按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
d their prayers。 A few offered money。 Their letters tended to run long as they invariably blasted Jews and blacks and liberals and other conspirators。 Some bitched about taxes； gun control； the national debt。 Some delivered sermons。
Sam was tired of the letters。 He was averaging six per day。 He placed them on the counter as the handcuffs were removed； then asked the guard to unlock a small door in the screen。 The guard shoved the plastic bag through the door and Adam took it on the other side。 The guard left； locking the door behind。
〃What's this？〃 Adam asked； holding the bag。
〃Fan mail。〃 Sam took his regular seat and lit a cigarette。
〃What am I supposed to do with it？〃
〃Read it。 Burn it。 I don't care。 I was cleaning my cell this morning and the stuff got in the way。 I understand you were in New Orleans yesterday。 Tell me about it。〃
Adam placed the letters on a chair； and sat across from Sam。 The temperature outside was a hundred and two； and not much cooler inside the visitors' room。 It was Saturday； and Adam was dressed in jeans； loafers； and a very light cotton polo。 〃The Fifth Circuit called Thursday； and said they wanted to hear from me on Friday。 I went down； dazzled them with my brilliance； and flew back to Memphis this morning。〃
〃When do they rule？〃
〃Soon。〃
〃A three…judge panel？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Who？〃
〃Judy； Robichaux； and McNeely。〃
Sam contemplated the names for a moment。 〃McNeely's an old warrior who'll help us。 Judy's a conservative bitch； oops； sorry； I mean a conservative Female…American； a Republican appointee。 I doubt if she'll help。 I'm not familiar with Robichaux。 Where's he from？〃
〃Southern Louisiana。〃
〃Ah； a Cajun…American。〃
〃I guess。 He's a hard…ass。 He won't help。〃
〃Then we'll lose by two to one。 I thought you said you dazzled them with your brilliance。〃
〃We haven't lost yet。〃 Adam was surprised to hear Sam speak with such familiarity about the individual judges。 But then； he'd been studying the court for many years。
〃Where's the ineffective counsel claim？〃 Sam asked。
〃Still in district court here。 It's a few days behind the other。〃
〃Let's file something else； okay。〃
〃I'm working on it。〃
〃Work fast。 I've got eleven days。 There's a calendar on my wall； and I spend at least three hours a day staring at it。 When I wake up in the morning I make a big X over the date for the day before。 I've got a circle around August 8。 My X's are getting closer to the circle。 Do something。〃
〃I'm working； okay。 In fact； I'm developing a new theory of attack。〃
〃Atta boy。〃
〃I think we can prove you're mentally unbalanced。〃
〃I've been considering that。〃
〃You're old。 You're senile。 You're too calm about this。 Something must be wrong。 You're unable to prehend the reason for your execution。〃
〃We've been reading the same cases。〃
〃Goodman knows an expert who'll say anything for a fee。 We're considering bringing him down here to examine you。〃
〃Wonderful。 I'll pull out my hair and chase butterflies around the room。〃
〃I think we can make a hard run at a mental inpetency claim。〃
〃I agree。 Go for it。 Let's file lots of things。〃
〃I'll do it。〃
Sam puffed and pondered for a few minutes。 They were both sweating； and Adam needed fresh air。 He needed to get in his car with the windows up and turn the air on high。
〃When are you ing back？〃 Sam asked。
〃Monday。 Listen； Sam； this is not a pleasant subject； but we need to address it。 You're gonna die one of these days。 It might be on August 8； or it might be five years from now。 At the rate you're smoking； you can't last for long。〃
〃Smoking is not my most pressing health concern。〃
〃I know。 But your family； Lee and I； need to make some burial arrangements。 It can't be done overnight。〃
Sam stared at the rows of tiny triangles in the screen。 Adam scribbled on a legal pad。 The air conditioner spewed and hissed； acplishing little。
〃Your grandmother was a fine lady； Adam。 I'm sorry you didn't know her。 She deserved better than me。〃
〃Lee took me to her grave。〃
〃I caused her a lot of suffering； and she bore it well。 Bury me next to her； and maybe I can tell her I'm sorry。〃
〃I'll take care of it。〃
〃Do that。 How will you pay for the plot？〃
〃I can handle it； Sam。〃
〃I don't have any money； Adam。 I lost it years ago； for reasons which are probably obvious。 I lost the land and the house； so there are no assets to leave behind。〃
〃Do you have a will？〃
〃Yes。 I prepared it myself。〃
〃We'll look at it next week。〃
〃You promise you'll be here Monday。〃
〃I promise； Sam。 Can I bring you anything？〃
Sam hesitated for a second and almost seemed embarrassed。 〃You know what I'd really like？〃 he asked with a childish grin。
〃What？ Anything； Sam。〃
〃When I was a kid； the greatest thrill in life was an Eskimo Pie。〃
〃An Eskimo Pie？〃
〃Yeah； it's a little ice cream treat on a stick。 Vanilla； with a chocolate coating。 I ate them until I came to this place。 I think they still make them。〃
〃An Eskimo Pie？〃 Adam repeated。
〃Yeah。 I can still taste it。 The greatest ice cream in the world。 Can you imagine how good one would taste right now in this oven？〃
〃Then； Sam； you shall have an Eskimo Pie。〃 〃Bring more than one。〃
〃I'll bring a dozen。 We'll eat 'em right here while we sweat。〃
Sam's second visitor on Saturday was not expected。 He stopped at the guard station by the front gate； and produced a North Carolina driver's license with his picture on it。 He explained to the guard that he was the brother of Sam Cayhall； and had been told he could visit Sam on death row at his convenience between now and the scheduled execution。 He had talked to a Mr。 Holland somewhere deep in Administration yesterday； and Mr。 Holland had assured him the visitation rules were relaxed for Sam Cayhall。 He could visit anytime between H A。m。 and 5 P。m。； any day of the week。 The guard stepped inside and made a phone call。
Five minutes passed as the visitor sat patiently in his rented car。 The guard made two more calls； then copied the registration number of the car onto her clipboard。 She instructed the visitor to park a few feet away； lock his car； and wait by the guard station。 He did so； and within a few minutes a white prison van appeared。 An armed； uniformed guard was behind the wheel； and he motioned for the visitor to get in。
The van was cleared through the double gates at MSU； and driven to the front entrance where two other guards waited。 They frisked him on the steps。 He was carrying no packages or bags。
They led him around the corner and into the empty visitors' room。 He took a seat near the middle of the screen。 〃We'll get Sam；〃 one of the guards said。 〃Take about five minutes。〃
Sam was typing a letter when the guards stopped at his door。 〃Let's go； Sam。 You have a visitor。〃
He stopped typing and stared at them。 His fan was blowing hard and his television was tuned to a baseball game。 〃Who is it？〃 he snapped。
〃Your brother。〃
Sam gently placed the typewriter on the bookshelf and grabbed his jumpsuit。 〃Which brother？〃
〃We didn't ask any questions； Sam。 Just your brother。 Now e on。〃
They handcuffed him and he followed them along the tier。 Sam once had three broth