書蟲1級《彩票大贏家》3. 賈森惹麻煩

3. Jason in trouble

At ten o'clock on Monday night Jason was a very happy man. He was in a big room in a hotel with a lot of people in beautiful clothes. There were television cameras, reporters, people from Sunshine Lotteries... Everybody had a drink in their hands, and a girl went round the room with a bottle of champagne.

Have some more champagne,' she said to Jason.

Jason's face went very red. He snatched the bottle and took a long drink. The champagne ran down his new blue shirt. He laughed. 'Kiss me,' he said to the girl.

Suddenly the door opened and two men came in.

Hullo!' said Jason. 'Come in and have some champagne! It's OK – Sunshine Lotteries are paying for it!'

Hullo!' said Jason. 'Come in and have some champagne!'

But the two men were not interested in champagne. They were policemen. Everybody stopped talking and looked at them.

Is Jason Williams here?' one of the policemen said. 'That's me,' said Jason. 'What do you want?'

We'd like to ask you some questions, Mr Williams. At the police station. Come with us, please.'

On Tuesday morning Jason was tired and unhappy. He was in a small room at the police station, and there were two policemen in the room with him. One policeman stood by the door, and watched and listened. The second policeman sat at a table and asked questions, questions, questions – the same questions, again and again.

Now,' said the policeman. 'Tell me again. Where were you at four o'clock on Saturday afternoon?'

At home,' said Jason. 'I'm telling you the truth. Ask my mother and father! I didn't steal anything!'

I'm not interested in your mother and father,' said the policeman. 'I can talk to them later. At the moment I'm interested in you, and your answers to my questions. You were in town on Saturday afternoon. We know that, because a woman saw you.'

No!' said Jason. 'That's a lie. I was at home all afternoon and evening. I watched football on television.'

Tell me about the football, then. Who won?'

Jason said nothing. His hands and his face felt hot.

When did the football finish? Five o'clock? Six o'clock?'

Yes. No,' said Jason. 'I don't remember.'

The policeman smiled. 'How much money was there in the bag, Jason?'

There wasn't—' Jason stopped. Careful, he thought. Be careful. 'There wasn't a bag,' he said. 'I told you. I didn't steal the old woman's bag!'

Old woman? Who said anything about an old woman?'

Now Jason felt cold. 'You did,' he said.

Oh no, I didn't,' said the policeman. 'I talked about a woman. So how did you know she was an old woman?'

He stood up. 'Jason Williams, on Saturday afternoon you hit Mrs Emma Carter on the head and snatched her bag. You stole her money and her lottery ticket. Her winning lottery ticket – so you stole five million pounds from Mrs Carter. You're in trouble, Williams. Big trouble.'

You're in trouble, Williams. Big trouble.'

I want to see my lawyer,' said Jason suddenly. Jason did not know any lawyers. But people on television always said that.

That afternoon a different policeman took Jason to court. The court was in a big grey building in the middle of the town. Jason and the policeman waited in a small room. The policeman did not look at Jason, and he did not say anything. Jason felt very unhappy.

Then a woman came into the room. She was young, with short brown hair and an interesting face. She wore a black skirt and a white shirt, and carried a big black bag.

Mr Williams?' she said to Jason. 'I'm Sally Cash, and I'm your lawyer.'

The policeman left the room, and Sally Cash sat down and began to ask Jason questions.

Soon a man in a black coat came into the room. 'Are you ready to go into court, Miss Cash?' he asked.

Nearly ready, John,' said the lawyer. She looked at Jason. 'I'm going to do all the talking in court. OK? I don't want you to say anything. Nothing important is going to happen today. They're going to send you to the Crown Court. That's a more important court.'

When?' asked Jason.

Soon.'

Can I go home tonight?' asked Jason. 'Last night I slept in a cell at the police station. It wasn't very nice.'

No, I'm sorry,' said Miss Cash. 'You can't go home. You see, you're a rich man now. You can buy a ticket to New York, Hong Kong – you can buy an aeroplane! The police want you to stay in this country.'

But I want to go home!'

I can ask the court,' said Sally Cash.

Two men and a woman sat at the end of a long table and listened carefully to everyone's story.

Then the woman looked at Sally Cash. 'This case must go to the Crown Court,' she said. 'Jason Williams must stay at the police station and—'

Excuse me,' said Sally Cash. 'Mr Williams slept in a police cell last night. He's very young and he was unhappy and afraid. He'd like to go home tonight – please.'

The woman talked quietly to the two men for a minute. Then she said, 'Mr Williams, you can go home tonight. But you must leave your lottery cheque here in court.'

Why?' asked Jason.

We don't want you to run away, Mr Williams. Now listen carefully. You must live at your parents' house. Don't leave the town. And every morning at ten o'clock you must go to the police station. Do you understand?'

Yes,' said Jason.