jg.thepartner-第35部分

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　〃How　did　you　get　so　skinny？〃　Karl　asked；　chomping　away。
　〃Can　we　get　some　beer？〃　Patrick　asked。
　〃No。　Sorry。　You're　in　jail；　remember。〃
　〃Losing　weight　is　between　the　ears。　Make　up　your　mind；　it's　easy。　I　suddenly　had　plenty　of　motivation　to　starve　myself。〃
　〃How　fat　did　you　get？〃
　〃The　Friday　before　I　disappeared；　I　weighed　two　hundred　thirty…six　pounds。　I　dropped　forty…seven　pounds　the　first　six　weeks。　This　morning　I　weighed　one…sixty。〃
　〃You　look　like　a　refugee。　Eat。〃
　〃Thanks。〃
　〃You　were　at　the　cabin。〃
　Patrick　wiped　his　chin　with　a　paper　napkin　and　placed　his　slice　back　in　the　box。　He　sipped　from　his　Diet　Coke。　〃Yeah；　I　was　at　the　cabin。　It　was　around　eleven…thirty。　I　entered　through　the　front　door；　and　didn't　turn　on　any　lights。　There's　another　cabin　a　half　a　mile　away；　up　on　a　ridge　and　visible　from　mine。　It's　owned　by　some　people　from　Hattiesburg；　and　while　I　didn't　think　they　were　there　that　weekend；　I　had　to　be　careful。　I　covered　the　small　bathroom　window　with　a　dark　towel；　turned　on　the　light；　and　quickly　shaved。　Then　I　cut　my　hair。　Then　I　dyed　it；　a　dark　brown；　almost　black。〃
　〃Sorry　I　missed　that。〃
　〃It　was　quite　being。　It　was　odd。　I　even　felt　like　a　different　person　as　I　stared　at　the　mirror。　Then　I　cleaned　up　my　mess；　wiped　up　all　the　hair　and　whiskers　because　I　knew　they　would　go　through　the　place　with　a　fine…tooth　b；　and　I　packed　away　the　dye　box　and　tubes。　I　changed　into　heavy　clothing。　I　made　a　pot　of　strong　coffee　and　drank　half　of　it。　The　other　half　went　in　a　thermos　for　my　journey。　At　1　A。M。；　I　left　the　cabin　in　a　hurry。　I　didn't　expect　the　cops　to　show　up　that　night；　but　there　was　always　the　chance。　I　knew　it　would　take　time　to　identify　the　Blazer　and　call　Trudy；　and　someone　might　suggest　that　they　go　to　the　cabin　for　some　reason。　I　didn't　expect　this　to　happen；　but　by　1　A。M。　I　was　anxious　to　leave。〃
　〃Did　you　have　any　concern　for　Trudy？〃
　〃Not　particularly。　I　knew　she　would　handle　the　shock　well；　and　that　she　would　do　a　marvelous　job　of　getting　me　buried。　She'd　be　a　model　widow　for　about　a　month；　and　then　she　would　get　the　life　insurance　money。　It　would　be　her　finest　hour。　Lots　of　attention；　lots　of　money。　No；　Karl；　I　had　no　love　for　the　woman。　Nor　any　concern。〃
　〃Did　you　ever　go　back　to　the　cabin？〃
　〃No。〃
　Karl　could　not；　would　not；　hold　the　next　question。　〃Pepper's　shotgun　and　camping　gear　were　found　under　one　of　the　beds。　How'd　they　get　there？〃
　Patrick　glanced　up　for　a　second　as　if　surprised；　then　he　looked　away。　Karl　absorbed　this　reaction；　because　he　would　think　about　it　many　times　over　the　next　few　days。　A　jolt；　then　a　glance；　and　then　unable　to　answer　truthfully；　a　diversion　to　the　wall。
　The　line　from　the　old　movie　said；　〃When　you　mit　a　murder　you　make　twenty…five　mistakes。　If　you　can　think　of　fifteen　of　them；　you're　a　genius。〃　Perhaps　Patrick；　in　all　his　meticulous　scheming；　had　simply　forgotten　about　Pepper's　things。　In　the　rush　of　the　moment；　he　had　hurried　a　bit　too　much。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said；　almost　grunting　it；　still　looking　at　the　wall。
　Karl　had　got　what　he　wanted；　and　he　pressed　on。　〃Where　did　you　go？〃
　〃The　bike　ride　from　hell；〃　Patrick　said；　perking　up　and　anxious　to　move　on。　〃It　was　forty　degrees；　which　on　a　motorcycle　going　down　a　highway　at　night　feels　like　twenty　below。　I　stayed　on　the　back　roads；　away　from　traffic；　moving　slowly　because　the　wind　cut　through　me　like　a　knife。　I　crossed　into　Alabama；　and　again　kept　off　the　main　roads。　A　dirt　bike　on　a　highway　at　three　in　the　morning　might　give　a　bored　cop　something　to　do；　so　I　avoided　towns。　I　finally　made　it　to　the　outskirts　of　Mobile　around　four　in　the　morning。　A　month　earlier　I　had　found　a　small　motel　where　they　took　cash　and　asked　no　questions。　I　sneaked　into　the　parking　lot；　hid　the　bike　behind　the　motel；　and　walked　in　the　front　door　as　if　I　had　just　gotten　out　of　a　cab。　Thirty　bucks　for　a　room；　cash；　no　paperwork。　It　took　an　hour　to　thaw　out。　I　slept　for　two　hours　and　woke　up　with　the　sun。　When　did　you　hear　about　it；　Karl？〃
　〃I　guess　about　the　time　you　were　dirt…hiking　through　the　countryside。　Doug　Vitrano　called　me　at　a　few　minutes　after　three。　Woke　me　up；　which　really　ticks　me　off　now。　Losing　sleep　and　grieving　while　you　were　playing　Easy　Rider　and　rambling　off　to　the　good　life。〃
　〃I　wasn't　home　free。〃
　〃No；　but　you　certainly　weren't　worried　about　your　friends。〃
　〃I　feel　bad　about　that；　Karl。〃
　〃No　you　don't。〃
　〃You're　right；　I　don't。〃　Patrick　was　relaxed；　animated；　into　his　story；　grinning　now。
　〃You　woke　up　with　the　sun。　A　new　man　in　a　new　world。　All　your　worries　and　problems　left　behind。〃
　〃Most　of　them。　It　was　terribly　exciting；　and　also　frightening。　Sleep　was　difficult。　I　watched　television　until　eight…thirty；　saw　nothing　about　my　death；　then　showered；　changed　into　fresh　clothes…〃
　〃Wait。　Where　was　the　hair　dye　box　and　tubes？〃
　〃I　threw　them　in　a　Dumpster　somewhere　in　Washington　County；　Alabama。　I　called　a　cab；　which　in　Mobile　is　not　the　easiest　thing　to　do。　The　driver　parked　outside　my　room；　and　I　left。　No　checkout。　I　left　the　dirt　bike　behind　the　motel　and　went　to　a　mall　which　I　knew　opened　at　nine。　I　went　to　a　department　store　and　bought　a　navy　jacket；　some　slacks；　and　a　pair　of　loafers。〃
　〃How　did　you　pay　for　them？〃
　〃Cash。〃
　〃You　didn't　have　a　credit　card？〃
　〃Yes；　I　had　a　phony　Visa　I'd　procured　from　a　source　in　Miami。　It　was　good　for　only　a　handful　of　charges；　then　it　had　to　be　discarded。　I　saved　it　for　the　rental　car。〃
　〃How　much　cash　did　you　have？〃
　〃About　twenty　thousand。〃
　〃Where　did　it　e　from？〃
　〃I'd　been　saving　it　for　a　while。　I　was　making　good　money；　though　Trudy　was　doing　her　best　to　spend　it　faster　than　I　could　make　it。　I　told　the　bookkeeper　in　the　firm　that　I　needed　to　reroute　some　money　to　keep　it　away　from　my　wife。　She　said　she　did　this　all　the　time　for　the　lawyers。　It　went　to　another　account。　I　cashed　it　periodically；　and　stuffed　it　in　a　drawer。　Satisfied？〃
　〃Yes。　You　had　just　bought　a　pair　of　loafers。〃
　〃I　went　to　another　store　and　bought　a　white　shirt　and　a　tie。　I　changed　in　a　mall　rest　room；　and　presto；　I　looked　like　any　one　of　a　million　traveling　salesmen。　I　bought　some　more　clothes　and　accessories；　put　them　in　a　new　canvas　bag；　and　called　another　cab。　This　one　took　me　to　the　Mobile　airport；　where　I　ate　breakfast　and　waited　on　a　Northwest　Airlink　flight　from　Atlanta。　It　arrived。　I　fell　in　with　the　other　muters；　all　very　busy　and　anxious　to　attack　Mobile；　and　I　stopped　with　two　other　guys　at　the　Avis　desk。　They　had　reserved　cars。　Mine　was　a　bit　more　plicated。　I　had　a　perfect　driver's　license　from　Georgia；　along　with　my　passport；　just　in　case。　I　used　the　Visa；　and　I　was　very　scared。　The　card　number　was　a　valid　one…some　poor　guy　in　Decatur；　Georgia；　and　I　was　terrified　a　puter　would　catch　it　and　alarms　would　go　off。　But　nothing　happened。　I　filled　out　the　paperwork　and　left　in　a　hurry。〃
　〃What　was　your　name？〃
　〃Randy　Austin。〃
　〃Big　question；　Randy；〃　Karl　said　as　he　took　a　bite　of　pizza　and　chewed　it　slowly。　〃You　were　in　the　airport。　Why　didn't　you　simply　get　on　a　plane　and　leave？〃
　〃Oh；　I　thought　about　it。　As　I　was　eating　breakfast；　I　watched　two　planes　take　off；　and　I　wanted　so　badly　to　hop　on　and　leave。　But　there　was　unfinished　business。　It　was　a　very　tough　decision。〃
　〃What　was　the　unfinished　business？〃
　〃I　think　you　know。　I　drove　to　Gulf　Shores；　then　along　the　Coast　east　to　Orange　Beach；　where　I　rented　a　small　condo。〃
　〃One　you　had　already　checked　out。〃
　〃Of　course。　I　knew　they　would　take　cash。　It　was　February；　and　cold；　business　was　slow。　I　took　a　mild　sedative　and　slept　for　six　hours。　I　watched　the　evening　news　and　saw　where　I'd　died　a　fiery　death。　My　friends　were　just　devastated。〃
　〃You　ass。〃
　〃I　drove　to　the　grocery　and　bought　a　bag　of　apples　and　some　diet　pills。　After　dark；　I　walked　the　beach　for　three　hours；　something　I　did　every　night　while　I　was　hiding　around　Mobile。　Next　morning；　I　sneaked　into　Pascagoula　and　got　a　newspaper；　saw　my　fat　smiling　face　on　the　front　page；　read　about　the　tragedy；　saw　the　touching　little　blurb　you　offered；　and　also　saw　that　the　funeral　would　be　that　afternoon　at　three。　I　went　to
　Orange　Beach　and　rented　a　sailboat。　Then　drove　to　Biloxi　in　time　for　my　service。〃
　〃The　papers　have　said　you　watched　your　own　burial。〃
　〃True。　I　hid　in　a　tree　in　the　woods　beyond　the　cemetery；　and　watched　through　binoculars。〃
　〃That　seems　like　an　incredibly　dumb　thing　to　do。〃
　〃It　was。　Absolutely　idiotic。　But　I　was　drawn　to　the　place。　I　had　to　make　certain；　to　see　for　myself　that　my　trick　had　worked。　And　I　guess　by　then；　I　was　convinced　I　could　get　by　with　anything。〃
　〃I　guess　you　had　picked　out　the　tree；　the　perfect　spot。〃
　〃No。　In　fact；　I　wasn't　sure　I　would　do　it。　I　left　Mobile　and　drove　west　on　the　interstate；　and　I　kept　telling　myself　not　to　do　it。　Not　to　get　near　Biloxi。〃
　〃Your　big　ass　climbed　a　tree？〃
　〃I　was　motivated。　It　was　an　oak　with　thick　branches。〃
　〃Thank　God　for　that。　I　wish　a　limb　had　cracked　and　you'd　fallen　on　your　head。〃
　〃No　you　don't。〃
　〃Yes　I　do。　We're　huddled　around　the　grave　fighting　back　tears　and　consoling　the　widow；　and　you're　perched　on　a　limb　like　a　fat　frog　laughing　at　us。〃
　〃You're　just　trying　to　be　angry；　Karl。〃
　And　he　was　right。　Four　and　a　half　years　had　eliminated　any　anger　Karl　had　felt。　The　truth　was；　he　was　delighted　to　be　sitting　there　on　the　end　of　the　hospital　bed；　eating　pizza　with　Patrick　and　soaking　up　the　coveted　details。
　However；　the　funeral　was　as　far　as　they　would　get。　Patrick　had　talked　enough；　and　they　were　now　back　in　his　room；　a　place　he　didn't　pletely　trust。　〃Tell　me；　how　are　Bogan　and　Vitrano　and　the　boys？〃　he　said；　and　relaxed　on　his　pillows；　already　relishing　what　he　was　about　to　hear。
　Twenty…five
　PAULO　MIRANDA'S　last　phone　call　from　his　daughter　had　been　two　days　earlier。　She　was　in　a　hotel　in　New　Orleans；　still　traveling　on　her　legal　work　for　her　mysterious　new　client；　still　warning　him　of　people　who　might　be　looking　for　her　and　watching　him　because　her　client　had　enemies　in　Brazil。　As　with　the　previous　calls；　she　was　brief　and　vague　and　scared；　though　trying　desperately　not　to　show　it。　He　had　bee　angry　and　pressed　for　details。　She　had　been　more　concerned　with　his　safety。　He　wanted　her　to　e　home。　H