jg.thefirm-第34节

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　　Abby　hung　on　every　word；　but　waited　to　start　asking。
　　〃And　now；　today；　while　I'm　minding　my　own　business；　eating　a　foot…long　with　onions；　this　guy　I　went　to　college　with　walks　up　and　tells　me　that　they；　the　FBI；　know　for　a　fact　that　my　phones　are　bugged；　my　home　is　wired　and　somebody　down　at　Bendini；　Lambert　&　Locke　knows　when　I　sneeze　and　take　a　crap。　Think　of　it；　Abby；　Rick　Acklin　was　transferred　here　after　I　passed　the　bar　exam。　Nice　coincidence；　huh？〃
　　〃But　what　do　they　want？〃
　　〃They　won't　say。　They　can't　tell　me；　yet。　They　want　me　to　trust　them；　and　all　that　routine。　I　don't　know；　Abby。　I　have　no　idea　what　they're　after。　But　they've　chosen　me　for　some　reason。〃
　　〃Did　you　tell　Lamar　about　this　visit？〃
　　〃No。　I　haven't　told　anyone。　Except　you。　And　I　don't　plan　to　tell　anyone。〃
　　She　gulped　the　wine。　〃Our　phones　are　tapped？〃
　　〃According　to　the　FBI。　But　how　do　they　know？〃
　　〃They're　not　stupid；　Mitch。　If　the　FBI　told　me　my　phones　were　tapped；　I'd　believe　them。　You　don't？〃
　　〃I　don't　know　whom　to　believe。　Locke　and　Lambert　were　so　smooth　and　believable　when　they　explained　how　　fights　with　the　IRS　and　the　FBI。　I　want　to　believe　them；　but　so　much　of　it　doesn't　add　up。　Look　at　it　this　way…if　　had　a　rich　client　who　was　shady　and　worthy　of　FBI　scrutiny；　why　would　the　FBI　pick　me；　the　rookie；　the　one　who　knows　the　least；　and　begin　following　me？　What　do　I　know？　I　work　on　files　someone　else　hands　me。　I　have　no　clients　of　my　own。　I　do　as　I'm　told。　Why　not　go　after　one　of　the　partners？〃
　　〃Maybe　they　want　you　to　squeal　on　the　clients。〃
　　〃No　way。　I'm　a　lawyer　and　sworn　to　secrecy　about　the　affairs　of　clients。　Everything　I　know　about　a　client　is　strictly　confidential。　The　feds　know　that。　No　one　expects　a　lawyer　to　talk　about　his　clients。〃
　　〃Have　you　seen　any　illegal　deals？〃
　　He　cracked　his　knuckles　and　gazed　around　the　dining　room。　He　smiled　at　her。　The　wine　had　settled　and　was　taking　effect。　〃I'm　not　supposed　to　answer　that　question；　even　from　you；　Abby。　But　the　answer　is　no。　I've　worked　on　files　for　twenty　of　Avery's　clients　and　a　few　other　ones　here　and　there；　and　I've　seen　nothing　suspicious。　Maybe　a　couple　of　risky　tax　shelters；　but　nothing　illegal。　I've　got　a　few　questions　about　the　bank　accounts　I　saw　in　the　Caymans；　but　nothing　serious。〃　Caymans！　His　stomach　dropped　as　he　thought　of　the　girl　on　the　beach。　He　felt　sick。
　　The　waiter　loitered　nearby　and　stared　at　the　menus。　〃More　wine；〃　Mitch　said；　pointing　at　the　glasses。
　　Abby　leaned　forward；　near　the　candles；　and　looked　bewildered。　〃Okay；　who　tapped　our　phones？〃
　　〃Assuming　they're　tapped；　I　have　no　idea。　At　the　first　meeting　in　August；　Tarrance　implied　it　was　someone　from　。　I　mean；　that's　the　way　I　took　it。　He　said　not　to　trust　anyone　at　；　and　that　everything　I　said　was　subject　to　being　heard　and　recorded。　I　assumed　he　meant　they　were　doing　it。〃
　　〃And　what　did　Mr。　Locke　say　about　that？〃
　　〃Nothing。　I　didn't　tell　him。　I　kept　a　few　things　to　myself。〃
　　〃Someone　has　tapped　our　phones　and　wired　our　house？〃
　　〃And　maybe　our　cars。　Rick　Acklin　made　a　big　deal　of　it　today。　He　kept　telling　me　not　to　say　anything　I　didn't　want　recorded。〃
　　〃Mitch；　this　is　incredible。　Why　would　a　law　firm　do　that？〃
　　He　shook　his　head　slowly　and　looked　into　the　empty　wineglass。　〃I　have　no　idea；　babe。　No　idea。〃
　　The　waiter　set　two　new　wineglasses　on　the　table　and　stood　with　his　hands　behind　him。　〃Will　you　be　ordering？〃　he　asked。
　　〃In　a　few　minutes；〃　Abby　said。
　　〃We'll　call　you　when　we're　ready；〃　Mitch　added。
　　〃Do　you　believe　it；　Mitch？〃
　　〃I　think　something's　up。　There's　more　to　the　story。〃
　　She　slowly　folded　her　hands　on　the　table　and　stared　at　him　with　a　look　of　utter　fear。　He　told　the　story　of　Hodge　and　Kozinski；　starting　with　Tarrance　at　the　deli；　then　to　the　Caymans　and　being　followed　and　the　meeting　with　Abanks。　He　told　her　everything　Abanks　had　said。　Then　Eddie　Lo…max　and　the　deaths　of　Alice　Knauss；　Robert　Lamm　and　John　Mickel。
　　〃I've　lost　my　appetite；〃　she　said　when　he　finished。
　　〃So　have　I。　But　I　feel　better　now　that　you　know。〃
　　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　sooner？〃
　　〃I　hoped　it　would　go　away。　I　hoped　Tarrance　would　leave　me　alone　and　find　someone　else　to　torment。　But　he's　here　to　stay。　That's　why　Rick　Acklin　was　transferred　to　Memphis。　To　work　on　me。　I　have　been　selected　by　the　FBI　for　a　mission　I　know　nothing　about。〃
　　〃I　feel　weak。〃
　　〃We　have　to　be　careful；　Abby。　We　must　continue　to　live　as　if　we　suspect　nothing。〃
　　〃I　don't　believe　this。　I'm　sitting　here　listening　to　you；　but　I　don't　believe　what　you're　telling　me。　This　is　not　real；　Mitch。　You　expect　me　to　live　in　a　house　that's　wired　and　the　phones　are　tapped　and　someone；　somewhere　is　listening　to　everything　we　say。〃
　　〃Do　you　have　a　better　idea？〃
　　〃Yeah。　Let's　hire　this　Lomax　guy　to　inspect　our　house。〃
　　〃I've　thought　of　that。　But　what　if　he　finds　something？　Think　about　it。　What　if　we　know　for　sure　that　the　house　is　wired？　What　then？　What　if　he　breaks　a　device　that's　been　planted？　They；　whoever　in　hell　they　are；　will　know　that　we　know。　It's　too　dangerous；　for　now　anyway。　Maybe　later。〃
　　〃This　is　crazy；　Mitch。　I　guess　we're　supposed　to　run　out　in　the　backyard　to　have　a　conversation。〃
　　〃Of　course　not。　We　could　use　the　front　yard。〃
　　〃At　this　moment；　I　don't　appreciate　your　sense　of　humor。〃
　　〃Sorry。　Look；　Abby；　let's　be　normal　and　patient　for　a　while。　Tarrance　has　convinced　me　he's　serious　and　he's　not　going　to　forget　about　me。　I　can't　stop　him。　He　finds　me；　remember。　I　think　they　follow　me　and　wait　in　ambush。　For　the　time　being；　it's　important　that　we　carry　on　as　usual。〃
　　〃Usual？　e　to　think　of　it；　there's　not　much　conversation　around　our　house　these　days。　I　sort　of　feel　sorry　for　them　if　they're　waiting　to　hear　meaningful　dialogue。　I　talk　to　Hearsay　a　lot。〃
　　　
　　　17
　　THE　snow　cleared　long　before　Christmas；　leaving　the　ground　wet　and　making　way　for　the　traditional　Southern　holiday　weather　of　gray　skies　and　cold　rain。　Memphis　had　seen　two　white　Christmases　in　the　past　ninety　years；　and　the　experts　predicted　no　more　in　the　century。
　　There　was　snow　in　Kentucky；　but　the　roads　were　clear。　Abby　called　her　parents　early　Christmas　morning　after　she　packed。　She　was　ing；　she　said；　but　she　would　be　alone。　They　were　disappointed；　they　said；　and　suggested　that　perhaps　she　should　stay　if　it　was　causing　trouble。　She　insisted。　It　was　a　ten…hour　drive。　Traffic　would　be　light；　and　she　would　be　there　by　dark。
　　Mitch　said　very　little。　He　spread　the　morning　paper　on　the　floor　next　to　the　tree　and　pretended　to　concentrate　as　she　loaded　her　car。　The　dog　hid　nearby　under　a　chair；　as　if　waiting　for　an　explosion。　Their　gifts　had　been　opened　and　arranged　neatly　on　the　couch。　Clothes　and　perfume　and　albums；　and　for　her；　a　full…length　fox　coat。　For　the　first　time　in　the　young　marriage；　there　was　money　to　spend　at　Christmas。
　　She　draped　the　coat　over　her　arm　and　walked　to　the　paper。　〃I'm　leaving　now；〃　she　said　softly；　but　firmly。
　　He　stood　slowly　and　looked　at　her。
　　〃I　wish　you　would　e　with　me；〃　she　said。
　　〃Maybe　next　year。〃　It　was　a　lie；　and　they　knew　it。　But　it　sounded　good。　It　was　promising。
　　〃Please　be　careful。〃
　　〃Take　care　of　my　dog。〃
　　〃We'll　be　fine。〃
　　He　took　her　shoulders　and　kissed　her　on　the　cheek。　He　looked　at　her　and　smiled。　She　was　beautiful；　much　more　so　than　when　they　married。　At　twenty…four；　she　looked　her　age；　but　the　years　were　being　very　generous。
　　They　walked　to　the　carport；　and　he　helped　her　into　the　car。　They　kissed　again；　and　she　backed　down　the　driveway。
　　Merry　Christmas；　he　said　to　himself。　Merry　Christmas；　he　said　to　the　dog。
　　After　an　hour　of　watching　the　walls；　he　threw　two　changes　of　clothes　in　the　BMW；　placed　Hearsay　in　the　front　seat　and　left　town。　He　drove　south　on　Interstate　55；　out　of　Memphis；　into　Mississippi。　The　road　was　deserted；　but　he　kept　an　eye　on　the　rearview　mirror。　The　dog　whimpered　precisely　every　sixty　minutes；　and　Mitch　would　stop　on　the　shoulder…if　possible；　just　over　a　hill。　He　would　find　a　cluster　of　trees　where　he　could　hide　and　watch　the　traffic　while　Hearsay　did　his　business。　He　noticed　nothing。　After　five　stops；　he　was　sure　he　was　not　being　followed。　They　evidently　took　off　Christmas　Day。
　　In　six　hours　he　was　in　Mobile；　and　two　hours　later　he　crossed　the　bay　at　Pensacola　and　headed　for　the　Emerald　Coast　of　Florida。　Highway　98　ran　through　the　coastal　towns　of　Navarre；　Fort　Walton　Beach；　Destin　and　Sandestin。　It　encountered　clusters　of　condominiums　and　motels；　miles　of　shopping　centers；　then　strings　of　run…down　amusement　parks　and　low　rent　T…shirt　shops；　most　of　which　had　been　locked　and　neglected　since　Labor　Day。　Then　it　went　for　miles　with　no　congestion；　no　sprawl；　just　an　awesome　view　of　the　snowy…white　beaches　and　brilliant　emerald　waters　of　the　Gulf。　East　of　Sandestin；　the　highway　narrowed　and　left　the　coast；　and　for　an　hour　he　drove　alone　on　the　two…lane　with　nothing　to　look　at　but　the　woods　and　an　occasional　self…serve　gas　station　or　quick…shop　convenience　store。
　　At　dusk；　he　passed　a　high　rise；　and　a　sign　said　Panama　City　Beach　was　eight　miles　ahead。　The　highway　found　the　coast　again　at　a　point　where　it　forked　an