jg.thefirm-第32部分

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　　Abby　smiled。　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　　The　waiter　arrived　with　their　food；　and　they　ordered　more　wine。　The　scampi　simmered　in　the　butter…and…garlic　sauce　and　produced　a　delicious　aroma。　The　cold　quiche　was　all　alone　on　a　bed　of　lettuce　with　a　sickly　tomato　wedge。
　　Kay　picked　a　glob　of　broccoli　and　chewed　on　it。　〃You　know；　Abby；　　encourages　children。〃
　　〃I　don't　care。　Right　now　I　don't　like　。　I'm　peting　with　；　and　I'm　losing　badly。　So　I　could　care　less　what　they　want。　They　will　not　plan　my　family　for　me。　I　don't　understand　why　they　are　so　interested　in　things　which　are　none　of　their　business。　That　place　is　eerie；　Kay。　I　can't　put　my　finger　on　it；　but　those　people　make　my　skin　crawl。〃
　　〃They　want　happy　lawyers　with　stable　families。〃
　　〃And　I　want　my　husband　back。　They're　in　the　process　of　taking　him　away；　so　the　family　is　not　so　stable。　If　they'd　get　off　his　back；　perhaps　we　could　be　normal　like　everyone　else　and　have　a　yard　full　of　children。　But　not　now。〃
　　The　wine　arrived；　and　the　scampi　cooled。　She　ate　it　slowly　and　drank　her　wine。　Kay　searched　for　less　sensitive　areas。
　　〃Lamar　said　Mitch　went　to　the　Caymans　last　month。〃
　　〃Yes。　He　and　Avery　were　there　for　three　days。　Strictly　business；　or　so　he　says。　Have　you　been　there？〃
　　〃Every　year。　It's　a　beautiful　place　with　gorgeous　beaches　and　warm　water。　We　go　in　June　of　each　year；　when　school　is　out。　　owns　two　huge　condos　right　on　the　beach。〃
　　〃Mitch　wants　to　vacation　there　in　March；　during　my　spring　break。〃
　　〃You　need　to。　Before　we　had　kids；　we　did　nothing　but　lie　on　the　beach；　drink　rum　and　have　sex。　That's　one　reason　　furnishes　the　condos　and；　if　you're　lucky；　the　airplane。　They　work　hard；　but　they　appreciate　the　need　for　leisure。〃
　　〃Don't　mention　　to　me；　Kay。　I　don't　want　to　hear　about　what　they　like　or　dislike；　or　what　they　do　or　don't　do；　or　what　they　encourage　or　discourage。〃
　　〃It'll　get　better；　Abby。　I　promise。　You　must　understand　that　your　husband　and　my　husband　are　both　very　good　lawyers；　but　they　could　not　earn　this　kind　of　money　anywhere　else。　And　you　and　I　would　be　driving　new　Buicks　instead　of　new　Peugeots　and　Mercedes…Benzes。〃
　　Abby　cut　a　shrimp　in　half　and　rolled　it　through　the　butter　and　garlic。　She　stabbed　a　portion　with　a　fork；　then　pushed　her　plate　away。　The　wineglass　was　empty。　〃I　know；　Kay；　I　know。　But　there　is　a　hell　of　a　lot　more　to　life　than　a　big　yard　and　a　Peugeot。　No　one　around　here　seems　to…be　aware　of　that。　I　swear；　I　think　we　were　happier　living　in　a　two…room　student　apartment　in　Cambridge。〃
　　〃You've　only　been　here　a　few　months。　Mitch　will　slow　down　eventually；　and　you'll　get　into　your　routine。　Before　long　there　will　be　little　McDeeres　running　around　the　backyard；　and　before　you　know　it；　Mitch　will　be　a　partner。　Believe　me；　Abby；　things　will　get　much　better。　You're　going　through　a　period　we've　all　been　through；　and　we　made　it。〃
　　〃Thanks；　Kay；　I　certainly　hope　you're　right。〃
　　The　park　was　a　small　one；　two　or　three　acres　on　a　bluff　above　the　river。　A　row　of　cannons　and　two　bronze　statues　memorialized　those　brave　Confederates　who　had　fought　to　save　the　river　and　the　city。　Under　the　monument　to　a　general　and　his　horse　a　wino　tucked　himself　away。　His　cardboard　box　and　ragged　quilt　provided　little　shelter　from　the　bitter　cold　and　the　tiny　pellets　of　frozen　rain。　Fifty　yards　below；　the　evening　traffic　rushed　along　Riverside　Drive。　It　was　dark。
　　Mitch　walked　to　the　row　of　cannons　and　stood　gazing　at　the　river　and　the　bridges　leading　to　Arkansas。　He　zipped　his　raincoat　and　flipped　the　collar　around　his　ears。　He　looked　at　his　watch。　He　waited。
　　The　Bendini　Building　was　almost　visible　six　blocks　away。　He　had　parked　in　a　garage　in　midtown　and　taken　a　taxi　back　to　the　river。　He　was　sure　he　had　not　been　followed。　He　waited。
　　The　icy　wind　blowing　up　from　the　river　reddened　his　face　and　reminded　him　of　the　winters　hi　Kentucky　after　his　parents　were　gone。　Cold；　bitter　winters。　Lonely；　desolate　winters。　He　had　worn　someone　else's　coats；　passed　down　from　a　cousin　or　a　friend；　and　they　had　never　been　heavy　enough。　Secondhand　clothes。　He　dismissed　those　thoughts。
　　The　frozen　rain　turned　to　sleet　and　the　tiny　pieces　of　ice　stuck　in　his　hair　and　bounced　on　the　sidewalk　around　him。　He　looked　at　his　watch。
　　There　were　footsteps　and　a　figure　in　a　hurry　walking　toward　the　cannons。　Whoever　it　was　stopped；　then　approached　slowly。
　　〃Mitch？〃　It　was　Eddie　Lomax；　dressed　in　jeans　and　a　full…length　rabbit　coat。　With　his　thick　mustache　and　white　cowboy　hat　he　looked　like　an　ad　for　a　cigarette。　The　Marlboro　Man。
　　〃Yeah；　it's　me。〃
　　Lomax　walked　closer；　to　the　other　side　of　the　cannon。　They　stood　like　Confederate　sentries　watching　the　river。
　　〃Have　you　been　followed？〃　Mitch　asked。
　　〃No；　I　don't　think　so。　You？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　Mitch　stared　at　the　traffic　on　Riverside　Drive；　and　beyond；　to　the　river。　Lomax　thrust　his　hands　deep　into　his　pockets。　〃You　talked　to　Ray；　lately？〃　Lomax　asked。
　　〃No。〃　The　answer　was　short；　as　if　to　say；　〃I'm　not　standing　here　in　the　sleet　to　chitchat。〃
　　〃What'd　you　find？〃　Mitch　asked；　without　looking。
　　Lomax　lit　a　cigarette；　and　now　he　was　the　Marlboro　Man。　〃On　the　three　lawyers；　I　found　a　little　info。　Alice　Knauss　was　killed　in　a　car　wreck　in　1977。　Police　report　said　she　was　hit　by　a　drunk　driver；　but　oddly　enough；　no　such　driver　was　ever　found。　The　wreck　happened　around　midnight　on　a　Wednesday。　She　had　worked　late　down　at　the　office　and　was　driving　home。　She　lived　out　east；　in　Sycamore　View；　and　about　a　mile　from　her　condo　she　gets　hit　head…on　by　a　one…ton　pickup。　Happened　on　New　London　Road。　She　was　driving　a　fancy　little　Fiat　and　it　was　blown　to　pieces。　No　witnesses。　When　the　cops　got　there；　the　truck　was　empty。　No　sign　of　a　driver。　They　ran　the　plates　and　found　that　the　truck　had　been　stolen　in　St。　Louis　three　days　earlier。　No　fingerprints　or　nothing。〃
　　〃They　dusted　for　prints？〃
　　〃Yeah。　I　know　the　investigator　who　handled　it。　They　were　suspicious　but　had　zero　to　go　on。　There　was　a　broken　bottle　of　whiskey　on　the　floorboard；　so　they　blamed　it　on　a　drunk　driver　and　closed　the　file。〃
　　〃Autopsy？〃
　　〃No。　It　was　pretty　obvious　how　she　died。〃
　　〃Sounds　suspicious。〃
　　〃Very　much　so。　All　three　of　them　are　suspicious。　Robert　Lamm　was　the　deer　hunter　in　Arkansas。　He　and　some　friends　had　a　deer　camp　in　Izard　County　in　the　Ozarks。　They　went　over　two　or　three　times　a　year　during　the　season。　After　a　morning　in　the　woods；　everyone　returned　to　the　cabin　but　Lamm。　They　searched　for　two　weeks　and　found　him　in　a　ravine；　partially　covered　with　leaves。　He　had　been　shot　once　through　the　head；　and　that's　about　all　they　know。　They　ruled　out　suicide；　but　there　was　simply　no　evidence　to　begin　an　investigation。〃
　　〃So　he　was　murdered？〃
　　〃Apparently　so。　Autopsy　showed　an　entry　at　the　base　of　the　skull　and　an　exit　wound　that　removed　most　of　his　face。　Suicide　would　have　been　impossible。〃
　　〃It　could　have　been　an　accident。〃
　　〃Possibly。　He　could　have　caught　a　bullet　intended　for　a　deer；　but　it's　unlikely。　He　was　found　a　good　distance　from　the　camp；　in　an　area　seldom　used　by　hunters。　His　friends　said　they　neither　heard　nor　saw　other　hunters　the　morning　he　disappeared。　I　talked　to　the　sheriff；　who　is　now　the　ex…sheriff；　and　he's　convinced　it　was　murder。　He　claims　there　was　evidence　that　the　body　had　been　covered　intentionally。〃
　　〃Is　that　all？〃
　　〃Yeah；　on　Lamm；〃
　　〃What　about　Mickel？〃
　　〃Pretty　sad。　He　mitted　suicide　in　1984　at　the　age　of　thirty…four。　Shot　himself　in　the　right　temple　with　a　Smith　&　Wesson　。357。　He　left　a　lengthy　farewell　letter　in　which　he　told　his　ex…wife　he　hoped　she　would　forgive　him　and　all　that　crap。　Said　goodbye　to　the　kids　and　his　mother。　Real　touching。〃
　　〃Was　it　in　his　handwriting？〃
　　〃Not　exactly。　It　was　typed；　which　was　not　unusual；　because　he　typed　a　good　bit。　He　had　an　IBM　Selectric　in　his　office；　and　the　letter　came　from　it。　He　had　a　terrible　handwriting。〃
　　〃So　what's　suspicious？〃
　　〃The　gun。　He　never　bought　a　gun　in　his　life。　No　one　knows　where　it　came　from。　No　registration；　no　serial　number；　nothing。　One　of　his　friends　in　　allegedly　said　something　to　the　effect　that　Mickel　had　told　him　he　had　bought　a　gun　for　protection。　Evidently　he　was　having　some　emotional　problems。〃
　　〃What　do　you　think？〃
　　Lomax　threw　his　cigarette　butt　in　the　frozen　rain　on　the　sidewalk。　He　cupped　his　hands　over　his　mouth　and　blew　in　them。　〃I　don't　know。　I　can't　believe　a　tax　lawyer　with　no　knowledge　of　guns　could　obtain　one　without　registration　or　serial　number。　If　a　guy　like　that　wanted　a　gun；　he　would　simply　go　to　a　gun　shop；　fill　out　the　papers　and　buy　a　nice；　shiny　new　piece。　This　gun　was　at　least　ten　years　old　and　had　been　sanitized　by　professionals。〃
　　〃Did　the　cops　investigate？〃
　　〃Not　really。　It　was　open　and　shut。〃
　　〃Did　he　sign　the　letter？〃
　　〃Yeah；　but　I　don't　know　who　verified　the　signature。　He　and　his　wife　had　been　divorced　for　a　year；　and　she　had　moved　back　to　Baltimore。〃
　　Mitch　buttoned　the　top　button　of　his　overcoat　and　shook　the　ice　from　his　collar。　The　sleet　was　heavier；　and　the　sidewalk　was　covered。　Tiny　icicles　were　beginning　to　form　under　the　barrel　of　the　cannon。　The　traffic　slowed　on　Rivers