A Time for Mercy (Jake Brigance #3) - John Grisham Page 0,145

a hideous shade of dark yellow. Because his nurse had tortured him with constant cold packs on everything swollen, most of his body parts had returned to normal size. The urologist, prodding gently, was impressed with the shrinkage.

He planned the return to his office so that he could park in a back alley and enter through a rear door. The last thing he wanted was to be spotted shuffling along a sidewalk and hiding under a cap and behind oversized sunglasses. He made it safely inside, gave Portia a quick hug, said hello to Bev, the chain-smoker, in her little nicotine den behind the kitchen, and walked gingerly up the stairs to his office. By the time he sat down he was winded. Portia brought him a cup of fresh coffee, gave him a long list of lawyers, judges, and clients he needed to call, and left him alone.

It was June 28, five weeks before the capital murder trial of Drew Allen Gamble. Normally, by now he would have had a discussion with the district attorney about the possibility of a plea bargain, a deal that would negate a trial and all the preparations one would entail. But that conversation was not going to happen. Lowell Dyer could offer nothing but a full guilty plea, and no defense lawyer would allow his client to risk pleading to a death sentence. If Drew did so, his sentencing would be left to the discretion of Judge Omar Noose, who could send him to the gas chamber, or to prison for life without parole, or to a lesser term. Jake had yet to discuss this with Noose and wasn’t sure he would do so. The judge did not want the added pressure of having to hand down the sentence. Leave that for the twelve jurors, good folks who did not worry about getting reelected. Add politics to the mix, and Jake doubted Noose would show much sympathy for a cop killer. Leniency would be out of the question, regardless of the facts.

And what would Jake suggest? Thirty years? Forty years? No sixteen-year-old kid could think in those terms. Jake doubted Drew and Josie would agree to a guilty plea. How would he advise his client? Roll the dice and take your chances with the jury? It took only one determined holdout to hang it up. Could he find such a person? A hung jury meant another trial, and another. A depressing scenario.

He frowned at the list and picked up the phone.

* * *

—

AFTER PORTIA LEFT for the day, Lucien entered, without knocking, and fell into a leather chair opposite Jake. Surprisingly, he was drinking only coffee, though it was almost five. Always sarcastic and acerbic, he was in a good mood and almost sympathetic. They had spoken twice on the phone during the convalescence. After some light chatter he said, “Look, Jake, I’ve been here every day for the past week, and it’s obvious the phone is not ringing as it should be. I’m worried about your practice.”

Jake shrugged and tried to smile. “You’re not the only one. Portia has opened four new files in the month of June. This place is drying up.”

“I’m afraid the town’s turned against you.”

“That, and, as you know, it takes a certain amount of hustling to stay in business. I haven’t been doing much of that.”

“Jake, you’ve never asked me for money.”

“Never thought about it.”

“Let me tell you a secret. My grandfather founded First National Bank in 1880 and built it into the biggest bank in the county. He liked banking, didn’t care for the law. When my father died in 1965, I inherited most of the stock. I hated the bank and the men who ran it, and so I sold out as soon as I could. Sold it to Commerce over in Tupelo. I’m no businessman but I did a smart thing, one that still surprises me. I didn’t take cash because I didn’t need it. The law office was hitting on all cylinders and I was busy, right here at this desk. Typical bank, Commerce got itself sold and merged and all that, and I hung onto the stock. It’s now called Third Federal and I’m the second largest stockholder. The dividends roll in every quarter and they keep me afloat. I have no debts and don’t spend much. I heard you saying something about refinancing your mortgage to get some cash. That still in the works?”

“Not really. The banks here said