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〃Where were my mother's parents？〃
〃I don't know。 They were not from Ford County。 Seems like they lived in Georgia； maybe Florida。〃
〃I've never met them。〃
He pushed the button again and the video continued。 The first trial started in Nettles County。 The camera panned the courthouse lawn with the group of Klansmen and rows of policemen and swarms of onlookers。
〃This is incredible；〃 Lee said。
He stopped it again。 〃Did you go to the trial？〃
〃Once。 I sneaked in the courthouse and listened to the closing arguments。 He forbade us to watch any of his three trials。 Mother was not able。 Her blood pressure was out of control； and she was taking lots of medication。 She was practically bedridden。〃
〃Did Sam know you were there？〃
〃No。 I sat in the back of the courtroom with a scarf over my head。 He never saw me。〃
〃What was Phelps doing？〃
〃Hiding in his office； tending to his business； praying no one would find out Sam Cayhall was his father…in…law。 Our first separation occurred not long after this trial。〃
〃What do you remember from the trial； from the courtroom？〃
〃I remember thinking that Sam got himself a good jury； his kind of people。 I don't know how his lawyer did it； But they picked twelve of the biggest rednecks they could find。 I watched the jurors react to the prosecutor； and I watched them listen carefully to Sam's lawyer。〃
〃Clovis Brazelton。〃
〃He was quite an orator； and they hung on every word。 I was shocked when the jury couldn't agree on a verdict and a mistrial was declared。 I was convinced he would be acquitted。 I think he was shocked too。〃
The video continued with reactions to the mistrial； with generous ments from Clovis Brazelton； with another shot of Sam leaving the courthouse。 Then the second trial began with its similarities to the first。 〃How long have you worked on this？〃 she asked。
〃Seven years。 I was a freshman at Pepperdine when the idea hit。 It's been a challenge。〃 He fast…forwarded through the pathetic scene of Marvin Kramer spilling from his wheelchair after the second trial； and stopped with the smiling face of a local anchorwoman as she chattered on about the opening of the third trial of the legendary Sam Cayhall。 It was 1981 now。
〃Sam was a free man for thirteen years；〃 Adam said。 〃What did he do？〃
〃He kept to himself； farmed a little； tried to make ends meet。 He never talked to me about the bombing or any of his Klan activities； but he enjoyed the attention in Clanton。 He was somewhat of a local legend down there； and he was sort of smug about it。 Mother's health declined； and he stayed at home and took care of her。〃
〃He never thought about leaving？〃
〃Not seriously。 He was convinced his legal problems were over。 He'd had two trials； and walked away from both of them。 No jury in Mississippi was going to convict a Klansman in the late sixties。 He thought he was invincible。
He stayed close to Clanton； avoided the Klan； and lived a peaceful life。 I thought he'd spend his golden years growing tomatoes and fishing for bream。〃
〃Did he ever ask about my father？〃
She finished her wine and placed the glass on the table。 It had never occurred to Lee that she would one day be asked to recall in detail so much of this sad little history。 She had worked so hard to forget it。 〃I remember during the first year he was back home； he would occasionally ask me if I'd heard from my brother。 Of course； I hadn't。 We knew you guys were somewhere in California； and we hoped you were okay。 Sam's a very proud and stubborn person； Adam。 He would never consider chasing you guys down and begging Eddie to e home。 If Eddie was ashamed of his family； then Sam felt like he should stay in California。〃 She paused and sunk lower into the sofa。 〃Mother was diagnosed with cancer in 1973； and I hired a private investigator to find Eddie。 He worked for six months； charged me a bunch of money； and found nothing。〃
〃I was nine years old； fourth grade； that was in Salem； Oregon。〃
〃Yeah。 Evelyn told me later that you guys spent time in Oregon。〃
〃We moved all the time。 Every year was a different school until I was in the eighth grade。 Then we settled in Santa Monica。〃
〃You were elusive。 Eddie must've hired a good lawyer； because any trace of Cayhall was eliminated。 The investigator even used some people out there； but nothing。〃
〃When did she die？〃
〃Nineteen seventy…seven。 We were actually sitting in the front of the church； about to start the funeral； when Eddie slid in a side door and sat behind me。 Don't ask how he knew about Mother's death。 He simply appeared in Clanton then disappeared again。 Never said a word to Sam。 Drove a rental car so no one could check his plates。 I drove to Memphis the next day； and there he was； waiting in my driveway。 We drank coffee for two hours and talked about everything。 He had school pictures of you and Carmen； everything was just wonderful in sunny Southern California。 Good job； nice house in the suburbs； Evelyn was selling real estate。 The American dream。 Said he would never return to Mississippi； not even for Sam's funeral。 After swearing me to secrecy； he told me about the new names； and he gave me his phone number。 Not his address； just his phone number。 Any breach of secrecy； he threatened； and he would simply disappear again。 He told me not to call him； though； unless it was an emergency。 I told him I wanted to see you and Carmen； and he said that it might happen； one day。 At times he was the same old Eddie； and at times he was another person。 We hugged and waved good…bye； and I never saw him again。〃
Adam flipped the remote and the video moved。 The clear； modern images of the third and final trial moved by quickly； and there was Sam； suddenly thirteen years older； with a new lawyer as they darted through a side door of the
Lakehead County Courthouse。 〃Did you go to the third trial？〃
〃No。 He told me to stay away。〃
Adam paused the video。 〃At what point did Sam realize they were ing after him again？〃
〃It's hard to say。 There was a small story in the Memphis paper one day about this new district attorney in Greenville who wanted to reopen the Kramer case。 It was not a big story； just a couple of paragraphs in the middle of the paper。 I remember reading it with horror。 I read it ten times and stared at it for an hour。 After all these years； the name Sam Cayhall was once again in the paper。 I couldn't believe it。 I called him； and； of course； he had read it too。 He said not to worry。 About two weeks later there was another story； a little larger this time； with David McAllister's face in the middle of it。 I called Daddy； he said everything was okay。 That's how it got started。 Rather quietly； then it just steam…rolled。 The Kramer family supported the idea； then the NAACP got involved。 One day it became obvious that McAllister was determined to push for a new trial； and that it was not going to go away。 Sam was sickened by it； and he was scared； but he tried to act brave。 He'd won twice he said； he could do it again。〃
〃Did you call Eddie？〃
〃Yeah。 Once it was obvious there would be a new indictment； I called him and broke the news。 He didn't say much； didn't say much at all。 It wa