ss.iftomorrowcomes-第13部分

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　Reynolds　said；　〃One　of　our　client　panies　insured　a　painting　for　half　a　million　dollars　and…〃
　
　〃The　Renoir。　New　Orleans。　Joe　Romano。　A　woman　named　Tracy　Whitney　was　convicted　and　sentenced　to　fifteen　years。　The　painting　hasn't　been　recovered。〃
　
　The　son　of　a　bitch！　Reynolds　thought。　If　it　were　anyone　else；　I'd　think　he　was　showing　off。　〃That's　right；〃　Reynolds　acknowledged　grudgingly。　〃The　Whitney　woman　has　stashed　that　painting　away　somewhere；　and　we　want　it　back。　Go　to　it。〃
　
　Cooper　turned　and　left　the　office　without　a　word。　Watching　him　leave；　J。　J。　Reynolds　thought；　not　for　the　first　time；　Someday　I'm　going　to　find　out　what　makes　that　bastard　tick。
　
　Cooper　walked　through　the　office；　where　fifty　employees　were　working　side　by　side；　programming　puters；　typing　reports；　answering　telephones。　It　was　bedlam。
　
　As　Cooper　passed　a　desk；　a　colleague　said；　〃I　hear　you　got　the　Romano　assignment。　Lucky　you。　New　Orleans　is…〃
　
　Cooper　walked　by　without　replying。　Why　couldn't　they　leave　him　alone？　That　was　all　he　asked　of　anybody；　but　they　were　always　pestering　him　with　their　nosy　overtures。
　
　It　had　bee　a　game　in　the　office。　They　were　determined　to　break　through　his　mysterious　reserve　and　find　out　who　he　really　was。
　
　〃What　are　you　doing　for　dinner　Friday　night；　Dan。。。？〃
　
　〃If　you're　not　married；　Sarah　and　I　know　a　wonderful　girl；　Dan。。。？〃
　
　Couldn't　they　see　he　did　not　need　any　of　them…　didn't　want　any　of　them？
　
　〃e　on；　it's　only　for　a　drink。。。。〃
　
　But　Daniel　Cooper　knew　what　that　could　lead　to。　An　innocent　drink　could　lead　to　dinner；　and　a　dinner　could　start　friendships；　and　friendships　could　lead　to　confidences。　Too　dangerous。
　
　Daniel　Cooper　lived　in　mortal　terror　that　one　day　someone　would　learn　about　his　past。　Let　the　dead　past　bury　its　dead　was　a　lie。　The　dead　never　stayed　buried。　Every　two　or　three　years　one　of　the　scandal　sheets　would　dig　up　the　old　scandal；　and　Daniel　Cooper　would　disappear　for　several　days。　Those　were　the　only　times　he　ever　got　drunk。
　
　Daniel　Cooper　could　have　kept　a　psychiatrist　busy　full…time　had　he　been　able　to　expose　his　emotions；　but　he　could　never　bring　himself　to　speak　of　the　past　to　anyone。　The　one　piece　of　physical　evidence　that　he　retained　from　that　terrible　day　long　ago　was　a　faded；　yellowed　newspaper　clipping；　safety　locked　away　in　his　room；　where　no　one　could　ever　find　it。　He　looked　at　it　from　time　to　time　as　a　punishment；　but　every　word　in　the　article　was　emblazoned　on　his　mind。
　
　He　showered　or　bathed　at　least　three　times　a　day；　but　never　felt　clean。　He　firmly　believed　in　hell　and　hell's　fire；　and　he　knew　his　only　salvation　on　earth　was　expiation；　atonement。　He　had　tried　to　join　the　New　York　police　force；　but　when　he　had　failed　the　physical　because　he　was　four　inches　too　short；　he　had　bee　a　private　investigator。　He　thought　of　himself　as　a　hunter；　tracking　down　those　who　broke　the　law。　He　was　the　vengeance　of　God；　the　instrument　that　brought　down　God's　wrath　on　the　heads　of　wrongdoers。　It　was　the　only　way　he　could　atone　for　the　past；　and　prepare　himself　for　eternity。
　
　He　wondered　if　there　was　time　to　take　a　shower　before　he　caught　his　plane。
　
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　Daniel　Cooper's　first　stop　was　New　Orleans。　He　spent　five　days　in　the　city；　and　before　he　was　through；　he　knew　everything　he　needed　to　know　about　Joe　Romano；　Anthony　Orsatti；　Perry　Pope；　and　Judge　Henry　Lawrence。　Cooper　read　the　transcripts　of　Tracy　Whitney's　court　hearing　and　sentencing。　He　interviewed　Lieutenant　Miller　and　learned　about　the　suicide　of　Tracy　Whitney's　mother。　He　talked　to　Otto　Schmidt　and　found　out　how　Whitney's　pany　had　been　stripped。　During　all　these　meetings；　Daniel　Cooper　made　not　one　note；　yet　he　could　have　recited　every　conversation　verbatim。　He　was　99　percent　sure　that　Tracy　Whitney　was　an　innocent　victim；　but　to　Daniel　Cooper；　those　were　unacceptable　odds。　He　flew　to　Philadelphia　and　talked　to　Clarence　Desmond；　vice…president　of　the　bank　where　Tracy　Whitney　had　worked。　Charles　Stanhope　III　had　refused　to　meet　with　him。
　
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　Now；　as　Cooper　looked　at　the　woman　seated　across　from　him；　he　was　100　percent　convinced　that　she　had　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　theft　of　the　painting。　He　was　ready　to　write　his　report。
　
　〃Romano　framed　you；　Miss　Whitney。　Sooner　or　later；　he　would　have　put　in　a　claim　for　the　theft　of　that　painting。　You　just　happened　to　e　along　at　the　right　moment　to　make　it　easy　for　him。〃
　
　Tracy　could　feel　her　heartbeat　accelerate。　This　man　knew　she　was　innocent。　He　probably　had　enough　evidence　against　Joe　Romano　to　clear　her。　He　would　speak　to　the　warden　or　the　governor；　and　get　her　out　of　this　nightmare。　She　found　it　suddenly　difficult　to　breathe。　〃Then　you'll　help　me？〃
　
　Daniel　Cooper　was　puzzled。　〃Help　you？〃
　
　〃Yes。　Get　a　pardon　or…〃
　
　〃No。〃
　
　The　word　was　like　a　slap。　〃No？　But　why？　If　you　know　I'm　innocent　〃
　
　How　could　people　be　so　stupid？　〃My　assignment　is　finished。〃
　
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　When　he　returned　to　his　hotel　room；　the　first　thing　Cooper　did　was　to　undress　and　step　into　the　shower。　He　scrubbed　himself　from　head　to　foot；　letting　the　steaming…hot　spray　wash　over　his　body　for　almost　half　an　hour。　When　he　had　dried　himself　and　dressed；　he　sat　down　and　wrote　his　report。
　
　To：　J。　J。　Reynolds
　File　No。　Y…72…830…412
　FROM：　Daniel　Cooper
　SUBJECT：　Deux　Femmes　dans　le　Café　Rouge；　Renoir…　Oil　on　Canvas
　
　It　is　my　conclusion　that　Tracy　Whitney　is　in　no　way　involved　in　the　theft　of　above　painting。　I　believe　that　Joe　Romano　took　out　the　insurance　policy　with　the　intention　of　faking　a　burglary；　collecting　the　insurance；　and　reselling　the　painting　to　a　private　party；　and　that　by　this　time　the　painting　is　probably　out　of　the　country。　Since　the　painting　is　well　known；　I　would　expect　it　to　turn　up　in　Switzerland；　which　has　a　good…faith　purchase　and　protection　law。　If　a　purchaser　says　he　bought　a　work　of　art　in　good　faith；　the　Swiss　government　permits　him　to　keep　it；　even　though　it　is　stolen。
　
　Remendation：　Since　there　is　no　concrete　proof　of　Romano's　guilt；　our　client　will　have　to　pay　him　off　on　the　policy。　Further；　it　would　be　useless　to　look　to　Tracy　Whitney　for　either　the　recovery　of　the　painting　or　damages；　since　she　has　neither　knowledge　of　the　painting　nor　any　assets　that　I　have　been　able　to　uncover。　In　addition；　she　will　be　incarcerated　in　the　Southern　Louisiana　Penitentiary　for　Women　for　the　next　fifteen　years。
　
　Daniel　Cooper　stopped　a　moment　to　think　about　Tracy　Whitney。　He　supposed　other　men　would　consider　her　beautiful。　He　wondered；　without　any　real　interest；　what　fifteen　years　in　prison　would　do　to　her。　It　had　nothing　to　do　with　him。
　
　Daniel　Cooper　signed　the　memo　and　debated　whether　he　had　time　to　take　another　shower。
　
　
　
　BOOK　ONE
　Chapter　09
　
　
　
　Old　Iron　Pants　had　Tracy　Whitney　assigned　to　the　laundry。　Of　the　thirty…five　work　assignments　available　to　prisoners；　the　laundry　was　the　worst。　The　enormous；　hot　room　was　filled　with　rows　of　washing　machines　and　ironing　boards；　and　the　loads　of　laundry　that　poured　in　were　endless。　Filling　and　emptying　the　washing　machines　and　toting　heavy　baskets　to　the　ironing　section　was　a　mindless；　backbreaking　job。
　
　Work　began　at　6：00　A。M。；　and　prisoners　were　permitted　one　10…minute　rest　period　every　two　hours。　By　the　end　of　the　nine…hour　day；　most　of　the　women　were　ready　to　drop　from　exhaustion。　Tracy　went　about　her　work　mechanically；　speaking　to　no　one；　cocooned　in　her　own　thoughts。
　
　When　Ernestine　Littlechap　heard　about　Tracy's　assignment；　she　remarked；　〃Old　Iron　Pants　is　out　for　your　ass。〃
　
　Tracy　said；　〃She　doesn't　bother　me。〃
　
　Ernestine　Littlechap　was　puzzled。　This　was　a　different　woman　from　the　terrified　young　girl　who　had　been　brought　into　the　prison　three　weeks　earlier。　Something　had　changed　her；　and　Ernestine　Littlechap　was　curious　to　know　what　it　was。
　
　On　Tracy's　eighth　day　working　in　the　laundry；　a　guard　came　up　to　her　in　the　early　afternoon。　〃I　got　a　transfer　here　for　you。　You're　assigned　to　the　kitchen。〃　The　most　coveted　job　in　the　prison。
　
　There　were　two　standards　of　food　in　the　penitentiary：　The　prisoners　ate　hash；　hot　dogs；　beans；　or　inedible　casseroles；　while　the　meals　for　the　guards　and　prison　officials　were　prepared　by　professional　chefs。　Their　range　of　meals　included　steaks；　fresh　fish；　chops；　chicken；　fresh　vegetables　and　fruits；　and　tempting　desserts。　The　convicts　who　worked　in　the　kitchen　had　access　to　those　meals；　and　they　took　full　advantage　of　it。
　
　When　Tracy　reported　to　the　kitchen；　she　was　somehow　not　surprised　to　see　Ernestine　Littlechap　there。
　
　Tracy　approached　her。　〃Thank　you。〃　With　difficulty；　she　forced　a　friendly　note　into　her　voice。
　
　Ernestine　grunted　and　said　nothing。
　
　〃How　did　you　get　me　past　Old　Iron　Pants？〃
　
　〃She　ain't　with　us　no　mo'。〃
　
　〃What　happened　to　her？〃
　
　〃We　got　a　little　system。　If　a　guard　is　hard…ass　and　starts　givin'　us　too　much　of　a　bad　time；　we　get　rid　of　'em。〃
　
　〃You　mean　the　warden　listens　to…？〃
　〃Shee…et。　What's　the　warden　got　to　do　with　it？〃
　
　〃Then　how　can　you…？〃
　
　〃It's　easy。　When　the　guard　you　want　to　get　rid　of　is　on　duty；　hassles　begin　to　happen。　plaints　start　in'　in。　A　prisoner　reports　that　Old　Iron　Pants　grabbed　her　pussy。　The　next　day　'nother　prisoner　accuses　her　of　brutality。　Then　someone　plains　she　took　somethin'　from　her　cell…　say　a　radio…　and　sure　enough；　it　turns　up　in　Old　Iron　Pants's　room。　Old　Iron　Pants　is　gone。　The　guards　don't　run　this　prison；　we　do。〃
　
　〃What　are　you　in　here　for？〃　Tracy　asked。　She　had　no　interest　in　the　answer。　The　important　thing　was　to　establish　a　friendly　relationship　with　this　woman。
　
　〃Through　no　fault　of　Ernestine　Littlechap；　you'd　better　believe　it。　I　had　a　whole　bunch　of　girls　workin'　for　me。〃
　
　Tracy　looked　at　her。　〃You　mean　as…？〃　She　hesitated。
　
　〃Hookers？〃　She　laughed。。　〃Naw。　They　worked　as　maids　in　big　homes。　I　opened　me　a　employment　agency。　I　had　at　least　twenty　girls。　Rich　folks　have　a　hell　of　a　time　findin'　maids。　I　did　a　lot　of　fancy　advertisin'　in　the　best　newspapers；　and　when　they　called　me　I　placed　my　girls　with　'em。　The　girls　would　size　up　the　houses；　and　when