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For the first time the smile disappeared and Pickett glanced at the reporters gathered around, pens poised over paper. “What the hell does that matter?”
“I thought that was sort of the point of your argument. But I’m a sworn officer of the court. Everyone, regardless of race, deserves a proper defense.”
“Well, that thinking is only gonna get you so far.”
“How far do you reckon?” asked Jack.
“Six feet, but not in a direction you want to go,” replied Pickett.
“Let’s forget about slander and go directly to the law against death threats.”
“I never make threats. Threats mean nothing.”
“As opposed to what, exactly?”
Pickett waved at the cameraman, did a thumbs-up to the lens, and said, “Come November, vote for George Wallace, the only man capable of taking this country back to where it belongs.” He walked off, got into his big Lincoln, and was driven away by a Black man who had never once looked at his employer.
Jack watched them go, while all the reporters stared at him like Jack had only a few breaths of life left.
CHAPTER 15
JACK DROVE BACK TO HIS office and was just closing the car door when two women approached, one Jack knew and one he didn’t, though she seemed familiar to him.
Miss Jessup said, “We seen Jerome and he showed us this here address on your card. This is Pearl, my granddaughter.”
“Jerome’s wife, yes. You two favor each other.”
Pearl was petite and appeared to Jack to be tightly wound. Her sharply edged features held pain, no doubt due to her husband’s dire situation.
He led them to his office and got them seated at his small worktable. Pearl looked around the unimpressive space before her shrewd gaze settled on him.
“You ain’t got you no secretary or nothin’? And no law books on the shelf? How you get your work done, Mr. Lee?”
He tried to smile reassuringly. “I’m a good typist, and I have an answering service. When I need help I can get it. And the court’s law library has all the books I need. Saves me space, and money.”
He noted that Miss Jessup held her purse on her lap with both hands and gazed at him with a sharpness that he could feel against his chest. Pearl sat straight and compact and formidable. He noted the etched lines around her eyes and mouth, each probably with a history all its own to recount. The woman’s brown eyes did not seem to miss a single thing going on around her. He guessed her age to be around twenty-five, but in her hardened features there was a tale of a challenging life that likely doubled that number of natural years.
“Jerome say you his lawyer now,” she said.
“Yes. I’ve filed my appearance as his counsel and I’ve also been to the Randolphs’ home.” He chose not to tell them that the state’s top prosecutor would be personally handling this case.
“And?” said Miss Jessup. “How does it look?”
“The commonwealth believes they have their man.”
He was watching Pearl closely as he said this. Her face did not crumple; the large eyes did not fill with tears. But the woman looked like she might be sick.
“Um...” she began. One hand went to her mouth. “Oh, my.” She shuddered.
“Do you need the bathroom?” Jack said quickly. “It’s right over there.”
“No, Mr. Lee, but maybe... some water?”
He hurried over to a credenza that held a pitcher of water and some glasses. He poured her out one and rushed back with it. She drank it down thirstily and then handed back the glass, looking embarrassed.
“Thank you. So hot today. But I’m better now.”
“So what you gonna do about the situation?” Miss Jessup asked Jack firmly.
