jg.thefirm-第38部分

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as　probably　related　to　the　same　people　who　were　following　you。　He　didn't　say　much。〃
　　She　parked　in　the　short…term　section　near　the　terminal。
　　〃Who　else　would　follow　him？〃　Mitch　asked。
　　〃No　one。　He　was　a　good　investigator　who　left　no　trail。　I　mean；　he　was　an　ex…cop　and　an　ex…con。　He　was　very　street…smart。　He　got　paid　to　follow　people　and　collect　dirt。　No　one　followed　him。　Never。〃
　　〃So　who　killed　him？〃
　　〃Whoever　was　following　him。　The　paper　made　like　he　got　caught　snooping　on　some　rich　guy　and　was　wasted。　It's　not　true。〃
　　Suddenly；　from　out　of　nowhere；　she　produced　a　filter…tip　1000　and　shot　a　flame　at　the　end。　Mitch　rolled　down　the　window。
　　〃Mind　if　I　smoke？〃　she　asked。
　　〃No；　just　blow　it　that　way；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　her　window。
　　〃Anyway；　I'm　scared。　Eddie　was　convinced　the　people　following　you　are　extremely　dangerous　and　extremely　smart。　Very　sophisticated；　was　what　he　said。　And　if　they　killed　him；　what　about　me？　Maybe　they　think　I　know　something。　I　haven't　been　to　the　office　since　the　day　he　was　killed。　Don't　plan　to　go　back。〃
　　〃I　wouldn't　if　I　were　you。〃
　　〃I'm　not　stupid。　I　worked　for　him　for　two　years　and　learned　a　lot。　There's　a　lot　of　nuts　out　there。　We　saw　all　kinds。〃
　　〃How　did　they　shoot　him？〃
　　〃He's　got　a　friend　in　Homicide。　Guy　told　me　confidentially　that　Eddie　got　hit　three　times　in　the　back　of　the　head；　point…blank　range；　with　a　。22　pistol。　And　they　don't　have　a　clue。　He　told　me　it　was　a　very　clean；　professional　job。〃
　　Mitch　finished　the　longneck　and　laid　the　bottle　on　the　floorboard　with　a　half　dozen　empty　beer　cans。　A　very　clean；　professional　job。
　　〃It　doesn't　make　sense；〃　she　repeated。　〃I　mean；　how　could　anyone　sneak　up　behind　Eddie；　somehow　get　in　the　back　seat　and　shoot　him　three　times　in　the　back　of　the　head？　And　he　wasn't　even　supposed　to　be　there。〃
　　〃Maybe　he　fell　asleep　and　they　ambushed　him。〃
　　〃No。　He　took　all　kinds　of　speed　when　he　worked　late　at　night。　Stayed　wired。〃
　　〃Are　there　any　records　at　the　oflice？〃
　　〃You　mean　about　you？〃
　　〃Yeah；　about　me。〃
　　〃I　doubt　it。　I　never　saw　nothing　in　writing。　He　said　you　wanted　it　that　way。〃
　　〃That's　right；〃　Mitch　said　with　relief。
　　They　watched　a　727　lift　off　to　the　north。　The　parking　lot　vibrated。
　　〃I'm　really　scared；　Mitch。　Can　I　call　you　Mitch？〃
　　〃Sure。　Why　not？〃
　　〃I　think　he　got　killed　because　of　the　work　he　did　for　you。　That's　all　it　could　be。　And　if　they'd　kill　him　because　he　knew　something；　they　probably　assume　I　know　it　too。　What　do　you　think？〃
　　〃I　wouldn't　take　any　chances。〃
　　〃I　might　disappear　for　a　while。　My　husband　does　a　little　nightclub　work；　and　we　can　get　mobile　if　we　have　to。　I　haven't　told　him　all　this；　but　I　guess　I　have　to。　What　do　you　think？〃
　　〃Where　would　you　go？〃
　　〃Little　Rock；　St。　Louis；　Nashville。　He's　laid　off；　so　we　can　move　around；　I　guess。〃　Her　words　trailed　off。　She　lit　another　one。
　　A　very　clean；　professional　job；　Mitch　repeated　to　himself。　He　glanced　at　her　and　noticed　a　small　tear　on　her　cheek。　She　was　not　ugly；　but　the　years　in　lounges　and　nightclubs　were　taking　their　toll。　Her　features　were　strong；　and　minus　the　bleach　and　heavy　makeup　she　would　be　somewhat　attractive　for　her　age。　About　forty；　he　guessed。
　　She　took　a　mighty　drag　and　sent　a　cloud　of　smoke　surging　from　the　Rabbit。　〃I　guess　we're　in　the　same　boat；　aren't　we？　I　mean；　they're　after　both　of　us。　They've　killed　all　those　lawyers；　now　Eddie；　and　I　guess　we're　next。〃
　　Don't　hold　back；　baby；　just　blurt　it　out。　〃Look；　let's　do　this。　We　need　to　keep　in　touch。　You　can't　call　me　on　the　phone；　and　we　can't　be　seen　together。　My　wife　knows　everything；　and　I'll　tell　her　about　this　little　meeting。　Don't　worry　about　her。　Once　a　week；　write　me　a　note　and　tell　me　where　you　are。　What's　your　mother's　name？〃
　　〃Doris。〃
　　〃Good。　That's　your　code　name。　Sign　the　name　Doris　on　anything　you　send　me。〃
　　〃Do　they　read　your　mail　too？〃
　　〃Probably　so；　Doris；　probably　so。〃
　　　
　　　19
　　AT　five　P。M。；　Mitch　turned　off　the　light　in　his　office；　grabbed　both　briefcases　and　stopped　at　Nina's　desk。　Her　phone　was　glued　to　one　shoulder　while　she　typed　on　the　IBM。　She　saw　him　and　reached　in　a　drawer　for　an　envelope。　〃This　is　your　confirmation　at　the　Capital　Hilton；〃　she　said　into　the　receiver。
　　〃The　dictation　is　on　my　desk；〃　he　said。　〃See　you　Monday。〃　He　took　the　stairs　to　the　fourth　floor；　to　Avery's　office　in　the　corner；　where　a　small　riot　was　in　progress。　One　secretary　stuffed　files　into　a　massive　briefcase。　Another　one　spoke　sharply　to　Avery；　who　was　yelling　on　the　phone　to　someone　else。　A　paralegal　shot　orders　to　the　first　secretary。
　　Avery　slammed　the　phone　down。　〃Are　you　ready！〃　he　demanded　at　Mitch。
　　〃Waiting　for　you；〃　Mitch　replied。
　　〃I　can't　find　the　Greenmark　file；〃　a　secretary　snarled　at　the　paralegal。
　　〃It　was　with　the　Rocconi　file；〃　said　the　paralegal。
　　〃I　don't　need　the　Greenmark　file！〃　Avery　shouted。　〃How　many　times　do　I　have　to　tell　you？　Are　you　deaf？〃
　　The　secretary　glared　at　Avery。　〃No；　I　can　hear　very　well。　And　I　distinctly　heard　you　say；　Tack　the　Greenmark　file。'　〃
　　〃The　limousine　is　waiting；〃　said　the　other　secretary。
　　〃I　don't　need　the　damned　Greenmark　file！〃　Avery　shouted。
　　〃How　about　Rocconi？〃　asked　the　paralegal。
　　〃Yes！　Yes！　For　the　tenth　time。　I　need　the　Rocconi　file！〃
　　〃The　airplane　is　waiting　too；〃　said　the　other　secretary。
　　One　briefcase　was　slammed　shut　and　locked。　Avery　dug　through　a　pile　of　documents　on　his　desk。　〃Where's　the　Fender　file？　Where　are　any　of　my　files？　Why　can't　I　ever　find　a　file？〃
　　〃Here's　Fender；〃　said　the　first　secretary　as　she　stmTed　it　into　another　briefcase。
　　Avery　stared　at　a　piece　of　notepaper。　〃All　right。　Do　I　have　Fender；　Rocconi；　Cambridge　Partners；　Greene　Group；　Sonny　Capps　to　Otaki；　Burton　Brothers；　Galveston　Freight　and　McQuade？〃
　　〃Yes；　yes；　yes；〃　said　the　first　secretary。
　　〃That's　all　of　them；〃　said　the　paralegal。
　　〃I　don't　believe　it；〃　Avery　said　as　he　grabbed　his　jacket。　〃Let's　go。〃　He　strode　through　the　door　with　the　secretaries；　paralegal　and　Mitch　in　pursuit。　Mitch　carried　two　briefcases；　the　paralegal　had　two；　and　a　secretary　had　one。　The　other　secretary　scribbled　notes　as　Avery　barked　the　orders　and　demands　he　wanted　carried　out　while　he　was　away。　The　entourage　crowded　onto　the　small　elevator　for　the　ride　to　the　first　floor。　Outside；　the　chauifeur　sprang　into　action；　opening　doors　and　loading　it　all　in　the　trunk。
　　Mitch　and　Avery　fell　into　the　back　seat。
　　〃Relax；　Avery；〃　Mitch　said。　〃You're　going　to　the　Caymans　for　three　days。　Just　relax。〃
　　〃Right；　right。　I'm　taking　with　me　enough　work　for　a　month。　I've　got　clients　screaming　for　my　hide；　threatening　suits　for　legal　malpractice。　I'm　two　months　behind；　and　now　you're　leaving　for　four　days　of　boredom　at　a　tax　seminar　in　Washington。　Your　timing　is　great；　McDeere。　Just　great。〃
　　Avery　opened　a　cabinet　and　mixed　a　drink。　Mitch　declined。　The　limo　moved　around　Riverside　Drive　in　the　rush…hour　traffic。　After　three　swallows　of　gin；　the　partner　breathed　deeply。
　　〃Continuing　education。　What　a　joke；〃　Avery　said。
　　〃You　did　it　when　you　were　a　rookie。　And　if　I'm　not　mistaken；　you　spent　a　week　not　long　ago　at　that　international　tax　seminar　in　Honolulu。　Or　did　you　forget？〃
　　〃It　was　work。　All　work。　Are　you　taking　your　files　with　you？〃
　　〃Of　course；　Avery。　I'm　expected　to　attend　the　tax　seminar　eight　hours　a　day；　learn　the　latest　tax　revisions　Congress　has　bestowed　upon　us　and　in　my　spare　time　bill　five　hours　a　day。〃
　　〃Six；　if　you　can。　We're　behind；　Mitch。〃
　　〃We're　always　behind；　Avery。　Fix　another　drink。　You　need　to　unwind。〃
　　〃I　plan　to　unwind　at　Rumheads。〃
　　Mitch　thought　of　the　bar　with　its　Red　Stripe；　dominoes；　darts　and；　yes；　string　bikinis。　And　the　girl。
　　〃Is　this　your　first　flight　on　the　Lear？〃　Avery　asked；　more　relaxed　now。
　　〃Yes。　I've　been　here　seven　months；　and　I'm　just　now　seeing　the　plane。　If　I　had　known　this　last　March；　I'd　have　gone　to　work　with　a　Wall　Street　firm。〃
　　〃You're　not　Wall　Street　material。　You　know　what　those　guys　do？　They've　got　three　hundred　lawyers　in　a　firm；　right？　And　each　year　they　hire　thirty　new　associates；　maybe　more。　Everybody　wants　a　job　because　it's　Wall　Street；　right？　And　after　about　a　month　they　get　all　thirty　of　them　together　in　one　big　room　and　inform　them　they're　expected　to　work　ninety　hours　a　week　for　five　years；　and　at　the　end　of　five　years；　half　of　them　will　be　gone。　The　turnover　is　incredible。　They　try　to　kill　the　rookies；　bill　them　out　at　a　hundred；　hundred…fifty　an　hour；　make　a　bundle　off　them；　then　run　them　off。　That's　Wall　Street。　And　the　little　boys　never　get　to　see　　plane。　Or　　limo。　You　are　truly　lucky；　Mitch。　You　should　thank　God　every　day　that　we　chose　to　accept　you　here　at　good　old　Bendini；　Lambert　&　Locke。〃
　　〃Ninety　hours　sounds　like　fun。　I　could　use　the　rest。〃
　　〃It'll　pay　off。　Did　you　hear　what　my　bonus　was　last　year？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃Four…eight…five。　Not　bad；　huh？　And　that's　just　the　bonus。〃
　　〃I　got　six　thousand；〃　Mitch　said。
　　〃Stick　with　me　and　you'll　be　in　the　big　leagues　soon　enough。〃
　　〃Yeah；　but　first　I　gotta　get　my　continuing　legal　education。〃
　　Ten　minutes　later　the