said calmly. "The cameras will be here in sixty days, even ninety days. They won't forget about you. You can give interviews, hold press conferences, preach sermons, everything. The works. But don't worry so much. You'll get your chance."
Buckley's eyes narrowed and his face reddened. He took three steps in Jake's direction. "If I'm not mistaken, Mr. Brigance, you've given more interviews and seen more cameras than I have during the past week."
"I know, and you're jealous, aren't you?"
"No, I'm not jealous! I don't care about the cameras-"
"Since when?"
"Gentlemen, please," Noose interrupted. "This promises to be a long, emotional case. I expect my attorneys to act like professionals. Now, my calendar is congested. The only opening I have is the week of July 22. Does that present a problem?"
"We can try it that week," said Musgrove.
Jake smiled at Buckley and flipped through his pocket calendar. "Looks good to me."
Chapter Nine
"Fine. All motions must be filed and pretrial matters disposed of by Monday, July 8. Arraignment is set for tomorrow at nine. Any questions?"
Jake stood and shook hands with Noose and Musgrove, and left.
After lunch he visited his famous client in Ozzie's office at the jail. A copy of the indictment had been served on Carl Lee in his cell. He had some questions for his lawyer.
"What's capital murder?"
"The worst kind."
"How many kinds are there?"
"Basically three. Manslaughter, regular murder, and capital murder."
"What's manslaughter?"
"Twenty years."
"What's regular murder?"
"Twenty to life."
"What's capital murder?"
"Gas chamber."
"What's aggravated assault on an officer?"
"Life. No parole."
Carl Lee studied the indictment carefully. "You mean I got two gas chambers and a life sentence."
"Not yet. You're entitled to a trial first. Which, by the way, has been set for July 22."
"That's two months away! Why so long?"
"We need the time. It'll take that long to find a psychiatrist who'll say you were crazy. Then Buckley gets to send you to Whitfield to be examined by the State's doctors, and they'll all say you were not crazy at the time. We file motions, Buckley files motions, we have a bunch of hearings. It takes time."
"No way to have it sooner?"
"We don't want it sooner."
"What if I do?" Carl Lee snapped.
Jake studied him carefully. "What's the matter, Dig man?"
"I gotta get outta here, and fast."
"I thought you said jail wasn't so bad."
"It ain't, but I need to get home. Gwen's outta money, can't find a job. Lester's in trouble with his wife. She's callin' all the time, so he won't last much longer. I hate to ask my folk for help."
"But they will, won't they?"
"Some. They got their own problems. You gotta get me outta here, Jake."
"Look, you'll be arraigned in the morning at nine. The trial is July 22, and the date won't be changed, so forget about that. Have I explained the arraignment to you?"
Carl Lee shook his head.
"It won't last twenty minutes. We appear before Judge Noose in the big courtroom. He'll ask you some questions, then ask me some questions. He'll read the indictment to you in open court, and ask if you've received a copy. Then he'll ask you to plead guilty or not guilty. When you answer not guilty, he'll set the trial date. You'll sit down, and me and Buckley will get into a big fight over your bond. Noose will refuse to set a bond, then they'll bring you back to the jail, where you'll stay until the trial."
"What about after the trial?"
Jake smiled. "Naw, you won't be in jail after the trial."
"You promise?"
"Nope. No promises. Any questions about tomorrow?"
"No. Say, Jake, uh, how much money did I pay you?"
Jake hesitated and smelled trouble. "Why do you ask?"
"Just thinkin'."
"Nine hundred, plus a note."
Gwen had less than a hundred dollars. Bills were due and food was low. She had visited on Sunday and cried for an hour. Panic was a part of her life, her makeup, her composition. But he knew they were broke and she was scared. Her family would be of little help, maybe some vegetables from the garden and a few bucks for milk and eggs. When it came to funerals and hospital stays they were very dependable. They were generous and gave of their time freely to wail and moan and put on a show. But when real money was
needed they scattered like chickens. He had little use for her family, and his wasn't much better.
He wanted to ask Jake for a hundred dollars, but decided to wait until Gwen was completely broke. It would be easier then.