jg.thefirm-第31节

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　　〃It　looked　difficult　at　first。　He　told　the　first　girl　to　get　lost。　Avery　had　the　other　one；　but　your　man　wanted　no　part　of　her　friend。　He　left　and　went　to　that　little　bar　on　the　beach。　That's　when　our　girl　there　showed　up。　She's　a　pro。〃
　　〃Where　were　your　people？〃
　　〃All　over　the　place。　Those　were　shot　from　behind　a　palm　tree；　about　eighty　feet　away。　Pretty　good；　aren't　they？〃
　　〃Very　good。　Give　the　photographer　a　bonus。　How　long　did　they　roll　in　the　sand？〃
　　〃Long　enough。　They　were　very　patible。〃
　　〃I　think　he　really　enjoyed　himself。〃
　　〃We　were　lucky。　The　beach　was　deserted　and　the　timing　was　perfect。〃
　　Lambert　raised　a　photograph　toward　the　ceiling；　in　front　of　his　eyes。　〃Did　you　make　me　a　set？〃　he　asked　from　behind　it。
　　〃Of　course；　Ollie。　I　know　how　much　you　enjoy　these　things。〃
　　〃I　thought　McDeere　would　be　tougher　than　that。〃
　　〃He's　tough；　but　he's　human。　He's　no　dummy　either。　We're　not　sure；　but　we　think　he　knew　we　were　watching　him　the　next　day　durjng　lunch。　He　seemed　suspicious　and　began　darting　around　the　shopping　district。　Then　he　disappeared。　He　was　an　hour　late　for　his　meeting　with　Avery　at　the　bank。〃
　　〃Where'd　he　go？〃
　　〃We　don't　know。　We　were　just　watching　out　of　curiosity；　nothing　serious。　Hell；　he　might've　been　in　a　bar　downtown　for　all　we　know。　But　he　just　disappeared。〃
　　〃Watch　him　carefully。　He　worries　me。〃
　　DeVasher　waved　another　manila　envelope。　〃Quit　worrying；　Ollie。　We　own　him　now！　He　would　kill　for　us　if　he　knew　about　these。〃
　　〃What　about　Tarrance？〃
　　〃Not　a　sign。　McDeere　ain't　mentioned　it　to　anybody；　at　least　not　to　anybody　we're　listening　to。　Tarrance　is　hard　to　trail　sometimes；　but　I　think　he's　staying　away。〃
　　〃Keep　your　eyes　open。〃
　　〃Don't　worry　about　my　end；　Ollie。　You're　the　lawyer；　the　counselor；　the　esquire；　and　you　get　your　eight…by…tens。　You　run　。　I　run　the　surveillance。〃
　　〃How　are　things　at　the　McDeere　house？〃
　　〃Not　too　good。　She　was　very　cool　to　the　trip。〃
　　〃What'd　she　do　when　he　was　gone？〃
　　〃Well；　she　ain't　one　to　sit　around　the　house。　Two　nights　she　and　Quin's　wife　went　out　to　eat　at　a　couple　of　those　yuppie　joints。　Then　to　the　movies。　She　was　out　one　night　with　a　schoolteacher　friend。　She　shopped　a　little。
　　〃She　also　called　her　mother　a　lot；　collect。　Evidently　there's　no　love　lost　between　our　boy　and　her　parents；　and　she　wants　to　patch　things　up。　She　and　her　mom　are　tight　and　it　really　bothers　her　because　they　can't　be　a　big　happy　family。　She　wants　to　go　home　to　Kentucky　for　Christmas；　and　she's　afraid　he　won't　go　for　it。　There's　a　lot　of　friction。　A　lot　of　undercurrents。　She　tells　her　mom　he　works　too　much；　and　her　mom　says　it's　because　he　wants　to　show　them　up。　I　don't　like　the　sound　of　it；　Ollie。　Bad　vibes。〃
　　〃Just　keep　listening。　We've　tried　to　slow　him　down；　but　he's　a　machine。〃
　　〃Yeah；　at　a　hundred　and　fifty　an　hour　I　know　you　want　him　to　slack　off。　Why　don't　you　cut　all　your　associates　back　to　forty　hours　a　week　so　they　can　spend　more　time　with　their　families。　You　could　cut　your　salary；　sell　a　Jag　or　two；　hock　your　old　lady's　diamonds；　maybe　sell　your　mansion　and　buy　a　smaller　house　by　the　country　club。〃
　　〃Shut　up；　DeVasher。〃
　　Oliver　Lambert　stormed　out　of　the　office。　DeVasher　turned　red　with　his　high…pitched　laughter；　then；　when　his　office　was　empty；　he　locked　the　photos　in　a　file　cabinet。　〃Mitchell　McDeere；〃　he　said　to　himself　with　an　immense　smile；　〃now　you　are　ours。〃
　　
　　　15
　　ON　a　Friday；　at　noon；　two　weeks　before　Christmas；　Abby　said　goodbye　to　her　students　and　left　St。　Andrew's　for　the　holidays。　At　one；　she　parked　in　a　lot　full　of　Volvos　and　BMWs　and　Saabs　and　more　Peugeots　and　walked　hurriedly　through　the　cold　rain　into　the　crowded　terrarium　where　the　young　affluent　gathered　to　eat　quiche　and　fajitas　and　black　bean　soup　among　the　plants。　This　was　Kay　Quin's　current　hot　spot　of　the　year；　and　this　was　the　second　lunch　they'd　had　in　a　month。　Kay　was　late；　as　usual。
　　It　was　a　friendship　still　in　the　initial　stages　of　development。　Cautious　by　nature；　Abby　had　never　been　one　to　rush　into　chumminess　with　a　stranger。　The　three　years　at　Harvard　had　been　friendless；　and　she　had　learned　a　great　deal　of　independence。　In　six　months　in　Memphis　she　had　met　a　handful　of　prospects　at　church　and　one　at　school；　but　she　moved　cautiously。
　　At　first　Kay　Quin　had　pushed　hard。　She　was　at　once　a　tour　guide；　shopping　consultant　and　even　a　decorator。　But　Abby　had　moved　slowly；　learning　a　little　with　each　visit　and　watching　her　new　friend　carefully。　They　had　eaten　several　times　in　the　Quin　home。　They　had　seen　each　other　at　firm　dinners　and　functions；　but　always　in　a　crowd。　And　they　had　enjoyed　each　other's　pany　over　four　long　lunches　at　whatever　happened　to　be　the　hottest　gathering　place　at　that　moment　for　the　young　and　beautiful　Gold　MasterCard　holders　in　Memphis。　Kay　noticed　cars　and　homes　and　clothes；　but　pretended　to　ignore　it　all。　Kay　wanted　to　be　a　friend；　a　close　friend；　a　confidante；　an　intimate。　Abby　kept　the　distance；　slowly　allowing　her　in。
　　The　reproduction　of　a　1950s　jukebox　sat　below　Abby's　table　on　the　first　level　near　the　bar；　where　a　standing…room　crowd　sipped　and　waited　for　tables。　After　ten　minutes　and　two　Roy　Orbisons；　Kay　emerged　from　the　crowd　at　the　front　door　and　looked　upward　to　the　third　level。　Abby　smiled　and　waved。
　　They　hugged　and　pecked　each　other　properly　on　the　cheeks；　without　transferring　lipstick。
　　〃Sorry　I'm　late；〃　Kay　said。
　　〃That's　okay。　I'm　used　to　it。〃
　　〃This　place　is　packed；〃　Kay　said；　looking　around　in　amazement。　It　was　always　packed。　〃So　you're　out　of　school？〃
　　〃Yes。　As　of　an　hour　ago。　I'm　free　until　January　6。〃
　　They　admired　each　other's　outfits　and　mented　on　how　slim　and　in　general　how　beautiful　and　young　they　were。
　　Christmas　shopping　at　once　became　the　topic；　and　they　talked　of　stores　and　sales　and　children　until　the　wine　arrived。　Abby　ordered　scampi　in　a　skillet；　but　Kay　stuck　with　the　old　fern…bar　standby　of　broccoli　quiche。
　　〃What're　your　plans　for　Christmas？''　Kay　asked。
　　〃None　yet。　I'd　like　to　go　to　Kentucky　to　see　my　folks；　but　I'm　afraid　Mitch　won't　go。　I've　dropped　a　couple　of　hints；　both　of　which　were　ignored。〃
　　〃He　still　doesn't　like　your　parents？〃
　　〃There's　been　no　change。　In　fact；　we　don't　discuss　them。　I　don't　know　how　to　handle　it。〃
　　〃With　great　caution；　I　would　imagine。〃
　　〃Yeah；　and　great　patience。　My　parents　were　wrong；　but　I　still　need　them。　It's　painful　when　the　only　man　I've　ever　loved　can't　tolerate　my　parents。　I　pray　every　day　for　a　small　miracle。〃
　　〃Sounds　like　you　need　a　rather　large　miracle。　Is　he　working　as　hard　as　Lamar　says？〃
　　〃I　don't　know　how　a　person　could　work　any　harder。　It's　eighteen　hours　a　day　Monday　through　Friday；　eight　hours　on　Saturday；　and　since　Sunday　is　a　day　of　rest；　he　puts　in　only　five　or　six　hours。　He　reserves　a　little　time　for　me　on　Sunday。〃
　　〃Do　I　hear　a　touch　of　frustration？〃
　　〃A　lot　of　frustration；　Kay。　I've　been　patient；　but　it's　getting　worse。　I'm　beginning　to　feel　like　a　widow。　I'm　tired　of　sleeping　on　the　couch　waiting　for　him　to　get　home。〃
　　〃You're　there　for　food　and　sex；　huh？〃
　　〃I　wish。　He's　too　tired　for　sex。　It's　not　a　priority　anymore。　And　this　is　a　man　who　could　never　get　enough。　I　mean；　we　almost　killed　each　other　in　law　school。　Now；　once　a　week　if　I'm　lucky。　He　es　home；　eats　if　he　has　the　energy　and　goes　to　bed。　If　I'm　really　lucky；　he　might　talk　to　me　for　a　few　minutes　before　he　passes　out。　I'm　starved　for　adult　conversation；　Kay。　I　spend　seven　hours　a　day　with　eight…year…olds；　and　I　crave　words　with　more　than　three　syllables。　I　try　to　explain　this　to　him；　and　he's　snoring。　Did　you　go　through　this　with　Lamar？〃
　　〃Sort　of。　He　worked　seventy　hours　a　week　for　the　first　year。　I　think　they　all　do。　It's　kind　of　like　initiation　into　the　fraternity。　A　male　ritual　in　which　you　have　to　prove　your　manliness。　But　most　of　them　run　out　of　gas　after　a　year；　and　cut　back　to　sixty　or　sixty…five　hours。　They　still　work　hard；　but　not　the　kamikaze　routine　of　the　rookie　year。〃
　　〃Does　Lamar　work　every　Saturday？〃
　　〃Most　Saturdays；　for　a　few　hours。　Never　on　Sunday。　I've　put　my　foot　down。　Of　course；　if　there's　a　big　deadline　or　it's　tax　season；　then　they　all　work　around　the　clock。　I　think　Mitch　has　them　puzzled。〃
　　〃He's　not　slowing　down　any。　In　fact；　he's　possessed。　Occasionally　he　won't　e　home　until　dawn。　Then　it's　just　a　quick　shower；　and　back　to　the　office。〃
　　〃Lamar　says　he's　already　a　legend　around　the　office。〃
　　Abby　sipped　her　wine　and　looked　over　the　rail　at　the　bar。　〃That's　great。　I'm　married　to　a　legend。〃
　　〃Have　you　thought　about　children？〃
　　〃It　requires　sex；　remember？〃
　　〃e　on；　Abby；　it　can't　be　that　bad。〃
　　〃I'm　not　ready　for　children。　I　can't　handle　being　a　single　parent。　I　love　my　husband；　but　at　this　point　in　his　life；　he　would　probably　have　a　terribly　important　meeting　and　leave　me　alone　in　the　labor　room。　Eight　centimeters　dilated。　He　thinks　of　nothing　but　that　damned　law　firm。〃
　　Kay　reached　across　the　table　and　gently　took　Abby's　hand。　〃It'll　be　okay；〃　she　said　with　a　firm　smile　and　a　wise　look。　〃The　first　year　is　the　hardest。　It　gets　better；　I　promise。〃
　　Abby　smiled。　〃I'm　so