jg.thepartner-第33部分

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　Patrick　reached　for　a　small　can　of　orange　juice　with　a　straw　in　it。　〃Would　you　like　something　to　drink？〃
　〃No。〃
　He　took　a　short　drink　and　put　the　can　back　on　the　table。　〃I　guess　it　sounds　romantic；　doesn't　it？　The　dream　of　simply　walking　away；　vanishing　into　the　night　and　when　the　sun　es　up　you're　somebody　new。　All　your　problems　are　left　behind…the　drudgery　of　work；　the　heartbreak　of　a　bad　marriage；　the　pressure　of　being　more　and　more　affluent。　You　have　that　dream；　don't　you；　Karl？〃
　〃I　guess　everybody　does　at　some　point。　How　long　did　you　plan　it？〃
　〃A　long　time。　I　seriously　doubted　that　the　baby　was　mine。　I　decided…〃
　〃I　beg　your　pardon。〃
　〃It's　true；　Karl。　I'm　not　the　father。　Trudy　slept　around　throughout　our　marriage。　I　loved　the　child　as　best　I　could；　but　I　was　miserable。　I　gathered　evidence　and　promised　myself　I　would　confront　Trudy；　but　it　was　easy　to　put　off。　Oddly　enough；　I　sort　of　got　used　to　the　idea　that　she　had　a　lover。　I　was　planning　to　leave；　but　I　just　didn't　know　how　to　do　it。　So　I　read　a　couple　of　underground　books　on　how　to　change　identities　and　obtain　new　papers。　It's　not　plicated。　Just　takes　a　little　thought　and　planning。〃
　〃So　you　grew　a　beard　and　gained　fifty　pounds。〃
　〃Yeah；　I　was　amazed　at　how　different　I　looked　with　the　beard。　That　was　right　about　the　time　I　made　partner；　and　I　was　already　burned　out。　I　was　married　to　a　woman　who　wasn't　faithful；　playing　with　a　child　who　wasn't　mine；　working　with　a　bunch　of　people　I　couldn't　stand。　Something　clicked；；Karl。　I　was　driving　one　day　along　Highway　90；　headed　somewhere　important　but　stuck　in　traffic；　and　I　looked　out　across　the　Gulf。　There　was　a　lonely　little　sailboat　barely　moving　on　the　horizon。　And　I　wanted　so　desperately　to　be　on　it；　to　sail　away　to　some　place　where　no　one　knew　me。　I　sat　there；　watching　it　move；　aching　so　badly　to　swim　out　to　it。　I　cried；　Karl。　Can　you　believe　that？〃
　〃We　all　have　days　like　that。〃
　〃Then　I　snapped；　and　I　was　never　the　same　afterward。　I　knew　I　would　vanish。〃
　〃How　long　did　it　take？〃
　〃I　had　to　be　patient。　Most　people　get　in　a　hurry　when　they　decide　to　disappear；　and　they　make　mistakes。　I　had　time。　I　wasn't　broke　or　running　from　creditors。　I　bought　a　two…million…dollar　life　insurance　policy；　and　that　took　three　months。　I　knew　I　couldn't　leave　Trudy　and　the　baby　with　nothing。　I　started　gaining　the　weight；　eating　like　a　maniac。　I　changed　my　will。　I　convinced　Trudy　that　we　should　make　our　funeral　and　burial　arrangements；　and　I　did　it　without　arousing　suspicions。〃
　〃Cremation　was　a　nice　touch。〃
　〃Thanks。　I　highly　remend　it。〃
　〃Makes　it　impossible　to　determine　cause　of　death　and　identity；　a　few　important　things　like　that。〃
　〃Let's　not　talk　about　that。〃
　〃Sorry。〃
　〃Then　I　got　wind　of　Mr。　Benny　Aricia；　and　his　little　war　with　the　Pentagon　and　Platt　&　Rockland　Industries。　Bogan　kept　him　under　wraps。　I　dug　deeper　and　found　out　that　Vitrano　and　Rapley　and　Havarac　were　all　in　on　the　deal。　All　the　partners　but　me。　They　changed；　Karl；　all　of　them。　They　became　secretive　and　devious。　Sure　I　was　the　new　guy；　but　I　was　a　partner　after　all。　They　had　voted　unanimously　to　make　me　a　full　partner；　and　two　months　later　they　were　dodging　me　while　they　conspired　with　Aricia。　Suddenly；　I　was　the　guy　doing　all　the　traveling；　which　worked　out　just　beautifully　for　everyone。　Trudy　could　arrange　her　little　trysts。　The　partners　could　meet　with　Aricia　without　hiding。　They　sent　me　everywhere；　which　was　fine　with　me　too　because　I　was　making　plans。　Once　I　went　to　Fort　Lauderdale　for　three　days　of　depositions；　and　while　I　was　there　I　found　a　guy　in　Miami　who　could　do　perfect　papers。　Two　thousand　bucks　and　I　had　a　new　driver's　license；　passport；　Social　Security　card；　and　voter　registration　papers　from　right　here　in　Harrison　County。　Carl　Hildebrand　was　my　name；　in　honor　of　you。〃
　〃I'm　touched。〃
　〃In　Boston；　I　tracked　down　a　guy　who　can　get　you　lost。　For　a　thousand　bucks　I　had　my　own　one…day　seminar　on　how　to　vanish。　In　Dayton；　I　hired　a　surveillance　expert　who　taught　me　about　bugs　and　mikes　and　dirty　little　devices　like　that。　I　was　patient；　Karl。　Very　patient。　I　stayed　at　the　office　at　odd　hours；　and　gathered　as　much　of　the　Aricia　story　as　I　could　get。　I　listened　hard；　quizzed　secretaries；　rummaged　through　the　garbage。　Then　I　began　wiring　offices；　just　a　couple　at　first　to　learn　how　it's　done。　I　wired　Vltrano's；　and　I　couldn't　believe　what　I　heard。　They　were　going　to　kick　me　out　of　the　firm；　Karl。　Can　you　believe　it？　They　knew　their　cut　from　the　Aricia　settlement　would　be　around　thirty　million；　and　they　were　planning　to　split　it　four　ways。　But　the　pieces　would　not　be　equal。　Bo…gan；　of　course；　would　get　more；　something　close　to　ten　million。　He　had　to　take　care　of　some　people　in　Washington。　The　other　three　would　get　five　million；　and　the　rest　would　be　spent　on　the　firm。　I；　as　it　was　planned；　would　be　on　the　streets。〃
　〃When　was　this？〃
　〃Throughout　most　of　'91。　Aricia's　claim　got　tentative　Justice　approval　to　settle　on　December　14；　1991；　and　at　that　time　it　was　taking　about　ninety　days　to　get　the　money。　Not　even　the　Senator　could　speed　things　along。〃
　〃Tell　me　about　the　car　wreck。〃
　Patrick　shifted　his　weight；　then　kicked　his　legs　from　under　the　sheet　and　got　out　of　bed。　〃A　cramp；〃　he　mumbled　as　he　stretched　his　back　and　legs。　He　stood　by　the　bathroom　door；　rocking　gently　from　one　foot　to　the　other；　looking　down　at　Karl。　〃It　was　a　Sunday。〃
　〃February　ninth。〃
　〃Right。　February　ninth。　I　spent　the　weekend　at　my　cabin；　and　as　I　was　driving　home　I　had　a　wreck；　got　killed；　and　went　to　heaven。〃
　Karl　watched　him　closely　and　never　smiled。　〃Try　it　again；〃　he　said。
　〃Why；　Karl？〃
　〃Morbid　fascination。〃
　〃Is　that　all？〃
　〃I　promise。　It　was　such　a　masterful　job　of　deceit；　Patrick。　How'd　you　do　it？〃
　〃I　may　have　to　skip　a　few　of　the　details。〃
　〃I'm　sure　you　will。〃
　〃Let's　take　a　walk。　I'm　tired　of　this　place。〃
　They　entered　the　hall；　and　Patrick　explained　to　his　guards　that　he　and　the　Judge　needed　a　stroll。　The　deputies　followed　at　a　distance。　A　nurse　smiled　and　asked　if　she　could　bring　anything。　Two　Diet　Cokes；　Patrick　said　politely。　Patrick　walked　very　deliberately；　saying　nothing　until　they　came　to　the　end　of　the　hallway；　where　plate…glass　windows　overlooked　the　parking　lot。　They　sat　on　a　vinyl　bench；　looking　back　down　the　hall；　where　the　deputies　waited　fifty　feet　away　with　their　backs　turned　to　them。
　Patrick　wore　scrub　pants；　no　socks；　leather　sandals。
　〃Have　you　seen　pictures　of　the　crash　site？〃　he　asked；　very　quietly。
　〃Yes。〃
　〃I　found　it　the　day　before。　The　ravine　is　fairly　steep；　and　I　thought　it　was　the　perfect　place　to　have　the　accident。　I　waited　until　about　ten；　Sunday　night；　and　left　the　cabin。　I　stopped　at　a　little　store　at　the　county　line。〃
　〃Verhall's。〃
　〃Right；　Verhall's。　I　filled　the　tank。〃
　〃Twelve　gallons；　fourteen　dollars　and　twenty…one　cents；　paid　with　a　credit　card。〃
　〃That　sounds　right。　I　chatted　with　Mrs。　Verhall；　then　left。　There　wasn't　much　traffic。　Two　miles　away；　I　turned　pnto　a　gravel　road　and　went　a　mile　to　a　spot　I　had　picked　out。　I　stopped；　opened　the　trunk；　and　proceeded　to　get　dressed。　I　had　a　set　of　gear　used　by　dirt　bikers…a　helmet；　shoulder　pads；　knee　and　hand　pads；　the　works。　I　quickly　put　it　on　over　my　clothing；　everything　but　the　helmet；　then　returned　to　the　highway；　where　I　drove　south。　The　first　time；　there　was　a　car　behind　me。　The　second　time；　there　was　a　car　ing　toward　me　in　the　distance。　I　braked　hard　anyway；　leaving　skid　marks。　There　was　no　traffic　the　third　time。　I　put　the　helmet　on；　took　a　deep　breath；　and　left　the　road。　It　was　scary　as　hell；　Karl。〃
　Karl　figured　that　at　this　point　there　was　another　body　somewhere　in　the　car；　either　dead　or　alive；　but　he　wouldn't　ask。　At　least　not　now。
　〃I　was　only　doing　about　thirty　when　I　left　the　road；　but　thirty　feels　like　ninety　when　you're　airborne　and　trees　are　flying　by。　I　was　bouncing；　snapping　small　trees。　The　windshield　cracked。　I　was　steering　right　and　left；　dodging　as　best　I　could；　but　a　big　pine　tree　caught　the　left　front。　The　airbag　exploded；　and　for　a　second　I　was　knocked　out。　There　was　a　tumbling　sensation；　then　all　was　still。　I　opened　my　eyes；　and　felt　a　sharp　pain　in　my　left　shoulder。　No　blood。　I　was　dangling　somehow；　and　I　realized　that　the　Blazer　had　e　to　rest　on　its　right　side。　I　began　crawling　out。　By　the　time　I　got　out　of　the　damned　thing；　I　knew　I　was　lucky。　My　shoulder　wasn't　broken；　just　jammed。　I　walked　around　the　Blazer　and　was　amazed　at　how　well　I　had　wrecked　it。　The　roof　had　caved　in　just　above　my　head。　Another　six　inches　and　I'm　not　sure　I　could've　gotten　out。〃
　〃That　seems　incredibly　risky。　You　could've　been　killed　or　badly　injured。　Why　not　simply　push　the　car　down　the　ravine？〃
　〃Wouldn't　work。　It　had　to　look　real；　Karl。　The　ravine　was　not　steep　enough。　This　is　flat　country；　remember。〃
　〃Why　not　put　a　brick　on　the　accelerator　and　jump　out　of　the　way？〃
　〃Bricks　don't　burn。　If　they'd　found　a　brick　in　the　car；　maybe　they　would've　been　suspicious。　I　thought　of　everything；　and　I　decided　I　could　drive　it　into　the　trees　and　walk　away。　I　had　a　seat　belt；　an　airbag；　a　helmet。〃
　〃Evel　Knievel　himself。〃
　The　nurse　brought　the　Diet　Cokes；　and　wanted　to　chat　for　a　moment。　She　finally　left。　〃Where　was　I？〃　Patrick　asked。
　〃I　think　you　were　about　to　torch　it。〃
　〃Right。　I　listened　for　a　moment。　The　left　rear　wheel　was　spinning；　and　that　was　the　only　sound。　I　couldn't　see　the　highway；　but　I　looked　up　in　its　direction　and　heard　nothing。　Absolutely　nothing。　It　was　a　clean　exit。　The　nearest　house　was　a　mile　away。　I　was　certain　no　one　had　heard　the　crash；　but　still　I　was　in　a　hurry。　I　stripped　off　the　helmet　and　the　pads　and　threw　them　in　the　Blazer；　then　I　ran　farther　down　the　ravine　to　a　spot　where　I　had　hidden　the　gasoline。〃
　〃When？〃
　〃Earlier　in　the　day。　Very　early。　At　dawn。　I　had　four　two…gallon　plastic　jugs　of　gas；　and　I　quickly　hauled　them　up　to　the　Blazer。　It　was　dark　as　hell　and　I　couldn't　use　a　flashlight；　but　I　had　marked　off　a　little　path。　I　placed　three　of　the　containers　in　the　Blazer；　stopped；　listened。　Nothing　from　the　highway。　Not　a　sound　anywhere。　The　adrenaline　was　pumping　and　my　heart　was　in　my　throat。　The　last　container　I　splashed　inside　and　out；　then　threw　it　in　with　the