　walked　over　and　knelt　by　the　table。　〃Aren't　you　Jake　Brigarice；　Mr。　Hailey's　attorney？〃
　〃Yes；　I　am。　Who　are　you？〃
　〃I'm　Roger　McKittrick；　with　The　New　York　Times。〃
　〃Nice　to　meet　you；〃　Jake　said　with　a　^mile　and　a　new　attitude。
　〃I'm　covering　the　Hailey　case；　and　I'd　like　to　talk　with　you　sometime。　As　soon　as　possible；　really。〃
　〃Sure。　I'm　not　too　busy　this　afternoon。　It's　Friday。〃
　〃I　could　do　it　late。〃
　〃How　about　four？〃
　〃Fine；〃　said　McKittrick；　who　noticed　Claude　approaching　from　the　kitchen。　〃I'll　see　you　then。〃
　〃Okay；　buddy；〃　Claude　yelled　at　McKittrick。　〃Time's　up。　Get　your　check　and　leave。〃
　Jake　and　Atcavage　finished　in　fifteen　minutes；　and　waited　for　the　verbal　assault　from　Claude。　They　licked　their　fingers　and　mopped　their　faces　and　mented　on　the　tenderness　of　the　ribs。
　〃This　case'll　make　you　famous；　won't　it？〃　asked　Atcavage。
　〃I　hope。　Evidently　it　won't　make　any　money。〃
　〃Seriously；　Jake；　won't　it　help　your　practice？〃
　〃If　I　win；　I'll　have　more　clients　than　I　can　handle。　Sure
　it'll　help。　I　can　pick　and　choose　my　cases；　pick　and　choose　my　clients。〃
　〃Financially；　what'll　it　mean？〃
　〃I　have　no　idea。　There's　no　way　to　predict　who　or　what　it　might　attract。　I'll　have　more　cases　to　choose　from；　so　that　means　more　money。　I　could　quit　worrying　about　the　overhead。〃
　〃Surely　you　don't　worry　about　the　overhead。〃
　〃Look；　Stan；　we're　not　all　filthy　rich。　A　law　degree　is　not　worth　what　it　once　was…too　many　of　us。　Fourteen　in　this　little　town。　petition　is　tough；　even　in　Clanton…not　enough　good　cases　and　too　many　lawyers。　It's　worse　in　the　big　towns；　and　the　law　schools　graduate　more　and　more；　many　of　whom　can't　find　jobs。　I　get　ten　kids　a　year　knocking　on　my　door　looking　for　work。　A　big　firm　in　Memphis　laid　off　some　lawyers　a　few　months　ago。　Can　you　imagine？　Just　like　a　factory；　they　laid　them　off。　I　suppose　they　went　down　to　the　unemployment　office　and　stood　in　line　with　the　'dozer　operators。　Lawyers　now；　not　secretaries　or　truck　drivers；　but　lawyers。〃
　〃Sorry　I　asked。〃
　〃Sure　I　worry　about　the　overhead。　It　runs　me　four　thousand　a　month；　and　I　practice　alone。　That's　fifty　thousand　a　year　before　I　clear　a　dime。　Some　months　are　good；　others　slow。　They're　all　unpredictable。　I　wouldn't　dare　estimate　what　I'll　gross　next　month。　That's　why　this　case　is　so　important。　There　will　never　be　another　one　like　it。　It's　the　biggest。　I'll　practice　the　rest　of　my　life　and　never　have　another　reporter　from　The　New　York　Times　stop　me　in　a　cafe　and　ask　for　an　interview。　If　I　win；　I'll　be　the　top　dog　in　this　part　of　the　state。　I　can　forget　about　the　overhead。〃
　〃And　if　you　lose？〃
　Jake　paused　and　glanced　around　for　Claude。　〃The　publicity　will　be　abundant　regardless　of　the　oute。　Win　or　lose；　the　case　will　help　my　practice。　But　a　loss　will　really　hurt。　Every　lawyer　in　the　county　is　secretly　hoping　I　blow　it。　They　want　him　convicted。　They're　jealous；　afraid　I　might　get　too　big　and　take　away　their　clients。　Lawyers　are　extremely　jealous。〃
　〃You　too？〃
　〃Sure。　Take　the　Sullivan　firm。　I　despise　every　lawyer　in
　that　firm；　but　I'm　jealous　to　an　extent。　I　wish　I　had　some　of　their　clients；　some　of　their　retainers；　some　of　their　security。　They　know　that　every　month　they'll　get　a　nice　check；　it's　guaranteed　almost；　and　every　Christmas　they'll　get　a　big　bonus。　They　represent　old　money；　steady　money。　That　would　be　enjoyable　for　a　change。　Me；　I　represent　drunks；　thugs；　wife　beaters；　husband　beaters；　injured　people；　most　of　whom　have　little　or　no　money。　And　I　never　know　from　one　month　to　the　next　how　many　of　these　people　will　show　up　at　my　office。〃
　〃Look；　Jake；〃　Atcavage　interrupted。　〃I　would　really　like　to　finish　this　discussion；　but　Claude　just　looked　at　his　watch　and　then　looked　at　us。　I　think　our　twenty　minutes　are　up。〃
　Jake's　check　was　seventy…one　cents　more　than　At…cavage's；　and　since　both　orders　were　identical；　Claude　was　interrogated。　No　problem；　he　explained；　Jake　got　an　extra　rib。
　McKittrick　was　personable　and　precise；　thorough　and　pushy。　He　had　arrived　in　Clanton　on　Wednesday　to　investigate　and　write　about　what　was　billed　as　the　most　famous　murder　in　the　country；　at　the　moment。　He　talked　to　Ozzie　and　Moss　Junior；　and　they　suggested　he　talk　to　Jake。　He　talked　to　Bullard；　through　the　door；　and　the　judge　suggested　he　talk　to　Jake。　He　interviewed　Gwen　and　Lester；　but　was　not　permitted　to　meet　the　girl。　He　visited　with　the　regulars　at　the　Coffee　Shop　and　the　Tea　Shoppe；　and　he　visited　with　the　regulars　at　Huey's　and　Ann's　Lounge。　He　talked　to　Willard's　ex…wife　and　mother；　but　Mrs。　Cobb　was　through　with　reporters。　One　of　Cobb's　brothers　offered　to　talk　for　a　fee。　McKittrick　declined。　He　drove　to　the　paper　mill　and　talked　to　the　co…workers；　and　he　drove　to　Smithfield　to　interview　the　D。A。　He　would　be　in　town　for　a　few　more　days；　then　return　for　the　trial。
　He　was　from　Texas；　and　retained；　when　convenient；　a　slight　drawl；　which　impressed　the　locals　and　opened　them　up。　He　even　said　〃you　all〃　and　〃y'all〃　occasionally；　and　this　distinguished　him　from　most　of　the　other　reporters　who
　clung