jg.atimetokill-第79部分

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　〃That　makes　absolutely　no　sense。〃
　〃Of　course　it　doesn't。〃
　〃Your　wife　has　no　male　friends？〃
　〃None　that　I　know　of。　If　you　learn　of　any；　let　me　know。〃
　〃And　you　have　no　female　friends？〃
　〃Why　would　I　want　female　friends？　They　can't　talk　about　football；　or　duck　hunting；　or　politics；　or　lawsuits；　or　anything　that　I　want　to　talk　about。　They　talk　about　kids；　clothes；　recipes；　coupons；　furniture；　stuff　I　know　nothing　about。　No；　I　don't　have　any　female　friends。　Don't　want　any。〃
　〃That's　what　I　love　about　the　South。　The　people　are　so　tolerant。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃
　〃Do　you　have　any　Jewish　friends？〃
　〃I　don't　know　of　any　in　Ford　County。　I　had　a　real　good　friend　in　law　school；　Ira　Tauber；　from　New　Jersey。　We　were　very　close。　I　love　Jews。　Jesus　was　a　Jew；　you　know。　I've　never　understood　anti…Semitism。〃
　〃My　God；　you　are　a　liberal。　How　about；　uh；　homosexuals？〃
　〃I　feel　sorry　for　them。　They　don't　know　what　they're　missing。　But　that's　their　problem。〃
　〃Could　you　have　a　homosexual　friend？〃
　〃I　guess；　as　long　as　he　didn't　tell　me。〃
　〃Nope；　you're　a　Republican。〃
　She　took　his　empty　can　and　threw　it　in　the　back　seat。　She　opened　two　more。　The　sun　was　gone；　and　the　heavy；　humid　air　felt　cool　at　ninety　miles　an　hour。
　〃So　we　can't　be　friends？〃　she　said。
　〃Nope。〃
　〃Nor　lovers。〃
　〃Please。　I'm　trying　to　drive。〃
　〃So　what　are　we？〃
　〃I'm　the　lawyer；　you're　the　law　clerk。　I'm　the　employer；　you're　the　employee。　I'm　the　boss；　you're　the　gofer。〃
　〃You're　the　male；　I'm　the　female。〃
　Jake　admired　her　jeans　and　bulky　shirt。　〃There's　not　much　doubt　about　that。〃
　Ellen　shook　her　head　and　stared　at　the　mountains　of　kudzu　flying　by。　Jake　smiled；　drove　faster；　and　sipped　his　beer。　He　negotiated　a　series　of　intersections　on　the　rural；　deserted　highways　and；　suddenly；　the　hills　disappeared　and　the　land　became　flat。
　〃What's　the　name　of　the　restaurant？〃　she　asked。
　〃The　Hollywood。〃
　〃The　what？〃
　〃The　Hollywood。〃
　〃Why　is　it　called　that？〃
　〃It　was　once　located　in　a　small　town　a　few　miles　away　by　the　name　of　Hollywood；　Mississippi。　It　burned；　and　they　moved　it　to　Robinsonville。　They　still　call　it　the　Hollywood。〃
　〃What's　so　great　about　it？〃
　〃Great　food；　great　music；　great　atmosphere；　and　it's　a
　thousand　miles　from　Clanton　and　no　one　will　see　me　having　dinner　with　a　strange　and　beautiful　woman。〃
　〃I'm　not　a　woman；　I'm　a　gofer。〃
　〃A　strange　and　beautiful　gofer。〃
　Ellen　smiled　to　herself　and　ran　her　fingers　through　her　hair。　At　another　intersection；　he　turned　left　and　headed　west　until　they　found　a　settlement　near　a　railroad。　A　row　of　wooden　buildings　sat　empty　on　one　side　of　the　road；　and　across　the　street；　all　by　itself；　was　an　old　dry　goods　store　with　a　dozen　cars　parked　around　it　and　music　rolling　softly　out　the　windows。　Jake　grabbed　the　bottle　of　Chablis　and　escorted　his　law　clerk　up　the　steps；　onto　the　front　porch；　and　inside　the　building。
　Next　to　the　door　was　a　small　stage；　where　a　beautiful　old　black　lady；　Merle；　sat　at　her　piano　and　sang　〃Rainy　Night　in　Georgia。〃　Three　long　rows　of　tables　ran　to　the　front　and　stopped　next　to　the　stage。　The　tables　were　half　full；　and*　a　waitress　in　the　back　poured　beer　from　a　pitcher　and　motioned　for　them　to　e　on　in。　She　seated　them　in　the　rear；　at　a　small　table　with　a　red…checkered　tablecloth。
　〃Y'all　want　some　fried　dill　pickles；　honey？〃　she　asked　Jake。
　〃Yes！　Two　orders。〃
　Ellen　frowned　and　looked　at　Jake。　〃Fried　dill　pickles？〃
　〃Yes；　of　course。　They　don't　serve　them　in　Boston？〃
　〃Do　you　people　fry　everything？〃
　〃Everything　that's　worth　eating。　If　you　don't　like　them；　I'll　eat　them。〃
　A　yell　went　up　from　the　table　across　the　aisle。　Four　couples　toasted　something　or　somebody；　then　broke　into　riotous　laughing。　The　restaurant　maintained　a　constant　roar　of　yelling　and　talking。
　〃The　good　thing　about　the　Hollywood；〃　Jake　explained；　〃is　that　you　can　make　all　the　noise　you　want　and　stay　as　long　as　you　want；　and　nobody　cares。　When　you　get　a　table　here；　it's　yours　for　the　night。　They'll　start　singing　and　dancing　in　a　minute。〃
　Jake　ordered　sauteed　shrimp　and　charbroiled　catfish　for　both　of　them。　Ellen　passed　on　the　frog　legs。　The　waitress　hurried　back　with　the　Chablis　and　two　chilled　glasses。　They　toasted　Carl　Lee　Hailey　and　his　insane　mind。
　〃Whatta　you　think　of　Bass？〃　Jake　asked。
　〃He's　the　perfect　witness。　He'll　say　anything　we　want　him　to　say。〃
　〃Does　that　bother　you？〃
　〃It　would　if　he　was　a　fact　witness。　But　he's　an　expert；　and　he　can　get　by　with　his　opinions。　Who　will　challenge　him？〃
　〃Is　he　believable？〃
　〃When　he's　sober。　We　talked　twice　this　week。　On　lues…day　he　was　lucid　and　helpful。　On　Wednesday；　he　was　drunk　and　indifferent。　I　think　he'll　be　as　helpful　as　any　psychiatrist　we　could　find。　He　doesn't　care　what　the　truth　is；　and　he'll　tell　us　what　we　want　to　hear。〃
　〃Does　he　think　Carl　Lee　was　legally　insane？〃
　〃No。　Do　you？〃
　〃No。　Row　Ark；　Carl　Lee　told　me　five　days　before　the　'killings　that　he　would　do　it。　He　showed　me　the　exact　place　where　he　would　ambush　them；　although　at　the　time　I　didn't　realize　it。　Our　client　knew　exactly　what　he　was　doing。〃
　〃Why　didn't　you　stop　him？〃
　〃Because　I　didn't　believe　him。　His　daughter　had　just　been　raped　and　was　fighting　for　her　life。〃
　〃Would　you　have　stopped　him　if　you　could？〃
　〃I　did　tell　Ozzie。　But　at　the　time　neither　of　us　dreamed　it　could　happen。　No；　I　would　not　have　stopped　him　if　I　knew　for　certain。　I　would　have　done　the　same　thing。〃
　〃How？〃
　〃Exactly　as　he　did　it。　It　was　very　easy。〃
　Ellen　approached　a　fried　dill　pickle　with　her　fork　and　played　with　it　suspiciously。　She　cut　it　in　half；　pierced　it　with　the　fork；　and　sniffed　it　carefully。　She　put　it　in　her　mouth　and　chewed　slowly。　She　swallowed；　then　pushed　her　pile　of　pickles　across　the　table　toward　Jake。
　〃Typical　yankee；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　understand　you；　Row　Ark。　You　don't　like　fried　dill　pickles；　you're　attractive；　very　bright；　you　could　go　to　work　with　any　blue…chip　law　firm　in　the　country　for　megabucks；　yet　you　want　to　spend　your　career　losing　sleep　over　cutthroat　murderers　who　are　on　death　row　and　about　to　get　their　just　rewards。　What　makes　you　tick；　Row　Ark？〃
　〃You　lose　sleep　over　the　same　people。　Now　it's　Carl
　Lee　Hailey。　Next　year　it'll　be　some　other　murderer　who　everybody　hates　but　you'll　lose　sleep　over　him　because　he　happens　to　be　your　client。　One　of　these　days；　Brigance；　you'll　have　a　client　on　death　row；　and　you'll　learn　how　terrible　it　is。　When　they　strap　him　in　the　chair　and　he　looks　at　you　for　the　last　time；　you'll　be　a　changed　man。　You'll　know　how　barbaric　the　system　is；　and　you'll　remember　Row　Ark。〃
　〃Then　I'll　grow　a　beard　and　join　the　ACLU。〃
　〃Probably；　if　they　would　accept　you。〃
　The　sauteed　shrimp　arrived　in　a　small　black　skillet。　It　simmered　in　butter　and　garlic　and　barbeque　sauce。　Ellen　dipped　spoonfuls　onto　her　plate　and　ate　like　a　refugee。　Merle　lit　into　a　stirring　rendition　of　〃Dixie；〃　and　the　crowd　sang　and　clapped　along。
　The　waitress　ran　by　and　threw　a　platter　of　battered　and　crunchy　frog　legs　on　the　table。　Jake　finished　a　glass　of　wine　and　grabbed　a　handful　of　the　frog　legs。　Ellen　tried　to　ignore　them。　When　they　were　full　of　appetizers；　the　catfish　was　served。　The　grease　popped　and　fizzed　and　they　did　not　touch　the　china。　It　was　charbroiled　to　a　deep　brown　crisp　with　black　squares　from　the　grill　burned　on　each　side。　They　ate　and　drank　slowly；　watching　each　other　and　savoring　the　delicious　entree。
　At　midnight；　the　bottle　was　empty　and　the　lights　were　dimmed。　They　said　good　night　to　the　waitress　and　to　Merle。　They　walked　carefully　down　the　steps　and　to　the　car。　Jake　buckled　his　seat　belt。
　〃I'm　too　drunk　to　drive；〃　he　said。
　〃So　am　I。　I　saw　a　little　motel　not　far　down　the　road。〃
　〃I　saw　it　too；　and　there　were　no　vacancies。　Nice　try；　Row　Ark。　Get　me　drunk　and　try　to　take　advantage　of　me。〃
　〃I　would　if　I　could；　mister。〃
　For　a　moment　their　eyes　met。　Ellen's　face　reflected　the　red　light　cast　by　the　neon　sign　that　flashed　HOLLYWOOD　atop　the　restaurant。
　The　moment　grew　longer　and　then　the　sign　was　turned　off。　The　restaurant　had　closed。
　Jake　started　the　Saab；　let　it　warm；　and　raced　away　into　the　darkness。
　Mickey　Mouse　called　Ozzie　early　Saturday　morning　at　his　ho