jg.thefirm-第41部分

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　about　the　office　and　her　students；　about　the　weather；　about　this　and　that。　But　the　conversations　were　flat；　often　forced　and　strained。　When　Mitch　was　in　law　school　the　lovemaking　had　been　frequent　and　rowdy；　now　it　was　practically　nonexistent。　Someone　was　listening。
　　Midnight　walks　around　the　block　became　a　habit。　After　a　quick　sandwich　each　night；　they　would　deliver　the　rehearsed　lines　about　needing　exercise　and　head　for　the　street。　They　held　hands　and　walked　in　the　cold；　talking　about　　and　the　FBI；　and　which　way　to　turn；　always　the　same　conclusion：　there　was　no　way　out。　None。　Seventeen　days　and　seventeen　nights。
　　The　eighteenth　day　brought　a　new　twist。　Mitch　was　exhausted　by　9　P。M。　and　decided　to　go　home。　He　had　worked　nonstop　for　fifteen　and　a　half　hours。　At　two　hundred　per。　As　usual；　he　walked　the　halls　of　the　second　floor；　then　took　the　stairs　to　the　third　floor。　He　casually　checked　each　office　to　see　who　was　still　working。　No　one　on　the　third　floor。　He　followed　the　stairs　to　the　fourth　floor　and　walked　the　wide　rectangular　hallway　as　if　in　search　of　something。　All　lights　except　one　were　off。　Royce　McKnight　was　working　late。　Mitch　eased　by　his　office　without　being　seen。　Avery's　door　was　closed；　and　Mitch　grabbed　the　doorknob。　It　was　locked。　He　walked　to　the　library　down　the　hall；　looking　for　a　book　he　did　not　need。　After　two　weeks　of　the　casual　late…night　inspections；　he　had　found　no　closed…circuit　cameras　above　the　halls　or　offices。　They　just　listen；　he　decided。　They　do　not　see。
　　He　said　goodbye　to　Dutch　Hendrix　at　the　front　gate　and　drove　home。　Abby　was　not　expecting　him　at　such　an　early　hour。　He　quietly　unlocked　the　door　from　the　carport　and　eased　into　the　kitchen。　He　flipped　on　a　light　switch。　She　was　in　the　bedroom。　Between　the　kitchen　and　the　den　was　a　small　foyer　with　a　rolltop　desk　where　Abby　left　each　day's　mail。　He　laid　his　briefcase　softly　on　the　desk；　then　saw　it。　A　large　brown　envelope　addressed　with　a　black　felt　marker　to　Abby　McDeere。　No　return　address。　Scrawled　in　heavy　black　letters　were　the　words　PHOTOGRAPHS…DO　NOT　BEND。　His　heart　stopped　first；　then　his　breathing。　He　grabbed　the　envelope。　It　had　been　opened。
　　A　heavy　layer　of　sweat　broke　across　his　forehead。　His　mouth　was　dry　and　he　could　not　swallow。　His　heart　returned　with　the　fury　of　a　jackhammer。　The　breathing　was　heavy　and　painful。　He　was　nauseous。　Slowly；　he　backed　away　from　the　desk；　holding　the　envelope。　She's　in　the　bed；　he　thought。　Hurt；　sick；　devastated　and　mad　as　hell。　He　wiped　his　forehead　and　tried　to　collect　himself。　Face　it　like　a　man；　he　said。
　　She　was　in　the　bed；　reading　a　book　with　the　television　on。　The　dog　was　in　the　backyard。　Mitch　opened　the　bedroom　door；　and　Abby　bolted　upright　in　horror。　She　almost　screamed　at　the　intruder；　until　she　recognized　him。
　　〃You　scared　me；　Mitch！〃
　　Her　eyes　glowed　with　fear；　then　fun。　They　had　not　been　crying。　They　looked　fine；　normal。　No　pain。　No　anger。　He　could　not　speak。
　　〃Why　are　you　home？〃　she　demanded；　sitting　up　in　bed；　smiling　now。
　　Smiling？　〃I　live　here；〃　he　said　weakly。
　　〃Why　didn't　you　call？〃
　　〃Do　I　have　to　call　before　I　can　e　home？〃　His　breathing　was　now　almost　normal。　She　was　fine！
　　〃It　would　be　nice。　e　here　and　kiss　me。〃
　　He　leaned　across　the　bed　and　kissed　her。　He　handed　her　the　envelope。　〃What's　this？〃　he　asked　nonchalantly。
　　〃You　tell　me。　It's　addressed　to　me；　but　there　was　nothing　inside。　Not　a　thing。〃　She　closed　her　book　and　laid　it　on　the　night　table。
　　Not　a　thing！　He　smiled　at　her　and　kissed　her　again。　〃Are　you　expecting　photographs　from　anyone？〃　he　asked　in　plete　ignorance。
　　〃Not　that　I　know　of。　Must　be　a　mistake。〃
　　He　could　almost　hear　DeVasher　laughing　at　this　very　moment　on　the　fifth　floor。　The　fat　bastard　was　standing　up　there　somewhere　in　some　dark　room　full　of　wires　and　machines　with　a　headset　stretched　around　his　massive　bowling　ball　of　a　head；　laughing　uncontrollably。
　　〃That's　strange；〃　Mitch　said。　Abby　pulled　on　a　pair　of　jeans　and　pointed　to　the　backyard。　Mitch　nodded。　The　signal　was　simple；　just　a　quick　point　or　a　nod　of　the　head　in　the　direction　of　the　patio。
　　Mitch　laid　the　envelope　on　the　rolltop　desk　and　for　a　second　touched　the　scrawled　markings　on　it。　Probably　DeVasher's　handwriting。　He　could　almost　hear　him　laughing。　He　could　see　his　fat　face　and　nasty　smile。　The　photographs　had　probably　been　passed　around　during　lunch　in　the　partners'　dining　room。　He　could　see　Lambert　and　Mc…Knight　and　even　Avery　gawking　admiringly　over　coffee　and　dessert。
　　They'd　better　enjoy　the　pictures；　dammit。　They'd　better　enjoy　the　remaining　few　months　of　their　bright　and　rich　and　happy　legal　careers。
　　Abby　walked　by　and　he　grabbed　her　hand。　〃What's　for　dinner？〃　he　asked　for　the　benefit　of　those　listening。
　　〃Why　don't　we　go　out。　We　should　celebrate　since　you're　home　at　a　decent　hour。〃
　　They　walked　through　the　den。　〃Good　idea；〃　said　Mitch。　They　eased　through　the　rear　door；　across　the　patio　and　into　the　darkness。
　　〃What　is　it？〃　Mitch　asked。
　　〃You　got　a　letter　today　from　Doris。　She　said　she's　in　Nashville；　but　will　return　to　Memphis　on　the　twenty…seventh　of　February。　She　says　she　needs　to　see　you。　It's　important。　It　was　a　very　short　letter。〃
　　〃The　twenty…seventh！　That　was　yesterday。〃
　　〃I　know。　I　presume　she's　already　in　town。　I　wonder　what　she　wants。〃
　　〃Yeah；　and　I　wonder　where　she　is。〃
　　〃She　said　her　husband　had　an　engagement　here　in　town。〃
　　〃Good。　She'll　find　us；〃　Mitch　said。
　　Nathan　Locke　closed　his　office　door　and　pointed　DeVasher　in　the　direction　of　the　small　conference　table　near　the　window。　The　two　men　hated　each　other　and　made　no　attempt　to　be　cordial。　But　business　was　business；　and　they　took　orders　from　the　same　man。
　　〃Lazarov　wanted　me　to　talk　to　you；　alone；〃　DeVasher　said。　〃I've　spent　the　past　two　days　with　him　in　Vegas；　and　he's　very　anxious。　They're　all　anxious；　Locke；　and　he　trusts　you　more　than　anyone　else　around　here。　He　likes　you　more　than　he　likes　me。〃
　　〃That's　understandable；〃　Locke　said　with　no　smile。　The　ripples　of　black　around　his　eyes　narrowed　and　focused　intently　on　DeVasher。
　　〃Anyway；　there　are　a　few　things　he　wants　us　to　discuss。〃
　　〃I'm　listening。〃
　　〃McDeere's　lying。　You　know　how　Lazarov's　always　bragged　about　having　a　mole　inside　the　FBI。　Well；　I've　never　believed　him；　and　still　don't；　for　the　most　part。　But　according　to　Lazarov；　his　little　source　is　telling　him　that　there　was　some　kind　of　secret　meeting　involving　McDeere　and　some　FBI　heavyweights　when　your　boy　was　in　Washington　back　in　January。　We　were　there；　and　our　men　saw　nothing；　but　it's　impossible　to　track　anyone　twenty…four　hours　a　day　without　getting　caught。　It's　possible　he　could've　slipped　away　for　a　little　while　without　our　knowledge。〃
　　〃Do　you　believe　it？〃
　　〃It's　not　important　whether　I　believe　it。　Lazarov　believes　it；　and　that's　all　that　matters。　At　any　rate；　he　told　me　to　make　preliminary　plans　to；　uh；　take　care　of　him。〃
　　〃Damn　DeVasher！　We　can't　keep　eliminating　people。〃
　　〃Just　preliminary　plans；　nothing　serious。　I　told　Lazarov　I　thought　it　was　much　too　early　and　that　it　would　be　a　mistake。　But　they　are　very　worried；　Locke。〃
　　〃This　can't　continue；　DeVasher。　I　mean；　damn！　We　have　reputations　to　consider。　We　have　a　higher　casualty　rate　than　oil　rigs。　People　will　start　talking。　We're　gonna　reach　a　point　where　no　law　student　in　his　right　mind　would　take　a　job　here。〃
　　〃I　don'。t　think　you　need　to　worry　about　that。　Lazarov　has　put　a　freeze　on　hiring。　He　told　me　to　tell　you　that。　He　also　wants　to　know　how　many　associates　are　still　in　the　dark。〃
　　〃Five；　I　think。　Let's　see；　Lynch；　Sorrell；　Buntin；　Myers　and　McDeere。〃
　　〃Forget　McDeere。　Lazarov　is　convinced　he　knows　much　more　than　we　think。　Are　you　certain　the　other　four　know　nothing？〃
　　Locke　thought　for　a　moment　and　mumbled　under　his　breath。　〃Well；　we　haven't　told　them。　You　guys　are　listening　and　watching。　What　do　you　hear？〃
　　〃Nothing；　from　those　four。　They　sound　ignorant　and　act　as　if　they　suspect　nothing。　Can　you　fire　them？〃
　　〃Fire　them！　They're　lawyers；　DeVasher。　You　don't　fire　lawyers。　They're　loyal　members　of　。〃
　　〃　is　changing；　Locke。　Lazarov　wants　to　fire　the　ones　who　don't　know　and　stop　hiring　new　ones。　It's　obvious　the　Fibbies　have　changed　their　strategy；　and　it's　time　for　us　to　change　as　well。　Lazarov　wants　to　circle　the　wagons　and　plug　the　leaks。　We　can't　sit　back　and　wait　for　them　to　pick　off　our　boys。〃
　　〃Fire　them；〃　Locke　repeated　in　disbelief。　〃This　firm　has　never　fired　a　lawyer。〃
　　〃Very　touching；　Locke。　We've　disposed　of　five；　but　never　fired　one。　That's　real　good。　You've　got　a　month　to　do　it；　so　start　thinking　of　a　reason。　I　suggest　you　fire　all　four　at　one　time。　Tell　them　you　lost　a　big　account　and　you're　cutting　back。〃
　　〃We　have　clients；　not　accounts。〃
　　〃Okay；　fine。　Your　biggest　client　is　telling　you　to　fire　Lynch；'　Sorrell；　Buntin　and　Myers。　Now　start　making　plans。〃
　　〃How　do　we　fire　those　four　without　firing　McDeere？〃
　　〃You'll　think　of　something；　Nat。　You　got　a　month。　Get　rid　of　them　and　don't　hire　any　new　boys。　Lazarov　wants　a　tight　little　unit　where　everyone　can　be　trusted。　He's　scared；　Nat。　Scared　and　mad。　I　don't　have　to　tell　you　what　could　happen　if　one　of　your　boys　spilled　his　guts。〃
　　〃No；　you　don't　have　to　tell　me。　What　does　he　plan　to　do　with　McDeere？〃
　　〃Right　now；　nothing　but　the　same。　We're　listening　twenty…four　hours　a　day；　and　the　kid　has　never　mentioned　a　word　to　his　wife　or　anyone　else。　Not　a　word！　He's　been　corralled　twice　by　Tarrance；　and　he　reported　both　incidents　to　you。　I　still　think　the　second　meeting　was　somewhat　suspicious；　so　we're　being　very　careful。　Lazarov；　on　the　other　hand；　insists　there　was　a　meeting　in　Washington。　He's　trying　to　confirm。　He　said　his　sources　knew　little；　but　they　were　digging。　If　in　fact　McDeere　met　with　the　Fibbies　up　there　and　failed　to　report　it；　then　I'm　sure　Lazarov　will　instruct　me　to　move　quickly。　That's　why　he　wants　preliminary　plans　to　take　McDeere　out。〃
　　〃How　do　you　plan　to　do　it？〃
　　〃It's　too　early。　I　haven't　given　it　much　thought。〃
　　〃You　know　he　and　his　wife　are　going　to　the　Caymans　in　two　weeks　for　a　vacation。　They'll　stay　in　one　of　our　condos；　the　usual。〃
　　〃We　wou