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！
〃Staff； resources； expertise； experienced trial lawyers who do nothing but capital defense。 Plus we have a number of highly petent doctors we use in these cases。 You name it； we have it。〃
〃How much money do you have to spend？〃
〃That's none of your business。〃
〃Is that so？ Is it Mr。 Hailey's business？ After all； it's his case。 Perhaps Mr。 Hailey would like to know how much you have to spend in his defense。 Would you； Mr。 Hailey？〃
〃Yep。〃
〃All right； Mr。 Reinfeld； how much do you have to spend？〃
Reinfeld squirmed and looked hard at the reverends； who looked hard at Carl Lee。
〃Approximately twenty thousand； so far；〃 Reinfeld admitted sheepishly。
Jake laughed and shook his head in disbelief。 〃Twenty thousand！ Y'all are really serious about this； aren't you？ Twenty thousand！ I thought you guys played in the big leagues。 You raised a hundred and fifty thousand for the cop killer in Birmingham last year。 And he was convicted； by the way。 You spent a hundred thousand for the whore in Shreve…port who killed her customer。 And she； too； was convicted； I might add。 And you think this case is worth only twenty thousand。〃
〃How much do you have to spend？〃 asked Reinfeld。
〃If you can explain to me how that's any of your business； I'll be glad to discuss it with you。〃
Reinfeld started to speak； then leaned forward and rubbed his temples。 〃Why don't you talk to him； Reverend Agee。〃
The reverends stared at Carl Lee。 They wished they were alone with him； with no white folks around。 They could talk to him like he was a nigger。 They could explain things to。 him； tell him to fire this young white boy and get him some
real lawyers。 NAACP lawyers。 Lawyers who knew how to fight for blacks。 But they were not alone with him； and they couldn't curse him。 They had to show respect for the white folks present。 Agee spoke first。
〃Look here； Carl Lee； we tryin' to help you。 We brought in Mr。 Reinfeld here； and he's got all his lawyers and ever…body at your disposal； to help you now。 We ain't got nothin' against Jake here； he's a fine young lawyer。 But he can work with Mr。 Reinfeld。 We don't want you to fire Jake； we just want you to hire Mr。 Reinfeld too。 They can all work together。〃
〃Forget that；〃 said Jake。
Agee paused and looked helplessly at Jake。
〃e on； Jake。 We ain't got nothin' against you。 It's a big chance for you。 You can work with some real big lawyers。 Get some real good experience。 We…〃
〃Let me make it real clear； Reverend。 If Carl Lee wants your lawyers； fine。 But I'm not playing gofer for anyone。 I'm either in or out。 Nothing in between。 My case or your case。 The courtroom is not big enough for me； Reinfeld； and Ru…fus Buckley。〃
Reinfeld rolled his eyes and looked at the ceiling； shaking his head slowly and grinning with an arrogant little smirk。
〃You sayin' it's up to Carl Lee？〃 asked Reverend Agee。
〃Of course it's up to him。 He's hired me。 He can fire me。 He's already done it once。 I'm not the one facing the gas chamber。〃
〃How 'bout it； Carl Lee？〃 asked Agee。
Carl Lee uncrossed his arms and stared at Agee。 〃This twenty thousand； what's it for？〃
〃Really； it's more like thirty thousand；〃 answered Reinfeld。 〃The local folks have pledged another ten thousand。 The money will be used for your defense。 None of it's attorney fees。 We'll need two or three investigators。 Two； maybe three； psychiatric experts。 We often use a jury psychologist to assist us in selecting the jury。 Our defenses are very expensive。〃
〃Uh huh。 How much money has been raised by local people？〃 asked Carl Lee。
〃About six thousand；〃 answered Reinfeld。
〃Who collected mis money：
Reinfeld looked at Agee。 〃The churches；〃 answered the reverend。
〃Who collected the money from the churches？〃 asked Carl Lee。
〃We did；〃 answered Agee。
〃You mean； you did；〃 said Carl Lee。
〃Well； uh； right。 I mean； each church gave the money to me； and I deposited it in a special bank account。〃
〃Yeah； and you deposited every nickel you received？〃
〃Of course I did。〃 。
〃Of course。 Let me ask you this。 How much of the money have you offered to my wife and kids？〃
Agee looked a bit pale； or as pale as possible； and quickly searched the faces of the other reverends； who； at the moment； were preoccupied with a stink bug on the carpet。 They offered no help。 Each knew Agee had been taking his cut； and each knew the family had received nothing。 Agee had profited more 。than the family。 They knew it； and Carl Lee knew it。
〃How much； Reverend？〃 repeated Carl Lee。
〃Well； we thought the money…〃
〃How much； Reverend？〃
〃The money is gonna be spent on lawyer fees and stuff like that。〃
〃That ain't what you told your church； is it？ You said it was for the support of the family。 You almost cried when you talked about how my family might starve to death if the folks didn't donate all they could。 Didn't you； Reverend？〃
〃The money's for you； Carl Lee。 You and your family。 Right now we think it could be better spent on your defense。〃
〃And what if I don't want your lawyers？ What happens to the twenty thousand？〃
Jake chuckled。 〃Good question。 What happens to the money if Mr。 Hailey doesn't hire you； Mr。 Reinfeld？〃
〃It's not my money；〃 answered Reinfeld。
〃Reverend Agee？〃 asked Jake。
The reverend had had enough。 He grew defiant and belligerent。 He pointed at Carl Lee。 〃Listen here； Carl Lee。 We busted our butts to raise this money。 Six thousand bucks
from the poor people of this county； people who didn't have it to give。 We worked hard for this money； and it was given by poor people； your people； people on food stamps and welfare and Medicaid； people who couldn't afford to donate a dime。 But they gave for one reason； and only one reason： they believe in you and what you did； and they want you to walk outta that courtroom a free man。 Don't say you don't want the money。〃
〃Don't preach to me；〃 Carl Lee replied softly。 〃You say the poor folks of this county gave six thousand？〃
〃Right？〃
〃Where'd the rest of the money e from？〃
〃NAACP。 Five thousand from Atlanta； five from Memphis； and five from national。 And it's strictly for your defense fees。〃
〃If I use Mr。 Reinfeld here？〃
〃Right。〃
〃And if I don't use him； the fifteen thousand disappears？〃
〃Right。〃
〃What about the other six thousand？〃
〃Good question。 We ain't discussed that yet。 We thought you'd appreciate us for raisin' money and tryin' to help。 We're offerin' the best lawyers and obviously you don't care。〃
The room was silent for an eternity as the preachers； the lawyers； and the sheriff waited for some message from the defendant。 Carl Lee chewed on his lower lip and stared at the floor。 Jake lit another cigar。 He had been fired before； and he could handle it again。
〃You gotta know right now？〃 Carl Lee asked finally。
〃No；〃 said Agee。
〃Yes；〃 said Reinfeld。 〃The trial is less than three weeks away； and we're two months behind already。 My time is too valuable to wait on you； Mr。 Hailey。 Either you hire me now or forget it。 I've got a plane to catch。〃
〃Well； I'll tell you what you do； Mr。 Reinfeld。 You go and catch your plane and don't ever worry 'bout in' back to Clanton on my behalf。 I'll take my chances with my f