jg.atimetokill-第80部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Jake　started　the　Saab；　let　it　warm；　and　raced　away　into　the　darkness。
　Mickey　Mouse　called　Ozzie　early　Saturday　morning　at　his　home　and　promised　more　trouble　from　the　Klan。　'file　riot　on　Thursday　had　not　been　their　fault；　he　explained；　yet　they　were　being　blamed　for　it。　They　had　marched　in　peace；　and　now　their　leader　lay　near　death　with　seventy　percent　of　his　body　covered　with　third…degree　burns。　There　would　be　retaliation；　it　had　been　ordered　from　above。　Reinforcements　were　on　the　way　from　other　states；　and　there　would　be　violence。　No　specifics　now；　but　he　would　call　later　when　he　knew　more。
　Ozzie　sat　on　the　side　of　his　bed；　rubbed　the　swollen　hump　on　the　back　of　his　neck　and　called　the　mayor。　And　he　called　Jake。　An　hour　later　they　met　in　Ozzie's　office。
　〃The　situation　is　about　to　get　outta　hand；〃　Ozzie　said；　holding　an　ice　pack　to　his　neck　and　grimacing　with　every　word。　〃I've　got　it　from　a　reliable　informant　that　the　Klan　plans　to　retaliate　for　what　happened　Thursday。　They're　supposed　to　bring　fresh　troops　from　other　states。〃
　〃Do　you　believe　it？〃　asked　the　mayor。
　〃I'm　afraid　not　to　believe　it。〃
　〃Same　informant？〃　asked　Jake。
　〃Yep。〃
　〃Then　I　believe　it。〃
　〃Somebody　said　there　was　talk　of　movin'　or　postponin'　the　trial；〃　Ozzie　said。　〃Any　chance　of　it？〃
　〃No。　I　met　with　Judge　Noose　yesterday。　It　won't　be　moved　and　it'll　start　Monday。〃
　〃Did　you　tell　him　about　the　burnin'　crosses？〃
　〃I　told　him　everything。〃
　〃Is　he　crazy？〃　asked　the　mayor。
　〃Yes；　and　stupid。　But　don't　quote　me　on　that。〃
　〃Is　he　on　solid　legal　ground？〃　asked　Ozzie。
　Jake　shook　his　head。　〃More　like　quicksand。〃
　〃What　have　you　got　in　mind？〃　asked　the　mayor。
　Ozzie　changed　ice　packs　and　carefully　rubbed　his　neck。　He　spoke　with　pain。　〃I　have　a　strong　desire　to　prevent　another　riot。　Our　hospital　is　not　big　enough　to　allow　this　crap　to　continue。　We　must　do　something。　The　blacks　are　angry　and　volatile；　and　it　wouldn't　take　much　to　ignite　them。　Some
　blacks　are　just　lookin'　for　a　reason　to　start　shootin'；　and　those　white　robes　are　good　targets。　I've　got　a　hunch　the　Klan　may　do　somethin'　really　stupid；　like　try　to　kill　somebody。　They're　gettin'　more　national　exposure　off　this　than　they've　had　in　ten　years。　The　informant　told　me　that　after　Thursday　they've　had　calls　from　all　over　the　country　from　volunteers　wantin'　to　e　down　here　and　join　the　fun。〃
　He　slowly　rolled　his　head　around　his　shoulders　and　changed　ice　packs　again。　〃I　hate　to　say　it；　Mayor；　but　I　think　you　should　call　the　governor　and　ask　for　the　National　Guard。　I　know　it's　a　drastic　step；　but　I'd　hate　to　get　someone　killed。〃
　〃The　National　Guard！〃　the　mayor　repeated　in　disbelief。
　〃That's　what　I　said。〃
　〃Occupying　Clanton？〃　　　　。
　〃Yep。　Protectin'　your　people。〃
　〃Patrolling　the　streets？〃
　〃Yep。　With　guns　and　everthing。〃
　〃Oh　my；　this　is　drastic。　Aren't　you　overreacting　a　bit？〃
　〃No。　It's　evident　I　don't　have　enough　men　to　keep　peace　around　here。　We　couldn't　even　stop　a　riot　that　happened　right　in　front　of　us。　The　Klan's　burnin'　crosses　all　over　the　county；　and　we　can't　do　anything　about　it。　What　will　we　do　when　the　blacks　decide　to　start　some　trouble？　I　don't　have　enough　men；　Mayor。　I　need　some　help。〃
　Jake　thought　it　was　a　marvelous　idea。　How　could　a　fair　and　impartial　jury　be　chosen　when　the　National　Guard　had　the　courthouse　surrounded？　He　thought　of　the　jurors　arriving　for　court　Monday　and　walking　past　the　soldiers　with　guns　and　jeeps　and　maybe　even　a　tank　or　two　parked　in　front　of　the　courthouse。　How　could　they　be　fair　and　impartial？　How　could　Noose　insist　on　trying　the　case　in　Clanton？　How　could　the　Supreme　Court　refuse　to　reverse　if；　heaven　forbid；　there　was　a　conviction？　It　was　a　great　idea。
　〃Whatta　you　think；　Jake？〃　asked　the　mayor；　looking　for　help。
　〃I　don't　think　you　have　a　choice；　Mayor。　We　can't　stand　another　riot。　It　could　hurt　you　politically。〃
　〃I'm　not　worried　about　politics；〃　the　mayor　replied　angrily；　knowing　Jake　and　O/zie　knew　better。　The　mayor　had　been　reelected　last　time　by　less　than　fifty　votes　and　did　not
　make　a　move　without　weighing　the　political　fallout。　Ozzie　caught　a　grin　from　Jake　as　the　mayor　squirmed　with　the　thought　of　having　his　quiet　little　town　occupied　by　the　army。
　After　dark　Saturday；　Ozzie　and　Hastings　led　Carl　Lee　out　the　rear　door　of　the　jail　and　into　the　sheriff's　patrol　car。　They　talked　and　laughed　as　Hastings　drove　in　slow　motion　out　into　the　country；　past　Bates　Grocery　and　onto　Craft　Road。　The　Haileys'　front　yard　was　covered　with　cars　when　they　arrived；　so　he　parked　in　the　road。　Carl　Lee　walked　through　his　front　door　like　a　free　man　and　was　immediately　embraced　by　a　mob　of　kinfolks；　friends；　and　his　children。　They　had　not　been　told　he　was　ing。　He　hugged　them　desperately；　all　four　at　the　same　time　in　one　long　bear　hug　as　if　there　might　be　no　more　for　a　long　time。　The　crowd　watched　in　silence　as　this　huge　man　knelt　on　the　floor　and　buried　his　head　among　his　weeping　children。　Most　of　those　in　the　crowd　wept　too。
　The　kitchen　was　covered　with　food；　and　the　guest　of　honor　was　seated　in　his　usual　chair　at　the　head　of　the　table　with　his　wife　and　children　seated　around　him。　Reverend　Agee　returned　thanks　with　a　short　prayer　of　hope　and　home…ing。　A　hundred　friends　waited　on　the　family。　Ozzie　and　Hastings　filled　their　plates　and　retreated　to　the　front　porch；　where　they　swatted　mosquitoes　and　planned　strategy　for　the　trial。　Ozzie　was　deeply　concerned　about　Carl　Lee's　safety　while　they　moved　him　from　the　jail　to　court　and　back　each　day。　The　defendant　himself　had　proven　clearly　that　such　journeys　are　not　always　safe。
　After　supper　the　crowd　spilled　out　into　the　front　yard。　The　children　played　while　the　adults　stayed　on　the　porch；　as　close　as　possible　to　Carl　Lee。　He　was　their　hero；　the　most　famous　man　most　of　them　would　ever　see；　and　they　knew　him　personally。　To　his　people　he　was　on　trial　for　one　reason　only。　Sure　he　killed　those　boys；　but　that　wasn't　the　issue。　If　he　was　white；　he　would　receive　civic　awards　for　what　he　did。　They　would　half…heartedly　prosecute　him；　but　with　a　white　jury　the　trial　would　be　a　joke。　Carl　Lee　was　on　trial　because　he　was　black。　And　if　they　convicted　him；　it　would　be　because　he　was　black。　No　other　reason。　They　believed　that。　They
　listened　carefully　as　he　talked　about　the　trial。　He　wanted　their　prayers　and　support；　and　wanted　them　all　to　be　there　and　watch　it　and　to　protect　his　family。
　They　sat　for　hours　in　the　sweltering　humidity；　Carl　Lee　and　Gwen　in　the　swing　rocking　slowly；　surrounded　by　admirers　all　wanting　to　be　near　this　great　man。　When　they　began　to　leave　they　all　embraced　him　and　promised　to　be　there　Monday。　They　wondered　if　they　would　see　him　again　sitting　on　his　front　porch。
　At　midnight　Ozzie　said　it　was　time　to　go。　Carl　Lee　hugged　Gwen　and　the　kids　one　last　time；　then　took　his　seat　in　Ozzie's　car。
　Bud　Twitty　died　during　the　night。　The　dispatcher　called　Nes…bit；　who　told　Jake。　He　made　a　note　to　send　flowers。
　Sunday。　One　day　before　trial。　Jake　awoke　at　5：00　A。M。　with　a　knot　in　his　stomach　that　he　attributed　to　the　trial；　and　a　headache　that　he　attributed　to　the　trial　and　a　late　Saturday　night　session　on　Lu…cien's　porch　with　his　law　clerk　and　former　boss。　Ellen　had　decided　to　sleep　in　a　guest　room　at　Lucien's；　so　Jake　spent　the　night　on　his　couch　in　the　office。
　He　lay　on　the　couch　and　heard　voices　from　the　street　below。　He　staggered　in　the　dark　to　the　balcony；　and　stopped　in　amazement　at　the　scene　around　the　courthouse。　D…Day！　The　war　was　on！　Patton　had　arrived！　The　streets　around　the　square　were　lined　with　transport　trucks；　jeeps；　and　soldiers　busy　running　here　and　there　in　an　effort　to　get　organized　and　look　military。　Radios　squawked；　and　potbellied　manders　yelled　to　their　men　to　hurry　and　get　organized。　A　mand　post　was　set　up　near　the　gazebo　on　the　front　lawn。　Three　squads　of　soldiers　hammered　on　stakes　and　pulled　ropes　and　strung　up　three　enormous　canvas　camouflage　pavilions。　Barricades　were　set　up　on　the　four　corners　of　the　square；　and　sentries　took　their　positions。　They　smoked　cigarettes　and　leaned　on　the　street　lights。
　Nesbit　sat　on　the　trunk　of　his　car　and　watched　the　fortifying　of　downtown　Clanton。　He　chatted　with　a　few　of　the　guardsmen。　Jake　mad