A Time for Mercy (Jake Brigance #3) - John Grisham Page 0,146

no. I haven’t ventured outside the county.”

“How much?”

“I have an appraisal, one of those friendly ones from Bob Skinner, at three hundred thousand.”

“How much do you owe?”

“Two twenty.”

“That’s a lot for Clanton.”

“It sure is. I paid too much for the house but then we really wanted it. I could put it on the market now but I doubt it would sell. I don’t suppose Carla would be too happy about that.”

“No, she wouldn’t. Don’t sell, Jake. I’ll call the folks at Third Federal and get it refinanced.”

“Just like that?”

“It’s easy. Hell, I’m the second largest stockholder, Jake. They’ll do the favor for me.”

“I don’t know what to say, Lucien.”

“Say nothing. But that’s an even bigger loan, Jake. Can you handle it?”

“Probably not, but I’m out of options.”

“You’re not going out of business, Jake. You’re the son I never had, and at times I feel as though I live vicariously through you. This office will not close.”

A wave of emotion swept over Jake and he couldn’t speak. A long moment passed as both men looked away. Finally, Lucien said, “Let’s go sit on the porch and have a drink. We need to talk.”

With a scratchy voice, Jake said, “Okay, but I’ll stick with coffee.”

Lucien left and Jake shuffled to the door and stepped onto the veranda with a grand view of the square and the courthouse. Lucien returned with a whiskey on the rocks and sat next to him. They watched the late afternoon traffic and the same old men whittling and spitting tobacco juice under an ancient oak next to the gazebo.

Jake said, “You called it a ‘secret.’ Why?”

“How many times have I told you not to do your banking in this town? Too many people see what you do and know your balances. You settle a nice case, rake in a nice fee, and someone will see a big deposit at the bank. People talk, especially around here. You have a few bad months and your accounts get low, and too many people know it. I’ve advised you to bank out of town.”

“I really had no choice. I get loans from Security because I know the banker.”

“I’m not going to argue. But one day, when you’re back on your feet, get the hell away from these banks.”

Jake was not in the mood to argue either. Lucien was troubled and wanted to discuss something important. They watched the traffic for a moment, then Lucien said, “Sallie left me, Jake. She’s gone.”

Jake was surprised but then he wasn’t. “I’m sorry, Lucien.”

“It was sort of a mutual breakup. She’s thirty years old and I’ve encouraged her to find another man, a husband, and start a family. Wasn’t much of a life living with me, you know? She moved in when she was eighteen years old, started off as a housekeeper, and one thing led to another. I grew very fond of her, as you know.”

“I’m sorry, Lucien. I like Sallie, figured she would always be around.”

“I bought her a car, wrote her a nice check, and waved goodbye. Damned place is awfully quiet these days. But I’ll probably find someone else.”

“Sure you will. Where did she go?”

“She wouldn’t say, but I was suspicious. I think she’s already found someone else and I’m trying to convince myself that’s a good thing. She needs a family, a real husband, kids. I couldn’t stand the thought of her taking care of me in my decline. Driving me to the doctor, doling out pills, catheters, bedpans.”

“Come on, Lucien, you’re not ready for the end. You have some good years left.”

“For what? I loved the law and I miss the glory days, but I’m too old and too set in my ways to make a comeback. Can you imagine an old geezer like me trying to pass the bar exam? I’d flunk it and that would kill me.”

“You could at least try,” Jake said but without conviction. The last thing he needed was Lucien with a new law degree causing trouble around the office.

Lucien raised his glass and said, “Too much of this, Jake, and the brain is not what it used to be. Two years ago I hit the books and was determined to pass the exam, but the memory is not working. I couldn’t remember statutes from one week to the next. You know how taxing it is.”

“Yes I do,” Jake said, recalling, with horror, the pressures of the bar exam. His best friend from law school flunked it twice and moved to