jg.atimetokill-第59部分

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　〃When　can　we　meet　with　Mr。　Hailey？〃　Reinfeld　asked。
　〃I'll　arrange　a　meetin'　for　in　the　mornin'；〃　Agee　said。
　〃Where　can　we　meet？〃
　〃I　suggest　we　meet　in　Sheriff　Walls'　office　in　the　jail。　He's　black；　you　know；　the　only　black　sheriff　in　Mississippi。〃
　〃Yes；　I've　heard。〃
　〃I　think　he'll　let　us　meet　in　his　office。〃
　〃Good。　Who　is　Mr。　Hailey's　attorney？〃
　〃Local　boy。　Jake　Brigance。〃
　〃Make　sure　he's　invited。　We'll　ask　him　to　help　us　on　the　case。　It'll　ease　the　pain。〃
　Ethel's　obnoxious；　high…pitched；　bitchy　voice　broke　the　tran…quility　of　the　late　afternoon　and　startled　her　boss。　〃Mr。　Brigance；　Sheriff　Walls　is　on　line　two；〃　she　said　through　the　inter。
　〃Okay。〃
　〃Do　you　need　me　for　anything　else；　sir？〃
　〃No。　See　you　in　the　morning。〃
　Jake　punched　line　two。　〃Hello；　Ozzie。　What's　up？〃
　〃Listen　Jake；　we've　got　a　bunch　of　NAACP　big　shots　in　town。〃
　〃What　else　is　new？〃
　〃No；　this　is　different。　They　wanna　meet　with　Carl　Lee　in　the　mornin'。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Some　guy　named　Reinfeld。〃
　〃I've　heard　of　him。　He　heads　up　their　capital　murder　team。　Norman　Reinfeld。〃
　〃Yeah；　that's　him。〃
　〃I've　been　waiting　for　this。〃
　〃Well；　he's　here；　and　he　wants　to　talk　to　Carl　Lee。〃
　〃Why　are　you　involved？〃
　〃Reverend　Agee　called　me。　He　wants　a　favor；　of　course。　He　asked　me　to　call　you。〃
　〃The　answer　is　no。　Emphatically　no。〃
　Ozzie　paused　a　few　seconds。　〃Jake；　they　want　you　10　oe　present。〃
　〃You　mean　I'm　invited？〃
　〃Yes。　Agee　said　Reinfeld　insisted　on　it。　He　wants　you　to　be　here。〃
　〃Where？〃
　〃In　my　office。　Nine　A。M。〃
　Jake　breathed　deeply　and　replied　slowly。　〃Okay；　I'll　be　there。　Where's　Carl　Lee？〃
　〃In　his　cell。〃
　〃Get　him　in　your　office。　I'll　be　there　in　five　minutes。〃
　〃What　for？〃
　〃We　need　to　have　a　prayer　meeting。〃
　Reinfeld　and　Reverends　Agee；　Roosevelt；　and　Hillman　sat　in　a　perfect　row　of　folding　chairs　and　faced　the　sheriff；　the　defendant；　and　Jake；　who　puffed　a　cheap　cigar　in　a　determined　effort　to　pollute　the　small　office。　He　puffed　mightily　and　stared　nonchalantly　at　the　floor；　trying　his　best　to　show　nothing　but　absolute　contempt　for　Reinfeld　and　the　reverends。　Reinfeld　was　no　pushover　when　it　came　to　arrogance；　and　his　disdain　for　this　simple；　small…time　lawyer　was　not　well　hidden　because　he　made　no　attempt　to　hide　it。　He　was　arrogant　and　insolent　by　nature。　Jake　had　to　work　at　it。
　〃Who　called　this　meeting？〃　Jake　asked　impatiently；　after　a　long；　unfortable　silence。
　〃Uh；　well；　I　guess　we　did；〃　answered　Agee　as　he　searched　Reinfeld　for　guidance。
　〃Well；　get　on　with　it。　What　do　you　want？〃
　〃Take　it　easy　now；　Jake；〃　Ozzie　said。　〃Reverend　Agee　asked　me　to　arrange　the　meeting　so　Carl　Lee　could　meet　Mr。　Reinfeld　here。〃
　〃Fine。　They've　met。　Now　what；　Mr。　Reinfeld？〃
　〃I'm　here　to　offer　my　services；　and　the　services　of　my　staff　and　the　entire　NAACP　to　Mr。　Hailey；〃　said　Reinfeld。
　〃What　type　of　services？〃　asked　Jake。
　〃Legal；　of　course。〃
　〃Carl　Lee；　did　you　ask　Mr。　Reinfeld　to　e　here？〃　asked　Jake。
　〃Nope。〃
　〃Sounds　like　solicitation　to　me；　Mr。　Reinfeld。〃
　〃Skip　the　lecture；　Mr。　Brigance。　You　know　what　I　do；　and　you　know　why　I'm　here。〃
　〃So　you　chase　all　your　cases？〃
　〃We　don't　chase　anything。　We're　called　in　by　local　NAACP　members　and　other　civil　rights　activists。　We　handle　only　capital　murder　cases；　and　we're　very　good　at　what　we　do。〃
　〃I　suppose　you're　the　only　attorney　petent　to　handle　a　case　of　this　magnitude？〃
　〃I've　handled　my　share。〃
　〃And　lost　your　share。〃
　〃Most　of　my　cases　are　supposed　to　be　lost。〃
　〃I　see。　Is　that　your　position　on　this　case？　Do　you　expect　to　lose　it？〃
　Reinfeld　picked　at　his　beard　and　glared　at　Jake。　〃I　didn't　e　here　to　argue　with　you；　Mr。　Brigance。〃
　〃I　know。　You　came　here　to　offer　your　formidable　legal　skills　to　a　defendant　who's　never　heard　of　you　and　happens　to　be　satisfied　with　his　attorney。　You　came　here　to　take　my　client。　I　know　exactly　why　you're　here。〃
　〃I'm　here　because　the　NAACP　invited　me。　Nothing　more　or　less。〃
　〃I　see。　Do　you　get　all　your　cases　from　the　NAACP？〃
　〃I　work　for　the　NAACP；　Mr。　Brigance。　I'm　in　charge　of　its　capital　murder　defense　team。　I　go　where　the　NAACP　sends　me。〃
　〃How　many　clients　do　you　have？〃
　〃Several　dozen。　Why　is　that　important？〃
　〃Did　they　all　have　attorneys　before　you　pushed　yourself　into　their　cases？〃
　〃Some　did；　some　didn't。　We　always　try　to　work　with　the　local　attorney。〃
　Jake　smiled。　〃That's　marvelous。　You're　offering　me　a　chance　to　carry　your　briefcase　and　chauffeur　you　around　Clanton。　I　might　even　get　to　fetch　you　a　sandwich　during　the　noon　recess。　What　a　thrill。〃
　Carl　Lee　sat　frozen　with　arms　crossed　and　his　eyes　fixed　on　a　spot　in　the　rug。　The　reverends　watched　him　closely；　waiting　for　him　to　say　something　to　his　lawyer；　to　tell　him　to　shut　up；　that　he　was　fired　and　the　NAACP　lawyers　would
　handle　the　case。　They　watched　ana　wauea；　DUI　sat　calmly　and　listened。
　〃We　have　a　lot　to　offer；　Mr。　Hailey；〃　Reinfeld　said。　It　was　best　to　stay　calm　until　the　defendant　decided　who　would　represent　him。　A　tantrum　might　ruin　things。
　〃Such　as？〃　Jake　asked。
　〃Staff；　resources；　expertise；　experienced　trial　lawyers　who　do　nothing　but　capital　defense。　Plus　we　have　a　number　of　highly　petent　doctors　we　use　in　these　cases。　You　name　it；　we　have　it。〃
　〃How　much　money　do　you　have　to　spend？〃
　〃That's　none　of　your　business。〃
　〃Is　that　so？　Is　it　Mr。　Hailey's　business？　After　all；　it's　his　case。　Perhaps　Mr。　Hailey　would　like　to　know　how　much　you　have　to　spend　in　his　defense。　Would　you；　Mr。　Hailey？〃
　〃Yep。〃
　〃All　right；　Mr。　Reinfeld；　how　much　do　you　have　to　spend？〃
　Reinfeld　squirmed　and　looked　hard　at　the　reverends；　who　looked　hard　at　Carl　Lee。
　〃Approximately　twenty　thousand；　so　far；〃　Reinfeld　admitted　sheepishly。
　Jake　laughed　and　shook　his　head　in　disbelief。　〃Twenty　thousand！　Y'all　are　really　serious　about　this；　aren't　you？　Twenty　thousand！　I　thought　you　guys　played　in　the　big　leagues。　You　raised　a　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　for　the　cop　killer　in　Birmingham　last　year。　And　he　was　convicted；　by　the　way。　You　spent　a　hundred　thousand　for　the　whore　in　Shreve…port　who　killed　her　customer。　And　she；　too；　was　convicted；　I　might　add。　And　you　think　this　case　is　worth　only　twenty　thousand。〃
　〃How　much　do　you　have　to　spend？〃　asked　Reinfeld。
　〃If　you　can　explain　to　me　how　that's　any　of　your　business；　I'll　be　glad　to　discuss　it　with　you。〃
　Reinfeld　started　to　speak；　then　leaned　forward　and　rubbed　his　temples。　〃Why　don't　you　talk　to　him；　Reverend　Agee。〃
　The　reverends　stared　at　Carl　Lee。　They　wished　they　were　alone　with　him；　with　no　white　folks　around。　They　could　talk　to　him　like　he　was　a　nigger。　They　could　explain　things　to。　him；　tell　him　to　fire　this　young　white　boy　and　get　him　some
　real　lawyers。　NAACP　lawyers。　Lawyers　who　knew　how　to　fight　for　blacks。　But　they　were　not　alone　with　him；　and　they　couldn't　curse　him。　They　had　to　show　respect　for　the　white　folks　present。　Agee　spoke　first。
　〃Look　here；　Carl　Lee；　we　tryin'　to　help　you。　We　brought　in　Mr。　Reinfeld　here；　and　he's　got　all　his　lawyers　and　ever…body　at　your　disposal；　to　help　you　now。　We　ain't　got　nothin'　against　Jake　here；　he's　a　fine　young　lawyer。　But　he　can　work　with　Mr。　Reinfeld。　We　don't　want　you　to　fire　Jake；　we　just　want　you　to　hire　Mr。　Reinfeld　too。　They　can　all　work　together。〃
　〃Forget　that；〃　said　Jake。
　Agee　paused　and　looked　helplessly　at　Jake。
　〃e　on；　Jake。　We　ain't　got　nothin'　against　you。　It's　a　big　chance　for　you。　You　can　work　with　some　real　big　lawyers。　Get　some　real　good　experience。　We…〃
　〃Let　me　make　it　real　clear；　Reverend。　If　Carl　Lee　wants　your　lawyers；　fine。　But　I'm　not　playing　gofer　for　anyone。　I'm　either　in　or　out。　Nothing　in　between。　My　case　or　your　case。　The　courtroom　is　not　big　enough　for　me；　Reinfeld；　and　Ru…fus　Buckley。〃
　Reinfeld　rolled　his　eyes　and　looked　at　the　ceiling；　shaking　his　head　slowly　and　grinning　with　an　arrogant　little　smirk。
　〃You　sayin'　it's　up　to　Carl　Lee？〃　asked　Reverend　Agee。
　〃Of　course　it's　up　to　him。　He's　hired　me。　He　can　fire　me。　He's　already　done　it　once。　I'm　not　the　one　facing　the　gas　chamber。〃
　〃How　'bout　it；　Carl　Lee？〃　asked　Agee。
　Carl　Lee　uncrossed　his　arms　and　stared　at　Agee。　〃This　twenty　thousand；　what's　it　for？〃
　〃Really；　it's　more