Robbie Flak's father purchased the old train station in downtown Slone in 1972, while Robbie was still in high school and just before the city was about to tear it down. Mr. Flak Sr. had made some money suing drilling companies and needed to spend a little of it. He and his partners renovated1 the station and reestablished themselves there, and for the next twenty years prospered2 nicely. They certainly weren't rich, not by Texas standards anyway, but they were successful lawyers and the small firm was well regarded in town.
Then along came Robbie. He began working at the firm when he was a teenager, and it was soon evident to the other lawyers there that he was different. He showed little interest in profits but was consumed with social injustice3. He urged his father to take on civil-rights cases, age- and sex-discrimination cases, unfair-housing cases, police-brutality cases, the type of work that can get one ostracized4 in a small southern town. Brilliant and brash, Robbie finished college up north, in three years, and sailed through law school at the University of Texas at Austin. He never interviewed for a job, never thought about working anywhere but the train station in downtown Slone. There were so many people there he wanted to sue, so many mistreated and downtrodden clients who needed him.
He and his father fought from day one. The other lawyers either retired5 or moved on. In 1990, at the age of thirty-five, Robbie sued the City of Tyler, Texas, for housing discrimination. The trial, in Tyler, lasted for a month, and at one point Robbie was forced to hire bodyguards7 when the death threats became too credible8. When the jury returned a verdict for $90 million, Robbie Flak became a legend, a wealthy man, and an unrestrained radical9 lawyer now with the money to raise more hell than he could ever imagine. To get out of his way, his father retired to a golf course. Robbie's first wife took a small cut and hurried back to St. Paul.
The Flak Law Firm became the destination for those who considered themselves even remotely slighted by society. The abused, the accused, the mistreated, the injured, they eventually sought out Mr. Flak. To screen the cases, Robbie hired young associates and paralegals by the boatload. He picked through the net each day, took the good catches, and tossed the rest away. The firm grew, then it imploded11. It grew again, then it broke up in another meltdown. Lawyers came and went. He sued them, they sued him. The money evaporated, then Robbie won big in another case. The lowest point of his colorful career happened when he caught his bookkeeper embezzling12 and beat him with a briefcase13. He escaped serious punishment by negotiating a thirty-day misdemeanor jail sentence. It was a front-page story, and Slone hung on every word. Robbie, who, not surprisingly, craved14 publicity15, was bothered more by the bad press than by the incarceration16. The state bar association issued a public reprimand and a ninety-day suspension of his license17. It was his third entanglement18 with the ethics19 panel. He vowed20 it would not be his last. Wife No. 2 eventually left, with a nice check.
His life, like his personality, was chaotic21, outrageous22, and in constant conflict with itself and those around him, but it was never dull. Behind his back, he was often referred to as "Robbie Flake23." And as his drinking grew worse, "Robbie Flask24" was born. But regardless of the turmoil25, of the hangovers and crazy women and feuding26 partners and shaky finances and lost causes and scorn of those in power, Robbie Flak arrived at the train station early each morning with a fierce determination to spend the day fighting for the little people. And he did not always wait for them to find him. If Robbie got wind of an injustice, he often jumped in his car and went searching for it. This relentless28 zeal29 led him to the most notorious case of his career.
In 1998, Slone was stunned30 by the most sensational31 crime in its history. A seventeen-year-old senior at Slone High, Nicole Yarber, vanished and was never seen again, dead or alive. For two weeks, the town stood still as thousands of volunteers combed the alleys32 and fields and ditches and abandoned buildings. The search was futile33.
Nicole was a popular girl, a B student, a member of the usual clubs, church on Sunday at First Baptist, where she sometimes sang in the youth choir34. Her most important achievement, though, was that of being a cheerleader at Slone High. By her senior year, she had become the captain of the squad35, perhaps the most envied position in school, at least for girls. She was on and off with a boyfriend, a football player with big dreams but limited talent. The night she disappeared, she had just spoken to her mother by cell and promised to be home before midnight. It was a Friday in early December. Football was over for the Slone Warriors37, and life had returned to normal. Her mother would later state, and the phone records bore this out, that she and Nicole spoke36 by cell phone at least six times a day. They also averaged four text messages. They were in touch, and the idea that Nicole would simply run away without a word to her mom was inconceivable.
Nicole had no history of emotional problems, eating disorders38, erratic39 behavior, psychiatric care, or drug use. She simply vanished. No witnesses. No explanations. Nothing. Prayer vigils in churches and schools ran nonstop. A hotline was established and calls flooded in, but none proved credible. A Web site was created to monitor the search and filter the gossip. Experts, both real and fake, came to town to give advice. A psychic40 appeared, unsolicited, but left town when no one offered to pay. As the search dragged on, the gossip seethed41 nonstop as the town talked of little else. A police car was parked in front of her home twenty-four hours a day, ostensibly to make the family feel better. Slone's only television station hired another rookie reporter to get to the bottom of things. Volunteers scoured42 the earth as the search spread throughout the countryside. Doors and windows were bolted. Fathers slept with their guns on their nightstands. Little children were watched closely by their parents and babysitters. Preachers reworked their sermons to beef up their slant43 against evil. The police gave daily briefings for the first week, but when they realized they had nothing to say, they began skipping days. They waited and waited, hoping for the lead, the unexpected phone call, the snitch looking for the reward money. They prayed for a break.
It finally came sixteen days after Nicole disappeared. At 4:33 a.m., the home phone of Detective Drew Kerber rang twice before he grabbed it. Though exhausted44, he had not been sleeping well. Instinctively45, he flipped46 a switch to record what was about to be said. The recording47, later played a thousand times, ran:
Kerber: "Hello."
Voice: "Is this Detective Kerber?"
Kerber: "It is. Who's calling?"
Voice: "That's not important. What's important is that I know who killed her."
Kerber: "I need your name."
Voice: "Forget it, Kerber. You wanna talk about the girl?"
Kerber: "Go ahead."
Voice: "She was seeing Donte Drumm. A big secret. She was trying to break it off, but he wouldn't go away."
Kerber: "Who's Donte Drumm?"
Voice: "Come on, Detective. Everybody knows Drumm. He's your killer48. He grabbed her outside the mall, tossed her over the bridge on Route 244. She's at the bottom of the Red River."
The line went dead. The call was traced to a pay phone at an all-night convenience store in Slone, and there the trail ended.
Detective Kerber had heard the hushed rumors49 of Nicole seeing a black football player, but no one had been able to verify this. Her boyfriend adamantly50 denied it. He claimed that they had dated on and off for a year, and he was certain that Nicole was not yet sexually active. But like many rumors too salacious to leave alone, it persisted. It was so repulsive51 and so potentially explosive that Kerber had thus far been unwilling52 to discuss it with Nicole's parents.
Kerber stared at the phone, then removed the tape. He drove to the Slone Police Department, made a pot of coffee, and listened to the tape again. He was elated and couldn't wait to share the news with his investigative team. Everything fit now--the teenage love affair, black on white, still very much taboo53 in East Texas, the attempted breakup by Nicole, the bad reaction from her scorned lover. It made perfect sense.
They had their man.
Two days later, Donte Drumm was arrested and charged with the abduction, aggravated54 rape55, and murder of Nicole Yarber. He confessed to the crime and admitted that he'd tossed her body into the Red River.
Robbie Flak and Detective Kerber had a history that had almost been violent. They had clashed several times in criminal cases over the years. Kerber loathed56 the lawyer as much as he loathed the other lowlifes who represented criminals. Flak considered Kerber an abusive thug, a rogue57 cop, a dangerous man with a badge and gun who would do anything to get a conviction. In one memorable58 exchange, in front of a jury, Flak caught Kerber in an outright59 lie and, to underscore the obvious, yelled at the witness, "You're just a lying son of a bitch, aren't you, Kerber?"
Robbie was admonished60, held in contempt, required to apologize to Kerber and the jurors, and fined $500. But his client was found not guilty, and nothing else mattered. In the history of the Chester County Bar Association, no lawyer had ever been held in contempt as often as Robbie Flak. It was a record he was quite proud of.
As soon as he heard the news about Donte Drumm's arrest, Robbie made a few frantic61 phone calls, then took off to the black section of Slone, a neighborhood he knew well. He was accompanied by Aaron Rey, a former gang member who'd served time for drug distribution and was now gainfully employed by the Flak Law Firm as a bodyguard6, runner, driver, investigator62, and anything else Robbie might need. Rey carried at least two guns on his person and two more in a satchel63, all legal because Mr. Flak had gotten his rights restored and now he could even vote. Around Slone, Robbie Flak had more than his share of enemies. However, all of these enemies knew about Mr. Aaron Rey.
Drumm's mother worked at the hospital, and his father drove a truck for a lumber64 mill south of town. They lived with their four children in a small white-framed house with Christmas lights around the windows and garland on the door. Their minister arrived not long after Robbie. They talked for hours. The parents were confused, devastated65, furious, and frightened beyond reason. They were also grateful that Mr. Flak would come and see them. They had no idea what to do.
"I can get myself appointed to handle the case," Robbie said, and they agreed.
Nine years later, he was still handling it.
Robbie arrived at the station early on Monday morning, November 5. He had worked on Saturday and Sunday and did not feel at all rested from the weekend. His mood was gloomy, even foul66. The next four days would be a chaotic mess, a frenzy67 of events, some anticipated and others wholly unexpected, and when the dust settled at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, Robbie knew that in all likelihood, he would be standing68 in a cramped69 witness room at the Huntsville prison, holding hands with Roberta Drumm as the State of Texas injected her son with enough chemicals to kill a horse.
He'd been there once before.
He turned off the engine of his BMW but could not unfasten his seat belt. His hands clutched the steering70 wheel as he looked through the windshield and saw nothing.
For nine years, he had fought for Donte Drumm. He had waged war as he had never done before. He had fought like a madman at the ridiculous trial in which Donte was convicted of the murder. He had abused the appellate courts during his appeals. He had danced around ethics and skirted the law. He had written grating articles declaring his client's innocence71. He had paid experts to concoct72 novel theories that no one bought. He had pestered73 the governor to the point that his calls were no longer returned, not even by lowly staffers. He had lobbied politicians, innocence groups, religious groups, bar associations, civil-rights advocates, the ACLU, Amnesty International, death-penalty abolitionists, anybody and everybody who might possibly be able to do something to save his client. Yet the clock had not stopped. It was still ticking, louder and louder.
In the process, Robbie Flak had spent all his money, burned every bridge, alienated74 almost every friend, and driven himself to the point of exhaustion75 and instability. He had blown the trumpet76 for so long that no one heard it anymore. To most observers, he was just another loudmouthed lawyer screaming about his innocent client, not exactly an unusual sight.
The case had pushed him over the edge, and when it was over, when the State of Texas finally succeeded in executing Donte, Robbie seriously doubted if he could go on. He planned to move, to sell his real estate, retire, tell Slone and Texas to kiss his ass10, and go live in the mountains somewhere, probably in Vermont, where the summers are cool and the state does not kill people.
The lights came on in the conference room. Someone else was already there, opening up the place, preparing for the week from hell. Robbie finally left his car and went inside. He spoke to Carlos, one of his longtime paralegals, and they spent a few minutes over coffee. The talk soon turned to football.
"You watch the Cowboys?" Carlos asked.
"No, I couldn't. I heard Preston had a big day."
"Over two hundred yards. Three touchdowns."
"I'm not a Cowboys fan anymore."
"Me neither."
A month earlier, Rahmad Preston had been right there, in the conference room, signing autographs and posing for photos. Rahmad had a distant cousin who'd been executed in Georgia ten years earlier, and he had taken up the cause of Donte Drumm with big plans to enlist77 other Cowboys and NFL heavyweights to help wave the flag. He would meet with the governor, the parole board, big business boys, politicians, a couple of rappers he claimed to know well, maybe even some Hollywood types. He would lead a parade so noisy that the state would be forced to back down. Rahmad, though, proved to be all talk. He suddenly went silent, went into "seclusion," according to his agent, who also explained that the cause was too distracting for the great running back. Robbie, always on the conspiracy78 trail, suspected that the Cowboys organization and its network of corporate79 sponsors somehow pressured Rahmad.
By 8:30, the entire firm had assembled in the conference room, and Robbie called the meeting to order. At the moment he had no partners--the last had left in a feud27 that was still tied up in litigation--but there were two associates, two paralegals, three secretaries, and Aaron Rey, who was always close by. After fifteen years with Robbie, Aaron knew more law than most seasoned paralegals. Also present was a lawyer from Amnesty Now, a London-based human rights group that had donated thousands of skilled hours to the Drumm appeals. Participating by teleconference was a lawyer in Austin, an appellate advocate furnished by the Texas Capital Defender80 Group.
Robbie ran through the plans for the week. Duties were defined, tasks distributed, responsibilities clarified. He tried to appear upbeat, hopeful, confident that a miracle was on the way.
The miracle was slowly coming together, some four hundred miles due north, in Topeka, Kansas.
收听单词发音 |
1
renovated
|
|
| 翻新，修复，整修( renovate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
prospered
|
|
| 成功，兴旺( prosper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
injustice
|
|
| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
ostracized
|
|
| v.放逐( ostracize的过去式和过去分词 )；流放；摈弃；排斥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
retired
|
|
| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
bodyguard
|
|
| n.护卫，保镖 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
bodyguards
|
|
| n.保镖，卫士，警卫员( bodyguard的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
credible
|
|
| adj.可信任的，可靠的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
radical
|
|
| n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
ass
|
|
| n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
imploded
|
|
| v.（使）向心聚爆( implode的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
embezzling
|
|
| v.贪污，盗用（公款）( embezzle的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
briefcase
|
|
| n.手提箱，公事皮包 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
craved
|
|
| 渴望，热望( crave的过去式 )； 恳求，请求 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
publicity
|
|
| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
incarceration
|
|
| n.监禁，禁闭；钳闭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
license
|
|
| n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
entanglement
|
|
| n.纠缠，牵累 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
ethics
|
|
| n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
vowed
|
|
| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
chaotic
|
|
| adj.混沌的，一片混乱的，一团糟的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
outrageous
|
|
| adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
flake
|
|
| v.使成薄片；雪片般落下；n.薄片 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
flask
|
|
| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
turmoil
|
|
| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
feuding
|
|
| vi.长期不和（feud的现在分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
feud
|
|
| n.长期不和；世仇；v.长期争斗；世代结仇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
relentless
|
|
| adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
zeal
|
|
| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
stunned
|
|
| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
sensational
|
|
| adj.使人感动的，非常好的，轰动的，耸人听闻的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
alleys
|
|
| 胡同，小巷( alley的名词复数 )； 小径 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
futile
|
|
| adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
choir
|
|
| n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
squad
|
|
| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
spoke
|
|
| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
warriors
|
|
| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
disorders
|
|
| n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
erratic
|
|
| adj.古怪的，反复无常的，不稳定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
psychic
|
|
| n.对超自然力敏感的人；adj.有超自然力的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
seethed
|
|
| （液体）沸腾( seethe的过去式和过去分词 )； 激动，大怒； 强压怒火； 生闷气(~with sth|~ at sth) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
scoured
|
|
| 走遍（某地）搜寻（人或物）( scour的过去式和过去分词 )； （用力）刷； 擦净； 擦亮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
slant
|
|
| v.倾斜，倾向性地编写或报道；n.斜面，倾向 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
exhausted
|
|
| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
instinctively
|
|
| adv.本能地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
flipped
|
|
| 轻弹( flip的过去式和过去分词 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
recording
|
|
| n.录音，记录 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
killer
|
|
| n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
rumors
|
|
| n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
adamantly
|
|
| adv.坚决地，坚定不移地，坚强不屈地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
repulsive
|
|
| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
unwilling
|
|
| adj.不情愿的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
taboo
|
|
| n.禁忌，禁止接近，禁止使用；adj.禁忌的；v.禁忌，禁制，禁止 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
aggravated
|
|
| 使恶化( aggravate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使更严重； 激怒； 使恼火 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
rape
|
|
| n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
loathed
|
|
| v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的过去式和过去分词 )；极不喜欢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
rogue
|
|
| n.流氓；v.游手好闲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
memorable
|
|
| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
outright
|
|
| adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
admonished
|
|
| v.劝告( admonish的过去式和过去分词 )；训诫；（温和地）责备；轻责 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
frantic
|
|
| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
investigator
|
|
| n.研究者，调查者，审查者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
satchel
|
|
| n.(皮或帆布的)书包 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
lumber
|
|
| n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
devastated
|
|
| v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
foul
|
|
| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
frenzy
|
|
| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
cramped
|
|
| a.狭窄的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
steering
|
|
| n.操舵装置 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
innocence
|
|
| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
concoct
|
|
| v.调合，制造 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
pestered
|
|
| 使烦恼，纠缠( pester的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
alienated
|
|
| adj.感到孤独的，不合群的v.使疏远( alienate的过去式和过去分词 )；使不友好；转让；让渡（财产等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
exhaustion
|
|
| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
trumpet
|
|
| n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
enlist
|
|
| vt.谋取(支持等)，赢得；征募；vi.入伍 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
conspiracy
|
|
| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
corporate
|
|
| adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
defender
|
|
| n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |