e deputies were finished with their food； and Jake excused himself。 He hugged Dell； paid his check； and for a second thought of driving home to check on Hanna。
At three minutes before seven； he unlocked his office and turned on the lights。
Carl Lee had difficulty sleeping on the couch in the waiting room。 Tonya was serious but stable。 They had seen her at midnight； after the doctor warned that she looked bad。 She did。 Gwen had kissed the little bandaged face while Carl Lee stood at the foot of the bed； subdued； motionless； unable to do anything but stare blankly at the small figure surrounded by machines； tubes； and nurses。 Gwen was later sedated and taken to her mother's house in Clanton。 The boys went home with Gwen's brother。
The crowd had dispersed around one； leaving Carl Lee alone on the couch。 Ozzie brought coffee and doughnuts at two； and told Carl Lee all he knew about Cobb and Willard。
Jake's office was a two…story building in a row of two…story buildings overlooking the courthouse on the north side of the square； just down from the Coffee Shop。 The building was built by the Wilbanks family back in the 1890s； back when they owned Ford County。 And there had been a Wilbanks practicing law in the building from the day it was built until 1979； the year of the disbarment。 Next door to the east was an insurance agent Jake had sued for botching a
claim for Tim Nunley； the mechanic down at the Chevrolet place。 To the west was the bank with the mortgage on the Saab。 All the buildings around the square were two…story brick except the banks。 The one next door had also been built by the Wilbankses and had just two floors； but the one on the southeast corner of the square had three floors； and the newest one； on the southwest corner； had four floors。
Jake practiced alone； and had since 1979； the year of the disbarment。 He liked it that way； especially since there was no other lawyer in Clanton petent enough to practice with him。 There were several good lawyers in town； but most were with the Sullivan firm over in the bank building with four floors。 Jake detested the Sullivan firm。 Every lawyer detested the Sullivan firm except those in it。 There were eight in all； eight of the most pompous and arrogant jerks Jake had ever met。 Two had Harvard degrees。 They had the big farmers； the banks； the insurance panies； the railroads； everybody with money。 The other fourteen lawyers in the county picked up the scraps and represented people… living； breathing human souls； most of whom had very little money。 These were the 〃street lawyers〃…those in the trenches helping people in trouble。 Jake was proud to be a street lawyer。
His offices were huge。 He used only five of the ten rooms in the building。 Downstairs there was a reception room； a large conference room； a kitchen； and a smaller storage and junk room。 Upstairs； Jake had his vast office and another smaller office he referred to as the war room。 It had no windows； no telephones； no distractions。 Three offices sat empty upstairs and two downstairs。 In years past these had been occupied by the prestigious Wilbanks firm； long before the disbarment。 Jake's office upstairs； the office； was immense； thirty by thirty with a ten…foot hardwood ceiling； hardwood floors； huge fireplace； and three desks…his work desk； a small conference desk in one corner； and a rolltop desk in another corner under the portrait of William Faulkner。 The antique oak furniture had been there for almost a century； as had the books and shelves that covered one wall。 The view of the square and courthouse was impressive； and could be enhanced by opening the French doors and walking onto a small balcony overhanging the sidewalk next to Wash…
ington Street。 Jake had； without a doubt； the finest office in Clanton。 Even his bitter enemies in the Sullivan firm would concede that much。
For all the opulence and square footage； Jake paid the sum of four hundred dollars a month to his landlord and former boss； Lucien Wilbanks； who had been disbarred in 1979。
For decades the Wilbanks family ruled Ford County。 They were proud； wealthy people； prominent in farming； banking； politics； and especially law。 All the Wilbanks men were lawyers； and were educated at Ivy League schools。 They founded banks； churches； schools； and several served in public office。 The firm of Wilbanks & Wilbanks had been the most powerful and prestigious in north Mississippi for many years。
Then came Lucien。 He was the only male Wilbanks of his generation。 There was a sister and some nieces； but they were expected only to marry well。 Great things were expected of Lucien as a child； but by the third grade it was evident he would be a different Wilbanks。 He inherited the law firm in 1965 when his father and uncle were killed in a plane crash。 Although he was forty； he had just recently； several months prior to their deaths；…pleted his study of the law by correspondence courses。 Somehow he passed the bar exam。 He took control of the firm and clients began disappearing。 Big clients； like insurance panies； banks； and farmers； all left and went to the newly established Sullivan firm。 Sullivan had been a junior partner in the Wilbanks firm until Lucien fired him and evicted him； after which he left with the other junior partners and most of the clients。 Then Lucien fired everyone else…associates； secretaries； clerks…everyone but Ethel Twitty； his late father's favorite secretary。
Ethel and John Wilbanks had been very close through the years。 In fact she had a younger son who greatly resembled Lucien。 The poor fellow spent most of his time in and out of various nut houses。 Lucien jokingly referred to him as his retarded brother。 After the plane crash； the retarded brother appeared in Clanton and started telling folks he was the illegitimate son of John Wilbanks。 Ethel was humiliated； but couldn't control him。 Clanton seethed with scandal。 A
lawsuit was filed by the Sullivan firm as counsel for the retarded brother seeking a portion of the estate。 Lucien was furious。 A trial ensued； and Lucien vigorously defended his honor and pride and family name。 He also vigorously defended his father's estate； all of which had been left to Lucien and his sister。 At trial the jury noted the striking resemblance between Lucien and Ethel's son； who was several years younger。 The retarded brother was strategically seated as close as possible to Lucien。 The Sullivan lawyers instructed him to walk； talk； sit； and do everything just like Lucien。 They even dressed him like Lucien。 Ethel and her husband denied the boy was any kin to the Wilbanks； but the jury felt otherwise。 He was found to be an heir of John Wilbanks； and was awarded one third of the estate。 Lucien cursed the jury； slapped the poor boy； and was carried screaming from the courtroom and taken to jail。 The jury's decision was reversed and dismissed on appeal； but Lucien feared more litigation if Ethel ever changed her story。 Thus； Ethel Twitty remained with the Wilbanks firm。
Lucien was satisfied when the firm disintegrated。 He never intended to practice law like his ancestors。 He wanted to be a criminal lawyer； and the old firm's clientele had bee strictly corporate。 He wanted the rapes； the murders； the child abuses； the ugly cases no one else wanted。 He wanted to be a civil rights lawyer and litigate civil liberties。 But most of all； Lucien wanted to be a radical； a flaming radical of a lawyer with unpopular cases and causes； and lots of attention。
He grew a beard； divorced his wife； renounced his church； sold his share of the country club； joined the NAACP and ACLU； resigned from the bank board； and in general became the scourge of Clanton。 He sued the schools because of segregation； the governor because of the prison； the city because it refused to pave streets in the black section； the bank because there were no black tellers； the state because of capital punishment； and the factories because they would not recognize organized labor。 He fought and won many criminal cases； and not just in Ford County。 His reputation spread； and a large following developed among blacks； poor whites； and the few unions in north Mississippi。 He stumbled into some lucrative personal injury and wrong…
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