jg.atimetokill-第68部分

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　By　10：00　A。M。　the　temperature　was　ninety…two。　The　merchants　in　the　small　shops　around　the　square　opened　their　doors　to　the　humidity　and　ran　their　ceiling　fans。　They　called　Memphis　and　Jackson　and　Chicago　for　inventory　to　be　sold　at　special　prices　next　week。
　Noose　had　called　Jean　Gillespie；　the　Circuit　Court　clerk；　late　Friday　and　informed　her　that　the　trial　would　be　in　her　courtroom。　He　instructed　her　to　summon　one　hundred　and　fifty　prospective　jurors。　The　defense　had　requested　an　enlarged　panel　from　which　to　select　the　twelve；　and　Noose　agreed。　Jean　and　two　deputy　clerks　spent　Saturday　bing　the　voter　registration　books　randomly　selecting　potential　jurors。　Following　Noose's　specific　instructions；　they　culled　those　over　sixty…five。　One　thousand　names　were　chosen；　and　each　name　along　with　its　address　was　written　on　a　small　index　card　and　thrown　into　a　cardboard　box。　The　two　deputy　clerks　then　took　turns　drawing　cards　at　random　from　the　box。　One　clerk　was　white；　one　black。　Each　would　pull　a　card　blindly　from　the　box　and　arrange　it　neatly　on　a　folding　table　with　the　other　cards。　When　the　count　reached　one　hundred　and　fifty；　the　drawing　ceased　and　a　master　list　was　typed。　These　were　the　jurors　for　State　vs。　Hailey。　Each　step　of　their
　selection　had　been　carefully　dictated　by　the　Honorable　Omar　Noose；　who　knew　exactly　what　he　was　doing。　If　there　was　an　all…white　jury；　and　a　conviction；　and　a　death　sentence；　every　single　elementary　step　of　the　jury　selection　procedure　would　be　attacked　on　appeal。　He　had　been　through　it　before；　and　had　been　reversed。　But　not　this　time。
　From　the　master　list；　the　name　and　address　of　each　juror　was　typed　on　a　separate　jury　summons。　The　stack　of　summonses　was。　kept　in　Jean's　office　under　lock　until　eight　Monday　morning　when　Sheriff　Ozzie　Walls　arrived。　He　drank　coffee　with　Jean　and　received　his　instructions。
　〃Judge　Noose　wants　these　served　between　four　P。M。　and　midnight　tonight；〃　she　said。
　〃Okay。〃
　〃The　jurors　are　to　report　to　the　courtroom　promptly　by　nine　next　Monday。〃
　〃Okay。〃
　〃The　summons　does　not　indicate　the　name　or　nature　of　the　trial；　and　the　jurors　are　not　to　be　told　anything。〃
　〃I　reckon　they'll　know。〃
　〃Probably　so；　but　Noose　was　very　specific。　Your　men　are　to　say　nothing　about　the　case　when　the　summonses　are　served。　The　names　of　the　jurors　are　very　confidential；　at　least　until　Wednesday。　Don't　ask　why…Noose's　orders。〃
　Ozzie　flipped　through　the　stack。　〃How　many　do　we　have　here？〃
　〃One　fifty。〃
　〃A　hundred　and　fifty！　Why　so　many？〃
　〃It's　a　big　case。　Noose's　orders。〃
　〃It'll　take　ever　man　I've　got　to　serve　these　papers。〃
　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　〃Oh　well。　If　that's　what　His　Honor　wants。〃
　Ozzie　left；　and　within　seconds　Jake　was　standing　at　the　counter　flirting　with　the　secretaries　and　smiling　at　Jean　Gil…lespie。　He　followed　her　back　to　her　office。　He　closed　the　door。　She　retreated　behind　her　desk　and　pointed　at　him。　He　kept　smiling。
　〃I　know　why　you're　here；〃　she　said　sternly；　〃and　you　can't　have　it。〃
　〃Give　me　the　list；　Jean。〃
　〃Not　until　Wednesday。　Noose's　orders。〃
　Wednesday？　Why　Wednesday？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　But　Omar　was　very　specific。〃
　〃Give　me　the　list；　Jean。〃
　〃Jake；　I　can't。　Do　you　want　me　to　get　in　trouble？〃
　〃You　won't　get　in　trouble　because　no　one　will　know　it。　You　know　how　well　I　can　keep　a　secret。〃　He　was　not　smiling　now。　〃Jean；　give　me　the　damned　list。〃
　〃Jake；　I　just　can't。〃
　〃I　need　it；　and　I　need　it　now。　I　can't　wait　until　Wednesday。　I've　got　work　to　do。〃
　〃It　wouldn't　be　fair　to　Buckley；〃　she　said　weakly。
　〃To　hell　with　Buckley。　Do　you　think　he　plays　fair？　He's　a　snake　and　you　dislike　him　as　much　as　I　do。〃
　〃Probably　more。〃
　〃Give　me　the　list；　Jean。〃
　〃Look；　Jake；　we've　always　been　close。　I　think　more　of　you　than　any　lawyer　I　know。　When　my　son　got　in　trouble　I　called　you；　right？　I　trust　you　and　I　want　you　to　win　this　case。　But　I　can't　defy　a　judge's　orders。〃
　〃Who　helped　you　get　elected　last　time；　me　or　Buck…ley？〃
　〃e　on；　Jake。〃
　〃Who　kept　your　son　out　of　jail；　me　or　Buckley？〃
　〃Please。〃
　〃Who　tried　to　put　your　son　in　jail；　me　or　Buckley？〃
　〃That's　not　fair；　Jake。〃
　〃Who　stood　up　for　your　husband　when　everybody；　and　I　mean　everybody；　in　the　church　wanted　him　gone　when　the　books　didn't　balance？〃
　〃It's　not　a　question。of　loyalty；　Jake。　I　love　you　and　Carla　and　Hanna；　but　I　just　can't　do　it。〃
　Jake　slammed　the　door　and　stormed　out　of　the　office。　Jean　sat　at　her　desk　and　wiped　tears　from　her　cheeks。
　At　10：00　A。M。　Harry　Rex　barged　into　Jake's　office　and　threw　a　copy　of　the　jury　list　on　his　desk。　〃Don't　ask；〃　he　said。　Beside　each　name　he　had　made　notes；　such　as　〃Don't　know〃　or　〃Former　client…hates　niggers〃　or　〃Works　at　the　shoe　factory；　might　be　sympathetic。〃
　Jake　read　each　name　slowly；　trying　to　place　it　with　a
　face　or　a　reputation。　There　was　nothing　but　names。　No　addresses；　ages；　occupations。　Nothing　but　names。　His　fourth…grade　schoolteacher　from　Karaway。　One　of　his　mother's　friends　from　the　Garden　Club。　A　former　client；　shoplifting；　he　thought。　A　name　from　church。　A　regular　at　the　Coffee　Shop。　A　prominent　farmer。　Most　of　the　names　sounded　white。　There　was　a　Willie　Mae　Jones；　Leroy　Washington；　Roosevelt　Tucker；　Bessie　Lou　Bean；　and　a　few　other　black　names。　But　the　list　looked　awfully　pale。　He　recognized　thirty　names　at　most。
　〃Whatta　you　think？〃　asked　Harry　Rex。
　〃Hard　to　tell。　Mostly　white；　but　that's　to　be　expected。　Where'd　you　get　this？〃
　〃Don't　ask。　I　made　notes　by　twenty…six　names。　That's　the　best　I　can　do。　The　rest　I　don't　know。〃
　〃You're　a　true　friend；　Harry　Rex。〃
　〃I'm　a　prince。　Are　you　ready　for　trial？〃
　〃Not　yet。　But　I've　found　a　secret　weapon。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃You'll　meet　her　later。〃
　〃Her？〃
　〃Yeah。　You　busy　Wednesday　night？〃
　〃I　don't　think　so。　Why？〃
　〃Good。　Meet　here　at　eight。　Lucien　will　be　here。　Maybe　one　or　two　others。　I　want　to　take　a　couple　of　hours　and　talk　about　the　jury。　Who　do　we　want？　Let's　get　a　profile　of　the　model　juror；　and　go　from　there。　We'll　cover　each　name　and　hopefully　identify　most　of　these　people。〃
　〃Sounds　like　fun。　I'll　be　here。　What's　your　model　juror？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure。　I　think　the　vigilante　would　appeal　to　rednecks。　Guns；　violence；　protection　of　women。　The　rednecks　would　eat　it　up。　But　my　man　is　black；　and　a　bunch　of　rednecks　would　fry　him。　He　killed　two　of　their　own。〃
　〃I　agree。　I'd　stay　away　from　women。　They　would　have　no　sympathy　for　the　rapists；　but　they　place　a　higher　value　on　life。　Taking　an　M…16　and　blowing　their　heads　off　is　something　women　just　don't　understand。　You　and　I　understand　it　because　we're　fathers。　It　appeals　to　us。　The　violence　and　blood　doesn't　bother　us。　We　admire　him。　You've　got　to　pick
　oumc　aumirers　on　tnat　jury。　Young　fathers　with　some　education。〃
　〃That's　interesting。　Lucien　said　he　would　stick　with　women　because　they're　more　sympathetic。〃
　〃I　don't　think　so。　I　know　some　women　who'd　cut　your　throat　if　you　crossed　them。〃
　〃Some　of　your　clients？〃
　〃Yeah；　and　one　is　on　that　list。　Frances　Burdeen。　Pick　her；　and　I'll　tell　her　how　to　vote。〃
　〃You　serious？〃
　〃Yep。　She'll　do　anything　I　tell　her。〃
　〃Can　you　be　in　court　Monday？　I　want　you　to　watch　the　jury　during　the　selection　process；　then　help　me　decide　on　the　twelve。〃
　〃I　wouldn't　miss　it。〃
　Jake　heard　voices　downstairs　and　pressed　his　finger　to　his　lips。　He　listened；　then　smiled　and　motioned　for　Harry　Rex　to　follow　him。　They　tiptoed　to　the　top　of　the　stairs　and　listened　to　the　motion　around　Ethel's　desk。
　〃You　most　certainly　do　not　work　here；〃　Ethel　insisted。
　〃I　most　certainly　do。　I　was　hired　Saturday　by　Jake　Bri…gance；　who　I　believe　is　your　boss。〃
　〃Hired　for　what？〃　Ethel　demanded。
　〃As　a　law　clerk。〃
　〃Well；　he　didn't　discuss　it　with　me。〃
　〃He　discussed　it　with　me；　and　gave　me　the　job。〃
　〃How　much　is　he　paying　you？〃
　〃A　hundred　bucks　an　hour。〃
　〃Oh　my　God！　I'll　have　to　speak　with　him　first。〃
　〃I've　already　spoken　with　him；　Ethel。〃
　〃It's　Mrs。　Twitty　to　you。〃　Ethel　studied　her　carefully　from　head　to　toe。　Acid…washed　jeans；　penny　loafers；　no　socks；　an　oversized　white　cotton　button…down　with；　evidently；　nothing　on　underneath。　〃You're　not　dressed　appropriately　for　this　office。　You're；　you're　indecent。〃
　Harry　Rex　raised　his　eyebro