jg.thefirm-第60部分

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hem。　Maybe　she　planned　to　lift　the　money　at　the　last　second　and　haul　ass。　She　didn't　do　it。　I　don't　know。〃
　　〃No　more　assumptions？〃　Ollie　asked。
　　〃Not　now。　I　love　to　make　them；　but　it　goes　too　far　to　assume　these　women　took　the　keys；　somehow　managed　to　copy　them　in　the　middle　of　the　night　on　the　island；　without　his　knowledge；　and　then　the　first　one　crawled　back　in　the　bed　with　him。　And　that　somehow　all　of　this　is　related　to　McDeere　and　his　use　of　the　copier　on　the　fourth　floor。　It's　just　too　much。〃
　　〃I　agree；〃　said　Ollie。
　　〃What　about　the　storage　room？〃　asked　Black　Eyes。
　　〃I've　thought　about　that；　Nat。　In　fact；　I've　lost　sleep　thinking　about　it。　If　she　was　interested　in　the　records　in　the　storage　room；　there　must　be　some　connection　with　McDeere；　or　someone　else　poking　around。　And　I　can't　make　that　connection。　Let's　say　she　found　the　room　and　the　records；　what　could　she　do　with　them　in　the　middle　of　the　night　with　Avery　asleep　upstairs？〃
　　〃She　could　read　them。〃
　　〃Yeah；　there's　only　a　million。　Keep　in　mind；　now；　she　must　have　been　drinking　along　with　Avery；　or　he　would've　been　suspicious。　So　she's　spent　the　night　drinking　and　screwing。　She　waits　until　he　goes　to　sleep；　then　suddenly　she　has　this　urge　to　go　downstairs　and　read　bank　records。　It　don't　work；　boys。〃
　　　〃She　could　work　for　the　FBI；〃　Ollie　said　proudly。
　　〃No；　she　couldn't。〃
　　〃Why？〃
　　〃It's　simple；　Ollie。　The　FBI　wouldn't　do　it　because　the　search　would　be　illegal　and　the　records　would　be　inadmissible。　And　there's　a　much　better　reason。〃
　　〃What？〃
　　〃If　she　was　a　Fibbie；　she　wouldn't　have　used　the　phone。　No　professional　would've　made　that　call。　I　think　she　was　a　pickpocket。〃
　　The　pickpocket　theory　was　explained　to　Lazarov；　who　poked　a　hundred　holes　but　could　devise　nothing　better。　He　ordered　changes　in　all　the　locks　on　the　third　and　fourth　floors；　and　the　basement；　and　both　condos　on　Grand　Cayman。　He　ordered　a　search　for　all　the　locksmiths　on　the　island…there　couldn't　be　many；　he　said…to　determine　if　any　had　reproduced　keys　the　night　of　April　1　or　the　early　morning　of　April　2。　Bribe　them；　he　told　DeVasher。　They'll　talk　for　a　little　money。　He　ordered　a　fingerprint　examination　of　the　files　from　Avery's　office。　DeVasher　proudly　explained　he　had　already　started　this。　McDeere's　prints　were　on　file　with　the　state　bar　association。
　　He　also　ordered　a　sixty…day　suspension　of　Avery　Tolar。　DeVasher　suggested　this　might　alert　McDeere　to　something　unusual。　Fine；　said　Lazarov；　tell　Tolar　to　check　into　the　hospital　with　chest　pains。　Two　months　off…doctor's　orders。　Tell　Tolar　to　clean　up　his　act。　Lock　up　his　office。　Assign　McDeere　to　Victor　Milligan。
　　〃You　said　you　had　a　good　plan　to　eliminate　McDeere；〃　DeVasher　said。
　　Lazarov　grinned　and　picked　his　nose。　〃Yeah。　I　think　we'll　use　the　plane。　We'll　send　him　down　to　the　islands　on　a　little　business　trip；　and　there　will　be　this　mysterious　explosion。〃
　　〃Waste　two　pilots？〃　asked　DeVasher。
　　〃Yeah。　It　needs　to　look　good。〃
　　〃Don't　do　it　anywhere　around　the　Caymans。　That'll　be　too　coincidental。〃
　　〃Okay；　but　it　needs　to　happen　over　water。　Less　debris。　We'll　use　a　big　device；　so　they　won't　find　much。〃
　　〃That　plane's　expensive。〃
　　〃Yeah。　I'll　run　it　by　Joey　first。〃
　　〃You're　the　boss。　Let　me　know　if　we　can　help　down　there。〃
　　〃Sure。　Start　thinking　about　it。〃
　　〃What　about　your　man　in　Washington？〃　DeVasher　asked。
　　〃I'm　waiting。　I　called　New　York　this　morning；　and　they're　checking　into　it。　We　should　know　in　a　week。〃
　　〃That　would　make　it　easy。〃
　　〃Yeah。　If　the　answer　is　yes；　we　need　to　eliminate　him　within　twenty…four　hours。〃
　　〃I'll　start　planning。〃
　　The　office　was　quiet　for　a　Saturday　morning。　A　handful　of　partners　and　a　dozen　associates　loitered　about　in　khakis　and　polos。　There　were　no　secretaries。　Mitch　checked　his　mail　and　dictated　correspondence。　After　two　hours　he　left。　It　was　time　to　visit　Ray。
　　For　five　hours；　he　drove　east　on　Interstate　40。　Drove　like　an　idiot。　He　drove　forty…five；　then　eighty…five。　He　darted　into　every　rest　stop　and　weigh　station。　He　made　sudden　exits　from　the　left　lane。　He　stopped　at　an　underpass　and　waited　and　watched。　He　never　saw　them。　Not　once　did　he　notice　a　suspicious　car　or　truck　or　van。　He　even　watched　a　few　eigh…teen…wheelers。　Nothing。　They　simply　were　not　back　there。　He　would　have　caught　them。
　　His　care　package　of　books　and　cigarettes　was　cleared　through　the　guard　station；　and　he　was　pointed　to　stall　number　nine。　Minutes　later；　Ray　sat　through　the　thick　screen。
　　〃Where　have　you　been？〃　he　said　with　a　hint　of　irritation。　〃You're　the　only　person　in　the　entire　world　who　visits　me；　and　this　is　only　the　second　time　in　four　months。〃
　　〃I　know。　It's　tax　season；　and　I've　been　swamped。　I'll　do　better。　I've　written；　though。〃
　　〃Yeah；　once　a　week　I　get　two　paragraphs。　'Hi；　Ray。　How's　the　bunk？　How's　the　food？　How　are　the　walls？　How's　the　Greek　or　Italian？　I'm　fine。　Abby's　great。　Dog's　sick。　Gotta　run。　I'll　e　visit　soon。　Love；　Mitch。'　You　write　some　rich　letters；　little　brother。　I　really　treasure　them。〃
　　〃Yours　aren't　much　better。〃
　　〃What　have　I　got　to　say？　The　guards　are　selling　dope。　A　friend　got　stabbed　thirty…one　times。　I　saw　a　kid　get　raped。　e　on；　Mitch；　who　wants　to　hear　it？〃
　　〃I'll　do　better。〃
　　〃How's　Mom？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　I　haven't　been　back　since　Christmas。〃
　　〃I　asked　you　to　check　on　her；　Mitch。　I'm　worried　about　her。　If　that　goon　is　beating　her；　I　want　it　stopped。　If　I　could　get　out　of　here；　I'd　stop　it　myself。〃
　　〃You　will。〃　It　was　a　statement；　not　a　question。　Mitch　placed　a　finger　over　his　lips　and　nodded　slowly。　Ray　leaned　forward　on　his　elbows　and　stared　intently。
　　Mitch　spoke　softly。　〃Espanol。　Hable　despotic。〃　Spanish。　Speak　slowly。
　　Ray　smiled　slightly。　〃tCudndo？〃　When？
　　〃La　semana　proximo。〃　Next　week。
　　〃iQue　dia？〃　What　day？
　　Mitch　thought　for　a　second。　〃Maries　o　miercoles。〃　Tuesday　or　Wednesday。
　　〃iQue　tiempo？〃　What　time？
　　Mitch　smiled　and　shrugged；　and　looked　around。
　　〃How's　Abby？〃　Ray　asked。
　　〃She's　been　in　Kentucky　for　a　couple　of　weeks。　Her　mother's　sick。〃　He　stared　at　Ray　and　softly　mouthed　the　words　〃Trust　me。〃
　　〃What's　wrong　with　her？〃
　　〃They　removed　a　lung。　Cancer。　She's　smoked　heavy　all　her　life。　You　should　quit。〃
　　〃I　will　if　I　ever　get　out　of　here。〃
　　Mitch　smiled　and　nodded　slowly。　〃You've　got　at　least　seven　more　years。〃
　　〃Yeah；　and　escape　is　impossible。　They　try　it　occasionally；　but　they're　either　shot　or　captured。〃
　　〃James　Earl　Ray　went　over　the　wall；　didn't　he？〃　Mitch　nodded　slowly　as　he　asked　the　question。　Ray　smiled　and　watched　his　brother's　eyes。
　　〃But　they　caught　him。　They　bring　in　a　bunch　of　mountain　boys　with　bloodhounds；　and　it　gets　pretty　nasty。　I　don't　think　anyone's　ever　survived　the　mountains　after　they　got　over　the　wall。〃
　　〃Let's　talk　about　something　else；〃　Mitch　said。
　　〃Good　idea。〃
　　Two　guards　stood　by　a　window　behind　the　row　of　visitors'　booths。　They　were　enjoying　a　stack　of　dirty　pictures　someone　took　with　a　Polaroid　and　tried　to　sneak　through　the　guard　station。　They　giggled　among　themselves　and　ignored　the　visitors。　On　the　prisoners'　side；　a　single　guard　with　a　stick　walked　benignly　back　and　forth；　half　asleep。
　　〃When　can　I　expect　little　nieces　and　nephews？〃　Ray　asked。
　　〃Maybe　in　a　few　years。　Abby　wants　one　of　each；　and　she　would　start　now　if　I　would。　I'm　not　ready。〃
　　The　guard　walked　behind　Ray；　but　did　not　look。　They　stared　at　each　other；　trying　to　read　each　other's　eyes。
　　〃jAddnde　voy？〃　Ray　asked　quickly。　Where　am　I　going？
　　〃Perdido　Beach　Hilton。　We　went　to　the　Cayman　Islands　last　month；　Abby　and　I。　Had　a　beautiful　vacation。〃
　　〃Never　heard　of　the　place。　Where　is　it？〃
　　〃In　the　Caribbean；　below　Cuba。〃
　　〃iQue　es　mi　nombre？〃　What　is　my　name？
　　〃Lee　Stevens。　Did　some　snorkeling。　The　water　is　warm　and　gorgeous。　　owns　two　condos　right　on　Seven　Mile　Beach。　All　I　paid　for　was　the　airfare。　It　was　great。〃
　　〃Get　me　a　book。　I'd　like　to　read　about　it。　jPasaporte？〃
　　Mitch　nodded　with　a　smile。　The　guard　walked　behind　Ray　and　stopped。　They　talked　of　old　times　in　Kentucky。
　　At　dusk　he　parked　the　BMW　on　the　dark　side　of　a　suburban　mall　in　Nashville。　He　left　the　keys　in　the　ignition　and　locked　the　door。　He　had　a　spare　in　his　pocket。　A　busy　crowd　of　Easter　shoppers　moved　en　masse　through　the　Sears　doors。　He　joined　them。　Inside　he　ducked　into　the　men's　clothing　department　and　studied　socks　and　underwear　while　watching　the　door。　Nobody　suspicious。　He　left　Sears　and　walked　quickly　through　the　crowd　down　the　mall。　A　black　cotton　sweater　in　the　window　of　a　men's　store　caught　his　attention。　He　found　one　inside；　tried　it　on　and　decided　to　wear　it　out　of　there；　he　liked　it　so　much。　As　the　clerk　laid　his　change　on　the　counter；　he　scanned　the　yellow　pages　for　the　number　of　a　cab。　Back　into　the　mall；　he　rode　the　escalator　to　the　first　floor；　where　he　found　a　pay　phone。　The　cab　would　be　there　in　ten　minutes。
　　It　was　dark　now；　the　cool　early　dark　of　spring　in　the　South。　He　watched　the　mall　entrance　from　inside　a　singles　bar。　He　was　certain　he　had　not　been　followed　through　the　mall。　He　walked　casually　to　the　cab。　〃Brentwood；〃　he　said　to　the　driver；　and　disappeared　into　the　back　seat。
　　Brentwood　was　twenty　minutes　away。　〃Savannah　Creek　Apartments；〃　he　said。　The　cab　searched　through　the　sprawling　plex　and　found　number　480E。　He　threw　a　twenty　over　the　seat　and　slammed　the　door。　Behind　an　outside　stairwell　he　found　the　door　to　480E。　It　was　locked。
　　〃Who　is　it？〃　a　nervous　female　voice　asked　from　within。　He　heard　the　voice　and　felt　weak。
　　〃Barry　Abanks；〃　he　said。
　　Abby　pulled　the　door　open　and　attacked。　They　kissed　violently　as　he　lifted　her；　walked　inside　and　slammed　the　door　with　his　foot。　His　hands　were　wild。　In　less　than　two　seconds；　he　pulled　her　sweater　over　her　head；　unsnapped　her　bra　and　slid　the　rather　loose…fitting　skirt　to　her　knees。　They　continued　kissing。　With　one　eye；　he　glanced　apprehensively　at　the　cheap；　flimsy　rented　fold…a…bed　that　was　waiting。　Either　that　or　the　floor。　He　laid　her　gently　on　it　and　took　off　his　clothes。
　　The　bed　was　too　short；　and　it　squeaked。　The　mattress　was　two　inches　of　foam　rubber　wrapped　in　a　sh