jg.atimetokill-第40部分

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been　called。　The　Memphis　and　Jackson　chapters　had　promised　help。　Press　conferences　would　be　held。　Demonstrations　and　marches　would　be　important。　Maybe　boycotts　of　white…owned　businesses…that　was　a　popular　tactic　at　the　moment；　and　it　worked　with　amazing　results。
　This　must　be　done　immediately；　while　the　people　were　willing　and　in　a　giving　mood。　The　ministers　unanimously　agreed　and　left　for　their　evening　services。
　In　part　due　to　fatigue；　and　in　part　due　to　embarrassment；　Jake　slept　through　church。　Carla　fixed　pancakes；　and　they　enjoyed　a　long　breakfast　with　Hanna　on　the　patio。　He　ignored　the　Sunday　papers　after　he　found；　on　the　front　page　of　the　second　section　of　The　Memphis　Post；　a　full…page　spread　on　Marsharfsky　and　his　famous　new　client。　The　story　was　plete　with　pictures　and　quotes　from　the　great　lawyer。　The　Hailey　case　presented　his　biggest　challenge；　he　said。　Serious　legal　and　social　issues　would　be　addressed。　A　novel　defense　would　be　employed；　he　promised。　He　had　not　lost　a　murder　case　in　twelve　years；　he　boasted。　It　would　be　difficult；　but　he　had　confidence　in　the　wisdom　and　fairness　of　Mississippi　jurors。
　Jake　read　the　article　without　ment　and　laid　the　paper　in　the　trash　can。
　Carla　suggested　a　picnic；　and　although　he　needed　to　work　he　knew　better　than　to　mention　it。　They　loaded　the　Saab　with　food　and　toys　and　drove　to　the　lake。　The　brown；　muddy　waters　of　Lake　Chatulla　had　crested　for　the　year；　and　within　days　would　begin　their　slow　withdrawal　to　the　center。　The　high　water　attracted　a　flotilla　of　skiboats；　bass　rigs；　catamarans；　and　dinghies。
　Carla　threw　two　heavy　quilts　under　an　oak　on　the　side　of　a　hill　while　Jake　unloaded　the　food　and　doll　house。　Hanna　arranged　her　large　family　with　pets　and　automobiles
　on　one　quilt　and　began　giving　orders　and　setting　up　house。　Her　parents　listened　and　smiled。　Her　birth　had　been　a　harrowing；　gut…wrenching　nightmare；　two　and　a　half　months　premature　and　shrouded　with　conflicting　symptoms　and　prognoses。　For　eleven　days　Jake　sat　by　the　incubator　in　ICU　and　watched　the　tiny；　purple；　scrawny；　beautiful　three…pound　body　cling　to　life　while　an　army　of　doctors　and　nurses　studied　the　monitors　and　adjusted　tubes　and　needles；　and　shook　their　heads。　When　he　was　alone　he　touched　the　incubator　and　wiped　tears　from　his　cheeks。　He　prayed　as　he　had　never　prayed。　He　slept　in　a　rocking　chair　near　his　daughter　and　dreamed　of　a　beautiful　blue…eyed；　dark…haired　little　girl　playing　with　dolls　and　sleeping　on　his　shoulder。　He　could　hear　her　voice。
　After　a　month　the　nurses　smiled　and　the　doctors　relented。　The　tubes　were　removed　one　at　a　time　each　day　for　a　week。　Her　weight　ballooned　to　a　hearty　four　and　a　half　pounds；　and　the　proud　parents　took　her　home。　The　doctors　suggested　no　more　children；　unless　adopted。
　She　was　perfect　now；　and　the　sound　of　her　voice　could　still　bring　tears　to　his　eyes。　They　ate　and　chuckled　as　Hanna　lectured　her　dolls　on　proper　hygiene。
　〃This　is　the　first　time　you've　relaxed　in　two　weeks；〃　Carla　said　as　they　lay　on　their　quilt。　Wildly　colored　catamarans　crisscrossed　the　lake　below　dodging　a　hundred　roaring　boats　pulling　half…drunken　skiers。
　〃We　went　to　church　last　Sunday；〃　he　replied。
　〃And　all　you　thought　about　was　the　trial。〃
　〃Still　thinking　about　it。〃
　〃It's　over；　isn't　it？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃Will　he　change　his　mind？〃
　'　〃He　might；　if　Lester　talks　to　him。　It's　hard　to　say。　Blacks　are　so　unpredictable；　especially　when　they're　in　trouble。　He's　got　a　good　deal；　really。　He's　got　the　best　criminal　lawyer　in　Memphis；　and　he's　free。〃
　〃Who's　paying　the　bill？〃
　〃An　old　friend　of　Carl　Lee's　from　Memphis；　a　guy　by　the　name　of　Cat　Bruster。〃
　〃Who's　he？〃
　f。　very　ncn　pimp；　dope　pusher；　thug；　thief。　Marsharf…sky's　his　lawyer。　A　couple　of　crooks。〃
　〃Did　Carl　Lee　tell　you　this？〃
　〃No。　He　wouldn't　tell　me；　so　I　asked　Ozzie。〃
　〃Does　Lester　know？〃
　〃Not　yet。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？　You're　not　going　to　call　him；　are　you？〃
　〃Well；　yes；　I　had　planned　to。〃
　〃That's　going　a　bit　far；　isn't　it？〃
　〃I　don't　think　so。　Lester　has　a　right　to　know；　and…〃
　〃Then　Carl　Lee　should　tell　him。〃
　〃He　should；　but　he　won't。　He's　made　a　mistake；　and　he　does　not　realize　it。〃
　〃But　it's　his　problem；　not　yours。　At　least　not　anymore。〃
　〃Carl　Lee's　too　embarrassed　to　tell　Lester。　He　knows　Lester　will　cuss　him　and　tell　him　he's　made　another　mistake。〃
　〃So　it's　up　to　you　to　intervene　in　their　family　affairs。〃
　〃No。　But　I　think　Lester　should　know。〃
　〃I'm　sure　he'll　see　it　in　the　papers。〃
　〃Maybe　not；〃　Jake　said　without　any　conviction。　〃I　think　Hanna　needs　some　more　orange　juice。〃
　〃I　think　you　want　to　change　the　subject。〃
　〃The　subject　doesn't　bother　me。　I　want　the　case；　and　I　intend　to　get　it　back。　Lester's　the　only　person　who　can　retrieve　it。〃
　Her　eyes　narrowed　and　he　could　feel　them。　He　watched　a　bass　rig　drift　into　a　mud　bar　on　the　near　shore。
　〃Jake；　that's　unethical；　and　you　know　it。〃　Her　voice　was　calm；　yet　controlled　and　firm。　The　words　were　slow　and　scornful。
　〃That's　not　true；　Carla。　I'm　a　very　ethical　attorney。〃
　〃You've　always　preached　ethics。　But　at　this　moment　you're　scheming　to　solicit　the　case。　That's　wrong；　Jake。〃
　〃Retrieve；　not　solicit。〃
　〃What's　the　difference？〃
　〃Soliciting　is　unethical。　I've　never　seen　a　prohibition　against　retrieving。〃
　〃It's　not　right；　Jake。　Carl　Lee's　hired　another　lawyer　and　it's　time　for　you　to　forget　it。〃
　〃And　I　suppose　you　think　Marsharfsky　reads　ethics　opinions。　How　do　you　think　he　got　the　case？　He's　been　hired　by　a　man　who's　never　heard　of　him。　He　chased　the　case；　and　he's　got　it。〃
　〃So　that　makes　it　okay　if　you　chase　it　now？〃
　〃Retrieve；　not　chase。〃
　Hanna　demanded　cookies；　and　Carla　searched　through　the　picnic　basket。　Jake　reclined　on　an　elbow　and　ignored　them　both。　He　thought　of　Lucien。　What　would　he　do　in　this　situation？　Probably　rent　a　plane；　fly　to　Chicago；　get　Lester；　slip　him　some　money；　bring　him　home；　and　convince　him　to　browbeat　Carl　Lee。　He　would　assure　Lester　that　Marsharfsky　could　not　practice　in　Mississippi；　and　since　he　was　a　foreigner；　the　rednecks　on　the　jury　wouldn't　believe　him　anyway。　He　would　call　Marsharfsky　and　curse　him　for　chasing　cases　and　threaten　him　with　an　ethics　plaint　the　minute　he　stepped　into　Mississippi。　He　would　get　his　black　cronies　to　call　Gwen　and　Ozzie　and　persuade　them　that　the　only　lawyer　with　a　dog's　chance　in　hell　of　winning　the　case　was　Lucien　Wilbanks。　Finally；　Carl　Lee　would　knuckle　under　and　send　for　Lucien。
　That's　exactly　what　Lucien　would　do。　Talk　about　ethics。
　〃Why　are　you　smiling？〃　Carla　interrupted。
　〃Just　thinking　about　how　nice　it　is　out　here　with　you　and　Hanna。　We　don't　do　this　enough。〃
　〃You're　disappointed；　aren't　you？〃
　〃Sure。　There　will　never　be　another　case　like　this　one。　Win　it；　and　I'm　the　greatest　lawyer　in　these　parts。　We　would　never　have　to　worry　about　money　again。〃
　〃And　if　you　lost　it？〃
　〃It　would　still　be　a　drawing　card。　But　I　can't　lose　what　I　don't　have。〃
　〃Embarrassed？〃
　〃A　little。　It's　hard　to　accept。　Every　lawyer　in　the　county　is　laughing　about　it；　except　maybe　Harry　Rex。　But　I'll　get　over　it。〃
　〃What　should　I　do　with　the　scrapbook？〃
　〃Save　it。　You　might　fill　it　up　yet。〃
　unc；　nine　reel　long　and　tour　feet　wide；　made　to　fit　inconspicuously　in　the　long　bed　of　a　pickup。　Much　larger　crosses　were　used　for　the　rituals；　but　the　small　ones　worked　better　in　the　nocturnal　raids　into　residential　areas。　They　were　not　used　often；　or　often　enough　according　to　their　builders。　In　fact；　it　had　been　many　years　since　one　had　been　used　in　Ford　County。　The　last　one　was　planted　in　the　yard　of　a　nigger　accused　of　raping　a　white　woman。
　Several　hours　before　dawn　on　Monday　morning；　the　cross　was　lifted　quietly　and　quickly　from　the　pickup　and　thrust　into　a　ten…inch；　freshly　dug　slot　in　the　front　yard　of　the　quaint　Victorian　house　on　Adams　Street。　A　small　torch　was　thrown　at　the　foot　of　the　cross；　and　in　seconds　it　was　in　flames。　The　pickup　disappeared　into　the　night　and　stopped　at　a　pay　phone　at　the　edge　of　town；　where　a　call　was　placed　to　the　dispatcher。
　Moments　later；　Deputy　Marshall　Prather　turned　down　Adams　and　instantly　saw　the　blazing　cross　in　Jake's　front　yard。　He　turned　into　the　driveway　an