A Time for Mercy (Jake Brigance #3) - John Grisham Page 0,121

thinks the boy got messed up in the army. They kicked him out, you know?”

“I know. A dishonorable discharge. But Ozzie liked him and he was a good cop.”

“Willie says Ozzie knew more than he’s lettin’ on. Says all the deputies knew that Kofer was outta control, drinkin’, druggin’, fightin’ in the clubs.”

“That’s the rumor.”

“Ain’t no rumor, Jake. You ever hear of ‘clearin’ a bar’?”

“No.”

“It’s a fool’s game where a bunch of drunk thugs walk into a tonk that ain’t one of theirs. On cue, they start a brawl, start punchin’ folks and just beat the shit out of everybody there, then they hit the door and make their escape. Sort of an extreme version of the Friday Night Fights. It’s supposed to be great fun because you never know what you’re gonna find inside the tonk. Maybe a bunch of old men who can’t fight, maybe some real badasses who break bottles and pool sticks.”

“And Kofer was into it?”

“Oh yeah. He and his crowd were known for clearin’ bars, usually joints outside of the county. A few months back, not long before his demise, they hit a black tonk down in Polk County, just over the line. I guess Kofer, bein’ an upstandin’ officer of the law, didn’t want to get caught in Ford County.”

“They raided a black honky-tonk?”

“Yep, accordin’ to Willie. Joint called the Moondog.”

“I’ve heard of it. I had a client years ago who was charged in a knife fight down there. Rough place.”

“That’s it. Always a big dice game on Saturday night. Kofer and four other white guys came through the door throwin’ punches and kickin’ people. Broke up the dice game. Helluva brawl. Some tough guys, Jake.”

“And they made it out alive?”

“Barely. Some dude pulled a piece and shot the walls. White boys scrambled out and got away.”

“That’s crazy, Carl Lee.”

“Crazy as hell. Lucky they all didn’t get cut or shot.”

“And Willie knew this?”

“Yep, but he’s a cop and he ain’t one to rat on another cop. I don’t think Ozzie heard about it.”

“That’s insane.”

“Well, Kofer was crazy like that and he ran with a tough crowd. You gonna use that at trial?”

“I don’t know. Hang on.” Jake jumped to his feet and walked to the grill where he flipped the chicken and added more sauce. Pastor McGarry met him there and, eager to get away from the women, followed Jake back to the shade with Carl Lee. The conversation shifted from Stuart Kofer to the badminton game where Hanna and Tonya, on one side of the net, were having a bad go of it against the three Hailey boys on the other side. Finally, Tonya yelled at her father to come play and even things out. Carl Lee happily picked up a racket and joined the fun.

At dusk, they gathered around a picnic table and dined on chicken, hot dogs, and potato salad. The talk was of summer things—trips to the lake, fishing, baseball and softball games, family gatherings.

The looming murder trial seemed far away.

29

Four days later, June 12, Meg McGarry gave birth to a healthy baby at the Ford County Hospital. After work, Jake and Carla drove over for a quick visit. They took flowers and a box of chocolates, though food was not needed. The flock at the Good Shepherd Bible Church descended upon the hospital halfway through labor and the waiting room was filling up with casseroles and cakes.

After a brief visit with Meg and a glimpse of the newborn in her mother’s arms, Jake and Carla were obliged to have cake and coffee with the ladies of the church. They stayed longer than they had planned, primarily because Jake was among people who liked him.

* * *

—

THE FOLLOWING DAY, Libby Provine of the Kids Advocacy Foundation arrived from Washington and brought with her an ace psychiatrist from Baylor University. Dr. Thane Sedgwick worked in the field of adolescent criminal behavior and had a résumé an inch thick. Credentials aside, he grew up in rural Texas, near Lufkin, and spoke with a twangy drawl that would never draw attention in north Mississippi. His task was to first spend a few hours with Drew, then prepare a profile. At trial, he would be held in the bullpen until the sentencing phase and brought to the stand in the likely event Drew was found guilty and the defense was fighting for his life.

According to his résumé, Dr. Sedgwick had testified in twenty trials over the past thirty years, always in last-ditch efforts