jg.thepartner-第37部分

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　I　was　a　friend　for　two　days；　then　we　fell　in　love。　He　told　me　everything　about　his　past；　everything。　He　had　done　a　perfect　job　of　escaping；　and　he　had　lots　of　money；　but　Patrick　could　not　forget　his　past。　He　was　determined　to　know　who　was　chasing　him；　and　how　close　they　were。　In　August　of　1994；　I　came　to　the　U。S。；　and　I　made　contact　with　a　private　security　firm　in　Atlanta。　It's　an　odd　name；　the　Pluto　Group；　a　bunch　of　ex…FBI　types　Patrick　had　found　before　he　disappeared。　I　gave　them　a　false　name；　told　them　I　was　from　Spain；　and　that　I　needed　information　about　the　search　for　Patrick　Lanigan。　I　paid　them　fifty　thousand　dollars。　They；　in　turn；　sent　people　to　Biloxi；　where　they　at　first　made　contact　with　Patrick's　old　law　firm。　They　pretended　to　have　some　vague　information　about　his　whereabouts；　and　the　lawyers　very　quietly　referred　them　to　a　man　in　Washington　named　Jack　Stephano。　Stephano　is　a　high…priced　sleuth　who　specializes　in　corporate　espionage　and　the　locating　of　missing　people。　They　met　with　him　in　Washington。　He　was　very　secretive　and　told　them　little；　but　it　was　obvious　he　was　running　the　search　for　Patrick。　They　met　with　him　several　times；　and　the　prospect　of　a　reward　popped　up。　They　offered　to　sell　their　information；　and　Stephano　agreed　to　pay　fifty　thousand　dollars　if　it　led　to　Patrick。　In　the　course　of　these　meetings；　they　learned　that　Stephano　had　good　reason　to　believe　Patrick　was　in　Brazil。　This；　of　course；　terrified　Patrick　and　me。〃
　〃This　was　Patrick's　first　hint　that　they　knew　he　was　in　Brazil？〃
　〃Absolutely。　He　had　been　there　for　over　two　years。　When　he　told　me　the　truth　about　his　past；　he　had　no　idea　if　his　pursuers　were　on　the　right　continent。　To　learn　they　were　in　Brazil　was　devastating。〃
　〃Why　didn't　he　run　again？〃
　〃Lots　of　reasons。　He　thought　about　it。　We　talked　about　it　forever。　I　was　willing　to　leave　with　him。　But　in　the　end；　he　was　convinced　he　could　disappear　even　farther　into　the　country。　He　knew　it　well…the　language；　the　people；　the　endless　places　to　hide。　Plus；　he　didn't　want　me　to　leave　my　home。　I　guess　we　should've　run　to　China　or　some　place。〃
　〃Maybe　you　couldn't　run。〃
　〃Maybe。　I　kept　in　touch　with　the　Pluto　Group。　They　were　hired　to　monitor　the'　Stephano　investigation　as　best　they　could。　They　contacted　his　client；　Mr。　Benny　Aricia；　with　the　same　story　about　possible　information。　They　also　contacted　the　insurance　panies。　All　calls　were　referred　to　Jack　Stephano。　I　flew　in　every　three　or　four　months；　always　from　some　place　in　Europe；　and　they　would　tell　me　what　they　had　discovered。〃
　〃How　did　Stephano　find　him？〃
　〃I　can't　tell　you　that　story　now。　Patrick　will　have　to　do　it。〃
　Another　black　hole；　and　a　rather　significant　one。　Sandy　placed　his　coffee　on　the　floor　and　tried　to　sort　things　out。　It　would　certainly　be　easier　if　these　two　would　tell　him　everything。　Start　at　the　beginning；　bring　it　forward　to　the　present；　so　that　he；　the　lawyer；　could　help　them　with　their　immediate　future。　Perhaps　they　didn't　need　any　help。
　So　Patrick　knew　how　he'd　been　found。
　She　handed　him　the　thick　folder　from　the　table。　〃These　are　the　people　who　have　my　father；〃　she　said。
　〃Stephano？〃
　〃Yes。　I'm　the　only　person　who　knows　where　the　money　is；　Sandy。　The　kidnapping　is　a　trap。〃
　〃How　does　Stephano　know　about　you？〃
　〃Patrick　told　them。〃
　〃Patrick？〃
　〃Yes。　You've　seen　the　burns；　haven't　you？〃
　Sandy　stood　and　tried　to　clear　his　head。　〃Then　why　didn't　Patrick　tell　them　where　the　money　is？〃
　〃Because　he　didn't　know。〃
　〃He　gave　it　all　to　you。〃
　〃Something　like　that。　I　have　control　of　it。　Now　I'm　being　chased；　and　my　poor　father　is　caught　in　the　middle。〃
　〃What　am　I　supposed　to　do？〃
　She　opened　a　drawer　and　removed　a　similar　but　thinner　file。　〃This　contains　information　about　the　FBI　investigation　of　Patrick。　We　didn't　learn　much；　for　obvious　reasons。　The　agent　in　charge　is　a　man　named　Cutler；　in　Biloxi。　As　soon　as　I　knew　Patrick　had　been　captured；　I　called　Cutter。　It　probably　saved　Patrick's　life。〃
　〃Slow　down。　This　is　hard　to　follow。〃
　〃I　told　Cutter　that　Patrick　Lanigan　had　been　found；　and　that　he　was　in　the　custody　of　people　working　for　Jack　Stephano。　We　assume　the　FBI　went　straight　to　Stephano　and　threatened　him。　His　operatives　in　Brazil　tortured　Patrick　for　a　few　hours；　almost　killed　him；　then　handed　him　over　to　the　FBI。〃
　Sandy　absorbed　every　word　with　his　eyes　closed　hard。　〃Go　on；〃　he　said。
　〃Two　days　later；　Stephano　was　arrested　in　Washington　and　his　offices　were　locked　up。〃
　〃How　do　you　know　this？〃
　〃I'm　still　paying　a　lot　of　money　to　the　men　at　Pluto。　They're　very　good。　We　suspect　that　Stephano　is　talking　to　the　FBI；　while　at　the　same　time　quietly　pursuing　me。　And　my　father。〃
　〃What　am　I　supposed　to　tell　Cutter？〃
　〃First；　tell　him　about　me。　Describe　me　as　a　lawyer　who　is　very　close　to　Patrick；　that　I'm　making　decisions　for　him；　and　that　I　know　everything。　Then；　tell　him　about　my　father。〃
　〃And　you　think　the　FBI　will　lean　on　Stephano？〃
　〃Maybe；　maybe　not。　But　we　have　nothing　to　lose。〃
　It　was　almost　one；　and　she　was　very　tired。　Sandy　gathered　the　files　and　headed　for　the　door。
　〃We　have　a　lot　to　talk　about；〃　she　said。
　〃It　would　be　nice　to　know　everything。〃
　〃Just　give　us　time。〃
　〃You'd　better　hurry。〃
　Twenty…six
　DR。　HAYANI　began　his　morning　rounds　promptly　at　seven。　Because　Patrick　had　such　trouble　sleeping；　he　eased　into　his　dark　room　each　morning　just　for　a　peek。　The　patient　was　usually　asleep；　though　later　in　the　day　he　would　often　explain　the　ordeals　of　the　night。　This　morning；　Patrick　was　awake；　and　seated　in　a　chair　before　the　window。　He　wore　only　his　white　cotton　boxers。　He　stared　at　the　blinds　closed　tightly　before　him；　stared　at　nothing　because　there　was　nothing　to　see。　The　dim　light　came　from　the　table　by　his　bed。
　〃Patrick；　are　you　okay？〃　Hayani　asked　as　he　stood　beside　him。
　He　didn't　answer。　Hayani　glanced　down　at　the　table　in　the　corner　where　Patrick　did　his　legal　work。　It　was　neat；　with　no　books　open　or　files　out　of　place。
　Finally；　he　said；　〃I'm　fine；　Doc。〃
　〃Did　you　sleep？〃
　〃No。　Not　at　all。〃
　〃You're　safe　now；　Patrick。　The　sun　is　up。〃
　He　said　nothing；　didn't　move　or　speak。　Hayani　left　him　as　he　found　him；　gripping　the　chair　arms　and　watching　the　shades。
　Patrick　heard　the　pleasant　voices　in　the　hallway；　the　doc　speaking　again　to　the　bored　deputies；　and　the　nurses　as　they　hurried　by。　Breakfast　would　arrive　shortly；　not　that　food　held　much　interest　for　him。　After　four　and　a　half　years　of　near　starvation；　he　had　mastered　his　desire　to　eat。　A　few　bites　of　this　and　that；　with　sliced　apples　and　carrots　when　hunger　hit。　The　nurses　at　first　had　felt　challenged　to　fatten　him　up；　but　Dr。　Hayani　intervened　and　imposed　a　diet　low　in　fat；　free　of　sugar；　and　heavy　on　steamed　vegetables　and　breads。
　He　rose　from　his　chair　and　walked　to　the　door。　He　opened　it　and　quietly　said　good　morning　to　the　deputies；　Pete　and　Eddie；　two　of　the　regulars。
　〃Did　you　sleep　well？〃　Eddie　asked；　as　he　did　every　morning。
　〃I　slept　safe；　Eddie；　thanks；〃　Patrick　said；　part　of　the　ritual。　Down　the　hall　on　a　bench　by　the　elevator　he　saw　Brent　Myers；　the　useless　FBI　agent　who　had　escorted　him　from　Puerto　Rico。　He　nodded；　but　Brent　was　involved　with　the　morning　paper。
　Patrick　withdrew　to　his　room；　and　began　a　set　of　gentle　knee　bends。　His　muscles　were　healed；　but　the　burns　were　still　sore　and　stiff。　Push…ups　and　sit…ups　were　out　of　the　question。
　A　nurse　knocked　on　the　door　as　she　pushed　it　open。　〃Good　morning；　Patrick；〃　she　chirped　happily。　〃It's　time　for　breakfast。〃　She　sat　the　tray　on　a　table。　〃How　was　your　night？〃
　〃Wonderful。　Yours？〃
　〃Wonderful。　Anything　I　can　get　for　you？〃
　〃No　thanks。〃
　〃Just　call；〃　she　said；　leaving。　The　routine　varied　little　from　day　to　day。　As　boring　as　it　had　bee；　Patrick　had　not　lost　sight　of　how　bad　things　could　be。　Breakfast　at　the　Harrison　County　Jail　would　be　served　on　metal　trays　stuck　through　narrow　slots　in　the　bars　and　eaten　in　the　presence　of　various　cellmates；　the　mixture　of　which　changed　daily。
　He　took　his　coffee　and　entered　his　little　office　in　the　corner；　under　the　television。　He　turned　the　lamp　on　and　stared　at　his　files。
　He　had　been　in　Biloxi　a　week。　His　other　life　had　ended　thirteen　days　ago；　on　a　narrow　dusty　road　that　was　now　a　million　miles　away。　He　wanted　to　be　Danilo　again；　Senhor　Silva；　with　his　quiet　life　in　his　simple　house；　where　the　maid　spoke　to　him　in　melodic　Portuguese　heavily　tinted　with　her　Indian　roots。　He　yearned　for　the　long　walks　along　the　warm　streets　of　Ponta　Pora；　and　the　long　runs　into　the　countryside。　He　wanted　to　speak　again　to　the　old　men　lounging　under　cool　trees　sipping　their　green　tea　and　anxious　to　chat　up　anyone　willing　to　linger。　He　missed　the　bustle　of　the　market　downtown。
　He　missed　Brazil；　Danilo's　home；　with　its　vastness　and　beauty　and　stark　contrasts；　its　teeming　cities　and　backward　villages；　its　gentle　people。　He　ached　for　his　beloved　Eva；　the　softness　of　her　touch；　the　beauty　of　her　smile；　the　wonders　of　her　flesh；　the　warmth　of　her　soul。　He　would　not　live　without　her。
　Why　can't　a　man　have　more　than　one　life？　Where　was　it　written　that　you　couldn't　start　over？　And　over？　Patrick　had　died；　and　Danilo　had　been　captured。
　He　had　survived　both　the　death　of　the　first　and　the　seizure　of　the　second。　Why　couldn't　he　escape　again？　A　third　life　was　calling…this　one；　though；　without　the　sorrow　of　the　first　or　the　shadows　of　the　second。　This　would　be　the　perfect　life　with　Eva。　They　would　live　somewhere；　anywhere；　as　long　as　they　were　together　and　the　past　couldn't　catch　them。　They　would　live　in　a　grand　home　and　reproduce　like　rabbits。
　She　was　strong；　but　she　had　limits；　like　everyone。　She　loved　her　father；　and　home　was　a　powerful　magnet。　All　true　Cariocas　love　their　city；　and　consider　it　specially　created　by　the　Almighty。
　He　had　placed　her　in　danger；　and　now　he　must　protect　her。
　Could　he　do　it　again？　Or　had　his　luck　run　out？
　CUTTER　AGREED　to　an　eight　o'clock　meeting　only　because　Mr。　McDermott　insisted　it　was　urgent。　The　federal　building　was　creaking　to　life　as　a　meager　handful　of　bureaucrats　arrived　at　such　an　early　hour。　The　throng　would　get　there　at　nine。
　Cutter　was　not　abrupt；　but　certainly　not　hospitable。　Chats　with　pushy　lawyers　ranke