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！
was waved under Sam's nose。
〃I'm Detective Ivy； Greenville P。D。 Need to ask you a few questions。〃 Ivy waved at a row of wooden doors along a hallway； and Sam obediently followed。
* * *
From the moment he first sat across the dirty desk from Detective Ivy； Sam Cayhall had little to say。 Ivy was in his early forties but gray and heavily wrinkled around the eyes。 He lit an unfiltered Camel； offered one to Sam； then asked how his face got cut。 Sam played with the cigarette but did not light it。 He'd given up smoking years earlier； and though he felt the urge to start puffing at this critical moment； he just thumped it gently on the table。 Without looking at Ivy； he said that maybe he'd been in a fight。
Ivy sort of grunted with a short smile as if he expected this type of reply； and Sam knew he was facing a pro。 He was scared now； and his hands began shaking。 Ivy； of course； noticed all this。 Where was the fight？ Who were you fighting with？ When did it happen？ Why were you fighting here in Greenville when you live three hours away？ Where did you get the car？
Sam said nothing。 Ivy peppered him with questions； all unanswerable by Sam because the lies would lead to more lies and Ivy would have him tied in knots in seconds。
〃I'd like to talk to an attorney；〃 Sam finally said。
〃That's just wonderful； Sam。 I think that's exactly what you should do。〃 Ivy lit another Camel and blew thick smoke at the ceiling。
〃We had a little bomb blast this morning； Sam。 Do you know that？〃 Ivy asked； his voice rising slightly in a mocking tone。
〃No。〃
〃Tragic。 A local lawyer by the name of Kramer got his office blown to bits。 Happened about two hours ago。 Probably the work of Kluckers； you know。 We don't have any Kluckers around here； but Mr。 Kramer is a Jewish fellow。 Let me guess … you know nothing about it； right？〃
〃That's right。〃
〃Really； really sad； Sam。 You see； Mr。 Kramer had two little boys； josh and John； and； as fate would have it； they were in the office with their daddy when the bomb went off。〃
Sam breathed deeply and looked at Ivy。 Tell me the rest of it； his eyes said。
〃And these two little boys； twins； five years old； just cute as can be； got blown to bits； Sam。
Deader than hell； Sam。〃
Sam slowly lowered his head until his chin was an inch off his chest。 He was beaten； Murder； two counts。 Lawyers； trials； judges； juries； prison； everything hit at once and he closed his eyes。
〃Their daddy might get lucky。 He's at the hospital now in surgery。 The little boys are at the funeral home。 A real tragedy； Sam。 Don't suppose you know anything about the bomb； do you； Sam？〃
〃No。 I'd like to see a lawyer。〃
〃Of course。〃 Ivy slowly stood and left the room。
* * *
The piece of glass in Sam's face was extracted by a physician and sent to an FBI lab。 The report contained no surprises … same glass as the front windows of the office building。 The green Pontiac was quickly traced to Jeremiah Dogan in Meridian。 A fifteen…minute fuse was found in the trunk。 A deliveryman came forward and explained to the police that he had seen the car near Mr。 Kramer's office around 4 A。M。
The FBI made sure the press immediately knew Mr。 Sam Cayhall was a longtime member of the Klan； and that he was the prime suspect in several more bombings。 The case was cracked； they felt； and they heaped accolades upon the Greenville police。 J。 Edgar Hoover himself issued a statement。
Two days after the bombing； the Kramer twins were laid to rest in a small cemetery。 At the time； 146 Jews lived in Greenville； and with the exception of Marvin Kramer and six others； every one attended the service。 And they were outnumbered two to one by reporters and photographers from all over the country。
* * *
Sam saw the pictures and read the stories in his tiny cell the next morning。 The assistant jailer； Larry Jack Polk； was a simpleton who by now was a friend because； as he had whispered to Sam early on； he had cousins who were Klansmen and he'd always wanted to join but his wife wouldn't stand for it。 He brought Sam fresh coffee and newspapers each morning。 Larry Jack had already confessed his admiration for Sam's bombing skills。
Other than the few bare words needed to keep Larry Jack manipulated； Sam said virtually nothing。 The day after the bombing he had been charged with two counts of capital murder； so the gas chamber scenario occupied his thoughts。 He refused to say a word to Ivy and the other police； same for the FBI。 The reporters asked； of course； but didn't make it past Larry Jack。 Sam phoned his wife and told her to stay in Clanton with the doors locked。 He sat alone in his cinder…block cell and began a diary。
If Rollie Wedge was to be discovered and linked to the bombing； then he would have to be found by the cops。 Sam Cayhall had taken an oath as a Klansman； and to him the oath was sacred。 He would never； never squeal on a Klansman。 He fervently hoped Jeremiah Dogan felt the same about his oath。
Two days after the bombing； a shady lawyer with a swirling hairdo named Clovis Brazelton made his first appearance in Greenville。 He was a secret member of the Klan； and had bee quite notorious around Jackson representing all sorts of thugs。 He wanted to run for governor； said his platform would stand for the preservation of the white race； that the FBI was satanic； that blacks should be protected but not mixed with whites； and so on。 He was sent by Jeremiah Dogan to defend Sam Cayhall； and more importantly； to make sure Cayhall kept his mouth shut。 The FBI was all over Dogan because of the green Pontiac； and he feared an indictment as a co…conspirator。
Co…conspirators； Clovis explained to his new client right off the bat； are just as guilty as the ones who actually pull the trigger。 Sam listened； but said little。 He had heard of Brazelton； and did not yet trust him。
〃Look； Sam；〃 Clovis said as if explaining things to a first grader； 〃I know who planted the bomb。 Dogan told me。 If I count correctly； that makes four of us … me； you； Dogan； and Wedge。 Now； at this point； Dogan is almost certain that Wedge will never be found。 They haven't talked； but the kid's brilliant and he's probably in another country by now。 That leaves you and Dogan。 Frankly； I expect Dogan to be charged anytime now。 But the cops'll have a hard time nailing him unless they can prove that ya'll conspired to blow up the Jew's office。 And the only way they can prove this is if you tell them。〃
〃So I take the fall？〃 Sam asked。
〃No。 You just keep quiet about Dogan。 Deny everything。 We'll fabricate a story about the car。 Let me worry about that。 I'll get the trial moved to another county； maybe up in the hills or some place where they don't have Jews。 Get us an all…white jury； and I'll hang it up so fast it'll make heroes out of both of us。 Just let me handle it。〃
〃You don't think I'll be convicted？〃
〃Hell no。 Listen； Sam； take my word for it。 We'll get us a jury full of patriots； your kind of people； Sam。 All white。 All worried about their little children being forced to go to schools with little nigger kids。 Good people； Sam。 We'll pick twelve of 'em； put 'em in the jury