jg.atimetokill-第37部分

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　〃Yes。〃
　〃Will　there　in　fact　be　a　plea　of　insanity？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Can　you　prove　it？〃
　〃That　will　be　left　for　the　jury。　We　will　provide　them　experts　in　the　field　of　psychiatry。〃
　〃Have　you　already　consulted　with　these　experts？〃
　〃Yes；〃　lied　Jake。
　〃Could　you　give　us　their　names？〃
　〃No；　that　would　be　inappropriate　at　this　point。〃
　〃We've　heard　rumors　of　death　threats　against　Mr。　Hai…ley。　Could　you　confirm？〃
　〃There　continue　to　be　threats　against　Mr。　Hailey；　his　family；　my　family；　the　sheriff；　the　judge；　just　about　everyone　involved。　I　don't　know　how　serious　they　are。〃
　Carl　Lee　patted　Tonya　on　the　leg　and　looked　blankly　at　the　table。　He　looked　scared；　pitiful；　and　in　need　of　sympathy。　His　boys　looked　scared　too；　but；　according　to　strict　orders；　they　stood　at　attention；　afraid　to　move。　Carl　Lee；　Jr。；　the　oldest　at　fifteen；　stood　behind　Jake。　Jarvis；　the　middle　son　at　thirteen；　stood　behind　his　daddy。　And　Robert；　age　eleven；　stood　behind　his　mother。　They　wore　identical　navy　suits　with　white　shirts　and　little　red　bow　ties。　Robert's〃　suit　was　once　Carl　Lee；　Jr。's；　then　Jarvis's；　and　now　his；　and　it　looked　a　bit　more　worn　than　the　other　two。　But　it　was　clean；　neatly　pressed；　and　perfectly　cuffed。　The　boys　looked　sharp。　How　could　any　juror　vote　to　force　these　children　to　live　without　their　father？
　The　press　conference　was　a　hit。　Segments　of　it　ran　on　the　networks　and　local　stations；　both　on　the　evening　and　late　news。　The　Thursday　papers　ran　front　page　pictures　of　the　Haileys　and　their　lawyer。
　The　Swede　had　called　several　times　during　the　two　weeks　her　husband　had　been　in　Mississippi。　She　didn't　trust　him　down　there。　There　were　old　girlfriends　he　had　confessed　to。　Each　time　she　called；　Lester　was　not　around；　and　Gwen　lied　and　explained　that　he　was　fishing　or　cutting　pulpwood　so　they　could　buy　groceries。　Gwen　was　tired　of　lying；　and　Lester　was　tired　of　carousing；　and　they　were　tired　of　each　other。　When　the　phone　rang　before　dawn　Friday　morning；　Lester　answered　it。　It　was　the　Swede。
　Two　hours　later　the　red　Cadillac　was　parked　at　the　jail。　Moss　Junior　led　Lester　into　Carl　Lee's　cell。　The　brothers　whispered　above　the　sleep　of　the　inmates。
　〃Gotta　go　home；〃　Lester　mumbled；　somewhat　ashamed；　somewhat　timid。
　〃Why？〃　Carl　Lee　asked　as　if　he　had　been　expecting　it。
　〃My　wife　called　this　mornin'。　I　gotta　be　at　work　tomorrow　or　I'm　fired。〃
　Carl　Lee　nodded　approvingly。
　〃I'm　sorry；　bubba。　I　feel　bad　about　goin'；　but　I　ain't　got　no　choice。〃
　〃I　understand。　When　you　in'　back？〃
　〃When　you　want　me　back？〃
　〃For　the　trial。　It'll　be　real　hard　on　Gwen　and　the　kids。　Can　you　be　back　then？〃
　〃You　know　I'll　be　here。　I　got　some　vacation　time　and　all。　I'll　be　here。〃
　They　sat　on　the　edge　of　Carl　Lee's　bunk　and　watched　each　other　in　silence。　The　cell　was　dark　and　quiet。　The　two　bunks　opposite　Carl　Lee's　were　empty。
　〃Man；　I　forgot　how　bad　this　place　is；〃　Lester　said。
　〃I　just　hope　I　ain't　here　much　longer。〃
　They　stood　and　embraced；　and　Lester　called　for　Moss　Junior　to　open　the　cell。　〃I'm　proud　of　you；　bubba；〃　he　said　to　his　older　brother；　then　left　for　Chicago。
　aii　j…jcc　a　　acwvjiiu　　VIMIXU　　　ui　　me　　illuming　　wao　ilia　　aliuilicy；
　who　met　him　in　Ozzie's　office。　Jake　was　red　eyed　and　irritable。
　〃Carl　Lee；　I　talked　to　two　psychiatrists　in　Memphis　yesterday。　Do　you　know　what　the　minimum　fee　is　to　evaluate　you　for　trial　purposes？　Do　you？〃
　〃Am　I　supposed　to　know？〃　asked　Carl　Lee。
　〃One　thousand　dollars；〃　Jake　shouted。　〃One　thousand　dollars。　Where　can　you　find　a　thousand　dollars？〃
　〃I　gave　you　all　the　money　I　got。　I　even　offered…〃
　〃I　don't　want　the　deed　to　your　land。　Why？　Because　nobody　wants　to　buy　it；　and　if　you　can't　sell　it；　it's　no　good。　We've　got　to　have　cash；　Carl　Lee。　Not　for　me；　but　for　the　psychiatrists。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Why！〃　Jake　repeated　in　disbelief。　〃Why？　Because　I'd　like　to　keep　you　away　from　the　gas　chamber；　and　it's　only　a　hundred　miles　from　here。　It's　not　that　far。　And　to　do　that；　we've　got　to　convince　the　jury　that　you　were　insane　when　you　shot　those　boys。　I　can't　tell　them　you　were　crazy。　You　can't　tell　them　you　were　crazy。　It　takes　a　psychiatrist。　An　expert。　A　doctor。　And　they　don't　work　for　free。　Understand？〃
　Carl　Lee　leaned　on　his　knees　and　watched　a　spider　crawl　across　the　dusty　carpet。　After　twelve　days　in　jail　and　two　court　appearances；　he　had　had　enough　of　the　criminal　justice　system。　He　thought　of　the　hours　and　minutes　before　the　killings。　What　was　he　thinking？　Sure　the　boys　had　to　die。　He　had　no　regrets。　But　did　he　contemplate　jail；　or　poverty；　or　lawyers；　or　psychiatrists？　Maybe；　but　only　in　passing。　Those　unpleasantries　were　only　by…products　to　be　encountered　and　endured　temporarily　before　he　was　set　free。　After　the　deed；　the　system　would　process　him；　vindicate　him；　and　send　him　home　to　his　family。　It　would　be　easy；　just　as　Les…ter's　episode　had　been　virtually　painless。
　But　the　system　was　not　working　now。　It　was　conspiring　to　keep　him　in　jail；　to　break　him；　to　make　orphans　of　his　children。　It　seemed　determined　to　punish　him　for　performing　an　act　he　considered　unavoidable。　And　now；　his　only　ally　was　making　demands　he　could　not　meet。　His　lawyer　asked　the　impossible。　His　friend　Jake　was　angry　and　yelling。
　〃Get　it；〃　Jake　shouted　as　he　headed　for　the　door。　〃Get　it　from　your　brothers　and　sisters；　from　Gwen's　family；　get　it　from　your　friends；　get　it　from　your　church。　But　get　it。　And　as　soon　as　possible。〃
　Jake　slammed　the　door　and　marched　out　of　the　jail。
　Carl　Lee's　third　visitor　of　the　morning　arrived　before　noon　in　a　long　black　limousine　with　a　chauffeur　and　Tennessee　plates。　It　maneuvered　through　the　small　parking　lot　and　came　to　rest　straddling　three　spaces。　A　large　black　bodyguard　emerged…from　behind　the　wheel　and　opened　the　door　to　release　his　boss。　They　strutted　up　the　sidewalk　and　into　the　jail。
　The　secretary　stopped　typing　and　smiled　suspiciously。　〃Good　mornin'。〃
　〃Mornin'；〃　said　the　smaller　one；　the　one　with　the　patch。　〃My　name　is　Cat　Bruster；　and　I'd　like　to　see　Sheriff　Walls。〃
　〃May　I　ask　what　for？〃
　〃Yes　ma'am。　It's　regardin'　a　Mr。　Hailey；　a　resident　of　your　fine　facility。〃
　The　sheriff　heard　his　name　mentioned；　and　appeared　from　his　office　to　greet　this　infamous　visitor。　〃Mr。　Bruster；　I'm　Ozzie　Walls。〃　They　shook　hands。　The　bodyguard　did　not　move。
　〃Nice　to　meet　you；　Sheriff。　I'm　Cat　Bruster；　from　Memphis。〃
　〃Yes。　I　know　who　you　are。　Seen　you　in　the　news。　What　brings　you　to　Ford　County？〃
　〃Well；　I　gotta　buddy　in　bad　trouble。　Carl　Lee　Hailey；　and　I'm　here　to　help。〃
　〃Okay。　Who's　he？〃　Ozzie　asked；　looking　up　at　the　bodyguard。　Ozzie　was　six　feet　four；　and　at　least　five　inches　shorter　than　the　bodyguard。　He　weighed　at　least　three　hundred　pounds；　most　of　it　in　his　arms。
　〃This　here　is　Tiny　Tom；〃　Cat　explained。　〃We　just　call　him　Tiny　for　short。〃
　〃I　see。〃
　〃He's　sort　of　like　a　bodyguard。〃　《
　〃He's　not　carryin'　a　gun；　is　he？〃
　〃Naw；　Sheriff；　he　don't　need　a　gun。〃
　rair　enougn。　wny　aon　t　you　and　liny　step　into　my　office？〃
　In　the　office；　Tiny　closed　the　door　and　stood　by　it　while　his　boss　took　a　seat　across　from　the　sheriff。
　〃He　can　sit　if　he　wants　to；〃　Ozzie　explained　to　Cat。
　〃Naw；　Sheriff；　he　always　stands　by　the　door。　That's　the　way　he's　been　trained。〃
　〃Sorta　like　a　police　dog？〃
　〃Right。〃
　〃Fine。　What'd　you　wanna　talk　about？〃
　Cat　crossed　his　legs　and　laid　a　diamond…clustered　hand　on　his　knee。　〃Well；　Sheriff；　me　and　Carl　Lee　go　way　back。　Fought　together　in　'Nam。　We　was　pinned　down　near　Da　Nang；　summer　of　'71。　I　got　hit　in　the　head；　and；　bam！；　two　seconds　later　he　got　hit　in　the　leg。　Our　squad　disappeared；　and　the　gooks　was　usin'　us　for　target　practice。　Carl　Lee　limped　to　where　Fs　layin'；　put　me　on　his　shoulders；　and　ran　through　the　gunfire　to　a　ditch　next　to　a　trail。　I　hung　on　his　back　while　he　crawled　two　miles。　Saved　my　life。　He　got　a　medal　for　it。　You　know　that？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃It's　true。　We　laid　next　to　each　other　in　a　hospital　in　Saigon　for　two　months；　then　got　our　black　asses　outta　Vietnam。　Don't　plan　to　go　back。〃
　Ozzie　was　listening　intently。
　〃And　now　that　my　man　is　in　trouble；　I'd　like　to　help。〃
　〃Did　he　get　the　M…16　from　you？〃
　Tiny　grunted　and　Cat　smiled。　〃Of　course　not。〃
　〃Would　you　like