jg.thepartner-第55部分

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m　about　Clovis　is　one　thing；　but　testifying　in　court　is　another。　He　can't　make　me　testify　in　court　if　he　tries　me　for　mutilation。　He'll　be　pressured　to　try　me　for　something；　because；　as　you　say；　he　can't　allow　me　to　walk　away。　He　can　try　me；　but　he　can't　convict　me　because　I'm　the　only　witness　and　there's　no　way　to　prove　the　burned　body　was　that　of　Clovis。〃
　〃Parrish　is　screwed　from　all　sides。〃
　〃Correct。　The　federal　charges　are　gone；　and　when　we　drop　this　bomb　Parrish　will　feel　enormous　heat　to　nail　me　for　something。　Otherwise；　I　walk。〃
　〃So　what's　the　plan？〃
　〃Simple。　We　take　the　pressure　off　Parrish　and　allow　him　to　save　face。　You　go　to　Clovis'　grandchildren；　tell　them　the　truth；　offer　them　some　money。　They'll　certainly　have　the　right　to　sue　me　once　the　truth　is　known；　and　you　can　assume　they'll　do　it。　Their　suit　isn't　worth　much　because　they　ignored　the　old　man　most　of　their　lives；　but　it's　a　safe　bet　they'll　sue　anyway。　We　cut　them　off　at　the　pass。　We　settle　with　them　quietly；　and　in　return　for　the　money　they　agree　to　pressure　Parrish　not　to　press　charges。〃
　〃You　scheming　bastard。〃
　〃Thank　you。　Why　won't　it　work？〃
　〃Parrish　can　prosecute　you　regardless　of　the　family's　wishes。〃
　〃But　he　won't　because　he　can't　convict　me。　The　worst　scenario　for　Parrish　is　to　take　me　to　trial　and　lose。　It's　much　safer　for　him　to　hit　the　back　door　now；　use　the　family　as　an　excuse；　and　avoid　the　embarrassment　of　losing　a　high…profile　case。〃
　〃Is　this　what　you've　been　thinking　about　for　the　past　four　years？〃
　〃It　has　crossed　my　mind；　yes。〃
　Sandy　began　pacing　along　the　foot　of　the　bed；　deep　in　thought；　his　mind　clicking　away　and　trying　to　keep　up　with　his　client's。　〃We　have　to　give　Parrish　something；〃　he　said；　almost　to　himself；　still　walking。
　〃I'm　more　concerned　with　myself　than　Parrish；〃　Patrick　said。
　〃It's　not　just　Parrish。　It's　the　system；　Patrick。　If　you　walk　away；　then　you've　effectively　bought　your　way　out　of　jail。　Everybody　looks　bad　but　you。〃
　〃Maybe　I'm　only　concerned　with　me。〃
　〃So　am　I。　But　you　can't　humiliate　the　system　and　expect　to　ride　off　into　the　sunset。〃
　〃Nobody　made　Parrish　run　and　get　a　capital　murder　indictment。　He　could've　waited　a　week　or　two。　No　one　made　him　announce　it　to　the　press。　I　have　no　sympathy　for　him。〃
　〃Neither　do　I。　But　this　is　a　hard　sell；　Patrick。〃
　〃Then　I'll　make　it　a　bit　easier。　I'll　plead　guilty　to　the　mutilation；　but　with　no　jail　time。　Not　one　single　day。　I'll　go　to　court；　plead　guilty；　pay　a　fine；　let　Parrish　get　credit　for　a　conviction；　but　then　I'm　outta　here。〃
　〃You'll　be　a　convicted　felon。〃
　〃No；　I'll　be　free。　Who　in　Brazil　will　care　if　I　get　a　slap　on　the　wrist？〃
　Sandy　stopped　the　pacing　and　sat　on　the　bed　beside　him。　〃So　you'll　go　back　to　Brazil？〃
　〃It's　home；　Sandy。〃
　〃And　the　girl？〃
　〃We'll　either　have　ten　kids；　or　eleven。　We　haven't　decided。〃
　〃How　much　money　will　you　have？〃
　〃Millions。　You　gotta　get　me　out　of　here；　Sandy。　I　have　another　life　to　live。〃
　A　nurse　barged　through　the　door；　flipped　on　a　light　switch；　and　said；　〃It's　eleven　o'clock；　Patty。　Visiting　hours　are　over。〃　She　touched　his　shoulder。　〃You　okay；　sweetie？〃
　〃I'm　fine。〃
　〃You　need　anything？〃
　〃No　thanks。〃
　She　left　as　fast　as　she　came。　Sandy　picked　up　his　briefcase。　〃Patty？〃　he　said。
　Patrick　shrugged。
　〃Sweetie？〃
　Another　shrug。
　Sandy　thought　of　something　else　when　he　got　to　the　door。　〃A　quick　question。　When　you　drove　the　car　off　the　road；　where　was　Clovis？〃
　〃Same　place　as　always。　Strapped　in　the　passenger's　seat。　I　put　a　beer　between　his　legs　and　wished　him　farewell。　He　had　a　smile　on　his　face。〃
　Thirty…eight
　BY　10　A。M。　in　London；　the　wiring　instructions　for　the　return　of　the　loot　had　not　yet　arrived。　Eva　left　her　hotel　and　took　a　long　walk　along　Piccadilly。　With　no　particular　destination　and　no　schedule；　she　drifted　with　the　crowd；　gazed　at　the　store　windows；　and　enjoyed　life　on　the　sidewalk。　Three　days　in　solitary　had　sharpened　her　appreciation　for　the　sounds　and　voices　of　people　hurrying　about。　Lunch　was　a　warm　goat　cheese　salad　in　the　corner　of　a　crowded　ancient　pub。　She　absorbed　the　light；　happy　voices　of　people　who　had　no　clue　as　to　who　she　was。　And　they　didn't　care。
　Patrick　had　told　her　his　first　year　in　Sao　Paulo　was　often　exhilarating　because　not　a　single　person　knew　his　name。　Sitting　in　the　pub；　she　felt　more　like　Leah　Pires　than　Eva　Miranda。
　She　began　shopping　on　Bond　Street；　first　for　the　necessities…undergarments　and　perfume…but　before　long　it　was　Armani　and　Versace　and　Chanel；　with　little　regard　for　price。　She　was　a　very　wealthy　woman　at　the　moment。
　IT　WOULD　have　been　simpler；　and　certainly　less　dramatic；　to　wait　until　nine　and　arrest　them　at　the　office。　But　then　their　work　habits　were　erratic；　and　one；　Rapley；　seldom　left　home。
　A　predawn　raid　was　chosen。　So　what　if　it　scared　them　and　humiliated　them　in　front　of　their　families。　So　what　if　the　neighbors　were　drawn　to　the　motion。　Catch　'em　while　they're　sleeping　or　in　the　shower；　that　would　be　the　best　tactic。
　Charles　Bogan　answered　the　door　in　his　pajamas；　and　began　crying　quietly　when　a　U。S。　Marshal；　a　man　he　knew；　produced　handcuffs。　Bogan　had　lost　his　family；　so　at　least　he　was　spared　some　of　the　shame。
　Doug　Vitrano's　wife　answered　the　door　and　was　immediately　hostile。　She　slammed　it　in　the　faces　of　two　young　FBI　agents；　who　waited　patiently　as　she　ran　upstairs　to　get　her　husband　out　of　the　shower。　Thankfully；　the　kids　were　asleep　when　they　put　Doug　in　the　back　of　the　car；　handcuffed　like　a　mon　criminal；　and　left　her　on　the　front　steps　in　her　nightgown；　cursing　them　and　crying　at　the　same　time。
　As　usual；　Jimmy　Havarac　had　gone　to　bed　blind　drunk　and　the　doorbell　proved　inadequate。　They　called　him　from　a　cell　phone　as　they　sat　in　his　driveway；　and　he　was　eventually　aroused　and　arrested。
　Ethan　Rapley　was　in　the　attic　when　the　sun　rose；　working　on　a　brief；　oblivious　to　day　or　time。　He　heard　nothing　below。　His　wife　was　awakened　by　the　knocking　on　the　door；　and　she　climbed　the　steps　to　deliver　the　bad　news。　First；　though；　she　hid　his　gun。　He　kept　it　in　a　drawer　in　his　dresser。　He　looked　for　it　twice　as　he　searched　for　the　right　pair　of　socks。　But　he　wouldn't　ask　her　for　it。　He　was　afraid　she　would　tell　him　where　it　was。
　The　lawyer　who　founded　the　Bogan　firm　had　been　promoted　to　the　federal　bench　thirteen　years　earlier。　He　had　been　nominated　by　Senator　Nye；　and　once　he　left　the　firm　Charles　took　over。　The　firm　had　strong　connections　with　all　five　sitting　federal　judges；　and　so　it　was　no　surprise　that　the　phones　were　ringing　even　before　the　partners　were　reunited　at　the　jail。　At　eight…thirty；　they　were　transported　in　separate　cars　to　the　federal　courthouse　in　Biloxi　for　a　hastily　arranged　appearance　before　the　nearest　federal　Magistrate。
　Cutter　was　irritated　by　the　speed　and　ease　with　which　Bogan　pulled　strings。　While　he　didn't　expect　the　four　to　stay　in　jail　pending　their　trials；　neither　could　he　accept　the　sudden　hearing　before　a　Magistrate　barely　out　of　bed。　And　so　Cutter　tipped　the　local　newspaper；　and　then　he　tipped　the　TV　station。
　The　paperwork　was　prepared　and　signed　quickly；　and　the　four　left　the　courthouse；　on　foot；　unshackled；　free　to　walk　the　three　blocks　to　their　offices。　They　were　followed　by　a　large；　clumsy　boy　fumbling　with　a　minicam　and　a　young；　green　reporter　who　wasn't　sure　what　the　story　was；　but　had　been　told　it　was　huge。　No　ments　from　the　stern　faces。　They　made　it　to　their　office　building　on　Vieux　Marche；　and　locked　the　door　behind　them。
　Charles　Bogan　went　straight　to　the　phone　to　call　the　Senator。
　THE　PRIVATE　INVESTIGATOR；　the　one　remended　by　Patrick；　found　the　woman　in　less　than　two　hours；　using　nothing　but　the　phone。　She　lived　in　Meridian；　two　hours　north　and　east　of　Biloxi。　Her　name　was　Deena　Postell；　and　she　ran　the　deli　and　worked　the　second　cash　register　of　a　brand…new　convenience　store　on　the　edge　of　town。
　Sandy　found　the　place　and　walked　inside。　He　pretended　to　admire　a　fresh　rack　of　fried　chicken　breasts　and　deep…fried　potato　logs　while　he　surveyed　the　employees　hustling　behind　the　counters。　A　wide；　squatty　woman　with　frosted　hair　and　a　loud　voice　caught　his　attention。　Like　all　employees；　she　wore　a　red…and…white…striped　shirt；　and　when　she　got　close　enough；　Sandy　could　see　her　nameplate。　It　said　Deena。
　To　build　trust；　he　wore　jeans　and　a　navy　blazer；　no　tie。
　〃Can　I　help　you？〃　she　said　with　a　smile。
　It　was　almost　10　A。M。；　much　too　early　for　a　potato　log。　〃A　large　coffee；　please；〃　Sandy　said；　also　with　a　smile；　and　there　was　a　twinkle　in　her　eye。　Deena　enjoyed　flirting。　She　met　him　at　the　cash　register。　Instead　of　handing　over　the　money；　Sandy　gave　her　a　business　card。
　She　took　one　glance　at　it；　then　dropped　it。　For　a　woman　who　had　raised　three　juvenile　delinquents；　a　surprise　like　this　only　meant　trouble。　〃A　dollar…twenty；〃　she　said；　punching　buttons　and　glancing　down　the　counter　to　see　if　anyone　was　watching。
　〃I　have　nothing　but　good　news　for　you；〃　Sandy　said；　reaching　for　the　money。
　〃What　do　you　want？〃　she　said；　almost　under　her　breath。
　〃Ten　minutes　of　your　time。　I'll　wait　over　there　at　a　table。〃
　〃But　what　do　you　want？〃　She　took　his　money；　and　got　the　change。
　〃Please。　You'll　be　happy　you　gave　me　the　time。〃
　She　loved　men；　and　Sandy　was　a　nice…looking　guy；　much　better　dressed　than　most　of　the　traffic　she　endured。　She　fiddled　with　the　rotisserie　chicken；　made　some　more　coffee；　then　told　her　supervisor　she　was　taking　her　break。
　Sandy　was　waiting　patiently　at　a　table　in　the　small　dining　section；　next　to　the　beer　cooler　and　the　ice　machine。　〃Thanks；〃　he　said　as　she　sat　down。
　She　was　in　her　mid…forties；　with　a　round　face　generously　adorned　with　cheap　cosmetics。
　〃A　lawyer　from　New　Orleans；　huh？〃　she　said。
　〃Yeah。　I　don't　suppose　you've　read　or　heard　about　that　case　down　on　the　Coast　where　they　caught　the　lawyer　who　stole　all　that　money？〃
　She　was　shaking　her　head　before　he　finished。　〃I　don't　read　nothin'；　honey。　I　work　sixty　hours　a　week　here；　and　I　got　two　grandbabies　livin'　with　me。　My　husband　keeps　'em。　He's　disabled。　Bad　back。　I　don't　read　nothin'；　watch　nothin'；　do　nothin'　but　work　here　and　change　dirty　diapers　when　I'm　home。〃
　Sandy　was　almost　sorry　he　asked。　How　depressing！
　As　eff