jg.thepartner-第51部分
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。 We prefer that you simply go back home。 Dismiss the lawsuit； forget about Trudy； let her live in peace。 She has a child to raise； and； besides； most of the money has been spent anyway。 Dismiss； and my client will not pursue his claim for personal injuries against your pany。〃
〃Is that all？〃 Talbot Mims asked in disbelief。
〃Yes。 That's it。〃
〃Done。〃
〃We'd like a moment to consult；〃 Shenault said； still hard…faced。
〃No we don't；〃 Mims said to his client。 〃It's a great deal。 It's on the table。 We take it。 Just like that。〃
Shenault said； 〃I'd like to analyze…〃
〃No；〃 Mims said； bristling at Shenault。 〃We take the deal。 Now； if you want someone else to represent you； fine。 But as long as I'm your lawyer； we're taking the deal； right now。〃
Shenault went speechless。
〃We'll take it；〃 Mims said。
〃Mr。 Shenault？〃 Sandy said。
〃Uh； sure。 I guess we'll agree to it。〃
〃Great。 I have a proposed settlement agreement waiting on you in the room next door。 Now； if you gentlemen will leave us for a few minutes； I need to talk with Mr。 Ladd and his client in private。〃
Minis led his crew out。 Sandy locked the door behind them and turned to address Mr。 Cohen； Hal Ladd； and his associate。 〃Your deal is a bit different from theirs； I'm afraid。 They get off lightly because there is a divorce。 It's messy and plicated； and my client can use his claim against Northern Case Mutual to his advantage in the divorce proceedings。 You； unfortunately； are not in the same position。 They put up a half a million for Stephano； you put up twice that much。 You have more liability； more exposure； and； as we all know； a helluva lot more cash than Northern Case Mutual。〃
〃How much do you have in mind？〃 Cohen asked。
〃Nothing for Patrick。 He's very concerned； however； about the child。 She's six； and her mother burns money。 That's one reason Northern Case Mutual collapsed so quickly…it'll be very difficult to collect from Mrs。 Lanigan。 Patrick would like a modest amount to go into a trust fund for the child； money out of the mother's reach。〃
〃How much？〃
〃A quarter of a million。 Plus the same amount to cover his legal fees。 Total of a half a million； paid very quietly so your client won't be embarrassed by those pictures。〃
The Coast had a history of generous verdicts in personal injury and wrongful death cases。 Hal Ladd had advised Cohen that he could see a multi…million…dollar verdict against Aricia and the insurance panies for what was done to Patrick。 Cohen； from California； certainly understood this。 The pany was quite anxious to settle and leave town。
〃All litigation is dismissed；〃 Cohen said。 〃And we pay a half a million？〃
〃That's it。〃
〃We'll do it。〃
Sandy reached into a file and removed some papers。 〃I have a proposed settlement agreement； which I'll leave with you。〃 He handed copies to them； and left them。
Thirty…five
PSYCHIATRIST was a friend of Dr。 JL Hayani's。 Patrick's second session with him lasted for two hours and was as unproductive as the first。 It would be the last。
Patrick asked to be excused； and returned to his room in time for dinner。 He ignored most of it as he watched the evening news。 His name was not mentioned。 He paced the floor and spoke to his guards。 Sandy had called throughout the afternoon with updates； but he wanted to see documents。 He watched 〃Jeopardy〃 and tried to read a thick paperback。
It was almost eight when he heard Sandy speak to the guards and ask how the prisoner was doing。 Sandy enjoyed referring to him as 〃the prisoner。〃
Patrick met him at the door。 His lawyer was exhausted； but smiling。 〃It's all done；〃 he said as he handed Patrick a stack of paperwork。
〃What about the documents and tapes？〃
〃We handed them over an hour ago。 There must've been a dozen FBI agents swarming around。 Jaynes told me they would work through the night。〃
Patrick took the settlement agreements and sat at his worktable in the corner； under the television。 Carefully； he read every word。 Sandy's dinner was fast food from a bag； and he ate it standing beside the bed； watching muted rugby from Australia on ESPN。
〃Did they squawk at the half a million？〃 Patrick asked； without looking up。
〃Not for a minute。 Nobody squawked at anything。〃
〃Guess we should've asked for more。〃
〃I think you have enough。〃
Patrick flipped a page； then signed his name。 〃Good work； Sandy。 A masterful job。〃
〃We had a good day。 Federal charges are all dismissed； the litigation is settled。 Attorneys' fees are taken care of。 The kid's future is secure。 Tomorrow we'll finish with Trudy。 You're on a roll； Patrick。 Too bad you've got this dead body in your way。〃
Patrick left the papers on the table and stepped to the window； his back to the room。 The shades were open； the window was cracked six inches。
Sandy kept eating and watching him。 〃You have to tell me sometime； Patrick。〃
〃Tell you what？〃
〃Well； let's see。 Why don't we start with Pepper？〃
〃Okay。 I didn't kill Pepper。〃
〃Did someone else kill Pepper？〃
〃Not to my knowledge。〃
〃Did Pepper kill himself？〃
〃Not to my knowledge。〃
〃Was Pepper alive when you disappeared？〃
〃I think so。〃
〃Dammit； Patrick！ I've had a long day！ I'm not in the mood for games。〃
Patrick turned around and politely said； 〃Please； don't yell。 There are cops out there； straining to hear every word。 Sit down。〃
〃I don't want to sit down。〃
〃Please。〃
〃I can hear better standing up。 I'm listening。〃
Patrick shut the window； pulled the shades； checked the locked door； and turned off the television。 He resumed his customary position on his bed； sitting； with the sheet pulled to his waist。 Once situated； he said； in a low voice； 〃I knew Pepper。 He came to the cabin one day asking for food。 It was just before Christmas of '91。 He told me he lived in the woods most of the time。 I cooked bacon and eggs for him and he ate like a refugee。 He stuttered； and was very shy and unfortable around me。 Obviously； I was intrigued。 Here was this kid； he said he was seventeen but looked younger； who was reasonably clean and dressed and had a family twenty miles away； yet lived in the woods。 I made him talk。 I asked about his family； and got the sad story。 When he finished eating； he was ready to go。 I offered him a place to sleep； but he insisted on returning to his campsite。
〃The next day； I was deer hunting； alone； and Pepper tracked me down。 He showed me his little tent and sleeping bag。 He had cooking utensils； an ice chest； a lantern； a shotgun。 He said he hadn't been home in two weeks。 Said his mother had a new boyfriend； who was the worst one in years。 I followed him deep into the woods to a deer stand he'd found。 An hour later； I killed a ten…point buck； my biggest ever。 He said he knew the woods inside and out； and offered to show me the best places to hunt。
〃A couple of weeks later； I was back at the cabin。 Life with Trudy was unbearable； and she and I both lived for the weekends so I could leave。 Pepper showed up not long after I arrived。 I cooked a stew and we ate like hogs…I had an appetite back then。 He said he'd gone home for three days； and left after a fight with his mother。 The more he talked； the less he stuttered。 I told him I was a lawyer and before long he told me his legal troubles。 His last job had been pumping gas at a station in Lucedale。 Some money came up missing from the cash register。 Because everybody thought he was retarded； they blamed it on him。 He； of course； had nothing to do with it。 It was another very good reason to stay in the woods。 I promised to check into the matter。〃
〃And so the setup began；〃 Sandy said。
〃Something like that。 We saw each other a few more times in the woods。〃
〃It was getting close to February ninth。〃
〃Yes； it was； I told Pepper that the cops were about to arrest him。 This was a lie。 I hadn't made a single call。 Couldn't afford to。 But the more we talked； the more convinced I became that he knew something about the missing money。 He was scared； and leaning heavily on me。 We discussed his options； one of which was to simply disappear。〃
〃Gee； that sounds familiar。〃
〃He hated his mother。 Cops were after him。 He was a scared boy who couldn't live in the woods for the rest of his life。 He liked the idea of going out West and working as a hunting guide in the mountains。 We hatched a plan。 I watched the newspapers until I saw this terrible story of a high school sophomore getting killed in a train wreck outside New Orleans。 His name was Joey Palmer； had a nice generic ring to it。 I called a forger in Miami； who got Joey's Social Security number； and presto！…within four days I had a nice set of papers for Pepper。 Louisiana driver's license； plete with a very close photo； Social Security number； birth certificate； even a passport。〃
〃You make it sound so easy。〃
〃No； it's easier than I make it sound。 Just takes a little cash and some imagination。 Pepper liked his new papers； and loved the idea of riding a bus off to the mountains。 No kidding； Sandy； the kid had no hesitation whatsoever about leaving his mother in the dark。 There was not one trace of concern。〃
〃Your kinda guy。〃
〃Yeah； well； anyway； on Sunday； February ninth…〃
〃The date of your death。〃
〃Yes； as I recall it now。 I drove Pepper to the Greyhound bus station in Jackson。 I gave him every opportunity to turn back； but he was determined。 No； he was excited。 The poor kid had never left the state of Mississippi。 Just the ride to Jackson was a thrill。 I made it clear that he could never e back； under any circumstances。 He never mentioned his mother。 Three hours in the car； and he never mentioned his mother。〃
〃Where was he headed？〃
〃I'd located a logging camp north of Eugene； Oregon； and I'd checked the bus routes and schedules。 I wrote it all down for him； then we practiced it a dozen times on the way to the bus station。 I gave him two thousand dollars in cash； and dropped him off two blocks from the bus station。 It was almost 1 P。M。； and I couldn't run the risk of being seen。 The last time I saw Pepper he was jogging away with a smile on his face and a stuffed backpack slung over his shoulder。〃
〃His shotgun and camping gear were found in the cabin。〃
〃Where else could he put it？〃
〃Just another piece of the p
