jg.thepelicanbrief-第15节

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ain　that　in　exactly　three　hours　and　twenty　minutes　the　dirty　movie　business　in　D。C。　would　take　a　helluva　blow。　Twenty…two　of　these　little　joints　were　supposed　to　receive　black　boxes　tonight；　and　at　4　A。M。　they　were　all　supposed　to　be　closed　and　deserted；　and　demolished。　Three　all…nighters　were　scratched　from　the　list；　because　his　was　a　nonviolent　group。　
　　
　　He　adjusted　his　sunglasses　and　took　one　last　look　at　the　cushion　next　to　him。　Judging　from　the　cups　and　popcorn　on　the　floor；　the　place　got　swept　once　a　week。　No　one　would　notice　the　switch　and　tube　barely　visible　between　the　ragged　threads。　He　cautiously　flipped　the　switch；　and　left　the　Montrose。　
　　
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　　ERIC　EAST　had　never　met　the　President；　nor　been　in　the　White　House。　And　he'd　never　met　Fletcher　Coal；　but　he　knew　he　wouldn't　like　him。　
　　
　　He　followed　Director　Voyles　and　K。　O。　Lewis　into　the　Oval　Office　at　seven　Saturday　morning。　There　were　no　smiles　or　handshakes。　East　was　introduced　by　Voyles。　The　President　nodded　from　behind　the　desk　but　did　not　stand。　Coal　was　reading　something。　
　　
　　Twenty　porno　houses　had　been　torched　in　the　B。C。　area；　and　many　were　still　smoldering。　They　had　seen　the　smoke　above　the　city　from　the　back　of　the　limo。　At　a　dump　called　Angels　a　janitor　had　been　badly　burned　and　was　not　expected　to　live。　
　　
　　An　hour　ago　they　had　received　word　that　an　anonymous　caller　to　a　radio　station　had　claimed　responsibility　for　the　Underground　Army；　and　he　promised　more　of　the　same　in　celebration　of　the　death　of　Rosenberg。　
　　
　　The　President　spoke　first。　He　looked　tired；　East　thought。　It　was　such　an　early　hour　for　him。　〃How　many　places　got　bombed？〃
　　
　　〃Twenty　here；〃　Voyles　answered。　〃Seventeen　in　Baltimore　and　around　fifteen　in　Atlanta。　It　appears　as　though　the　assault　was　carefully　coordinated　because　all　the　explosions　happened　at　precisely　4　A。M。〃　
　　
　　Coal　looked　up　from　his　memo。　〃Director；　do　you　believe　it's　the　Underground　Army？〃
　　
　　〃As　of　now　they're　the　only　ones　claiming　responsibility。　It　looks　like　some　of　their　work。　Could　be。〃　Voyles　did　not　look　at　Coal　when　he　spoke　to　him。
　　
　　〃So　when　do　you　start　making　arrests？〃　the　President　asked。
　　
　　〃At　the　precise　moment　we　obtain　probable　cause；　Mr。　President。　That's　the　law；　you　understand。〃
　　
　　〃I　understand　this　outfit　is　your　top　suspect　in　the　killings　of　Rosenberg　and　Jensen；　and　that　you're　certain　it　killed　a　federal　trial　judge　in　Texas；　and　it　most　likely　bombed　at　least　fifty…two　smut　houses　last　night。　I　don't　understand　why　they're　bombing　and　killing　with　immunity。　Hell；　Director；　we're　under　siege。〃　
　　
　　Voyles'　neck　turned　red；　but　he　said　nothing。　He　just　looked　away　while　the　President　glared　at　him。　K。　O。　Lewis　cleared　his　throat。　〃Mr。　President；　if　I　may；　we　are　not　convinced　the　Underground　Army　was　involved　with　the　deaths　of　Rosenberg　and　Jensen。　In　fact；　we　have　no　evidence　linking　them。　They　are　only　one　of　a　dozen　suspects。　As　I've　said　before；　the　killings　were　remarkably　clean；　well　organized；　and　very　professional。　Extremely　professional。〃　
　　
　　Coal　stepped　forward。　〃What　you're　trying　to　say；　Mr。　Lewis；　is　that　you　have　no　idea　who　killed　them；　and　you　may　never　know。〃
　　
　　〃No；　that's　not　what　I'm　saying。　We'll　find　them；　but　it　will　take　time。〃
　　
　　〃How　much　time？〃　asked　the　President。　It　was　an　obvious；　sophomoric　question　with　no　good　answer。　East　immediately　disliked　the　President　for　asking　it。
　　
　　〃Months；〃　Lewis　said。
　　
　　〃How　many　months？〃
　　
　　〃Many　months。〃　
　　
　　The　President　rolled　his　eyes　and　shook　his　head；　then　with　great　disgust　stood　and　walked　to　the　window。　He　spoke　to　the　window。　〃I　can't　believe　there's　no　relation　between　what　happened　last　night　and　the　dead　judges。　I　don't　know。　Maybe　I'm　just　paranoid。〃　
　　
　　Voyles　shot　a　quick　smirk　at　Lewis。　Paranoid；　insecure；　clueless；　dumb；　out　of　touch。　Voyles　could　think　of　many　others。　
　　
　　The　President　continued；　still　pondering　the　window。　〃I　just　get　nervous　when　assassins　are　loose　around　here　and　bombs　are　going　off。　Who　can　blame　me？　We　haven't　killed　a　President　in　over　thirty　years。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　I　think　you're　safe；　Mr。　President；〃　Voyles　said　with　a　trace　of　amusement。　〃The　Secret　Service　has　things　under　control。〃
　　
　　〃Great。　Then　why　do　I　feel　as　though　I'm　in　Beirut？〃　He　was　almost　mumbling　into　the　window。　
　　
　　Coal　sensed　the　awkwardness　and　picked　up　a　thick　memo　from　the　desk。　He　held　it　and　spoke　to　Voyles；　much　like　a　professor　lecturing　to　his　class。
　　
　　This　is　the　short　list　of　potential　nominees　to　the　Supreme　Court。　There　are　eight　names；　each　with　a　biography。　It　was　prepared　by　Justice。　We　started　with　twenty　names；　then　the　President；　Attorney　General　Horton；　and　myself　cut　it　to　eight；　none　of　whom　have　any　idea　they　are　being　considered。〃　
　　
　　Voyles　still　looked　away。　The　President　slowly　returned　to　his　desk；　and　picked　up　his　copy　of　the　memo。　Coal　continued。
　　
　　Some　of　these　people　are　controversial；　and　if　they　are　ultimately　nominated　we'll　have　a　small　war　getting　them　approved　by　the　Senate。　We'd　prefer　not　to　start　fighting　now。　This　must　be　kept　confidential。〃　
　　
　　Voyles　suddenly　turned　and　glared　at　Coal。You're　an　idiot；　Coal！　We've　done　this　before；　and　I　can　assure　you　when　we　start　checking　on　these　people　the　cat's　out　of　the　bag。　You　want　a　thorough　background　investigation；　and　yet　you　expect　everyone　contacted　to　keep　quiet。　It　doesn't　work　that　way；　son。〃　
　　
　　Coal　stepped　closer　to　Voyles。　His　eyes　were　glowing。　〃You　bust　your　ass　to　make　sure　these　names　are　kept　out　of　the　papers　until　they're　nominated。　You　make　it　work；　Director。　You　plug　the　leaks　and　keep　it　out　of　the　papers；　understand。〃　
　　
　　Voyles　was　on　his　feet；　pointing　at　Coal。　〃Listen；　asshole；　you　want　them　checked　out；　you　do　it　yourself。　Don't　start　giving　me　a　bunch　of　boy　scout　orders。〃　
　　
　　Lewis　stood　between　them；　and　the　President　stood　behind　his　desk；　and　for　a　second　or　two　nothing　was　said。　Coal　placed　his　memo　on　the　desk　and　retreated　a　few　steps；　looking　away。　The　President　was　now　the　peacemaker。　〃Sit　down；　Denton。　Sit　down。〃　
　　
　　Voyles　returned　to　his　seat　while　staring　at　Coal。　The　President　smiled　at　Lewis　and　everyone　took　a　seat。　〃We're　all　under　a　lot　of　pressure；〃　the　President　said　warmly。　
　　
　　Lewis　spoke　calmly。　〃We'll　perform　the　routine　investigations　on　your　names；　Mr。　President；　and　it　will　be　done　in　the　strictest　of　confidence。　You　know；　however；　that　we　cannot　control　every　person　we　talk　to。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　Mr。　Lewis；　I　know　that。　But　I　want　extra　caution。　These　men　are　young　and　will　shape　and　reshape　the　Constitution　long　after　I'm　dead。　They're　staunchly　conservative；　and　the　press　will　eat　them　alive。　They　must　be　free　from　warts　and　skeletons　in　the　closet。　No　dope　smokers；　or　illegitimate　children；　or　DUIs；　or　radical　student　activity；　or　divorces。　Understand？　No　surprises。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　Mr。　President。　But　we　cannot　guarantee　total　secrecy　in　our　investigations。〃
　　
　　〃Just　try；　okay。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃　Lewis　handed　the　memo　to　Eric　East。
　　
　　〃Is　that　all？〃　Voyles　asked。　
　　
　　The　President　glanced　at　Coal；　who　was　ignoring　them　all　and　standing　before　the　window。　〃Yes；　Denton；　that's　all。　I'd　like　to　have　these　names　checked　out　in　ten　days。　I　want　to　move　fast　on　this。〃　
　　
　　Voyles　was　standing。　〃You'll　have　it　in　ten　days。〃　
　　
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　　CALLAHAN　WAS　IRRITATED　when　he　knocked　on　the　door　to　Darby's　apartment。　He　was　quite　perturbed　and　had　a　lot　on　his　mind；　a　lot　that　he　wanted　to　say；　but　he　knew　better　than　to　start　a　fight　because　there　was　something　he　wanted　much　worse　than　to　blow　off　a　little　steam。　She　had　avoided　him　for　four　days　now　while　she　played　detective　and　barricaded　herself　in　the　law　library。　She　had　skipped　classes　and　failed　to　return　his　calls；　and　in　general　neglected　him　during　his　hour　of　crisis。　But　he　knew　when　she　opened　the　door　he　would　smile　and　forget　about　being　neglected。　
　　
　　He　held　a　liter　of　wine　and　a　real　pizza　from　Mama　Rosa's。　It　was　after　ten；　Saturday　night。　He　knocked　again；　and　looked　up　and　down　the　street　at　the　neat　duplexes　and　bungalows。　The　chain　rattled　from　inside；　and　he　instantly　smiled。　The　neglect　vanished。
　　
　　〃Who　is　it？〃　she　asked　through　the　chain。
　　
　　〃Thomas　Callahan；　remember？　I'm　at　your　door　begging　you　to　let　me　in　so　we　can　play　and　be　friends　again。〃　
　　
　　The　door　opened　and　Callahan　stepped　in。　She　took　the　wine　and　pecked　him　on　the　cheek。　〃Are　we　still　buddies？〃　he　asked。
　　
　　〃Yes；　Thomas。　I've　been　busy。〃　He　followed　her　through　the　cluttered　den　to　the　kitchen。　A　puter　and　an　assortment　of　thick　books　covered　the　table。
　　
　　〃I　called。　Why　didn't　you　call　me　back？〃
　　
　　〃I've　been　out；〃　she　said；　opening　a　drawer　and　removing　a　corkscrew。
　　
　　〃You've　got　a　machine。　I've　been　talking　to　it。〃
　　
　　〃Are　you　trying　to　fight；　Thomas？〃　
　　
　　He　looked　at　her　bare　legs。　〃No！　I　swear　I'm　not　mad。　I　promise。　Please　forgive　me　if