jg.thefirm-第76节

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id　a　puter　printout　under　the　very　pointed　and　proper　nose　of
　　Randolph　Osgood。　She　had　circled　an　unusual　transfer　of　ten　million。　Unusual　because　the　money　in　this　account　did　not　normally　return　to　the　United　States　and　unusual　because　it　went　to　a　bank　they　had；　never　dealt　with。　Osgood　studied　the　printout　and　called　Memphis。　Mr。　Tolar　was　on　leave　of　absence；　the　secretary　informed　him。　Then　Nathan　Locke？　he　asked。　Mr。　Locke　is　out　of　town。　Victor　Milligan？　Mr。　Milligan　is　away　also。
　　Osgood　placed　the　printout　in　the　pile　of　things　to　do　tomorrow。
　　Along　the　Emerald　Coast　of　Florida　and　Alabama；　from　the　outskirts　of　Mobile　east　through　Pensacola；　Fort　Walton　Beach；　Destin　and　Panama　City；　the　warm　spring　night　had　been　peaceful。　Only　one　violent　crime　along　the　coast。　A　young　woman　was　robbed；　beaten　and　raped　in　her　room　at　the　Perdido　Beach　Hilton。　Her　boyfriend；　a　tall　blond…headed　man　with　strong　Nordic　features；　had　found　her　bound　and　gagged　in　her　room。　His　name　was　Rimmer；　Aaron　Rimmer；　and　he　was　from　Memphis。
　　The　real　excitement　of　the　night　was　a　massive　manhunt　in　the　Mobile　area　for　the　escaped　murderer；　Ray　McDeere。　He　had　been　seen　arriving　at　the　bus　station　after　dark。　His　mug　shot　was　on　the　front　page　of　the　morning　paper；　and　before　ten；　three　witnesses　had　e　forth　and　reported　sightings。　His　movements　were　traced　across　Mobile　Bay　to　Foley；　Alabama；　then　to　Gulf　Shores。
　　Since　the　Hilton　is　only　ten　miles　from　Gulf　Shores　along　Highway　182；　and　since　the　only　known　escaped　murderer　was　in　the　vicinity　when　the　only　violent　crime　occurred；　the　conclusion　was　quick　and　inescapable。　The　hotel's　night　clerk　made　a　probable　ID　of　Ray　McDeere；　and　the　records　reflected　that　he　checked　in　around　nine…thirty　as　a　Mr。　Lee
　　　Stevens。　And　he　paid　cash。　Later；　the　victim　checked　in　and　was　attacked。　The　victim　also　identified　Mr。　Ray　McDeere。　The　night　clerk　remembered　that　the　victim　asked　about　a　Rachel　James；　who　checked　in　five　minutes　before　the　victim　and　paid　cash。　Rachel　James　vanished　sometime　during　the　night　without　bothering　to　check　out。　Likewise　for　Ray　McDeere；　alias　Lee　Stevens。　A　parking…lot　attendant　made　a　probable　ID　of　McDeere　and　said　he　got　in　a　white　four…door　Cutlass　with　a　woman　between　midnight　and　one。　Said　she　was　driving　and　appeared　to　be　in　a　hurry。　Said　they　went　east　on　182。
　　Calling　from　his　room　on　the　sixth　floor　of　the　Hilton；　Aaron　Rimmer　anonymously　told　a　Baldwin　County　sheriff's　deputy　to　check　the　car　rental　panies　in　Mobile。　Check　them　for　an　Abby　McDeere。　That's　your　white　Cutlass；　he　told　him。
　　From　Mobile　to　Miami；　the　search　began　for　the　Cutlass　rented　from　Avis　by　Abby　McDeere。　The　sheriffs　investigator　promised　to　keep　the　victim's　boyfriend；　Aaron　Rimmer；　posted　on　all　developments。
　　Mr。　Rimmer　would　wait　at　the　Hilton。　He　shared　a　room　with　Tony　Verkler。　Next　door　was　his　boss；　DeVasher。　Fourteen　of　his　friends　sat　in　their　rooms　on　the　seventh　floor　and　waited。
　　It　took　seventeen　trips　from　the　apartment　to　the　U…Haul；　but　by　noon　the　Bendini　Papers　were　ready　for　shipment。　Mitch　rested　his　swollen　legs。　He　sat　on　the　couch　and　wrote　instructions　to　Tammy。　He　detailed　the　transactions　at　the　bank　and　told　her　to　wait　a　week　before　contacting　his　mother。　She　would　soon　be　a　millionaire。
　　He　set　the　telephone　in　his　lap　and　prepared　himself　for　an　unpleasant　task。　He　called　the　Dane　County　Bank　and　asked　for　Harold　Sutherland。　It　was　an　emergency；　he　said。
　　〃Hello；〃　his　father…in…law　answered　angrily。
　　〃Mr。　Sutherland；　this　is　Mitch。　Have　you…〃
　　〃Where's　my　daughter。　Is　she　okay？〃
　　〃Yes。　She's　fine。　She's　with　me。　We'll　be　leaving　the　country　for　a　few　days。　Maybe　weeks。　Maybe　months。〃
　　〃I　see；〃　he　replied　slowly。　〃And　where　might　you　be　going？〃
　　〃Not　sure。　We'll　just　knock　around　for　a　while。〃
　　〃Is　something　wrong；　Mitch？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。　Something　is　very　wrong；　but　I　can't　explain　now。　Maybe　one　of　these　days。　Watch　the　newspapers　closely。　You'll　see　a　major　story　out　of　Memphis　within　two　weeks。〃
　　〃Are　you　in　danger？〃
　　〃Sort　of。　Have　you　received　any　unusual　wire　transfers　this　morning？〃
　　〃As　a　matter　of　fact　we　have。　Somebody　parked　a　million　bucks　here　about　an　hour　ago。〃
　　〃That　somebody　was　me；　and　the　money　is　yours。〃
　　There　was　a　very　long　pause。　〃Mitch；　I　think　I　deserve　an　explanation。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir；　you　do。　But　I　can't　give　you　one。　If　we　make　it　safely　out　of　the　country；　you'll　be　notified　in　a　week　or　so。　Enjoy　the　money。　Gotta　run。〃
　　Mitch　waited　a　minute　and　called　Room　1028　at　the　Holiday　Inn；　Panama　City　Beach。
　　〃Hello。〃　It　was　Abby。
　　〃Hi；　babe。　How　are　you？〃
　　〃Terrible；　Mitch。　Ray's　picture　is　on　the　cover　of　every　newspaper　down　here。　At　first　it　was　the　escape　and　the　fact　that　someone　saw　him　in　Mobile。　Now　the　TV　news　is　claiming　he　is　the　prime　suspect　in　a　rape　last　night。〃
　　〃What！　Where！〃
　　〃At　the　Perdido　Beach　Hilton。　Ray　caught　that　blonde　following　me　into　the　hotel。　He　jumped　her　in　her　room　and　tied　her　up。　Nothing　serious。　He　took　her　gun　and　her　money；　and　now　she's　claiming　she　was　beaten　and　raped　by　Ray　McDeere。　Every　cop　in　Florida　is　looking　for　the　car　I　rented　last　night　in　Mobile。〃
　　〃Where's　the　car？〃
　　〃We　left　it　about　a　mile　west　of　here　at　a　big　condo　development。　I'm　so　scared；　Mitch。〃
　　〃Where's　Ray？〃
　　〃He's　lying　on　the　beach　trying　to　sunburn　his　face。　The　picture　in　the　paper　is　an　old　one。　He's　got　long　hair　and　looks　real　pale。　It's　not　a　good　picture。　Now　he's　got　a　crew　cut　and　he's　trying　to　turn　pink。　I　think　it　will　help。〃
　　〃Are　both　rooms　in　your　name？〃
　　〃Rachel　James。〃
　　〃Listen；　Abby。　Forget　Rachel　and　Lee　and　Ray　and　Abby。　Wait　until　almost　dark；　then　leave　the　rooms。　Just　walk　away。　About　a　half　a　mile　east　is　a　small　motel　called　the　Blue　Tide。　You　and　Ray　enjoy　a　little　walk　on　the　beach　until　you　find　it。　You　go　to　the　desk　and　get　two　rooms　next　to　each　other。　Pay　in　cash。　Tell　them　your　name　is　Jackie　Nagel。　Got　that？　Jackie　Nagel。　Use　that　name；　because　when　I　get　there　I'll　ask　for　it。〃
　　〃What　if　they　don't　have　two　rooms　next　to　each　other？〃
　　〃Okay；　if　anything　goes　wrong；　two　doors　down　is　another　dump　called　the　Seaside。　Check　in　there。　Same　name。　I'm　leaving　here　now；　say　one　o'clock；　and　I　should　be　there　in　ten　hours。〃
　　〃What　if　they　find　the　car？〃
　　〃They'll　find　it；　and　they'll　throw　a　blanket　over　Panama　City　Beach。　You've　got　to　be　careful。　After　dark；　try　to　sneak　into　a　drugstore　and　buy　some　hair　dye。　Cut　your　hair　extremely　short　and　dye　it　blond。〃
　　〃Blond！〃
　　〃Or　red。　I　don't　give　a　damn。　But　change　it。　Tell　Ray　not　to　leave　his　room。　Do　not　take　any　chances。〃
　　〃He's　got　a　gun；　Mitch。〃
　　〃Tell　him　I　said　not　to　use　it。　There　will　be　a　thousand　cops　around　there；　probably　tonight。　He　can't　win　a　gunfight。〃
　　〃I　love　you；　Mitch。　I'm　so　scared。〃
　　〃It's　okay　to　be　scared；　babe。　Just　keep　thinking。　They　don't　know　where　you　are；　and　they　can't　catch　you　if　you　move。　I'll　be　there　by　midnight。〃
　　Lamar　Quin；　Wally　Hudson　and　Kendall　Mahan　sat　in　the　conference　room　on　the　third　floor　and　contemplated　their　next　move。　As　senior　associates；　they　knew　about　the　fifth　floor　and　the　basement；　about　Mr。　Lazarov　and　Mr。　Morolto；　about　Hodge　and　Kozinski。　They　knew　that　when　one　joined　；　one　did　not　leave。
　　They　told　their　stories　about　the　Day。　They　pared　it　to　the　day　they　learned　the　sad　truth　about　Santa　Claus。　A　sad　and　frightening　day；　when　Nathan　Locke　talked　to　them　in　his　office　and　told　them　about　their　biggest　client。　And　then　he　introduced　them　to　DeVasher。　They　were　employees　of　the　Morolto　family；　and　they　were　expected　to　work　hard；　spend　their　handsome　paychecks　and　remain　very　quiet　about　it。　All　three　did。　There　had　been　thoughts　of　leaving；　but　never　serious　plans。　They　were　family　men。　In　time；　it　sort　of　went　away。　There　were　so　many　clean　clients　to　work　for。　So　much　hard；　legitimate　work。
　　The　partners　handled　most　of　the　dirty　work；　but　growing　seniority　had　brought　increasing　involvement　in　the　conspiracy。　They　would　never　be　caught；　the　partners　assured　them。　They　were　too　smart。　They　had　too　much　money。　It　was　a　perfect　cover。　Of　particular　concern　at　the　conference　table　was　the　fact　that　the　partners　had　skipped　town。　There　was　not　a　single　partner　in　Memphis。　Even　Avery　Tolar　had　disappeared。　He　had　walked　out　of　the　hospital。
　　They　talked　about　Mitch。　He　was　out　there　somewhere；　scared　and　running　for　his　life。　If　DeVasher　caught　him；　he　was　dead　and　they　would　bury　him　like　Hodge　and　Kozin…ski。　But　if　the　feds　caught　him；　they　got　the　records；　and　they　got　；　which；　of　course；　included　the　three　of　them。
　　What　if；　they　speculated；　no　one　caught　him？　What　if　he　made　it；　just　vanished？　Along　with　his　documents；　of　course。　What　if　he　and　Abby　were　now　somewhere　on　a　beach；　drinking　rum　and　counting　their　money？　They　liked　this　thought　and　talked　about　it　for　a　while。
　　Finally；　they　decided　to　wait　until　tomorrow。　If　Mitch　was　gunned　down　somewhere；　they　would　stay　in　Memphis。　If　he　was　never　found；　they　would　stay　in　Memphis。　If　the　feds　caught　him；　they　would　hit　the　road；