jg.thefirm-第25部分

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　　〃So　what's　the　problem？〃
　　〃Women。　You　would　not　believe　the　Elvis　nuts　who　visit　this　city。　They　flock　to　watch　this　buffoon　act　like　the　King。　They　throw　panties　at　him；　big　panties；　panties　made　for　heavy；　wide　lardasses；　and　he　wipes　his　forehead　and　throws　them　back。　They　give　him　their　room　numbers；　and　we　suspect　he　sneaks　around　and　tries　to　play　the　big　stud；　just　like　Elvis。　I　haven't　caught　him　yet。〃
　　Mitch　could　not　think　of　any　response　to　all　this。　He　grinned　like　an　idiot；　like　this　was　truly　an　incredible　story。　Lomax　read　him　well。
　　〃You　got　trouble　with　your　wife？〃
　　〃No。　Nothing　like　that。　I　need　some　information　about　four　people。　Three　are　dead；　one　is　alive。〃
　　〃Sounds　interesting。　I'm　listening。〃
　　Mitch　pulled　the　notes　from　a　pocket。　〃I　assume　this　is　strictly　confidential。〃
　　〃Of　course　it　is。　As　confidential　as　you　are　with　your　client。〃
　　Mitch　nodded　in　agreement；　but　thought　of　Tammy　and　Elvis　and　wondered　why　Lomax　told　him　that　story。
　　〃It　must　be　confidential。〃
　　〃I　said　it　would　be。　You　can　trust　me。〃
　　〃Thirty　bucks　an　hour？〃
　　〃Twenty　for　you。　Ray　sent　you；　remember？〃
　　〃I　appreciate　that。〃
　　〃Who　are　these　people？〃
　　〃The　three　dead　ones　were　once　lawyers　in　our　firm。　Robert　Lamm　was　killed　in　a　hunting　accident　somewhere　in　Arkansas。　Somewhere　in　the　mountains。　He　was　missing　for　about　two　weeks　and　they　found　him　with　a　bullet　in　the　head。　There　was　an　autopsy。　That's　all　I　；know。　Alice
　　Knauss　died　in　1977　in　a　car　wreck　here　in　Memphis。　Supposedly　a　drunk　driver　hit　her。　John　Mickel　mitted　suicide　in　1984。　His　body　was　found　in　his　office。　There　was　a　gun　and　a　note。〃
　　〃That's　all　you　know？〃
　　〃That's　it。〃
　　〃What're　you　looking　for？〃
　　〃I　want　to　know　as　much　as　I　can　about　how　these　people　died。　What　were　the　circumstances　surrounding　each　death？　Who　investigated　each　death？　Any　unanswered　questions　or　suspicions。〃
　　〃What　do　you　suspect？〃
　　〃At　this　point；　nothing。　I'm　just　curious。〃
　　〃You're　more　than　curious。〃
　　〃Okay；　I'm　more　than　curious。　But　for　now；　let's　leave　it　at　that。〃
　　〃Fair　enough。　Who's　the　fourth　guy？〃
　　〃A　man　named　Wayne　Tarrance。　He's　an　FBI　agent　here　in　Memphis。〃
　　〃FBI！〃
　　〃Does　that　bother　you？〃
　　〃Yes；　it　bothers　me。　I　get　forty　an　hour　for　cops。〃
　　〃No　problem。〃
　　〃What　do　you　want　to　know？〃
　　〃Check　him　out。　How　long　has　he　been　here？　How　long　has　he　been　an　agent？　What's　his　reputation？〃
　　〃That's　easy　enough。〃
　　Mitch　folded　the　paper　and　stuck　it　in　his　pocket。　〃How　long　will　this　take？〃
　　〃About　a　month。〃
　　〃That's　fine。〃
　　〃Say；　what　was　the　name　of　your　firm？〃
　　〃Bendini；　Lambert　&　Locke。〃
　　〃Those　two　guys　who　got　killed　last　summer…〃
　　〃They　were　members。〃
　　〃Any　suspicions？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃Just　thought　I'd　ask。〃
　　〃Listen；　Eddie。　You　must　be　very　careful　with　this。　Don't　call　me　at　home　or　the　office。　I'll　call　you　in　about　a　month。　I　suspect　I'm　being　watched　very　closely。〃
　　〃By　whom？〃
　　〃I　wish　I　knew。〃
　　　
　　　13
　　AVERY　smiled　at　the　puter　printout。　〃For　the　month　of　October　you　billed　an　average　of　sixty…one　hours　per　week。〃
　　〃I　thought　it　was　sixty…four；〃　Mitch　said。
　　〃Sixty…one　is　good　enough。　In　fact；　we've　never　had　a　first…year　man　average　so　high　in　one　month。　Is　it　legitimate？〃
　　〃No　padding。　In　fact；　I　could've　pushed　it　higher。〃
　　〃How　many　hours　are　you　working　a　week？〃
　　〃Between　eighty…five　and　ninety。　I　could　bill　seventy…five　if　I　wanted　to。〃
　　〃I　wouldn't　suggest　it；　at　least　not　now。　It　could　cause　a　little　jealousy　around　here。　The　younger　associates　are　watching　you　very　closely。〃
　　〃You　want　me　to　slow　down？〃
　　〃Of　course　not。　You　and　I　are　a　month　behind　right　now。　I'm　just　worried　about　the　long　hours。　A　little　worried；　that's　all。　Most　associates　start　like　wildfire…eighty…　and　ninety…hour　weeks…but　they　burn　out　after　a　couple　of　months。　Sixty…five　to　seventy　is　about　average。　But　you　seem　to　have　unusual　stamina。〃
　　〃I　don't　require　much　sleep。〃
　　〃What　does　your　wife　think　about　it？〃
　　〃Why　is　that　important？〃
　　〃Does　she　mind　the　long　hours？〃
　　Mitch　glared　at　Avery；　and　for　a　second　thought　of　the　argument　the　previous　night　when　he　arrived　home　for　dinner　at　three　minutes　before　midnight。　It　was　a　controlled　fight；　but　the　worst　one　yet；　and　it　promised　to　be　followed　by　others。　No　ground　was　surrendered。　Abby　said　she　felt　closer　to　Mr。　Rice　next　door　than　to　her　husband。
　　〃She　understands。　I　told　her　I　would　make　partner　in　two　years　and　retire　before　I　was　thirty。〃
　　〃Looks　like　you're　trying。〃
　　〃You're　not　plaining；　are　you？　Every　hour　I　billed　last　month　was　on　one　of　your　files；　and　you　didn't　seem　too　concerned　about　overworking　me。〃
　　Avery　laid　the　printout　on　his　credenza　and　frowned　at　Mitch。　〃I　just　don't　want　you　to　burn　out　or　neglect　things　at　home。〃
　　It　seemed　odd　receiving　marital　advice　from　a　man　who　had　left　his　wife。　He　looked　at　Avery　with　as　much　contempt　as　he　could　generate。　〃You　don't　need　to　worry　about　what　happens　at　my　house。　As　long　as　I　produce　around　here　you　should　be　happy。〃
　　Avery　leaned　across　the　desk。　〃Look；　Mitch；　I'm　not　very　good　at　this　sort　of　thing。　This　is　ing　from　higher　up。　Lambert　and　McKnight　are　worried　that　maybe　you're　pushing　a　bit　too　hard。　I　mean；　five　o'clock　in　the　morning；　every　morning；　even　some　Sundays。　That's　pretty　intense；　Mitch。〃
　　〃What　did　they　say？〃
　　〃Nothing　much。　Believe　it　or　not；　Mitch；　those　guys　really　care　about　you　and　your　family。　They　want　happy　lawyers　with　happy　wives。　If　everything　is　lovely；　then　the　lawyers　are　productive。　Lambert　is　especially　paternalistic。　He's　planning　to　retire　in　a　couple　of　years；　and　he's　trying　to　relive　his　glory　years　through　you　and　the　other　young　guys。
　　If　he　asks　too　many　questions　or　gives　a　few　lectures；　take　it　in　stride。　He's　earned　the　right　to　be　the　grandfather　around　here。〃
　　〃Tell　them　I'm　fine；　Abby's　fine；　we're　all　happy　and　I'm　very　productive。〃
　　〃Fine；　now　that　that's　out　of　the　way；　you　and　I　leave　for　Grand　Cayman　a　week　from　tomorrow。　I've　got　to　meet　with　some　Caymanian　bankers　on　behalf　of　Sonny　Capps　and　three　other　clients。　Mainly　business；　but　we　always　manage　to　work　in　a　little　scuba　diving　and　snorkeling。　I　told　Royce　McKnight　you　were　needed；　and　he　approved　the　trip。　He　said　you　probably　needed　the　R　and　R。　Do　you　want　to　go？〃
　　〃Of　course。　I'm　just　a　little　surprised。〃
　　〃It's　business；　so　our　wives　won't　be　going。　Lambert　was　a　little　concerned　that　it　may　cause　a　problem　at　home。〃
　　〃I　think　Mr。　Lambert　worries　too　much　about　what　happens　at　my　home。　Tell　him　I'm　in　control。　No　problems。〃
　　〃So　you're　going？〃
　　〃Sure；　I'm　going。　How　long　will　we　be　there？〃
　　〃Couple　of　days。　We'll　stay　in　one　of　's　condos。　Sonny　Capps　may　stay　in　the　other　one。　I'm　trying　to　get　　plane；　but　we　may　have　to　fly　mercial。〃
　　〃No　problem　with　me。〃
　　Only　two　of　the　passengers　on　board　the　Cayman　Airways　727　in　Miami　wore　ties；　and　after　the　first　round　of　plimentary　rum　punch　Avery　removed　his　and　stuffed　it　in　his　coat　pocket。　The　punch　was　served　by　beautiful　brown　Caymanian　stewardesses　with　blue　eyes　and　ely　smiles。　The　women　were　great　down　there；　Avery　said　more　than　once。
　　Mitch　sat　by　the　window　and　tried　to　conceal　the　excitement　of　his　first　trip　out　of　the　country。　He　had　found　a　book　on　the　Cayman　Islands　in　a　library。　There　were　three　islands；　Grand　Cayman；　Little　Cayman　and　Cayman　Brae。　The　two　smaller　ones　were　sparsely　populated　and　seldom　visited。　Grand　Cayman　had　eighteen　thousand　people；　twelve　thousand　registered　corporations　and　three　hundred　banks。　The　population　was　twenty　percent　white；　twenty　percent　black；　and　the　other　sixty　percent　wasn't　sure　and　didn't　care。　Georgetown；　the　capital；　in　recent　years　had　bee　an　international　tax　haven　with　bankers　as　secretive　as　the　Swiss。　There　were　no　ine　taxes；　corporate　taxes；　capital…gains　taxes；　estate　or　gift　taxes。　Certain　panies　and　investments　were　given　guarantees　against　taxation　for　fifty　years。　The　islands　were　a　dependent　British　territory　with　an　unusually　stable　government。　Revenue　from　import　duties　and　tourism　funded　whatever　government　was　necessary。　There　was　no　crime　or　unemployment。
　　Grand　Cayman　was　twenty…three　miles　long　and　eight　miles　wide　in　places；　but　from　the　air　it　looked　much　smaller。　It　was　a　small　rock　surrounded　by　clear；　sapphire　water。
　　The　landing　almost　occurred　in　a　lagoon；　but　at　the　last　second　a　small　asphalt　strip　came　forth　and　caught　the　plane。　They　disembarked　and　sang　their　way　through　customs。　A　black　boy　grabbed　Mitch's　bags　and　threw　them　with　Avery's　into　the　trunk　of　a　1972　Ford　LTD。　Mitch　tipped　him　generously。
　　〃Seven　Mile　Beach！〃　Avery　manded　as　he　turned　up　the　remnants　of　his　last　rum　punch。
　　〃Okay；　mon；〃　the　driver　drawled。　He　gunned　the　taxi　and　laid　rubber　in　the　direction　of　Georgetown。　The　radio　blared　reggae。　The　driver　shook　and　gyrated　and　kept　a　steady　beat　with　his　fingers　on　the　steering　wheel。　He　was　on　the　wrong　side　of　the　road；　but　so　was　everybody　else。　Mitch　sank　into　the　worn　seat　and　crossed　his　le