jg.thefirm-第9部分

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ste；　and　said　she　would　see　Mitch　on　Monday；　to　do　his　office。　Marvelous；　he　said。
　　With　a　map　of　the　city；　they　set　out　for　the　Quin　residence。　Abby　had　seen　the　house　during　the　first　visit；　but　did　not　remember　how　to　find　it。　It　was　in　a　section　of　town　called　Chickasaw　Gardens；　and　she　remembered　the　wooded　lots；　huge　houses　and　professionally　landscaped　front　yards。　They　parked　in　the　driveway　behind　the　new　Mercedes　and　the　old　Mercedes。
　　The　maid　nodded　politely；　but　did　not　smile。　She　led　them　to　the　living　room；　and　left　them。　The　house　was　dark　and　quiet…no　children；　no　voices；　no　one。　They　admired　the　furniture　and　waited。　They　mumbled　quietly；　then　grew　impatient。　Yes；　they　agreed；　they　had　in　fact　been　invited　to　dinner　on　this　night；　Thursday；　June　25；　at　6　P。M。　Mitch　checked　his　watch　again　and　said　something　about　it　being　rude。　They　waited。
　　From　the　hallway；　Kay　emerged　and　attempted　to　smile。　Her　eyes　were　puffy　and　glazed；　with　mascara　leaking　from　the　corners。　Tears　flowed　freely　down　her　cheeks；　and　she　held　a　handkerchief　over　her　mouth。　She　hugged　Abby　and　sat　next　to　her　on　the　sofa。　She　bit　the　handkerchief　and　cried　louder。
　　Mitch　knelt　before　her。　〃Kay；　what's　happened？〃
　　She　bit　harder　and　shook　her　head。　Abby　squeezed　her　knee；　and　Mitch　patted　the　other　one。　They　watched　her　fearfully；　expecting　the　worst。　Was　it　Lamar　or　one　of　the　kids？
　　〃There's　been　a　tragedy；〃　she　said　through　the　quiet　sobbing。
　　〃Who　is　it？〃　Mitch　asked。
　　She　wiped　her　eyes　and　breathed　deeply。　〃Two　members　of　；　Marty　Kozinski　and　Joe　Hodge；　were　killed　today。　We　were　very　close　to　them。〃
　　Mitch　sat　on　the　coffee　table。　He　remembered　Marty　Kozinski　from　the　second　visit　in　April。　He　had　joined　Lamar　and　Mitch　for　lunch　at　a　deli　on　Front　Street。　He　was　next　in　line　for　a　partnership；　but　had　seemed　less　than　enthused。　Mitch　could　not　place　Joe　Hodge。
　　〃What　happened？〃　he　asked。
　　She　had　stopped　crying；　but　the　tears　continued。　She　wiped　her　face　again　and　looked　at　him。　〃We're　not　sure。　They　were　on　Grand　Cayman；　scuba　diving。　There　was　some　kind　of　an　explosion　on　a　boat；　and　we　think　they　drowned。　Lamar　said　details　were　sketchy。　There　was　a　firm　meeting　a　few　hours　ago；　and　they　were　all　told　about　it。　Lamar　barely　made　it　home。〃
　　〃Where　is　he？〃
　　〃By　the　pool。　He's　waiting　for　you。〃
　　He　sat　in　a　white　metal　lawn　chair　next　to　a　small　table　with　a　small　umbrella；　a　few　feet　from　the　edge　of　the　pool。　Near　a　flower　bed；　a　circular　lawn　sprinkler　rattled　and　hissed　and　spewed　forth　water　in　a　perfect　arc　which　included　the　table；　umbrella；　chair　and　Lamar　Quin。　He　was　soaked。　Water　dripped　from　his　nose；　ears　and　hair。　The　blue　cotton　shirt　and　wool　pants　were　saturated。　He　wore　no　socks　or　shoes。
　　He　sat　motionless；　never　flinching　with　each　additional　dousing。　He　had　lost　touch。　Some　distant　object　on　the　side　fence　attracted　and　held　his　attention。　An　unopened　bottle　of　Heineken　sat　in　a　puddle　on　the　concrete　beside　his　chair。
　　Mitch　surveyed　the　back　lawn；　in　part　to　make　sure　the　neighbors　could　not　see。　They　could　not。　An　eight…foot　cypress　fence　ensured　plete　privacy。　He　walked　around　the　pool　and　stopped　at　the　edge　of　the　dry　area。　Lamar　noticed　him；　nodded；　attempted　a　weak　smile　and　motioned　to　a　wet　chair。　Mitch　pulled　it　a　few　feet　away　and　sat　down；　just　as　the　next　barrage　of　water　landed。
　　His　stare　returned　to　the　fence；　or　whatever　it　was　in　the　distance。　For　an　eternity　they　sat　and　listened　to　the　thrashing　sound　of　the　sprinkler。　Lamar　would　sometimes　shake　his　head　and　attempt　to　mumble。　Mitch　smiled　awkwardly；　unsure　of　what；　if　anything；　needed　to　be　said。
　　〃Lamar；　I'm　very　sorry；〃　he　finally　offered。
　　He　acknowledged　this　and　looked　at　Mitch。　〃Me　too。〃
　　〃I　wish　I　could　say　something。〃
　　His　eyes　left　the　fence；　and　he　cocked　his　head　sideways　in　Mitch's　direction。　His　dark　hair　was　soaked　and　hung　in　his　eyes。　The　eyes　were　red　and　pained。　He　stared；　and　waited　until　the　next　round　of　water　passed　over。
　　〃I　know。　But　there's　nothing　to　say。　I'm　sorry　it　had　to　happen　now；　today。　We　didn't　feel　like　cooking。〃
　　〃That　should　be　the　least　of　your　concerns。　I　lost　my　appetite　a　moment　ago。〃
　　〃Do　you　remember　them？〃　he　asked；　blowing　water　from　his　lips。
　　〃I　remember　Kozinski；　but　not　Hodge；〃
　　〃Marty　Kozinski　was　one　of　my　best　friends。　From　Chicago。　He　joined　　three　years　ahead　of　me　and　was　next　in　line　for　a　partnership。　A　great　lawyer；　one　we　all　admired　and　turned　to。　Probably　the　best　negotiator　in　。　Very　cool　and　dry　under　pressure。〃
　　He　wiped　his　eyebrows　and　stared　at　the　ground。　When　he　talked　the　water　dripped　from　his　nose　and　interfered　with　his　enunciation。　〃Three　kids。　His　twin　girls　are　a　month　older　than　our　son；　and　they've　always　played　together。〃　He　closed　his　eyes；　bit　his　lip　and　started　crying。
　　Mitch　wanted　to　leave。　He　tried　not　to　look　at　his　friend。　〃I'm　very　sorry；　Lamar。　Very　sorry。〃
　　After　a　few　minutes；　the　crying　stopped；　but　the　water　continued。　Mitch　surveyed　the　spacious　lawn　in　search　of　the　outside　faucet。　Twice　he　summoned　the　courage　to　ask　if　he　could　turn　off　the　sprinkler；　and　twice　he　decided　he　could　last　if　Lamar　could。　Maybe　it　helped。　He　checked　his　watch。　Darkness　was　an　hour　and　a　half　away。
　　〃What　about　the　accident？〃　Mitch　finally　asked。
　　〃We　weren't　told　much。　They　were　scuba　diving　and　there　was　an　explosion　on　the　boat。　The　dive　captain　was　also　killed。　A　native　of　the　islands。　They're　trying　to　get　the　bodies　home　now。〃
　　〃Where　were　their　wives？〃
　　〃At　home；　thankfully。　It　was　a　business　trip。〃
　　〃I　can't　picture　Hodge。〃
　　〃Joe　was　a　tall　blond…headed　guy　who　didn't　say　much。　The　kind　you　meet　but　don't　remember。　He　was　a　Harvard　man　like　yourself。〃
　　〃How　old　was　he？〃
　　〃He　and　Marty　were　both　thirty…four。　He　would've　made　partner　after　Marty。　They　were　very　close。　I　guess　we're　all　close；　especially　now。〃
　　With　all　ten　fingernails　he　bed　his　hair　straight　back。　He　stood　and　walked　to　dry　ground。　Water　poured　from　his　shirttail　and　the　cuffs　of　his　pants。　He　stopped　near　Mitch　and　looked　blankly　at　the　treetops　next　door。　〃How's　the　BMW？〃
　　〃It's　great。　A　fine　car。　Thanks　for　delivering　it。〃
　　〃When　did　you　arrive？〃
　　〃This　morning。　I've　already　put　three　hundred　miles　on　it。〃
　　〃Did　the　interior　woman　show　up？〃

　　〃Yeah。　She　and　Abby　spent　next　year's　salary。〃
　　〃That's　nice。　Nice　house。　We're　glad　you're　here；　Mitch。　I'm　just　sorry　about　the　circumstances。　You'll　like　it　here。〃
　　〃You　don't　have　to　apologize。〃
　　〃I　still　don't　believe　it。　I'm　numb；　paralyzed。　I　shudder　at　the　thought　of　seeing　Marty's　wife　and　the　kids。　I'd　rather　be　lashed　with　a　bullwhip　than　go　over　there。〃
　　The　women　appeared；　walked　across　the　wooden　patio　deck　and　down　the　steps　to　the　pool。　Kay　found　the　faucet　and　the　sprinkler　was　silenced。
　　They　left　Chickasaw　Gardens　and　drove　west　with　the　traffic　toward　downtown；　into　the　fading　sun。　They　held　hands；　but　said　little。　Mitch　opened　the　sunroof　and　rolled　down　the　windows。　Abby　picked　through　a　box　of　old　cassettes　and　found　Springsteen。　The　stereo　worked　fine。　〃Hungry　Heart〃　blew　from　the　windows　as　the　little　shiny　roadster　made　its　way　toward　the　river。　The　warm；　sticky；　humid　Memphis　summer　air　settled　in　with　the　dark。　Softball　fields　came　to　life　as　teams　of　fat　men　with　tight　polyester　pants　and　lime…green　and　fluorescent…yellow　shirts　laid　chalk　lines　and　prepared　to　do　battle。　Cars　full　of　teenagers　crowded　into　fast…food　joints　to　drink　beer　and　gossip　and　check　out　the　opposite　sex。　Mitch　began　to　smile。　He　tried　to　forget　about　Lamar；　and　Kozinski　and　Hodge。　Why　should　he　be　sad？　They　were　not　his　friends。　He　was　sorry　for　their　families；　but　he　did　not　really　know　these　people。　And　he；　Mitchell　Y。　McDeere；　a　poor　kid　with　no　family；　had　much　to　be　happy　about。　Beautiful　wife；　new　house；　new　car；　new　job；　new　Harvard　degree。　A　brilliant　mind　and　a　solid　body　that　did　not　gain　weight　and　needed　little　sleep。　Eighty　thousand　a　year；　for　now。　In　two　years　he　could　be　in　six　figures；　and　all　he　had　to　do　was　work　ninety　hours　a　week。　Piece　of　cake。
　　He　pulled　into　a　self…serve　and　pumped　fifteen　gallons。　He　paid　inside　and　bought　a　six…pack　of　Michelob。　Abby　opened　two；　and　they　darted　back　into　the　traffic。　He　was　smiling　now。
　　〃Let's　eat；〃　he　said。
　　〃We're　not　exactly　dressed；〃　she　said。
　　He　stared　at　her　long；　brown　legs。　She　wore　a　white　cotton　skirt；　above　the　knees；　with　a　white　cotton　button…down。　He　had　shorts；　deck　shoes　and　a　faded　black　polo。　〃With　legs　like　that；　you　could　get　us　into　any　restaurant　in　New　York。〃
　　〃How　about　the　Rendezvous？　The　dress　seemed　casual。〃
　　〃Great　idea。〃
　　They　paid　to　park　in　a　lot　downtown　and　walked　two　blocks　to　a　narrow　alley。　The　smell　of　barbecue　mixed　with　the　summer　air　and　hung　like　a　fog　close　to　the　pavement。　The　aroma　filtered　gently　through　the　nose；　mouth　and　eyes　and　caused　a　rippling　sensation　deep　in　the　stomach。　Smoke　poured　into　the　alley　from　vents　running　underground　into　the　massive　ovens　where　the　best　pork　ribs　were　barbecued　in　the　best　barbecue　restaurant　i