jg.thefirm-第42节

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　　〃mitted？〃
　　〃That's　the　word；　Mitch。　Once　you　mit；　there's　no　turning　back。　They　can　be　more　ruthless　than　any　organization　on　earth。〃
　　〃Why　did　you　pick　me？〃
　　〃We　had　to　pick　someone。　No；　that's　not　true。　We　picked　you　because　you　have　the　guts　to　walk　away　from　it。　You　have　no　family　except　a　wife。　No　ties；　no　roots。　You've　been　hurt　by　every　person　you　ever　cared　for；　except　Abby。　You　raised　yourself；　and　in　doing　so　became　self…reliant　and　independent。　You　don't　need　。　You　can　leave　it。　You're　hardened　and　calloused　beyond　your　years。　And　you're　smart　enough　to　pull　it　off；　Mitch。　You　won't　get　caught。　That's　why　we　picked　you。　Good　day；　Mitch。　Thanks　for　ing。　You'd　better　get　back。〃
　　Voyles　turned　and　walked　quickly　away。　Tarrance　waited　at　the　end　of　the　Wall；　and　gave　Mitch　a　quick　salute；　as　if　to　say；　〃So　long…for　now。〃
　　　
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　　AFTER　making　the　obligatory　stop　in　Atlanta；　the　Delta　DC…9　landed　in　a　cold　rain　at　Memphis　International。　It　parked　at　Gate　19；　and　the　tightly　packed　crowd　of　business　travelers　quickly　disembarked。　Mitch　carried　only　his　briefcase　and　an　Esquire。　He　saw　Abby　waiting　near　the　pay　phones　and　moved　quickly　through　the　pack。　He　threw　the　briefcase　and　magazine　against　the　wall　and　bear…hugged　her。　The　four　days　in　Washington　seemed　like　a　month。　They　kissed　again　and　again；　and　whispered　softly。
　　〃How　about　a　date？〃　he　asked。
　　〃I've　got　dinner　on　the　table　and　wine　in　the　cooler；〃　she　said。　They　held　hands　and　walked　through　the　mob　pushing　down　the　concourse　in　the　general　direction　of　the　luggage　pickup。
　　He　spoke　quietly。　〃Well；　we　need　to　talk；　and　we　can't　do　it　at　home。〃
　　She　gripped　his　hand　tighter。　〃Oh？〃
　　〃Yes。　In　fact；　we　need　to　have　a　long　talk。〃
　　〃What　happened？〃
　　〃It'll　take　a　while。〃　　　　〃Why　am　I　suddenly　nervous？〃
　　〃Just　keep　cool。　Keep　smiling。　They're　watching。〃
　　She　smiled　and　glanced　to　her　right。　〃Who's　watching？〃
　　〃I'll　explain　in　just　a　moment。〃
　　Mitch　suddenly　pulled　her　to　his　left。　They　cut　through　the　wave　of　human　traffic　and　darted　into　a　dark；　crowded　lounge　full　of　businessmen　drinking　and　watching　the　television　above　the　bar　and　waiting　for　their　nights。　A　small；　round　table　covered　with　empty　beer　mugs　had　just　been　vacated；　and　they　sat　with　their　backs　to　the　wall　and　a　view　of　the　bar　and　the　concourse。　They　sat　close　together；　within　three　feet　of　another　table。　Mitch　stared　at　the　door　and　analyzed　every　face　that　walked　in。　〃How　long　are　we　going　to　be　here？〃　she　asked。
　　〃Why？〃
　　She　slid　out　of　the　full…length　fox　and　folded　it　on　the　chair　across　the　table。　〃What　exactly　are　you　looking　for？〃
　　〃Just　keep　smiling　for　a　moment。　Pretend　you　really　missed　me。　Here；　give　me　a　kiss。〃　He　pecked　her　on　the　lips；　and　they　smiled　into　each　other's　eyes。　He　kissed　her　cheek　and　returned　to　the　door。　A　waiter　rushed　to　the　table　and　cleaned　it　off〃。　They　ordered　wine。
　　She　smiled　at　him。　〃How　was　your　trip？〃
　　〃Boring。　We　were　in　class　eight　hours　a　day；　for　four　days。　After　the　first　day；　I　hardly　left　the　hotel。　They　crammed　six　months'　worth　of　tax　revisions　into　thirty…two　hours。〃
　　〃Did　you　get　to　sightsee？〃
　　He　smiled　and　looked　dreamily　at　her。　〃I　missed　you；　Abby。　More　than　I've　ever　missed　anyone　in　my　life。　I　love　you。　I　think　you're　gorgeous；　absolutely；　stunning。　I　do　not　enjoy　traveling　alone　and　waking　up　in　a　strange　hotel　bed　without　you。　And　I　have　something　horrible　to　tell　you。〃
　　She　stopped　smiling。　He　slowly　looked　around　the　room。　They　were　three　deep　at　the　bar　and　yelling　at　the　Knicks…Lakers　game。　The　lounge　was　suddenly　louder。
　　〃I'll　tell　you　about　it；〃　he　said。　〃But　there's　a　very　good　chance　someone　is　in　here　right　now　watching　us。　They　cannot　hear；　but　they　can　observe。　Just　smile　occasionally；　although　it　will　be　hard。〃
　　The　wine　arrived；　and　Mitch　began　his　story。　He　left　nothing　out。　She　spoke　only　once。　He　told　her　about　Anthony　Bendini　and　old　man　Morolto；　and　then　Nathan　Locke　growing　up　in　Chicago　and　Oliver　Lambert　and　the　boys　on　the　fifth　floor。
　　Abby　nervously　sipped　her　wine　and　tried　valiantly　to　appear　as　the　normal　loving　wife　who　missed　her　husband　and　was　now　enjoying　immensely　his　recollection　of　the　tax　seminar。　She　watched　the　people　at　the　bar；　sipped　a　little　and　occasionally　grinned　at　Mitch　as　he　told　of　the　money　laundering　and　the　murdered　lawyers。　Her　body　ached　with　fear。　Her　breath　was　wildly　irregular。　But　she　listened；　and　pretended。
　　The　waiter　brought　more　wine　as　the　crowd　thinned。　An　hour　after　he　started；　Mitch　finished　in　a　low　whisper。
　　〃And　Voyles　said　Tarrance　would　contact　me　in　a　couple　of　weeks　to　see　if　I　will　cooperate。　He　said　goodbye　and　walked　away。〃
　　〃And　this　was　Tuesday？〃　she　asked。
　　〃Yes。　The　first　day。〃
　　〃What　did　you　do　the　rest　of　the　week？〃
　　〃I　slept　little；　ate　little；　walked　around　with　a　dull　headache　most　of　the　time。〃
　　〃I　think　I　feel　one　ing。〃
　　〃I'm　sorry；　Abby。　I　wanted　to　fly　home　immediately　and　tell　you。　I've　been　in　shock　for　three　days。〃
　　〃I'm　in　shock　now。　I'm　not　believing　this；　Mitch。　This　is　like　a　bad　dream；　only　much　worse。〃
　　〃And　this　is　only　the　beginning。　The　FBI　is　dead　serious。　Why　else　would　the　Director　himself　meet　with　me；　an　insignificant　rookie　lawyer　from　Memphis；　in　fifteen…degree　weather　on　a　concrete　park　bench？　He's　assigned　five　agents　in　Memphis　and　three　in　Washington；　and　he　said　they'll　spend　whatever　it　takes　to　get　。　So　if　I　keep　my　mouth　shut；　ignore　them　and　go　about　my　business　of　being　a　good　and　faithful　member　of　Bendini；　Lambert　&　Locke；　one　day　they'll　show　up　with　arrest　warrants　and　haul　everybody　away。　And　if　I　choose　to　cooperate；　you　and　I　will　leave　Memphis　in　the　dead　of　the　night　after　I　hand　　to　the　feds；　and　we'll　go　off　and　live　in　Boise；　Idaho；　as　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Wilbur　Gates。　We'll　have　plenty　of　money；　but　we'll　have　to　work　to　avoid　suspicion。　After　my　plastic　surgery；　I'll　get　a　job　driving　a　forklift　in　a　warehouse；　and　you　can　work　part…time　at　a　day　care。　We'll　have　two；　maybe　three　kids　and　pray　every　night　that　people　we've　never　met　keep　their　mouths　shut　and　forget　about　us。　We'll　live　every　hour　of　every　day　in　morbid　fear　of　being　discovered。〃
　　〃That's　perfect；　Mitch；　just　perfect。〃　She　was　trying　hard　not　to　cry。
　　He　smiled　and　glanced　around　the　room。　〃We　have　a　third　option。　We　can　walk　out　that　door；　buy　two　tickets　to　San　Diego；　sneak　across　the　border　and　eat　tortillas　for　the　rest　of　our　lives。〃
　　〃Let's　go。〃
　　〃But　they'd　probably　follow　us。　With　my　luck；　Oliver　Lambert　will　be　waiting　in　Tijuana　with　a　squad　of　goons。　It　won't　work。　Just　a　thought。〃
　　〃What　about　Lamar？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　He's　been　here　six　or　seven　years；　so　he　probably　knows。　Avery's　a　partner；　so　he's　very　much　a　part　of　the　conspiracy。〃
　　〃And　Kay？〃
　　〃Who　knows。　It's　very　likely　none　of　the　wives　know。　I've　thought　about　it　for　four　days；　Abby；　and　it's　a　marvelous　front。　　looks　exactly　like　it's　supposed　to　look。　They　could　fool　anyone。　I　mean；　how　would　you　and　I　or　any　other　prospective　recruit　even　think　of　such　an　operation。　It's　perfect。　Except；　now　the　feds　know　about　it。〃
　　〃And　now　the　feds　expect　you　to　do　their　dirty　work。　Why　did　they　pick　you；　Mitch？　There　are　forty　lawyers　in　。〃
　　〃Because　I　knew　nothing　about　it。　I　was　a　sitting　duck。　The　FBI　is　not　sure　when　the　partners　spring　the　surprise　on　the　associates；　so　they　couldn't　take　a　chance　with　anyone　else。　I　happened　to　be　the　new　guy；　so　they　set　the　trap　as　soon　as　I　passed　the　bar　exam。〃
　　Abby　chewed　her　lip　and　held　back　tears。　She　looked　blankly　at　the　door　across　the　dark　room。　〃And　they　listen　to　everything　we　say；〃　she　said。
　　〃No。　Just　every　phone　call　and　conversation　around　the　house　and　in　the　cars。　We're　free　to　meet　here　or　in　most　restaurants；　and　there's　always　the　patio。　But　I　suggest　we　move　farther　away　from　the　sliding　door。　To　be　safe；　we　need　to　sneak　behind　the　storage　shed　and　whisper　softly。〃
　　〃Are　you　trying　to　be　funny？　I　hope　not。　This　is　no　time　for　jokes。　I'm　so　scared；　angry；　confused；　mad　as　hell　and　not　sure　where　to　turn。　I'm　afraid　to　speak　in　my　own　house。　I　watch　every　word　I　utter　on　the　phone；　even　if　it's　a　wrong　number。　Every　time　the　phone　rings；　I　jump　and　stare　at　it。　And　now　this。〃
　　〃You　need　another　drink。〃
　　〃I　need　ten　drinks。〃
　　Mitch　grabbed　her　wrist　and　squeezed　firmly。　〃Wait　a　minute。　I　see　a　familiar　face。　Don't　look　around。〃
　　She　held　her　breath。　〃Where？〃
　　〃On　the　other　side　of　the　bar。　Smile　and　look　at　me。〃
　　Sitting　on　a　barstool　and　staring　intently　at　the　TV　was　a　well…tanned　blond　man　with　a　loud　blue…and…white　alpine　sweater。　Fresh　from　the　slopes。　But　Mitch　had　seen　the　tan　and　the　blond　bangs　and　the　blond　mustache　somewhere　in
　　Washington。　Mitch　watched　him　carefully。　The　blue　light　from　the　tube　illuminated　his　face。　Mitch　hid　in　the　dark。　The　man　lifted　a　bottle　of　beer；　hesitated；　then；　there！；　shot　a　glance　into　the　corner　where　the　McDeeres　huddled　closely　together。
　　〃Are　you　sure？〃　Abby　asked　through；　clenched　teeth。
　　〃Yes。　He　was　in　Washington；　but　I　can't　place　him。　In　fact；　I　sa