jg.thefirm-第31部分

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　　〃And　maybe　our　cars。　Rick　Acklin　made　a　big　deal　of　it　today。　He　kept　telling　me　not　to　say　anything　I　didn't　want　recorded。〃
　　〃Mitch；　this　is　incredible。　Why　would　a　law　firm　do　that？〃
　　He　shook　his　head　slowly　and　looked　into　the　empty　wineglass。　〃I　have　no　idea；　babe。　No　idea。〃
　　The　waiter　set　two　new　wineglasses　on　the　table　and　stood　with　his　hands　behind　him。　〃Will　you　be　ordering？〃　he　asked。
　　〃In　a　few　minutes；〃　Abby　said。
　　〃We'll　call　you　when　we're　ready；〃　Mitch　added。
　　〃Do　you　believe　it；　Mitch？〃
　　〃I　think　something's　up。　There's　more　to　the　story。〃
　　She　slowly　folded　her　hands　on　the　table　and　stared　at　him　with　a　look　of　utter　fear。　He　told　the　story　of　Hodge　and　Kozinski；　starting　with　Tarrance　at　the　deli；　then　to　the　Caymans　and　being　followed　and　the　meeting　with　Abanks。　He　told　her　everything　Abanks　had　said。　Then　Eddie　Lo…max　and　the　deaths　of　Alice　Knauss；　Robert　Lamm　and　John　Mickel。
　　〃I've　lost　my　appetite；〃　she　said　when　he　finished。
　　〃So　have　I。　But　I　feel　better　now　that　you　know。〃
　　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　sooner？〃
　　〃I　hoped　it　would　go　away。　I　hoped　Tarrance　would　leave　me　alone　and　find　someone　else　to　torment。　But　he's　here　to　stay。　That's　why　Rick　Acklin　was　transferred　to　Memphis。　To　work　on　me。　I　have　been　selected　by　the　FBI　for　a　mission　I　know　nothing　about。〃
　　〃I　feel　weak。〃
　　〃We　have　to　be　careful；　Abby。　We　must　continue　to　live　as　if　we　suspect　nothing。〃
　　〃I　don't　believe　this。　I'm　sitting　here　listening　to　you；　but　I　don't　believe　what　you're　telling　me。　This　is　not　real；　Mitch。　You　expect　me　to　live　in　a　house　that's　wired　and　the　phones　are　tapped　and　someone；　somewhere　is　listening　to　everything　we　say。〃
　　〃Do　you　have　a　better　idea？〃
　　〃Yeah。　Let's　hire　this　Lomax　guy　to　inspect　our　house。〃
　　〃I've　thought　of　that。　But　what　if　he　finds　something？　Think　about　it。　What　if　we　know　for　sure　that　the　house　is　wired？　What　then？　What　if　he　breaks　a　device　that's　been　planted？　They；　whoever　in　hell　they　are；　will　know　that　we　know。　It's　too　dangerous；　for　now　anyway。　Maybe　later。〃
　　〃This　is　crazy；　Mitch。　I　guess　we're　supposed　to　run　out　in　the　backyard　to　have　a　conversation。〃
　　〃Of　course　not。　We　could　use　the　front　yard。〃
　　〃At　this　moment；　I　don't　appreciate　your　sense　of　humor。〃
　　〃Sorry。　Look；　Abby；　let's　be　normal　and　patient　for　a　while。　Tarrance　has　convinced　me　he's　serious　and　he's　not　going　to　forget　about　me。　I　can't　stop　him。　He　finds　me；　remember。　I　think　they　follow　me　and　wait　in　ambush。　For　the　time　being；　it's　important　that　we　carry　on　as　usual。〃
　　〃Usual？　e　to　think　of　it；　there's　not　much　conversation　around　our　house　these　days。　I　sort　of　feel　sorry　for　them　if　they're　waiting　to　hear　meaningful　dialogue。　I　talk　to　Hearsay　a　lot。〃
　　　
　　　17
　　THE　snow　cleared　long　before　Christmas；　leaving　the　ground　wet　and　making　way　for　the　traditional　Southern　holiday　weather　of　gray　skies　and　cold　rain。　Memphis　had　seen　two　white　Christmases　in　the　past　ninety　years；　and　the　experts　predicted　no　more　in　the　century。
　　There　was　snow　in　Kentucky；　but　the　roads　were　clear。　Abby　called　her　parents　early　Christmas　morning　after　she　packed。　She　was　ing；　she　said；　but　she　would　be　alone。　They　were　disappointed；　they　said；　and　suggested　that　perhaps　she　should　stay　if　it　was　causing　trouble。　She　insisted。　It　was　a　ten…hour　drive。　Traffic　would　be　light；　and　she　would　be　there　by　dark。
　　Mitch　said　very　little。　He　spread　the　morning　paper　on　the　floor　next　to　the　tree　and　pretended　to　concentrate　as　she　loaded　her　car。　The　dog　hid　nearby　under　a　chair；　as　if　waiting　for　an　explosion。　Their　gifts　had　been　opened　and　arranged　neatly　on　the　couch。　Clothes　and　perfume　and　albums；　and　for　her；　a　full…length　fox　coat。　For　the　first　time　in　the　young　marriage；　there　was　money　to　spend　at　Christmas。
　　She　draped　the　coat　over　her　arm　and　walked　to　the　paper。　〃I'm　leaving　now；〃　she　said　softly；　but　firmly。
　　He　stood　slowly　and　looked　at　her。
　　〃I　wish　you　would　e　with　me；〃　she　said。
　　〃Maybe　next　year。〃　It　was　a　lie；　and　they　knew　it。　But　it　sounded　good。　It　was　promising。
　　〃Please　be　careful。〃
　　〃Take　care　of　my　dog。〃
　　〃We'll　be　fine。〃
　　He　took　her　shoulders　and　kissed　her　on　the　cheek。　He　looked　at　her　and　smiled。　She　was　beautiful；　much　more　so　than　when　they　married。　At　twenty…four；　she　looked　her　age；　but　the　years　were　being　very　generous。
　　They　walked　to　the　carport；　and　he　helped　her　into　the　car。　They　kissed　again；　and　she　backed　down　the　driveway。
　　Merry　Christmas；　he　said　to　himself。　Merry　Christmas；　he　said　to　the　dog。
　　After　an　hour　of　watching　the　walls；　he　threw　two　changes　of　clothes　in　the　BMW；　placed　Hearsay　in　the　front　seat　and　left　town。　He　drove　south　on　Interstate　55；　out　of　Memphis；　into　Mississippi。　The　road　was　deserted；　but　he　kept　an　eye　on　the　rearview　mirror。　The　dog　whimpered　precisely　every　sixty　minutes；　and　Mitch　would　stop　on　the　shoulder…if　possible；　just　over　a　hill。　He　would　find　a　cluster　of　trees　where　he　could　hide　and　watch　the　traffic　while　Hearsay　did　his　business。　He　noticed　nothing。　After　five　stops；　he　was　sure　he　was　not　being　followed。　They　evidently　took　off　Christmas　Day。
　　In　six　hours　he　was　in　Mobile；　and　two　hours　later　he　crossed　the　bay　at　Pensacola　and　headed　for　the　Emerald　Coast　of　Florida。　Highway　98　ran　through　the　coastal　towns　of　Navarre；　Fort　Walton　Beach；　Destin　and　Sandestin。　It　encountered　clusters　of　condominiums　and　motels；　miles　of　shopping　centers；　then　strings　of　run…down　amusement　parks　and　low　rent　T…shirt　shops；　most　of　which　had　been　locked　and　neglected　since　Labor　Day。　Then　it　went　for　miles　with　no　congestion；　no　sprawl；　just　an　awesome　view　of　the　snowy…white　beaches　and　brilliant　emerald　waters　of　the　Gulf。　East　of　Sandestin；　the　highway　narrowed　and　left　the　coast；　and　for　an　hour　he　drove　alone　on　the　two…lane　with　nothing　to　look　at　but　the　woods　and　an　occasional　self…serve　gas　station　or　quick…shop　convenience　store。
　　At　dusk；　he　passed　a　high　rise；　and　a　sign　said　Panama　City　Beach　was　eight　miles　ahead。　The　highway　found　the　coast　again　at　a　point　where　it　forked　and　offered　a　choice　between　the　bypass　to　the　north　and　the　scenic　route　straight　ahead　on　what　was　called　the　Miracle　Strip。　He　chose　the　scenic　route　next　to　the　beach…the　strip　that　ran　for　fifteen　miles　by　the　water　and　was　lined　on　both　sides　with　condos；　cheap　motels；　trailer　parks；　vacation　cottages；　fast…food　joints　and　T…shirt　shops。　This　was　Panama　City　Beach。
　　Most　of　the　ten　zillion　condos　were　empty；　but　there　were　a　few　cars　parked　about　and　he　assumed　that　some　families　vacationed　on　the　beach　for　Christmas。　A　hot…weather　Christmas。　At　least　they're　together；　he　said　to　himself。　The　dog　barked；　and　they　stopped　by　a　pier　where　men　from　Pennsylvania　and　Ohio　and　Canada　fished　and　watched　the　dark　waters。
　　They　cruised　the　Miracle　Strip　by　themselves。　Hearsay　stood　on　the　door　and　took　in　the　sights；　barking　at　the　occasional　flashing　neon　of　a　cinder…block　motel　advertising　its　openness　and　cheap　rates。　Christmas　on　the　Miracle　Strip　closed　everything　but　a　handful　of　diehard　coffee　shops　and　motels。
　　He　stopped　for　gas　at　an　all…night　Texaco　with　a　clerk　who　seemed　unmonly　friendly。
　　〃San　Luis　Street？〃　Mitch　asked。
　　〃Yes；　yes；〃　the　clerk　said　with　an　accent　and　pointed　to　the　west。　〃Second　traffic　light　to　the　right。　First　left。　That's　San　Luis。〃
　　The　neighborhood　was　a　disorganized　suburb　of　antique　mobile　homes。　Mobile；　yes；　but　it　was　apparent　they　had　not　moved　in　decades。　The　trailers　were　packed　tightly　together　like　rows　of　dominoes。　The　short；　narrow　driveways　seemed　inches　apart　and　were　filled　with　old　pickups　and　rusted　lawn　furniture。　The　streets　were　crowded　with　parked　cars；　junk　cars；　abandoned　cars。　Motorcycles　and　bicycles　leaned　on　the　trailer　hitches　and　lawn…mower　handles　protruded　from　beneath　each　home。　A　sign　called　the　place　a　retirement　village…〃San　Pedro　Estates…A　Half　Mile　from　the　Emerald　Coast。〃　It　was　more　like　a　slum　on　wheels；　or　a　project　with　a　trailer　hitch。
　　He　found　San　Luis　Street　and　suddenly　felt　nervous。　It　was　winding　and　narrow　with　smaller　trailers　in　worse　shape　than　the　other　〃retirement　homes。〃　He　drove　slowly；　anxiously　watching　street　numbers　and　observing　the　multitude　of　out…of…state　license　plates。　The　street　was　empty　except　for　the　parked　and　abandoned　cars。
　　The　home　at　486　San　Luis　was　one　of　the　oldest　and　smallest。　It　was　scarcely　bigger　than　a　camper。　The　original　paint　job　looked　to　be　silver；　but　the　paint　was　cracked　and　peeling；　and　a　dark　green　layer　of　mold　covered　the　top　and　inched　downward　to　a　point　just　above　the　windows。　The　screens　were　missing。　One　window　above　the　trailer　hitch　was　badly　cracked　and　held　together　with　gray　electrical　tape。　A　small　covered　porch　surrounded　the　only　entrance。　The　storm　door　was　open；　and　through　the　screen　Mitch　could　see　a　small　color　television　and　the　silhouette　of　a　man　walking　by。
　　This　was　not　what　he　wanted。　By　choice；　he　had　never　met　his　mother's　second　husband；　and　now　was　not　the　time。　He　drove　on；　wishing　he　had　not　e。
　　He　found　on　the　Strip　the　familiar　marquee　of　a　Holiday　Inn。　It　was　empty；　but　open。　He　hid　the　BMW　away　from　the　highway；　and　registered　under　the　name　of　Eddie　Lo…max　of　Danesboro；　Kentucky。　He　paid　cash　for　a　single　room　with　an　ocean　view。
　　The　Panama　City　Beach　phone　book　listed　three　Waffle　Huts　on　the　Strip。　He　lay　across　the　motel　bed　and　dialed　the　first　number。　No　luck。　He　dialed　the　second　number；　and　again　asked　for　Eva　Ainsworth。　Just　a　minute；　he　was　told。　He　hung　up。　It　was　11　P。M。　He　had　slept　for　two　hours。
　　The　taxi　took　twenty　minutes　to　arrive　at　the　Holiday　Inn；　and　the　driver　began　by　explaining　that　he　had　been　home　enjoying　leftover　turkey　with　his　wife　and　kids　and　kinfolks　when　the　dispatcher　called；　and　how　it　was　Christmas　and　he　hoped　to　be　with　his　family　all　day　and　not　worry　about　work　for　one　day　of　the　year。　Mitch　threw　a　twenty　over　the　seat　and　asked　him　to　be　quiet。
　　〃What's　at　the'Waffle　Hut；　man？〃　the　driver　asked。
　　〃Just　drive。〃
　　〃Waffles；　right？〃　He　laughed　and　mumbled　to　himself。