jg.thefirm-第46节

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　　〃What　is　it？〃　Mitch　asked。
　　〃You　got　a　letter　today　from　Doris。　She　said　she's　in　Nashville；　but　will　return　to　Memphis　on　the　twenty…seventh　of　February。　She　says　she　needs　to　see　you。　It's　important。　It　was　a　very　short　letter。〃
　　〃The　twenty…seventh！　That　was　yesterday。〃
　　〃I　know。　I　presume　she's　already　in　town。　I　wonder　what　she　wants。〃
　　〃Yeah；　and　I　wonder　where　she　is。〃
　　〃She　said　her　husband　had　an　engagement　here　in　town。〃
　　〃Good。　She'll　find　us；〃　Mitch　said。
　　Nathan　Locke　closed　his　office　door　and　pointed　DeVasher　in　the　direction　of　the　small　conference　table　near　the　window。　The　two　men　hated　each　other　and　made　no　attempt　to　be　cordial。　But　business　was　business；　and　they　took　orders　from　the　same　man。
　　〃Lazarov　wanted　me　to　talk　to　you；　alone；〃　DeVasher　said。　〃I've　spent　the　past　two　days　with　him　in　Vegas；　and　he's　very　anxious。　They're　all　anxious；　Locke；　and　he　trusts　you　more　than　anyone　else　around　here。　He　likes　you　more　than　he　likes　me。〃
　　〃That's　understandable；〃　Locke　said　with　no　smile。　The　ripples　of　black　around　his　eyes　narrowed　and　focused　intently　on　DeVasher。
　　〃Anyway；　there　are　a　few　things　he　wants　us　to　discuss。〃
　　〃I'm　listening。〃
　　〃McDeere's　lying。　You　know　how　Lazarov's　always　bragged　about　having　a　mole　inside　the　FBI。　Well；　I've　never　believed　him；　and　still　don't；　for　the　most　part。　But　according　to　Lazarov；　his　little　source　is　telling　him　that　there　was　some　kind　of　secret　meeting　involving　McDeere　and　some　FBI　heavyweights　when　your　boy　was　in　Washington　back　in　January。　We　were　there；　and　our　men　saw　nothing；　but　it's　impossible　to　track　anyone　twenty…four　hours　a　day　without　getting　caught。　It's　possible　he　could've　slipped　away　for　a　little　while　without　our　knowledge。〃
　　〃Do　you　believe　it？〃
　　〃It's　not　important　whether　I　believe　it。　Lazarov　believes　it；　and　that's　all　that　matters。　At　any　rate；　he　told　me　to　make　preliminary　plans　to；　uh；　take　care　of　him。〃
　　〃Damn　DeVasher！　We　can't　keep　eliminating　people。〃
　　〃Just　preliminary　plans；　nothing　serious。　I　told　Lazarov　I　thought　it　was　much　too　early　and　that　it　would　be　a　mistake。　But　they　are　very　worried；　Locke。〃
　　〃This　can't　continue；　DeVasher。　I　mean；　damn！　We　have　reputations　to　consider。　We　have　a　higher　casualty　rate　than　oil　rigs。　People　will　start　talking。　We're　gonna　reach　a　point　where　no　law　student　in　his　right　mind　would　take　a　job　here。〃
　　〃I　don'。t　think　you　need　to　worry　about　that。　Lazarov　has　put　a　freeze　on　hiring。　He　told　me　to　tell　you　that。　He　also　wants　to　know　how　many　associates　are　still　in　the　dark。〃
　　〃Five；　I　think。　Let's　see；　Lynch；　Sorrell；　Buntin；　Myers　and　McDeere。〃
　　〃Forget　McDeere。　Lazarov　is　convinced　he　knows　much　more　than　we　think。　Are　you　certain　the　other　four　know　nothing？〃
　　Locke　thought　for　a　moment　and　mumbled　under　his　breath。　〃Well；　we　haven't　told　them。　You　guys　are　listening　and　watching。　What　do　you　hear？〃
　　〃Nothing；　from　those　four。　They　sound　ignorant　and　act　as　if　they　suspect　nothing。　Can　you　fire　them？〃
　　〃Fire　them！　They're　lawyers；　DeVasher。　You　don't　fire　lawyers。　They're　loyal　members　of　。〃
　　〃　is　changing；　Locke。　Lazarov　wants　to　fire　the　ones　who　don't　know　and　stop　hiring　new　ones。　It's　obvious　the　Fibbies　have　changed　their　strategy；　and　it's　time　for　us　to　change　as　well。　Lazarov　wants　to　circle　the　wagons　and　plug　the　leaks。　We　can't　sit　back　and　wait　for　them　to　pick　off　our　boys。〃
　　〃Fire　them；〃　Locke　repeated　in　disbelief。　〃This　firm　has　never　fired　a　lawyer。〃
　　〃Very　touching；　Locke。　We've　disposed　of　five；　but　never　fired　one。　That's　real　good。　You've　got　a　month　to　do　it；　so　start　thinking　of　a　reason。　I　suggest　you　fire　all　four　at　one　time。　Tell　them　you　lost　a　big　account　and　you're　cutting　back。〃
　　〃We　have　clients；　not　accounts。〃
　　〃Okay；　fine。　Your　biggest　client　is　telling　you　to　fire　Lynch；'　Sorrell；　Buntin　and　Myers。　Now　start　making　plans。〃
　　〃How　do　we　fire　those　four　without　firing　McDeere？〃
　　〃You'll　think　of　something；　Nat。　You　got　a　month。　Get　rid　of　them　and　don't　hire　any　new　boys。　Lazarov　wants　a　tight　little　unit　where　everyone　can　be　trusted。　He's　scared；　Nat。　Scared　and　mad。　I　don't　have　to　tell　you　what　could　happen　if　one　of　your　boys　spilled　his　guts。〃
　　〃No；　you　don't　have　to　tell　me。　What　does　he　plan　to　do　with　McDeere？〃
　　〃Right　now；　nothing　but　the　same。　We're　listening　twenty…four　hours　a　day；　and　the　kid　has　never　mentioned　a　word　to　his　wife　or　anyone　else。　Not　a　word！　He's　been　corralled　twice　by　Tarrance；　and　he　reported　both　incidents　to　you。　I　still　think　the　second　meeting　was　somewhat　suspicious；　so　we're　being　very　careful。　Lazarov；　on　the　other　hand；　insists　there　was　a　meeting　in　Washington。　He's　trying　to　confirm。　He　said　his　sources　knew　little；　but　they　were　digging。　If　in　fact　McDeere　met　with　the　Fibbies　up　there　and　failed　to　report　it；　then　I'm　sure　Lazarov　will　instruct　me　to　move　quickly。　That's　why　he　wants　preliminary　plans　to　take　McDeere　out。〃
　　〃How　do　you　plan　to　do　it？〃
　　〃It's　too　early。　I　haven't　given　it　much　thought。〃
　　〃You　know　he　and　his　wife　are　going　to　the　Caymans　in　two　weeks　for　a　vacation。　They'll　stay　in　one　of　our　condos；　the　usual。〃
　　〃We　wouldn't　do　it　there　again。　Too　suspicious。　Lazarov　instructed　me　to　get　her　pregnant。〃
　　〃McDeere's　wife？〃
　　〃Yep。　He　wants　them　to　have　a　baby；　a　little　leverage。　She's　on　the　pill；　so　we　gotta　break　in；　take　her　little　box；　match　up　the　pills　and　replace　them　with　placebos。〃
　　At　this；　the　great　black　eyes　saddened　just　a　touch　and　looked　through　the　window。　〃What　the　hell's　going　on；　De…Vasher？〃　he　asked　softly。
　　〃This　place　is　about　to　change；　Nat。　It　appears　as　though　the　feds　are　extremely　interested；　and　they　keep　pecking　away。　One　day；　who　knows；　one　of　your　boys　may　take　the　bait；　and　you'll　all　leave　town　in　the　middle　of　the　night。〃
　　〃I　don't　believe　that；　DeVasher。　A　lawyer　here　would　be　a　fool　to　risk　his　life　and　his　family　for　a　few　promises　from　the　feds。　I　just　don't　believe　it　will　happen。　These　boys　are　too　smart　and　they're　making　too　much　money。〃
　　〃I　hope　you're　right。〃
　　　
　　　22
　　THE　leasing　agent　leaned　against　the　rear　of　the　elevator　and　admired　the　black　leather　miniskirt　from　behind。　He　followed　it　down　almost　to　the　knees；　where　it　ended　and　the　seams　in　the　black　silk　stockings　began　and　snaked　downward　to　black　heels。　Kinky　heels；　with　little　red　bows　across　the　toes。　He　slowly　worked　his　way　back　up　the　seams；　past　the　leather；　pausing　to　admire　the　roundness　of　her　rear；　then　upward　to　the　red　cashmere　sweater；　which　from　his　vantage　point　revealed　little　but　from　the　other　side　was　quite　impressive；　as　he　had　noticed　in　the　lobby。　The　hair　landed　just　below　the　shoulder　blades　and　contrasted　nicely　with　the　red。　He　knew　it　was　bleached；　but　add　the　bleach　to　the　leather　mini　and　the　seams　and　the　kinky　heels　and　the　tight　sweater　hugging　those　things　around　the　front；　add　all　that　together　and　he　knew　this　was　a　woman　he　could　have。　He　would　like　to　have　her　in　the　building。　She　just　wanted　a　small　office。　The　rent　was　negotiable。
　　The　elevator　stopped。　The　door　opened；　and　he　followed　her　into　the　narrow　hall。　〃This　way〃…he　pointed；　flipping　on　a　light　switch。　In　the　corner；　he　moved　in　front　of　her　and　stuck　a　key　in　a　badly　aged　wooden　door。
　　〃It's　just　two　rooms；〃　he　said；　nipping　on　another　switch。　〃About　two　hundred　square　feet。〃
　　She　walked　straight　to　the　window。　〃The　view　is　okay；〃　Tammy　said；　staring　into　the　distance。
　　〃Yes；　a　nice　view。　The　carpet　is　new。　Painted　last　fall。　Rest　room's　down　the　hall。　It's　a　nice　place。　The　entire　building's　been　renovated　within　the　past　eight　years。〃　He　stared　at　the　black　seams　as　he　spoke。
　　〃It's　not　bad；〃　Tammy　said；　not　in　response　to　anything　he　had　mentioned。　She　continued　to　stare　out　the　window。　〃What's　the　name　of　this　place？〃
　　〃The　Cotton　Exchange　Building。　One　of　the　oldest　in　Memphis。　It's　really　a　prestigious　address。〃
　　〃How　prestigious　is　the　rent？〃
　　He　cleared　his　throat　and　held　a　file　before　him。　He　did　not　look　at　the　file。　He　was　gaping　at　the　heels　now。　〃Well；　it's　such　a　small　office。　What　did　you　say　you　needed　it　for？〃
　　〃Secretarial　work。　Free…lance　secretarial。〃　She　moved　to　the　other　window；　ignoring　him。　He　followed　every　move。
　　〃I　see。　How　long　will　you　need　it？〃
　　〃Six　months；　with　an　option　for　a　year。〃
　　〃Okay；　for　six　months　we　can　lease　it　for　three…fifty　a　month。〃
　　She　did　not　flinch　or　look　from　the　window。　She　slid　her　right　foot　out　of　the　shoe　and　rubbed　the　left　calf　with　it。　The　seam　continued；　he　observed；　under　the　heel　and　along　the　bottom　of　the　foot。　The　toenails　were　。　。　。　red！　She　cocked　her　rear　to　the　left　and　leaned　on　the　windowsill。　His　file　was　shaking。
　　〃I'll　pay　two…fifty　a　month；〃　she　said　with　authority。
　　He　cleared　his　throat。　There　was　no　sense　being　greedy。　The　tiny　rooms　were　dead　space；　useless　to　anyone　else；　and　had　not　been　occupied　in　years。　The　building　could　use　a　free…lance　secretary。　Hell；　he　might　even　need　a　free…lance　secretary。
　　〃Three　hundred；　but　no　less。　This　building　is　in　demand。
　　Ninety　percen