rying； and just sat at the defense table nodding and trying to smile； unable to do anything else。 From the corner of his eye he could see Musgrove and Buckley removing files； legal pads； and important…looking papers； and throwing it all into their briefcases。 Be gracious； he told himself。
A teenager darted between two deputies； through the door； and ran through the rotunda screaming 〃Not guilty！ Not guilty！〃 He ran to a small balcony over the front _steps and screamed to the masses below 〃Not guilty！ Not guilty！〃 Bedlam erupted。
〃Order； order in the court；〃 Noose was saying when the delayed reaction from the outside came thundering through the windows。
〃Order； order in the courtroom。〃 He tolerated the excitement for another minute； then asked the sheriff to restore order。 Ozzie raised his hands and spoke。 The clapping； hugging and praising died quickly。 Carl Lee released his children and returned to the defense table。 He sat close to his attorney and put his arm around him； grinning and crying at the same time。
Noose smiled at the defendant。 〃Mr。 Hailey； you have been tried by a jury of your peers and found not guilty。 I do not recall any expert testimony that you are now dangerous or in need of further psychiatric treatment。 You are a free man。〃
His Honor looked at the attorneys。 〃If there is nothing further； this court will stand adjourned until August 15。〃
Carl Lee was smothered by his family and friends。 They hugged him； hugged each other； hugged Jake。 They wept unashamedly and praised the Lord。 They told Jake they loved him。
The reporters pressed against the railing and began firing questions at Jake。 He held up his hands； and said he would have no ment。 But there would be a full…blown press conference in his office at 2：00 P。M。
Buckley and Musgrove left through a side door。 The jurors were locked in the jury room to await the last bus ride to the motel。 Barry Acker asked to speak to the sheriff。 Oz…zie met him in the hallway； listened intently； and promised to escort him home and provide protection around the clock。
The reporters assaulted Carl Lee。 〃I just wanna go home；〃 he said over and over。 〃I just wanna go home。〃
The celebration kicked into high gear on the front lawn。 There was singing； dancing； crying； back…slapping； hugging； thanks…giving； congratulating； outright laughing； cheering； chanting； high fives； low fives； and soul brother shakes。 The heavens were praised in one glorious； tumultuous； irreverent jubilee。 They packed closer together in front of the courthouse and waited impatiently for their hero to emerge and bask in his much deserved adulation。
Their patience grew thin。 After thirty minutes of screaming 〃We Want Carl Lee！ We Want Carl Lee！〃 their man appeared at the door。 An ear…splitting； earth…shaking roar greeted him。 He inched forward through the mass with his lawyer and family； and stopped on the top step under the pillars where the plywood platform held a thousand microphones。 The whooping and yelling of twenty thousand voices was deafening。 He hugged his lawyer； and they waved to the sea of screaming faces。
The shouting from the army of reporters was pletely inaudible。 Occasionally； Jake would stop waving and yell something about a press conference in his office at two。
Carl Lee hugged his wife and children； and they waved。 The crowd roared its approval。 Jake slid away and into the courthouse； where he found Lucien and Harry Rex waiting in a corner； away from the mad rush of spectators。 〃Let's get out of here；〃 Jake yelled。 They pushed through the mob； down the hall and out the rear door。 Jake spotted a swarm of reporters on the sidewalk outside his office。
〃Where are you parked？〃 he asked Lucien。 He pointed to a side street； and they disappeared behind the Coffee Shop。
Sallie fried pork chops and green tomatoes； and served them on the porch。 Lucien produced a bottle of expensive cham…
Rex ate with his fingers； gnawing on the bones as if he hadn't seen food in a month。 Jake played with his food and worked on the ice…cold champagne。 After two glasses； he smiled into the distance。 He savored the moment。
〃You look silly as hell；〃 Harry Rex said with a mouthful of pork。
〃Shut up； Harry Rex；〃 Lucien said。 〃Let him enjoy his finest hour。〃
〃He's enjoying it。 Look at that smirk。〃
〃What should I tell the press？〃 Jake asked。
〃Tell them you need some clients；〃 Harry Rex said。
〃Clients will be no problem；〃 Lucien said。 〃They'll line the sidewalks waiting for appointments。〃
〃Why didn't you talk to the reporters in the courthouse？ They had their cameras running and everything。 I started to say something for them；〃 Harry Rex said。
〃I'm sure it would've been a gem；〃 Lucien said。
〃I've got them at my fingertips；〃 Jake said。 〃They're not going anywhere。 We could sell tickets to the press conference and make a fortune。〃
〃Can I sit and watch； please； Jake； please；〃 Harry Rex said。
They argued over whether they should take the antique Bronco or the nasty little Porsche。 Jake said he was not driving。 Harry Rex cursed the loudest； and they loaded into the Bronco。 Lucien found a spot in the rear seat。 Jake rode shotgun and gave instructions。 They hit the back streets； and missed most of the traffic from the square。 The highway was crowded； and Jake directed his driver through a myriad of gravel roads。 They found blacktop； and Harry Rex raced away in the direction of the lake。
〃I have one question； Lucien；〃 Jake said。
〃What？〃
〃And I want a straight answer。〃
〃What？〃
〃Did you cut a deal with Sisco？〃
〃No； my boy； you won it on your own。〃
〃Do you swear？〃
〃I swear to God。 On a stack of Bibles。〃
Jake wanted to believe him； so he dropped it。 They rode in silence； in the sweltering heat； and listened as Harry Rex sang along with the stereo。 Suddenly； Jake pointed and yelled。 Harry Rex slammed on the brakes； made a wild left turn； and sped down another gravel road。
〃Where are we going？〃 Lucien demanded。
〃Just hang on；〃 Jake said as he looked at a row of houses approaching on the right。 He pointed to the second one； and Harry Rex pulled into the driveway and parked under a shade tree。 Jake got out； looked around the front yard； and walked onto the porch。 He knocked on the screen door。
A man appeared。 A stranger。 〃Yeah； whatta you want？〃
〃I'm Jake Brigance； and…〃
The door flew open； and the man rushed onto the porch and grabbed Jake's hand。 〃Nice to meet you； Jake。 I'm Mack Loyd Crowell。 I was on the grand jury that almost didn't indict。 You done a real good job。 I'm proud of you。〃
Jake shook his hand and repeated his name。 Then he
remembered； Mack Loyd Crowell； the man who told Buckley to shut up and sit down in the grand jury。 〃Yeah； Mack Loyd； now I remember。 Thanks。〃
Jake looked awkwardly through the door。
〃You lookin' for Wanda？〃 Crowell asked。
〃Well； yes。 I was just passing by； and remembered her address from the jury research。〃
〃You've e to the right place。 She lives here； and I do too most of the time。 We ain't married or nothing； but we go together。 She's layin' down takin' a nap。 She's pretty wore out。〃
〃Don't wake her；〃 Jake said。
〃She told me what happened。 She won it for you。〃
〃How？ What happened？〃
〃She made them all close their eyes and listen to her。 She told them to pretend that the little girl had blond hair and blue eyes； that the two rapists were black； that they tied her right foot to a tree and her left foot to a fence post； that they raped her repeatedly and cussed her because she was white。 She told them to picture the little girl layin' there beggin' for her daddy while they kicked her in the mouth and knocked out her teeth； broke both jaws； broke her nose。 She said to imagine two drunk blacks pouring beer on her and pissing in her face； and laughing like idiots。 And then she told them to imagine that the little girl belonged to them …their daughter。 She told them to be honest with themselves and to write on a piece of paper whether or not they would kill those black bastards if they got the chance。 And they voted； by secret ballot。 All twelve said they would do the killing。 The foreman counted the votes。 Twelve to zero。 Wanda said she'd sit in that jury room until