jg.thepartner-第14部分

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　Salted　peanuts　and　pretzels　were　distributed。　They　declined　the　plimentary　champagne。　Bottled　water　was　poured。　〃So　how　long　have　you　known　Patrick？〃　he　asked　cautiously。
　〃Why　do　you　ask？〃
　〃Sorry。　Look；　is　there　anything　you　can　tell　me　about　what's　happened　to　Patrick　in　the　past　four　years？　I　am；　after　all；　an　old　friend。　And　now　I'm　his　lawyer。　You　can't　blame　me　for　being　curious。〃
　〃You'll　have　to　ask　him；〃　she　said；　with　a　trace　of　sweetness；　then　returned　to　her　magazine。　He　ate　her　peanuts。
　She　waited　until　they　started　their　descent　into　Miami　before　speaking　again。　It　came　fast；　clearly　well　rehearsed。　〃I　won't　see　you　again　for　a　few　days。　I　have　to　keep　moving　because　of　the　people　after　me。　Patrick　will　give　you　instructions；　and　for　the　time　being　he　and　I　will　municate　through　you。　Watch　for　the　unusual。　A　stranger　on　the　phone。　A　car　behind　you。　Someone　hanging　around　your　office。　Once　you're　identified　as　his　lawyer；　you　will　attract　the　people　who　are　looking　for　me。〃
　〃Who　are　they？〃
　〃Patrick　will　tell　you。〃
　〃You　have　the　money；　don't　you？〃
　〃I　can't　answer　that　question。〃
　He　watched　the　clouds　get　closer　below　the　wing。　Of　course　the　money　had　grown。　Patrick　wasn't　an　idiot。　He'd　stashed　it　away　in　a　foreign　bank　where　pros　handled　it。　Probably　earned　at　least　twelve　percent　a　year。
　There　was　no　more　conversation　until　they　landed。　They　hurried　through　the　terminal　to　catch　his　flight　to　San　Juan。　She　shook　his　hand　firmly　and　said；　〃Tell　Patrick　I'm　fine。〃
　〃He'll　ask　where　you　are。〃
　〃Europe。〃
　He　watched　her　disappear　into　the　mass　of　hustling　travelers；　and　as　he　did　he　envied　his　old　friend。　All　that　money。　A　gorgeous　lady　with　exotic　charm　and　class。
　A　boarding　call　woke　him　up。　He　shook　his　head　and　asked　himself　how　he　could　envy　a　man　who　now　faced　the　possibility　of　spending　the　next　ten　years　on　death　row　waiting　to　be　executed。　And　a　hundred　hungry　lawyers　anxious　to　peel　away　his　skin　in　search　of　the　money。
　Envy！　He　took　his　seat；　first　class　again；　and　began　to　feel　the　magnitude　of　representing　Patrick。
　EVA　TOOK　A　CAB　back　to　the　trendy　hotel　on　South　Beach　where　she　had　spent　the　night。　She　would　be　there　for　a　few　days；　depending　on　what　happened　in　Biloxi。　Patrick　had　told　her　to　move　around；　and　not　to　stay　in　one　place　more　than　four　days。　She　was　registered　under　the　name　of　Leah　Pires；　and　now　had　a　gold　credit　card　issued　to　her　in　that　name。　Her　address　was　in　Sao　Paulo。
　She　quickly　changed　and　went　to　the　beach。　It　was　mid…afternoon；　the　beach　was　crowded；　and　that　suited　her　fine。　Her　beaches　in　Rio　were　crowded；　but　there　were　always　friends　around。　Now　she　was　a　stranger；　another　nameless　beauty　in　a　small　bikini　baking　in　the　sun。　She　wanted　to　go　home。
　Eleven
　IT　TOOK　SANDY　an　hour　to　bully　his　way　through　the　outer　walls　of　the　Navy　base。　His　new　client　had　not　made　things　easy。　No　one　seemed　to　know　he　was　expected。　He　was　forced　to　rely　upon　the　attorney's　usual　repertoire：　threats　of　instantaneous　lawsuits；　threats　of　ominous　phone　calls　to　senators　and　others　in　high　places；　and　loud　and　angry　plaints　of　all　sorts　of　rights　violations。　He　made　it　to　the　hospital　office　at　dark；　and　hit　another　line　of　defense。　But　this　time　a　nurse　simply　called　Patrick。
　His　room　was　dark；　lit　only　by　the　bluish　light　of　the　muted　television　hanging　high　in　a　corner…a　soccer　game　from　Brazil。　The　two　old　pals　shook　hands　gently。　They　had　not　seen　each　other　in　six　years。　Patrick　kept　a　sheet　pulled　to　his　chin；　hiding　his　wounds。　For　the　moment；　the　soccer　game　seemed　more　important　than　serious　conversation。
　If　Sandy　was　hoping　for　a　warm　reunion；　he　quickly　adjusted　to　a　subdued　one。　While　trying　not　to　stare；　he　studied　Patrick's　face。　It　was　thin；　almost　gaunt；　with　a　newly　squared　chin　and　a　sharper　nose。　He　could　pass　for　someone　else；　but　for　the　eyes。　And　the　voice　was　unmistakable。
　〃Thanks　for　ing；〃　Patrick　said。　All　of　his　words　were　very　soft；　as　if　the　act　of　speaking　required　great　effort　and　thought。
　〃Sure。　Didn't　have　much　of　a　choice；　you　know。　Your　friend　is　very　persuasive。〃
　Patrick　closed　his　eyes　and　bit　his　tongue。　He　said　a　quick　prayer　of　thanks。　She　was　out　there　and　she　was　fine。
　〃How　much　did　she　pay　you？〃　he　asked。
　〃A　hundred　thousand。〃
　〃Good；〃　Patrick　said；　and　then　said　no　more。　A　long　pause；　and　Sandy　slowly　realized　that　their　conversations　would　be　built　around　long　silent　intervals。
　〃She's　fine；〃　he　said。　〃She's　a　beautiful　woman。　She's　smart　as　hell　and　fully　in　control　of　whatever　she's　supposed　to　be　in　control　of。　In　case　you're　wondering。〃
　〃That's　nice。〃
　〃When　was　the　last　time　you　saw　her？〃
　〃Couple　of　weeks。　I've　lost　track　of　time。〃
　〃Is　she　the　wife；　girlfriend；　mistress；　hooker…〃
　〃Lawyer。〃
　〃Lawyer？〃
　〃Yes；　lawyer。〃　Sandy　was　amused　by　this。　Patrick　shut　down　again；　no　words；　no　movement　anywhere　under　the　sheet。　Minutes　passed。　Sandy　took　a　seat　in　the　only　chair；　content　to　wait　for　his　friend。　Patrick　was　reentering　an　ugly　world　where　the　wolves　were　waiting；　and　if　he　wanted　to　lie　there　and　stare　at　the　ceiling　then　that　was　fine　with　Sandy。　They　would　have　lots　of　time　to　talk。　And　no　shortage　of　topics。
　He　was　alive；　and　right　now　nothing　else　mattered。　Sandy　amused　himself　by　recalling　images　of　the　funeral　and　burial；　of　the　casket　being　lowered　on　a　cold　and　cloudy　day；　of　the　priest's　last　words　and　Trudy's　controlled　sobs。　It　was　downright　funny；　to　think　that　old　Patrick　had　been　hiding　in　a　tree　not　far　away　watching　them　grieve；　as　had　been　reported　for　three　days　now。
　He　laid　low　somehow；　then　snatched　the　money。　Some　men　crack　up　when　they　near　forty。　The　midlife　crisis　drives　them　to　a　new　wife；　or　back　to　college。　Not　old　Patrick。　He　celebrated　his　angst　by　killing　himself；　stealing　ninety　million　dollars；　and　disappearing。
　The　real　dead　body　in　the　car　suddenly　erased　the　humor；　and　Sandy　wanted　to　talk。　〃There's　quite　a　wele　mittee　back　home；　Patrick；〃　he　said。
　〃Who's　the　chairman？〃
　〃Hard　to　say。　Trudy　filed　for　divorce　two　days　ago；　but　that's　the　least　of　your　problems。〃
　〃You're　right　about　that。　Let　me　guess；　she　wants　half　of　the　money。〃
　〃She　wants　many　things。　The　grand　jury　has　indicted　you　for　capital　murder。　State　not　federal。〃
　〃I've　watched　it　on　television。〃
　〃Good。　So　you　know　about　all　the　lawsuits。〃
　〃Yeah。　CNN　has　been　quite　diligent　in　keeping　me　up　to　date。〃
　〃You　can't　blame　them；　Patrick。　It's　such　a　wonderful　story。〃
　〃Thanks。〃
　〃When　do　you　want　to　talk？〃
　Patrick　rolled　to　his　side　and　gazed　past　Sandy。　There　was　nothing　to　look　at　but　the　wall；　painted　antiseptic　white；　but　he　wasn't　looking　at　it。　〃They　tortured　me；　Sandy；〃　he　said；　his　voice　even　quieter；　and　breaking。
　〃Who？〃
　〃They　taped　wires　to　my　body　and　shot　current　through　me　until　I　talked。〃
　Sandy　stood　and　walked　to　the　edge　of　the　bed。　He　placed　his　hand　on　Patrick's　shoulder。　〃What　did　you　tell　them？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I　can't　remember　everything。　They　were　shooting　drugs　in　me。　Here；　look。〃　He　lifted　his　left　arm　so　Sandy　could　inspect　the　bruises。
　Sandy　found　a　switch　and　flipped　on　the　table　lamp　so　he　could　see。　〃Good　Lord；〃　he　said。
　〃They　kept　on　about　the　money；〃　Patrick　said。　〃I　blacked　out；　then　I　came　to　and　they　shocked　me　some　more。　I'm　afraid　I　told　them　about　the　girl；　Sandy。〃
　〃The　lawyer？〃
　〃Yeah；　the　lawyer。　What　name　did　she　give　you？〃
　〃Leah。〃
　〃Okay；　good。　Her　name　is　Leah　then。　I　might　have　told　them　about　Leah。　In　fact；　I'm　almost　certain　I　did。〃
　〃Told　who；　Patrick？〃
　He　closed　his　eyes　and　grimaced　as　the　pain　returned　to　his　legs。　The　muscles　were　still　raw　and　the　cramping　had　begun。　He　gently　rolled　again　and　rested　on　his　back。　He　pulled　the　sheet　down　to　his　waist。　〃Look；　Sandy；〃　he　said；　waving　his　hand　across　the　two　nasty　burns　on　his　chest。　〃Here's　the　proof。〃
　Sandy　leaned　a　bit　closer　and　inspected　the　evidence　…the　red　sores　surrounded　by　shaved　skin。　〃Who　did　this？〃　he　asked　again。
　〃I　don't　know。　A　bunch　of　people。　There　was　a　whole　room　full　of　them。〃
　〃Where？〃
　Patrick　felt　sorry　for　his　friend。　He　was　so　eager　to　know　what　had　happened；　and　not　just　about　the　torture。　Sandy；　as　well　as　the　rest　of　the　world；　wanted　the　irresistible　details。　It　was　indeed　a　wonderful　story；　but　he　wasn't　sure　how　much　he　could　tell。　No　one　knew　the　details　of　the　car　crash　that　burned　John　Doe。　But　he　could　tell　his　lawyer　and　friend　about　his　seizure　and　torture。　He　shifted　his　weight　again　and　pulled　the　sheet　up　to　his　neck。　Drug　free　for　two　days　now；　he　was　coping　with　the　pain　and　trying　mightily　to　avoid　more　injections。　〃Pull　that　chair　closer　and　take　a　seat；　Sandy。　And　turn　off　that　switch。　The　light　bothers　me。〃
　Sandy　hurriedly　followed　orders。　He　sat　as　close　to　the　bed　as　possible。　〃This　is　what　they　did　to　me；　Sandy；〃　Patrick　said　in　the　semidarkness。　He　started　in　Ponta　Pora；　with　the　jogging　and　the　small　car　with　a　flat　tire；　and　told　the　entire　story　of　how　they　grabbed　him。
　ASHLEY　NICOLE　was　twenty…five　months　old　when　her　father　was　buried。　She　was　too　young　to　remember　Patrick。　Lance　was　the　only　man　who　lived　in　the　house；　the　only　man　she'd　ever　seen　with　her　mom。
　He　took　her　to　school　occasionally。　They　sometimes　ate　dinner　as　a　family。
　After　the　funeral；　Trudy　hid　all　photos　and　other　evidence　of　her　life　with　Patrick。　Ashley　Nicole　had　never　heard　his　name　mentioned。
　But　after　three　days　of　reporters　camping　on　their　street；　the　child　naturally　was　asking　questions。　Her　mother　was　acting　strange。　There　was　so　much　tension　around　the　house　that　even　a　six…year…old　could　feel　it。　Trudy　waited　until　Lance　left　for　a　visit　with　the　lawyer；　then　she　sat　her　daughter　on　her　bed　for　a　little　chat。
　She　began　by　admitting　that　she　had　been　married　before。　Actually；　she　had　been　married　twice　before；　but　she　figured　Ashley　Nicole　wouldn't　need　to　know　about　the　first　husband　until　she　was　much　older。　The　second　husband　was　the　issue　for　the　moment。
　〃Patrick　and　I　were　married　for　four　years；　and　then　he　did　a　very　bad　thing。〃
　〃What？〃　Ashley　Nicole　asked；　wide…eyed　and　absorbing　more　than　Trudy　wanted。
　〃He　killed　a　man；　and　he　mad