jg.atimetokill-第49部分

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　〃But　the　trial　is　six　weeks　away！　You　want　us　to　stay　in　Wilmington　for　six　weeks？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃I　love　my　parents；　but　that's　ridiculous。〃
　〃You　don't　see　enough　of　them；　and　they　don't　see　enough　of　Hanna。〃
　〃And　we　don't　see　enough　of　you。　I'm　not　leaving　for　six　weeks。〃
　〃There's　a　ton　of　preparation。　I'll　eat　and　sleep　this　case　until　the　trial　is　over。　I'll　work　nights；　weekends…〃
　〃What　else　is　new？〃
　〃I'll　ignore　y'all　and　think　of　nothing　but　this　case。〃
　〃We're　used　to　that。〃
　Jake　smiled　at　her。　〃You're　saying　you　can　handle　it？〃
　〃I　can　handle　you。　It's　those　crazies　out　there　that　scare　me。〃
　〃When　the　crazies　get　serious；　I'll　back　off。　I　will　run　from　this　case　if　my　family　is　in　danger。〃
　〃You　promise？〃
　〃Of　course　I　promise。　Let's　send　Hanna。〃
　〃If　we're　not　in　danger；　why　do　you　want　to　send　anybody？〃
　〃Just　for　safety。　She'd　have　a　great　time　spending　the　summer　with　her　grandparents。　They'd　love　it。〃
　〃She　wouldn't　last　a　week　without　me。〃
　〃And　you　wouldn't　last　a　week　without　her。〃
　That　s　true。　It　s　out　of　the　question。　I　don　t　worry　about　her　as　long　as　I　can　hold　her　and　squeeze　her。〃
　The　coffee　was　ready　and　Carla　filled　their　cups。　〃Anything　in　the　paper？〃
　〃No。　I　thought　the　Jackson　paper　might　run　something；　but　it　happened　too　late；　I　guess。〃
　〃I　guess　your　timing　is　a　little　rusty　after　a　week's　layoff。〃
　〃Just　wait　till　in　the　morning。〃
　〃How　do　you　know？〃
　〃I　promise。〃
　She　shook　her　head　and　searched　for　the　fashion　and　food　sections。　〃Are　you　going　to　church？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Why　not？　You've　got　the　case。　You're　a　star　again。〃
　〃Yeah；　but　no　one　knows　it　yet。〃
　〃I　see。　Next　Sunday。〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　At　Mount　Hebron；　Mount　Zion；　Mount　Pleasant；　and　at　Brown's　Chapel；　Green's　Chapel；　and　Norris　Road；　Section　Line　Road；　Bethel　Road；　and　at　God's　Temple；　Christ's　Temple；　and　Saints'　Temple；　the　buckets　and　baskets　and　plates　were　passed　and　re…passed　and　left　at　the　altars　and　front　doors　to　collect　the　money　for　Carl　Lee　Hailey　and　his　family。　The　large；　family…size　Kentucky　Fried　Chicken　buckets　were　used　in　many　of　the　churches。　The　bigger　the　bucket；　or　basket；　the　smaller　the　individual　offerings　appeared　as　they　fell　to　the　bottom；　thus　allowing　the　minister　just　cause　to　order　another　passing　through　the　flock。　It　was　a　special　offering；　separate　from　the　regular　giving；　and　was　preceded　in　virtually　every　church　with　a　heart…wrenching　account　of　what　happened　to　the　precious　little　Hailey　girl；　and　what　would　happen　to　her　daddy　and　family　if　the　buckets　were　not　filled。　In　many　instances　the　sacred　name　of　the　NAACP　was　invoked　and　the　effect　was　a　loosening　of　the　wallets　and　purses。
　It　worked。　The　buckets　were　emptied；　the　money　counted；　and　the　ritual　repeated　during　the　evening　services。　Late　Sunday　night　the　morning　offerings　and　evening　offer…
　ings　were　bined　and　counted　by　each　minister；　who　would　then　deliver　a　great　percentage　of　the　total　to　the　Reverend　Agee　sometime　Monday。　He　would　keep　the　money　somewhere　in　his　church；　and　a　great　percentage　of　it　would　be　spent　for　the　benefit　of　the　Hailey　family。
　From　two　to　five　each　Sunday　afternoon；　the　prisoners　in　the　Ford　County　jail　were　turned　out　into　a　large　fenced　yard　across　the　small　back　street　behind　the　jail。　A　limit　of　three　friends　and/or　relatives　for　each　prisoner　was　allowed　inside　for　no　more　than　an　hour。　There　were　a　couple　of　shade　trees；　some　broken　picnic　tables；　and　a　well…maintained　basketball　hoop。　Deputies　and　dogs　watched　carefully　from　the　other　side　of　the　fence。
　A　routine　was　established。　Gwen　and　the　kids　would　leave　church　after　the　benediction　around　three；　and　drive　to　the　jail。　Ozzie　allowed　Carl　Lee　early　entrance　to　the　recreation　area　so　he　could　assume　the　best　picnic　table；　the　one　with　four　legs　and　a　shade　tree。　He　would　sit　there　by　himself；　speaking　to　no　one；　and　watch　the　basketball　skirmish　until　his　family　arrived。　It　wasn't　basketball；　but　a　hybrid　of　rugby；　wrestling；　judo；　and　basketball。　No　one　dared　officiate。　No　blood；　no　foul。　And；　surprisingly；　no　fights。　A　fight　meant　quick　admittance　to　solitary　and　no　recreation　for　a　month。
　There　were　a　few　visitors；　some　girlfriends　and　wives；　and　they　would　sit　in　the　grass　by　the　fence　with　their　men　and　quietly　watch　the　mayhem　under　the　basketball　hoop。　One　couple　asked　Carl　Lee　if　they　could　use　his　table　for　lunch。　He　shook　his　head；　and　they　ate　in　the　grass。
　Gwen　and　the　kids　arrived　before　three。　Deputy　Hastings；　her　cousin；　unlocked　the　gate　and　the　children　ran　to　meet　their　daddy。　Gwen　spread　the　food。　Carl　Lee　was　aware　of　the　stares　from　the　less　fortunate；　and　he　enjoyed　the　envy。　Had　he　been　white；　or　smaller　and　weaker；　or　perhaps　charged　with　a　lesser　crime；　he　would　have　been　asked　to　share　his　food。　But　he　was　Carl　Lee　Hailey；　and　no　one　stared　too　long。　The…game　returned　to　its　fury　and　violence；　and　the　family　ate　in　peace。　Tonya　always　sat　next　to　her　daddy。
　〃They　started　an　offerin'　for　us　this　mornin'；〃　Gwen　said　after　lunch。
　〃Who　did？〃
　〃The　church。　Reverend　Agee　said　all　the　black　churches　in　the　county　are　gonna　take　up　money　ever　Sunday　for　us　and　for　the　lawyer　fees。〃
　〃How　much？〃
　〃Don't　know。　He　said　they　gonna　pass　the　bucket　ever　Sunday　until　the　trial。〃
　〃That's　mighty　nice。　What'd　he　say　'bout　me？〃
　〃Just　talked　about　your　case　and　all。　Said　how　expensive　it　would　be；　and　how　we'd　need　help　from　the　churches。　Talked　about　Christian　givin'　and　all　that。　Said　you're　a　real　hero　to　your　people。〃
　What　a　pleasant　surprise；　thought　Carl　Lee。　He　expected　some　help　from　his　church；　but　nothing　financial。　〃How　many　churches？〃
　〃All　the　black　ones　in　the　county。〃
　〃When　do　we　get　the　money？〃
　〃He　didn't　say。〃
　After　he　got　his　cut；　thought　Carl　Lee。　〃Boys；　y'all　take　your　sister　and　go　play　over　there　by　the　fence。　Me　and　Momma　needs　to　talk。　Be　careful　now。〃
　Carl　Lee；　Jr。；　and　Robert　took　their　little　sister　by　the　hand　and　did　exactly　as　ordered。
　〃What　does　the　doctor　say？〃　Carl　Lee　asked　as　he　watched　the　children　walk　away。
　〃She's　doin'　good。　Her　jaw's　healin'　good。　He　might　take　the　wire　off　in　a　month。　She　can't　run　and　jump　and　play　yet；　but　it　won't　be　long。　Still　some　soreness。〃
　〃What　about　the；　uh；　the　other？〃
　Gwen　shook　her　head　and　covered　her　eyes。　She　began　crying　and　wiping　her　eyes。　She　spoke　and　her　voice　cracked。　〃She'll　never　have　kids。　He　told　me　。　。　。〃　She　stopped；　wiped　her　face　and　tried　to　continue。　She　began　sobbing　loudly；　and　buried　her　face　in　a　paper　towel。
　Carl　Lee　felt　sick。　He　placed　his　forehead　in　his　palms。　He　ground　his　teeth　together　as　his　eyes　watered。　〃What'd　he　say？〃
　Gwen　raised　her　head　and　spoke　haltingly；　righting　back　tears。　〃He　told　me　Tuesday　there　was　too　much　dam…
　age　。　。　。〃　She　wiped　her　wet　face　with　her　fingers。　〃But　he　wants　to　send　her　to　a　specialist　in　Memphis。〃
　〃He's　not　sure？〃
　She　shook　her　head。　〃Ninety　percent　sure。　But　he　thinks　she　should　be　examined　by　another　doctor　in　Memphis。　We're　supposed　to　take　her　in　a　month。〃
　Gwen　tore　off　another　paper　towel　and　wiped　her　face。　She　handed　one　to　her　husband；　who　quickly　dabbed　his　eyes。
　Next　to　the　fence；　Tonya　sat　listening　to　her　brothers　argue　about　which　one　would　be　a　deputy　and　which　one　would　be　in　jail。　She　watched　her　parents　talk　and　shake　their　heads　and　cry。　She　knew　something　was　wrong　with　her。　She　rubbed　her　eyes　and　started　crying　too。
　〃The　nightmares　are　gettin'　worse；〃　Gwen　said；　interrupting　the　silence。　〃I　have　to　sleep　with　her　ever　night。　She　dreams　about　men　in'　to　get　her；　men　hidin'　in　the　closets；　chasin'　her　through　the　woods。　She　wakes　up　screamin'　and　sweatin'。　The　doctor　says　she　needs　to　see　a　psychiatrist。　Says　it'll　get　worse　before　it　gets　better。〃
　〃How　much　will　it　cost？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I　haven't　called　yet。〃
　〃Better　call。　Where　is　this　psychiatrist？〃
　〃Memphis。〃
　〃Figures。〃
　〃How　are　the　boys　treatin'　her？〃
　〃They've　been　great。　They　treat　her　special。　But　the　nightmares　keep　them　scared。　When　she　wakes　up　screamin'　she　wakes　everybody。　The　boys　run　to　her　bed　and　try　to　help；　but　it　scares　them。　Last　night　she　wouldn't　go　back