jg.atimetokill-第56部分

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　Buckley　looked　at　Musgrove　and　shook　his　head。
　〃Now；　back　to　this　hearing。　Mr。　Buckley；　you　said　you　have　over　twenty　witnesses。　How　many　do　you　really　need？〃
　〃Five　or　six。〃
　〃That's　much　better。　Who　are　they？〃
　〃Floyd　Loyd。〃
　〃Who's　he？〃
　〃Supervisor；　First　District；　Ford　County。〃
　〃What's　his　testimony？〃
　〃He's　lived　here　for　fifty　years；　been　in　office　ten　years　or　so。　In　his　opinion　a　fair　trial　is　possible　in　this　county。〃
　〃I　suppose　he's　never　heard　of　this　case？〃　Noose　said　sarcastically。
　〃I'm　not　sure。〃
　〃Who　else？〃
　〃Nathan　Baker。　Justice　of　the　Peace；　Third　District；　Ford　County。〃
　〃Same　testimony？〃
　〃Well；　basically；　yes。〃
　〃Who　else？〃
　〃Edgar　Lee　Baldwin；　former　supervisor；　Ford　County。〃
　〃He　was　indicted　a　few　years　back；　wasn't　he？〃　Jake　asked。
　Buckley's　face　turned　redder　than　Jake　had　ever　seen　it。　His　huge　mouth　dropped　open　and　his　eyes　glazed　over。
　〃He　was　not　convicted；〃　shot　Musgrove。
　〃I　didn't　say　he　was。　I　simply　said　he　was　indicted。　FBI；　wasn't　it？〃
　〃Enough；　enough；〃　said　Noose。　〃What　will　Mr。　Baldwin　tell　us？〃
　〃He's　lived　here　all　his　life。　He　knows　the　people　of　Ford　County；　and　thinks　Mr。　Hailey　can　receive　a　fair　trial　here；〃　Musgrove　answered。　Buckley　remained　speechless　as　he　stared　at　Jake。
　〃Who　else？〃
　〃Sheriff　Harry　Bryant；　Tyler　County。〃
　〃Sheriff　Bryant？　What'll　he　say？〃
　Musgrove　was　talking　for　the　State　now。　〃Your　Honor；　we　have　two　theories　we　are　submitting　in　opposition　to　the　motion　for　a　change　of　venue。　First；　we　contend　a　fair　trial　is　possible　here　in　Ford　County。　Second；　if　the　court　is　of　the　opinion　that　a　fair　trial　is　not　possible　here；　the　State　contends　that　the　immense　publicity　has　reached　every　prospective　juror　in　this　state。　The　same　prejudices　and　opinions；　for　and　against；　which　exist　in　this　county　exist　in　every　county。　Therefore；　nothing　will　be　gained　by　moving　the　trial。　We　have　witnesses　to　support　this　second　theory。〃
　〃That's　a　novel　concept；　Mr。　Musgrove。　I　don't　think　I've　heard　it　before。〃
　〃Neither　have　I；〃　added　Jake。
　〃Who　else　do　you　have？〃
　〃Robert　Kelly　Williams；　district　attorney　for　the　Ninth　District。〃
　〃Where'sthat？〃；
　〃Southwestern　tip　of　the　state。〃
　〃He　drove　all　the　way　up　here　to　testify　that　everyone　in　his　neck　of　the　woods　has　already　prejudged　the　case？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Who　else？〃
　〃Grady　Listen；　district　attorney；　Fourteenth　District。〃
　〃Same　testimony？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Is　that　all？〃
　〃Well；　Your　Honor；　we　have　several　more。　But　their　testimony　will　pretty　much　follow　the　other　witnesses'。〃
　〃Good；　then　we　can　limit　your　proof　to　these　six　witnesses？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃I　will　hear　your　proof。　I　will　allow　each　of　you　five　minutes　to　conclude　your　arguments；　and　I　will　rule　on　this　motion　within　two　weeks。　Any　questions？〃
　It　hurt　to　say　no　to　the　reporters。　They　followed　Jake　across　Washington　Street；　where　he　excused　himself；　offered　his　no　ments；　and　sought　refuge　in　his　office。　Undaunted；　a　photographer　from　Newsweek　pushed　his　way　inside　and　asked　if　Jake　would　pose　for　a　photograph。　He　wanted　one　of　those　important　ones　with　a　stern　look　and　thick　leather　books　in　the　background。　Jake　straightened　his　tie　and　showed　the　photographer　into　the　conference　room；　where　he　posed　in　court…ordered　silence。　The　photographer　thanked　him　and　left。
　〃May　I　have　a　few　minutes　of　your　time？〃　Ethel　asked　politely　as　her　boss　headed　for　the　stairs。
　〃Certainly。〃
　〃Why　don't　you　sit　down。　We　need　to　talk。〃
　She's　finally　quitting；　Jake　thought　as　he　took　a　seat　by　the　front　window。
　〃What's　on　your　mind？〃
　〃Money。〃
　〃You're　the　highest…paid　legal　secretary　in　town。　You　got　a　raise　three　months　ago。〃
　〃Not　my　money。　Please　listen。　You　don't　have　enough　in　the　bank　to　pay　this　month's　bills。　June　is　almost　gone；　and　we've　grossed　seventeen　hundred　dollars。〃
　Jake　closed　his　eyes　and　rubbed　his　forehead。
　〃Look　at　these　bills；〃　she　said；　waving　a　stack　of　invoices。　〃Four　thousand　dollars　worth。　How　am　I　supposed　to　pay　these？〃
　〃How　much　is　in　the　bank？〃
　〃Nineteen　hundred　dollars；　as　of　Friday。　Nothing　came　in　this　morning。〃
　〃Nothing？〃
　〃Not　a　dime。〃
　〃What　about　the　settlement　on　the　Liford　case？　That's　three　thousand　in　fees。〃
　Ethel　shook　her　head。　〃Mr。　Brigance；　that　file　has　not　been　closed。　Mr。　Liford　has　not　signed　the　release。　You　were　to　take　it　by　his　house。　Three　weeks　ago；　remember？〃
　〃No；　I　don't　remember。　What　about　Buck　Britt's　retainer？　That's　a　thousand　dollars。〃
　〃His　check　bounced。　The　bank　returned　it；　and　it's　been　on　your　desk　for　two　weeks。〃
　She　paused　and　took　a　deep　breath。　〃You've　stopped　seeing　clients。　You　don't　return　phone　calls；　and…〃
　〃Don't　lecture　me；　Ethel！〃
　〃And　you're　a　month　behind　on　everything。〃
　〃That's　enough。〃
　〃Ever　since　you　took　the　Hailey　case。　That's　all　you　think　about。　You're　obsessed　with　it。　It's　going　to　break　us。〃
　〃Us！　How　many　paychecks　have　you　missed；　Ethel？　How　many　of　those　bills　are　past　due？　Huh？〃
　〃Several。〃
　〃But　no　more　than　usual；　right？〃
　〃Yes；　but　what　about　next　month？　The　trial　is　four　weeks　away。〃
　〃Shut　up；　Ethel。　Just　shut　up。　If　you　can't　take　the　pressure；　then　quit。　If　you　can't　keep　your　mouth　shut；　then　you're　fired。〃
　〃You'd　like　to　fire　me；　wouldn't　you？〃
　〃I　could　care　less。〃
　She　was　a　tough；　hard　woman。　Fourteen　years　with　Lu…cien　had　toughened　her　skin　and　hardened　her　conscience；　but　she　was　a　woman　nonetheless；　and　at　this　moment　her　lip　started　to　quiver；　and　her　eyes　watered。　She　dropped　her　head。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　she　muttered。　〃I'm　just　worried。〃
　〃Worried　about　what？〃
　〃Me　and　Bud。〃
　〃What's　wrong　with　Bud？〃
　〃He's　a　very　sick　man。〃
　〃I　know　that。〃
　〃His　blood　pressure　keeps　acting　up。　Especially　after　the　phone　calls。　He's　had　three　strokes　in　five　years；　and　he's　due　for　another　one。　He's　scared；　we're　both　scared。〃
　〃How　many　phone　calls？〃
　〃Several。　They　threaten　to　burn　our　house　or　blow　it　up。　They　always　tell　us　they　know　where　we　live；　and　if　Hailey　is　acquitted；　then　they'll　burn　it　or　stick　dynamite　under
　it　while　we　are　asleep。　A　couple　have　threatened　to　kill　us。　It's　just　not　worth　it。〃
　〃Maybe　you　should　quit。〃
　〃And　starve？　Bud　hasn't　worked　in　ten　years；　you　know　that。　Where　else　would　I　work？〃
　〃Look；　Ethel；　I've　had　threats　too。　I　don't　take　them　seriously。　I　promised　Carla　I'd　give　up　the　case　before　I　endangered　my　family；　and　you　should　be　forted　by　that。　You　and　Bud　should　relax。　The　threats　are　not　serious。　There　are　a　lot　of　nuts　out　there。〃
　〃That's　what　worries　me。　People　are　crazy　enough　to　do　something。〃
　〃Naw；　you　worry　too　much。　I'll　tell　Ozzie　to　watch　your　house　a　bit　closer。〃
　〃Will　you　do　that？〃
　〃Sure。　They've　been　watching　mine。　Take　my　word；　Ethel；　there's　nothing　to　worry　about。　Probably　just　some　young　punks。〃
　She　wiped　her　eyes。　〃I'm　sorry　for　crying；　and　I'm　sorry　for　being　so　irritable　lately。〃
　You've　been　irritable　for　forty　years；　Jake　thought。　〃That's　okay。〃
　〃What　about　these？〃　she　asked；　pointing　to　the　invoices。
　〃I'll　get　the　money。　Don't　worry　about　it。〃
　Willie　Hastings　finished　the　second　shift　at　10：00　P。M。　and　punched　the　clock　next　to　Ozzie's　office。　He　drove　straight　to　the　Hailey　house。　It　was　his　night　to　sleep　on　the　couch。　Someone　slept　on　Owen's　couch　every　night；　a　brother；　a　cousin；　or　a　friend。　Wednesday　was　his　night。
　It　was　impossible　to　sleep　with　the　lights　on。　Tonya　refused　to　go　near　the　bed　unless　every　light　in　the　house　was　on。　Those　men　could　be　in　the　dark；　waiting　for　her。　She　had　seen　them　many　times　crawling　along　the　floor　toward　her　bed；　and　lurking　in　the　closets。　She　had　heard　their　voices　outside　her　window；　and　she　had　seen　their　bloodshot　eyes　peering　in；　watching　her　as　she　got　ready　for　bed。　She　heard　noises　in　the　attic；　like　the　footsteps　of　the　bulky　cowboy　boots　they　had　kicked　her　with。　She　knew　they　were　up
　there；　waiting　for　everyone　to　go　to　sleep　so　they　could　e　down　and　take　her　back　to　the　woods。　Once　a　week　her　mother　and　oldest　brother　climbed　the　folding　stairs　and　inspected　the　attic　with　a　flashlight　and　a　pistol。
　Not　a　single　room　in　the　house　could　be　dark　w