jg.thepartner-第28部分
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vator for the brief ride to the first floor。 One of the deputies trailed along。
The room was one used by doctors for staff meetings。 The hospital was small and the room appeared to be used sparingly。 Sandy had ordered the antibugging scanner Patrick had mentioned； but it wouldn't be in for a few days。
〃Please rush it；〃 Patrick said。
〃e on； Patrick。 Surely you don't think they would bug this room。 No one knew we would use it until an hour ago。〃
〃We can't be too careful。〃 Patrick stood from the wheelchair and walked around the long conference table； walked without any limp whatsoever； Sandy noted。
〃Look； Patrick； I think you should try and relax a little。 I know you've been on the run for a long time。 You've lived in fear； always looking over your shoulder； I know all that。 But those days are over。 They caught you。 Relax。〃
〃They're still out there； okay？ They have me； but not the money。 And the money is much more important。 Don't forget that； Sandy。 They won't rest until they have the money。〃
〃So who might be bugging us here？ Good guys or bad？ Cops or crooks？〃
〃The people who lost the money have spent a bloody fortune trying to find it。〃
〃How do you know？〃
Patrick merely shrugged as if it were time to play games again。
〃Who are they？〃 Sandy asked； and there was a long pause； one similar to those used by Leah when she wanted to change the subject。
〃Sit down；〃 Patrick said。 They sat on opposite sides of the table。 Sandy removed the thick file Leah had given him four hours earlier； the dirt…on…Trudy file。
Patrick recognized it immediately。 〃When did you see her？〃 he asked anxiously。
〃This morning。 She's fine； sends her love； says nobody's stalking her yet； and asked me to deliver this。〃 He slid the envelope across the table where Patrick grabbed it； ripped it open； and pulled out a three…page letter。 He then proceeded to read it slowly； oblivious to his lawyer。
Sandy flipped through the file and settled on the nudie pictures of Trudy reclining by the pool with her gigolo sprawled nearby。 He couldn't wait to show these to her lawyer in Mobile。 They had a meeting scheduled in three hours。
Patrick finished the letter； carefully refolded it； and placed it in the envelope。 〃I have another letter for her；〃 he said。 He glanced across the table and saw the photos。 〃Pretty good work； huh？〃
〃It's amazing。 I've never seen this much proof in a divorce case。〃
〃Well； there was a lot to work with。 We'd been married almost two years when I bumped into her first husband； quite by accident。 It was at a party before a Saints game in New Orleans。 We had a few drinks； and he told me about Lance。 He's the tomcat in the pictures there。〃
〃Leah explained it。〃
〃Trudy was very pregnant at the time； so I said nothing。 The marriage was slowly unraveling； and we hoped the child would make things perfect。 She has an amazing capacity for deceit。 I decided to play along； be a proud daddy and all that； but a year later I started gathering evidence。 I wasn't sure when I would need it； but I knew the marriage was over。 I left town every chance I got…business； hunting； fishing； weekends with the boys； whatever。 She never seemed to mind。〃
〃I meet with her lawyer at 5 P。M。〃
〃Good。 You'll have a great time。 It's a lawyer's dream。 Threaten everything； but walk away with the settlement。 She has to sign away all rights； Sandy。 She gets none of my assets。〃
〃When do we talk about your assets？〃
〃Soon。 I promise。 But there is something more pressing。〃
Sandy removed his obligatory legal pad and poised himself to take notes。 〃I'm listening；〃 he said。
〃Lance is a nasty character。 He grew up in the bars along Point Cadet； never finished high school； and served three years for smuggling dope。 A bad seed。 He has friends in the underworld。 He knows people who'll do anything for money。 There's another thick file； this one on him。 I take it Leah didn't give it to you。〃
〃No。 Just this one。〃
〃Ask her about it next time。 I gathered dirt on Lance for a year with the same private detective。 Lance is a small…time hood； but he's dangerous because he has friends。 And Trudy has money。 We don't know how much is left； but she probably hasn't spent it all。〃
〃And you think he's ing after you？〃
〃Probably。 Think about it； Sandy。 Trudy is the only person right now who still needs me dead。 If I'm out of the way； she keeps the money she has left； and she doesn't worry about the insurance pany getting what she now owns。 I know her。 The money and the lifestyle mean everything。〃
〃But how could he…〃
〃It can be done； Sandy。 Believe me。 It can be done。〃
He said this with the calm assurance of one who had mitted murder and gotten by with it； and for a second Sandy's blood ran cold。
〃It can easily be done；〃 he said for the third time； his eyes glaring； the wrinkles around them pinched tightly。
〃Okay； what am I supposed to do？ Sit with the deputies in the hallway？〃
〃You create the fiction； Sandy。〃
〃I'm listening。〃
〃First； you tell her lawyer that your office has received an anonymous tip that Lance is in the market for a hit man。 Do this at the end of your meeting today。 By then； the guy will be shell…shocked and he'll believe anything you say。 Tell him you plan to meet with the cops and discuss this。 He'll no doubt call his client； who'll deny it vehemently。 But her credibility with him will be shot。 Trudy will recoil at the very idea that someone else suspects she and Lance have entertained such thoughts。 Then； meet with the Sheriff and the FBI and tell the same story。 Tell them why you're worried about my safety。 Insist that they chat with Trudy and Lance about these rumors。 I know her very well； Sandy。 She'll sacrifice Lance to keep the money； but not if there's the chance she'll get caught too。 If the cops are suspicious now； she'll back off。〃
〃You've given this some thought。 Anything else？〃
〃Yes。 The last thing you do is leak it to the press。 You need to find a reporter…〃
〃That shouldn't be hard to do。〃
〃One that you can trust。〃
〃Much harder。〃
〃Not really。 I've been reading the papers； and I have a couple of names for you。 Check them out。 Find one you like。 Tell him to print the rumors； off the record； and in return you'll give him first shot at the real stories。 That's the way these guys operate。 Tell him the Sheriff is investigating reports of the wife attempting to procure the services of a contract killer so she can keep the money。 He'll eat it up。 He won't have to validate the story。 Hell； they print rumors all the time。〃
Sandy finished his notes and marveled at his client's preparation。 He closed his file； tapped it with his pen； and asked； 〃How much of this stuff do you have？〃
〃Dirt？〃
〃Yeah。〃
〃I'd guess fifty pounds。 It's been locked in a mini…storage in Mobile ever since I disappeared。〃
〃What else is there？〃
〃More dirt。〃
〃On who？〃
〃My former partners。 And others。 We'll get to it later。〃
〃When？〃
〃Soon； Sandy。〃
TRUDY'S LAWYER； J。 Murray Riddleton； was a jovial； thick…necked man of sixty who specialized in two types of law： big； nasty divorces； and financial advice aimed at cheating the government。 He was a quick study in contrasts； successful but badly dressed； intelligent but plain…faced； smiling but vicious； mild…spoken but sharp…tongued。 His large office in downtown Mobile was strewn with long neglected files and out…of…date law books。 He politely weled Sandy； indicated a chair； and offered a drink。 It was； after all； a few minutes after five。 Sandy declined； and J。 Murray drank nothing。
〃So how's our boy？〃 J。 Murray asked； flashing teeth。
〃That would be？〃
〃e on。 Our boy Patrick。 Have you found the money yet？〃
〃Didn't know I was looking for any。〃
J。 Murray found this hilarious and laughed a few seconds。 There was no doubt in his mind that he was thoroughly in control of this meeting。 The cards were heavily stacked on his side of the desk。
〃I saw your client on TV last night；〃 Sandy said。 〃That sleazy tabloid； what's it called？〃
〃 'Inside Journal。' Wasn't she marvelous？ And the little girl； what a doll。 Those poor people。〃
〃My client would like to request that your client refrain from any further public ment about their marriage and divorce。〃
〃Your client can kiss my client's ass。 And you can kiss mine。〃
〃I'll pass； as will my client。〃
〃Look； son； I'm a First Amendment hawk。 Say anything。 Do anything。 Publish anything。 It's all protected right there by the Constitution。〃 He pointed to a wall of cobwebbed law books next to his window。 〃Request denied。 My client has the right to go public with anything she wants； anytime she wants。 She's been humiliated by your client； and now faces a very uncertain future。〃
〃Fair enough。 Just wanted to clear the air。〃
〃Is it clear enough？〃
〃Yes。 Now； we really have no problems with your client's desire to get a divorce； and she can have custody of the child。〃
〃Gee thanks。 You guys are being generous。〃
〃In fact； my client has no plans to seek visitation rights with the child。〃
〃Smart man。 After abandoning the child for four years； he'd be hard…pressed to see her。〃
〃There is another reason；〃 Sandy said； as he opened the file and picked out the DNA test。 He handed a copy across to J。 Murray； who had stopped smiling and was squinting at the papers。
〃What's this？〃 he asked suspiciously。
〃Why don't you read it？〃 Sandy said。
J。 Murray yanked his reading glasses from a coat pocket； and stuck them to his rather round head。 He pushed the report away； got it just right； then read it slowly。 He glanced up with a blank look after page one； and his buoyant shoulders sagged a bit at the end of page two。
〃Disastrous； isn't it？〃 Sandy said when J。 Murray had finished。
〃Don't patronize me。 I'm sure this can be explained。〃
〃I'm sure it cannot。 Under Alabama law； the DNA is conclusive proof。 Now； I'm not quite the First Amendment hawk you are； but if this got published it would be very embarrassing for your client。 Imagine； having someone else's child while pretending to be happily married to another。 Wouldn't play well along the Coast； I'm afraid。〃
〃Publish it；〃 J。 Murray said； with no conviction。 〃I don't care。〃
〃Better check with your client first。〃
〃It's in
