jg.atimetokill-第57部分

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　Not　a　single　room　in　the　house　could　be　dark　when　she　went　to　bed。　One　night；　as　she　lay　wide　awake　next　to　her　mother；　a　light　in　the　hall　burned　out。　She　screamed　violently　until　Gwen's　brother　drove　to　Clanton　to　an　all…night　quick　shop　for　more　bulbs。
　She　slept　with　her　mother；　who　held　her　firmly　for　hours　until　the　demons　faded　into　the　night　and　she　drifted　away。　At　first；　Gwen　had　trouble　with　the　lights；　but　after　five　weeks　she　napped　periodically　through　the　night。　The　small　body　next　to　her　wiggled　and　jerked　even　while　it　slept。
　Willie　said　good　night　to　the　boys　and　kissed　Tonya。　He　showed　her　his　gun　and　promised　to　stay　awake　on　the　couch。　He　walked　through　the　house　and　checked　the　closets。　When　Tonya　was　satisfied；　she　lay　next　to　her　mother　and　stared　at　the　ceiling。　She　cried　softly。
　Around　midnight；　Willie　took　off　his　boots　and　relaxed　on　the　couch。　He　removed　his　holster　and　placed　the　gun　on　the　floor。　He　was　almost　asleep　when　he　heard　the　scream。　It　was　the　horrible；　high…pitched　cry　of　a　child　being　tortured。　He　grabbed　his　gun　and　ran　to　the　bedroom。　Tonya　was　sitting　on　the　bed；　facing　the　wall；　screaming　and　shaking。　She　had　seen　them　in　the　window；　waiting　for　her。　Gwen　hugged　her。　The　three　boys　ran　to　the　foot　of　the　bed　and　watched　helplessly。　Carl　Lee；　Jr。；　went　to　the　window　and　saw　nothing。　They　had　been　through　it　many　times　in　five　weeks；　and　knew　there　was　little　they　could　do。
　Gwen　soothed　her　and　laid　her　head　gently　on　the　pillow。　〃It's　okay；　baby；　Momma's　here　and　Uncle　Willie's　here。　Nobody's　gonna　get　you。　It's　okay；　baby。〃
　She　wanted　Uncle　Willie　to　sit　under　the　window　with　his　gun　and　the　boys　to　sleep　on　the　floor　around　the　bed。　They　took　their　positions。　She　moaned　pitifully　for　a　few　moments；　then　grew　quiet　and　still。
　Willie　sat　on　the　floor　by　the　window　until　they　were　all　asleep。　He　carried　the　boys　one　at　a　time　to　their　beds　and　tucked　them　in。　He　sat　under　her　window　and　waited　for　the　morning　sun。
　Jake　and　Atcavage　met　for　lunch　at　Claude's　on　Friday。　They　ordered　ribs　and　slaw。　The　place　was　packed　as　usual；　and　for　the　first　time　in　four　weeks　there　were　no　strange　faces。　The　regulars　talked　and　gossiped　like　old　times。　Claude　was　in　fine　form…ranting　and　scolding　and　cursing　his　loyal　customers。　Claude　was　one　of　those　rare　people　who　could　curse　a　man　and　make　him　enjoy　it。
　Atcavage　had　watched　the　venue　hearing；　and　would　have　testified　had　he　been　needed。　The　bank　had　discouraged　his　testifying；　and　Jake　did　not　want　to　cause　trouble。　Bankers　have　an　innate　fear　of　courtrooms；　and　Jake　admired　his　friend　for　overing　this　paranoia　and　attending　the　hearing。　In　doing　so；　he　became　the　first　banker　in　the　history　of　Ford　County　to　voluntarily　appear　in　a　courtroom　without　a　subpoena　while　court　was　in　session。　Jake　was　proud　of　him。
　Claude　raced　by　and　told　them　they　had　ten　minutes；　so　shut　up　and　eat。　Jake　finished　a　rib　and　mopped　his　face。　〃Say；　Stan；　speaking　of　loans；　I　need　to　borrow　five　thousand　for　ninety　days；　unsecured。〃
　〃Who　said　anything　about　loans？〃
　〃You　said　something　about　banks。〃
　〃I　thought　we　were　condemning　Buckley。　I　was　enjoying　it。〃
　〃You　shouldn't　criticize；　Stan。　It's　an　easy　habit　to　acquire　and　an　impossible　one　to　break。　It　robs　your　soul　of　。　character。〃
　〃I'm　terribly　sorry。　How　can　you　ever　forgive　me？〃
　〃About　the　loan？〃
　〃Okay。　Why　do　you　need　it？〃
　〃Why　is　that　relevant？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean；　'Why　is　that　relevant？'　〃
　〃Look　Stan；　all　you　should　worry　about　is　whether　or　not　I　can　repay　the　money　in　。ninety　days。〃
　〃Okay。　Can　you　repay　the　money　in　ninety　days？〃
　〃Good　question。　Of　course　I　can。〃
　The　banker　smiled。　〃Hailey's　got　you　bogged　down；　huh？〃
　The　lawyer　smiled。　〃Yeah；〃　he　admitted。　〃It's　hard　to
　concentrate　on　anything　else。　The　trial　is　three　weeks　from　Monday；　and　until　then　I　won't　concentrate　on　anything　else。〃
　〃How　much　will　you　make　off　this　case？〃
　〃Nine　hundred　minus　ten　thousand。〃
　〃Nine　hundred　dollars！〃
　〃Yeah；　he　couldn't　borrow　on　his　land；　remember？〃
　〃Cheap　shot。〃
　〃Of　course；　if　you'd　loan　Carl　Lee　the　money　on　his　land；　then　I　wouldn't　have　to　borrow　any。〃
　〃I　prefer　to　loan　it　to　you。〃
　〃Great。　When　can　I　get　a　check？〃
　〃You　sound　desperate。〃
　〃I　know　how　long　you　guys　take；　with　your　loan　mittees　and　auditors　and　vice…presidents　here　and　vice…presidents　there；　and　maybe　a　vice…president　will　finally　approve　my　loan　in　a　month　or　so；　if　the　manual　says　he　can　and　if　the　home　office　is　in　the　right　mood。　I　know　how　you　operate。〃
　Atcavage　looked　at　his　watch。　〃Three　o'clock　soon　enough？〃
　〃I　guess。〃
　〃Unsecured？〃
　Jake　wiped　his　mouth　and　leaned　across　the　table。　He　spoke　quietly。　〃My　house　is　a　landmark　with　landmark　mortgages；　and　you've　got　the　lien　on　my　car；　remember？　I'll　give　you　the　first　mortgage　on　my　daughter；　but　if　you　try　to　foreclose　I'll　kill　you。　Now　what　security　do　you　have　in　mind？〃
　〃Sorry　I　asked。〃
　〃When　can　I　get　the　check？〃
　〃Three　P。M。〃
　Claude　appeared　and　refilled　the　tea　glasses。　〃You　got　five　minutes；〃　he　said　loudly。
　〃Eight；〃　replied　Jake。
　〃Listen　Mr。　Big　Shot；〃　Claude　said　with　a　grin。　〃This　ain't　no　courtroom；　and　your　picture　in　the　paper　ain't　worth　two　cents　in　here。　I　said　five　minutes。〃
　〃Just　as　well。　My　ribs　were　tough　anyway。〃
　〃I　notice　you　didn't　leave　any。〃
　〃Might　as　well　eat　them；　as　much　as　they　cost。〃
　〃They　cost　more　if　you　plain。〃　〃We're　leaving；〃　Atcavage　said　as　he　stood　and　threw　a　dollar　on　the　table。
　Sunday　afternoon　the　Haileys　picnicked　under　the　tree　away　from　the　violence　under　the　basketball　goal。　The　first　heat　wave　of　the　summer　had　settled　in；　and　the　heavy；　sticky　humidity　hung　close　to　the　ground　and　penetrated　the　shade。　Gwen　swatted　flies　as　the　children　and　their　daddy　ate　warm　fried　chicken　and　sweated。　The　children　ate　hurriedly　and　ran　to　a　new　swing　Ozzie　had　installed　for　the　children　of　his　inmates。
　〃What'd　they　do　at　Whitfield？〃　Gwen　asked。
　〃Nothin'　really。　Asked　a　bunch　of　questions；　made　me　do　some　tests。　Bunch　of　crap。〃
　〃How'd　they　treat　you？〃
　〃With　handcuffs　and　padded　walls。〃
　〃No　kiddin'。　They　put　you　in　a　room　with　padded　walls？〃　Gwen　was　amused　and　managed　a　rare　giggle。
　〃Sure　did。　They　watched　me　like　I　was　some　animal。　Said　I　was　famous。　My　guards　told　me　they　was　proud　of　me　…one　was　white　and　one　was　black。　Said　that　I　did　the　right　thing　and　they　hoped　I　got　off。　They　was　nice　to　me。〃
　〃What'd　the　doctors　say？〃
　〃They　won't　say　nothin'　till　we　get　to　trial；　and　then　they'll　say　I'm　fine。〃
　〃How　do　you　know　what　they'll　say？〃
　〃Jake　told　me。　He　ain't　been　wrong　yet。〃
　〃Has　he　found　you　a　doctor？〃
　〃Yeah；　some　crazy　drunk　he　drug　up　somewhere。　Says　he's　a　psychiatrist。　We've　talked　a　couple　of　times　in　Ozzie's　office。〃
　〃What'd　he　say？〃
　〃Not　much。　Jake　said　he'll　say　whatever　we　want　him　to　say。〃
　〃Must　be　a　real　good　doctor。〃
　〃He'd　fit　in　good　with　those　folks　in　Whitfield。〃
　〃Where's　he　from？〃
　〃Jackson；　I　think。　He　wasn't　too　sure　of　anything。　He　acted　like　I　was　gonna　kill　him　too。　I　swear　he　was　drunk
　bolh　times　we　talked。　He　asked　some　questions　that　neither　one　of　us　understood。　Took　some　notes　like　a　real　big　shot。　Said　he　thought　he　could　help　me。　I　asked　Jake　about　him。　Jake　said　not　to　worry；　that　he　would　be　sober　at　the　trial。　But　I　think　Jake's　worried　too。〃
　〃Then　why　are　we　usin'　him？〃
　〃　'Cause　he's　free。　Owes　somebody　some　favors。　A　real　shrink'd　cost　over　a　thousand　dollars　just　to　evaluate　me；　and　then　another　thousand　or　so　to　e　testify　at　trial。　A　cheap　shrink。　Needless　to　say；　I　can't　pay　it。〃
　Gwen　lost　her　smile　and　looked　away。　〃We　need　some　money　around　the　house；〃　she　said　without　looking　at　him。
　〃How　much？〃
　〃Coupla　hundred　for　groceries　and　bills。〃
　〃How　much　you　got？〃
　〃Less　than　fifty。〃
　〃I'll　see　what　I　can　do。〃
　She　looked　at　him。　〃What　does　that　mean？　What　makes　you　think　you　can　get　money　while　you're　in　jail？〃
　Carl　Lee　raised　his　eyebrows　and　pointed　at　his　wife。　She　was　not　to　question　him。　He　still　wore　the　pants；　even　though　he　put　them　on　in　jail。　He　was　the　boss。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　she　whispered。
　Reveren