jg.atimetokill-第63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！


　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　the　phone。〃
　〃Okay；　okay；〃　he　mumbled　as　he　staggered　to　his　desk。　He　checked　his　watch。　Nine　A。M。　He　had　slept　for　an　hour。
　〃Good　morning；　Judge；〃　he　said　cheerfully；　trying　to　sound　alert　and　awake。
　〃Good　morning；　Jake。　How　are　you？〃
　〃Just　fine；　Judge。　Busy　getting　ready　for　the　big　trial。〃
　〃I　thought　so。　Jake；　what　is　your　schedule　today？〃
　What's　today；　he　thought。　He　grabbed　his　appointment　book。　〃Nothing　but　office　work。〃
　〃Good。　I　would　like　to　have　lunch　with　you　at　my　home。　Say　around　eleven…thirty。〃
　〃I　would　be　delighted；　Judge。　What's　the　occasion？〃
　〃I　want　to　discuss　the　Hailey　case。〃
　〃Fine；　Judge。　I'll　see　you　at　eleven…thirty。〃
　The　Nooses　lived　in　a　stately　antebellum　home　off　the　town　square　in　Chester。　The　home　had　been　in　the　wife's　family　for　over　a　century；　and　although　it　could　stand　some　maintenance　and　repair；　it　was　in　decent　condition。　Jake　had　never　been　a　guest　in　the　house；　and　had　never　met　Mrs。　Noose；　although　he　had　heard　she　was　a　snobby　blue　blood　whose　family　at　one　time　had　money　but　lost　it。　She　was　as　unattractive　as　Ichabod；　and　Jake　wondered　what　the　children　looked　like。　She　was　properly　polite　when　she　met　Jake　at
　the　door　and　attempted　small　talk　as　she　led　him　to　the　patio；　where　His　Honor　was　drinking　iced　tea　and　reviewing　correspondence。　A　maid　was　preparing　a　small　table　nearby。
　〃Good　to　see　you；　Jake；〃　Ichabod　said　warmly。　〃Thanks　for　ing　over。〃
　〃My　pleasure；　Judge。　Beautiful　place　you　have　here。〃
　They　discussed　the　Hailey　trial　over　soup　and　chicken　salad　sandwiches。　Ichabod　was　dreading　the　ordeal；　although　he　didn't　admit　it。　He　seemed　tired；　as　if　the　case　was　already　a　burden。　He　surprised　Jake　with　an　admission　that　he　detested　Buckley。　Jake　said　he　felt　the　same　way。
　〃Jake；　I'm　perplexed　over　this　venue　ruling；〃　he　said。　〃I've　studied　your　brief　and　Buckley's　brief；　and　I've　researched　the　law　myself。　It's　a　tough　question。　Last　weekend　I　attended　a　judges'　conference　on　the　Gulf　Coast；　and　I　had　a　few　drinks　with　Judge　Denton　on　the　Supreme　Court。　He　and　I　were　in　law　school　together；　and　we　were　colleagues　in　the　state　senate。　We're　very　close。　He's　from　Dupree　County　in　south　Mississippi；　and　he　says　that　everybody　down　there　talks　about　the　case。　People　on　the　street　ask　him　how　he's　gonna　rule　if　the　case　winds　up　on　appeal。　Everybody's　got　an　opinion；　and　that's　almost　four　hundred　miles　away。　Now；　if　I　agree　to　change　venue；　where　do　we　go？　We　can't　leave　the　state；　and　I'm　convinced　that　everyone　has　not　only　heard　about　your　client；　but　already　prejudged　him。　Would　you　agree？〃
　〃Well；　there's　been　a　lot　of　publicity；〃　Jake　said　carefully。
　〃Talk　to　me；　Jake。　We're　not　in　court。　That's　why　I　invited　you　here。　I　want　to　pick　your　brain。　I　know　there's　been　a　lot　of　publicity。　If　we　move　it；　where　do　we　go？〃
　〃How　about　the　delta？〃
　Noose　smiled。　〃You'd　like　that；　wouldn't　you？〃
　〃Of　course。　We　could　pick　us　a　good　jury　over　there。　One　that　would　truly　understand　the　issues。〃
　〃Yeah；　and　one　that　would　be　half　black。〃
　〃I　hadn't　thought　about　that。〃
　〃Do　you　really　believe　those　folks　haven't　already　prejudged　this　defendant？〃
　〃I　suppose　so。〃
　〃So　where　do　we　go？〃
　〃Did　Judge　Denton　have　a　suggestion？〃
　〃Not　really。　We　discussed　the　court's　traditional　refusal　to　allow　changes　of　venue　except　in　the　most　heinous　of　cases。　It's　a　difficult　issue　with　a　notorious　crime　that　arouses　passion　both　for　and　against　the　defendant。　With　television　and　all　the　press　nowadays；　these　crimes　are　instant　news；　and　everyone　knows　the　details　long　before　the　trial。　And　this　case　tops　them　all。　Even　Denton　admitted　he'd　never　seen　a　case　with　this　much　publicity；　and　he　admitted　it　would　be　impossible　to　find　a　fair　and　impartial　jury　anywhere　in　Mississippi。　Suppose　I　leave　it　in　Ford　County　and　your　man　is　convicted。　Then　you　appeal　claiming　venue　should　have　been　changed。　Denton　indicated　he　would　be　sympathetic　with　my　decision　not　to　move　it。　He　thinks　a　majority　of　the　court　would　uphold　my　denial　of　the　venue　change。　Of　course；　that's　no　guarantee；　and　we　discussed　it　over　several　long　drinks。　Would　you　like　a　drink？〃
　〃No　thanks。〃
　〃I　just　don't　see　any　reason　to　move　the　trial　from　Clanton。　If　we　did；　we'd　be　fooling　ourselves　if　we　thought　we　could　find　twelve　people　who　are　undecided　about　Mr。　Hailey's　guilt。〃
　〃Sounds　like　you've　already　made　up　your　mind；　Judge。〃
　〃I　have。　We're　not　changing　venue。　The　trial　will　be　held　in　Clanton。　I'm　not　fortable　with　it；　but　I　see　no　reason　to　move　the　trial。　Besides；　I　like　Clanton。　It's　close　to　home　and　the　air　conditioning　works　in　the　courthouse。〃
　Noose　reached　for　a　file　and　found　an　envelope。　〃Jake；　this　is　an　order；　dated　today；　overruling　the　request　to　change　venue。　I've　sent　a　copy　to　Buckley；　and　there's　a　copy　for　you。　The　original　is　in　here；　and　I　would　appreciate　you　filing　this　with　the　clerk　in　Clanton。〃
　〃I'll　be　glad　to。〃
　〃I　just　hope　I'm　doing　the　right　thing。　I've　really　struggled　with　this。〃
　〃It's　a　tough　job；〃　Jake　offered；　attempting　sympathy。
　Noose　called　the　maid　and　ordered　a　gin　and　tonic。　He　insisted　that　Jake　view　his　rose　garden；　and　they　spent　an　hour　in　the　sprawling　rear　lawn　admiring　His　Honor's　flow…
　ers。　Jake　thought　of　Carla；　and　Hanna；　and　his　home；　and　the　dynamite；　but　gallantly　remained　interested　in　Ichabod's　handiwork。
　Friday　afternoons　often　reminded　Jake　of　law　school；　when；　depending　on　the　weather；　he　and　his　friends　would　either　group　in　their　favorite　bar　in　Oxford　and　guzzle　happy…hour　beer　and　debate　their　new…found　theories　of　law　or　curse　the　insolent；　arrogant；　terroristic　law　professors；　or；　if　the　weather　was　warm　and　sunny；　pile　the　beer　in　Jake's　well…used　convertible　Beetle　and　head　for　the　beach　at　Sardis　Lake；　where　the　women　from　sorority　row　plastered　their　beautiful；　bronze　bodies　with　oil　and　sweated　in　the　sun　and　coolly　ignored　the　catcalls　from　the　drunken　law　students　and　fraternity　rats。　He　missed　those　innocent　days。　He　hated　law　school…every　law　student　with　any　sense　hated　law　school…but　he　missed　the　friends　and　good　times；　especially　the　Fridays。　He　missed　the　pressureless　lifestyle；　although　at　times　the　pressure　had　seemed　unbearable；　especially　during　the　first　year　when　the　professors　were　more　abusive　than　normal。　He　missed　being　broke；　because　when　he　had　nothing　he　owed　nothing　and　most　of　his　classmates　were　in　the　same　boat。　Now　that　he　had　an　ine　he　worried　constantly　about　mortgages；　the　overhead；　credit　cards；　and　realizing　the　American　dream　of　being　affluent。　Not　wealthy；　just　affluent。　He　missed　his　Volkswagen　because　it　had　been　his　first　new　car；　a　gift　at　high　school　graduation；　and　it　was　paid　for；　unlike　the　Saab。　He　missed　being　single；　occasionally；　although　he　was　happily　married。　And　he　missed　beer；　either　from　a　pitcher；　can；　or　bottle。　It　didn't　matter。　He　had　been　a　social　drinker；　only　with　friends；　and　he　spent　as　much　time　as　possible　with　his　friends；　He　didn't　drink　every　day　in　law　school；　and　he　seldom　got　drunk。　But　there　had　been　several　painful；　memorable　hangovers。
　Then　came　Carla。　He　met　her　at　the　beginning　of　his　last　semester；　and　six　months　later　they　married。　She　was　beautiful；　and　that's　what　got　his　attention。　She　was　quiet；　and　a　little　snobby　at　first；　like　most　of　the　wealthy　sorority　girls　at　Ole　Miss。　But　he　found　her　to　be　warm　and　personable　and　lacking　in　self…confidence。　He　had　never　under…
　stood　how　someone　as　beautiful　as　Carla　could　be　insecure。　She　was　a　Dean's　List　scholar　in　liberal　arts　with　no　intention　of　ever　doing　more　than　teaching　school　for　a　few　years。　Her　family　had　money；　and　her　mother　had　never　worked。　This　appealed　to　Jake…the　family　money　and　the　absence　of　a　career　ambition。　He　wanted　a　wife　who　would　stay　home　and　stay　beautiful　and　have　babies　and　not　try　to　wear　the　pants。　It　was　love　at　first　sight。
　But　she　frowned　on　drinking；　any　type　of　drinking。　Her　father　drank　heavily　when　she　was　a　child；　and　there