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h。〃
〃Everybody hates them except the voters。〃
There was a sharp knock on the door； three solid raps delivered at precise intervals。 〃Must be Nugent；〃 Naifeh said and his pain suddenly intensified。 〃e in。〃
The door opened quickly and Retired Colonel George Nugent marched into the room； pausing only slightly to close the door； and moved officially toward Lucas Mann； who did not stand but shook hands anyway。 〃Mr。 Mann。〃 Nugent greeted him crisply； then stepped forward and shook hands across the desk with Naifeh。
〃Have a seat； George；〃 Naifeh said； waving at an empty chair next to Mann。 Naifeh wanted to in every election。 The Feds watched me for a few months； but I guess they became convinced I'd given up bombing。 From time to time； a pesky reporter or journalist would show up in Clanton and ask questions； but nobody spoke to them。 They were always from up North； dumb as hell； rude and ignorant； and they never stayed long。 One came to the house one day； and wouldn't leave。 Instead of getting the shotgun； I just turned the dogs loose on him and they chewed his ass up。 Never came back。〃 He chuckled to himself and lit the cigarette。 〃Not in my wildest dreams did I envision this。 If I'd had the slightest inkling； the faintest clue that this might happen to me； then I would have been gone years ago。 I was pletely free； you understand； no restrictions。 I would've gone to South America； changed my name； disappeared two or three times； then settled in some place like Sao Paulo or Rio。〃
〃Like Mengele。〃
〃Something like that。 They never caught him； you know。 They never caught a bunch of those guys。 I'd be living right now in a nice little house； speaking Portuguese and laughing at fools like David McAllister。〃 Sam shook his head and closed his eyes； and dreamed of what might have been。
〃Why didn't you leave when McAllister started making noises？〃
〃Because I was foolish。 It happened slowly。 It was like a bad dream ing to life in small segments。 First； McAllister got elected with all his promises。 Then； a few months later Dogan got nailed by the IRS。 I started hearing rumors and reading little things in the newspapers。 But I simply refused to believe it could happen。 Before I knew it； the FBI was following me and I couldn't run。〃
Adam looked at his watch and was suddenly tired。 They had been talking for more than two hours； and he needed fresh air and sunshine。 His head ached from the cigarette smoke； and the room was growing warmer by the moment。 He screwed the cap on his pen and slid the legal pad into his briefcase。 〃I'd better go；〃 he said in the direction of the screen。 〃I'll probably e back tomorrow for another round。〃
〃I'll be here。〃
〃Lucas Mann has given me the green light to visit anytime I want。〃
〃A helluva guy； isn't he？〃
〃He's okay。 Just doing his job。〃
〃So's Naifeh and Nugent and all those other white folks。〃
〃White folks？〃
〃Yeah； it's slang for the authorities。 Nobody really wants to kill me； but they're just doing their jobs。 There's this little moron with nine fingers who's the official executioner … the guy who mixes the gas and inserts the canister。 Ask him what he's doing as they strap me in； and he'll say； ‘Just doing my job。' The prison chaplain and the prison doctor and the prison psychiatrist； along with the guards who'll escort me in and the medics who'll carry me out； well； they're nice folks； nothing really against me； but they're just doing their jobs。〃 we used the chamber again； but now that looks doubtful。 I need some help。〃
Nugent's back； though painfully stiff already； seemed to straighten even more。 He nodded quickly； eyes dancing in all directions。
Naifeh delicately sat in his seat； grimacing as he eased onto the soft leather。 〃Since I'm just not up to it； George； Lucas and I were thinking that maybe you'd do a good job with this one。〃
The colonel couldn't suppress a smile。 Then it quickly disappeared and was replaced with a most serious scowl。 〃I'm sure I can handle it； sir。〃
〃I'm sure you can too。〃 Naifeh pointed to a black binder on the corner of his desk。 〃We have a manual of sorts。 There it is； the collected wisdom of two dozen visits to the gas chamber over the past thirty years。〃
Nugent's eyes narrowed and focused on the black book。 He noticed that the pages were not all even and uniform； that an assortment of papers were actually folded and stuffed slovenly throughout the text； that the binder itself was worn and shabby。 Within hours； he quickly decided； the manual would be transformed into a primer worthy of publication。 That would be his first task。 The paperwork would be immaculate。
〃Why don't you read it tonight； and let's meet again tomorrow？〃
〃Yes sir；〃 he said smugly。
〃Not a word to anyone about this until we talk again； understood？〃
〃No sir。〃
Nugent nodded smartly at Lucas Mann； and left the office cradling the black book like a kid with a new toy。 The door closed behind him。
〃He's a nut；〃 Lucas said。
〃I know。 We'll watch him。〃
〃We'd better watch him。 He's so damned gung…ho he might try to gas Sam this weekend。〃
Naifeh opened a desk drawer and retrieved a bottle of pills。 He swallowed two without the assistance of water。 〃I'm going home； Lucas。 I need to lie down。 I'll probably die before Sam does。〃
〃You'd better hurry。〃
The phone conversation with E。 Garner Goodman was brief。 Adam explained with some measure of pride that he and Sam had a written agreement on representation； and that they had already spent four hours together though little had been acplished。 Goodman wanted a copy of the agreement； and Adam explained that there were no copies as of now； that the original was safely tucked away in a cell on death row； and； furthermore； there would be copies only if the client decided so。
Goodman promised to review the file and get to work。 Adam gave him Lee's phone number and promised to check in every day。 He hung up the phone and stared at two terrifying phone messages beside his puter。 Both were from reporters； one from a Memphis newspaper and one from a television station in Jackson； Mississippi。
Baker Cooley had talked to both reporters。 In fact； a TV crew from Jackson had presented itself to the firm's receptionist and left only after Cooley made threats。 All this attention had upset the tedious routine of the Memphis branch of Kravitz & Bane。 Cooley was not happy about it。 The other partners had little to say to Adam。 The secretaries were professionally polite； but anxious to stay away from his office。
The reporters knew； Cooley had warned him gravely。 They knew about Sam and Adam； the grandson…grandfather angle； and while he wasn't sure how they knew； it certainly hadn't e from him。 He hadn't told a soul； until； of course； word was already out and he'd been forced to gather the partners and associates together just before lunch and break the news。
It was almost five o'clock。 Adam sat at his desk with the door shut； listening to the voices in the hall as clerks and paralegals and other salaried staff made last minute preparations to leave for the day。 He decided he would have nothing to say to the TV reporter。 He dialed the number for Todd Marks at the Memphis Press。 A recorded messag