jg.thefirm-第69部分

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　　〃What's　in　the　basement？〃
　　〃One　big　room　with　twelve　cubicles；　twelve　busy　desks　and　a　thousand　file　cabinets。　Electronically　wired　file　cabinets。　I　think　it's　the　operations　center　for　their　money…laundering　activities。　On　the　walls　of　the　cubicles；　she　noticed　names　and　phone　numbers　of　dozens　of　banks　in　the　Caribbean。　There's　not　much　information　lying　around　down　there。　They're　very　careful。　There's　a　smaller　room　off　to　the　side；　heavily　locked；　and　full　of　puters　larger　than　refrigerators。〃
　　〃Sounds　like　the　place。〃
　　〃It　is；　but　forget　it。　There's　no　way　to　get　the　stuff　out　without　alerting　them。　Impossible。　I　know　of　only　one　way　to　bring　the　goods　out。〃
　　〃Okay。〃
　　〃A　search　warrant。〃
　　〃Forget　it。　No　probable　cause。〃
　　〃Listen　to　me；　Tarrance。　This　is　how　it's　gonna　be；　okay？　I　can't　give　you　all　the　documents　you　want。　But　I　can　give　you　all　you　need。　I　have　in　my　possession　over　ten　thousand　documents；　and　although　I　have　not　reviewed　all　of　them；　I've　seen　enough　to　know　that　if　you　had　them；　you　could　show　them　to　a　judge　and　get　a　search　warrant　for　Front　Street。　You　can　take　the　records　I　have　now　and　obtain　indictments　for　maybe　half　。　But　the　same　documents　will　get　your　search　warrant　and；　consequently；　a　truckload　of　indictments。　There's　no　other　way　to　do　it。〃
　　Tarrance　walked　to　the　hall　and　looked　around。　Empty。　He　stretched　his　legs　and　walked　to　the　Coke　machine。　He　leaned　on　it　and　looked　through　the　small　window　to　the　east。　〃Why　only　half　？〃
　　〃Initially；　only　half。　Plus　a　number　of　retired　partners。　Scattered　through　my　documents　are　various　names　of　partners　who've　set　up　the　bogus　Cayman　panies　with　Morolto　money。　Those　indictments　will　be　easy。　Once　you　have　all　the　records；　your　conspiracy　theory　will　fall　in　place　and　you　can　indict　everyone。〃
　　〃Where　did　you　get　the　documents？〃
　　〃I　got　lucky。　Very　lucky。　I　sort　of　figured　　had　more　sense　than　to　keep　the　Cayman　bank　records　in　this　country。　I　had　a　hunch　the　records　might　be　in　the　Caymans。　Fortunately；　I　was　right。　We　copied　the　documents　in　the　Caymans。〃
　　〃We？〃
　　〃The　girl。　And　a　friend。〃
　　〃Where　are　the　records　now？〃
　　〃You　and　your　questions；　Tarrance。　They're　in　my　possession。　That's　all　you　need　to　know。〃
　　〃I　want　those　documents　from　the　basement。〃
　　〃Listen　to　me；　Tarrance。　Pay　attention。　The　documents　in　the　basement　are　not　ing　out　until　you　go　in　with　a　search　warrant。　It　is　impossible；　do　you　hear？〃
　　〃Who　are　the　guys　in　the　basement？〃
　　〃Don't　know。　I've　been　there　ten　months　and　never　seen　them。　I　don't　know　where　they　park　or　how　they　get　in　and　out。　They're　invisible。　I　figure　the　partners　and　the　boys　in　the　basement　do　the　dirty　work。〃
　　〃What　kind　of　equipment　is　down　there？〃
　　〃Two　copiers；　four　shredders；　high…speed　printers　and　all　those　puters。　State　of　the　art。〃
　　Tarrance　walked　to　the　window；　obviously　deep　in　thought。　〃That　makes　sense。　Makes　a　lot　of　sense。　I've　always　wondered　how　；　with　all　those　secretaries　and　clerks　and　paralegals；　could　maintain　such　secrecy　about　Morolto。〃
　　〃It's　easy。　The　secretaries　and　clerks　and　paralegals　know　nothing　about　it。　They're　kept　busy　with　the　real　clients。　The　partners　and　senior　associates　sit　in　their　big　offices　and　dream　up　exotic　ways　to　launder　money；　and　the　basement　crew　does　the　grunt　work。　It's　a　great　setup。〃
　　〃So　there　are　plenty　of　legitimate　clients？〃
　　〃Hundreds。　They're　talented　lawyers　with　an　amazing　clientele。　It's　a　great　cover。〃
　　〃And　you're　telling　me；　McDeere；　that　you've　got　the　documents　now　to　support　indictments　and　search　warrants？　You've　got　them…they're　in　your　possession？〃
　　〃That's　what　I　said。〃
　　〃In　this　country？〃
　　〃Yes；　Tarrance；　the　documents　are　in　this　country。　Very　close　to　here；　actually。〃
　　Tarrance　was　fidgety　now。　He　rocked　from　one　foot　to　the　other　and　cracked　his　knuckles。　He　was　breathing　quickly。　〃What　else　can　you　get　out　of　Front　Street？〃
　　〃Nothing。　It's　too　dangerous。　They've　changed　the　locks；　and　that　sort　of　worries　me。　I　mean；　why　would　they　change　the　locks　on　the　third　and　fourth　floors　and　not　on　the　first　and　second？　I　made　some　copies　on　the　fourth　floor　two　weeks　ago；　and　I　don't　think　it　was　a　good　idea。　I'm　getting　bad　vibes。　No　more　records　from　Front　Street。〃
　　〃What　about　the　girl？〃
　　〃She　no　longer　has　access。〃
　　Tarrance　chewed　his　fingernails；　rocking　back　and　forth。　Still　staring　at　the　window。　〃I　want　the　records；　McDeere；　and　I　want　them　real　soon。　Like　tomorrow。〃
　　〃When　does　Ray　get　his　walking　papers？〃
　　〃Today's　Monday。　I　think　it's　set　up　for　tomorrow　night。　You　wouldn't　believe　the　cussing　I've　taken　from　Voyles。
　　　He's　had　to　pull　every　string　in　the　book。　You　think　I'm　kidding？　He　called　in　both　senators　from　Tennessee；　and　they　personally　flew　to　Nashville　to　visit　the　governor。　Oh；　I've　been　cussed；　McDeere。　All　because　of　your　brother。〃
　　〃He　appreciates　it。〃
　　〃What's　he　gonna　do　when　he　gets　out？〃
　　〃I'll　take　care　of　that。　You　just　get　him　out。〃
　　〃No　guarantees。　If　he　gets　hurt；　it　ain't　our　fault。〃
　　Mitch　stood　and　looked　at　his　watch。　〃Gotta　run。　I'm　sure　someone's　out　there　waiting　for　me。〃
　　〃When　do　we　meet　again？〃
　　〃She'll　call。　Just　do　as　she　says。〃
　　〃Oh；　e　on；　Mitch！　Not　that　routine　again。　She　can　talk　to　me　on　my　phone。　I　swear！　We　keep　our　lines　clean。　Please；　not　that　again。〃
　　〃What's　your　mother's　name；　Tarrance？〃
　　〃What？　Doris。〃
　　〃Doris？〃
　　〃Yeah；　Doris。〃
　　〃Small　world。　We　can't　use　Doris。　Whom　did　you　take　to　your　senior　prom？〃
　　〃Uh；　I　don't　think　I　went。〃
　　〃I'm　not　surprised。　Who　was　your　first　date；　if　you　had　one？〃
　　〃Mary　Alice　Brenner。　She　was　hot　too。　She　wanted　me。〃
　　〃I'm　sure。　My　girl's　name　is　Mary　Alice。　The　next　time　Mary　Alice　calls；　you〃do　exactly　as　she　says；　okay？〃
　　〃I　can't　wait。〃
　　〃Do　me　a　favor；　Tarrance。　I　think　Tolar's　faking；　and　I've　got　a　weird　feeling　his　fake　heart　attack　is　somehow　related　to　me。　Get　your　boys　to　snoop　around　here　and　check　out　his　alleged　heart　attack。〃
　　〃Sure。　We　have　little　else　to　do。〃
　　　
　　　33
　　TUESDAY　morning　the　office　buzzed　with　concern　for　Avery　Tolar。　He　was　doing　fine。　Running　tests。　No　permanent　damage。　Overworked。　Stressed　out。　Capps　did　it。　Divorce　did　it。　Leave　of　absence。
　　Nina　brought　a　stack　of　letters　to　be　signed。　〃Mr。　Lambert　would　like　to　see　you；　if　you're　not　too　busy。　He　just　called。〃
　　〃Fine。　I'm　supposed　to　meet　Frank　Mulholland　at　ten。　Do　you　know　that？〃
　　〃Of　course　I　know　that。　I'm　the　secretary。　I　know　everything。　Your　office　or　his？〃
　　Mitch　looked　at　his　appointment　book　and　pretended　to　search。　Mulholland's　office。　In　the　Cotton　Exchange　Building。
　　〃His；〃　he　said　with　a　frown。
　　〃You　met　there　last　time；　didn't　you？　Didn't　they　teach　you　about　turf　hi　law　school？　Never；　I　repeat；　never　meet　two　times　in　a　row　on　the　adversary's　turf。　It's　unprofessional。　It's　uncool。　Shows　weakness。〃
　　〃How　can　you　ever　forgive　me？〃
　　〃Wait　till　I　tell　the　other　girls。　They　all　think　you're　so　cute　and　macho。　When　I　tell　them　you're　a　wimp；　they'll　be　shocked。〃
　　〃They　need　to　be　shocked；　with　a　cattle　prod。〃
　　　〃How's　Abby's　mother？〃
　　〃Much　better。　I'm　going　up　this　weekend。〃
　　She　picked　up　two　files。　〃Lambert's　waiting。〃
　　Oliver　Lambert　pointed　at　the　stiff　sofa　and　offered　coffee。　He　sat　perfectly　erect　in　a　wing　chair　and　held　his　cup　like　a　British　aristocrat。　〃I'm　worried　about　Avery；〃　he　said。
　　〃I　saw　him　last　night；〃　Mitch　said。　〃Doctor's　forcing　a　two…month　retirement。〃
　　〃Yes；　that's　why　you're　here。　I　want　you　to　work　with　Victor　Milligan　for　the　next　two　months。　He'll　get　most　of　Avery's　files；　so　it's　familiar　territory。〃
　　〃That's　fine。　Victor　and　I　are　good　friends。〃
　　〃You'll　learn　a　lot　from　him。　A　genius　at　taxation。　Reads　two　books　a　day。〃
　　Great；　thought　Mitch。　He　should　average　ten　a　day　in　prison。　〃Yes；　he's　a　very　smart　man。　He's　helped　me　out　of　a　jam　or　two。〃
　　〃Good。　I　think　you'll　get　along　fine。　Try　and　see　him　sometime　this　morning。　Now；　Avery　had　some　unfinished　business　in　the　Caymans。　He　goes　there　a　lot；　as　you　know；　to　meet　with　certain　bankers。　In　fact；　he　was　scheduled　to　leave　tomorrow　for　a　couple　of　days。　He　told　me　this　morning　you're　familiar　with　the　clients　and　the　accounts；　so　we　need　you　to　go。〃
　　The　Lear；　the　loot；　the　condo；　the　storage　room；　the　accounts。　A　thousand　thoughts　flashed　in　his　mind。　It　did　not　add　up。　〃The　Caymans？　Tomorrow？〃
　　〃Yes；　it's　quite　urgent。　Three　of　his　clients　are　in　dire　need　of　summaries　of　their　accounts　and　other　legal　work。　I　wanted　Milligan　to　go；　but　he's　due　in　Denver　in　the　morning。　Avery　said　you　could　handle　it。〃
　　〃Sure；　I　can　handle　it。〃
　　〃Fine。　The　Lear　will　take　you。　You'll　leave　around　noon　and　return　by　mercial　flight　late　Friday。　Any　problems？〃
　　Yes；　many　problems。　Ray　was　leaving　prison。　Tarrance　was　demanding　the　contraband。　A　half　million　bucks　had　to　be　collected。　And　he　was　scheduled　to　disappear　anytime。
　　〃No　problems。〃
　　He　walked　to　his　office　and　locked　the　door。　He　kicked　off　his　shoes；　lay　on　the　floor　and　closed　his　eyes。
　　Th