jg.thepelicanbrief-第66节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


n。　He　assumed　his　office　was　wired　and　his　phones　were　bugged。　He　caught　suspicious　looks　from　Wakefield。　He　saw　Velmano　in　Wakefield's　office　more　than　usual。　
　　
　　Then　Justices　Rosenberg　and　Jensen　were　killed。　There　was　no　doubt　in　his　mind　it　was　the　work　of　Mattiece　and　his　associates。　The　memo　did　not　mention　Mattiece；　but　it　referred　to　a　〃client。〃　Wakefield　had　no　other　clients。　And　no　one　client　had　as　much　to　gain　from　a　new　Court　as　Mattiece。　
　　
　　The　last　paragraph　of　the　affidavit　was　frightening。　On　two　occasions　after　the　assassinations；　Morgan　knew　he　was　being　followed。　He　was　taken　off　the　pelican　case。　He　was　given　more　work；　more　hours；　more　demands。　He　was　afraid　of　being　killed。　If　they　would　kill　two　justices；　they　would　kill　a　lowly　associate。　
　　
　　He　signed　it　under　oath　before　Emily　Stanford；　a　notary　public。　Her　address　was　typed　under　her　name。
　　
　　〃Sit　tight。　I'll　be　right　back；〃　Gray　said　as　he　opened　his　door　and　jumped　out。　He　dodged　cars　and　dashed　across　E　Street。　There　was　a　pay　phone　outside　a　bakery。　He　punched　Smith　Keen's　number　and　looked　at　his　rented　car　parked　haphazardly　across　the　street。
　　
　　〃Smith；　it's　Gray。　Listen　carefully　and　do　as　I　say。　I've　got　another　source　on　the　pelican　brief。　It's　big；　Smith；　and　I　need　you　and　Krauthammer　in　Feldman's　office　in　fifteen　minutes。〃
　　
　　〃What　is　it？〃
　　
　　〃Garcia　left　a　farewell　message。　We　have　one　more　stop；　and　we're　ing　in。〃
　　
　　〃We？　The　girl's　ing　in？〃
　　
　　〃Yes。　Get　a　TV　with　a　VCR　in　the　conference　room。　I　think　Garcia　wants　to　talk　to　us。〃
　　
　　〃He　left　a　tape？〃
　　
　　〃Yes。　Fifteen　minutes。〃
　　
　　〃Are　you　safe？〃
　　
　　〃I　think　so。　I'm　just　nervous　as　hell；　Smith。〃　He　hung　up　and　ran　back　to　the　car。　
　　
　　*　　*　　*
　　
　　MS。　STANFORD　owned　a　court　reporting　service　on　Vermont。　She　was　dusting　the　bookshelves　when　Gray　and　Darby　walked　in。　They　were　in　a　hurry。
　　
　　〃Are　you　Emily　Stanford？〃　he　asked。
　　
　　〃Yes。　Why？〃　
　　
　　He　showed　her　the　last　page　of　the　affidavit。　〃Did　you　notarize　this？〃
　　
　　〃Who　are　you？〃
　　
　　〃Gray　Grantham　with　the　Washington　Post。　Is　this　your　signature？〃
　　
　　〃Yes。　I　notarized　it。〃　
　　
　　Darby　handed　her　the　photograph　of　Garcia；　now　Morgan；　on　the　sidewalk。　〃Is　this　the　man　who　signed　the　affidavit？〃　she　asked。
　　
　　〃This　is　Curtis　Morgan。　Yes。　That's　him。〃
　　
　　〃Thank　you；〃　Gray　said。
　　
　　〃He's　dead；　isn't　he？〃　Ms。　Stanford　asked。　〃I　saw　it　in　the　paper。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　he's　dead；〃　Gray　said。　〃Did　you　by　chance　read　this　affidavit？〃
　　
　　〃Oh　no。　I　just　witnessed　his　signature。　But　I　knew　something　was　wrong。〃
　　
　　〃Thank　you；　Ms。　Stanford。〃　They　left　as　fast　as　they'd　e。　
　　
　　*　　*　　*
　　
　　THE　THIN　MAN　hid　his　shiny　forehead　under　a　ragged　fedora。　His　pants　were　rags　and　his　shoes　were　torn；　and　he　sat　in　his　ancient　wheelchair　in　front　of　the　Post　and　held　a　sign　proclaiming　him　to　be　HUNGRY　AND　HOMELESS。　He　rolled　his　head　from　shoulder　to　shoulder　as　if　the　muscles　in　his　neck　had　collapsed　from　hunger。　A　paper　bowl　with　a　few　dollars　and　coins　was　in　his　lap；　but　it　was　his　money。　Maybe　he　could　do　better　if　he　was　blind。　
　　
　　He　looked　pitiful；　sitting　there　like　a　vegetable；　rolling　his　head；　wearing　green　Kermit　the　Frog　sunglasses。　He　watched　every　move　on　the　street。　
　　
　　He　saw　the　car　fly　around　the　corner　and　park　illegally。　The　man　and　the　woman　jumped　out；　and　ran　toward　him。　He　had　a　gun　under　the　ragged　quilt；　but　they　were　moving　too　fast。　And　there　were　too　many　people　on　the　sidewalk。　They　entered　the　Post　building。　
　　
　　He　waited　a　minute；　then　rolled　himself　away。　
　　
　　*　　*　　*
　　
　　SMITH　KEEN　was　pacing　and　fidgeting　in　front　of　Feldman's　office　door　as　the　secretary　looked　on。　He　saw　them　weaving　hurriedly　down　the　aisle　between　the　rows　of　desks。　Gray　was　leading　and　holding　her　hand。　She　was　definitely　attractive；　but　he　would　appreciate　it　later。　They　were　breathless。
　　
　　〃Smith　Keen；　this　is　Darby　Shaw；〃　Gray　said　between　breaths。　
　　
　　They　shook　hands。　〃Hello；〃　she　said；　looking　around　at　the　sprawling　newsroom。
　　
　　〃My　pleasure；　Darby。　From　what　I　hear；　you　are　a　remarkable　woman。〃
　　
　　〃Right；〃　Grantham　said。　〃We　can　chitchat　later。〃
　　
　　〃Follow　me；〃　Keen　said；　and　they　were　off　again。　〃Feldman　wanted　to　use　the　conference　room。〃　They　cut　across　the　cluttered　newsroom；　and　walked　into　a　plush　room　with　a　long　table　in　the　center　of　it。　It　was　full　of　men　who　were　talking　but　immediately　shut　up　when　she　walked　in。　Feldman　closed　the　door。　
　　
　　〃He　reached　for　her　hand。I'm　Jackson　Feldman；　executive　editor。　You　must　be　Darby。〃
　　
　　〃Who　else？〃　Gray　said；　still　breathing　hard。　
　　
　　Feldman　ignored　him　and　looked　around　the　table。　He　pointed。This　is　Howard　Krauthammer；　managing　editor；　Ernie　DeBasio；　assistant　managing　editor/foreign；　Elliot　Cohen；　assistant　managing　editor/national；　and　Vince　Litsky；　our　attorney。〃　
　　
　　She　nodded　politely　and　forgot　each　name　as　she　heard　it。　They　were　all　at　least　fifty；　all　in　shirtsleeves；　all　deeply　concerned。　She　could　feel　the　tension。
　　
　　〃Give　me　the　tape；〃　Gray　said。　
　　
　　She　took　it　from　her　bag　and　handed　it　to　him。　The　television　and　VCR　were　at　the　end　of　the　room　on　a　portable　stand。　He　pushed　the　tape　into　the　VCR。　〃We　got　this　twenty　minutes　ago；　so　we　haven't　seen　it。〃　
　　
　　Darby　sat　in　a　chair　against　the　wall。　The　men　inched　toward　the　screen　and　waited　for　an　image。　
　　
　　On　a　black　screen　was　the　date…October　12。　Then　Curtis　Morgan　was　sitting　at　a　table　in　a　kitchen。　He　held　a　switch　that　evidently　worked　the　camera。
　　
　　〃My　name　is　Curtis　Morgan；　and　since　you're　watching　this；　I'm　probably　dead。〃　It　was　a　helluva　first　sentence。　The　men　grimaced　and　inched　closer。
　　
　　〃Today　is　October　12；　and　I'm　doing　this　at　my　house。　I'm　alone。　My　wife　is　at　the　doctor。　I　should　be　at　work；　but　I　called　in　sick。　My　wife　knows　nothing　about　any　of　this。　I've　told　no　one。　Since　you're　watching　this；　you've　also　seen　this。　＇He　holds　up　the　affidavit。＇　This　is　an　affidavit　I've　signed；　and　I　plan　to　leave　it　with　this　video；　probably　in　a　safe　deposit　box　in　a　bank　downtown。　I'll　read　the　affidavit；　and　discuss　other　things。〃
　　
　　〃We've　got　the　affidavit；〃　Gray　said　quickly。　He　was　standing　against　the　wall　next　to　Darby。　No　one　looked　at　him。　They　were　glued　to　the　screen。　Morgan　slowly　read　the　affidavit。　His　eyes　darted　from　the　pages　to　the　camera；　back　and　forth；　back　and　forth。　
　　
　　It　took　him　ten　minutes。　Each　time　Darby　heard　the　word　pelican；　she　closed　her　eyes　and　slowly　shook　her　head。　It　had　all　e　down　to　this。　It　was　a　bad　dream。　She　tried　to　listen。　
　　
　　When　Morgan　finished　the　affidavit；　he　laid　it　on　the　table；　and　looked　at　some　notes　on　a　legal　pad。　He　was　fortable　and　relaxed。　He　was　a　handsome　kid　who　looked　younger　than　twenty…nine。　He　was　at　home；　so　there　was　no　tie。　Just　a　starched　white　button…down。　White　and　Blazevich　was　not　an　ideal　place　to　work；　he　said；　but　most　of　the　four　hundred　lawyers　were　honest　and　probably　knew　nothing　about　Mattiece。　In　fact；　he　doubted　if　many　besides　Wakefield；　Velmano；　and　Einstein　were　involved　in　the　conspiracy。　There　was　a　partner　named　Jarreld　Schwabe　who　was　sinister　enough　to　be　involved；　but　Morgan　had　no　proof。　（Darby　remembered　him　well。）　There　was　an　ex…secretary　who'd　quit　abruptly　a　few　days　after　the　assassinations。　Her　name　was　Miriam　LaRue；　and　she'd　worked　in　the　oil　and　gas　section　for　eighteen　years。　She　might　know　something。　She　lives　in　Falls　Church。　Another　secretary　whom　he　would　not　name　had　told　him　she　overheard　a　conversation　between　Wakefield　and　Velmano；　and　the　topic　was　whether　he；　Morgan；　could　be　trusted。　But　she　just　heard　bits　and　pieces。　They　treated　him　differently　after　the　memo　was　found　on　his　desk。　Especially　Schwabe　and　Wakefield。　It　was　as　if　they　wanted　to　throw　him　up　against　the　wall　and　threaten　his　life　if　he　told　of　the　memo；　but　they　couldn't　do　it　because　they　weren't　sure　he'd　seen　it。　And　they　were　afraid　to　make　a　big　deal　out　of　it。　But　he'd　seen　it；　and　they　were　almost　certain　he'd　seen　it。　And　if　they　conspired　to　kill　Rosenberg　and　Jensen；　well；　hell；　he　was　just　an　associate。　He　could　be　replaced　in　seconds。　
　　
　　Litsky　the　lawyer　shook　his　head　in　disbelief。　The　numbness　was　wearing　off；　and　they　moved　a　bit　in　their　seats。　
　　
　　Morgan　muted　by　car；　and　twice　he　was　trailed。　Once　during　lunch；　he　saw　a　man　watching　him。　He　talked　about　his　family　for　a　while；　and　started　to　ramble。　It　was　apparent　he'd　run　out　of　hard　news。　Gray　handed　the　affidavit　and　the　memo　to　Feldman；　who　read　it　and　passed　it　to　Krauthammer；　who　passed　it　on。　
　　
　　Morgan　finished　with　a　chilling　farewell：　〃I　don't　know　who　will　see　this　tape。　I'll　be　dead；　so　it　won't　really　matter；　I　guess。　I　hope　you　use　this　to　nail　Mattiece　and　his　sleazy　lawyers。　But　if　the　sleazy　lawyers　are　watching　this　tape；　then　you　can　all　go　straight　to　hell。〃　
　　
　　Gray　ejected　the　tape。　He　rubbed　his　hands　together