jg.atimetokill-第45部分

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　Jake　smiled　at　the　receiver。　So　far；　nothing　unethical。
　〃What　should　I　do；　Jake？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　Lester。　He　needs　some　help；　and　you're　the　only　one　he'll　listen　to。　You　know　how　headstrong　he　is。〃
　〃I　guess　I'd　better　call　him。〃
　No；　thought　Jake；　it　would　be　easier　for　Carl　Lee　to　say　no　over　the　phone。　Confrontation　was　needed　between　the　brothers。　A　drive　from　Chicago　would　make　an　impact。
　〃I　don't　think　you'll　get　very　far　over　the　phone。　His
　mind's　made　up。　Only　you　can　change　it；　and　you　can't　do　it　over　the　phone。〃
　Lester　paused　a　few　seconds　while　Jake　waited　anxiously。　〃What's　today？〃；
　〃Thursday；　June　6。〃
　〃Let's　see；〃　Lester　mumbled。　〃I'm　ten　hours　away。　I　work　the　four…to…midnight　shift　tomorrow　and　again　Sunday。　I　could　leave　here　midnight　tomorrow；　and　be　in　Clanton　by　ten　Saturday　mornin'。　Then　I　could　leave　early　Sunday　mornin'　and　be　back　by　four。　That's　a　lot　of　drivin'；　but　I　can　handle　it。〃
　〃It's　very　important；　Lester。　I　think　it's　worth　the　trip。〃
　〃Where　will　you　be　Saturday；　Jake？〃
　〃Here　at　the　office。〃
　〃Okay。　I'll　go　to　the　jail；　and　if　I　need　you　I'll　call　the　office。〃
　〃Sounds　good。　One　other　thing；　Lester。　Carl　Lee　told　me　not　to　call　you。　Don't　mention　it。〃
　〃What'll　I　tell　him？〃
　〃Tell　him　you　called　Iris；　and　she　gave　you　the　story。〃
　〃Iris　who？〃
　〃e　on；　Lester。　It's　been　mon　knowledge　around　here　for　years。　Everybody　knows　it　but　her　husband；　and　he'll　find　out。〃
　〃I　hope　not。　We'll　have　us　another　murder。　You'll　have　another　client。〃
　〃Please。　I　can't　keep　the　ones　I've　got。　Call　me　Saturday。〃
　He　ate　from　the　microwave　at　ten…thirty。　Hanna　was　asleep。　They　talked　about　Leroy　Glass　and　the　white　kid　in　the　stolen　pickup。　About　Carl　Lee；　but　not　about　Lester。　She　felt　better；　safer　now　that　Carl　Lee　Hailey　was　behind　them。　No　more　calls。　No　more　burning　crosses。　No　more　stares　at　church。　There　would　be　other　cases；　she　promised。　He　said　little；　just　ate　and　smiled。
　Just　before　the　courthouse　closed　on　Friday；　Jake　called　the　clerk　to　see　if　a　trial　was　in　progress。　No；　she　said；　Noose　was　gone。　Buckley；　Musgrove；　everybody　was　gone。　The　courtroom　was　deserted。　Secure　with　that　knowledge；　Jake　eased　across　the　street；　through　the　rear　door　of　the　courthouse；　and　down　the　hall　to　the　clerk's　office。　He　flirted　with　the　clerks　and　secretaries　while　he　located　Carl　Lee's　file。　He　held　his　breath　as　he　flipped　through　the　pages。　Good！　Just　as　he　had　hoped。　Nothing　had　been　added　to　the　file　all　week；　with　the　exception　of　his　motion　to　withdraw　as　counsel。　Marsharfsky　and　his　local　counsel　had　not　touched　the　file。　Nothing　had　been　done。　He　flirted　some　more　and　eased　back　to　his　office。
　Leroy　Glass　was　still　in　jail。　His　bond　was　ten　thousand　dollars；　and　his　family　couldn't　raise　the　thousand…dollar　premium　to　pay　a　bondsman。　So　he　continued　to　share　the　cell　with　Carl　Lee。　Jake　had　a　friend　who　was　a　bondsman　and　who　took　care　of　Jake's　clients。　If　a　client　needed　out　of　jail；　and　there　was　little　danger　of　him　disappearing　once　he　was　sprung；　the　bond　would　be　written。　Terms　were　available　for　Jake's　clients。　Say；　five　percent　down　and　so　much　a　month。　If　Jake　wanted　Leroy　Glass　out　of　jail；　the　bond　could　be　written　anytime。　But　Jake　needed　him　in　jail。
　〃Look；　Leroy；　I'm　sorry。　I'm　working　with　the　bondsman；〃　Jake　explained　to　his　client　in　the　Intoxilyzer　room。
　〃But　you　said　I'd　be　out　by　now。〃
　〃Your　folks　don't　have　the　money；　Leroy。　I　can't　pay　it　myself。　We'll　get　you　out；　but　it'll　take　a　few　days。　I　want　you　out　so　you　can　go　to　work；　make　some　money　and　pay　me。〃
　Leroy　seemed　satisfied。　〃Okay；　Mr。　Jake；　just　do　what　you　can。〃
　〃Food's　pretty　good　here；　isn't　it？〃　Jake　asked　with　a　smile。
　〃It　ain't　bad。　Better　at　home。〃
　〃We'll　get　you　out；〃　Jake　promised。
　〃How's　the　nigger　I　stabbed？〃
　〃Not　sure。　Ozzie　said　he's　still　in　the　hospital。　Moss
　Thrum　says　he's　been　released。　Who　knows。　I　don't　think　he's　hurt　too　bad。〃
　〃Who　was　the　woman？〃　Jake　asked；　unable　to　remember　the　details。
　〃Willie's　woman。〃
　〃Willie　who？〃
　〃Willie　Hoyt。〃
　Jake　thought　for　a　second　and　tried　to　recall　the　indictment。　〃That's　not　the　man　you　stabbed。〃
　〃Naw；　he's　Curtis　Sprawling。〃
　〃You　mean；　y'all　were　fighting　over　another　man's　woman？〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃Where　was　Willie？〃
　〃He　was　fightin'　too。〃
　〃Who　was　he　fighting？〃
　〃Some　other　dude。〃
　〃You　mean　the　four　of　you　were　fighting　over　Willie's　woman？〃
　〃Yeah；　you　got　it。〃
　〃What　caused　the　fight？〃
　〃Her　husband　was　outta　town。〃
　〃She's　married？〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃What's　her　husband's　name？〃
　〃Johnny　Sands。　When　he's　outta　town；　there's　normally　a　fight。〃
　〃Why　is　that？〃
　'〃Cause　she　ain't　got　no　kids；　can't　have　any；　and　she　likes　to　have　pany。　Know　what　I　mean？　When　he　leaves；　everybody　knows　it。　If　she　shows　up　at　a　tonk；　look　out　for　a　fight。〃
　What　a　trial；　thought　Jake。　〃But　I　thought　you　said　she　showed　up　with　Willie　Hoyt？〃
　〃That's　right。　But　that　don't　mean　nothin'　because　everybody　at　the　tonk　starts　easin'　up　on　her；　buyin'　drinks；　wantin'　to　dance。　You　can't　help　it。〃
　〃Some　woman；　huh？〃
　〃Oh；　Mr。　Jake；　she　looks　so　good。　You　oughtta　see　her。〃
　〃I　will。　On　the　witness　stand。〃
　Leroy　gazed　at　the　wall；　smiling；　dreaming；　lusting　after　the　wife　of　Johnny　Sands。　Never　mind　that　he　stabbed　a　man　and　could　get　twenty　years。　He　had　proven；　in　hand…to…hand　bat；　that　he　was　worthy。
　〃Listen；　Leroy；　you　haven't　talked　to　Carl　Lee；　have　you？〃
　〃Sure。　I'm　still　in　his　cell。　We　talk　all　the　time。　Ain't　much　else　to　do。〃
　〃You　haven't　told　him　what　we　discussed　yesterday？〃
　〃Oh　no。　I　told　you　I　wouldn't。〃
　〃Good。〃
　〃But　I'll　tell　you　this；　Mr。　Jake；　he's　some　kinda　worried。　He　ain't　heard　from　his　new　lawyer。　He's　bad　upset。　I　had　to　bite　my　tongue　to　keep　from　tellin'　him；　but　I　didn't。　I　did　tell　him　you　were　my　lawyer。〃
　〃That's　okay。〃
　〃He　said　you　was　good　'bout　in'　by　the　jail　and　talkin'　'bout　the　case　and　all。　He　said　I　hired　a　good　lawyer。〃
　〃Not　good　enough　for　him；　though。〃
　〃I　think　Carl　Lee's　confused。　He　ain't　sure　who　to　trust　or　anything。　He's　a　good　dude。〃
　〃Well；　don't　be　telling　him　what　we　discussed；　right？　It's　confidential。〃
　〃Right。　But　somebody　needs　to。〃
　〃He　didn't　consult　with　me　or　anyone　else　before　he　fired　me　and　hired　his　new　lawyer。　He's　a　grown　man。　He　made　the　decision。　It's　his　baby。〃　Jake　paused　and　moved　closer　to　Leroy。　He　lowered　his　voice。　〃And　I'll　tell　you　something　else；　but　you　can't　tell　it。　I　checked　his　court　file　thirty　minutes　ago。　His　new　lawyer　hasn't　touched　the　case　all　week。　Not　one　thing　has　been　filed。　Nothing。〃
　Leroy　frowned　and　shook　his　head。　〃Man　oh　man。〃
　His　lawyer　continued。　〃These　big　shots　operate　like　that。　Talk　a　lot；　blow　a　lot　of　smoke；　fly　by　the　seat　of　their　pants。　Take　more　cases　than　they　can　handle；　and　end　up　losing　more　than　they　win。　I　know　them。　I　watch　them　all　the　time。　Most　are　overrated。〃
　〃Is　that　why　he　ain't　been　to　see　Carl　Lee？〃
　〃Sure。　He's　too　busy。　Plus　he's　got　plenty　of　other　big　cases。　He　don't　care　about　Carl　Lee。〃
　〃That's　bad。　Carl　Lee　deserves　better。〃
　〃It　was　his　choice。　He'll　have　to　live　with　it。〃
　〃You　think　he'll　be　convicted；　Mr。　Jake？〃
　〃No　doubt　about　it。　He's　looking　at　the　gas　chamber。
　He's　hired　a　bogus　big…shot　lawyer　who　doesn't　have　time　to
　work　on　his　case；　doesn't　even　have　the　time　to　talk　to　him
　in　jail。〃
　〃Are　you　sayin'　you　could　get　him　off？〃
　Jake　relaxed　and　crossed　his　legs。　〃No；　I　never　make
　that　promise；　and　I　won't　make　it　for　your　trial。　A　lawyer　is
　stupid　if　he　promises　an　acquittal。　Too　many　things　can　go
　wrong　at　trial。〃
　〃Carl　Lee　said　his　lawyer　promised　a　not　guilty　in　the
　newspaper。〃
　〃He's　a　fool。〃
　〃Where　you　been？〃　Carl　Lee　asked　his　cellmate　as　the　jailer　locked　the　door。
　〃Talkin'　to　my　lawyer。〃
　〃Jake？〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　Leroy　sat　on　his　bunk　directly　across　the　cell　from　Carl　Lee；　who　was　rereading　a　newspaper。　He　folded　the　paper　and　laid　it　under　his　bunk。
　〃You　look　worried；〃　Carl　Lee　said。　〃Bad　news　about　your　case？〃
　〃Naw。　Just　can't　make　my　bail。　Jake　says　it'll　be　a　few　days。〃
　〃Jake　talk　about　me？〃
　〃Naw。