jg.atimetokill-第64部分

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　But　she　frowned　on　drinking；　any　type　of　drinking。　Her　father　drank　heavily　when　she　was　a　child；　and　there　were　painful　memories。　So　Jake　dried　out　his　last　semester　in　law　school　and　lost　fifteen　pounds。　He　looked　great；　felt　great；　and　he　was　madly　in　love。　But　he　missed　beer。
　There　was　a　country　grocery　a　few　miles　out　of　Chester　with　a　Coors　sign　in　the　window。　Coors　had　been　his　favorite　in　law　school；　although　at　that　time　it　was　not　for　sale　east　of　the　river。　It　was　a　delicacy　at　Ole　Miss；　and　the　bootlegging　of　Coors　had　been　profitable　around　the　campus。　Now　that　it　was　available　everywhere　most　folks　had　returned　to　Budweiser。
　It　was　Friday；　and　hot。　Carla　was　nine　hundred　miles　away。　He　had　no　desire　to　go　to　the　office；　and　anything　there　could　wait　until　tomorrow。　Some　nut　just　tried　to　kill　his　family　and　remove　his　landmark　from　the　National　Register　of　Historic　Places。　The　biggest　trial　of　his　career　was　ten　days　away。　He　was　not　ready。and　the　pressure　was　mounting。　He　had　just　lost　his　most　critical　pretrial　motion。　And　he　was　thirsty。　Jake　stopped　and　bought　a　six…pack　of　Coors。
　It　took　almost　two　hours　to　travel　the　sixty　miles　from　Chester　to　Clanton。　He　enjoyed　the　diversion；　the　scenery；　the　beer。　He　stopped　twice　to　relieve　himself　and　once　to　get　another　six…pack。　He　felt　great。
　There　was　only　one　place　to　go　in　his　condition。　Not　home；　not　the　office；　certainly　not　the　courthouse　to　file　Ichabod's　villainous　order。　He　parked　the　Saab　behind　the　nasty　little　Porsche　and　glided　up　the　sidewalk　with　cold　beer　in　hand。　As　usual；　Lucien　was　rocking　slowly　on　the　front　porch；　drinking　and　reading　a　treatise　on　the　insanity　defense。　He　closed　the　book　and；　noticing　the　beer；　smiled　at　his　former　associate。　Jake　just　grinned　at　him。
　〃What's　the　occasion；　Jake？〃
　〃Nothing；　really。　Just　got　thirsty。〃
　〃I　see。　What　about　your　wife？〃
　〃She　doesn't　tell　me　what　to　do。　I'm　my　own　man。　I'm　the　boss。　If　I　want　beer；　I'll　drink　some　beer；　and　she'll　say　nothing。〃　Jake　took　a　long　sip。
　〃She　must　be　outta　town。〃
　〃North　Carolina。〃
　〃When　did　she　leave？〃
　〃Six　this　morning。　Flew　from　Memphis　with　Hanna。　She'll　stay　with　her　parents　in　Wilmington　until　the　trial's　over。　They've　got　a　fancy　little　beach　house　where　they　spend　their　summers。〃
　〃She　left　this　morning；　and　you're　drunk　by　mid…afternoon。〃
　〃I'm　not　drunk；〃　Jake　answered。　〃Yet。〃
　〃How　long　you　been　drinkin'？〃
　〃Coupla　hours。　I　bought　a　six…pack　when　I　left　Noose's　house　around　one…thirty。　How　long　have　you　been　drinking？〃
　〃I　normally　drink　my　breakfast。　Why　were　you　at　his　house？〃
　〃We　discussed　the　trial　over　lunch。　He　refused　to　change　venue。〃
　〃He　what？〃
　〃You　heard　me。　The　trial　will　be　in　Clanton。〃
　Lucien　took　a　drink　and　rattled　his　ice。　〃Sallie！〃　he　screamed。
　〃Did　he　give　any　reason？〃
　〃Yeah。　Said　it　would　be　impossible　to　find　jurors　anywhere　who　hadn't　heard　of　the　case。〃
　〃I　told　you　so。　That's　a　good　mon　sense　reason　not　to　move　it；　but　it's　a　poor　legal　reason。　Noose　is　wrong。〃
　Sallie　returned　with　a　fresh　drink　and　took　Jake's　beer　to　the　refrigerator。　Lucien　took　a　slug　and　smacked　his　lips。　He　wiped　his　mouth　with　his　arm；　and　took　another　long　drink。
　〃You　know　what　that　means；　don't　you？〃　he　asked。
　〃Sure。　An　all…white　jury。〃
　〃That；　plus　a　reversal　on　appeal　if　he's　convicted。〃
　〃Don't　bet　on　it。　Noose　has　already　consulted　with　the　Supreme　Court。　He　thinks　the　Court　will　affirm　him　if　challenged。　He　thinks　he's　on　solid　ground。〃
　〃He's　an　idiot。　I　can　show　him　twenty　cases　that　say　the　trial　should　be　moved。　I　think　he's　afraid　to　move　it。〃
　〃Why　would　Noose　be　afraid？〃
　〃He's　taking　some　heat。〃
　〃From　who？〃
　Lucien　admired　the　golden　liquid　in　his　large　glass　and　slowly　stirred　the　ice　cubes　with　a　finger。　He　grinned　and　looked　as　though　he　knew　something　but　wouldn't　tell　unless　he　was　begged。
　〃From　who？〃　Jake　demanded；　glaring　at　his　friend　with　shiny；　pink　eyes。
　〃Buckley；〃　Lucien　said　smugly。
　〃Buckley；〃　Jake　repeated。　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　〃I　knew　you　wouldn't。〃
　〃Do　you　mind　explaining？〃
　〃I　guess　I　could。　But　you　can't　repeat　it。　It's　very　confidential。　Came　from　good　sources。〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃Can't　tell。〃
　〃Who　are　your　sources？〃　Jake　insisted。
　〃I　said　I　can't　tell。　Won't　tell。　Okay？〃
　〃How　can　Buckley　put　pressure　on　Noose？〃
　〃If　you'll　listen；　I'll　tell　you。〃
　〃Buckley　has　no　influence　over　Noose。　Noose　despises　him。　Told　me　so　himself。　Today。　Over　lunch。〃
　〃I　realize　that。〃
　〃Then　how　can　you　say　Noose　is　feeling　some　heat　from　Buckley？〃
　〃If　you'll　shut　up；　I'll　tell　you。〃
　Jake　finished　a　beer　and　called　for　Sallie。
　〃You　know　what　a　cutthroat　and　political　whore　Buck…ley　is。〃
　Jake　nodded。
　〃You　know　how　bad　he　wants　to　win　this　trial。　If　he　wins；　he　thinks　it　will　launch　his　campaign　for　attorney　general。〃
　〃Governor；〃　said　Jake。
　〃Whatever。　He's　ambitious；　okay？〃
　〃Okay。〃
　〃Well；　he's　been　getting　political　chums　throughout　the　district　to　call　Noose　and　suggest　that　the　trial　be　held　in　Ford　County。　Some　have　been　real　blunt　with　Noose。　Like；　move　the　trial；　and　we'll　get　you　in　the　next　election。　Leave　it　in　Clanton；　and　we'll　help　you　get　reelected。〃
　〃I　don't　believe　that。〃
　〃Fine。　But　it's　true。〃
　〃How　do　you　know？〃
　〃Sources。〃
　〃Who's　called　him？〃
　〃One　example。　Remember　that　thug　that　used　to　be　sheriff　in　Van　Buren　County？　Motley？　FBI　got　him；　but　he's　out　now。　Still　a　very　popular　man　in　that　county。〃
　〃Yeah；　I　remember。〃
　〃I　know　for　a　fact　he　went　to　Noose's　house　with　a　couple　of　sidekicks　and　suggested　very　strongly　that　Noose　leave　the　trial　here。　Buckley　put　them　up　to　it。〃
　〃What　did　Noose　say？〃
　〃They　all　cussed　each　other　real　good。　Motley　told　Noose　he　wouldn't　get　fifty　votes　in　Van　Buren　County　next　election。　They　promised　to　stuff　ballot　boxes；　harass　the　blacks；　rig　the　absentee　ballots；　the　usual　election　practices　in　Van　Buren　County。　And　Noose　knows　they'll　do　it。〃
　〃Why　should　he　worry　about　it？〃
　〃Don't　be　stupid；　Jake。　He's　an　old　man　who　can　do　nothing　but　be　a　judge。　Can　you　imagine　him　trying　to　start　a　law　practice。　He　makes　sixty　thousand　a　year　and　would　starve　if　he　got　beat。　Most　judges　are　like　that。　He's　got　to　keep　that　job。　Buckley　knows　it；　so　he's　talking　to　the　local　bigots　and　pumping　them　up　and　telling　how　this　no…good　nigger　might　be　acquitted　if　the　trial　is　moved　and　that　they　should　put　a　little　heat　on　the　judge。　That's　why　Noose　is　feeling　some　pressure。〃
　They　drank　for　a　few　minutes　in　silence；　both　rocking　quietly　in　the　tall　wooden　rockers。　The　beer　felt　great。
　〃There's　more；〃　Lucien　said。
　〃To　what？〃
　〃To　Noose。〃
　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃He's　had　some　threats。　Not　political　threats；　but　death　threats。　I　hear　he's　scared　to　death。　Got　the　police　over　there　guarding　his　house。　Carries　a　gun　now。〃
　〃I　know　the　feeling；〃　Jake　mumbled。
　〃Yeah；　I　heard。〃
　〃Heard　what？〃
　〃About　the　dynamite。　Who　was　he？〃
　Jake　was　flabbergasted。　He　stared　blankly　at　Lucien；　unable　to　speak。
　〃Don't　ask。　I　got　connections。　Who　was　he？〃
　〃No　one　knows。〃
　〃Sounds　like　a　pro。〃
　〃Thanks。〃
　〃You're　wele　to　stay　here。　I've　got　five　bedrooms。〃
　The　sun　was　gone　by　eight…fifteen　when　Ozzie　parked　his　patrol　car　behind　the　Saab；　which　was　still　parked　behind　the　Porsche。　He　walked　to　the　foot　of　the　steps　leading　up　to　the　porch。　Lucien　saw　him　first。
　〃Hello；　Sheriff；〃　he　attempted　to　say；　his　tongue　thick　and　ponderous。
　〃Evenin'；　Lucien。　Where's　Jake？〃
　Lucien　nodded　toward　the　end　of　the　porch；　where　Jake　lay　sprawled　on　the　swing。
　〃He's　taking　a　nap；〃　Lucien　explained　helpfully。
　Ozzie　walked　across　the　squeaking　boards　and　stood　above　the　atose　figure　snoring　peacefully。　He　punched　him　gently　in　the　ribs。　Jake　opened　his　eyes；　and　struggled　desperately　to　sit　up。
　〃Carla　called　my　office　lookin'　for　you。　She's　worried　sick。　She's　been　callin'　all　afternoon　and　couldn't　find　you。　Nobody's　seen　you。　She　thinks　you're　dead。〃
　Jake　rubbed　his　eyes　as　the　swing　rocked　gently。　〃Tell　her　I'm　not　dead。　Tell　her　you've　seen　me　and　talked　to　me　and　you　are　convinced　beyond　a　shadow　of　a　doubt　that　I　am　not　dead。　Tell　her　I'll