John Grisham - A time to kill

"No."

"It's true. We laid next to each other in a hospital in Saigon for two months, then got our black asses outta Vietnam. Don't plan to go back."

Ozzie was listening intently.

"And now that my man is in trouble, I'd like to help."

"Did he get the M-16 from you?"

Tiny grunted and Cat smiled. "Of course not."

"Would you like to see him?"

"Why sure. It's that easy?"

"Yep. If you can move Tiny away from that door, I'll get him."

Tiny stepped aside, and two minutes later Ozzie was back with the prisoner. Cat yelled at him, hugged him, and they patted each other like boxers. Carl Lee looked awkwardly at Ozzie, who took the hint and left. Tiny again closed the door and stood guard. Carl Lee moved two chairs together so they could face each other closely and talk.

Cat spoke first. "I'm proud of you, big man, for what you did. Real proud. Why didn't you tell me that's why you wanted the gun?"

"Just didn't."

"How was it?"

"Just like 'Nam, except they couldn't shoot back."

"That's the best way."

"Yeah, I guess. I just wish none of this had to happen."

"You ain't sorry, are you?"

Carl Lee rocked in his chair and studied the ceiling. "I'd do it over, so I got no regrets about that. I just wish they hadn't messed with my little girl. I wish she was the same. I wish none of it ever happened."

"Right, right. It's gotta be tough on you here."

"I ain't worried 'bout me. I'm real concerned with my family."

"Right, right. How's the wife?"

"She's okay. She'll make it."

"I saw in the paper where the trial's in July. You been in the paper more than me here lately."

"Yeah, Cat. But you always get off. I ain't so sure 'bout me."

"You gotta good lawyer, don't you?"

"Yeah. He's good."

Cat stood and walked around the office, admiring Oz-zie's trophies and certificates. "That's the main reason I came to see you, my man."

"What's that?" Carl Lee asked, unsure of what his friend had in mind, but certain his visit had a purpose.

"Carl Lee, you know how many times I been on trial?"

"Seems like all the time."

"Five! Five times they put me on trial. The federal boys. The state boys. The city boys. Dope, gamblin', bribery, guns, racketeerin', whores. You name it, and they've tried me for it. And you know somethin', Carl Lee, I've been guilty of it all. Evertime I've gone to trial, I've been guilty as hell. You know how many times I been convicted?"

"No."

"None! Not once have they got me. Five trials, five not guilties."

Carl Lee smiled with admiration.

"You know why they can't convict me?"

Carl Lee had an idea, but he shook his head anyway.

"Because, Carl Lee, I got the smartest, meanest,

illinium lawyer in inese pans, ne plays dirty, and the cops hate him. But I'm sittin' here instead of some prison. He'll do whatever it takes to win a case."

"Who is he?" Carl Lee asked eagerly.

"You've seen him on television walkin' in and outta court. He's in the papers all the time. Evertime some big-shot crook gets in trouble, he's there. He gets the drug dealers, the politicians, me, all the big-time thugs."

"What's his name?"

"He handles nothin' but criminal cases, mainly dope, bribery, extortion, stuff like that. But you know what his favorite is?"

"What?"

"Murder. He loves murder cases. Ain't never lost one. Gets all the big ones in Memphis. Remember when they caught those two niggers throwin' a dude off the bridge into the Mississippi. Caught them redhanded. 'Bout five years ago?"

"Yeah, I remember."

"Had a big trial for two weeks, and they got off. He was the man. Walked them outta there. Not guilty."

"I think I remember seein' him on TV."

"Sure you did. He's a bad dude, Carl Lee. I'm tellin' you the man never loses."

"What's his name?"

Cat landed in his chair and stared solemnly into Carl Lee's face. "Bo Marsharfsky," he said.

Carl Lee gazed upward as if he remembered the name. "So what?"

Cat laid five fingers with eight carats on Carl Lee's knee. "So he wants to help you, my man."

"I already got one lawyer I can't pay. How I'm gonna pay another?"

"You ain't gotta pay, Carl Lee. That's where I come in. He's on my retainer all the time. I own him. Paid the guy 'bout a hundred thousand last year just to keep me outta trouble. You don't pay."

Suddenly, Carl Lee had a keen interest in Bo Marsharfsky. "How does he know 'bout me?"

"Because he reads the paper and watches the tube. You

know how lawyers are. I was in his office yesterday and he was studyin' the paper with your picture on the front. I told him 'bout me and you. He went crazy. Said he had to have your case. I said I would help."

"And that's why you're here?"

"Right, right. He said he knew just the folks to get you off."

"Like who?"

"Doctors, psychiatrists, folks like that. He knows them all."

"They cost money."

"I'll pay for it, Carl Lee! Listen to me! I'll pay for it all. You'll have the best lawyer and doctors money can buy, and your old pal Cat will pay the tab. Don't worry 'bout money!"

"But I gotta good lawyer."

"How old is he?"

"I guess 'bout thirty."

Cat rolled his eyes in amazement. "He's a child, Carl Lee. He ain't been outta school long enough. Marsharfsky's fifty, and he's handled more murder cases than your boy'll ever see. This is your life, Carl Lee. Don't trust it to no rookie."

Suddenly, Jake was awful young. But then there was Lester's trial when Jake had been even younger.

"Look, Carl Lee, I been in many trials, and that crap is complicated and technical. One mistake and your ass is gone. If this kid misses one trick, it might be the difference between life and death. You can't afford to have no young kid in there hopin' he don't mess up. One mistake," Cat snapped his fingers for special effect, "and you're in the gas chamber. Marsharfsky don't make mistakes."

Carl Lee was on the ropes. "Would he work with my lawyer?" he asked, seeking compromise.

"No! No way. He don't work with nobody. He don't need no help. Your boy'd be in the way."

Carl Lee placed his elbows on his knees and stared at his feet. A thousand bucks for a doctor would be impossible. He did not understand the need for one since he had not felt insane at the time, but evidently one would be necessary. Everyone seemed to think so. A thousand bucks for a cheap doctor. Cat was offering the best money could buy.

i naic 10 uo mis 10 my lawyer, ne muttered quietly.

"Don't be stupid, man," Cat scolded. "You better be lookin' out for Carl Lee and to hell with this child. This ain't no time to worry 'bout hurtin' feelin's. He's a lawyer, forget him. He'll get over it."

"But I already paid him-"

"How much?" Cat demanded, snapping his fingers at Tiny.

"Nine hundred bucks."

Tiny produced a wad of cash, and Cat peeled off nine one-hundred-dollar bills and stuffed them in Carl Lee's shirt pocket. "Here's somethin' for the kids," he said as he unraveled a one-thousand-dollar bill and stuffed it with the rest.

Carl Lee's pulse jumped as he thought of the cash covering his heart. He felt it move in the pocket and press gently against his chest. He wanted to look at the big bill and hold it firmly in his hand. Food, he thought, food for his kids.

"We gotta deal?" Cat asked with a smile.

"You want me to fire my lawyer and hire yours?" he asked carefully.

"Right, right."

"And you gonna pay for everthing?"

"Right, right."

"What about this money?"

"It's yours. Lemme know if you need more."

"Mighty nice of you, Cat."

"I'm a very nice man. I'm helpin' two friends. One saved my life many years ago, and the other saves my ass ever two years."

"Why does he want my case so bad?"