jg.thefirm-第7节

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　　〃It's　important　to　us。　And　we　don't　lose　any　money　on　the　deal。　Once　you　find　a　house；　our　real　estate　section　handles　everything。　All　you　have　to　do　is　move　in。〃
　　〃What　about　the　BMW？〃
　　Mr。　McKnight　chuckled。　〃We　started　that　about　ten　years　ago　and　it's　proved　to　be　quite　an　inducement。　It's　very　simple。　You　pick　out　a　BMW；　one　of　the　smaller　ones；　we　lease　it　for　three　years　and　give　you　the　keys。　We　pay　for　tags；　insurance；　maintenance。　At　the　end　of　three　years　you　can　buy　it　from　the　leasing　pany　for　the　fair　market　value。　It's　also　a　one…shot　deal。〃
　　〃That's　very　tempting。〃
　　〃We　know。〃
　　Mr。　McKnight　looked　at　his　legal　pad。　〃We　provide　plete　medical　and　dental　coverage　for　the　entire　family。　Pregnancies；　checkups；　braces；　everything。　Paid　entirely　by　。〃
　　Mitch　nodded；　but　was　not　impressed。　This　was　standard。
　　〃We　have　a　retirement　plan　second　to　none。　For　every　dollar　you　invest；　　matches　it　with　two；　provided；　however；　you　invest　at　least　ten　percent　of　your　base　pay。　Let's　say　you　start　at　eighty；　and　the　first　year　you　set　aside　eight　thousand。　　kicks　in　sixteen；　so　you've　got　twenty…four　after　the　first　year。　A　money　pro　in　New　York　handles　it　and　last　year　our　retirement　earned　nineteen　percent。　Not　bad。　Invest　for　twenty　years　and　you're　a　millionaire　at　forty…five；　just　off　retirement。　One　stipulation：　If　you　bail　out　before　twenty　years；　you　lose　everything　but　the　money　you　put　in；　with　no　ine　earned　on　that　money。〃
　　〃Sounds　rather　harsh。〃
　　〃No；　actually　it's　rather　generous。　Find　me　another　firm　or　pany　matching　two　to　one。　There　are　none；　to　my　knowledge。　It's　our　way　of　taking　care　of　ourselves。　Many　of　our　partners　retire　at　fifty；　some　at　forty…five。　We　have　no　mandatory　retirement；　and　some　work　into　their　sixties　and　seventies。　To　each　his　own。　Our　goal　is　simply　to　ensure　a　generous　pension　and　make　early　retirement　an　option。〃
　　〃How　many　retired　partners　do　you　have？〃
　　〃Twenty　or　so。　You'll　see　them　around　here　from　time　to　time。　They　like　to　e　in　and　have　lunch　and　a　few　keep　office　space。　Did　Lamar　cover　vacations？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Good。　Book　early；　especially　for　Vail　and　the　Caymans。　You　buy　the　air　fare；　but　the　condos　are　free。　We　do　a　lot　of　business　in　the　Caymans　and　from　time　to　time　we'll　send　you　down　for　two　or　three　days　and　write　the　whole　thing　off。　Those　trips　are　not　counted　as　vacation；　and　you'll　get　one　every　year　or　so。　We　work　hard；　Mitch；　and　we　recognize　the　value　of　leisure。〃
　　Mitch　nodded　his　approval　and　dreamed　of　lying　on　a　sun…drenched　beach　in　the　Caribbean；　sipping　on　a　pina　colada　and　watching　string　bikinis。
　　〃Did　Lamar　mention　the　signing　bonus？〃
　　〃No；　but　it　sounds　interesting。〃
　　〃If　you　join　our　firm　we　hand　you　a　check　for　five　thousand。　We　prefer　that　you　spend　the　bulk　of　it　on　a　new　wardrobe。　After　seven　years　of　jeans　and　flannel　shirts；　your　inventory　of　suits　is　probably　low；　and　we　realize　it。　Appearance　is　very　important　to　us。　We　expect　our　attorneys　to　dress　sharp　and　conservative。　There's　no　dress　code；　but　you'll　get　the　picture。〃
　　Did　he　say　five　thousand　dollars？　For　clothes？　Mitch　currently　owned　two　suits；　and　he　was　wearing　one　of　them。　He　kept　a　straight　face　and　did　not　smile。
　　〃Any　questions？〃
　　〃Yes。　The　large　firms　are　infamous　for　being　sweatshops　where　the　associates　are　flooded　with　tedious　research　and　locked　away　in　some　library　for　the　first　three　years。　I　want　no　part　of　that。　I　don't　mind　doing　my　share　of　research　and　I　realize　I　will　be　the　low　man　on　the　pole。　But　I　don't　want　to　research　and　write　briefs　for　the　entire　firm。　I'd　like　to　work　with　real　clients　and　their　real　problems。〃
　　Mr。　McKnight　listened　intently　and　waited　with　his　rehearsed　answer。　〃I　understand；　Mitch。　You're　right；　it　is　a　real　problem　in　the　big　firms。　But　not　here。　For　the　first　three　months　you'll　do　little　but　study　for　the　bar　exam。　When　that's　over；　you　begin　practicing　law。　You'll　be　assigned　to　a　partner；　and　his　clients　will　bee　your　clients。　You'll　do　most　of　his　research　and；　of　course；　your　own；　and　occasionally　you'll　be　asked　to　assist　someone　else　with　the　preparation　of　a　briefer　some　research。　We　want　you　happy。　We　take　pride　in　our　zero　turnover　rate；　and　we　go　the　extra　mile　to　keep　careers　on　track。　If　you　can't　get　along　with　your　partner；　we'll　find　another　one。　If　you　discover　you　don't　like　tax；　we'll　let　you　try　securities　or　banking。　It's　your　decision。　　will　soon　invest　a　lot　of　money　in　Mitch　McDeere；　and　we　want　him　to　be　productive。〃
　　Mitch　sipped　his　coffee　and　searched　for　another　question。　Mr。　McKnight　glanced　at　his　checklist。
　　〃We　pay　all　moving　expenses　to　Memphis。〃
　　〃That　won't　be　much。　Just　a　small　rental　truck。〃
　　〃Anything　else；　Mitch？〃
　　〃No；　sir。　I　can't　think　of　anything。〃
　　The　checklist　was　folded　and　placed　in　the　file。　The　partner　rested　both　elbows　on　the　table　and　leaned　forward。　〃Mitch；　we're　not　pushing；　but　we　need　an　answer　as　soon　as　possible。　If　you　go　elsewhere；　we　must　then　continue　to　interview。　It's　a　lengthy　process；　and　we'd　like　our　new　man　to　start　by　July　1。〃
　　〃Ten　days　soon　enough？〃
　　〃That's　fine。　Say　by　March　30？〃
　　〃Sure；　but　I'll　contact　you　before　then。〃　Mitch　excused　himself；　and　found　Lamar　waiting　in　the　hall　outside　McKnight's　office。　They　agreed　on　seven　for　dinner。
　　　
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　　THERE　were　no　law　offices　on　the　fifth　floor　of　the　Bendini　Building。　The　partners'　dining　room　and　kitchen　occupied　the　west　end；　some　unused　and　unpainted　storage　rooms　sat　locked　and　empty　in　the　center；　then　a　thick　concrete　wall　sealed　off　the　remaining　third　of　the　floor。　A　small　metal　door　with　a　button　beside　it　and　a　camera　over　it　hung　in　the　center　of　the　wall　and　opened　into　a　small　room　where　an　armed　guard　watched　the　door　and　monitored　a　wall　of　closed…circuit　screens。　A　hallway　zigzagged　through　a　maze　of　cramped　offices　and　workrooms　where　an　assortment　of　characters　went　secretly　about　their　business　of　watching　and　gathering　information。　The　windows　to　the　outside　were　sealed　with　paint　and　covered　with　blinds。　The　sunlight　stood　no　chance　of　penetrating　the　fortress。
　　DeVasher；　head　of　security；　occupied　the　largest　of　the　small；　plain　offices。　The　lone　certificate　on　his　bare　walls　recognized　him　for　thirty　years　of　dedicated　service　as　a　detective　with　the　New　Orleans　Police　Department。　He　was　stocky　with　a　slight　belly；　thick　shoulders　and　chest　and　a　huge；　perfectly　round　head　that　smiled　with　great　reluctance。　His　wrinkled　shirt　was　mercifully　unbuttoned　at　the　collar；　allowing　his　bulging　neck　to　sag　unrestricted。　A　thick　polyester　tie　hung　on　the　coatrack　with　a　badly　worn　blazer。
　　Monday　morning　after　the　McDeere　visit；　Oliver　Lambert；　stood　before　the　small　metal　door　and　stared　at　the　camera　over　it。　He　pushed　the　button　twice；　waited　and　was　finally　cleared　through　security。　He　walked　quickly　through　the　cramped　hallway　and　entered　the　cluttered　office。　DeVasher　blew　smoke　from　a　Dutch　Masters　into　a　smokeless　ashtray　and　shoved　papers　in　all　directions　until　wood　was　visible　on　his　desk。
　　〃Mornin'；　Ollie。　I　guess　you　want　to　talk　about　McDeere。〃
　　DeVasher　was　the　only　person　in　the　Bendini　Building　who　called　him　Ollie　to　his　face。
　　〃Yes；　among　other　things。〃
　　〃Well；　he　had　a　good　time；　was　impressed　with　；　liked　Memphis　okay　and　will　probably　sign　on。〃
　　〃Where　were　your　people？〃
　　〃We　had　the　rooms　on　both　sides　at　the　hotel。　His　room　was　wired；　of　course；　as　was　the　limo　and　the　phone　and　everything　else。　The　usual；　Ollie。〃
　　〃Let's　get　specific。〃
　　〃Okay。　Thursday　night　they　checked　in　late　and　went　to　bed。　Little　discussion。　Friday　night　he　told　her　all　about　；　the　offices；　the　people；　said　you　were　a　real　nice　man。　I　thought　you'd　like　that。〃
　　〃Get　on　with　it。〃
　　〃Told　her　about　the　fancy　dining　room　and　his　little　lunch　with　the　partners。　Gave　her　the　specifics　on　the　offer　and　they　were　ecstatic。　Much　better　than　his　other　offers。　She　wants　a　home　with　a　driveway　and　a　sidewalk　and　trees　and　a　backyard。　He　said　she　could　have　one。〃
　　〃Any　problems　with　？〃
　　〃Not　really。　He　mented　on　the　absence　of　blacks　and　women；　but　it　didn't　seem　to　bother　him。〃
　　〃What　about　his　wife？〃
　　〃She　had　a　ball。　She　likes　the　town；　and　she　and　Quin's　wife　hit　it　off。　They　looked　at　houses　Friday　afternoon；　and　she　saw　a　couple　she　liked。〃
　　〃You　get　any　addresses？〃
　　〃Of　course；　Ollie。　Saturday　morning　they　called　the　limo　and　rode　all　over　town。　Very　impressed　with　the　limo。　Our　driver　stayed　away　from　the　bad　sections；　and　they　looked　at　more　houses。　I　think　they　decided　on　one。　1231　East　Meadowbrook。　It's　empty。　Realtor　by　the　name　of　Betsy　Bell　walked　them　through　it。　Asking　one…forty；　but　will　take　less。　Need　to　move　it。〃
　　〃That's　a　nice　part　of　town。　How　old　is　the　house？〃
　　〃Ten；　fifteen　years。　Three　thousand　square　feet。　Sort　of　a　colonial…looking　job。　It's　nice　enough　for　one　of　your　boys；　Ollie。〃
　　〃Are　you　sure　that's　the　one　they　want？〃
　　〃For　now　anyway。　They　discussed　maybe　ing　back　in　a　month　or　so　to　look　at　some　more。　You　might　want　to　fly　them　back　as　soon　as　they　accept。　That's　normal　procedure；