〃Sir； is there any evidence of additional gunmen？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Really！ Who？〃
〃We have evidence that the shootin's were authorized and financed by an offshoot of the Black Panthers；〃 Moss Junior replied with a straight face。
Half the reporters would either stutter or stare blankly while the other half repeated what he said and scribbled furiously。
Bullard refused to leave his office or take calls。 He called Jake again and begged him to waive the preliminary。 Jake refused。 Reporters waited in the lobby of Bullard's office on the first floor of the courthouse； but he was safe with his vodka behind the locked door。
There was a request to film the funeral。 The Cobb boys said yes； for a fee； but Mrs。 Willard vetoed the proposal。 The reporters waited outside the funeral home and filmed what they could。 Then they followed the procession to the grave sites； and filmed the burials； and followed the mourners to Mrs。 Cobb's； where Freddie； the oldest； cursed them and made them leave。
The Coffee Shop on Wednesday was silent。 The regulars； including Jake； eyed the strangers who had invaded their sanctuary。 Most of them had beards； spoke with unusual accents； and did not order grits。
〃Aren't you Mr。 Hailey's attorney？〃 shouted one from across the room。
Jake worked on his toast and said nothing。
〃Aren't you？ Sir？〃
〃What if I am？〃 shot Jake。
〃Will he plead guilty？〃
〃I'm eating breakfast。〃
〃Will he？〃
〃No ment。〃
〃Why no ment？〃
〃No ment。〃
〃But why？〃
〃I don't ment during breakfast。 No ment。〃
〃May I talk to you later？〃
〃Yeah； make an appointment。 I talk at sixty bucks an hour。〃
The regulars hooted； but the strangers were undaunted。
Jake consented to an interview； without charge； with a Memphis paper Wednesday； then barricaded himself in the
war room and prepared for the preliminary hearing。 At noon he visited his famous client at the jail。 Carl Lee was rested and relaxed。 From his cell he could see the ing and going of the reporters in the parking lot。
〃How's jail？〃 Jake asked。
〃Not that bad。 Food's good。 I eat with Ozzie in his office。〃
〃You what！〃
〃Yep。 Play cards too。〃
〃You're kidding； Carl Lee。〃
〃Nope。 Watch TV too。 Saw you on the news last night。 You looked real good。 I'm gonna make you famous； Jake； ain't I？〃
Jake said nothing。
〃When do I get on TV？ I mean； I did the killin' and you and Ozzie gettin' famous for it。〃 The client was grinning… the lawyer was not。
〃Today； 4n about an hour。〃
〃Yeah； I heard we's goin' to court。 What for？〃
〃Preliminary hearing。 It's no big deal； at least it's not supposed to be。 This one will be different because of the cameras。〃
〃What do I say？〃
〃Nothing！ You don't say a word to anyone。 Not to the judge； the prosecutor； the reporters； anyone。 We just listen。 We listen to the prosecutor and see what kind of case he's got。 They're supposed to have an eyewitness； and he might testify。 Ozzie will testify and tell the judge about the gun； the fingerprints； and Looney…〃
〃How's Looney？〃
〃Don't know。 Worse than they thought。〃
〃Man； I feel bad 'bout shootin' Looney。 I didn't even see the man。〃
〃Well； they're going to charge you with aggravated assault for shooting Looney。 Anyway； the preliminary is just a formality。 Its purpose is to allow the judge to determine if there's enough evidence to bind you over to the grand jury。 Bullard always does that； so it's just a formality。〃
〃Then why do it？〃
〃We could waive it；〃 replied Jake； thinking of all the
cameras he would miss。 〃But I don't like to。 It's a good chance to see what kind of case the State has。〃
〃Well； Jake； I'd say they gotta pretty good case； wouldn't you？〃
〃I would think so。 But let's just listen。 That's the strategy of a preliminary hearing。 Okay？〃
〃Sounds good to me。 You talked to Gwen or Lester today？〃
〃No； I called them Monday night。〃
〃They were here yesterday in Ozzie's office。 Said they'd be in court today。〃
〃I think everyone will be in court today。〃
Jake left。 In the parking lot he brushed by some of the reporters who were awaiting Carl Lee's departure from jail。 He had no ments for them and no ments for the reporters waiting outside his office。 He was too busy at the moment for questions； but he was very aware of the cameras。 At one…thirty he went to the courthouse and hid in the law library on the third floor。
Ozzie and Moss Junior and the deputies watched the parking lot and quietly cursed the mob of reporters and cameramen。 It was one forty…five； time to transport the prisoner to court。
〃Kinda reminds me of a buncha vultures waitin' for a dead dog beside the highway；〃 Moss Junior observed as he gazed through the blinds。
〃Rudest buncha folks I ever saw；〃 added Prather。 〃Won't take no for an answer。 They expect the whole town to cater to them。〃
〃And that's only half of them…other half s waitin' at the courthouse。〃
Ozzie hadn't said much。 One newspaper had criticized him for the shooting； implying the security around the courthouse was intentionally relaxed。 He was tired of the press。 Twice Wednesday he had ordered reporters out of the jail。
〃I got an idea；〃 he said。
〃What？〃 asked Moss Junior。
〃Is Curtis Todd still in jail？〃
〃Yep。 Gets out next week。〃
〃He sorta favors Carl Lee； don't he？〃
〃Whatta you mean？〃
〃Well； I mean； he's 'bout as black as Carl Lee； roughly the same height and weight； ain't he？〃
〃Yeah； well； so what？〃 asked Prather。
Moss Junior grinned and looked at Ozzie； whose eyes never left the window。 〃Ozzie； you wouldn't。〃
〃What？〃 asked Prather。
〃Let's go。 Get Carl Lee and Curtis Todd；〃 Ozzie ordered。 〃Drive my car around back。 Bring Todd here for some instructions。〃
Ten minutes later the front door of the jail opened and a squad of deputies escorted the prisoner down the sidewalk。 Two deputies walked in front； two behind； and one on each side of the man with the thick sunglasses and handcuffs； which were not fastened。 As they approached the reporters； the cameras clicked and rolled。 The questions flew：
〃Sir； will you plead guilty？〃
〃Sir； will you plead not guilty？〃
〃Sir； how will you plead？〃
〃Mr。 Hailey； will you plead insanity？〃
The prisoner smiled and continued the slow walk to the waiting patrol cars。 The deputies smiled grimly and ignored the mob。 The photographers scrambled about trying to get the perfect shot of the most famous vigilante in the country。
Suddenly； with the nation watching； with deputies all around him； with dozens of reporters recording his every move； the prisoner broke and ran。 He jolted； jumped； twisted； and squirmed； running wildly across the parking lot； over a ditch； across the highway； into some trees and out of sight。 The reporters shouted and broke ranks and several even chased him for a moment。 Curiously； the deputies ran back to the jail and slammed the door； leaving the vultures roaming in circles of disarray。 In the woods； the prisoner removed the handcuffs and walked home。 Curtis Todd had just been paroled one week early。
Ozzie； Moss Junior； and Carl Lee quickly left through the rear of the jail and drove down a back street to the courthouse； where more deputies waited to escort him into the courthouse。
〃How many niggers out there？〃 Bullard screamed at Mr。 Pate。
〃A ton。〃
〃Wonderful！ A ton of niggers。 I guess there's a ton of rednecks too？〃
〃Quite a few。〃
〃Is the courtroom full？〃
〃Packed。〃
〃My God…it's only a preliminary！〃 Bullard screamed。 He finished a half pint of vodka as Mr。 Pate handed him another one。
〃Take it easy； Judge。〃
〃Brigance。 It's all his fault。 He could waive this if he wanted to。 I asked him to。 Asked him twice。 He knows I'll send it to the grand jury。 He knows that。 All lawyers know that。 But now I gotta make all the niggers mad because I won't turn him loose； and I'll make all the rednecks mad because I won't execute him today in the courtroom。 I'll get Brigance for this。 He's playing for the cameras。 I have to get reelected； but he doesn't； does he？〃
〃No； Judge。〃
〃How many officers out there？〃
〃Plenty。 Sheriffs called in the reserves。 You're safe。〃
〃How about the press？〃
〃They're lined up on the front rows。〃
〃No cameras！〃
〃No cameras