jg.thefirm-第74部分

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st　routine　surveillance；　they　were　told。　If　you　lose　him；　no　big　deal。　But　try　not　to　lose　him。
　　　The　flight　from　Huntington　to　Atlanta　was　two　hours　away；　and　Abby　sat　in　a　secluded　corner　of　a　dark　lounge　watching。　Just　watching。　In　the　chair　next　to　her　was　a　carry…on　bag。　Contrary　to　her　urgent　instructions；　she　had　packed　a　toothbrush；　makeup　and　a　few　clothes。　She　had　also　written　a　note　to　her　parents；　giving　a　brief　story　about　how　she　had　to　run　to　Memphis；　needed　to　see　Mitch；　everything's　fine；　don't　worry；　hugs　and　kisses；　love；　Abby。　She　ignored　the　coffee　and　watched　the　arriving　and　departing。
　　She　did　not　know　if　he　was　dead　or　alive。　Tammy　said　he　was　scared；　but　very　much　in　control。　As　always。　She　said　he　was　flying　to　Nashville；　and　she；　Tammy；　was　flying　to　Memphis。　Confusing；　but　she　was　certain　he　knew　what　he　was　doing。　Get　to　Perdido　Beach　and　wait。
　　Abby　had　never　heard　of　Perdido　Beach。　And　she　was　certain　he'd　never　been　there　either。
　　The　lounge　was　nerve…racking。　Every　ten　minutes　a　drunk　businessman　would　venture　over　and　throw　something　suggestive　at　her。　Get　lost；　she　said　a　dozen　times。
　　After　two　hours；　they　boarded。　Abby　was　stuck　in　the　aisle　seat。　She　buckled　her　belt　and　relaxed。　And　then　she　saw　her。
　　She　was　a　striking　blonde　with　high　cheekbones　and　a　firm　jaw　that　was　almost　unfeminine；　yet　strong　and　attractive。　Abby　had　seen　the　partial　face　before。　Partial；　because　the　eyes　were　covered；　as　before。　She　looked　at　Abby　and　glanced　away　as　she　passed　and　went　to　her　seat　somewhere　in　the　rear。
　　The　Shipwreck　Bar！　The　blonde　in　the　Shipwreck　Bar。　The　blonde　who　was　eavesdropping　on　her　and　Mitch　and　Abanks。　They　had　found　her。　And　if　they　had　found　her；　where　was　her　husband？　What　had　they　done　to　him？　She　thought　of　the　two…hour　drive　from　Danesboro　to　Huntington；　through　the　winding　mountain　roads。　She　had　driven　like　a　maniac。　They　could　not　have　followed　her。
　　They　taxied　from　the　terminal　and　minutes　later　lifted　off　for　Atlanta。
　　For　a　second　time　in　three　weeks；　Abby　watched　dusk　from　the　inside　of　a　727　at　the　airport　in　Atlanta。　She　and　the　blonde。　They　were　on　the　ground　for　thirty　minutes　and　then　left　for　Mobile。
　　From　Cincinnati；　Mitch　flew　to　Nashville。　He　arrived　at　6　P。M。；　Wednesday；　long　after　the　banks　had　closed。　He　found　a　U…Haul　truck　rental　place　in　the　phone　book　and　flagged　a　cab。
　　He　rented　one　of　the　smaller　models；　a　sixteen…footer。　He　paid　cash；　but　was　forced　to　use　his　driver's　license　and　a　credit　card　for　a　deposit。　If　DeVasher　could　track　him　to　a　U…Haul　place　in　Nashville；　so　be　it。　He　bought　twenty　cardboard　packing　boxes　and　left　for　the　apartment。
　　He　had　not　eaten　since　Tuesday　night；　but　he　was　in　luck。　Tammy　had　left　a　bag　of　microwave　popcorn　and　two　beers。　He　ate　like　a　pig。　At　eight；　he　made　his　first　call　to　the　Perdido　Beach　Hilton。　He　asked　for　Lee　Stevens。　He　had　not　arrived；　she　said。　He　stretched　out　on　the　den　floor　and　thought　of　a　hundred　things　that　could　happen　to　Abby。　She　could　be　dead　in　Kentucky　and　he　wouldn't　know。　He　couldn't　call。
　　The　couch　had　not　been　folded；　and　the　cheap　sheets　hung　off　the　end　and　fell　to　the　floor。　Tammy　was　not　much　for　housework。　He　looked　at　the　small；　temporary　bed　and　thought　of　Abby。　Only　five　nights　ago；　they　had　tried　to　kill　each　other　on　the　bed。　Hopefully；　she　was　on　the　plane。　Alone。
　　In　the　bedroom；　he　sat　on　the　unopened　Sony　box　and　marveled　at　the　roomful　of　documents。　Across　the　carpet　she　had　built　perfect　columns　of　paper；　all　painstakingly　divided　into　Cayman　banks　and　Cayman　panies。　On　top　of　each　stack　was　a　yellow　legal　pad；　with　the　pany　name　followed　by　pages　of　dates　and　entries。　And　names！
　　Even　Tarrance　could　follow　the　paper　trail。　A　grand　jury　would　eat　it　up。　The　U。S。　Attorney　would　call　press　conferences。　And　the　trial　juries　would　convict；　and　convict　and　convict。
　　Special　Agent　Jenkins　yawned　into　the　telephone　receiver　and　punched　the　numbers　to　the　Memphis　office。　He　had　not　slept　in　twenty…four　hours。　Jones　was　snoring　in　the　car。
　　〃FBI；〃　a　male　voice　said。
　　〃Yeah；　who's　there？〃　Jenkins　asked。　Just　a　routine　check…in。
　　〃Acklin。〃
　　〃Hey；　Rick。　This　is　Jenkins。　We've…〃
　　〃Jenkins！　Where　have　you　been？　Hold　on！〃
　　Jenkins　quit　yawning　and　looked　around　the　bus　terminal。　An　angry　voice　yelled　into　the　earpiece。
　　〃Jenkins！　Where　are　you？〃　It　was　Wayne　Tarrance。
　　〃We're　at　the　bus　station　in　Mobile。　We've　lost　him。〃
　　〃You　what？　How　could　you　lose　him？〃
　　Jenkins　was　suddenly　alert　and　leaning　into　the　phone。　〃Wait　a　minute；　Wayne。　Our　instructions　were　to　follow　him　for　eight　hours　to　see　where　he　went。　Routine；　you　said。〃
　　〃I　can't　believe　you　lost　him。〃
　　〃Wayne；　we　weren't　told　to　follow　him　for　the　rest　of　his　life。　Eight　hours；　Wayne。　We've　followed　for　twenty　hours；　and　he's　disappeared。　What's　the　big　deal？〃
　　〃Why　haven't　you　called　in　before　now？〃
　　〃We　called　in　twice。　In　Birmingham　and　Montgomery。　Line　was　busy　both　times。　What's　going　on；　Wayne？〃
　　〃Just　a　minute。〃
　　Jenkins　grabbed　the　phone　tighter　and　waited。　Another　voice：　〃Hello；　Jenkins？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Director　Voyles　here。　What　the　hell　happened？〃
　　Jenkins　held　his　breath　and　looked　wildly　around　the　terminal。　〃Sir；　we　lost　him。　We　followed　him　for　twenty　hours；　and　when　he　got　off　the　bus　here　in　Mobile；　we　lost　him　in　the　crowd。〃
　　〃That's　great；　son。　How　long　ago？〃
　　〃Twenty　minutes。〃
　　〃All　right；　listen。　We　desperately　need　to　find　him。　His　brother　has　taken　our　money　and　disappeared。　Call　the　locals　there　in　Mobile。　Tell　them　who　you　are；　and　that　an　escaped　murderer　is　on　the　loose　in　town。　They've　probably　got　Ray　McDeere's　name　and　picture　stuck　to　the　walls。　His　mother　lives　in　Panama　City　Beach；　so　alert　every　local　between　there　and　Mobile。　I'm　sending　in　our　troops。〃
　　〃Okay。　I'm　sorry；　sir。　We　weren't　told　to　trail〃　him　forever。〃
　　〃We'll　discuss　it　later。〃
　　At　ten；　Mitch　called　the　Perdido　Beach　Hilton　for　the　second　time。　He　asked　for　Rachel　James。　No　arrival。　He　asked　for　Lee　Stevens。　One　moment；　she　said。　Mitch　sat　on　the　floor　and　waited　intently。　The　line　to　the　room　was　ringing。　After　a　dozen　rings；　someone　picked　up。
　　〃Yeah。〃　It　was　quick。
　　〃Lee？〃　Mitch　asked。
　　A　pause。　〃Yeah。〃
　　〃This　is　Mitch。　Congratulations。〃
　　Ray　fell　on　the　bed　and　closed　his　eyes。　〃It　was　so　easy；　Mitch。　How'd　you　do　it？〃
　　〃I'll　tell　you　when　we　have　time。　Right　now；　there　are　a　bunch　of　folks　trying　to　kill　me。　And　Abby。　We're　on　the　run。
　　〃Who；　Mitch？〃
　　〃It　would　take　ten　hours　to　tell　the　first　chapter。　We'll　do　it　later。　Write　this　number　down。　615…889…4380。〃
　　〃That's　not　Memphis。〃
　　〃No；　it's　Nashville。　I'm　in　an　apartment　that's　serving　as　mission　control。　Memorize　that　number。　If　I'm　not　here；　the　phone　will　be　answered　by　a　girl　named　Tammy。〃
　　〃Tammy？〃
　　〃It's　a　long　story。　Just　do　as　I　say。　Sometime　tonight；　Abby　will　check　in　there　under　the　name　of　Rachel　James。　She'll　be　in　a　rented　car。〃
　　〃She's　ing　here！〃
　　〃Just　listen；　Ray。　The　cannibals　are　chasing　us；　but　we're　a　step　ahead　of　them。〃
　　〃Ahead　of　who？〃
　　〃The　Mafia。　And　the　FBI。〃
　　〃Is　that　all？〃
　　〃Probably。　Now　listen　to　me。　There　is　a　slight　chance　Abby　is　being　followed。　You've　got　to　find　her；　watch　her　and　make　damned　sure　no　one　is　behind　her。〃
　　〃And　if　they　are？〃
　　〃Call　me；　and　we'll　talk　about　it。〃
　　〃No　problem。〃
　　〃Don't　use　the　phone　except　to　call　this　number。　And　we　can't　talk　much。〃
　　〃I've　got　a　bunch　of　questions；　little　brother。〃
　　〃And　I've　got　the　answers；　but　not　now。　Take　care　of　my　wife　and　call　me　when　she　gets　there。〃
　　〃Will　do。　And；　Mitch；　thanks。〃
　　〃Adios。〃
　　
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　　An　hour　later　Abby　turned　off　Highway　182　onto　the　winding　driveway　to　the　Hilton。　She　parked　the　four…door　Cutlass　with　Alabama　tags　and　walked　nervously　under　the　sprawling　veranda　to　the　front　doors。　She　stopped　for　a　second；　looked　behind　her　at　the　driveway　and　went　inside。
　　Two　minutes　later；　a　yellow　cab　from　Mobile　stopped　under　the　veranda；　behind　the　shuttle　vans。　Ray　watched　the　cab。　A　woman　was　in　the　back　seat　leaning　forward　and　talking　to　the　driver。　They　waited　a　minute。　She　pulled　money　from　her　purse　and　paid　him。　She　got　out　and　waited　until　the　cab　drove　away。　The　woman　was　a　blonde；　and　that　was　the　first　thing　he　noticed。　Very　shapely；　with　tight　black　corduroy　pants。　And　black　sunglasses；　which　seemed　odd　to　him　because　it　was　pushing　midnight。　She　walked　suspiciously　to　the　front　doors；　waited　a　minute；　then　went　in。　He　watched　her　carefully。　He　moved　toward　the　lobby。
　　The　blonde　approached　the　only　clerk　behind　the　registration　desk。　〃A　single　room；　please；〃　he　heard　her　say。
　　The　clerk　slid　a　registration　form　across　the　counter。　The　blonde　wrote　her　name　and　asked；　〃That　lady　who　just　checked　in　before　me；　what's　her　name？　I　think　she's　an　old　friend。〃
　　The　clerk　nipped　through　the　registration　cards。　〃Rachel　James。〃
　　〃Yeah；　that's　her。　Where's　she　from？〃
　　〃It's　a　Memphis　address；〃　the　clerk　said。
　　〃What's　her　room　number？　I'd　like　to　say　hello。〃