jg.atimetokill-第3部分

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　more　。　white　votes　than　his　white　opponents。　The　white　kids　loved　him　because　he　was　a　hero；　a　football　star　who　had　played　on　TV　and　had　his　picture　in　magazines。　Their　parents　respected　him　and　voted　for　him　because　he　was　a　tough　cop　who　did　not　discriminate　between　black　punks　and　white
　Sunks。　The　white　politicians　supported　him　because；　since　e　became　the　sheriff；　the　Justice　Department　stayed　out　of　Ford　County。　The　blacks　adored　him　because　he　was　Ozzie；　one　of　their　own。
　He　skipped　supper　and　waited　in　his　office　at　the　jail　for　Hastings　to　report　from　the　Hailey　house。　He　had　a　suspect。　Billy　Ray　Cobb　was　no　stranger　to　the　sheriffs　office。　Ozzie　knew　he　sold　drugs…he　just　couldn't　catch　him。　He　also　knew　Cobb　had　a　mean　streak。
　The　dispatcher　called　in　the　deputies；　and　as　they　reported　to　the　jail　Ozzie　gave　them　instructions　to　locate；　but　not　arrest；　Billy　Ray　Cobb。　There　were　twelve　deputies　in　all　…nine　white　and　three　black。　They　fanned　out　across　the　county　in　search　of　a　fancy　yellow　Ford　pickup　with　a　rebel　flag　in　the　rear　window。
　When　Hastings　arrived　he　and　the　sheriff　left　for　the　Ford　County　hospital。　As　usual；　Hastings　drove　and　Ozzie　gave　orders　on　the　radio。　In　the　waiting　room　on　the　second　floor　they　found　the　Hailey　clan。　Aunts；　uncles；　grandparents；　friends；　and　strangers　crowded　into　the　small　room　and　some　waited　in　the　narrow　hallway。　There　were　whispers　and　quiet　tears。　Tonya　was　in　surgery。
　Carl　Lee　sat　on　a　cheap　plastic　couch　in　a　dark　corner　with　Gwen　next　to　him　and　the　boys　next　to　her。　He　stared　at　the　floor　and　did　not　notice　the　crowd。　Gwen　laid　her　head　on　his　shoulder　and　cried　softly。　The　boys　sat　rigidly　with　their　hands　on　knees；　occasionally　glancing　at　their　father　as　if　waiting　on　words　of　reassurance。
　Ozzie　worked　his　way　through　the　crowd；　quietly　shaking　hands　and　patting　backs　and　whispering　that　he　would　catch　them。　He　knelt　before　Carl　Lee　and　Gwen。　〃How　is　she？〃　he　asked。　Carl　Lee　did　not　see　him。　Gwen　cried　louder　and　the　boys　sniffed　and　wiped　tears。　He　patted　Gwen　on　the　knee　and　stood。　One　of　her　brothers　led　Ozzie　and　Hastings　out　of　the　room　into　the　hall；　away　from　the　family。　He　shook　Ozzie's　hand　and　thanked　him　for　ing。
　〃How　is　she？〃　Ozzie　asked。
　〃Not　too　good。　She's　in　surgery　and　most　likely　will　be　there　for　a　while。　She's　got　broken　fjones　and　a　bad　concussion。　She's　beat　up　real　bad。　There's　rope　burns　on　her　neck　like　they　tried　to　hang　her。〃
　〃Was　she　raped？〃　he　asked；　certain　of　the　answer。
　〃Yeah。　She　told　her　momma　they　took　turns　on　her　and　hurt　her　real　bad。　Doctors　confirmed　it。〃
　〃How's　Carl　Lee　and　Gwen？〃
　〃They're　tore　up　pretty　bad。　I　think　they're　in　shock。　Carl　Lee　ain't　said　a　word　since　he　got　here。〃
　；　JDzzie　assured　him　they　would　find　the　two　men；　and　it　wouldn't　take　long；　and　when　they　found　them　they　would　be　locked　up　someplace　safe。　The　brother　suggested　he　should　hide　them　in　another　jail；　for　their　own　safety。
　Three　miles　out　of　Clanton；　Ozzie　pointed　to　a　gravel　driveway。　〃Pull　in　there；〃　he　told　Hastings；　who　turned　off　the
　highway　and　drove　into　the　front　yard　of　a　dilapidated　house　trailer。　It　was　almost　dark。
　Ozzie　took　his　night　stick　and　banged　violently　on　the　front　door。　〃Open　up；　Bumpous！〃
　The　trailer　shook　and　Bumpous　scrambled　to　the　bathroom　to　flush　a　fresh　joint。
　〃Open　up；　Bumpous！〃　Ozzie　banged。　〃I　know　you're　in　there。　Open　up　or　I'll　kick　in　the　door。〃
　Bumpous　yanked　the　door　open　and　Ozzie　walked　in。　〃You　know；　Bumpous；　evertime　I　visit　you　I　smell　somethin'　funny　and　the　mode's　flushin'。　Get　some　clothes　on。　I　gotta　job　for　you。〃
　〃W…what？〃
　〃I'll　explain　it　outside　where　I　can　breathe。　Just　get　some　clothes　on　and　hurry。〃
　〃What　if　I　don't　want　to？〃
　〃Fine。　I'll　see　your　parole　officer　tomorrow。〃
　〃I'll　be　out　in　a　minute。〃
　Ozzie　smiled　and　walked　to　his　car。　Bobby　Bumpous　was　one　of　his　favorites。　Since　his　parole　two　years　earlier；　he　had　led　a　reasonably　clean　life；　occasionally　succumbing　to　the　lure　of　an　easy　drug　sale　for　a　quick　buck。　Ozzie　watched　him　like　a　hawk　and　knew　of　such　transactions；　and　Bumpous　knew　Ozzie　knew；　therefore；　Bumpous　was　usually　most　eager　to　help　his　friend；　Sheriff　Walls。　The　plan　was　to　eventually　use　Bumpous　to　nail　Billy　Ray　Cobb　for　dealing；　but　that　would　be　postponed　for　now。
　After　a　few　minutes　he　marched　outside；　still　tucking　his　shirttail　and　zipping　his　pants。　〃Who　you　lookin'　for？〃　he　demanded。
　〃Billy　Ray　Cobb。〃
　〃That's　no　problem。　You　can　find　him　without　me。〃
　〃Shut　up　and　listen。　We　think　Cobb　was　involved　in　a　rape　this　afternoon。　A　black　girl　was　raped　by　two　white　men；　and　I　think　Cobb　was　there。〃
　〃Cobb　ain't　into　rape；　Sheriff。　He's　into　drugs；　remember？〃
　〃Shut　up　and　listen。　You　find　Cobb　and　spend　some　time　with　him。　Five　minutes　ago　his　truck　was　spotted　at　Huey's。　Buy　him　a　beer。　Shoot　some　pool；　roll　dice；　what…
　ever。　Find　out　what　he　did　today。　Who　was　he　with？　Where'd　he　go？　You　know　how　he　likes　to　talk；　right？〃
　〃Right。〃
　〃Call　the　dispatcher　when　you　find　him。　They'll　call　me。　I'll　be　somewhere　close。　You　understand？〃
　〃Sure；　Sheriff。　No　problem。〃
　〃Any　questions？〃
　〃Yeah。　I'm　broke。　Who's　gonna　pay　for　this？〃
　Ozzie　handed　him　a　twenty　and　left。　Hastings　drove　in　the　direction　of　Huey's；　down　by　the　lake。
　〃You　sure　you　can　trust　him？〃　Hastings　asked。　。　〃Who？〃
　〃That　Bumpous　kid。〃
　〃Sure　I　trust　him。　He's　proved　very　reliable　since　he　was　paroled。　He's　a　good　kid　tryin'　to　go　straight；　for　the　most　part。　He　supports　his　local　sheriff　and　would　do　anything　I　ask。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Because　I　caught　him　with　ten　ounces　of　pot　a　year　ago。　He'd　been　outta　jail　about　a　year　when　I　caught　his　brother　with　an　ounce；　and　I　told　him　he　was　lookin'　at　thirty　years。　He　started　cryin'　and　carryin'　on；　cried　all　night　in　his　cell。　By　mornin'　he　was　ready　to　talk。　Told　me　his　supplier　was　his　brother；　Bobby。　So　I　let　him　go　and　went　to　see　Bobby。　I　knocked　on　his　door　and　I　could　hear　the　mode　flushin'。　He　wouldn't　e　to　the　door；　so　I　kicked　it　in。　I　found　him　in　his　underwear　in　the　bathroom　tryin'　to　unstop　the　mode。　There　was　dope　all　over　the　place。　Don't　know　how　much　he　flushed；　but　most　of　it　was　in'　back　out　in　the　overflow。　Scared　him　so　bad　he　wet　his　drawers。〃
　〃You　kiddin'？〃
　〃Nope。　The　kid　pissed　all　over　himself。　He　was　a　sight　standin'　there　with　wet　drawers；　a　plunger　in　one　hand；　dope　in　the　other；　and　the　room　fillin'　up　with　mode　water。〃
　〃What'd　you　do？〃
　〃Threatened　to　kill　him。〃
　〃What'd　he　do？〃
　〃Started　cryin'。　Cried　like　a　baby。　Cried　'bout　his　momma　and　prison　and　all　this　and　that。　Promised　he'd　never　screw　up　again。〃
　〃You　arrest　him？〃
　〃Naw；　I　just　couldn't。　I　talked　real　ugly　to　him　and　threatened　him　some　more。　I　put　him　on　probation　right　there　in　his　bathroom。　He's　been　fun　to　work　with　ever　since。〃
　They　drove　by　Huey's　and　saw　Cobb's　truck　in　the　gravel　parking　lot　with　a　dozen　other　pickups　and　four…wheel　drives。　They　parked　behind　a　black　church　on　a　hill　up　the　highway　from　Huey's；　where　they　had　a　good　view　of　the　honky　tonk；　or　tonk；　as　it　was　affectionately　called　by　the　patrons。　Another　patrol　car　hid　behind　some　trees　at　the　other　end　of　the　highway。　Moments　later　Bumpous　flew　by　and　wheeled　into　the　parking　lot。　He　locked　his　brakes；　spraying　gravel　and　dust；　then　backed　next　to　Cobb's　truck。　He　looked　around　and　casually　entered　Huey's。　Thirty　minutes　later　the　dispatcher　advised　Ozzie　that　the　informant　had　found　the　subject；　a　male　white；　at　Huey's；　an　establishment　on　Highway　305　near　the　lake。　Within　minutes　two　more　patrol　cars　were　hidden　close　by。　They　waited。
　〃What　makes　you　so　sure　it's　Cobb？〃　Hastings　asked。
　〃I　ain't　sure。　I　just　got　a　hunch。　The　little　girl　said　it　was　a　truck　with　shiny　wheels　and　big　tires。〃
　〃That　narrows　it　down　to　two　thousand。〃
　〃She　also　said　it　was　yellow；　looked　new；　and　had　a　big　flag　hangin'　in　the　rear　window。〃
　〃That　brings　it　down　to　two　hundred。〃
　〃Maybe　less　than　that。　How　many　of　those　are　as　mean　as　Billy　Ray　Cobb？〃
　〃What　if　it　ain't　him？〃
　〃It　is。〃
　〃If　it　ain't？〃
　〃We'll　know　shortly。　He's　got　a　big　mouth；　'specially　when　he's　drinkin'。