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say to the TV reporter。 He dialed the number for Todd Marks at the Memphis Press。 A recorded message guided him through the wonders of voice mail； and after a couple of minutes； Mr。 Marks picked up his five…digit extension and said hurriedly； 〃Todd Marks。〃 He sounded like a teenager。
〃This is Adam Hall； with Kravitz & Bane。 I had a note to call you。〃
〃Yes； Mr。 Hall；〃 Marks gushed； instantly friendly and no longer in a hurry。 〃Thanks for calling。 I； uh； well； we； uh； picked up a rumor about your handling of the Cayhall case； and； uh； I was just trying to track it down。〃
〃I represent Mr。 Cayhall；〃 Adam said with measured words。
〃Yes； well； that's what we heard。 And； uh； you're from Chicago？〃
〃I am from Chicago。〃
〃I see。 How； uh； did you get the case？〃
〃My firm has represented Sam Cayhall for seven years。〃
〃Yes； right。 But didn't he terminate your services recently？〃
〃He did。 And now he's rehired the firm。〃 Adam could hear keys pecking away as Marks gathered his words into a puter。
〃I see。 We heard a rumor； just a rumor； I guess； that Sam Cayhall is your grandfather。〃
〃Where'd you hear this？〃
〃Well； you know； we have sources； and we have to protect them。 Can't really tell you where it came from； you know。〃
〃Yeah； I know。〃 Adam took a deep breath and let Marks hang for a minute。 〃Where are you now？〃
〃At the paper。〃
〃And where's that？ I don't know the city。〃
〃Where are you？〃 Marks asked。
〃Downtown。 In our office。〃
〃I'm not far away。 I can be there in ten minutes。〃
〃No； not here。 Let's meet somewhere else。 A quiet little bar some place。〃
〃Fine。 The Peabody Hotel is on Union； three blocks from you。 There's a nice bar off the lobby called Mallards。〃
〃I'll be there in fifteen minutes。 Just me and you； okay？〃
〃Sure。〃
Adam hung up the phone。 Sam's agreement contained some loose and ambiguous language that attempted to prevent his lawyer from talking to the press。 The particular clause had major loopholes that any lawyer could walk through； but Adam did not wish to push the issue。 After two visits； his grandfather was still nothing but a mystery。 He didn't like lawyers and would readily fire another； even his own grandson。
Mallards was filling up quickly with young weary professionals who needed a couple of stiff ones for the drive to the suburbs。 Few people actually lived in downtown Memphis； so the bankers and brokers met here and in countless other bars and gulped beer in green bottles and sipped Swedish vodka。 They lined the bar and gathered around the small tables to discuss the direction of the market and debate the future of the prime。 It was a tony place； with authentic brick walls and real hardwood floors。 A table by the door held trays of chicken wings and livers wrapped with bacon。
Adam spotted a young man in jeans holding a notepad。 He introduced himself； and they went to a table in the corner。 Todd Marks was no more than twenty…five。 He wore wirerimmed glasses and hair to his shoulders。 He was cordial and seemed a bit nervous。 They ordered Heinekens。
The notepad was on the table； ready for action； and Adam decided to take control。 〃A few ground rules；〃 he said。 〃First； everything I say is off the record。 You can't quote me on anything。 Agreed？〃
Marks shrugged as if this was okay but not exactly what he had in mind。 〃Okay；〃 he said。
〃I think you call it deep background； or something like that。〃
〃That's it。〃
〃I'll answer some questions for you； but not many。 I'm here because I want you to get it right； okay？〃
〃Fair enough。 Is Sam Cayhall your grandfather？〃
〃Sam Cayhall is my client； and he has instructed me not to talk to the press。 That's why you can't quote me。 I'm here to confirm or deny。 That's all。〃
〃Okay。 But is he your grandfather？〃
〃Yes。〃
Marks took a deep breath and savored this incredible fact which no doubt led to an extraordinary story。 He could see the headlines。
Then he realized he should ask some more questions。 He carefully took a pen from his pocket。 〃Who's your father？〃
〃My father is deceased。〃
A long pause。 〃Okay。 So Sam is your mother's father？〃
〃No。 Sam is my father's father。〃
〃All right。 Why do you have different last names？〃
〃Because my father changed his name。
〃Why？〃
I don't want to answer that。 I don't want to go into a lot of family background。〃
〃Did you grow up in Clanton？〃
〃No。 I was born there； but left when I was three years old。 My parents moved to California。 That's where I grew up。〃
〃So you were not around Sam Cayhall？〃
〃No。〃
〃Did you know him？〃
〃I met him yesterday。〃
Marks considered the next question； and thankfully the beer arrived。 They sipped in unison and said nothing。
He stared at his notepad； scribbled something； then asked； 〃How long have you been with Kravitz & Bane？〃
〃Almost a year。〃
〃How long have you worked on the Cayhall case？〃
〃A day and a half。〃
He took a long drink； and watched Adam as if he expected an explanation。 〃Look； uh； Mr。 Hall … 〃
〃It's Adam。〃
〃Okay； Adam。 There seem to be a lot of gaps here。 Could you help me a bit？
〃No。〃
〃All right。 I read somewhere that Cayhall fired Kravitz & Bane recently。 Were you working on the case when this happened？〃
〃I just told you I've been working on the case for a day and a half。〃
〃When did you first go to death row？〃
〃Yesterday。〃
〃Did he know you were ing？〃
〃I don't want to get into that。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃This is a very confidential matter。 I'm not going to discuss my visits to death row。 I will confirm or deny only those things which you can verify elsewhere。〃
〃Does Sam have other children？〃
〃I'm not going to discuss family。 I'm sure your paper has covered this before。〃
〃But it was a long time ago。〃
〃Then look it up。〃
Another long drink； and another long look at the notepad。 〃What are the odds of the execution taking place on August 8？〃
〃It's very hard to say。 I wouldn't want to speculate。〃
〃But all the appeals have run； haven't they？〃
〃Maybe。 Let's say I've got my work cut out for me。〃
〃Can the governor grant a pardon？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Is that a possibility？〃
〃Rather unlikely。 You'll have to ask him。〃
〃Will your client do any interviews before the execution？〃
〃I doubt it。〃
Adam glanced at his watch as if he suddenly had to catch a plane。
〃Anything else？〃 he asked； and then finished off the beer。
Marks stuck his pen in a shirt pocket。 〃Can we talk again？〃
〃Depends。〃
〃On what？〃
〃On how you handle this。 If you drag up the family stuff； then forget it。〃
〃Must be some serious skeletons in the closet。〃
〃No ment。〃 Adam stood and offered a handshake。 〃Nice meeting you；〃 he said as they shook hands。
〃Thanks。 I'll give you a call。〃
Adam walked quickly by the crowd at the bar； and disappeared through the hotel lobby。
16
OF all the silly； nitpicking rules imposed upon inmates at the Row； the one that irritated Sam the most was the five…inch rule。 This little nugget of regulatory brilliance placed a limit on the volume of legal papers a death row inmate could possess in his cell。 The documents could be no thicker than five inches when placed on end and squeezed together。