jg.thefirm-第47节

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　　〃Three　hundred；　but　no　less。　This　building　is　in　demand。
　　Ninety　percent　occupied　right　now。　Three　hundred　a　month；　and　that's　too　low。　We're　barely　covering　costs　at　that。〃
　　She　turned　suddenly；　and　there　they　were。　Staring　at　him。　The　cashmere　was　stretched　tightly　around　them。　〃The　ad　said　there　were　furnished　offices　available；〃　she　said。
　　〃We　can　furnish　this　one；〃　he　said；　eager　to　cooperate。　〃What　do　you　need？〃
　　She　looked　around　the　office。　〃I　would　like　a　secretarial　desk　with　credenza　in　here。　Several　file　cabinets。　A　couple　of　chairs　for　clients。　Nothing　fancy。　The　other　room　does　not　have　to　be　furnished。　I'll　put　a　copier　in　there；〃
　　〃No　problem；〃　he　said　with　a　smile。
　　〃And　I'll　pay　three　hundred　a　month；　furnished。〃
　　〃Good；〃　he　said　as　he　opened　a　file　and　withdrew　a　blank　lease。　He　laid　it　on　a　folding　table　and　began　writing。
　　〃Your　name？〃
　　〃Doris　Greenwood。〃　Her　mother　was　Doris　Greenwood；　and　she　had　been　Tammy　Inez　Greenwood　before　she　ran　up　on　Buster　Hemphill；　who　later　became　（legally）　Elvis　Aaron　Hemphill；　and　life　had　pretty　much　been　downhill　since。　Her　mother　lived　in　Effingham；　Illinois。
　　〃Okay；　Doris；〃　he　said　with　an　effort　at　suaveness；　as　if　they　were　now　on　a　first…name　basis　and　growing　closer　by　the　moment。　〃Home　address？〃
　　〃Why　do　you　need　that？〃　she　asked　with　irritation。
　　〃Well；　uh；　we　just　need　that　information。〃
　　〃It's　none　of　your　business。〃
　　〃Okay；　okay。　No　problem。〃　He　dramatically　scratched　out　that　portion　of　the　lease。　He　hovered　above　it。　〃Let's　see。　We'll　run　it　from　today；　March　2；　for　six　months　until　September　2。　Is　that　okay？〃
　　She　nodded　and　lit　a　cigarette。
　　He　read　the　next　paragraph。　〃Okay；　we　require　a　three…hundred…dollar　deposit　and　the　first　month's　rent　in　advance。〃
　　From　a　pocket　in　the　tight　black　leather　skirt；　she　produced　a　roll　of　cash。　She　counted　six　one…hundred…dollar　bills　and　laid　them　on　the　table。　〃Receipt；　please；〃　she　demanded。
　　〃Certainly。〃　He　continued　writing。
　　〃What　floor　are　we　on？〃　she　asked；　returning　to　the　windows。
　　〃Ninth。　There's　a　ten　percent　late　charge　past　the　fifteenth　of　the　month。　We　have　the　right　to　enter　at　any　reasonable　time　to　inspect。　Premises　cannot　be　used　for　any　illegal　purpose。　You　pay　all　utilities　and　insurance　on　contents。　You　get　one　parking　space　in　the　lot　across　the　street；　and　here　are　two　keys。　Any　questions？〃
　　〃Yeah。　What　if　I　work　odd　hours？　I　mean；　real　late　at　night。〃
　　〃No　big　deal。　You　can　e　and　go　as　you　please。　After　dark　the　security　guard　at　the　Front　Street　door　will　let　you　pass。〃
　　Tammy　stuck　the　cigarette　between　her　sticky　lips　and　walked　to　the　table。　She　glanced　at　the　lease；　hesitated；　then　signed　the　name　of　Doris　Greenwood。
　　They　locked　up；　and　he　followed　her　carefully　down　the　hall　to　the　elevator。
　　By　noon　the　next　day；　the　odd　assortment　of　furniture　had　been　delivered　and　Doris　Greenwood　of　Greenwood　Services　arranged　the　rented　typewriter　and　the　rented　phone　next　to　each　other　on　the　secretarial　desk。　Sitting　and　facing　the　typewriter；　she　could　look　slightly　to　her　left　out　the　window　and　watch　the　traffic　on　Front　Street。　She　filled　the　desk　drawers　with　typing　paper；　notepads；　pencils；　odds　and　ends。　She　placed　magazines　on　the　filing　cabinets　and　the　small　table　between　the　two　chairs　where　her　clients　would　sit。
　　There　was　a　knock　at　the　door。　〃Who　is　it？〃　she　asked。
　　〃It's　your　copier；〃　a　voice　answered。
　　She　unlocked　the　door　and　opened　it。　A　short；　hyperactive　little　man　named　Gordy　rushed　in；　looked　around　the　room　and　said　rudely；　〃Okay；　where　do　you　want　it？〃
　　〃In　there；〃　Tammy　said；　pointing　to　the　eight…by…ten　empty　room　with　no　door　on　the　hinges。　Two　young　men　in　blue　uniforms　pushed　and　pulled　the　cart　holding　the　copier。
　　Gordy　laid　the　paperwork　on　her　desk。　〃It's　a　mighty　big　copier　for　this　place。　We're　talking　ninety　copies　a　minute　with　a　collator　and　automatic　feed。　It's　a　big　machine。〃
　　〃Where　do　I　sign？〃　she　asked；　ignoring　the　small　talk。
　　He　pointed　with　the　pen。　〃Six　months；　at　two…forty　a　month。　That　includes　service　and　maintenance　and　five　hundred　sheets　of　paper　for　the　first　two　months。　You　want　legal　or　letter…sized？〃
　　〃Legal。〃
　　〃First　payment　due　on　the　tenth；　and　same　thereafter　for　five　months。　Operator's　manual　is　on　the　rack。　Call　me　if　you　have　any　questions。〃
　　The　two　servicemen　gawked　at　the　tight　stonewashed　jeans　and　the　red　heels　and　slowly　left　the　office。　Gordy　ripped　off　the　yellow　copy　and　handed　it　to　her。　〃Thanks　for　the　business；〃　he　said。
　　She　locked　the　door　behind　them。　She　walked　to　the　window　next　to　her　desk　and　looked　north；　along　Front。　Two　blocks　up　on　the　opposite　side；　floors　four　and　five　of　the　Bendini　Building　were　visible。
　　He　kept　to　himself　with　his　nose　buried　deep　in　the　books　and　the　piles　of　paperwork。　He　was　too　busy　for　any　of　them；　except　Lamar。　He　was　very　much　aware　that　his　withdrawal　was　not　going　unnoticed。　So　he　worked　harder。　Perhaps　they　would　not　be　suspicious　if　he　billed　twenty　hours　a　day。　Perhaps　money　could　insulate　him。
　　Nina　left　a　box　of　cold　pizza　when　she　checked　out　after　lunch。　He　ate　it　while　he　cleared　his　desk。　He　called　Abby。　Said　he　was　going　to　see　Ray　and　that　he　would　return　to　Memphis　late　Sunday。　He　eased　through　the　side　door　and　into　the　parking　lot。
　　For　three　and　a　half　hours；　he　raced　along　Interstate　40　with　his　eyes　on　the　rearview　mirror。　Nothing。　He　never　saw　them。　They　probably　just　call　ahead；　he　thought；　and　wait　for　him　somewhere　up　there。　In　Nashville；　he　made　a　sudden　exit　into　downtown。　Using　a　map　he　had　scribbled；　he　darted　in　and　out　of　traffic；　making　U…turns　wherever　possible　and　in　general　driving　like　a　nut。　To　the　south　of　town；　he　turned　quickly　into　a　large　apartment　plex　and　cruised　between　the　buildings。　It　was　nice　enough。　The　parking　lots　were　clean　and　the　faces　were　white。　All　of　them。　He　parked　next　to　the　office　and　locked　the　BMW。　The　pay　phone　by　the　covered　pool　worked。　He　called　a　cab　and　gave　an　address　two　blocks　away。　He　ran　between　the　buildings；　down　a　side　street；　and　arrived　precisely　with　the　cab。　〃Greyhound　bus　station；〃　he　said　to　the　driver。　〃And　in　a　hurry。　I've　got　ten　minutes。〃
　　〃Relax；　pal。　It's　only　six　blocks　away。〃
　　Mitch　ducked　low　in　the　rear　seat　and　watched　the　traffic。　The　driver　moved　with　a　slow　confidence　and　seven　minutes　later　stopped　in　front　of　the　station。　Mitch　threw　two　fives　over　the　seat　and　darted　into　the　terminal。　He　bought　a　oneway　ticket　on　the　four…thirty　bus　to　Atlanta。　It　was　four　thirty…one；　according　to　the　clock　on　the　wall。　The　clerk　pointed　through　the　swinging　doors。　〃Bus　No。　454；〃　she　said。　〃Leaving　in　a　moment。〃
　　The　driver　slammed　the　baggage　door；　took　his　ticket　and　followed　Mitch　onto　the　bus。　The　first　three　rows　were　filled　with　elderly　blacks。　A　dozen　more　passengers　were　scattered　toward　the　rear。　Mitch　walked　slowly　down　the　aisle；　gazing　at　each　face　and　seeing　no　one。　He　took　a　window　seat　on　the　fourth　row　from　the　rear。　He　slipped　on　a　pair　of　sunglasses　and　glanced　behind　him。　No　one。　Dammit！　Was　it　the　wrong　bus？　He　stared　out　the　dark　windows　as　the　bus　moved　quickly　into　traffic。　They　would　stop　in　Knoxville。　Maybe　his　contact　would　be　there。
　　When　they　were　on　the　interstate　and　the　driver　reached　his　cruising　speed；　a　man　in　blue　jeans　and　madras　shirt　suddenly　appeared　and　slid　into　the　seat　next　to　Mitch。　It　was　Tarrance。　Mitch　breathed　easier。
　　〃Where　have　you　been？〃　he　asked。
　　〃In　the　rest　room。　Did　you　lose　them？〃　Tarrance　spoke　in　a　low　voice　while　surveying　the　backs　of　the　heads　of　the　passengers。　No　one　was　listening。　No　one　could　hear。
　　〃I　never　see　them；　Tarrance。　So　I　cannot　say　if　I　lost　them。　But　I　think　they　would　have　to　be　supermen　to　keep　my　trail　this　time。〃
　　〃Did　you　see　our　man　in　the　terminal？〃
　　〃Yes。　By　the　pay　phone　with　the　red　Falcons　cap。　Black　dude。〃
　　〃That's　him。　He　would've　signaled　if　they　were　following。〃
　　〃He　gave　me　the　go…ahead。〃
　　Tarrance　wore　silver　reflective　sunglasses　under　a　green　Michigan　State　baseball　cap。　Mitch　could　smell　the　fresh　Juicy　Fruit。
　　〃Sort　of　out　of　uniform；　aren't　you？〃　Mitch　said　with　no　smile。　〃Did　Voyles　give　you　permission　to　dress　like　that？〃
　　〃I　forgot　to　ask　him。　I'll　mention　it　in　the　morning。〃
　　〃Sunday　morning？〃　Mitch　asked。
　　〃Of　course。　He'll　wanna　know　all　about　our　little　bus　ride。　I　briefed　him　for　an　hour　before　I　left　town。〃
　　〃Well；　first　things　first。　What　about　my　car？〃
　　〃We'll　pick　it　up　in　a　few　minutes　and　babysit　it　for　you。　It'll　be　in　Knoxville　when　you　need　it。　Don't　worry。〃
　　〃You　don't　think　they'll　find　us？〃
　　〃No　way。　No　one　followed　you　out　of　Memphis；　and　we　detected　nothing　in　Nashville。　You're　clean　as　a　whistle。〃
　　〃Pardon　my　concern。　But　after　that　fiasco　in　the　shoe　store；　I　know　you　boys　are　not　above　stupidity。〃
　　〃It　was　a　mistake；　all　right。　We…〃
　　〃A　big　mistake。　One　that　could　get　me　on　the　hit　list。〃
　　〃You　covered　it　well。　It　won't　happen　again。〃
　　〃Promise　me；　Tarrance。　Promise　me　no　one　will　ever　again　approach　me　in　public。〃
　　Tarrance