jg.thefirm-第23部分

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　　〃I'd　just　like　to　know。　I　don't　understand　why　they　would　pick　me；　the　new　man；　the　one　lawyer　out　of　forty　who　knows　the　least　about　this　firm　and　its　clients。　Why　would　they　pick　me？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；　Mitch。　Look；　why　don't　you　do　as　Locke　suggested？　Try　to　forget　about　it　and　run　from　this　guy　Tarrance。　You　don't　have　to　talk　to　him　unless　he's　got　a　warrant。　Tell　him　to　get　lost　if　he　shows　up　again。　He's　dangerous。〃
　　〃Yeah；　I　guess　you're　right。〃　Mitch　forced　a　smile　and　headed　for　the　door。　〃We're　still　on　for　dinner　tomorrow　night？〃
　　〃Sure。　Kay　wants　to　grill　steaks　and　eat　by　the　pool。　Make　it　late；　say　around　seven…thirty。〃
　　〃See　you　then。〃
　　　
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　　THE　guard　called　his　name；　frisked　him　and　led　him　to　a　large　room　where　a　row　of　small　booths　was　occupied　with　visitors　talking　and　whispering　through　thick　metal　screens。
　　〃Number　fourteen；〃　the　guard　said；　and　pointed。　Mitch　walked　to　his　booth　and　sat　down。　A　minute　later　Ray　appeared　and　sat　between　his　dividers　on　the　other　side　of　the　screen。　Were　it　not　for　a　scar　on　Ray's　forehead　and　a　few　wrinkles　around　the　eyes；　they　could　pass　for　twins。　Both　were　six…two；　weighed　about　one…eighty；　with　light　brown　hair；　small　blue　eyes；　high　cheekbones　and　large　chins。　They　had　always　been　told　there　was　Indian　blood　in　the　family；　but　the　dark　skin　had　been　lost　through　years　in　the　coal　mines。
　　Mitch　had　not　been　to　Brushy　Mountain　in　three　years。　Three　years　and　three　months。　They'd　exchanged　letters　twice　a　month；　every　month；　for　eight　years　now。
　　〃How's　your　French？〃　Mitch　finally　asked。　Ray's　Army　test　scores　had　revealed　an　amazing　aptitude　for　languages。　He　had　served　two　years　as　a　Vietnamese　interpreter。　He　had　mastered　German　in　six　months　while　stationed　there。　Spanish　had　taken　four　years；　but　he　was　forced　to　learn　it　from　a　dictionary　in　the　prison　library。　French　was　his　latest　project。
　　〃I'm　fluent；　I　guess；〃　Ray　answered。　〃It's　kinda　hard　to　tell　in　here。　I　don't　get　much　practice。　Evidently　they　don't　teach　French　in　the　projects；　so　most　of　these　brothers　here　are　unilingual。　It's　undoubtedly　the　most　beautiful　language。〃
　　〃Is　it　easy？〃
　　〃Not　as　easy　as　German。　Of　course；　it　was　easier　to　learn　German　since　I　was　living　there　and　everybody　spoke　it。　Did　you　know　that　fifty　percent　of　our　language　conies　from　German　through　Old　English？〃
　　〃No；　I　didn't　know　that。〃
　　〃It's　true。　English　and　German　are　first　cousins。〃
　　〃What's　next？〃
　　〃Probably　Italian。　It's　a　Romance　language　like　French　and　Spanish　and　Portuguese。　Maybe　Russian。　Maybe　Greek。　I've　been　reading　about　the　Greek　isles。　I　plan　to　go　there　soon。〃
　　Mitch　smiled。　He　was　at　least　seven　years　away　from　parole。
　　〃You　think　I'm　kidding；　don't　you？〃　Ray　asked。　〃I'm　checking　out　of　here；　Mitchell；　and　it　won't　be　long。〃
　　〃What　are　your　plans？〃
　　〃I　can't　talk。　But　I'm　working　on　it。〃
　　〃Don't　do　it；　Ray。〃
　　〃I'll　need　some　help　on　the　outside；　and　enough　money　to　get　me　out　of　the　country。　A　thousand　should　do　it。　You　can　handle　that；　can't　you？　You　won't　be　implicated。〃
　　〃Aren't　they　listening　to　us？〃
　　〃Sometimes。〃
　　〃Let's　talk　about　something　else。〃
　　〃Sure。　How's　Abby？〃
　　〃She's　fine。〃
　　〃Where　is　she？〃
　　〃Right　now　she's　in　church。　She　wanted　to　e；　but　I　told　her　she　wouldn't　get　to　see　you。〃
　　〃I'd　like　to　see　her。　Your　letters　sound　like　y'all　are　doing　real　well。　New　house；　cars；　country　club。　I'm　very　proud　of　you。　You're　the　first　McDeere　in　two　generations　to　amount　to　a　damned　thing。〃
　　〃Our　parents　were　good　people；　Ray。　They　had　no　opportunities　and　a　lot　of　bad　luck。　They　did　the　best　they　could。〃
　　Ray　smiled　and　looked　away。　〃Yeah；　I　guess　so。　Have　you　talked　to　Mom？〃
　　〃It's　been　a　while。〃
　　〃Is　she　still　in　Florida？〃
　　〃I　think　so。〃
　　They　paused　and　studied　their　fingers。　They　thought　of　their　mother。　Painful　thoughts　for　the　most　part。　There　had　been　happier　times；　when　they　were　small　and　their　father　was　alive。　She　never　recovered　from　his　death；　and　after　Rusty　was　killed　the　aunts　and　uncles　put　her　in　an　institution。
　　Ray　took　his　finger　and　followed　the　small　metal　rods　in　the　screen。　He　watched　his　finger。　〃Let's　talk　about　something　else。〃
　　Mitch　nodded　in　agreement。　There　was　so　much　to　talk　about；　but　it　was　all　in　the　past。　They　had　nothing　in　mon　but　the　past；　and　it　was　best　to　leave　it　alone。
　　〃You　mentioned　in　a　letter　that　one　of　your　excellmates　is　a　private　investigator　in　Memphis。〃
　　〃Eddie　Lomax。　He　was　a　Memphis　cop　for　nine　years；　until　he　got　sent　up　for　rape。〃
　　〃Rape？〃
　　〃Yeah。　He　had　a　tough　time　here。　Rapists　are　not　well　regarded　around　this　place。　Cops　are　hated。　They　almost　killed　him　until　I　stepped　in。　He's　been　out　about　three　years　now。　He　writes　me　all　the　time。　Does　mainly　divorce　investigations。〃
　　〃Is　he　in　the　phone　book？〃
　　〃969…3838。　Why　do　you　need　him？〃
　　〃I've　got　a　lawyer　buddy　whose　wife　is　fooling　around；　but　he　can't　catch　her。　Is　this　guy　good？〃
　　〃Very　good；　so　he　says。　He's　made　some　money。〃
　　〃Can　I　trust　him？〃
　　〃Are　you　kidding。　Tell　him　you're　my　brother　and　〃he'll　kill　for　you。　He's　gonna　help　me　get　out　of　here；　he　just　doesn't　know　it。　You　might　mention　it　to　him。〃
　　〃I　wish　you'd　stop　that。〃
　　A　guard　walked　behind　Mitch。　〃Three　minutes；〃　he　said。
　　〃What　can　I　send　you？〃　Mitch　asked。
　　〃I'd　like　a　real　favor；　if　you　don't　mind。〃
　　〃Anything。〃
　　〃Go　to　a　bookstore　and　look　for　one　of　those　cassette　courses　on　how　to　speak　Greek　in　twenty…four　hours。　That　plus　a　Greek…to…English　dictionary　would　be　nice。〃
　　〃I'll　send　it　next　week。〃
　　〃How　about　Italian　too？〃
　　〃No　problem。〃
　　〃I'm　undecided　about　whether　to　go　to　Sicily　or　the　Greek　isles。　It's　really　got　me　tore　up。　I　asked　the　prison　minister　about　it；　and　he　was　of　no　help。　I've　thought　of　going　to　the　warden。　What　do　you　think？〃
　　Mitch　chuckled　and　shook　his　head。　〃Why　don't　you　go　to　Australia。〃
　　〃Great　idea。　Send　me　some　tapes　in　Australian　and　a　dictionary。〃
　　They　both　smiled；　then　stopped。　They　watched　each　other　carefully　and　waited　for　the　guard　to　call　time。　Mitch　looked　at　the　scar　on　his　forehead　and　thought　of　the　countless　bars　and　countless　fights　that　led　to　the　inevitable　killing。　Self…defense；　Ray　called　it。　For　years　he　had　wanted　to　cuss　Ray　for　being　so　stupid；　but　the　anger　had　passed。　Now　he　wanted　to　embrace　him　and　take　him　home　and　help　him　find　a　job。
　　〃Don't　feel　sorry　for　me；〃　Ray　said。
　　〃Abby　wants　to　write　you。〃
　　〃I'd　like　that。　I　barely　remember　her　as　a　small　girl　in　Danesboro；　hanging　around　her　daddy's　bank　on　Main　Street。　Tell　her　to　send　me　a　picture。　And　I'd　like　a　picture　of　your　house。　You're　the　first　McDeere　in　a　hundred　years　to　own　real　estate。〃
　　〃I　gotta　go。〃
　　〃Do　me　a　favor。　I　think　you　need　to　find　Mom；　just　to　make　sure　she's　alive。　Now　that　you're　out　of　school；　it　would　be　nice　to　reach　out　to　her。〃
　　〃I've　thought　about　that。〃
　　〃Think　about　it　some　more；　okay？〃
　　〃Sure。　I'll　see　you　in　a　month　or　so。〃
　　DeVasher　sucked　on　a　Roi…Tan　and　blew　a　lungful　of　smoke　into　his　air　purifier。　〃We　found　Ray　McDeere；〃　he　announced　proudly。
　　〃Where？〃　asked　Ollie。
　　〃Brushy　Mountain　State　Prison。　Convicted　of　second…degree　murder　in　Nashville　eight　years　ago　and　sentenced　to　fifteen　years　with　no　parole。　Real　name　is　Raymond　McDeere。　Thirty…one　years　old。　No　family。　Served　three　years　in　the　Army。　Dishonorable　discharge。　A　real　loser。〃
　　〃How'd　you　find　him？〃
　　〃He　was　visited　yesterday　by　his　kid　brother。　We　happened　to　be　following。　Twenty…four…hour　surveillance；　remember。〃
　　〃His　conviction　is　public　record。　You　should've　found　this　earlier。〃
　　〃We　would　have；　Ollie；　if　it　was　important。　But　it's　not　important。　We　do　our　job。〃
　　〃Fifteen　years；　huh？　Who'd　he　kill？〃
　　〃The　usual。　A　buncha　drunks　in　a　bar　fighting　over　a　woman。　No　weapon；　though。　Police　and　autopsy　reports　say　he　hit　the　victim　twice　with　his　fists　and　cracked　his　skull。〃
　　〃Why　the　dishonorable　discharge？〃
　　〃Gross　insubordination。　Plus；　he　assaulted　an　officer。　I　don't　know　how　he　avoided　a　court…martial。　Looks　like　a　nasty　character。〃
　　〃You're　right；　it's　not　important。　What　else　do　you　know？〃
　　〃Not　much。　We've　got　the　house　wired；　right？　He　has　not　mentioned　Tarrance　to　his　wife。　In　fact；　we　listen　to　this　kid　around　the　clock；　and　he　ain't　mentioned　Tarrance　to　anyone。〃
　　Ollie　smiled　and　nodded　his　approval。　He　was　proud　of　McDeere。　What　a　lawyer。
　　〃What　about　sex？〃
　　〃All　we　can　do　is　listen；　Ollie。　But　we　listen　real　close；　and　I　don't　think　they've　had　any　in　two　weeks。　Of　course；　he's　here　sixteen　hours　a　day　going　through　the　workaholic　rookie　counselor　routine　that　you　guys　instill。　It　sounds　like　she's　getting　tired　of　it。　Could　be　the　usual　rookie's　wife　syndrome。　She　calls　her　mother　a　lot…collect；　so　he　won't　know。　She　told　her　mom　that　he's　changing　and　all　that　crap。　She　thinks　he'll　kill　himself　working　so　hard。　That's　what　we're　hearing。　So　I　don't　have　any　pictures；　Ollie；　and　I'm　sorry　because　I　know　how　much　you　enjoy　them。　First　chance　we　get；　we'll　have　you　some　pictu