jg.thefirm-第40节

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n　he　stepped　on　a　land　mine。　Death　was　instantaneous；　they　said。　They　always　said　that；　according　to　Ray。　Mitch　wiped　a　small　tear　and　stood　staring　at　the　length　of　the　Wall。　He　thought　of　the　fifty…eight　thousand　families　who　had　been　told　that　death　was　instantaneous　and　no　one　suffered　over　there。
　　〃Mitch；　they're　waiting。〃
　　He　turned　and　looked　at　the　man　in　the　wheelchair；　the　only　human　in　sight。　The　aviator's　glasses　stared　at　the　Wall　and　did　not　look　up。　Mitch　glanced　around　in　all　directions。
　　〃Relax；　Mitch。　We've　got　the　place　sealed　off。　They're　not　watching。〃
　　〃And　who　are　you？〃　Mitch　asked。
　　〃Just　one　of　the　gang。　You　need　to　trust　us；　Mitch。　The　Director　has　important　words；　words　that　could　save　your　life。〃
　　〃Where　is　he？〃
　　The　man　in　the　wheelchair　turned　his　head　and　looked　down　the　sidewalk。　〃Start　walking　that　way。　They'll　find　you。〃
　　Mitch　stared　for　a　moment　longer　at　his　brother's　name　and　walked　behind　the　wheelchair。　He　walked　past　the　statue　of　the　three　soldiers。　He　walked　slowly；　waiting；　with　hands　deep　in　his　pockets。　Fifty　yards　past　the　monument；　Wayne　Tarrance　stepped　from　behind　a　tree　and　walked　beside　him。　〃Keep　walking；〃　he　said。
　　〃Why　am　I　not　surprised　to　see　you　here？〃　Mitch　said。
　　〃Just　keep　walking。　We　know　of　at　least　two　goons　from　Memphis　who　were　flown　in　ahead　of　you。　They're　at　the　same　hotel；　next　door　to　you。　They　did　not　follow　you　here。　I　think　we　lost　them。〃
　　〃What　the　hell's　going　on；　Tarrance？〃
　　〃You're　about　to　find　out。　Keep　walking。　But　relax；　no　one　is　watching　you；　except　for　about　twenty　of　our　agents。〃
　　〃Twenty？〃
　　〃Yeah。　We've　got　this　place　sealed　off。　We　want　to　make　sure　those　bastards　from　Memphis　don't　show　up　here。　I　don't　expect　them。〃
　　〃Who　are　they？〃
　　〃The　Director　will　explain。〃
　　〃Why　is　the　Director　involved？〃
　　〃You　ask　a　lot　of　questions；　Mitch。〃
　　〃And　you　don't　have　enough　answers。〃
　　Tarrance　pointed　to　the　right。　They　left　the　sidewalk　and　headed　for　a　heavy　concrete　bench　near　a　footbridge　leading　to　a　small　forest。　The　water　on　the　pond　below　was　frozen　white。
　　〃Have　a　seat；〃　Tarrance　instructed。　They　sat　down。　Two　men　walked　across　the　footbridge。　Mitch　immediately　recognized　the　shorter　one　as　Voyles。　F。　Denton　Voyles；　Director　of　the　FBI　under　three　Presidents。　A　tough…talking；　heavy…handed　crime　buster　with　a　reputation　for　ruthless…ness。
　　Mitch　stood　out　of　respect　when　they　stopped　at　the　bench。　Voyles　stuck　out　a　cold　hand　and　stared　at　Mitch　with　the　same　large；　round　face　that　was　famous　around　the　world。　They　shook　hands　and　exchanged　names。　Voyles　pointed　to　the　bench。　Tarrance　and　the　other　agent　walked　to　the　footbridge　and　studied　the　horizon。　Mitch　glanced　across　the　pond　and　saw　two　men；　undoubtedly　agents　with　their　identical　black　trench　coats　and　close　haircuts；　standing　against　a　tree　a　hundred　yards　away。
　　Voyles　sat　close　to　Mitch；　their　legs　touching。　A　brown　fedora　rested　to　one　side　of　his　large；　bald　head。　He　was　at　least　seventy；　but　the　dark　green　eyes　danced　with　intensity　and　missed　nothing。　Both　men　sat　still　on　the　cold　bench　with　their　hands　stuck　deep　in　their　overcoats。
　　〃I　appreciate　you　ing；〃　Voyles　started。
　　〃I　didn't　feel　as　though　I　had　a　choice。　You　folks　have　been　relentless。〃
　　〃Yes。　It's　very　important　to　us。〃
　　Mitch　breathed　deeply。　〃Do　you　have　any　idea　how　confused　and　scared　I　am。　I'm　totally　bewildered。　I　would　like　an　explanation；　sir。〃
　　〃Mr。　McDeere；　can　I　call　you　Mitch？〃
　　〃Sure。　Why　not。〃
　　〃Fine。　Mitch；　I　am　a　man　of　very　few　words。　And　what　I'm　about　to　tell　you　will　certainly　shock　you。　You　will　be　horrified。　You　may　not　believe　me。　But　I　assure　you　it's　all　true；　and　with　your　help　we　can　save　your　life。〃
　　Mitch　braced　himself　and　waited。
　　〃Mitch；　no　lawyer　has　ever　left　your　law　firm　alive。　Three　have　tried；　and　they　were　killed。　Two　were　about　to　leave；　and　they　died　last　summer。　Once　a　lawyer　joins　Bendini；　Lambert　&　Locke；　he　never　leaves；　unless　he　retires　and　keeps　his　mouth　shut。　And　by　the　time　they　retire；　they　are　a　part　of　the　conspiracy　and　cannot　talk。　　has　an　extensive　surveillance　operation　on　the　fifth　floor。　Your　house　and　car　are　bugged。　Your　phones　are　tapped。　Your　desk　and　office　are　wired。　Virtually　every　word　you　utter　is　heard　and　recorded　on　the　fifth　floor。　They　follow　you；　and　sometimes　your　wife。　They　are　here　in　Washington　as　we　speak。　You　see；　Mitch；　　is　more　than　a　firm。　It　is　a　division　of　a　very　large　business；　a　very　profitable　business。　A　very　illegal　business。　　is　not　owned　by　the　partners。〃
　　Mitch　turned　and　watched　him　closely。　The　Director　looked　at　the　frozen　pond　as　he　spoke。
　　〃You　see；　Mitch；　the　law　firm　of　Bendini；　Lambert　&　Locke　is　owned　by　the　Morolto　crime　family　in　Chicago。　The　Mafia。　The　Mob。　They　call　the　shots　from　up　there。　And　that's　why　we're　here。〃　He　touched　Mitch　firmly　on　the　knee　and　stared　at　him　from　six　inches　away。　〃It's　Mafia；　Mitch；　and　illegal　as　hell。〃
　　〃I　don't　believe　it；〃　he　said；　frozen　with　fear。　His　voice　was　weak　and　shrill。
　　The　Director　smiled。　〃Yes　you　do；　Mitch。　Yes　you　do。　You've　been　suspicious　for　some　time　now。　That's　why　you　talked　to　Abanks　in　the　Caymans。　That's　why　you　hired　that　sleazy　investigator　and　got　him　killed　by　those　boys　on　the　fifth　floor。　You　know　　stinks；　Mitch。〃
　　Mitch　leaned　forward　and　rested　his　elbows　on　his　knees。　He　stared　at　the　ground　between　his　shoes。　〃I　don't　believe　it；〃　he　mumbled　weakly。
　　〃As　far　as　we　can　tell；　about　twenty…five　percent　of　their　clients；　or　I　should　say　your　clients；　are　legitimate。　There　are　some　very　good　lawyers　in　that　firm；　and　they　do　tax　and　securities　work　for　rich　clients。　It's　a　very　good　front。　Most　of　the　files　you've　worked　on　so　far　have　been　legit。　That's　how　they　operate。　They　bring　in　a　new　rookie；　throw　money　at　him；　buy　the　BMW；　the　house；　all　that　jazz；　wine　and　dine　and　go　to　the　Caymans；　and　they　work　his　ass　off〃　with　what　is　really　legitimate　legal　stuff。　Real　clients。　Real　lawyer　stuff。　That　goes　on　for　a　few　years；　and　the　rookie　doesn't　suspect　a　thing；　right？　It's　a　great　firm；　great　bunch　of　guys。　Plenty　of　money。　Hey；　everything's　wonderful。　Then　after　five　or　six　years；　when　the　money　is　really　good；　when　they　own　your　mortgage；　when　you　have　a　wife　and　kids　and　everything　is　so　secure；　they　drop　the　bomb　and　tell　the　truth。　There's　no　way　out。　It's　the　Mafia；　Mitch。　Those　guys　don't　play　games。　They'll　kill　one　of　your　children　or　your　wife；　they　don't　care。　You're　making　more　money　than　you　could　possibly　make　anywhere　else。　You're　blackmailed　because　you've　got　a　family　that　doesn't　mean　a　damned　thing　to　the　Mob；　so　what　do　you　do；　Mitch？　You　stay。　You　can't　leave。　If　you　stay　you　make　a　million　and　retire　young　with　your　family　intact。　If　you　want　to　leave；　you'll　wind　up　with　your　picture　on　the　wall　in　the　first…floor　library。　They're　very　persuasive。〃
　　Mitch　rubbed　his　temples　and　began　shivering。
　　〃Look；　Mitch；　I　know　you　must　have　a　thousand　questions。　Okay。　So　I'll　just　keep　talking　and　tell　you　what　I　know。　The　five　dead　lawyers　all　wanted　out　after　they　learned　the　truth。　We　never　talked　to　the　first　three；　because；　frankly；　we　knew　nothing　about　　until　seven　years　ago。　They've　done　an　excellent　job　of　staying　quiet　and　leaving　no　trail。　The　first　three　just　wanted　out；　probably；　so　they　got　out。　In　coffins。　Hodge　and　Kozinski　were　different。　They　approached　us；　and　over　the　course　of　a　year　we　had　several　meetings。　They　dropped　the　bomb　on　Kozinski　after　he'd　been　there　for　seven　years。　He　told　Hodge。　They　whispered　between　themselves　for　a　year。　Kozinski　was　about　to　make　partner　and　wanted　out　before　that　happened。　So　he　and　Hodge　made　the　fatal　decision　to　get　out。　They　never　suspected　the　first　three　were　killed；　or　at　least　they　never　mentioned　it　to　us。　We　sent　Wayne　Tarrance　to　Memphis　to　bring　them　in。　Tarrance　is　an　organized…crime　specialist　from　New　York。　He　and　the　two　were　getting　real　close　when　that　thing　happened　in　the　Caymans。　These　guys　in　Memphis　are　very　good；　Mitch。　Don't　ever　forget　that。　They've　got　the　money　and　they　hire　the　best。　So　after　Hodge　and　Kozinski　were　killed；　I　made　the　decision　to　get　。　If　we　can　bust　that　firm；　we　can　indict　every　significant　member　of　the　Morolto　family。　There　could　be　over　five　hundred　indictments。　Tax　evasion；　laundering；　racketeering；　just　whatever　you　want。　It　could　destroy　the　Morolto　family；　and　that　would　be　the　single　most　devastating　blow　to　organized　crime　in　the　past　thirty　years。　And；　Mitch；　it's　all　in　the　files　at　the　quiet　little　Bendini　firm　in　Memphis。〃
　　〃Why　Memphis？〃
　　〃Ah；　good　question。　Who　would　suspect　a　small　firm　in　Memphis；　Tennessee？　There's　no　mob　activity　down　there。　It's　a　quiet；　lovely；　peaceful　city　by　the　river。　It　could've　been　Durham　or　Topeka　or　Wichita　Falls。　But　they　chose
　　Memphis。　It's　big　enough；　though；　to　hide　a　forty…man　firm。　Perfect　choice。〃
　　〃You　mean　every　partner　。　。　。〃　His　words　trailed　off。
　　〃Yes；　every　partner　knows　and　plays　by　the　rules。　We　suspect　that　most　of　the　associates　know；　but　it's　hard　to　tell。　There's　so　much　we　don't　know；　Mitch。　I　can