jg.thepartner-第9部分

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　kinks　were　enormous。
　The　state；　on　the　other　hand；　had　a　rich　and　proven　history　of　legal　executions。　〃Ours　is　better；〃　Parrish　said。　〃And　we　all　know　it。〃　Parrish　had　sent　eight　men　to　death　row。　Mast　had　yet　to　indict　one　for　capital　murder。
　〃And　then　there　is　the　issue　of　prison；〃　Parrish　continued。　〃We　send　him　to　Parchman；　where　he's　locked　down　twenty…three　hours　a　day　in　a　steam　room　with　bad　food　served　twice　a　day；　two　showers　a　week；　lots　of　roaches　and　rapists。　If　you　get　him；　he　gets　a　country　club　for　the　rest　of　his　life　while　the　federal　courts　pamper　him　and　find　a　thousand　ways　to　keep　him　alive。〃
　〃It　won't　be　a　picnic；〃　Mast　said；　on　the　ropes　and　covering　badly。
　〃A　day　at　the　beach　maybe。　e　on；　Maurice。　The　issue　is　leverage。　We　have　two　big　mysteries；　two　questions　that　must　be　answered　before　Lanigan　is　put　to　rest。　The　big　one　is　money。　Where　is　it？　What　did　he　do　with　it？　Can　it　be　recovered　and　given　to　its　owners？　The　second　is　just　exactly　who　is　buried　out　there。　I　gotta　hunch　that　only　Lanigan　can　tell　us；　and　he　won't　unless　he's　forced　to。　He's　gotta　be　scared；　Maurice。　Parchman　is　terrifying。　I　promise　you；　he's　praying　for　a　federal　indictment。〃
　Mast　was　convinced　but　he　couldn't　agree。　The　case　was　simply　too　big　to　hand　over　to　the　locals。　Cameras　were　arriving　at　the　moment。
　〃There　are　other　charges；　you　know；〃　he　said。　〃The　theft　happened　offshore；　a　long　way　from　here。〃
　〃Yeah；　but　the　victim　was　a　resident　of　this　county　at　the　time；〃　Parrish　said。
　〃It's　not　a　simple　case。〃
　〃What　are　you　proposing？〃
　〃Perhaps　we　should　do　it　jointly；〃　Mast　said；　and　the　ice　melted　considerably。　The　feds　could　preempt　at　any　time；　and　the　fact　that　the　U。S。　Attorney　was　offering　to　share　was　the　best　Parrish　could　hope　for。
　Parchman　was　the　key；　and　everyone　in　the　room　knew　it。　Lanigan　the　lawyer　had　to　know　what　awaited　him　there；　and　the　prospect　of　ten　years　in　hell　prior　to　death　could　loosen　his　tongue。
　A　plan　was　devised　to　divide　the　pie；　with　both　men；　Parrish　and　Mast；　tacitly　agreeing　to　share　the　spotlight。　The　FBI　would　continue　its　search　for　the　money。　The　locals　would　concentrate　on　the　murder。　Parrish　would　hastily　summon　his　grand　jury。　A　united　front　would　be　presented　to　the　public。　Such　sticky　matters　as　the　trial　and　its　subsequent　appeals　were　glossed　over　with　a　hasty　promise　to　address　them　later。　It　was　important　now　to　reach　a　truce　so　that　one　side　wouldn't　be　worrying　about　the　other。
　Because　a　trial　was　in　progress　in　the　federal　building；　the　press　was　herded　directly　across　the　street　into　the　Biloxi　courthouse；　where　the　main　courtroom　on　the　second　floor　was　available。　There　were　dozens　of　reporters。　Most　were　wild…eyed　locals；　but　others　were　from　Jackson；　New　Orleans；　and　Mobile。　They　pressed　forward　and　bunched　together　like　children　at　a　parade。
　Mast　and　Parrish　walked　grim…faced　to　a　podium　laden　with　microphones　and　wires。　Cutter　and　the　rest　of　the　cops　made　a　wall　behind　them。　Lights　came　on　and　cameras　flashed。
　Mast　cleared　his　throat　and　said；　〃We　are　pleased　to　announce　the　capture　of　Mr。　Patrick　S。　Lanigan；　formerly　of　Biloxi。　He　is　indeed　alive　and　well；　and　now　in　our　custody。〃　He　paused　for　dramatic　effect；　savoring　his　moment　in　the　sun；　listening　as　a　ripple　of　excitement　played　through　the　throng　of　vultures。　He　then　gave　a　few　details　of　the　capture…Brazil；　two　days　ago；　assumed　identity…without　giving　the　slightest　hint　that　neither　he　nor　the　FBI　had　had　anything　to　do　with　the　actual　locating　of　Patrick。　Next；　some　useless　details　about　the　arrival　of　the　prisoner；　the　pending　charges；　the　swift　and　sure　hand　of　federal　justice。
　Parrish　was　not　as　dramatic。　He　promised　a　quick　indictment　for　capital　murder；　and　for　any　other　charge　he　might　think　of。
　The　questions　came　in　torrents。　Mast　and　Parrish　declined　ment　on　just　about　everything；　and　managed　to　do　so　for　an　hour　and　a　half。
　SHE　INSISTED　that　Lance　be　allowed　to　sit　through　the　appointment　with　her。　She　needed　him；　she　said。　He　was　quite　cute　in　his　tight　denim　shorts。　His　muscular　legs　were　hairy　and　brown。　The　lawyer　was　scornful；　but　then；　he'd　seen　everything。
　Trudy　was　dressed　to　the　nines…tight　short　skirt；　tasteful　red　blouse；　full　plement　of　makeup　and　jewelry。　She　crossed　her　shapely　legs　to　get　the　lawyer's　attention。　She　patted　Lance　on　the　arm　as　he　massaged　her　knee。
　The　lawyer　ignored　her　legs　as　he　ignored　their　groping。
　She　had　to　file　for　divorce；　she　declared；　though　she　had　already　given　the　short　version　on　the　phone。　She　was　mad　and　bitter。　How　could　he　do　this　to　her？　And　to　Ashley　Nicole；　their　precious　daughter？　She　had　loved　him　dearly。　Their　lives　together　had　been　good。　Now　this。
　〃The　divorce　is　no　problem；〃　the　lawyer　said；　more　than　once。　His　name　was　J。　Murray　Riddleton；　an　acplished　divorce　practitioner　with　many　clients。　〃It's　an　easy　case　of　abandonment。　Under　Alabama　law；　you'll　get　the　divorce；　full　custody；　all　assets；　everything。〃
　〃I　want　to　file　as　fast　as　possible；〃　she　said；　looking　at　the　Ego　Wall　behind　the　lawyer。
　〃I'll　do　it　first　thing　in　the　morning。〃
　〃How　long　will　it　take？〃
　〃Ninety　days。　Piece　of　cake。〃
　This　did　nothing　to　relieve　her　anxiety。　〃I　just　don't　see　how　a　person　could　do　this　to　someone　he　loved。　I　feel　like　a　fool。〃　Lance's　hand　moved　slightly　upward；　still　massaging。
　The　divorce　was　the　least　of　her　worries。　The　lawyer　knew　it。　She　could　try　to　fake　a　broken　heart；　but　it　wasn't　working。
　〃How　much　did　you　get　in　life　insurance？〃　he　asked；　flipping　through　the　file。
　She　looked　absolutely　shocked　at　the　mention　of　her　life　insurance。　〃Why　is　that　relevant？〃　she　snapped。
　〃Because　they're　gonna　sue　you　to　get　it　back。　He　isn't　dead；　Trudy。　No　death；　no　life　insurance。〃
　〃You　must　be　kidding。〃
　〃Nope。〃
　〃They　can't　do　that。　Can　they？　Surely　not。〃
　〃Oh　yes。　In　fact；　they'll　do　it　quickly。〃
　Lance　withdrew　his　hand　and　slumped　in　his　chair。　Trudy's　mouth　opened　and　her　eyes　watered。　〃They　just　can't。〃
　He　took　a　fresh　legal　pad　and　uncapped　his　pen。　〃Let's　make　a　list；〃　he　said。
　She　paid　a　hundred　and　thirty　thousand　dollars　for　the　Rolls；　and　still　owned　it。　Lance　drove　a　Porsche；　which　she'd　bought　for　eighty…five　thousand。　The　house　had　been　purchased　for　nine　hundred　thousand；　cash；　no　mortgage；　and　it　was　in　Lance's　name。　Sixty　thousand　for　his　dope　boat。　A　hundred　thousand　for　her　jewelry。　They　figured　and　pondered　and　pulled　numbers　from　the　air。　The　list　stopped　at　about　a　million　and　a　half。　The　lawyer　didn't　have　the　heart　to　tell　them　that　these　precious　assets　would　be　the　first　to　go。
　Like　pulling　teeth　without　Novocain；　he　made　Trudy　estimate　their　monthly　living　expenses。　She　reckoned　it　was　around　ten　grand　a　month；　for　the　past　four　years。　They　had　taken　some　fabulous　trips；　money　spilled　down　the　drain　that　no　life　insurance　pany　could　ever　recover。
　She　was　unemployed；　or　retired；　as　she　preferred　to　call　it。　Lance　was　not　about　to　mention　his　narcotics　business。　Nor　did　they　dare　reveal；　even　to　their　own　lawyer；　that　they　had　hidden　three　hundred　thousand　in　a　bank　in　Florida。
　〃When　do　you　think　they'll　sue？〃　she　asked。
　〃Before　the　week　is　out；〃　said　the　lawyer。
　IT　WAS；　in　fact；　much　faster。　In　the　middle　of　the　press　conference；　when　the　news　of　Patrick's　resurrection　was　being　made；　attorneys　for　Northern　Case　Mutual　quietly　entered　the　clerk's　office　downstairs　and　sued。　Trudy　Lanigan　for　the　full　two　and　a　half　million　dollars；　plus　interest　and　attorneys'　fees。　The　lawsuit　also　included　a　petition　for　a　temporary　restraining　order　to　prevent　Trudy　from　moving　assets　now　that　she　was　no　longer　a　widow。
　The　attorneys　carried　their　petition　down　the　hall　to　the　chambers　of　an　acmodating　judge；　one　they　had　spoken　to　hours　earlier；　and。in　an　emergency　and　perfectly　proper　closed　hearing；　the　judge　granted　the　restraining　order。　As　an　established　member　of　the　legal　munity；　the　judge　was　very　familiar　with　the　saga　of　Patrick　Lanigan。　His　wife　had　been　snubbed　by　Trudy　shortly　after　she　took　delivery　of　the　red　Rolls。
　As　Trudy　and　Lance　pawed　each　other　and　schemed　with　their　lawyer；　a　copy　of　the　restraining　order　was　driven　to　Mobile　and　enrolled　with　the　county　clerk。　Two　hours　later；　as　they　sipped　their　first　drink　on　their　patio　and　gazed　forlornly　across　Mobile　Bay；　a　process　server　intruded　long　enough　to　hand　Trudy　a　copy　of　the　lawsuit　filed　by　Northern　Case　Mutual；　a　summons　to　appear　in　court　in　Biloxi；　and　a　certified　copy　of　the　restraining　order。　Among　its　list　of　prohibitions　was　an　order　for　her　not　to　write　another　check　until　the　judge　said　so。
　Seven
　ATTORNEY　ETHAN　RAPLEY　left　his　dark　attic；　XXshowered　and　shaved　and　poured　eyedrops　into　his　bloodshot　retinas；　and　sipped　strong　coffee　as　he　found　a　semiclean　navy　blazer　to　wear　downtown。　He　hadn't　been　to　the　office　in　sixteen　days。　Not　that　he　was　missed；　and　he　certainly　didn't　miss　anyone　there。　They　faxed　him　when　they　needed　him；　and　he　faxed　them　back。　He　wrote　the　briefs　and　memos　and　motions　the　firm　needed　to　survive；　and　he　did　the　research　for　people　he　despised。　He　was　occasionally　forced　to　put　on　a　tie　and　meet　a　client　or　attend　some　hideous　conference　with　his　fellow　partners。　He　hated　his　office；　he　hated　the　people；　even　the　ones　he　barely　knew；　he　hated　every　book　on　every　shelf　and　every　file　on　every　desk。　He　hated　the　photos　on　his　wall；　and　the　smell　of　everything…the　stale　coffee　in　the　hall；　the　chemicals　near　the　copier；　the　perfume　of　the　secretaries。　Everything。
　Yet；　he　caught　himself　almost　smiling　as　he　eased　through　the　late　afternoon　traffic　along　the　Coast。　He　nodded　at　an　old　acquaintance　as　he　walked　rather　briskly　down　the　Vieux　Marche。　He　actually　spoke　to　the　receptionist；　a　woman　he　helped　pay　but　whose　last　name　he　couldn't　recall。
　In　the　conference　room；　a　crowd　mingled；　mostly　lawyers　from　nearby　offices；　a　judge　or　two；　some　courthouse　types。　It　was　after　five；　and　the　mood　was　loud　and　festive。　Cigar　smoke　filled　the　air。
　Rapley　found　the　liquor　on　a　table　at　one　end　of　the　room；　and　spoke　to　Vitrano　as　he　poured　a　Scotch　and　tried　to　appear　pleased。　At　the　other　end；　a　variety　of　bot