jg.thepartner-第45部分

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　〃Do　you　think　we'll　get　the　money；　Charlie？〃　Vitrano　asked；　barely　audible；　his　eyes　on　the　floor。　He　hadn't　called　him　Charlie　in　years。　Such　familiarity　was　unheard　of　in　a　firm　with　so　much　hatred。
　〃No；〃　he　said。　There　was　a　long　pause。　〃We'll　be　lucky　if　we're　not　indicted。〃
　WITH　AN　HOUR　of　serious　phone　work　ahead　of　him；　Sandy　made　the　most　troubling　one　first。　Sitting　in　his　parked　car　in　the　hospital　lot；　he　called　his　wife　and　told　her　he'd　be　in　very　late；　so　late　that　he　might　be　forced　to　stay　in　Biloxi。　His　son　was　playing　in　a　junior　high　football　game。　He　apologized；　blamed　everything　on　Patrick；　and　said　he'd　explain　later。　She　took　it　much　better　than　expected。
　He　caught　a　secretary　working　late　at　his　office；　and　collected　phone　numbers　from　her。　He　knew　two　lawyers　in　Miami；　neither　of　whom　happened　to　be　at　the　office　at　seven…fifteen。　The　home　number　for　one　went　unanswered。　The　other　had　a　private　listing。　He　made　a　series　of　calls　to　lawyers　he　knew　in　New　Orleans；　and　finally　got　the　home　number　of　Mark　Birck；　a　highly　regarded　criminal　defense　specialist　in　Miami。　Birck　was　not　delighted　at　receiving　the　call　during　dinner；　but　he　listened　anyway。　Sandy　gave　the　ten…minute　version　of　the　Patrick　saga；　including　the　latest　development　with　Eva　in　jail　somewhere　in　Miami。　Thus　the　call。　Birck　showed　an　interest；　and　claimed　a　thorough　knowledge　of　immigration　law　as　well　as　criminal　procedure。　He　would　make　two　calls；　after　dinner。　Sandy　agreed　to　phone　him　back　in　an　hour。
　It　took　three　calls　to　locate　Cutter；　and　twenty　minutes　of　wheedling　before　he　would　agree　to　meet　for　coffee　at　a　doughnut　shop。　Sandy　drove　there；　and　while　waiting　for　Cutter　called　Birck　again。
　Birck　reported　that　Eva　Miranda　was　indeed　in　custody　in　a　federal　detention　center　in　Miami。　She　had　not　yet　been　formally　charged　with　any　crime；　but　it　was　early。　There　was　no　way　to　see　her　tonight；　and　it　would　be　difficult　to　see　her　tomorrow。　Under　the　law；　the　FBI　and　the　U。S。　Customs　Service　can　hold　an　alien　caught　traveling　under　a　bogus　passport　for　up　to　four　days　before　a　release　can　be　applied　for。　Makes　sense；　Birck　explained；　considering　the　circumstances。　These　people　tend　to　disappear　quickly。
　Birck　had　been　in　the　detention　center　several　times　visiting　clients；　and；　as　these　places　went；　it　was　not　bad。　She　was　in　her　own　private　cell；　and　generally　safe。　With　luck；　she　would　have　access　to　a　telephone　in　the　morning。
　Without　providing　too　much　detail；　Sandy　stressed　that　there　was　no　rush　in　getting　her　released。　There　were　people　looking　for　her　on　the　outside。　Birck　promised　to　pull　strings　early　in　the　morning　and　try　to　see　her。
　His　fee　would　be　ten　thousand　dollars；　which　Sandy　agreed　to　pay。
　He　hung　up　as　Cutter　swaggered　into　the　doughnut　shop　and　sat　at　a　table　by　the　front　window；　as　promised。　Sandy　locked　his　car　and　followed　him　in。
　DINNER　was　packaged　food；　microwaved　and　served　on　a　well…worn　plastic　tray。　Though　she　was　hungry；　the　thought　of　eating　it　hardly　crossed　her　mind。　It　was　delivered　to　her　cinder…blocked　cell　by　two　heavy　women　in　uniform；　keys　dangling　from　chains　around　their　waists。　One　asked　how　she　was　doing。　She　mumbled　something　in　Portuguese　and　they　left　her　alone。　The　door　was　thick　metal　with　a　small　square　hole　in　it。　Voices　of　other　women　prisoners　could　occasionally　be　heard；　but　the　place　was　generally　quiet。
　She　had　never　been　in　jail　before；　not　even　as　a　lawyer。　Other　than　Patrick；　she　couldn't　recall　a　friend　who'd　been　incarcerated。　The　initial　shock　yielded　to　fear；　then　to　humiliation　at　being　caged　like　a　criminal。　Only　the　thought　of　her　poor　father　kept　her　focused　during　the　first　hours。　No　doubt　his　conditions　were　far　worse　than　hers。　She　prayed　that　they　were　not　hurting　him。
　The　praying　came　easier　in　jail。　She　prayed　for　her　father；　and　she　prayed　for　Patrick。　She　resisted　the　temptation　to　blame　him　for　her　troubles；　though　it　would've　been　easy。　Most　of　the　blame　rested　with　her。　She　had　panicked　and　run　too　quickly。　Patrick　had　taught　her　how　to　move　without　leaving　a　trail；　how　to　vanish。　The　mistake　was　her　fault；　not　his。
　The　false　passport　charges　were　minor；　she　decided；　and　could　be　dealt　with　in　short　order。　In　a　violent　country　without　enough　jail　cells；　surely　such　a　simple　offense　from　such　a　noncriminal　could　be　handled　swiftly　with　a　small　fine　and　a　quick　deportation。
　She　found　fort　in　the　money。　Tomorrow　she　would　demand　an　attorney；　a　good　one　with　clout。　Phone　calls　would　be　made　to　officials　in　Brasilia；　she　knew　their　names。　If　necessary；　the　money　could　be　used　to　bully　everyone　in　sight。　She　would　be　out　before　long；　then　back　home　to　rescue　her　father。　She　would　hide　somewhere　in　Rio；　it　would　be　simple。
　The　cell　was　warm；　and　locked；　and　guarded　by　lots　of　people　with　guns。　It　was　a　safe　place；　she　decided。　The　men　who　hurt　Patrick　and　now　had　her　father　couldn't　touch　her。
　She　turned　off　the　ceiling　light　and　stretched　out　on　the　narrow　bunk。　The　FBI　would　be　anxious　to　tell　Patrick　that　she　was　in　custody；　so　he　probably　knew　by　now。　She　could　see　him　with　his　legal　pad；　running　lines　here　and　there；　analyzing　this　latest　development　from　an　amazing　variety　of　angles。　By　now；　Patrick　had　conceived　no　fewer　than　ten　ways　to　rescue　her。　And　he　wouldn't　sleep　until　he　had　the　list　pared　down　to　the　best　three　plans。
　The　fun　was　in　the　planning；　he　always　said。
　CUTTER　ORDERED　a　caffeine…free　soda　and　a　chocolate　doughnut。　He　was　off…duty；　so　the　standard　dark　suit　and　white　shirt　were　replaced　by　jeans　and　short　sleeves。　Smirking　came　naturally　for　him。　Now　that　they　had　found　the　girl　and　locked　her　up；　he　was　especially　cocky。
　Sandy　ate　a　ham　sandwich　in　four　bites。　It　was　almost　9　P。M。　Lunch　had　been　hospital　food　with　Patrick；　a　long　time　ago。　〃We　need　to　have　a　serious　talk；〃　he　said。　The　shop　was　packed　and　his　voice　was　low。
　〃I'm　listening；〃　Cutter　said。
　Sandy　swallowed；　wiped　his　mouth；　leaned　even　closer　and　said；　〃Don't　take　this　the　wrong　way；　but　we　need　to　include　other　people。〃
　〃Like　who？〃
　〃Like　the　people　above　you。　People　in　Washington。〃
　Cutter　pondered　this　for　a　minute　as　he　watched　the　traffic　move　along　Highway　90。　The　Gulf　was　a　hundred　yards　away。
　〃Sure；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　gotta　tell　them　something。〃
　Sandy　glanced　around。　Not　a　single　person　was　even　casually　looking　their　way。　〃What　if　I　can　prove　that　the　Aricia　claim　against　Platt　&　Rockland　was　pletely　fraudulent；　that　he　conspired　with　the　Bogan　firm　to　defraud　the　government；　and　that　Bogan's　cousin；　the　Senator；　was　a　part　of　the　conspiracy　and　was　to　have　received　several　million　bucks　under　the　table？〃
　〃A　wonderful　story。〃
　〃I　can　prove　it。〃
　〃And　if　we　believe　it；　then　we're　supposed　to　allow　Mr。　Lanigan　to　make　some　type　of　restitution　and　walk　away。〃
　〃Perhaps。〃
　〃Not　so　fast。　There's　still　the　matter　of　the　dead　body。〃
　Cutter　casually　took　a　bite　of　his　doughnut　and　chewed　it　thoughtfully。　Then；　〃What　kind　of　proof？〃
　〃Documents；　recorded　phone　calls；　all　sorts　of　things。〃
　〃Admissible　in　court？〃
　〃Most　of　it。〃
　〃Enough　for　convictions？〃
　〃A　box　full。〃
　〃Where's　the　box？〃
　〃In　the　trunk　of　my　car。〃
　Cutter　instinctively　looked　over　his　shoulder　in　the　general　direction　of　the　parking　lot。　Then　he　stared　at　Sandy。　〃This　is　stuff　Patrick　gathered　before　he　split？〃
　〃Correct。　He　got　wind　of　the　Aricia　matter。　The　firm　was　planning　to　kick　him　out；　so　he　very　patiently　collected　the　dirt。〃
　〃Bad　marriage；　etc。；　etc。；　so　he　took　the　money　and　ran。〃
　〃No。　He　ran；　then　took　the　money。〃
　〃Whatever。　So　now　he　wants　to　cut　a　deal；　huh？〃
　〃Of　course。　Wouldn't　you？〃
　〃What　about　the　murder？〃
　〃That's　a　state　matter；　not　really　your　concern。　We'll　deal　with　it　later。〃
　〃We　can　make　it　our　concern。〃
　〃I'm　afraid　not。　You've　got　the　indictment　for　the　theft　of　the　ninety　million。　The　state　of　Mississippi　has　the　indictment　for　the　murder。　Unfortunately　for　you；　the　feds　can't　e　in　now　and　charge　murder。〃
　Cutter　hated　lawyers　for　that　very　reason。　They　didn't　bluff　easily。
　Sandy　continued。　〃Look；　this　meeting　is　a　formality。　I'm　just　going　through　channels；　don't　want　to　overstep　here。　But　I'm　perfectly　ready　to　start　making　calls　to　Washington　first　thing　in　the　morning。　I　thought　we'd　have　this　chat；　and　I　hoped　you　would　be　convinced　we're　ready　to　deal。　Otherwise；　I'm　on　the　phone。〃
　〃Who　do　you　want？〃
　〃Someone　with　plete　authority；　FBI　and　Justice。　We'll　meet　in　a　large　room　somewhere　and　I'll　lay　out　the　case。〃
　〃Let　me　talk　to　Washington。　But　this　better　be　good。〃
　They　shook　hands　stiffly；　and　Sandy　left。
　Thirty…one
　MRS。　STEPHANO　was　sleeping　again。　Those　bothersome　young　men　in　matching　dark　suits　had　left　their　street；　and　the　neighbors　had　stopped　calling　with　their　nosy　questions。　The　gossip　over　bridge　had　returned　to　more　normal　topics；　Her　husband　was　relaxed。
　She　was　sleeping　soundly　when　the　phone　rang　at　5：30　A。M。　She　grabbed　it　from　the　night　table。　〃Hello。〃
　A　stout；　firm　voice　said；　〃Jack　Stephano；　please。〃
　〃Who's　calling？〃　she　demanded。　Jack　was　moving　under　the　covers。
　〃Hamilton　Jaynes；　FBI；〃　came　the　reply。
　And　she　said；　〃Oh　my　God！〃　She　placed　a　hand　over　the　receiver。　〃Jack；　it's　the　FBI　again。〃
　Jack　turned　on　a　light；　glanced　at　the　clock；　took　the　phone。　〃Who　is　it？〃
　〃Good　morning；　Jack。　This　is　Hamilton　Jaynes。　Hate　to　call　so　early。〃
　〃Then　don't。〃
　〃Just　wanted　you　to　know　that　we've　got　the　girl；　Eva　Miranda；　in　custody。　She's　safe　and　secure；　so　you　boys　can　call　off　your　dogs。〃
　Stephano　swung　his　feet　out　of　the　bed　and　stood　next　to　the　table。　Their　last　hope　was　gone。　The　search　for　the　money　was　finally　over。　〃Where　is　she？〃　he　asked；　not　expecting　any　meaningful　answer。
　〃We　have　her；　Jack。　She's　with　us。〃
　〃Congratulations。〃
　〃Look；　Jack；　I've　sent　some　men　down　to　Rio　to　monitor　the　situation　with　her　father。　You　have　twenty…four　hours；　Jack。　If　he　is　not　released　by　five…thirty　tomorrow　morning；　then　I'll　have　a　warrant　for　your　arrest；　and　the　arrest　of　Aricia。　Hell；　I'll　probably　arrest　Mr。　Atterson　at　Monarch…Sierra　and　Mr。　Jill　at　Northern　Case　Mutual；　you　know；　just