jg.thefirm-第61部分

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ost　part；　and　they　had　mitted　the　perfect　crime。　And　lover　boy　was　a　willing　but　ignorant　participant。　It　had　been　easy；　they　decided。
　　The　small　mountain　of　evidence　filled　eleven　and　a　half　corrugated　storage　boxes。　At　two…thirty；　a　native　with　a　straw　hat　and　no　shirt　knocked　on　the　door　and　announced　he　was　from　an　outfit　called　Cayman　Storage。　Abby　pointed　at　the　boxes。　With　no　place　to　go　and　no　hurry　to　get　there；　he　took　the　first　box　and　ever　so　slowly　carried　it　to　his　van。
　　Like　all　the　natives；　he　operated　on　Cayman　time。　No　hurry；　mon。
　　They　followed　him　in　the　Stanza　to　a　warehouse　in　Georgetown。　Abby　inspected　the　proposed　storage　room　and　paid　cash　for　three　months'　rental。
　　　
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　　WAYNE　Tarrance　sat　on　the　back　row　of　the　11：40　P。M。　Greyhound　from　Louisville　to　Indianapolis　to　Chicago。　Although　he　sat　by　himself；　the　bus　was　crowded。　It　was　Friday　night。　The　bus　left　Kentucky　thirty　minutes　earlier；　and　by　now　he　was　convinced　something　had　gone　wrong。　Thirty　minutes；　and　not　a　word　or　signal　from　anyone。　Maybe　it　was　the　wrong　bus。　Maybe　McDeere　had　changed　his　mind。　Maybe　a　lot　of　things。　The　rear　seat　was　inches　above　the　diesel　engine；　and　Wayne　Tarrance；　of　the　Bronx；　now　knew　why　Greyhound　Frequent　Milers　fought　for　the　seats　just　behind　the　driver。　His　Louis　L'Amour　vibrated　until　he　had　a　headache。　Thirty　minutes。　Nothing。
　　The　toilet　flushed　across　the　aisle；　and　the　door　flew　open。　The　odor　filtered　out；　and　Tarrance　looked　away；　to　the　southbound　traffic。　From　nowhere；　she　slid　into　the　aisle　seat　and　cleared　her　throat。　Tarrance　jerked　to　his　right；　and　there　she　was。　He'd　seen　her　before；　somewhere。
　　〃Are　you　Mr。　Tarrance？〃　She　wore　jeans；　white　cotton　sneakers　and　a　heavy　green　rag　sweater。　She　hid　behind　dark　glasses。
　　〃Yeah。　And　you？〃
　　She　grabbed　his　hand　and　shook　it　firmly。　〃Abby　McDeere。〃
　　〃I　was　expecting　your　husband。〃
　　〃I　know。　He　decided　not　to　e；　and　so　here　I　am。〃
　　〃Well；　uh；　I　sort　of　wanted　to　talk　to　him。〃
　　〃Yes；　but　he　sent　me。　Just　think　of　me　as　his　agent。〃
　　Tarrance　laid　his　paperback　under　the　seat　and　watched　the　highway。　〃Where　is　he？〃
　　〃Why　is　that　important；　Mr。　Tarrance？　He　sent　me　to　talk　business；　and　you're　here　to　talk　business。　So　let's　talk。〃
　　〃Okay。　Keep　your　voice　down；　and　if　anybody　es　down　the　aisle；　grab　my　hand　and　stop　talking。　Act　like　we're　married　or　something。　Okay？　Now；　Mr。　Voyles…do　you　know　who　he　is？〃
　　〃I　know　everything；　Mr。　Tarrance。〃
　　〃Good。　Mr。　Voyles　is　about　to　stroke　out　because　we　haven't　got　Mitch's　files　yet。　The　good　files。　You　understand　why　they're　important；　don't　you？〃
　　〃Very　much　so。〃
　　〃So　we　want　the　files。〃
　　〃And　we　want　a　million　dollars。〃
　　〃Yes；　that's　the　deal。　But　we　get　the　files　first。〃
　　〃No。　That's　not　the　deal。　The　deal；　Mr。　Tarrance；　is　that　we　get　the　million　dollars　exactly　where　we　want　it；　then　we　hand　over　the　files。〃
　　〃You　don't　trust　us？〃
　　〃That's　correct。　We　don't　trust　you；　Voyles　or　anyone　else。　The　money　is　to　be　deposited　by　wire　transfer　to　a　certain　numbered　account　in　a　bank　in　Freeport；　Bahamas。　We　will　immediately　be　notified；　and　the　money　will　then　be　wired　by　us　to　another　bank。　Once　we　have　it　where　we　want　it；　the　files　are　yours。〃
　　〃Where　are　the　files？〃
　　〃In　a　mini…storage　in　Memphis。　There　are　fifty…one　files　in　all；　all　boxed　up　real　neat　and　proper　like。　You'll　be　impressed。　We　do　good　work。〃
　　〃We？　Have　you　seen　the　files？〃
　　〃Of　course。　Helped　box　them　up。　There　are　these　surprises　in　box　number　eight。〃
　　〃Okay。　What？〃
　　〃Mitch　was　able　to　copy　three　of　Avery　Tolar's　files；　and　they　appear　to　be　questionable。　Two　deal　with　a　pany　called　Dunn　Lane；　Ltd。；　which　we　know　to　be　a　Mafia…controlled　corporation　chartered　in　the　Caymans。　It　was　established　with　ten　million　laundered　dollars　in　1986。　The　files　deal　with　two　construction　projects　financed　by　the　corporation。　You'll　find　it　fascinating　reading。〃
　　〃How　do　you　know　it　was　chartered　in　the　Caymans？　And　how　do　you　know　about　the　ten　million？　Surely　that's　？　not　in　the　files。〃
　　〃No；　it's　not。　We　have　other　records。〃
　　Tarrance　thought　about　the　other　records　for　six　miles。　It　was　obvious　he　wouldn't　see　them　until　the　McDeeres　had　the　first　million。　He　let　it　pass。
　　〃I'm　not　sure　we　can　wire　the　money　as　you　wish　without　first　getting　the　files。〃　It　was　a　rather　weak　bluff。　She　read　it　perfectly　and　smiled。
　　〃Do　we　have　to　play　games；　Mr。　Tarrance？　Why　don't　you　just　give　us　the　mbney　and　quit　sparring。〃
　　A　foreign　student　of　some　sort；　probably　an　Arab；　sauntered　down　the　aisle　and　into　the　rest　room。　Tarrance　froze　and　stared　at　the　window。　Abby　patted　his　arm　like　a　real　girlfriend。　The　flushing　sounded　like　a　short　waterfall。
　　〃How　soon　can　this　happen？〃　Tarrance　asked。　She　was　not　touching　him　anymore。
　　〃The　files　are　ready。　How　soon　can　you　round　up　a　million　bucks？〃
　　〃Tomorrow。〃
　　Abby　looked　out　the　window　and　talked　from　the　left　corner　of　her　mouth。　〃Today's　Friday。　Next　Tuesday；　at　ten　A。M。　Eastern　time；　Bahamas　time；　you　transfer　by　wire　the　million　dollars　from　your　account　at　the　Chemical　Bank　in　Manhattan　to　a　numbered　account　at　the　Ontario　Bank　in　Freeport。　It's　a　clean；　legitimate　wire　transfer…take　about　fifteen　seconds。〃
　　Tarrance　frowned　and　listened　hard。　〃What　if　we　don't　have　an　account　at　the　Chemical　Bank　in　Manhattan？〃
　　〃You　don't　now；　but　you　will　Monday。　I'm　sure　you've　got　someone　in　Washington　who　can　handle　a　simple　wire　transfer。〃
　　〃I'm　sure　we　do。〃
　　〃Good。〃
　　〃But　why　the　Chemical　Bank？〃
　　〃Mitch's　orders；　Mr。　Tarrance。　Trust　him；　he　knows　what　he's　doing。〃

　　〃I　see　he's　done　his　homework。〃
　　〃He　always　does　his　homework。　And　there's　something　you　need　to　always　remember。　He's　much　smarter　than　you　are。〃
　　Tarrance　snorted　and　faked　a　light　chuckle。　They　rode　in　silence　for　a　mile　or　two；　each　thinking　of　the　next　question　and　answer。
　　〃Okay；〃　Tarrance　said；　almost　to　himself。　〃And　when　do　we　get　the　files？〃
　　〃When　the　money's　safe　in　Freeport；　we'll　be　notified。　Wednesday　morning　before　ten…thirty；　you'll　receive　at　your　Memphis　office　a　Federal　Express　package　with　a　note　and　the　key　to　the　mini…storage。〃
　　〃So　I　can　tell　Mr。　Voyles　we'll　have　the　files　by　Wednesday　afternoon？〃
　　She　shrugged　and　said　nothing。　Tarrance　felt　stupid　for　asking　the　question。　Quickly；　he　thought　of　a　good　one。
　　〃We'll　need　the　account　number　in　Freeport。〃
　　〃It's　written　down。　I'll　give　it　to　you　when　the　bus　stops。〃
　　The　particulars　were　now　plete。　He　reached　under　the　seat　and　retrieved　his　book。　He　nipped　pages　and　pretended　to　read。　〃Just　sit　here　a　minute；〃　he　said。
　　〃Any　questions？〃　she　asked。
　　〃Yeah。　Can　we　talk　about　these　other　records　you　mentioned？〃
　　〃Sure。〃
　　〃Where　are　they？〃
　　〃Good　question。　The　way　the　deal　was　explained　to　me；　we　would　first　get　the　next　installment；　a　half　million；　I　believe；　in　return　for　enough　evidence　to　allow　you　to　obtain　the　indictments。　These　other　records　are　part　of　the　next　installment。〃
　　Tarrance　flipped　a　page。　〃You　mean　you've　already　obtained　the；　uh；　dirty　files？〃
　　〃We　have　most　of　what　we　need。　Yes；　we　have　a　bunch　of　dirty　files。〃
　　〃Where　are　they？〃
　　She　smiled　softly　and　patted　his　arm。　〃I　assure　you　they're　not　in　the　mini…storage　with　the　clean　files。〃
　　〃But　you　have　possession　of　them？〃
　　〃Sort　of。　Would　you　like　to　see　a　couple？〃
　　He　closed　the　book　and　breathed　deeply。　He　looked　at　her。　〃Certainly。〃
　　〃I　thought　so。　Mitch　says　we'll　give　you　ten　inches　of　documents　on　Dunn　Lane；　Ltd。…copies　of　bank　records；　corporate　charters；　minutes；　bylaws；　officers；　stockholders；　wire…transfer　records；　letters　from　Nathan　Locke　to　Joey　Morolto；　working　papers；　a　hundred　other　juicy　morsels　that'll　make　you　lose　sleep。　Wonderful　stuff。　Mitch　says　you　can　probably　get　thirty　indictments　just　from　the　Dunn　Lane　records。〃
　　Tarrance　hung　on　every　word；　and　believed　her。　〃When　can　I　see　it？〃　he　asked　quietly　but　so　eagerly。
　　〃When　Ray　is　out　of　prison。　It's　part　of　the　deal；　remember？〃
　　〃Aw　yes。　Ray。〃
　　〃Aw　yes。　He　goes　over　the　wall；　Mr。　Tarrance；　or　you　can　forget　the　Bendini　firm。　Mitch　and　I　will　take　our　paltry　million　and　disappear　into　the　night。〃
　　〃I'm　working　on　it。〃
　　〃Better　work　hard。〃　It　was　more　than　a　threat；　and　he　knew　it。　He　opened　the　book　again　and　stared　at　it。
　　Abby　pulled　a　Bendini；　Lambert　&　Locke　business　card　from　her　pocket　and　dropped　it　on　the　book。　On　the　back　she　had　written　the　account　number：　477DL…19584；　Ontario　Bank；　Freeport。
　　〃I'm　going　back　to　my　seat　near　the　front；　away　from　the　engine。　Are　we　clear　about　next　Tuesday？〃
　　〃No　problems；　mon。　Are　you　getting　off　in　Indianapolis？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Where　are　you　going？〃　　　；
　　〃To　my　parents'　home　in　Kentucky。　Mitch　and　I　are　separated。〃
　　She　was　gone。
　　Tammy　stood　in　one　of　a　dozen　long；　hot　lines　at　Miami　customs。　She　wore　shorts；　sandals；　halter　top；　sunglasses　and　a　straw　hat　and　looked　just　like　the　other　thousand　weary　tourists　returning　from　the　sun…drenched　beaches　of　the　Caribbean。　In　front　of　her　were　two