jg.atimetokill-第76部分

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　A　dozen　wounded　bodies　were　unable　to　retreat。　Ozzie　sat　dazed；　rubbing　his　neck。　The　lady　from　Memphis　was　unconscious　and　bleeding　profusely　from　the　head。　Several　Klansmen；　their　white　robes　soiled　and　bloody；　lay　sprawled　near　the　sidewalk。　The　fire　continued　to　burn。
　The　sirens　drew　closer　and　finally　the　fire　trucks　and　ambulances　arrived　and　drove　onto　the　battlefield。　Firemen　and　medics　attended　the　wounded。　None　were　dead。　Stump　Sisson　was　taken　away　first。　Ozzie　was　half　dragged　and　half　carried　to　a　patrol　car。　More　police　arrived　and　broke　up　the　crowd。
　Jake；　Harry　Rex；　and　Ellen　ate　a　lukewarm　pizza　and　watched　intently　as　the　small　television　in　the　conference　room　broadcasted　the　day's　events　in　Clanton；　Mississippi。　CBS　ran　the　story　halfway　through　the　news。　The　reporter　had　apparently　escaped　the　riot　unscathed；　and　he　narrated　the　video　with　a　play　by　play　of　the　march；　the　shouting；　the　firebomb；　and　the　melee。　〃As　of　late　this　afternoon；〃　he　reported；　〃the　exact　number　of　casualties　is　unknown。　The　most　serious　injuries　are　believed　to　be　the　extensive　burns　suffered　by　a　Mr。　Sisson；　who　identified　himself　as　an　imperial　wizard　of　the　Ku　Klux　Klan。　He　is　listed　in　serious　condition　at　the　Mid　South　Burn　Hospital　in　Memphis。〃
　The　video　showed　a　closeup　of　Stump　burning　while　all　hell　broke　loose。　He　continued：　〃The　trial　of　Carl　Lee　Hai…ley　is　scheduled　to　start　Monday　here　in　Clanton。　It　is　unknown　at　this　time　what　effect；　if　any；　today's　riot　will　have　on　this　trial。　There　is　some　speculation　the　trial　will　be　postponed　and/or　moved　to　another　county。〃
　〃That's　news　to　me；〃　said　Jake。
　〃You　haven't　heard　anything？〃　asked　Harry　Rex。
　〃Not　a　word。　And　I　presume　I　would　be　notified　before　CBS。〃
　The　reporter　disappeared　and　Dan　Rather　said　he　would　return　in　a　moment。
　〃What　does　this　mean？〃　asked　Ellen。
　〃It　means　Noose　is　stupid　for　not　changing　venue。〃
　〃Be　glad　he　didn't；〃　said　Harry　Rex。　〃It'll　give　you　something　to　argue　on　appeal。〃
　〃Thanks；　Harry　Rex。　I　appreciate　your　confidence　in　my　ability　as　a　trial　lawyer。〃
　The　phone　rang。　Harry　Rex　grabbed　it　and　said　hello　to　Carla。　He　handed　it　to　Jake。　〃It's　your　wife。　Can　we　listen？〃
　〃No！　Go　get　another　pizza。　Hello　dear。〃
　〃Jake；　are　you　all　right？〃
　〃Of　course　I'm　all　right。〃
　〃I　just　saw　it　on　the　news。　It's　awful。　Where　were　you？〃
　〃I　was　wearing　one　of　those　white　robes。〃
　〃Jake；　please。　This　is　not　funny。〃
　〃I　was　in　Jean　Gillespie's　office　on　the　second　floor。　We　had　wonderful　seats。　Saw　the　whole　thing。　It　was　very　exciting。〃
　〃Who　are　those　people？〃
　〃Same　ones　who　burned　the　cross　in　our　front　yard　and　tried　to　blow　up　the　house。〃
　〃Where　are　they　from？〃
　〃Everywhere。　Five　are　in　the　hospital　and　their　addresses　are　scattered　all　over　the　state。　One　is　a　local　boy。　How's　Hanna？〃
　〃She's　fine。　She　wants　to　e　home。　Will　the　trial　be　postponed？〃
　〃I　doubt　it。〃
　〃Are　you　safe？〃
　〃Sure。　I've　got　a　full…time　bodyguard　and　I　carry　a　。38　in　my　briefcase。　Don't　worry。〃
　〃But　I'm　worried；　Jake。　I　need　to　be　home　with　you。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Hanna　can　stay　here　until　it's　over；　but　I　want　to　e　home。〃
　〃No；　Carla。　I　know　you're　safe　out　there。　You　won't　be　safe　if　you're　here。〃
　〃Then　you're　not　safe　either。〃
　〃I'm　as　safe　as　I　can　get。　But　I'm　not　taking　chances
　with　you　and　Hanna。　It's　out　of　the　question。　That's　final。　How　are　your　parents？〃
　〃I　didn't　call　to　talk　about　my　parents。　I　called　because　I'm　scared　and　I　want　to　be　with　you。〃
　〃And　I　want　to　be　with　you；　but　not　now。　Please　understand。〃
　She　hesitated。　〃Where　are　you　staying？〃
　〃At　Lucien's　most　of　the　time。　Occasionally　at　home；　with　my　bodyguard　in　the　driveway。〃
　〃How's　my　house？〃
　〃It's　still　there。　Dirty；　but　still　there。〃
　〃I　miss　it。〃
　〃Believe　me；　it　misses　you。〃
　〃I　love　you；　Jake；　and　I'm　scared。〃
　〃I　love　you；　and　I'm　not　scared。　Just　relax　and　take　care　of　Hanna。〃
　〃Goodbye。〃
　〃Goodbye。〃
　Jake　handed　the　receiver　to　Ellen。　〃Where　is　she？〃
　〃Wilmington；　North　Carolina。　Her　parents　spend　the　summers　there。〃
　Harry　Rex　had　left　for　another　pizza。
　〃You　miss　her；　don't　you？〃　asked　Elleri。
　〃In　more　ways　than　you　can　imagine。〃
　〃Oh；　I　can　imagine。〃
　At　midnight　they　were　in　the　cabin　drinking　whiskey；　cussing　niggers；　and　paring　wounds。　Several　had　returned　from　the　hospital　in　Memphis　where　they　had　visited　briefly　with　Stump　Sisson。　He　told　them　to　proceed　as　planned。　Eleven　had　been　released　from　the　Ford　County　Hospital　with　various　cuts　and　bruises；　and　the　others　admired　their　wounds　as　each　took　his　turn　describing　to　the　last　detail　how　he　had　gallantly　battled　multiple　niggers　before　being　wounded；　usually　from　the　rear　or　blind　side。　They　were　the　heroes；　the　ones　with　the　bandages。　Then　the　others　told　their　stories　and　the　whiskey　flowed。　They　heaped　praise　upon　the　largest　one　when　he　told　of　his　attack　on　the　pretty　television　reporter　and　her　nigger　cameraman。
　After　a　couple　of　hours　of　drinking　and　storytelling　the
　talk　turned　to　the　task　at　hand。　A　map　of　the　county　was　produced；　and　one　of　the　locals　pinpointed　the　targets。　There　were　twenty　homes　this　night…twenty　names　taken　from　the　list　of　prospective　jurors　someone　had　furnished。
　Five　teams　of　four　each　left　the　cabin　in　pickups　and　headed　into　the　darkness　to　further　their　mischief。　In　each　pickup　were　four　wooden　crosses；　the　smaller　models；　nine　feet　by　four　feet；　each　soaked　with　kerosene。　They　avoided　Clanton　and　the　small　towns　in　the　county　and　instead　kept　to　the　dark　countryside。　The　targets　were　in　isolated　areas；　away　from　traffic　and　neighbors；　out　in　the　country　where　things　go　unnoticed　and　people　go　to　bed　early　and　sleep　soundly。
　The　plan　of　attack　was　simple：　a　truck　would　stop　a　few　hundred　feet　down　the　road；　out　of　sight；　no　headlights；　and　the　driver　remained　with　engine　running　while　the　other　three　carried　the　cross　to　the　front　yard；　stuck　it　in　the　ground；　and　threw　a　torch　on　it。　The　pickup　then　met　them　in　front　of　the　house　for　a　quiet　getaway　and　joyride　to　the　next　target。
　The　plan　worked　simply　and　with　no　plications　at　nineteen　of　the　twenty　targets。　But　at　Luther　Pickett's　residence　a　strange　noise　earlier　in　the　night　had　aroused　Luther；　and　he　sat　in　the　darkness　of　his　front　porch　waiting　for　nothing　in　particular　when　he　saw　a　strange　pickup　move　suspiciously　along　the　gravel　road　out　beyond　his　pecan　tree。　He　grabbed　his　shotgun　and　listened　as　the　truck　turned　around　and　stopped　down　the　road。　He　heard　voices；　and　then　saw　three　figures　carrying　a　pole　or　something　into　his　front　yard；　next　to　the　gravel　road。　Luther　crouched　behind　a　shrub　next　to　the　porch；　and　aimed。
　The　driver　took　a　slug　of　cold　beer　and　watched　to　see　the　cross　go　up　in　flames。　He　heard　a　shotgun　instead。　His　buddies　abandoned　the　cross　and　the　torch　and　the　front　yard；　and　jumped　into　a　small　ditch　next　to　the　road。　Another　shotgun　blast。　The　driver　could　hear　the　screams　and　obscenities。　They　had　to　be　rescued！　He　threw　down　his　beer　and　stepped　on　the　gas；
　Old　Luther　fired　again　as　he　came　off　the　porch；　and　again　as　the　truck　appeared　and　stopped　by　the　shallow　ditch。　The　three　scrambled　desperately　from　the　mud；　stum…
　bling　and　sliding；　cussing　and　yelling　as　they　attacked　the　truck　and　furiously　fought　to　jump　into　the　bed。
　〃Hang　on！〃　yelled　the　driver　just　as　old　Luther　fired　again；　this　time　spraying　the　pickup。　He　watched　with　a　smile　as　the　truck　sped　away；　spinning　gravel　and　fishtailing　from　ditch　to　ditch。　Just　a　bunch　of　drunk　kids；　he　thought。
　From　a　pay　phone；　a　Kluxer　held　the　list　of　twenty　names　and　twenty　phone　numbers。　He　called　them　all；　simply　to　ask　them　to　take　a　look　in　their　front　yards。
　Friday　morning　Jake　phoned　the　Noose　home　and　was　informed　by　Mrs。　Ichabod　that　His　Honor　was　presiding　over　a　civil　trial　in　Polk　County。　Jake　gave　instructions　to　Ellen　and　left　for　Smithfield；　an　hour　away。　He　nodded　at　His　Honor　as　he　entered　the　empty　courtroom　and　sat　on　the　front　row。　Except　for　the　jurors；　there　were　no　other　spectators。　Noose　was　bored；　the　jurors　were　bored；　the　lawyers　were　bored；　and　after　two　minutes　Jake　was　bored。　After　the　witness　f