jg.thefirm-第37部分

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　　〃What　the　hell？〃　Mitch　said；　panting。
　　〃Didn't　they　tell　you？〃　she　demanded；　grabbing　the　manual　and　placing　it　back　in　its　place。　She　drilled　a　hole　in　him　with　her　tiny　fierce　eyes；　as　if　she　had　caught　him　in　her　purse。
　　〃Obviously　not。　What's　the　deal？〃
　　〃We　have　a　new　copying　system；〃　she　lectured　downward　through　her　nose。　〃It　was　installed　the　day　after　Christmas。　You　must　code　in　the　file　number　before　the　machine　will　copy。　Your　secretary　was　supposed　to　tell　you。〃
　　〃You　mean　this　thing　will　not　copy　unless　I　punch　in　a　ten…digit　number？〃
　　〃That's　correct。〃
　　〃What　about　copies　in　general；　with　no　particular　file？〃
　　〃Can't　be　done。　Mr。　Lambert　says　we　lose　too　much　money　on　unbilled　copies。　So；　from　now　on；　every　copy　is　automatically　billed　to　a　file。　You　punch　in　the　number　first。　The　machine　records　the　number　of　copies　and　sends　it　to　the　main　terminal；　where　it　goes　on　the　client's　billing　account。〃
　　〃What　about　personal　copies？〃
　　Lela　shook　her　head　in　total　frustration。　〃I　can't　believe　your　secretary　didn't　tell　you　all　this。〃
　　〃Well；　she　didn't；　so　why　don't　you　help　me　out。〃
　　〃You　have　a　four…digit　access　number　for　yourself。　At　the　end　of　each　month　you'll　be　billed　for　your　personal　copies。〃
　　Mitch　stared　at　the　machine　and　shook　his　head。　〃Why　the　damned　alarm　system？〃
　　〃Mr。　Lambert　says　that　after　thirty　days　they　will　cut　off　the　alarms。　Right　now；　they're　needed　for　people　like　you。　He's　very　serious　about　this。　Says　we've　been　losing　thousands　on　unbilled　copies。〃
　　〃Right。　And　I　suppose　every　copier　in　the　building　has　been　replaced。〃
　　She　smiled　with　satisfaction。　〃Yes；　all　seventeen。〃
　　〃Thanks。〃　Mitch　returned　to　his　office　in　search　of　a　file　number。
　　At　three　that　afternoon；　the　celebration　on　the　fifth　floor　came　to　a　joyous　conclusion；　and　the　partners；　now　much　wealthier　and　slightly　drunker；　filed　out　of　the　dining　room　and　descended　to　their　offices　below。　Avery；　Oliver　Lambert　and　Nathan　Locke　walked　the。short　hallway　to　the　security　wall　and　pushed　the　button。　DeVashej　was　waiting。
　　He　waved　at　the　chairs　in　his　office　and　told　them　to　sit　down。　Lambert　passed　around　hand…wrapped　Hondurans；　and　everyone　lit　up。
　　〃Well；　I　see　we're　all　in　a　festive　mood；〃　DeVasher　said　with　a　sneer。　〃How　much　was　it？　Three　hundred　and　ninety　thousand；　average？〃
　　〃That's　correct；　DeVasher；〃　Lambert　said。　〃It　was　a　very　good　year。〃　He　puffed　slowly　and　blew　smoke　rings　at　the　ceiling。
　　〃Did　we　all　have　a　wonderful　Christmas？〃　DeVasher　asked。
　　〃What's　on　your　mind？〃　Locke　demanded。
　　〃Merry　Christmas　to　you　too；　Nat。　Just　a　few　things。　I　met　with　Lazarov　two　days　ago　in　New　Orleans。　He　does　not　celebrate　the　birth　of　Christ；　you　know。　I　brought　him　up　to　date　on　the　situation　down　here；　with　emphasis　on　McDeere　and　the　FBI。　I　assured　him　there　had　been　no　further　contact　since　the　initial　meeting。　He　did　not　quite　believe　this　and　said　he　would　check　with　his　sources　within　the　Bureau。　I　don't　know　what　that　means；　but　who　am　I　to　ask　questions？　He　instructed　me　to　trail　McDeere　twenty…four　hours　a　day　for　the　next　six　months。　I　told　him　we　were　already　doing　so；　sort　of。　He　does　not　want　another　Hodge…Kozinski　situation。　He's　very　distressed　about　that。　McDeere　is　not　to　leave　the　city　on　firm　business　unless　at　least　two　of　us　go　with　him。〃
　　〃He's　going　to　Washington　in　two　weeks；〃　Avery　said。
　　〃What　for？〃
　　〃American　Tax　Institute。　It's　a　four…day　seminar　that　we　require　of　all　new　associates。　It's　been　promised　to　him；　and　he'll　be　very　suspicious　if　it's　canceled。〃
　　〃We　made　his　reservations　in　September；〃　Ollie　added。
　　〃I'll　see　if　I　can　clear　it　with　Lazarov；〃　DeVasher　said。　〃Give　me　the　dates；　flights　and　hotel　reservations。　He　won't　like　this。〃
　　〃What　happened　Christmas？〃　Locke　asked。
　　〃Not　much。　His　wife　went　to　her　home　in　Kentucky。　She's　still　there。　McDeere　took　the　dog　and　drove　to　Panama　City　Beach；　Florida。　We　think　he　went　to　see　his　mom；　but　we're　not　sure。　Spent　one　night　at　a　Holiday　Inn　on　the　beach。　Just　he　and　the　dog。　Pretty　boring。　Then　he　drove　to　Birmingham；　stayed　in　another　Holiday　Inn；　then　early；　yesterday　morning　he　drove　to　Brushy　Mountain　to　visit　his　brother。　Harmless　trip。〃
　　〃What's　he　said　to　his　wife？〃　asked　Avery。
　　〃Nothing；　as　far　as　we　can　tell。　It's　hard　to　hear　everything。〃
　　〃Who　else　are　you　watching？〃　asked　Avery。
　　〃We're　listening　to　all　of　them；　sort　of　sporadically。　We　have　no　real　suspects；　other　than　McDeere；　and　that's　just　because　of　Tarrance。　Right　now　all's　quiet。〃
　　〃He's　got　to　go　to　Washington；　DeVasher；〃　Avery　insisted。
　　〃Okay；　okay。　I'll　get　it　cleared　with　Lazarov。　He'll　make　us　send　five　men　for　surveillance。　What　an　idiot。〃
　　Ernie's　Airport　Lounge　was　indeed　near　the　airport。　Mitch　found　it　after　three　attempts　and　parked　between　two　four…wheel…drive　swampmobiles　with　real　mud　caked　on　the　tires　and　headlights。　The　parking　lot　was　full　of　such　vehicles。　He　looked　around　and　instinctively　removed　his　tie。　It　was　almost　eleven。　The　lounge　was　deep　and　long　and　dark　with　colorful　beer　signs　flashing　in　the　painted　windows。
　　He　looked　at　the　note　again；　just　to　be　sure。　〃Dear　Mr。　McDeere：　Please　meet　me　at　Ernie's　Lounge　on　Winchester　tonight…late。　It's　about　Eddie　Lomax。　Very　important。　Tammy　Hemphill；　his　secretary。〃
　　The　note　had　been　tacked　on　the　door　to　the　kitchen　when　he　arrived　home。　He　remembered　her　from　the　one　visit　to　Eddie's　office；　back　in　November。　He　remembered　the　tight　leather　skirt；　huge　breasts；　bleached　hair；　red　sticky　lips　and　smoke　billowing　from　her　nose。　And　he　remembered　the　story　about　her　husband；　Elvis。
　　The　door　opened　without　incident；　and　he　slid　inside。　A　row　of　pool　tables　covered　the　left　half　of　the　room。　Through　the　darkness　and　black　smoke；　he　could　make　out　a　small　dance　floor　in　the　rear。　To　the　right　was　a　long　saloon…type　bar　crowded　with　cowboys　and　cowgirls；　all　drinking　Bud　longnecks。　No　one　seemed　to　notice　him。　He　walked　quickly　to　the　end　of　the　bar　and　slid　onto　the　stool。　〃Bud　longneck；〃　he　told　the　bartender。
　　Tammy　arrived　before　the　beer。　She　was　sitting　and　waiting　on　a　crowded　bench　by　the　pool　tables。　She　wore　tight　washed　jeans；　faded　denim　shirt　and　kinky　red　high…heels。　The　hair　had　just　received　a　fresh　bleaching。
　　〃Thanks　for　ing；〃　she　said　into　his　face。　〃I've　been　waiting　for　four　hours。　I　knew　of　no　other　way　to　find　you。〃
　　Mitch　nodded　and　smiled　as　if　to　say；　〃It's　okay。　You　did　the　right　thing。〃
　　〃What's　up？〃　he　said。
　　She　looked　around。　〃We　need；　to　talk；　but　not　here。〃
　　〃Where　do　you　suggest？〃
　　〃Could　we　maybe　drive　around？〃
　　〃Sure；　but　not　in　my　car。　It；　uh；　it　may　not　be　a　good　idea。〃
　　〃I've　got　a　car。　It's　old；　but　it'll　do。〃
　　Mitch　paid　for　the　beer　and　followed　her　to　the　door。　A　cowpoke　sitting　near　the　door　said；　〃Getta　loada　this。　Guy　shows　up　with　a　suit　and　picks　her　up　in　thirty　seconds。〃　Mitch　smiled　at　him　and　hurried　out　the　door。　Dwarfed　in　a　row　of　massive　mud…eating　machinery　was　a　well…worn　Volkswagen　Rabbit。　She　unlocked　it；　and　Mitch　doubled　over　and　squeezed　into　the　cluttered　seat。　She　pumped　the　accelerator　five　times　and　turned　the　key。　Mitch　held　his　breath　until　it　started。
　　〃Where　would　you　like　to　go？〃　she　asked。
　　Where　we　can't　be　seen；　Mitch　thought。　〃You're　driving。〃
　　〃You're　married；　aren't　you？〃　she　asked。
　　〃Yes。　You？〃
　　〃Yes；　and　my　husband　would　not　understand　this　situation　right　here。　That's　why　I　chose　that　dump　back　there。　We　never　go　there。〃
　　She　said　this　as　if　she　and　her　husband　were　discriminating　critics　of　dark　redneck　dives。
　　〃I　don't　think　my　wife　would　understand　either。　She's　out　of　town；　though。〃
　　Tammy　drove　in　the　direction　of　the　airport。　〃I've　got　an　idea；〃　she　said。　She　clutched　the　steering　wheel　tightly　and　spoke　nervously。
　　〃What's　on　your　mind？〃　Mitch　asked。
　　〃Well；　you　heard　about　Eddie。〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃When　did　you　last　see　him？〃
　　〃We　met　ten　days　or　so　before　Christmas。　It　was　sort　of　a　secret　meeting。〃
　　〃That's　what　I　thought。　He　kept　no　records　of　the　work　he　was　doing　for　you。　Said　you　wanted　it　that　way。　He　didn't　tell　me　much。　But　me　and　Eddie；　well；　we；　uh；　we　were　。　。　。　close。〃
　　Mitch　could　think　of　no　response。
　　〃I　mean；　we　were　very　close。　Know　what　I　mean？〃
　　Mitch　grunted　and　sipped　the　longneck。
　　〃And　he　told　me　things　I　guess　he　wasn't　supposed　to　tell　me。　Said　you　had　a　real　strange　case；　that　some　lawyers　in　your　firm　had　died　under　suspicious　circumstances。　And　that　you　always　thought　somebody　was　following　and　listening。　That's　pretty　weird　for　a　law　firm。〃
　　So　much　for　the　confidentiality；　thought　Mitch。　〃That　it　is。〃
　　She　turned；　made　the　exit　to　the　airport　and　headed　for　the　acres　of　parked　cars。
　　〃And　after　he　finished　his　work　for　you；　he　told　me　once；　just　once；　in　bed；　that　he　thought　he　was　being　followed。　This　was　three　days　before　Christmas。　And　I　asked　him　who　it　was。　He　said　he　didn't　know；　but　mentioned　your　case　and　something　about　it　was　probably　related　to　the　same　people　who　were　following　you。　He　didn't　say　much。〃
　　She　par