A time to kill

Moss Junior Tatum, the chief deputy, and Jake talked quietly in Ozzie's office while deputies, reserves, trusties, and other jailhouse regulars gathered in the large, cluttered workroom next to the office and waited anxiously for the arrival of the new prisoner. Two of the deputies peered through the blinds at the reporters and cameramen waiting in the parking lot between the jail and the highway. The television vans were from Memphis, Jackson, and Tupelo, and they were parked in various directions throughout the crowded lot. Moss did not like this, so he walked slowly down the sidewalk and ordered the press to regroup in a certain area, and to move the vans.

"Will you make a statement?" yelled a reporter.

"Yeah, move the vans."

"Can you say anything about the murders?"

"Yeah, two people got killed."

"How about the details?"

"Nope. I wasn't there."

"Do you have a suspect?"

"Yep."

"Who is it?"

"I'll tell you when the vans are moved."

The vans were immediately moved and the cameras and microphones were bunched together near the sidewalk. Moss pointed and directed until he was satisfied, then stepped to the crowd. He calmly chewed on a toothpick and stuck both thumbs in the front belt loops, just under the overlapping belly.

"Who did it?"

"Is he under arrest?"

"Was the girl's family involved?"

"Are both dead?"

Moss smiled and shook his head. "One at a time. Yes we have a suspect. He's under arrest and will be here in a minute. Keep the vans outta the way. That's all I have."

Moss walked back to the jail as they continued to can at mm. He ignored them and entered the crowded workroom.

"How's Looney?" he asked.

"Prather's with him at the hospital. He's fine-slight wound to the leg."

"Yeah, that and a slight heart attack," Moss said with a smile. The others laughed.

"Here they come!" a trusty shouted, and everyone inside moved to the windows as the line of blue lights rolled slowly into the parking lot. Ozzie drove the first car with Carl Lee seated, unhandcuffed, in the front. Hastings reclined in the back and waved at the cameras as the car passed them and continued through the crowd, past the vans and around to the rear of the jail, where Ozzie parked and the three walked casually inside. Carl Lee was given to the jailer, and Ozzie walked down the hall to his office where Jake was waiting.

"You can see him in a minute, Jake," he said.

"Thanks. You sure he did it?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

"He didn't confess, did he?"

"No, he didn't say much of nothin'. I guess Lester coached him."

Moss walked in. "Ozzie, them reporters wanna talk to you. I said you'd be out in a minute."

"Thanks, Moss," Ozzie sighed.

"Anybody see it?" Jake asked.

Ozzie wiped his forehead with a red handkerchief. "Yeah, Looney can I.D. him. You know Murphy, the little crippled man who sweeps floors in the courthouse?"

"Sure. Stutters real bad."

"He saw the whole thing. He was sittin' on the east stairs, directly across from where it happened. Eatin' his lunch. Scared him so bad he couldn't talk for an hour." Ozzie paused and eyed Jake. "Why am I tellin' you all this?"

"What difference does it make? I'll find out sooner or later. Where's my man?"

"Down the hall in the jail. They gotta take his picture and all that. Be 'bout thirty minutes."

Ozzie left and Jake used his phone to call Carla and remind her to watch the news and record it.

i answerin' no questions. We have a suspect in custody. Name of Carl Lee Hailey from Ford County. Arrested for two counts of murder."

"Is he the girl's father?"

"Yes, he is."

"How do you know he did it?"

"We're very smart."

"Any eyewitnesses?"

"None that we know of."

"Has he confessed?"

"No."

"Where'd you find him?"

"At his house."

"Was a deputy shot?"

"Yes."

"How is he?"

"He's fine. He's in the hospital, but he's okay."

"What's his name?"

"Looney. DeWayne Looney."

"When's the preliminary hearing?"

"I'm not the judge."

"Any idea?"

"Maybe tomorrow, maybe Wednesday. No more questions, please. I have no further information to release at this time."

The jailer took Carl Lee's wallet, money, watch, keys, ring, and pocketknife and listed the items on an inventory form that Carl Lee signed and dated. In a small room next to the jailer's station, he was photographed and fingerprinted, just as Lester said. Ozzie waited outside the door and led him down the hall to a small room where the drunks were taken to blow into the Intoxilyzer. Jake sat at a small table next to the machine. Ozzie excused himself.

The lawyer and client sat across the table and analyzed each other carefully. They grinned admiringly but neither spoke. They had last talked five days before, on Wednesday after the preliminary hearing, the day after the rape.

Carl Lee was not as troubled now. His face was relaxed and his eyes were clear. Finally he said: "You didn't think I'd do it, Jake."

"Not really. You did do it?"

"You know I did."

Jake smiled, nodded, and crossed his arms. "How do you feel?"