jg.atimetokill-第88部分

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　twenty…seven　and　twenty…eight。　That's　twelve　with　four　challenges　remaining。〃
　Jake　was　flabbergasted。　Buckley　had　again　stricken　all　the　blacks　and　all　the　men。　He　was　reading　Jake's　mind。
　〃Mr。　Brigance；　it's　back　to　you。〃
　〃May　we　have　a　moment　to　confer；　Your　Honor？〃
　〃Five　minutes；〃　Noose　replied。
　Jake　and　his　clerk　stepped　next　door　to　the　coffee　room；　where　Harry　Rex　was　waiting。　〃Look　at　this；〃　Jake　said　as　he　laid　the　list　on　a　table　and　the　three　huddled　around　it。　〃We're　down　to　twenty…nine。　I've　got　four　challenges　left　and　so　does　Buckley。　He's　struck　every　black　and　every　male。　It's　an　all…white　female　jury　right　now。　The　next　two　are　white　females；　thirty…one　is　Clyde　Sisco；　and　thirty…two　is　Barry　Acker。〃
　〃Then　four　of　the　next　six　are　black；〃　Ellen　said。
　〃Yeah；　but　Buckley　won't　take　it　that　far。　In　fact；　I'm　surprised　he's　let　us　get　this　close　to　the　fourth　row。〃
　〃I　know　you　want　Acker。　What　about　Sisco？〃　asked　Harry　Rex。
　〃I'm　afraid　of　him。　Lucien　said　he's　a　crook　who　could　be　bought。〃
　〃Great！　Let's　get　him；　then　go　buy　him。〃
　〃Very　funny。　How　do　you　know　Buckley　hasn't　already　bought　him？〃
　〃I'd　take　him。〃
　Jake　studied　the　list；　counting　and　recounting。　Ellen　wanted　to　strike　both　men…Acker　and　Sisco。
　They　returned　to　chambers　and　sat　down。　The　court　reporter　was　ready。　〃Your　Honor；　we　will　strike　number　twenty…two　and　number　twenty…eight；　with　two　challenges　remaining。〃
　〃Back　to　you；　Mr。　Buckley。　Twenty…nine　and　thirty。〃
　〃The　State　will　take　them　both。　That's　twelve　with　four　challenges　left。〃
　〃Back　to　you；　Mr。　Brigance。〃
　〃We　will　strike　twenty…nine　and　thirty。〃
　〃And　you're　out　of　challenges；　correct？〃　Noose　asked。
　〃Correct。〃
　〃Very　well。　Mr。　Buckley；　thirty…one　and　thirty…two。〃
　〃The　State　will　take　them　both；〃　Buckley　said　quickly。　looking　at　the　names　of　the　blacks　ing　after　Clyde　Sisco。
　〃Good。　That's　twelve。　Let's　select　two　alternates。　You　will　both　have　two　challenges　for　the　alternates。　Mr。　Buck…ley；　thirty…three　and　thirty…four。〃
　Juror　thirty…three　was　a　black　male。　Thirty…four　was　a　white　female　Jake　wanted。　The　next　two　were　black　males。
　〃We'll　strike　thirty…three；　accept　thirty…four　and　thirty…five。〃
　〃The　defense　will　accept　both；〃　Jake　said。
　Mr。　Pate　brought　the　courtroom　to　order　as　Noose　and　the　lawyers　took　their　places。　His　Honor　called　the　names　of　the　twelve　and　they　slowly；　nervously　made　their　way　to　the　jury　box；　where　they　were　seated　in　order　by　Jean　Gillespie。　Ten　women；　two　men；　all　white。　The　blacks　in　the　courtroom　mumbled　and　eyed　each　other　in　disbelief。
　〃Did　you　pick　that　jury？〃　Carl　Lee　whispered　to　Jake。
　〃I'll　explain　later；〃　Jake　said。
　The　two　alternates　were　called　and　seated　next　to　the　jury　box。
　〃What's　the　black　dude　for？〃　Carl　Lee　whispered；　nodding　at　the　alternate。
　〃I'll　explain　later；〃　Jake　said。
　Noose　cleared　his　throat　and　looked　down　at　his　new　jury。　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　you　have　been　carefully　selected　to　serve　as　jurors　in　this　case。　You　have　been　sworn　to　fairly　try　all　issues　presented　before　you　and　to　follow　the　law　as　I　instruct。　Now；　according　to　Mississippi　law；　you　will　be　sequestered　until　this　trial　is　over。　This　means　you　will　be　housed　in　a　motel　and　will　not　be　allowed　to　return　home　until　it's　over。　I　realize　this　is　an　extreme　hardship；　but　it's　one　the　law　requires。　In　just　a　few　moments　we　will　recess　until　in　the　morning；　and　you　will　be　given　the　chance　to　call　home　and　order　your　clothes；　toiletries；　and　whatever　else　you　need。　Each　night　you　will　stay　in　a　motel　at　an　undisclosed　location　outside　of　Clanton。　Any　questions？〃
　The　twelve　appeared　dazed；　bewildered　by　the　thought　of　not　going　home　for　several　days。　They　thought　of　families；　kids；　jobs；　laundry。　Why　them？　Out　of　all　those　people　in　the　courtroom；　why　them？
　With　no　response；　Noose　banged　his　gavel　and　the
　courtroom　began　to　empty；
　juror　to　the　judge's　chambers；　where　she　called　home　and
　ordered　clothes　and　a　toothbrush。
　〃Where　are　we　going？〃　she　asked　Jean。
　〃It's　confidential；〃　Jean　said。
　〃It's　confidential；〃　she　repeated　over　the　phone　to　her　husband。
　By　seven；　the　families　had　responded　with　a　wild　assortment　of　luggage　and　boxes。　The　chosen　ones　loaded　a　chartered　Greyhound　bus　outside　the　rear　door。　Preceded　by　two　patrol　cars　and　an　army　jeep　and　followed　by　three　state　troopers；　the　bus　circled　the　square　and　left　Clanton。
　Stump　Sisson　died　Tuesday　night　at　the　burn　hospital　in　Memphis。　His　short；　fat　body　had　been　neglected　over　the　years　and　proved　itself　deficient　in　resisting　the　plications　bred　by　the　serious　burns。　His　death　brought　to　four　the　number　of　fatalities　related　to　the　rape　of　Tonya　Hailey。　Cobb；　Willard；　Bud　Twitty；　and　now　Sisson。
　Immediately；　word　of　his　death　reached　the　cabin　deep　in　the　woods　where　the　patriots　met；　ate；　and　drank　each　night　after　the　trial。　Revenge；　they　vowed；　an　eye　for　an　eye　and　so　on。　There　were　new　recruits　from　Ford　County…five　in　all…making　a　total　of　eleven　local　boys。　They　were　eager　and　hungry；　and　wanted　some　action。
　The　trial　had　been　too　quiet　so　far。　It　was　time　for　excitement。
　Jake　paced　in　front　of　the　couch　and　delivered　his　opening　statement　for　the　hundredth　time。　Ellen　listened　intently。　She　had　listened；　interrupted；　objected；　criticized；　and　argued　for　two　hours。　She　was　tired　now。　He　had　it　perfect。　The　margaritas　had　calmed　him　and　plated　his　tongue　silver。　The　words　flowed　smoothly。　He　was　gifted。　Especially　after　a　drink　or　two。
　When　he　finished　they　sat　on　the　balcony　and　watched　the　candles　inch　slowly　in　the　darkness　around　the　square。　The　laughter　from　the　poker　games　under　the　pavilions　echoed　softly　through　the　night。　There　was　no　moon。
　Ellen　left　for　the　final　round　of　drinks。　She　returned　with　her　same　beer　mugs　filled　with　ice　and　margaritas。　She　sat　them　on　the　table　and　stood　behind　her　boss。　She　placed　her　hands　on　his　shoulders　and　began　rubbing　the　lower　part　of　his　neck　with　her　thumbs。　He　relaxed　and　moved　his　head　from　side　to　side。　She　massaged　his　shoulders　and　upper　back；　and　pressed　her　body　against　his。
　〃Ellen；　it's　ten…thirty；　and　I'm　sleepy。　Where　are　you　staying　tonight？〃
　〃Where　do　you　think　I　should　stay？〃
　〃I　think　you　should　stay　at　your　apartment　at　Ole　Miss。〃
　〃I'm　too　drunk　to　drive。〃
　〃Nesbit　will　drive　you。〃
　〃Where；　may　I　ask；　are　you　staying？〃
　〃At　the　house　my　wife　and　I　own　on　Adams　Street。〃
　She　stopped　rubbing　and　grabbed　her　drink。　Jake　stood　and　leaned　over　the　rail　and　yelled　at　Nesbit。　〃Nesbit！　Wake　up！　You're　driving　to　Oxford！〃
　Carla　found　the　story　on　the　second　page　of　the　front　section。　〃All　White　Jury　Chosen　for　Hailey〃　read　the　headline。　Jake　had　not　called　Tuesday　night。　She　read　the　story　and　ignored　her　coffee。　The　beach　house　sat　by　itself　in　a　semisecluded　area　of　the　beach。　The　nearest　neighbor　was　two　hundred　yards　away。　Her　father　owned　the　land　in　between　and　had　no　plans　to　sell　it。　He　had　built　the　house　ten　years　earlier　when　he　sold　his　pany　in　Knoxville　and　retired　wealthy。　Carla　was　the　only　child；　and　now　Hanna　would　be　the　only　grandchild。　The　house…with　four　bedrooms　and　four　bathrooms　scattered　over　three　levels…had　room　for　a　dozen　grandchildren。
　She　finished　the　article　and　walked　to　the　bay　windows　in　the　breakfast　room　overlooking　the　beach；　and　then　the　ocean。　The　brilliant　orange　mass　of　the　sun　had　just　cleared　the　horizon。　She　preferred　the　warmth　of　the　bed　until　well　after　daybreak；　but　life　with　Jake　had　brought　new　adventure　to　the　first　seven　hours　of　each　day。　Her　body　was　conditioned　to　at　least　wake　up　at　five…thirty。　He　once　told　her　his　goal　was　to　go　to　work　in　the　dark　and　return　from　work　in　the　dark。　He　usually　achieved　this　goal。　He　took　great　pride　in　working　more　hours　each　day　than　any　lawyer　in　Ford　County。　He　was　different；　but　she　loved　him。
　Forty…eight　miles　northeast　of　Clanton；　the　Milburn　county　seat　of　Temple　lay　peacefully　beside　the　Tippah　River。　It　had　three　thousand　people　and　two　motels。　The　Temple　Inn　was　deserted；　there　being　no　moral　reason　to　be　there　this　time　of　year。　At　the　end　of　one　secluded　wing；　eight　rooms　were　occupied　and　guarded