jg.atimetokill-第39部分

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e　in　the　morning。　He　owes　me　a　favor。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　What　about　the　TV　stations？〃　she　asked。
　〃Deliver　them　a　copy。　I　can't　talk　now；　but　I'll　hold　a　news　conference　in　Clanton　next　week。〃
　Lucien　called　at　six…thirty　Saturday　morning。　Carla　was　buried　deep　under　the　blankets　and　did　not　respond　to　the　phone。　Jake　rolled　toward　the　wall　and　grappled　with　the　lamp　until　he　found　the　receiver。　〃Hello；〃　he　managed　weakly。
　〃What're　you　doing？〃　Lucien　asked。
　〃I　was　sleeping　until　the　phone　rang。〃
　〃You　seen　the　paper？〃
　〃What　time　is　it？〃
　〃Go　get　the　paper　and　call　me　after　you　read　it。〃
　The　phone　was　dead。　Jake　stared　at　the　receiver；　then　placed　it　on　the　table。　He　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　rubbed　the　fog　from　his　eyes；　and　tried　to　remember　the　last　time　Lucien　called　his　house。　It　must　be　important。
　He　made　the　coffee；　turned　out　the　dog；　and　walked　quickly　in　his　gym　shorts　and　sweatshirt　to　the　edge　of　the　street　where　the　three　morning　papers　had　fallen　within　ten　inches　of　each　other。　He　rolled　the　rubber　bands　off　onto　the　kitchen　table　and　spread　the　papers　next　to　his　coffee。　Nothing　in　the　Jackson　paper。　Nothing　from　Tupelo。　The　Memphis　Post　carried　a　headline　of　death　in　the　Middle　East；　and；　then；　he　saw　it。　On　the　bottom　half　of　the　front　page　he　saw　himself；　and　under　his　picture　was　the　caption：　〃Jake　Brigance…Out。〃　Next　was　a　picture　of　Carl　Lee；　and　then　a　splendid　picture　of　a　face　he　had　seen　before。　Under　it；　the　words：　〃Bo　Marsharfsky…In。〃　The　headline　announced　that　the　noted　Memphis　criminal　attorney　had　been　hired　to　represent　the　〃vigilante　killer。〃
　aureiy　n　was　a　mistake。　He　had　seen　Carl　Lee　only　yesterday。　He　read　the　story　slowly。　There　were　few　details；　just　a　history　of　Mar…sharfsky's　greatest　verdicts。　He　promised　a　news　conference　in　Clanton。　He　said　the　case　would　present　new　challenges；　etc。　He　had　faith　in　the　jurors　of　Ford　County。
　Jake　slipped　silently　into　starched　khakis　and　a　button…down。　His　wife　was　still　lost　somewhere　deep　in　the　bed。　He　would　tell　her　later。　He　took　the　paper　and　drove　to　the　office。　The　Coffee　Shop　would　not　be　safe。　At　Ethel's　desk　he　read　the　story　again　and　stared　at　his　picture　on　the　front　page。
　Lucien　had　a　few　words　of　fort。　He　knew　Marsharf…sky；　or　〃The　Shark；〃　as　he　was　known。　He　was　a　sleazy　crook　with　polish　and　finesse。　Lucien　admired　him。
　Moss　Junior　led　Carl　Lee　into　Ozzie's　office；　where　Jake　waited　with　a　newspaper。　The　deputy　quickly　left　and　closed　the　door。　Carl　Lee　sat　on　the　small　black　vinyl　couch。
　Jake　threw　the　newspaper　at　him。　〃Have　you　seen　this？〃　he　demanded。
　Carl　Lee　glared　at　him　and　ignored　the　paper。
　〃Why；　Carl　Lee？〃
　〃I　don't　have　to　explain；　Jake。〃
　〃Yes；　you　do。　You　didn't　have　the　guts　to　call　me　like　a　man　and　tell　me。　You　let　me　read　it　in　the　paper。　I　demand　an　explanation。〃
　〃You　wanted　too　much　money；　Jake。　You're　always　gripin'　over　the　money。　Here　I　am　sittin'　in　jail　and　you're　bitchin'　'bout　somethin'　I　can't　help。〃
　〃Money。　You　can't　afford　to　pay　me。　How　can　you　afford　Marsharfsky？〃
　〃I　ain't　gotta　pay　him。〃
　〃What！〃
　〃You　heard　me。　I　ain't　payin'　him。〃
　〃I　guess　he　works　for　free。〃
　〃Nope。　Somebody　else　is　payin'。〃
　〃Who！〃　Jake　shouted。
　〃I　ain't　tellin'。　It　ain't　none　of　your　business；　Jake。〃
　〃You've　hired　the　biggest　criminal　lawyer　in　Memphis；　and　someone　else　is　payin'　his　bill？〃
　〃Yep。〃
　The　NAACP；　thought　Jake。　No；　they　wouldn't　hire　Marsharfsky。　They've　got　their　own　lawyers。　Besides；xhe　was　too　expensive　for　them。　Who　else？
　Carl　Lee　took　the　newspaper　and　folded　it　neatly。　He　was　ashamed；　and　felt　bad；　but　the　decision　had　been　made。　He　had　asked　Ozzie　to　call　Jake　and　convey　the　news；　but　the　sheriff　wanted　no　part　of　it。　He　should　have　called；　but　he　was　not　going　to　apologize。　He　studied　his　picture　on　the　front　page。　He　liked　the　part　about　the　vigilante　business。
　〃And　you're　not　going　to　tell　me　who？〃　Jake　said；　somewhat　quieter。
　〃Naw；　Jake。　I　ain't　tellin'。〃
　〃Did　you　discuss　it　with　Lester？〃
　The　glare　returned　to　his　eyes。　〃Nope。　He　ain't　on　trial；　and　it　ain't　none　of　his　business。〃
　〃Where　is　he？〃
　〃Chicago。　Left　yesterday。　And　don't　you　go　call　him。　I've　made　up　my　mind；　Jake。〃
　We'll　see；　Jake　said　to　himself。　Lester　would　find　out　shortly。
　Jake　opened　the　door。　〃That's　it。　I'm　fired。　Just　like　that。〃
　Carl　Lee　stared　at　his　picture　and　said　nothing。
　Carla　was　eating　breakfast　and　waiting。　A　reporter　from　Jackson　had　called　looking　for　Jake；　and　had　told　her　about　Marsharfsky。
　There　were　no　words；　just　motions。　He　filled　a　cup　with　coffee　and　went　to　the　back　porch。　He　sipped　from　the　steaming　cup　and　surveyed　the　unkempt　hedges　that　lined　the　boundary　of　his　long　and　narrow　backyard。　A　brilliant　sun　baked　the　rich　green　Bermuda　and　dried　the　dew；　creating　a　sticky　haze　that　drifted　upward　and　hung　to　his　shirt。　The　hedges　and　grass　were　waiting　on　their　weekly　grooming。　He　kicked　off　his　loafers…no　socks…and　walked　through　the　soggy　turf　to　inspect　a　broken　birdbath　near　a　scrawny　crepe　myrtle；　the　only　tree　of　any　significance。
　UC11111U　Him。
　He　took　her　hand　and　smiled。　〃You　okay？〃　she　asked。
　〃Yeah；　I'm　fine。〃
　〃Did　you　talk　to　him？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃What　did　he　say？〃
　He　shook　his　head　and　said　nothing。
　〃I'm　sorry；　Jake。〃
　He　nodded　and　stared　at　the　birdbath。
　〃There　will　be　other　cases；〃　she　said　without　confidence。
　〃I　know。〃　He　thought　of　Buckley；　and　could　hear　the　laughter。　He　thought　of　the　guys　at　the　Coffee　Shop；　and　vowed　not　to　return。　He　thought　of　the　cameras　and　reporters；　and　a　dull　pain　moved　through　his　stomach。　He　thought　of　Lester；　his　only　hope　of　retrieving　the　case。
　〃Would　you　like　some　breakfast？〃　she　asked。
　〃No。　I'm　not　hungry。　Thanks。〃
　〃Look　on　the　bright　side；〃　she　said。　〃We　won't　be　afraid　to　answer　the　phone。〃
　〃I　think　I'll　cut　the　grass；〃　he　said。
　The　Council　of　Ministers　was　a　group　of　black　preachers　that　had　been　formed　to　coordinate　political　activities　in　the　black　munities　of　Ford　County。　It　met　infrequently　during　the　off　years；　but　during　election　years　it　met　weekly；　on　Sunday　afternoons；　to　interview　candidates　and　discuss　issues；　and；　more　importantly；　to　determine　the　benevolence　of　each　office　seeker。　Deals　were　cut；　strategies　developed；　money　exchanged。　The　council　had　proven　it　could　deliver　the　black　vote。　Gifts　and　offerings　to　black　churches　rose　dramatically　during　elections。
　The　Reverend　Ollie　Agee　called　a　special　meeting　of　the　council　for　Sunday　afternoon　at　his　church。　He　wrapped　up　his　sermon　early；　and　by　4：00　P。M。　his　flock　had　scattered　when　the　Cadillacs　and　Lincolns　began　filling　his　parking　lot。　The　meetings　were　secret；　with　only　ministers　who　were　council　members　invited。　There　were　twenty…three　black　churches　in　Ford　County；　and　twenty…two　members　were　present　when　Reverend　Agee　called　the　meeting　to　order。　The　meeting　would　be　brief；　since　some　of　the　ministers；　especially　from　the　Church　of　Christ；　would　begin　their　evening　services　shortly。
　The　purpose　of　the　meeting；　he　explained；　was　to　organize　moral；　political；　and　financial　support　of　Carl　Lee　Hai…ley；　a　member　in　good　standing　of　his　church。　A　legal　defense　fund　must　be　established　to　assure　the　best　legal　representation。　Another　fund　must　be　established　to　provide　support　for　his　family。　He；　Reverend　Agee；　would　chair　the　fund…raising　efforts；　with　each　minister　responsible　for　his　own　congregation；　as　usual。　A　special　offering　would　be　taken　during　the　morning　and　evening　services；　starting　next　Sunday。　Agee　would　use　his　discretion　in　disbursing　the　money　to　the　family。　Half　of　the　proceeds　would　go　to　the　defense　fund。　Time　was　important。　The　trial　was　next　month。　The　money　had　to　be　raised　quickly　while　the　issue　was　hot；　and　the　people　were　in　a　giving　mood。
　cuuncn　unanimously　agreed　witn　Keverend　Agee。　He　continued。
　The　NAACP　must　bee　active　in　the　Hailey　case。　He　would　not　be　on　trial　if　he　was　white。　Not　in　Ford　County。　He　was　on　trial　only　because　he　was　black；　and　this　must　be　addressed　by　the　NAACP。　The　national　director　had　been　called。　The　Memphis　and　Jackson　chapters　had　promised　help。　Press　conferences　would　be　held。　De