jg.thepartner-第46部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


rson　at　Monarch…Sierra　and　Mr。　Jill　at　Northern　Case　Mutual；　you　know；　just　for　the　hell　of　it。　I've　really　wanted　to　talk　to　those　boys；　along　with　Aricia。〃
　〃You　enjoy　the　harassment；　don't　you？〃
　〃Love　it。　We'll　help　the　Brazilians　extradite　you　guys　down　to　Brazil；　you　know；　and　that　should　take　a　coupla　months。　No　bail　with　an　extradition；　so　you　and　your　sleazy　clients　would　spend　Christmas　in　jail。　Who　knows；　extradition　might　work　for　a　change；　and　you'd　get　to　go　to　Rio。　I　hear　the　beaches　are　lovely。　Are　you　there；　Jack？〃
　〃I　hear　you。〃
　〃Twenty…four　hours。〃　The　phone　clicked　and　the　line　was　dead。　Mrs。　Stephano　was　in　the　bathroom　with　the　door　locked；　too　rattled　to　face　him。
　Jack　went　downstairs　and　made　coffee。　He　sat　at　the　kitchen　table；　in　the　semidarkness；　waiting　for　the　sun　to　rise。　He　was　tired　of　Benny　Aricia。
　He　had　been　hired　to　find　Patrick　and　the　money；　not　to　ask　questions　about　how　the　money　got　created。　He　knew　the　basics　of　Benny　Aricia's　history　with　Platt　&　Rockland；　and　he　had　always　suspected　there　was　much　more　to　the　story。　He　had　probed　once　or　twice；　but　Aricia　showed　no　interest　in　discussing　the　events　which　preceded　Patrick's　disappearance。
　From　the　beginning；　Jack　had　suspected　the　law　firm's　offices　had　been　wired　for　two　reasons。　The　first　was　to　gather　dirt　on　the　other　partners　and　their　clients；　specifically　Aricia。　The　second　was　to　lead　Patrick　to　the　money　after　his　funeral。　What　was　unknown　to　everyone；　except　to　maybe　Aricia　and　the　partners；　was　how　much　damaging　evidence　had　been　taped　and　stored　by　Patrick。　Stephano　suspected　that　plenty　of　dirt　had　been　gathered。
　When　the　money　vanished；　and　Stephano　began　his　search；　the　law　firm　chose　not　to　join　the　consortium。　It　had　thirty　million　dollars　at　stake；　yet　chose　to　lick　its　wounds　and　go　home。　The　reason　given　was　lack　of　money。　The　partners　were　basically　broke；　things　were　about　to　get　much　worse；　and　they　simply　couldn't　afford　to　participate。　This　had　some　logic　at　the　time；　but　Stephano　also　sensed　a　reluctance　to　find　Patrick。
　Something　was　on　the　tapes。　Patrick　had　caught　them　redhanded。　As　miserable　as　their　lives　had　bee；　the　actual　capture　of　Patrick　could　be　their　worst　nightmare。
　Same　for　Aricia。　He'd　wait　an　hour；　then　call　him。
　BY　SIX…THIRTY；　the　office　of　Hamilton　Jaynes　was　crawling　with　people。　Two　agents　sat　on　a　sofa　and　studied　the　latest　report　from　their　contacts　in　Rio。　One　stood　beside　Jaynes'　desk　and　waited　to　give　an　update　on　Aricia's　whereabouts；　he　was　still　at　the　rented　condo　in　Biloxi。
　Another　stood　nearby　with　an　update　on　Eva　Miranda。　A　secretary　carried　a　box　of　files　into　the　office。　Jaynes　was　in　his　chair；　on　the　phone；　haggard　and　coatless；　ignoring　everyone。
　Joshua　Cutter　entered；　also　worn　and　wrinkled。　He'd　slept　two　hours　in　the　Atlanta　airport　waiting　for　a　flight　to　Washington；　D。C。；　where　an　agent　met　him　for　the　drive　to　the　Hoover　Building。　Jaynes　immediately　hung　up；　and　ordered　everyone　from　his　office。
　〃Get　us　some　coffee；　lots　of　it；〃　he　barked　at　the　secretary。　The　room　cleared　and　Cutter　sat　rigidly　before　the　grand　desk。　Though　mightily　fatigued；　he　tried　hard　to　be　alert。　He'd　never　been　near　the　Deputy　Director's　office　before。
　〃Let's　hear　it；〃　Jaynes　growled。
　〃Lanigan　wants　to　cut　a　deal。　He　claims　to　have　enough　evidence　to　convict　Aricia；　the　lawyers；　and　an　unnamed　U。S。　Senator。〃
　〃What　kind　of　evidence？〃
　〃A　box　full　of　documents　and　tapes；　stuff　Lanigan　accumulated　before　he　skipped　out。〃
　〃Did　you　see　the　box？〃
　〃No。　McDermott　said　it　was　in　the　trunk　of　his　car。〃
　〃And　what　about　the　money？〃
　〃We　never　got　that　far。　He　wants　to　meet　with　you　and　somebody　at　Justice　to　discuss　settlement　possibilities。　I　got　the　impression　he　thinks　they　can　buy　their　way　out　of　it。〃
　〃That's　always　a　possibility　when　you　steal　dirty　money。　Where　does　he　want　to　meet？〃
　〃Down　there；　somewhere　in　Biloxi。〃
　〃Let　me　call　Sprawling　at　Justice；〃　Jaynes　said　almost　to　himself；　as　he　lunged　for　the　phone。　The　coffee　arrived。
　MARK　BIRCK　tapped　his　designer　pen　on　the　table　as　he　waited　in　the　visitors'　room　of　the　federal　detention　center。　It　was　not　quite　nine；　much　too　early　for　lawyers　to　see　their　clients；　but　he　had　a　friend　in　administration。　Birck　explained　it　was　an　emergency。　The　table　had　privacy　panels　on　both　sides　and　a　thick　glass　plate　down　the　center。　He　would　talk　to　her　through　a　small　screened　opening。
　For　thirty　minutes　he　tapped　and　fidgeted。　She　was　finally　brought　from　around　the　corner；　dressed　in　a　yellow　one…piece　jumpsuit　with　faded　lettering　stamped　in　black　across　the　chest。　The　guard　removed　the　handcuffs　and　she　rubbed　her　wrists。
　When　they　were　alone；　she　sat　in　her　chair　and　looked　at　him。　He　slid　a　business　card　through　a　tiny　slot。　She　took　it　and　examined　every　letter。
　〃Patrick　sent　me；〃　he　said；　and　she　closed　her　eyes。
　〃Are　you　okay？〃　he　asked。
　She　leaned　forward　on　her　elbows　and　spoke　through　the　screened　opening。　〃I'm　fine。　Thanks　for　ing。　When　do　I　get　out？〃
　〃Not　for　a　few　days。　The　feds　can　do　one　of　two　things。　First；　and　the　most　serious；　they　can　indict　you　for　traveling　under　a　false　passport。　This　is　a　longshot　because　you're　a　foreigner　and　you　have　no　criminal　record。　Second；　and　most　likely；　they'll　simply　deport　you　with　your　promise　never　to　return。　Either　way；　it'll　take　them　a　few　days　to　decide。　In　the　meantime；　you're　stuck　here　because　we　can't　get　bail　right　now。〃
　〃I　understand。〃
　〃Patrick　is　very　concerned　about　you。〃
　〃I　know。　Tell　him　I'm　fine。　And　I'm　very　concerned　about　him。〃
　Birck　adjusted　his　legal　pad　and　said；　〃Now；　Patrick　wants　a　detailed　account　of　exactly　how　you　were　caught。〃
　She　smiled　and　seemed　to　relax。　Of　course　Patrick　would　want　the　details。　She　started　with　the　man　with　the　green　eyes；　and'slowly　told　the　story。
　BENNY　HAD　ALWAYS　laughed　at　the　Biloxi　beach。　Just　a　narrow　strip　of　sand　bordered　on　one　side　by　a　highway　too　dangerous　to　cross　on　foot；　and　on　the　other　by　dull　brown　water　too　brackish　to　swim　in。　During　the　summer　it　attracted　low…budget　vacationers；　and　on　weekends　students　threw　Frisbees　and　rented　jet…skis。　The　casino　boom　brought　more　tourists　to　the　beach；　but　they　seldom　lingered　long　before　returning　to　their　gambling。
　He　parked　at　the　Biloxi　pier；　lit　a　long　cigar；　removed　his　shoes；　and　walked　the　beach　anyway。　It　was　much　cleaner　now；　another　benefit　from　the　casinos。
　It　was　also　deserted。　A　few　fishing　boats　drifted　out　to　sea。
　Stephano's　call　an　hour　earlier　had　ruined　his　morning；　and；　for　the　most　part；　altered　the　remainder　of　his　life。　With　the　girl　locked　away；　he　had　no　chance　of　finding　the　money。　She　couldn't　lead　him　to　it　now；　nor　could　she　be　used　as　leverage　with　Lanigan。
　The　feds　had　an　indictment　hanging　over　Patrick's　head。　Patrick；　in　turn；　had　the　money　and　the　evidence。　One　would　be　swapped　for　the　other；　and　Aricia　would　get　caught　in　the　crossfire。　When　the　pressure　was　applied　to　his　co…conspirators；　Bogan　and　the　rest　of　those　pansy…ass　lawyers；　they　would　sing　in　an　instant。　Benny　was　the　odd　man　out；　and　he　knew　this　perfectly　well。　Had　known　it；　in　fact；　for　a　long　time。　His　dream　had　been　to　somehow　find　the　money；　then　disappear　with　it；　just　like　Patrick。
　But　his　dream　was　over　now。　He　had　a　million　bucks　left。　He　had　friends　in　other　countries；　and　contacts　around　the　world。　It　was　time　to　split；　just　like　Patrick。
　SANDY　KEPT　a　scheduled　10　A。M。　meeting　with　T。L。　Parrish；　in　the　D。A。's　office；　though　he'd　been　tempted　to　postpone　it　and　spend　the　morning　working　on　the　documents。　When　he　left　his　office　at　8：30；　his　entire　staff　and　both　of　his　partners　were　making　copies　and　enlarging　crucial　pages。
　Parrish　had　requested　the　meeting。　Sandy　was　certain　he　knew　why。　The　state's　case　had　major　holes　in　it；　and　now　that　the　thrill　of　the　indictment　had　passed；　it　was　time　to　talk　business。　Prosecutors　tend　to　try　the　airtight　cases；　and　there　is　never　a　shortage　of　them。　But　a　high…profile　case　with　gaping　holes　is　serious　trouble。
　Parrish　wanted　to　fish；　but　first　he　puffed　and　postured　and　talked　about　venue。　A　jury　anywhere　would　not　be　sympathetic　to　a　lawyer　who　murdered　for　money。　Sandy　just　listened；　at　first。　Parrish　recited　his　favorite　statistics　about　his　conviction　rate　and　the　fact　that　he'd　never　lost　a　capital　murder　trial。　Got　eight　of　'em　on　death　row；　he　said；　not　bragging。
　Sandy　really　had　better　things　to　do。　He　needed　to　have　a　serious　conversation　with　Parrish；　but　not　today。　He　asked　how　he　would　prove　the　murder　occurred　in　Harrison　County。　And　he　followed　it　by　the　cause　of　death…how　could　that　be　proven？　Patrick　certainly　wouldn't　testify　and　help　them　out。　And　the　big　one；　who　was　the　victim？　According　to　Sandy's　research；　there　was　not　a　single　reported　murder　conviction　in　the　state　with　an　unidentified　victim。
　Parrish　anticipated　these　troublesome　inquiries；　and　did　an　adequate　job　of　evading　concrete　answers。　〃Has　your　client　considered　a　plea　bargain？〃　he　finally　asked；　as　if　in　deep　pain。
　〃No。〃
　〃Would　he？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃You　ran　to　the　grand　jury；　got　your　capital　murder　indictment；　waved　it　in　front　of　the　press；　now　you　have　to　prove　it。　You　didn't　bother　to　wait　and　assess　your　evidence。　Forget　it。〃
　〃I　can　get　a　conviction　for　manslaughter；〃　Parrish　said　angrily。　〃That　carries　twenty　years。〃
　〃Maybe；〃　Sandy　said　nonchalantly。　〃But　my　client　has　not　been　charged　with　manslaughter。〃
　〃I　can　do　that　tomorrow。〃
　〃Fine。　Go　do　it。　Dismiss　the　capital　murder　charges；　refile　for　manslaughter；　then　we'll　talk。〃
　Thirty…two
　IT　WAS　LABELED　the　Camille　Suite；　and　it　occupied　one　third　of　the　top　floor　of　the　Biloxi　Nugget；　the　newest；　gaudiest；　largest；　and　most　successful　of　all　the　Vegas…style　casinos　popping　up　along　the　Coast。　The　boys　from　Vegas　thought　it　clever　to　name　the　Nugget's　suites　and　banquet　rooms　after　the　worst　hurricanes　to　hit　the　Coast。　For　an　average　Joe　who　came　in　from　the　street　and　simply　wanted　spacious　quarters；　it　rented　for　750　a　day。　That's　what　Sandy　agreed　to　pay。　For　a　high…roller　flown　in　from　afar；　the　suite　would　be　plimentary。　But　gambling　was　t