jg.thepartner-第2部分

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ht　leg；　and　found　exactly　what　he　expected　to　find。　Pale　skin。
　The　running　kept　him　thin；　and　it　also　kept　him　brown。
　Kidnappings　were　all　too　mon　in　the　Frontier。　Americans　were　easy　targets。　But　why　him？　Danilo　asked　himself　this　as　his　head　wobbled　and　his　eyes　closed。　He　smiled　as　he　fell　through　space；　dodging　ets　and　meteors；　grabbing　at　moons　and　grinning　through　entire　galaxies。
　THEY　STUFFED　HIM　under　some　cardboard　boxes　filled　with　melons　and　berries。　The　border　guards　nodded　without　leaving　their　chairs；　and　Danny　Boy　was　now　in　Paraguay；　though　he　couldn't　have　cared　less　at　the　moment。　He　bounced　happily　along　on　the　floor　of　the　van　as　the　roads　grew　worse　and　the　terrain　steeper。　Osmar　chain…smoked　and　occasionally　pointed　this　way　and　that。　An　hour　after　they　grabbed　him；　they　found　the　last　turn。　The　cabin　was　in　a　crevice　between　two　pointed　hills；　barely　visible　from　the　narrow　dirt　road。　They　carried　him　like　a　sack　of　meal　and　poured　him　onto　a　table　in　the　den　where　Guy　and　the　fingerprint　man　went　to　work。
　Danny　Boy　snored　heavily　as　prints　were　made　of　all　eight　fingers　and　both　thumbs。　The　Americans　and　the　Brazilians　crowded　around；　watching　every　move。　There　was　unopened　whiskey　in　a　box　by　the　door；　just　in　case　this　was　the　real　Danny　Boy。
　The　print　man　left　abruptly　and　went　to　a　room　in　the　back　where　he　locked　the　door　and　spread　the　fresh　prints　before　him。　He　adjusted　his　lighting。　He　removed　the　master　set；　those　freely　given　by　Danny　Boy　when　he　was　much　younger；　back　when　he　was　Patrick　and　seeking　admission　to　the　State　Bar　of　Louisiana。　Odd；　this　fingerprinting　of　lawyers。
　Both　sets　were　in　fine　shape；　and　it　was　immediately　obvious　they　were　a　perfect　match。　But　he　meticulously　checked　all　ten。　There　was　no　hurry。　Let　them　wait　out　there。　He　rather　enjoyed　the　moment。　He　finally　opened　the　door　and　frowned　hard　at　the　dozen　faces　searching　his。　Then　he　smiled。　〃It's　him；〃　he　said；　in　English；　and　they　actually　clapped。
　Guy　approved　the　whiskey；　but　only　in　moderation。　There　was　more　work　to　do。　Danny　Boy；　still　atose；　was　given　another　shot　and　carried　to　a　small　bedroom　with　no　window　and　a　heavy　door　which　locked　from　the　outside。　It　was　here　that　he　would　be　interrogated；　and　tortured；　if　necessary。
　THE　BAREFOOT　BOYS　playing　soccer　in　the　street　were　too　involved　in　their　game　to　look　up。　Danny　Boy's　key　ring　had　only　four　keys　on　it；　and　so　the　small　front　gate　was　unlocked　quickly；　and　left　open。　An　acplice　in　a　rented　car　came　to　a　stop　near　a　large　tree　four　houses　down。　Another；　on　a　motorbike；　parked　himself　at　the　other　end　of　the　street　and　began　tinkering　with　his　brakes。
　If　a　security　system　started　howling　upon　entry；　the　intruder　would　simply　run　and　never　be　seen　again。　If　not；　then　he　would　lock　himself　in　and　take　inventory。
　The　door　opened　without　sirens。　The　security　panel　on　the　wall　informed　whoever　might　be　looking　that　the　system　was　disarmed。　He　breathed　lightly　and　stood　perfectly　still　for　a　full　minute；　then　began　to　move　around。　He　removed　the　hard　drive　from　Danny　Boy's　PC；　and　collected　all　the　disks。　He　rummaged　through　files　on　his　desk；　but　found　nothing　but　routine　bills；　some　paid；　others　waiting。　The　fax　was　cheap　and　featureless；　and　declared　itself　to　be　out　of　order。　He　took　photos　of　clothing；　food；　furniture；　bookshelves；　magazine　racks。
　Five　minutes　after　the　door　opened；　a　silent　signal　was　activated　in　Danilo's　attic　and　a　phone　call　was　placed　to　a　private　security　firm　eleven　blocks　away；　in　downtown　Ponta　Pora。　The　call　went　unanswered　because　the　security　consultant　on　duty　was　swaying　gently　in　a　hammock　out　back。　A　recorded　message　from　Danilo's　house　informed　whoever　was　supposed　to　be　listening　that　there　was　a　break…in。　Fifteen　minutes　passed　before　human　ears　heard　the　message。　By　the　time　the　consultant　raced　to　Danilo's　house；　the　intruder　was　gone。　So　was　Mr。　Silva。　Everything　appeared　to　be　in　order；　including　the　Beetle　under　the　carport。　The　house　and　gate　were　locked。
　The　directions　in　the　file　were　specific。　On　such　alarms；　do　not　call　the　police。　Try　first　to　locate　Mr。　Silva；　and　in　the　event　he　cannot　be　found　at　once；　then　call　a　number　in　Rio。　Ask　for　Eva　Miranda。　…
　WITH　BARELY　suppressed　excitement；　Guy　made　his　daily　call　to　Washington。　He　actually　closed　his　eyes　and　smiled　when　he　uttered　the　words；　〃It's　him。〃　His　voice　was　an　octave　higher。
　There　was　a　pause　on　the　other　end。　Then；　〃You're　certain？〃
　〃Yes。　Prints　are　a　perfect　match。〃
　Another　pause　while　Stephano　arranged　his　thoughts；　a　process　that　usually　took　milliseconds。　〃The　money？〃
　〃We　haven't　started　yet。　He's　still　drugged。〃
　〃When？〃
　〃Tonight。〃
　〃I'm　by　the　phone。〃　Stephano　hung　up；　though　he　could've　talked　for　hours。
　Guy　found　a　perch　on　a　stump　behind　the　cabin。　The　vegetation　was　dense；　the　air　thin　and　cool。　The　soft　voices　of　happy　men　drifted　up　to　him。　The　ordeal　was　over；　for　the　most　part。
　He　had　just　earned　an　extra　fifty　thousand　dollars。　Finding　the　money　would　mean　another　bonus；　and　he　was　certain　he'd　find　the　money。
　
　Two
　DOWNTOWN　RIO。　In　a　small　neat　office　on　the　tenth　floor　of　a　high…rise；　Eva　Miranda　squeezed　the　phone　with　both　hands　and　slowly　repeated　the　words　she　had　just　heard。　The　silent　alarm　had　summoned　the　security　guard。　Mr。　Silva　wasn't　at　home；　but　his　car　was　parked　in　the　drive　and　the　house　was　locked。
　Someone　had　entered；　tripped　the　alarm；　and　it　couldn't　be　a　false　one　because　it　was　still　activated　when　the　security　guard　arrived。
　Danilo　was　missing。
　Maybe　he'd　gone　jogging　and　neglected　the　routine。　According　to　the　guard's　account；　the　silent　alarm　had　been　activated　an　hour　and　ten　minutes　ago。　But　Danilo　jogged　for　less　than　an　hour…six　miles　at　seven　to　eight　minutes　per；　total　of　fifty　minutes　max。　No　exceptions。　She　knew　his　movements。　？She　called　his　home　on　Rua　Tiradentes；　and　no　one　answered。　She　called　the　number　to　a　cell　phone　he　sometimes　kept　nearby；　and　no　one　answered。
　He　had　accidentally　tripped　the　alarm　three　months　ago；　and　scared　them　both　badly。　But　a　quick　phone　call　from　her　had　cleared　up　the　matter。
　He　was　much　too　careful　about　the　security　system　to　get　careless。　It　meant　too　much。
　She　made　the　calls　again；　with　the　same　results。　There　is　an　explanation　for　this；　she　told　herself。
　She　dialed　the　number　to　an　apartment　in　Curitiba；　a　city　of　a　million　and　a　half；　and　the　capital　of　the　state　of　Parana。　To　their　knowledge；　no　one　knew　of　the　apartment。　It　was　leased　under　another　name　and　used　for　storage　and　infrequent　meetings。　They　spent　short　weekends　there　occasionally；　not　often　enough　to　suit　Eva。
　She　expected　no　answer　at　the　apartment　and　got　none。　Danilo　would　not　go　there　without　first　calling　her。
　When　the　phone　calls　were　finished；　she　locked　her　office　door　and　leaned　against　it　with　her　eyes　closed。　Associates　and　secretaries　could　be　heard　in　the　hallway。　The　firm　had　thirty…three　lawyers　at　the　moment；　second　largest　in　Rio　with　a　branch　in　Sao　Paulo　and　another　in　New　York。　Telephones　and　faxes　and　copiers　blended　together　in　a　busy　distant　chorus。
　At　thirty…one；　she　was　a　seasoned　five…year　associate　with　the　firm；　seasoned　to　the　point　of　working　the　long　hours　and　ing　in　on　Saturdays。　Fourteen　partners　ran　the　firm；　but　only　two　were　women。　She　had　plans　to　change　that　ratio。　Ten　of　the　nineteen　associates　were　female；　evidence　that　in　Brazil；　as　in　the　United　States；　women　were　rapidly　entering　the　profession。　She　studied　law　at　the　Catholic　University　in　Rio；　one　of　the　finer　schools；　in　her　opinion。　Her　father　still　taught　philosophy　there。
　He　had　insisted　she　study　law　at　Georgetown　after　studying　law　in　Rio。　Georgetown　was　his　alma　mater。　His　influence；　along　with　her　impressive　resume；　striking　looks；　and　fluent　English　made　finding　a　top　job　with　a　top　firm　a　quick　chore。
　She　paused　at　her　window　and　told　herself　to　relax。　Time　was　suddenly　crucial。　The　next　series　of　moves　required　steady　nerves。　Then　she　would　have　to　disappear。　There　was　a　meeting　in　thirty　minutes；　but　it　would　have　to　be　postponed。
　The　file　was　locked　in　a　small　fireproof　drawer。　She　removed　it　and　read　again　the　sheet　of　instructions；　directions　she　and　Danilo　had　covered　many　times。
　He　knew　they　would　find　him。
　Eva　had　preferred　to　ignore　the　possibility。
　Her　mind　drifted　as　she　worried　about　his　safety。　The　phone　rang　and　startled　her。　It　was　not　Danilo。　A　client　was　waiting；　her　secretary　said。　The　client　was　early。　Apologize　to　the　client；　she　instructed；　and　politely　reschedule　the　appointment。　Do　not　disturb　again。
　The　money　was　currently　parked　in　two　places：　a　bank　in　Panama；　and　an　offshore　holding　trust　in　Bermuda。　Her　first　fax　authorized　the　immediate　wire　transfer　of　the　money　out　of　Panama　and　into　a　bank　in　Antigua。　Her　second　fax　scattered　it　among　three　banks　on　Grand　Cayman。　The　third　yanked　it　out　of　Bermuda　and　parked　it　in　the　Bahamas。
　It　was　almost　two　in　Rio。　The　European　banks　were　closed；　so　she　would　be　forced　to　skip　the　money　around　the　Caribbean　for　a　few　hours　until　the　rest　of　the　world　opened。
　Danilo's　instructions　were　clear　but　general。　The　details　were　left　to　her　discretion。　The　initial　wires　were　determined　by　Eva。　She　decided　which　banks　got　how　much　money。　She　had　made　the　list　of　the　fictitious　corporate　names　under　which　the　money　was　hidden；　a　list　Danilo　had　never　seen。　She　divided；　dispersed；　routed；　and　rerouted。　It　was　a　drill　they　had　rehearsed　many　times；　but　without　the　specifics。
　Danilo　couldn't　know　where　the　money　went。　Only　Eva。　She　had　the　unbridled　discretion；　at　this　moment　and　under　these　extreme　circumstances；　to　move　it　as　she　saw　fit。　Her　specialty　was　trade　law。　Most　of　her　clients　were　Brazilian　businessmen　who　wanted　to　develop　exports　to　the　United　States　and　Canada。　She　understood　foreign　markets；　currencies；　banking。　What　she　hadn't　known　about　zipping　money　around　the　world；　Danilo　had　taught　her。
　She　glanced　repeatedly　at　her　watch。　More　than　an　hour　had　passed　since　the　phone　call　from　Ponta　Pora。
　As　another　fax　rolled　through　the　machine；　the　phone　rang　again。　Certainly　it　was　Danilo；　finally；　with　a