jg.atimetokill-第70部分

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　feet　behind　the　violence　stood　three　figures；　each　garbed　in　a　full；　flowing；　white　robe　with　red　garnishment；　each　with　a　tall；　white；　pointed　headdress　from　which　fell　a　red　and　white　mask　that　loosely　covered　each　face。　They　emerged　from　the　darkness　and　watched　over　the　scene　as　though　they　were　the　three　wise　men　attending　the　manger。
　After　a　long；　agonizing　minute；　the　beating　grew　monotonous。　〃Enough；〃　said　the　ruler　in　the　middle。　The　three　terrorists　in　black　ran。　Ethel　rushed　down　the　steps　and　slumped　over　her　battered　husband。　The　three　in　white　disappeared。
　Jake　left　the　hospital　after　midnight　with　Bud　still　alive　but　everyone　pessimistic。　Along　with　the　broken　bones　he　had　suffered　another　major　heart　attack。　Ethel　had　made　a　scene　and　blamed　it　all　on　Jake。
　〃You　said　there　was　no　danger！〃　she　screamed。　〃Tell　that　to　my　husband！　It's　all　your　fault！〃
　He　had　listened　to　her　rant　and　rave；　and　the　embarrassment　turned　to　anger。　He　glanced　around　the　small　waiting　room　at　the　friends　and　relatives。　All　eyes　were　on　him。　Yes；　they　seemed　to　say；　it　was　all　his　fault。
　Gwen　called　the　office　early　Tuesday　morning　and　the　new　secretary；　Ellen　Roark；　answered　the　phone。　She　fumbled　with　the　inter　until　she　broke　it；　then　walked　to　the　stairs　and　yelled：　〃Jake；　it's　Mr。　Hailey's　wife。〃
　He　slammed　a　book　shut　and　angrily　picked　up　the　receiver。　〃Hello。〃
　〃Jake；　are　you　busy？〃
　〃Very。　What's　on　your　mind？〃
　She　started　crying。　〃Jake；　we　need　money。　We're　broke；　and　the　bills　are　past　due。　I　haven't　paid　the　house　note　in　two　months　and　the　mortgage　pany　is　callin'。　I　don't　know　who　else　to　turn　to。〃
　〃What　about　your　family？〃
　〃They're　poor　folks；　Jake；　you　know　that。　They'll　feed　us　and　do　what　they　can；　but　they　can't　make　our　house　notes　and　pay　the　utilities。〃
　〃Have　you　talked　to　Carl　Lee？〃
　〃Not　about　money。　Not　lately。　There's　not　much　he　can　do　except　worry；　and　Lord　knows　he's　got　enough　to　worry　about。〃
　〃What　about　the　churches？〃
　〃Ain't　seen　a　dime。〃
　〃How　much　do　you　need？〃
　〃At　least　five　hundred；　just　to　catch　up。　I　don't　know　'bout　next　month。　I'll　guess　I'll　worry　then。〃
　Nine　hundred　minus　five　hundred　left　Jake　with　four　hundred　dollars　for　a　capital　murder　defense。　That　had　to　be　a　record。　Four　hundred　dollars！　He　had　an　idea。
　〃Can　you　be　at　my　office　at　two　this　afternoon？〃
　〃I'll　have　to　bring　the　kids。〃
　〃That's　okay。　Just　be　here。〃
　〃I'll　be　there。〃
　He　hung　up　and　quickly　searched　the　phone　book　for　Reverend　Ollie　Agee。　He　found　him　at　the　church。　Jake　fed　him　a　line　about　meeting　to　discuss　the　Hailey　trial　and
　covering　Agee's　testimony。　Said　the　reverend　would　be　an　important　witness。　Agee　said　he　would　be　there　at　two。
　The　Hailey　clan　arrived　first；　and　Jake　seated　them　around　the　conference　table。　The　kids　remembered　the　room　from　the　press　conference　and　were　awed　by　the　long　table；　thick　swivel　chairs；　and　impressive　rows　of　books。　When　the　reverend　arrived　he　hugged　Gwen　and　made　a　fuss　over　the　kids；　especially　Tonya。
　〃I'll　be　very　brief；　Reverend；〃　started　Jake。　〃There　are　some　things　we　need　to　discuss。　For　several　weeks　now；　you　and　the　other　black　ministers　in　this　county　have　been　raising　money　for　the　Haileys。　And　you've　done　a　real　good　job。　Over　six　thousand；　I　believe。　I　don't　know　where　the　money　is；　and　it's　none　of　my　business。　You　offered　the　money　to　the　NAACP　lawyers　to　represent　Carl　Lee；　but　as　you　and　I　know；　those　lawyers　won't　be　involved　in　this　case。　I'm　the　lawyer；　the　only　lawyer；　and　so　far　none　of　the　money　has　been　offered　to　me。　I　don't　expect　any　of　it。　Evidently　you　don't　care　about　what　kind　of　defense　he　gets　if　you　can't　pick　his　lawyer。　That's　fine。　I　can　live　with　that。　What　really　bothers　me；　Reverend；　is　the　fact　that　none；　and　I　repeat　none；　of　the　money　has　been　given　to　the　Haileys。　Right；　Gwen？〃
　The　empty　look　on　her　face　had　turned　to　one　of　amazement；　then　disbelief；　then　anger　as　she　glared　at　the　reverend。
　〃Six　thousand　dollars；〃　she　repeated。
　〃Over　six　thousand；　at　last　reported　count；〃　said　Jake。　〃And　the　money　is　lying　in　some　bank　while　Carl　Lee　sits　in　jail；　Gwen's　not　working；　the　bills　are　past　due；　the　only　food　es　from　friends；　and　foreclosure　is　a　few　days　away。　Now；　tell　us；　Reverend；　what're　your　plans　with　the　money？〃
　Agee　smiled　and　said　with　an　oily　voice；　〃That's　none　of　your　business。〃
　〃But　it's　my　business！〃　Gwen　said　loudly。　〃You　used　my　name　and　my　family's　name　when　you　raised　that　money；　didn't　you；　Reverend。　I　heard　it　myself。　Told　all　the　church　folk　that　the　love　offerin'；　as　you　called　it；　was　for　my　family。　I　figured　you　had　done　spent　the　money　on　lawyers'　fee　or　somethin'　like　that。　And　now；　today；　I　find　out　you've　got　it　stuck　in　the　bank。　I　guess　you　plan　to　keep　it。〃
　Agee　was　unmoved。　〃Now　wait　a　minute；　Gwen。　We　thought　the　money　could　best　be　spent　on　Carl　Lee。　He　declined　the　money　when　he　refused　to　hire　the　NAACP　lawyers。　So　I　asked　Mr。　Reinfeld；　the　head　lawyer；　what　to　do　with　the　money。　He　told　me　to　save　it　because　Carl　Lee　will　need　it　for　his　appeal。〃
　Jake　cocked　his　head　sideways　and　clenched　his　teeth。　He　started　to　rebuke　this　ignorant　fool；　but　realized　Agee　did　not　understand　what　he　was　saying。　Jake　bit　his　lip。
　〃I　don't　understand；〃　said　Gwen。
　〃It's　simple；〃　said　the　reverend　with　an　acmodating　smile。　〃Mr。　Reinfeld　said　that　Carl　Lee　would　be　convicted　because　he　didn't　hire　him。　So　then　we've　got　to　appeal；　right？　And　after　Jake　here　loses　the　trial；　you　and　Carl　Lee　will　of　course　be　lookin'　for　another　lawyer　who　can　save　his　life。　That's　when　we'll　need　Reinfeld　and　that's　when　we'll　need　the　money。　So　you　see；　it's　all　for　Carl　Lee。〃
　Jake　shook　his　head　and　silently　cursed。　He　cursed　Reinfeld　more　than　Agee。
　Gwen's　eyes　flooded　and　she　clenched　her　fists。　〃I　don't　understand　all　that；　and　I　don't　want　to　understand　it。　All　I　know　is　that　I'm　tired　of　beggin'　for　food；　tired　of　dependin'　on　others；　and　tired　of　worryin'　about　losin'　my　house。〃
　Agee　looked　at　her　sadly。　〃I　understand；　Gwen；　but…〃
　〃And　if　you　got　six　thousand　dollars　of　our　money　in　the　bank；　you're　wrong　not　to　give　it　to　us。　We've　got　enough　sense　to　spend　it　right。〃
　Carl　Lee；　Jr。；　and　Jarvis　stood　next　to　their　mother　and　forted　her。　They　stared　at　Agee。
　〃But　it's　for　Carl　Lee；〃　the　reverend　said。
　〃Good；〃　Jake　said。　〃Have　you　asked　Carl　Lee　how　he　wants　his　money　spent？〃
　The　dirty　little　grin　left　Agee's　face　and　he　squirmed　in　his　chair。　〃Carl　Lee　understands　what　we're　doin'；〃　he　said　without　much　conviction。
　〃Thank　you。　That's　not　what　I　asked。　Listen　to　me　carefully。　Have　you　asked　Carl　Lee　how　he　wants　his　money　spent？〃
　〃I　think　it's　been　discussed　with　him；〃　Agee　lied。
　〃Let's　see；〃　Jake　said。　He　stood　and　walked　to　the　door　leading　to　the　small　office　next　to　the　conference　room。　The
　reverend　watched　nervously；　almost　in　panic。　Jake　opened　the　door　and　nodded　to　someone。　Carl　Lee　and　Ozzie　casually　walked　in。　The　kids　yelled　and　ran　to　their　father。　Agee　looked　devastated。
　After　a　few　awkward　minutes　of　hugs　and　kisses；　Jake　moved　in　for　the　kill。　〃Now；　Reverend；　why　don't　you　ask　Carl　Lee　how　he　wants　to　spend　his　six　thousand　dollars。〃
　〃It　ain't　exactly　his；〃　said　Agee。
　〃And　it　ain't　exactly　yours；〃　shot　Ozzie。
　Carl　Lee　removed　Tonya　from　his　knee　and　walked　to　the　chair　where　Agee　was　sitting。　He　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　table；　above　the　reverend；　poised　and　ready　to　strike　if　necessary。　〃Let　me　make　it　real　simple；　preacher；　so　you　won't　have　trouble　understandin'　it。　You　raised　that　money　in　my　name；　for　the　benefit　of　my　family。　You　took　it　from　the　black　folk　of　this　county；　and　you　took　it　with　the　promise　that　it'd　go　to　help　me　and　my　family。　You　lied。　You　raised　it　so　you　could　impress　the　NAACP；　not　to　help　my　family。　You　lied　in　church；　you　lied　in　the　newspapers；　you　lied　everwhere。〃
　Agee　looked　around　the　room　and　noticed　that　everyone；　including　the　kids；　was　staring　at　him　and　nodding　slowly。
　Carl　Lee　put　his　foot　in　Agee's　chair　and　leaned　closer。　〃If　you　don't　give　us　that　money；　I'll　tell　ever　nigger　I　know　that　you're　a　lyin'　crook。　I'll　call　ever　member　of　your　chu