jg.thefirm-第69部分

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othing　serious。　He　took　her　gun　and　her　money；　and　now　she's　claiming　she　was　beaten　and　raped　by　Ray　McDeere。　Every　cop　in　Florida　is　looking　for　the　car　I　rented　last　night　in　Mobile。〃
　　〃Where's　the　car？〃
　　〃We　left　it　about　a　mile　west　of　here　at　a　big　condo　development。　I'm　so　scared；　Mitch。〃
　　〃Where's　Ray？〃
　　〃He's　lying　on　the　beach　trying　to　sunburn　his　face。　The　picture　in　the　paper　is　an　old　one。　He's　got　long　hair　and　looks　real　pale。　It's　not　a　good　picture。　Now　he's　got　a　crew　cut　and　he's　trying　to　turn　pink。　I　think　it　will　help。〃
　　〃Are　both　rooms　in　your　name？〃
　　〃Rachel　James。〃
　　〃Listen；　Abby。　Forget　Rachel　and　Lee　and　Ray　and　Abby。　Wait　until　almost　dark；　then　leave　the　rooms。　Just　walk　away。　About　a　half　a　mile　east　is　a　small　motel　called　the　Blue　Tide。　You　and　Ray　enjoy　a　little　walk　on　the　beach　until　you　find　it。　You　go　to　the　desk　and　get　two　rooms　next　to　each　other。　Pay　in　cash。　Tell　them　your　name　is　Jackie　Nagel。　Got　that？　Jackie　Nagel。　Use　that　name；　because　when　I　get　there　I'll　ask　for　it。〃
　　〃What　if　they　don't　have　two　rooms　next　to　each　other？〃
　　〃Okay；　if　anything　goes　wrong；　two　doors　down　is　another　dump　called　the　Seaside。　Check　in　there。　Same　name。　I'm　leaving　here　now；　say　one　o'clock；　and　I　should　be　there　in　ten　hours。〃
　　〃What　if　they　find　the　car？〃
　　〃They'll　find　it；　and　they'll　throw　a　blanket　over　Panama　City　Beach。　You've　got　to　be　careful。　After　dark；　try　to　sneak　into　a　drugstore　and　buy　some　hair　dye。　Cut　your　hair　extremely　short　and　dye　it　blond。〃
　　〃Blond！〃
　　〃Or　red。　I　don't　give　a　damn。　But　change　it。　Tell　Ray　not　to　leave　his　room。　Do　not　take　any　chances。〃
　　〃He's　got　a　gun；　Mitch。〃
　　〃Tell　him　I　said　not　to　use　it。　There　will　be　a　thousand　cops　around　there；　probably　tonight。　He　can't　win　a　gunfight。〃
　　〃I　love　you；　Mitch。　I'm　so　scared。〃
　　〃It's　okay　to　be　scared；　babe。　Just　keep　thinking。　They　don't　know　where　you　are；　and　they　can't　catch　you　if　you　move。　I'll　be　there　by　midnight。〃
　　Lamar　Quin；　Wally　Hudson　and　Kendall　Mahan　sat　in　the　conference　room　on　the　third　floor　and　contemplated　their　next　move。　As　senior　associates；　they　knew　about　the　fifth　floor　and　the　basement；　about　Mr。　Lazarov　and　Mr。　Morolto；　about　Hodge　and　Kozinski。　They　knew　that　when　one　joined　；　one　did　not　leave。
　　They　told　their　stories　about　the　Day。　They　pared　it　to　the　day　they　learned　the　sad　truth　about　Santa　Claus。　A　sad　and　frightening　day；　when　Nathan　Locke　talked　to　them　in　his　office　and　told　them　about　their　biggest　client。　And　then　he　introduced　them　to　DeVasher。　They　were　employees　of　the　Morolto　family；　and　they　were　expected　to　work　hard；　spend　their　handsome　paychecks　and　remain　very　quiet　about　it。　All　three　did。　There　had　been　thoughts　of　leaving；　but　never　serious　plans。　They　were　family　men。　In　time；　it　sort　of　went　away。　There　were　so　many　clean　clients　to　work　for。　So　much　hard；　legitimate　work。
　　The　partners　handled　most　of　the　dirty　work；　but　growing　seniority　had　brought　increasing　involvement　in　the　conspiracy。　They　would　never　be　caught；　the　partners　assured　them。　They　were　too　smart。　They　had　too　much　money。　It　was　a　perfect　cover。　Of　particular　concern　at　the　conference　table　was　the　fact　that　the　partners　had　skipped　town。　There　was　not　a　single　partner　in　Memphis。　Even　Avery　Tolar　had　disappeared。　He　had　walked　out　of　the　hospital。
　　They　talked　about　Mitch。　He　was　out　there　somewhere；　scared　and　running　for　his　life。　If　DeVasher　caught　him；　he　was　dead　and　they　would　bury　him　like　Hodge　and　Kozin…ski。　But　if　the　feds　caught　him；　they　got　the　records；　and　they　got　；　which；　of　course；　included　the　three　of　them。
　　What　if；　they　speculated；　no　one　caught　him？　What　if　he　made　it；　just　vanished？　Along　with　his　documents；　of　course。　What　if　he　and　Abby　were　now　somewhere　on　a　beach；　drinking　rum　and　counting　their　money？　They　liked　this　thought　and　talked　about　it　for　a　while。
　　Finally；　they　decided　to　wait　until　tomorrow。　If　Mitch　was　gunned　down　somewhere；　they　would　stay　in　Memphis。　If　he　was　never　found；　they　would　stay　in　Memphis。　If　the　feds　caught　him；　they　would　hit　the　road；　Jack。
　　Run；　Mitch；　run！
　　The　rooms　at　the　Blue　Tide　Motel　were　narrow　and　tacky。　The　carpet　was　twenty　years　old　and　badly　worn。　The　bedspreads　had　cigarette　burns。　But　luxury　was　unimportant。
　　After　dark　Thursday；　Ray　stood　behind　Abby　with　a　pair　of　scissors　and　snipped　delicately　around　her　ears。　Two　towels　under　the　chair　were　covered　with　her　dark　hair。　She　watched　him　carefully　in　the　mirror　next　to　the　antique　color　television　and　was　free　with　her　instructions。　It　was　a　boyish　cut；　well　above　the　ears；　with　bangs。　He　stepped　back　and　admired　his　work。
　　〃Not　bad；〃　he　said。
　　She　smiled　and　brushed　hair　from　her　arms。　〃I　guess　I　need　to　color　it　now；〃　she　said　sadly。　She　walked　to　the　tiny；　bathroom　and　closed　the　door。
　　She　emerged　an　hour　later　as　a　blonde。　A　yellowish　blonde。　Ray　was　asleep　on　the　bedspread。　She　knelt　on　the　dirty　carpet　and　scooped　up　the　hair。
　　She　picked　it　from　the　floor　and　filled　a　plastic　garbage　bag。　The　empty　dye　bottle　and　the　applicator　were　thrown　in　with　the　hair；　and　she　tied　the　bag。　There　was　a　knock　at　the　door。
　　Abby　froze；　and　listened。　The　curtains　were　pulled　tightly。　She　slapped　Ray's　feet。　Another　knock。　Ray　jumped　from　the　bed　and　grabbed　the　gun。
　　〃Who　is　it？〃　she　whispered　loudly　at　the　window。
　　〃Sam　Fortune；〃　he　whispered　back。
　　Ray　unlocked　the　door；　and　Mitch　stepped　in。　He　grabbed　Abby　and　bear…hugged　Ray。　The　door　was　locked；　the　lights　turned　off；　and　they　sat　on　the　bed　in　the　darkness。　He　held　Abby　tightly。　With　so　much　to　say；　the　three　said　nothing。
　　A　tiny；　weak　ray　of　light　from　the　outside　filtered　under　the　curtains　and；　as　minutes　passed；　gradually　lit　the　dresser　and　television。　No　one　spoke。　There　were　no　sounds　from　the　Blue　Tide。　The　parking　lot　was　virtually　empty。
　　〃I　can　almost　explain　why　I'm　here；〃　Ray　finally　said；　〃but　I'm　not　sure　why　you're　here。〃
　　〃We've　got　to　forget　why　we're　here；〃　Mitch　said；　〃and　concentrate　on　leaving　here。　All　together。　All　safe。〃
　　〃Abby's　told　me　everything；〃　Ray　said。
　　〃I　don't　know　everything；〃　she　said。　〃I　don't　know　who's　chasing　us。〃
　　〃I'm　assuming　they're　all　out　there；〃　Mitch　said。　〃De…Vasher　and　his　gang　are　nearby。　Pensacola；　I　would　guess。　It's　the　nearest　airport　of　any　size。　Tarrance　is　somewhere　along　the　coast　directing　his　boys　in　their　all…out　search　for
　　Ray　　McDeere；　　the　　rapist。　　　And　　his　　acplice；　　Abby　McDeere。〃
　　〃What　happens　next？〃　Abby　asked。
　　〃They'll　find　the　car；　if　they　haven't　already　done　so。　That　will　pinpoint　Panama　City　Beach。　The　paper　said　the　search'　extended　from　Mobile　to　Miami；　so　now　they're　spread　out。　When　they　find　the　car；　they　zero　in　here。　Now；　there's　a　thousand　cheap　motels　just　like　this　one　along　the　Strip。　For　twelve　miles；　nothing　but　motels；　condos　and　T…shirt　shops。　That's　a　lot　of　people；　a　lot　of　tourists　with　shorts　and　sandals；　and　tomorrow　we'll　be　tourists　too；　shorts；　sandals；　the　whole　bit。　I　figure　even　if　they　have　a　hundred　men　after　us；　we've　got　two　or　three　days。〃
　　〃Once　they　decide　we're　here；　what　happens？〃　she　asked。
　　〃You　and　Ray　could　have　simply　abandoned　the　car　and　taken　off　in　another　one。　They　can't　be　certain　we're　on　the　Strip；　but　they'll　start　looking　here。　But　they're　not　the　Gestapo。　They　can't　crash　a　door　and　search　without　probable　cause。〃
　　〃DeVasher　can；〃　Ray　said。
　　〃Yeah；　but　there's　a　million　doors　around　here。　They'll　set　up　roadblocks　and　watch　every　store　and　restaurant。　They'll　talk　to　every　hotel　clerk；　show　them　Ray's　mug　shot。　They'll　swarm　like　ants　for　a　few　days；　and　with　luck；　they'll　miss　us。〃
　　〃What　are　you　driving；　Mitch？〃　Ray　asked。
　　〃A　U…Haul。〃
　　〃I　don't　understand　why　we　don't　get　in　the　U…Haul；　right　now；　and　haul　ass。　I　mean；　the　car　is　sitting　a　mile　down　the　road；　just　waiting　to　be　found；　and　we　know　they're　ing。　I　say　we　haul　it。〃
　　〃Listen；　Ray。　They　might　be　setting　roadblocks　right　now。　Trust　me。　Did　I　get　you　out　of　prison？　e　on。〃
　　A　siren　went　screaming　past　on　the　Strip。　They　froze；　and　listened　to　it　fade　away。
　　〃Okay；　gang；〃　Mitch　said；　〃we're　moving　out。　I　don't　like　this　place。　The　parking　lot　is　empty　and　too　close　to　the　highway。　I've　parked　the　U…Haul　three　doors　down　at　the　elegant　Sea　Gull's　Rest　Motel。　I've　got　two　lovely　rooms　there。　The　roaches　are　much　smaller。　We're　taking　a　quiet　stroll　on　the　beach。　Then　we　get　to　unpack　the　truck。　Sound　exciting？〃
　　
　　　37
　　JOEY　Morolto　and　his　squad　of　storm　troopers　landed　at　the　Pensacola　airport　in　a　chartered　DC…9　before　sunrise　Friday。　Lazarov　waited　with　two　limos　and　eight　rented　vans。　He　briefed　Joey　on　the　past　twenty…four　hours　as　the　convoy　left　Pensacola　and　traveled　east　on　Highway　98。　After　an　hour　of　briefing；　they　arrived　at　a　twelve…floor　condo　called　the　Sandpiper；　in　the　middle　of　the　Strip　at　Destin。　An　hour　from　Panama　City　Beach。　The　penthouse　on　the　top　floor　had　been　procured　by　Lazarov　for　only　four　thousand　dollars　a　week。　Off…season　rates。　The　remainder　of　the　twelfth　floor　and　all　of　the　eleventh　had　been　leased；　for　the　goons。
　　Mr。　Morolto　snapped　orders　like　an　agitated　drill　sergeant。　A　mand　post　was　set　up　in　the　great　room　of　the　penthouse；　overlooking　the　calm　emerald　water。　Nothing　suited　him。　He　wanted　breakfast；　and　Lazarov　sent　two　vans　to　a　Delchamps　supermarket　nearby。　He　wanted　McDeere；　and　Lazarov　asked　him　to　be　patient。
　　By　daybreak；　the　troops　had　settled　into　their　condos。　They　waited。
　　Three　miles　away　along　the　beach；　and　within　view　of　the　Sandpiper；　F。　Denton　Voyles　and　Wayne　Tarrance　sat　on　the　balcony　of　an　eighth…floor　room　at　the　Sandestin　Hilton。　They　drank　coffee；　watched　the　sun　rise　gently　on　the　horizon　and　talked　strategy。　The　night　had　not　gone　well。　The　car　had　not　been　found。　No　sign　of　Mitch。　With　sixty　FBI　agents　and　hundreds　of　locals　scouring　the　coast；　they　should　have　at　least　found　the　car。　With　each　passing　hour；　the　McDeeres　were　farther　away。
　　In　a　file　by　a　coffee　table　inside　were　the　warrants。　For　Ray　McDeere；　the　warrant　read：　escape；　unlaw