jg.atimetokill-第33部分

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reed　instinctively　ran　down　the　hall　to　stand　guard　by　Hanna's　door。
　Harry　Rex　Vonner　was　a　huge　slob　of　a　lawyer　who　specialized　in　nasty　divorce　cases　and　perpetually　kept　some　jerk　in　jail　for　back　child　support。　He　was　vile　and　vicious；　and　his　services　were　in　great　demand　by　divorcing　parties　in　Ford　County。　He　could　get　the　children；　the　house；　the　farm；　the　VCR；　and　microwave；　everything。　One　wealthy　farmer　kept　him　on　retainer　just　so　the　current　wife　couldn't　hire　him　for　the　next　divorce。　Harry　Rex　sent　his　criminal　cases　to　Jake；　and　Jake　sent　his　nasty　divorces　to　Harry　Rex。　They　were　friends　and　disliked　the　other　lawyers；　especially　the　Sullivan　firm。
　Tuesday　morning　he　barged　in　and　growled　at　Ethel：　〃Jake　in？〃　He　lumbered　toward　the　stairs；　glaring　at　her　and　daring　her　to　speak。　She　nodded；　knowing　better　than　to　ask　if　he　was　expected。　He　had　cursed　her　before。　He　had　cursed　everybody　before。
　The　stairway　shook　as　he　thundered　upward。　He　was　gasping　for　air　as　he　entered　the　big　office。
　〃Morning；　Harry　Rex。　You　gonna　make　it？〃
　〃Why　don't　you　get　an　office　downstairs？〃　he　demanded　between　breaths。
　〃You　need　the　exercise。　If　it　weren't　for　those　stairs　your　weight　would　be　over　three　hundred。〃
　〃Thanks。　Say；　I　just　came　from　the　courtroom。　Noose　wants　you　in　chambers　at　ten…thirty　if　possible。　Wants　to　talk　about　Hailey　with　you　and　Buckley。　Set　up　arraignment；　trial　date；　all　that　crap。　He　asked　me　to　tell　you。〃
　〃Good。　I'll　be　there。〃
　〃I　guess　you　heard　about　the　grand　jury？〃
　〃Sure。　I've　got　a　copy　of　the　indictment　right　here。〃
　Harry　Rex　smiled。　〃No。　No；　I　mean　the　vote　on　the　indictment。〃
　Jake　froze　and　looked　at　him　curiously。　Harry　Rex　moved　in　silent　and　dark　circles　like　a　cloud　over　the　county。　He　was　an　endless　source　of　gossip　and　rumor；　and　took　great　pride　in　spreading　only　the　truth…most　of　the　time。　He　was　the　first　to　know　almost　everything。　The　legend　of
　Harry　Rex　began　twenty　years　earlier　with　his　first　jury　trial。　The　railroad　he　had　sued　for　millions　refused　to　offer　a　dime；　and　after　three　days　of　trial　the　jury　retired　to　deliberate。　The　railroad　lawyers　became　concerned　when　the　jury　failed　to　return　with　a　quick　verdict　in　their　favor。　They　offered　Harry　Rex　twenty…five　thousand　to　settle　when　the　deliberations　went　into　the　second　day。　With　nerves　of　steel；　he　told　them　to　go　to　hell。　His　client　wanted　the　money。　He　told　his　client　to　go　to　hell。　Hours　later　a　weary　and　fatigued　jury　returned　with　a　verdict　for　one　hundred　fifty　thousand。　Harry　Rex　shot　the　bird　at　the　railroad　lawyers；　snubbed　his　clients　and　went　to　the　bar　at　the　Best　Western。　He　bought　drinks　for　everyone；　and　during　the　course　of　the　long　evening　explained　in　detail　exactly　how　he　had　wired　the　jury　room　and　knew　exactly　what　the　jury　was　up　to。　Word　spread；　and　Murphy　found　a　series　of　wires　running　through　the　heating　ducts　to　the　jury　room。　The　State　Bar　Association　snooped　around；　but　found　nothing。　For　twenty　years　the　judges　had　ordered　the　bailiffs　to　inspect　the　jury　room　when　Harry　Rex　was　in　any　way　connected　with　a　case。
　〃How　do　you　know　the　vote？〃　Jake　asked；　suspicion　hanging　on　every　syllable。
　〃I　got　sources。〃
　〃Okay；　what　was　the　vote？〃
　〃Twelve　to　six。　One　fewer　vote　and　you　wouldn't　be　holding　that　indictment。〃
　〃Twelve　to　six；〃　Jake　repeated。
　〃Buckley　near　'bout　died。　A　guy　named　Crowell；　white　guy；　took　charge　and　almost　convinced　enough　of　them　not　to　indict　your　man。〃
　〃Do　you　know　Crowell？〃
　〃I　handled　his　divorce　two　years　ago。　He　lived　in　Jackson　until　his　first　wife　was　raped　by　a　nigger。　She　went　crazy　and　they　got　a　divorce。　She　took　a　steak　knife　and　sliced　her　wrists。　Then　he　moved　to　Clanton　and　married　some　sleazebag　out　in　the　county。　Lasted　about　a　year。　He　ate　Buckley's　lunch。　Told　him　to　shut　up　and　sit　down。　I　wish　I　could've　seen　it。〃
　〃Sounds　like　you　did。〃
　〃Naw。　Just　got　a　good　source。〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃Jake；　e　on。〃
　〃You　been　wiring　rooms　again？〃
　〃Nope。　I　just　listen。　That's　a　good　sign；　ain't　it？〃
　〃What？〃
　〃The　close　vote。　Six　outta　eighteen　voted　to　let　him　walk。　Five　niggers　and　Crowell。　That's　a　good　sign。　Just　get　a　couple　of　niggers　on　the　jury　and　hang　it。　Right？〃
　〃It's　not　that　easy。　If　it's　tried　in　this　county　there's　a　good　chance　we'll　have　an　all…white　jury。　They're　mon　here；　and　as　you　know；　they're　still　very　constitutional。　Plus　this　guy　Crowell　sounds　like　he　came　outta　nowhere。〃
　〃That's　what　Buckley　thought。　…You　should　see　that　ass。　He's　in　the　courtroom　strutting　around　ready　to　sign　autographs　over　his　big　TV　splash　last　night。　No　one　wants　to　talk　about　it；　so　he　manages　to　work　it　into　every　conversation。　He's　like　a　kid　begging　for　attention。〃
　〃Be　sweet。　He　may　be　your　next　governor。〃
　〃Not　if　he　loses　Hailey。　And　he's　gonna　lose　Hailey；　Jake。　We'll　pick　us　a　good　jury；　twelve　good　and　faithful　citizens；　then　we'll　buy　them。〃
　〃I　didn't　hear　that。〃
　〃Works　every　time。〃
　A　few　minutes　after　ten…thirty；　Jake　entered　the　judge's　chamber　behind　the　courtroom　and　coolly　shook　hands　with　Buckley；　Musgrove；　and　Ichabod。　They　had　been　waiting　on　him。　Noose　waved　him　toward　a　seat　and　sat　behind　the　desk。
　〃Jake；　this　will　take　just　a　few　minutes。〃　He　peered　down　that　nose。　〃I　would　like　to　arraign　Carl　Lee　Hailey　in　the　morning　at　nine。　Any　problems　with　that？〃
　〃No。　That'll　be　fine；〃　replied　Jake。
　〃We'll　have　some　other　arraignments　in　the　morning；　then　we　start　a　burglary　case　at　ten。　Right；　Rufus？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Okay。　Now　let's　discuss　a　trial　date　for　Mr。　Hailey。　As　you　know；　the　next　term　of　court　here　is　in　late　August…　third　Monday…and　I'm　sure　the　docket　will　be　just　as　crowded　then。　Because　of　the　nature　of　this　case　and；
　frankly；　because　of　the　publicity；　I　think　it　would　be　best　if　we　had　a　trial　as　soon　as　practical。〃
　〃The　sooner　the　better；〃　inserted　Buckley。
　〃Jake；　how　long　will　you　need　to　prepare　for　trial？〃
　〃Sixty　days。〃
　〃Sixty　days！〃　Buckley　repeated　in　disbelief。　〃Why　so　long？〃
　Jake　ignored　him　and　watched　Ichabod　adjust　his　reading　glasses　and　study　his　calendar。　〃Would　it　be　safe　to　anticipate　a　request　for　a　change　of　venue？〃　he　asked。
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Won't　make　any　difference；〃　Buckley　said。　〃We'll　get　a　conviction　anywhere。〃
　〃Save　it　for　the　cameras；　Rufus；〃　Jake　said　quietly。
　〃You　shouldn't　talk　about　cameras；〃　Buckley　shot　back。　〃You　seem　to　enjoy　them　yourself。〃
　〃Gentlemen；　please；〃　Noose　said。　〃What　other　pretrial　motions　can　we　expect　from　the　defense？〃
　Jake　thought　for　a　moment。　〃There　will　be　others。〃
　〃May　I　inquire　about　the　others？〃　asked　Noose　with　a　hint　of　irritation。
　〃Judge；　I　really　don't　care　to　discuss　my　defense　at　this　time。　We　just　received　the　indictment　and　I　haven't　discussed　it　with　my　client。　We　obviously　have　some　work　to　do。〃
　〃How　much　time　do　you　need？〃
　〃Sixty　days。〃
　〃Are　you　kidding！〃　Buckley　shouted。　〃Is　this　a　joke？　The　State　could　try　it　tomorrow；　Judge。　Sixty　days　is　ridiculous。〃
　Jake　began　to　burn　but　said　nothing。　Buckley　walked　to　the　window　and　mumbled　to　himself　in　disbelief。
　Noose　studied　his　calendar。　〃Why　sixty　days？〃
　〃It　could　be　a　plicated　case。〃
　Buckley　laughed　and　continued　shaking　his　head。
　〃Then　we　can　expect　a　defense　of　insanity？〃　asked　the　judge。
　〃Yes；　sir。　And　it　will　take　time　to　have　Mr。　Hailey　examined　by　a　psychiatrist。　Then　the　State　will　of　course　want　him　examined　by　its　doctors。〃
　〃I　see。〃
　〃And　we　may　have　other　pretnal　matters。　11　s　a　oig　case；　and　I　want　to　make　sure　we　have　time　to　adequately　prepare。〃
　〃Mr。　Buckley？〃　said　the　judge。
　〃Whatever。　It　makes　no　difference　to　the　State。　We'll　be　ready。　We　could　try　it　tomorrow。〃
　Noose　scribbled　on　his　calendar　and　adjusted　his　reading　glasses；　which　were　perched　on　the　tip　of　that　nose　and　held　in　place　by　a　tiny　wart　located　perfectly　at　the　foot　of　the　beak。　Due　to　the　size　of　the　nose　and　the　odd　shape　of　the　head；　specially　built　reading　glasses　with　extra　long　stems　were　required　for　His　Honor；　who　never　used　them　for　reading　or　any　other　purpose　except　in　a　vain　effort　to　distract　from　the　size　and　shape　of　the　nose。　Jake　had　always　suspected　this；　but　lacked　the　c