jg.atimetokill-第62部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃But　why；　Jake？　What　have　you　found？〃
　〃Dynamite。〃
　She　backed　out　of　the　driveway　and　disappeared。
　When　Jake　returned　to　the　side　of　the　house；　the　suspect's　left　hand　had　been　handcuffed　to　the　gas　meter　next　to　the　window。　He　was　moaning；　mumbling；　cursing。　Ozzie　carefully　lifted　the　suitcase　by　the　handle　and　sat　it　neatly　between　the　suspect's　broken　legs。　Ozzie　kicked　both　legs　to　spread　them。　He　groaned　louder。　Ozzie；　the　deputies；　and　Jake　backed　away　slowly　and　watched　him。　He　began　to　cry。
　〃I　don't　know　how　to　defuse　it；〃　he　said　through　clenched　teeth。
　〃You'd　better　learn　fast；〃　Jake　said；　his　voice　somewhat　stronger。
　The　suspect　closed　his　eyes　and　lowered　his　head。　He　bit　his　lip　and　breathed　loudly　and　rapidly。　Sweat　dripped　from　his　chin　and　eyebrows。　His　ear　was　shredded　and　hung　like　a　falling　leaf。　〃Give　me　a　flashlight。〃
　Pirtle　handed　him　a　flashlight。
　〃I　need　both　hands；〃　he　said。
　〃Try　it　with　one；〃　Ozzie　said。
　He　placed　his　fingers　gently　on　the　latch　and　closed　his　eyes。
　〃Let's　get　outta　here；〃　Ozzie　said。　They　ran　around　the　corner　of　the　house　and　into　the　carport；　as　far　away　as　possible。
　〃Where's　your　family？〃　Ozzie　asked。
　〃Gone。　Recognize　him？〃
　〃Nope；〃　said　Ozzie。
　〃I　never　seen　him；〃　said　Nesbit。
　Pirtle　shook　his　head。
　Ozzie　called　the　dispatcher；　who　called　Deputy　Riley；　the　self…trained　explosives　man　for　the　county。
　〃What　if　he　passes　out　and　the　bomb　goes　off？〃　Jake　asked。
　〃You　got　insurance；　don't　you；　Jake？〃　asked　Nesbit。
　〃That's　not　funny。〃
　〃We'll　give　him　a　few　minutes；　then　Pirtle　can　go　check　on　him；〃　said　Ozzie。
　〃Why　me？〃
　〃Okay；　Nesbit　can　go。〃
　〃I　think　Jake　should　go；〃　said　Nesbit。　〃It's　his　house。〃
　〃Very　funny；〃　said　Jake。
　They　waited　and　chatted　nervously。　Nesbit　made　another　stupid　remark　about　insurance。　〃Quiet！〃　Jake　said。　〃I　heard　something。〃
　They　froze。　Seconds　later　the　suspect　yelled　again。　They　ran　back　across　the　front　yard；　then　slowly　turned　the　corner。　The　empty　suitcase　had　been　tossed　a　few　feet　away。　Next　to　the　man　was　a　neat　pile　of　a　dozen　sticks　of　dynamite。　Between　his　legs　was　a　large；　round…faced　clock　with　wires　bound　together　with　silver　electrical　tape。
　〃Is　it　defused？〃　Ozzie　asked　anxiously。
　〃Yeah；〃　he　replied　between　heavy；　rapid　breaths。
　Ozzie　knelt　before　him　and　removed　the　clock　and　the　wires。　He　did　not　touch　the　dynamite。　〃Where　are　your　buddies？〃
　No　response。
　He　removed　his　nightstick　and　moved　closer　to　the　man。　〃I'm　gonna　start　breakin'　ribs　one　at　a　time。　You　better　start　talkin'。　Now　where　are　your　buddies？〃
　〃Kiss　my　ass。〃
　Ozzie　stood　and　quickly　looked　around；　not　at　Jake　and　the　deputies；　but　at　the　house　next　door。　Seeing　nothing；　he　raised　the　nightstick。　The　suspect's　left　arm　hung　from　the　gas　meter；　and　Ozzie　planted　the　stick　just　below　the　left　armpit。　He　squealed　and　jerked　to　the　left。　Jake　almost　felt　sorry　for　him。
　〃Where　are　they？〃　Ozzie　demanded。
　No　response。
　Jake　turned　his　head　as　the　sheriff　landed　another　blow　to　the　ribs。
　〃Where　are　they？〃
　No　response。
　Ozzie　raised　the　nightstick。
　〃Stop　。　。　。　please　stop；〃　the　suspect　begged。
　〃Where　are　they？〃
　〃Down　that　way。　A　couple　of　blocks。〃
　〃How　many？〃
　〃One。〃
　〃What　vehicle？〃
　〃Pickup。　Red　GMC。〃
　〃Get　the　patrol　cars；〃　Ozzie　ordered。
　Jake　waited　impatiently　under　the　carport　for　his　wife　to　return。　At　two…fifteen　she　drove　slowly　into　the　driveway　and　parked。
　〃Is　Hanna　asleep？〃　Jake　asked　as　he　opened　the　door。
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Good。　Leave　her　there。　We'll　be　leaving　in　a　few　minutes。〃
　〃Where　are　we　going？〃
　〃We'll　discuss　it　inside。〃
　Jake　poured　the　coffee　and　tried　to　act　calm。　Carla　was　scared　and　shaking　and　angry　and　making　it　difficult　to　act　calm。　He　described　the　bomb　and　suspect　and　explained　that　Ozzie　was　searching　for　the　acplice。
　〃I　want　you　and　Hanna　to　go　to　Wilmington　and　stay　with　your　parents　until　after　the　trial；〃　he　said。
　She　stared　at　the　coffee　and　said　nothing。
　〃I've　already　called　your　dad　and　explained　everything。
　They're　scared　too；　and　they　insist　you　stay　with　them　until　this　thing　is　over。〃
　〃And　what　if　I　don't　want　to　go？〃
　〃Please；　Carla。　How　can　you　argue　at　a　time　like　this？〃
　〃What　about　you？〃
　〃I'll　be　fine。　Ozzie　will　give　me　a　bodyguard　and　they'll　watch　the　house　around　the　clock。　I'll　sleep　at　the　office　some。　I'll　be　safe；　I　promise。〃
　She　was　not　convinced。
　〃Look；　Carla；　I've　got　a　thousand　things　on　my　mind　right　now。　I've　got　a　client　facing　the　gas　chamber　and　his　trial　is　ten　days　away。　I　can't　lose　it。　I'll　work　night　and　day　from　now　until　the　twenty…second；　and　once　the　trial　starts　you　won't　see　me　anyway。　The　last　thing　I　need　is　to　be　worried　about　you　and　Hanna。　Please　go。〃
　〃They　were　going　to　kill　us；　Jake。　They　tried　to　kill　us。〃
　He　couldn't　deny　it。
　〃You　promised　to　withdraw　if　the　danger　became　real。〃
　〃It's　out　of　the　question。　Noose　would　never　allow　me　to　withdraw　at　this　late　date。〃
　〃I　feel　as　though　you've　lied　to　me。〃
　〃That's　not　fair。　I　think　I　underestimated　this　thing；　and　now　it's　too　late。〃
　She　walked　to　the　bedroom　and　began　packing。
　〃The　plane　leaves　Memphis　at　six…thirty。　Your　father　will　meet　you　at　the　Raleigh　airport　at　nine…thirty。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　Fifteen　minutes　later　they　left　Clanton。　Jake　drove　and　Carla　ignored　him。　At　five；　they　ate　breakfast　in　the　Memphis　airport。　Hanna　was　sleepy　but　excited　about　seeing　her　grandparents。　Carla　said　little。　She　had　much　to　say；　but　as　a　rule；　they　didn't　argue　in　front　of　Hanna。　She　ate　quietly　and　sipped　her　coffee　and　watched　her　husband　casually　read　the　paper　as　if　nothing　had　happened。
　Jake　kissed　them　goodbye　and　promised　to　call　every　day。　The　plane　left　on　time。　At　seven…thirty　he　was　in　Ozzie's　office。
　〃Who　is　he？〃　Jake　asked　the　sheriff。
　〃We　have　no　idea。　No　wallet；　no　identification；　nothin'。　And　he　ain't　talkin'。〃
　〃Does　anybody　recognize　him？〃
　Ozzie　thought　for　a　second。　〃Well；　Jake；　he's　kinda　hard　to　recognize　right　now。　Got　a　lot　of　bandages　on　his　face。〃
　Jake　smiled。　〃You　play　rough；　don't　you；　big　guy？〃
　〃Only　when　I　have　to。　I　didn't　hear　you　object。〃
　〃No；　I　wanted　to　help。　What　about　his　friend？〃
　〃We　found　him　sleepin'　in　a　red　GMC　'bout　a　half　a　mile　from　your　house。　Terrell　Grist。　Local　redneck。　Lives　out　from　Lake　Village。　I　think　he's　a　friend　of　the　Cobb　family。〃
　Jake　repeated　the　name　a　few　times。　〃Never　heard　of　him。　Where　is　he？〃
　〃Hospital。　Same　room　with　the　other。〃
　〃My　God；　Ozzie；　did　you　break　his　legs　too？〃
　〃Jake；　my　friend；　he　resisted　arrest。　We　had　to　subdue　him。　Then　we　had　to　interrogate　him。　He　didn't　want　to　cooperate。〃
　〃What　did　he　say？〃
　〃Not　much。　Don't　know　nothin'。　I'm　convinced　he　doesn't　know　the　guy　with　the　dynamite。〃
　〃You　mean　they　brought　in　a　professional？〃
　〃Could　be。　Riley　looked　at　the　firecrackers　and　timin'　device　and　said　it　was　pretty　good　work。　We'd　have　never　found　you；　your　wife；　your　daughter；　probably　never　found　your　house。　It　was　set　for　two　A。M。　Without　the　tip；　you'd　be　dead；　Jake。　So　would　your　family。〃
　Jake　felt　dizzy　and　sat　on　the　couch。　Reaction　set　in　like　a　hard　kick　to　the　groin。　A　case　of　diarrhea　almost　manifested　itself；　and　he　was　nauseated。
　〃You　get　your　family　off？〃
　〃Yeah；〃　he　said　weakly。
　〃I'm　gonna　assign　a　deputy　to　you　full…time。　Got　a　preference？〃
　〃Not　really。〃
　〃How　'bout　Nesbit？〃
　〃Fine。　Thanks。〃
　〃One　other　thing。　I　guess　you　want　this　kept　quiet？〃
　〃If　possible。　Who　knows　about　it？〃
　〃Just　me　and　the　deputies。　I　think　we　can　keep　it　under　wraps　until　after　the　trial；　but　I　can't　guarantee　anything。〃
　〃I　understand。　Try　your　best。〃
　〃I　will；　Jake。〃
　〃I　know　you　will；　Ozzie。　I　appreciate　you。〃
　Jake　drove　to　the　office；　made　the　coffee　and　lay　on　the　couch　in　his　office。　He　wanted　a　quick　nap；　but　sleep　was　impossible。　His　eyes　burned；　but　he　could　not　close　them。　He　stared　at　the　ceiling　fan。
　〃Mr。　Brigance；〃　Ethel　called　over　the　inter。
　No　response。
　〃Mr。　Brigance！〃
　Somewhere　in　the　deep　recesses　of　his　subconscious；　Jake　heard　himself　being　paged/。He　bolted　upright。　〃Yes！〃　he　yelled。
　〃Judge　Noose　is　on