jg.thefirm-第56节

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　　Wayne　Tarrance　had　improved　his　wardrobe　by　Friday　of　Cayman　Week。　Gone　were　the　straw　sandals　and　tight　shorts　and　teenybop　sunglasses。　Gone　were　the　sickly…pale　legs。　Now　they　were　bright　pink；　burned　beyond　recognition。　After　three　days　in　the　tropical　outback　known　as　Cayman　Brae；　he　and　Acklin；　acting　on　behalf　of　the　U。S。　government；　had　pounced　on　a　rather　cheap　room　on　Grand　Cayman；　miles　from　Seven　Mile　Beach　and　not　within　walking　distance　of　any　remote　portion　of　the　sea。　Here　they　had　established　a　mand　post　to　monitor　the　ings　and　goings　of　the　McDeeres　and　other　interested　people。　Here；　at　the　Coconut　Motel；　they　had　shared　a　small　room　with　two　single　beds　and　cold　showers。　Wednesday　morning；　they　had　contacted　the　subject；　McDeere；　and　requested　a　meeting　as　soon　as　possible。　He　said　no。　Said　he　was　too　busy。　Said　he　and　his　wife　were　honeymooning　and　had　no　time　for　such　a　meeting。　Maybe　later；　was　all　he　said。
　　Then　late　Thursday；　while　Mitch　and　Abby　were　enjoying　grilled　grouper　at　the　Lighthouse　on　the　road　to　Bodden　Town；　Laney；　Agent　Laney；　dressed　in　appropriate　island　garb　and　looking　very　much　like　an　island　Negro；　stopped　at　their　table　and　laid　down　the　law。　Tarrance　insisted　on　a　meeting。
　　Chickens　had　to　be　imported　into　the　Cayman　Islands；　and　not　the　best　ones。　Only　medium…grade　chickens；　to　be　consumed　not　by　native　islanders　but　by　Americans　away　from　home　without　this　most　basic　staple。　Colonel　Sanders　had　the　damnedest　time　teaching　the　island　girls；　though　black　or　close　to　it；　how　to　fry　chicken。　It　was　foreign　to　them。
　　And　so　it　was　that　Special　Agent　Wayne　Tarrance；　of　the　Bronx；　arranged　a　quick　secret　meeting　at　…the　Kentucky　Fried　Chicken　franchise　on　the　island　of　Grand　Cayman。　The　only　such　franchise。　He　thought　the　place　would　be　deserted。　He　was　wrong。
　　A　hundred　hungry　tourists　from　Georgia；　Alabama；　Texas　and　Mississippi　packed　the　place　and　devoured　extra…crispy　with　cole　slaw　and　creamed　potatoes。　It　tasted　better　in　Tupelo；　but　it　would　do。
　　Tarrance　and　Acklin　sat　in　a　booth　in　the　crowded　restaurant　and　nervously　watched　the　front　door。　It　was　not　too　late　to　abort。　There　were　just　too　many　people。　Finally；　Mitch　entered；　by　himself；　and　stood　in　the　long　line。　He　brought　his　little　red　box　to　their　table　and　sat　down。　He　did　not　say　hello　or　anything。　He　began　eating　the　three…piece　dinner　for　which　he　paid　4。89；　Cayman　dollars。　Imported　chicken。
　　〃Where　have　you　been？〃　Tarrance　asked。
　　Mitch　attacked　a　thigh。　〃On　the　island。　It's　stupid　to　meet　here；　Tarrance。　Too　many　people。〃
　　〃We　know　what　we're　doing。〃
　　〃Yeah；　like　the　Korean　shoe　store。〃
　　〃Cute。　Why　wouldn't　you　see　us　Wednesday？〃
　　〃I　was　busy　Wednesday。　I　didn't　want　to　see　you　Wednesday。　Am　I　clean？〃
　　〃Of　course　you're　clean。　Laney　would've　tackled　you　at　the　front　door　if　you　weren't　clean。〃
　　〃This　place　makes　me　nervous；　Tarrance。〃
　　〃Why　did　you　go　to　Abanks？〃
　　Mitch　wiped　his　mouth　and　held　the　partially　devoured　thigh。　A　rather　small　thigh。　〃He's　got　a　boat。　I　wanted　to　fish　and　snorkel；　so　we　cut　a　deal。　Where　were　you；　Tarrance？　In　a　submarine　trailing　us　around　the　island？〃
　　〃What　did　Abanks　say？〃
　　〃Oh；　he　knows　lots　of　words。　Hello。　Give　me　a　beer。　Who's　following　us？　Buncha　words。〃
　　〃They　followed　you；　you　know？〃
　　〃They！　Which　they？　Your　they　or　their　they？　I'm　being　followed　so　much　I'm　causing　traffic　jams。〃
　　〃The　bad　guys；　Mitch。　Those　from　Memphis　and　Chicago　and　New　York。　The　ones　who'll　kill　you　tomorrow　if　you　get　real　cute。〃
　　〃I'm　touched。　So　they　followed　me。　Where'd　I　take　them？　Snorkeling？　Fishing？　e　on；　Tarrance。　They　follow　me；　you　follow　them；　you　follow　me；　they　follow　you。　If　I　slam　on　brakes　I　get　twenty　noses　up　my　ass。　Why　are　we　meeting　here；　Tarrance？　This　place　is　packed。〃
　　Tarrance　glanced　around　in　frustration。
　　Mitch　closed　his　chicken　box。　〃Look；　Tarrance；　I'm　nervous　and　I've　lost　my　appetite。〃
　　〃Relax。　You　were　clean　ing　from　the　condo。〃　　　　　^
　　〃I'm　always　clean；　Tarrance。　I　suppose　Hodge　and　Kozinski　were　clean　every　time　they　moved。　Clean　at　Abanks。　Clean　on　the　dive　boat。　Clean　at　the　funerals。　This　was　not　a　good　idea；　Tarrance。　I'm　leaving。〃
　　〃Okay。　When　does　your　plane　leave？〃
　　〃Why？　You　guys　plan　to　follow？　Will　you　follow　me　or　them？　What　if　they　follow　you？　What　if　we　all　get　real　confused　and　I　follow　everybody？〃
　　〃e　on；　Mitch。〃
　　〃Nine…forty　in　the　morning。　I'll　try　to　save　you　a　seat。　You　can　have　the　window　next　to　Two…Ton　Tony。〃
　　〃When　do　we　get　your　files？〃
　　Mitch　stood　with　his　chicken　box。　〃In　a　week　or　so。　Give　me　ten　days；　and；　Tarrance；　no　more　meetings　in　public。　They　kill　lawyers；　remember；　not　stupid　FBI　agents。〃
　　　
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　　AT　eight　Monday　morning；　Oliver　Lambert　and　Nathan　Locke　were　cleared　through　the　concrete　wall　on　the　fifth　floor　and　walked　through　the　maze　of　small　rooms　and　offices。　DeVasher　was　waiting。　He　closed　the　door　behind　them　and　pointed　to　the　chairs。　His　walk　was　not　as　quick。　The　night　had　been　a　long　losing　battle　with　the　vodka。　The　eyes　were　red　and　the　brain　expanded　with　each　breath。
　　〃I　talked　with　Lazarov　yesterday　in　Las　Vegas。　I　explained　as　best　I　could　why　you　boys　were　so　reluctant　to　fire　your　four　lawyers；　Lynch；　Sorrell；　Buntin　and　Myers。　I　gave　him　all　your　good　reasons。　He　said　he'd　think　about　it；　but　in　the　meantime；　make　damned　sure　those　four　work　on　nothing　but　clean　files。　Take　no　chances　and　watch　them　closely。〃
　　〃He's　really　a　nice　guy；　isn't　he？〃　Oliver　Lambert　said。
　　〃Oh　yes。　A　real　charmer。　He　said　Mr。　Morolto　has　asked　about　　once　a　week　for　six　weeks　now。　Said　they're　all　anxious。〃
　　〃What　did　you　tell　him？〃　　　　　；
　　〃Told　him　things　are　secure；　for　now。　Leaks　are　plugged；　for　now。　I　don't　think　he　believes　me。〃
　　〃What　about　McDeere？〃　asked　Locke。
　　〃He　had　a　wonderful　week　with　h'is　wife。　Have　you　ever　seen　her　in　a　string　bikini？　She　wore　one　all　week。　Outstanding！　We　got　some　pictures；　just　for　fun。〃
　　〃I　didn't　e　here　to　look　at　pictures；〃　Locke　snapped。
　　〃You　don't　say。　They　spent　an　entire　day　with　our　little　pal　Abanks；　just　the　three　of　them　and　a　deckhand。　They　played　in　the　water；　did　some　fishing。　And　they　did　a　lot　of　talking。　About　what；　we　don't　know。　Never　could　get　close　enough。　But　it　makes　me　very　suspicious；　guys。　Very　suspicious。〃
　　〃I　don't　see　why；〃　said　Oliver　Lambert。　〃What　can　they　talk　about　besides　fishing　and　diving；　and；　of　course；　Hodge　and　Kozinski？　And　so　they　talk　about　Hodge　and　Kozinski；　what's　the　harm？〃
　　〃He　never　knew　Hodge　and　Kozinski；　Oliver；〃　said　Locke。　〃Why　would　he　be　so　interested　in　their　deaths？〃
　　〃Keep　in　mind；〃　said　DeVasher；　〃that　Tarrance　told　him　at　their　first　meeting　that　the　deaths　were　not　accidental。　So　now　he's　Sherlock　Holmes　looking　for　clues。〃
　　〃He　won't　find　any；　will　he；　DeVasher？〃
　　〃Hell　no。　It　was　a　perfect　job。　Oh　sure；　there　are　a　few　unanswered　questions；　but　the　Caymanian　police　damned　sure　can't　answer　them。　Neither　can　our　boy　McDeere。〃
　　〃Then　why　are　you　worried？〃　asked　Lambert。
　　〃Because　they're　worried　in　Chicago；　Ollie；　and　they　pay　me　real　good　money　to　stay　worried　down　here。　And　until　the　Fibbies　leave　us　alone；　everybody　stays　worried；　okay？〃
　　〃What　else　did　he　do？〃
　　〃The　usual　Cayman　vacation。　Sex；　sun；　rum；　a　little　shopping　and　sightseeing。　We　had　three　people　on　the　island；　and　they　lost　him　a　couple　of　times；　but　nothing　serious；　I　hope。　Like　I've　always　said；　you　can't　trail　a　man　twenty…four　hours　a　day；　seven　days　a　week；　without　getting　caught。　So　we　have　to　play　it　cool　sometimes。〃
　　〃You　think　McDeere's　talking？〃　asked　Locke。
　　〃I　know　he　lies；　Nat。　He　lied　about　the　incident　in　the　Korean　shoe　store　a　month　ago。　You　guys　didn't　want　to　believe　it；　but　I'm　convinced　he　went　into　that　store　voluntarily　because　he　wanted　to　talk　with　Tarrance。　One　of　our　guys　made　a　mistake；　got　too　close；　so　the　little　meeting　broke　up。　That　ain't　McDeere's　version；　but　that's　what　happened。　Yeah；　Nat；　I　think　he's　talking。　Maybe　lie　meets　with　Tarrance　and　tells　him　to　go　to　hell。　Maybe　they're　smoking　dope　together。　I　don't　know。〃
　　〃But　you　have　nothing　concrete；　DeVasher；〃　Ollie　said。
　　The　brain　expanded　and　pressed　mightily　against　the　skull。　It　hurt　too　much　to　get　mad。　〃No；　Ollie；　nothing　like　Hodge　and　Kozinski；　if　that's　what　you　mean。　We　had　those　boys　on　tape　and　knew　they　were　about　to　talk。　McDeere's　a　little　different。〃
　　〃He's　also　a　rookie；〃　said　Nat。　〃An　eight…month　lawyer　who　knows　nothing。　He's　spent　a　thousand　hours　on　sweat　files；　and　the　only　clients　he's　handled　have　been　legitimate。　Avery's　been　extremely　careful　about　the　files　McDeere's　touched。　We've　talked　about　it。〃
　　〃He　has　nothing　to　say；　because　he　knows　nothing；〃　added　Ollie。　〃Marty　and　Joe　knew　a　helluva　lot；　but　they'd　been　here　for　years。　McDeere's　a　new　recruit。〃
　　DeVasher　gently　massaged　his　temples。　〃So　you've　hired　a　real　dumb…ass。　Let's　just　suppose　the　FBI　has　a　hunch　who　our　biggest　client　is。　Okay。　Think　along　with　me。　And　let's　just　suppose　Hodge　and　Kozinski　fed　them　enough　to　confirm　the　identity　of　this　particular　client。　See　wh