jg.thefirm-第80节

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　　All　eyes　shot　desperately　around　the　table　and　quickly　landed　upon　Lazarov。　〃I'm　sorry；　sir；　I'm　confused。〃
　　Mr。　Morolto　leaned　into　Lazarov's　face。　〃What　about　the　water；　Lou？　We're　on　a　beach；　right？　There's　land　and　highways　and　railroads　and　airports　on　one　side；　and　there's　water　and　boats　on　the　other。　Now；　if　the　roads　are　blocked　and　the　airports　and　railroads　are　out　of　the　question；　where　do　you　think　they　might　go？　It　seems　obvious　to　me　they　would　try　to　find　a　boat　and　ease　out　in　the　dark。　Makes　sense；　don't　it；　boys？〃
　　Every　head　in　the　room　nodded　quickly。　DeVasher　spoke　first。　〃Makes　a　hell　of　a　lot　of　sense　to　me。〃
　　〃Wonderful；〃　said　Mr。　Morolto。　〃Then　where　are　our　boats？〃
　　Lazarov　jumped　from　his　seat；　turned　to　the　wall　and　began　barking　orders　at　his　lieutenants。　〃Go　down　to　the　docks！　Rent　every　fishing　boat　you　can　find　for　tonight　and　all　day　tomorrow。　Pay　them　whatever　they　want。　Don't　answer　any　questions；　just　pay　'em　the　money。　Get　our　men　on　those　boats　and　start　patrolling　as　soon　as　possible。　Stay　within　a　mile　of　shore。〃
　　Shortly　before　eleven；　Friday　night；　Aaron　Rimmer　stood　at　the　checkout　counter　at　an　all…night　Texaco　in　Tallahassee　and　paid　for　a　root　beer　and　twelve　gallons　of　gas。　He　needed　change　for　the　call。　Outside；　next　to　the　car　wash；　he　flipped　through　the　blue　pages　and　called　the　Tallahassee　Police　Department。　It　was　an　emergency。　He　explained　himself；　and　the　dispatcher　connected　him　with　a　shift　captain。
　　〃Listen！〃　Rimmer　yelled　urgently；　〃I'm　here　at　this　Texaco；　and　five　minutes　ago　I　saw　these　convicts　everybody　is　looking　for！　I　know　it　was　them！〃
　　〃Which　convicts？〃　asked　the　captain。
　　〃The　McDeeres。　Two　men　and　a　woman。　I　left　Panama　City　Beach　not　two　hours　ago；　and　I　saw　their　pictures　in　the　paper。　Then　I　stopped　here　and　filled　up；　and　I　saw　them。〃
　　Rimmer　gave　his　location　and　waited　thirty　seconds　for　the　first　patrol　car　to　arrive　with　blue　lights　flashing。　It　was　quickly　followed　by　a　second；　third　and　fourth。　They　loaded　Rimmer　in　a　front　seat　and　raced　him　to　the　South　Precinct。　The　captain　and　a　small　crowd　waited　anxiously。　Rimmer　was　escorted　like　a　celebrity　into　the　captain's　oflice；　where　the　three　posites　and　mug　shot　were　waiting　on　the　desk。
　　〃That's　them！〃　he　shouted。　〃I　just　saw　them；　not　ten　minutes　ago。　They　were　in　a　green　Ford　pickup　with　Tennessee　plates；　and　it　was　pulling　a　long　double…axle　U…Haul　trailer。〃
　　〃Exactly　where　were　you？〃　asked　the　captain。　The　cops　hung　on　every　word。
　　〃I　was　pumping　gas；　pump　number　four；　regular　unleaded；　and　they　eased　into　the　parking　lot；　real　suspicious　like。　They　parked　away　from　the　pumps；　and　the　woman　got　out　and　went　inside。〃　He　picked　up　Abby's　posite　and　studied　it。　〃Yep。　That's　her。　No　doubt。　Her　hair's　a　lot　shorter；　but　it's　dark。　She　came　right　back　out；　didn't　buy　a　thing。　She　seemed　nervous　and　in　a　hurry　to　get　back　to　the　truck。　I　was　finished　pumping；　so　I　walked　inside。　Right　when　I　opened　the　door；　they　drove　within　two；　feet　of　me。　I　saw　all　three　of　them。〃
　　〃Who　was　driving？〃　asked　the　captain。　Rimmer　stared　at　Ray's　mug　shot。　〃Not　him。　The　other　one。〃　He　pointed　at　Mitch's　posite。
　　〃Could　I　see　your　driver's　license；〃　a　sergeant　said。
　　Rimmer　carried　three　sets　of　identification。　He　handed　the　sergeant　an　Illinois　driver's　license　with　his　picture　and　the　name　Frank…Temple。
　　〃Which　direction　were　they　headed？〃　the　captain　asked。
　　〃East。〃
　　At　the　same　moment；　about　four　miles　away；　Tony　Ver…kler　hung　up　the　pay　phone；　smiled　to　himself　and　returned　to　the　Burger　King。
　　The　captain　was　on　the　phone。　The　sergeant　was　copying　information　from　Rimmer/Temple's　driver's　license　and　a　dozen　cops　chatted　excitedly　when　a　patrolman　rushed　into　the　office　〃Just　got　a　call！　Another　sighting；　at　a　Burger　King　east　of　town。　Same　info！　All　three　of　them　in　a　green　Ford　pickup　pulling　a　U…Haul。　Guy　wouldn't　leave　a　name；　but　said　he　saw　their　pictures　in　the　paper。　Said　they　pulled　through　the　carry…out　window；　bought　three　sacks　of　food　and　took　off。〃
　　〃It's　gotta　be　them！〃　the　captain　said　with　a　huge　smile。
　　The　Bay　County　sheriff　sipped　thick　black　coffee　from　a　Styrofoam　cup　and　rested　his　black　boots　on　the　executive　conference　table　in　the　Caribbean　Room　at　the　Holiday　Inn。　FBI　agents　were　in　and　out；　fixing　coffee；　whispering　and　updating　each　other　on　the　latest。　His　hero；　the　big　man　himself；　Director　F。　Denton　Voyles；　sat　across　the　table　and　studied　a　street　map　with　three　of　his　underlings。　Imagine；　Denton　Voyles　in　Bay　County。　The　room　was　a　beehive　of　police　activity。　Florida　state　troopers　filtered　in　and　out。　Radios　and　telephones　rang　and　squawked　on　a　makeshift　mand　post　in　a　corner。　Sheriff's　deputies　and　city　policemen　from　three　counties　loitered　about；　thrilled　with　the　chase　and　suspense　and　presence　of　all　those　FBI　agents。　And　Voyles。
　　A　deputy　burst　through　the　door　with　a　wild…eyed　glow　of　sheer　excitement。　〃Just　got　a　call　from　Tallahassee！　They've　got　two　positive　IDs　in　the　last　fifteen　minutes！　All　three　of　them　in　a　green　Ford　pickup　with　Tennessee　tags！〃
　　Voyles　dropped　his　street　map　and　walked　over　to　the　deputy。　〃Where　were　the　sightings？〃　The　room　was　silent；　except　for　the　radios。
　　〃First　one　was　at　a　Texaco　Quick　Shop。　Second　one　was　four　miles　away　at　a　Burger　King。　They　drove　through　the　drive…in　window。　Both　witnesses　were　positive　and　gave　identical　IDs。〃
　　Voyles　turned　to　the　sheriff。　〃Sheriff；　call　Tallahassee　and　confirm。　How　far　away　is　it？〃
　　The　black　boots　hit　the　floor。　〃Hour　and　a　half。　Straight　down　Interstate　10。〃
　　Voyles　pointed　at　Tarrance；　and　they　stepped　into　a　small　room　used　as　the　bar。　The　quiet　roar　returned　to　mission　control。
　　〃If　the　sightings　are　real；〃　Voyles　said　quietly　in　Tarranee's　face；　〃we're　wasting　our　time　here。〃
　　　〃Yes；　sir。　They　sound　legitimate。　A　single　sighting　could　be　a　fluke　or　a　prank；　but　two　that　close　together　sound　awfully　legitimate。〃
　　〃How　the　hell　did　they　get　out　of　here？〃
　　〃It's　gotta　be　that　woman；　Chief。　She's　been　helping　him　for　a　month。　I　don't　know　who　she　is；　or　where　he　found　her；　but　she's　on　the　outside　watching　us　and　feeding　him　whatever　he　needs。〃
　　〃Do　you　think　she's　with　them？〃
　　〃Doubt　it。　She's　probably　just　following　closely；　away　from　the　action；　and　taking　directions　from　him。〃
　　〃He's　brilliant；　Wayne。　He's　been　planning　this　for　months。〃
　　〃Evidently。〃
　　〃You　mentioned　the　Bahamas　once。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。　The　million　bucks　we　paid　him　was　wired　to　a　bank　in　Freeport。　He　later　told　me　it　didn't　stay　there　long。〃
　　〃You　think；　maybe；　he's　headed　there？〃
　　〃Who　knows。　Obviously　he　has　to　get　out　of　the　country。　I　talked　to　the　warden　today。　He　told　me　Ray　McDeere　can　speak　five　or　six　languages　fluently。　They　could　be　going　anywhere。〃
　　〃I　think　we　should　pull　out；〃　Voyles　said。
　　〃Let's　get　the　roadblocks　set　up　around　Tallahassee。　They　won't　last　long　if　we've　got　a　good　description　of　the　vehicle。　We　should　have　them　by　morning。〃
　　〃I　want　every　cop　in　central　Florida　on　the　highways　in　an　hour。　Roadblocks　everywhere。　Every　Ford　pickup　is　automatically　searched；　okay？　Our　men　will　wait　here　until　daybreak；　then　we'll　pull　up　stakes。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Tarrance　answered　with　a　weary　grin。
　　Word　of　the　Tallahassee　sightings　spread　instantly　along　the　Emerald　Coast。　Panama　City　Beach　relaxed。　The　McDeeres　were　gone。　For　reasons　unknown　only　to　them；　their　flight　had　moved　inland。　Sighted　and　positively　identified；　not　once　but　twice；　they　were　now　somewhere　else　speeding　desperately　toward　the　inevitable　confrontation　on　the　side　of　a　dark　highway。
　　The　cops　along　the　coast　went　home。　A　few　roadblocks　remained　through　the　night　in　Bay　County　and　Gulf　County；　the　predawn　hours　of　Saturday　were　almost　normal。　Both　ends　of　the　Strip　remained　blocked；　with　cops　making　cursory　exams　of　driver's　licenses。　The　roads　north　of　town　were　free　and　clear。　The　search　had　moved　east。
　　On　the　outskirts　of　Ocala；　Florida；　near　Silver　Springs　on　Highway　40；　Tony　Verkler　lumbered　from　a　7…Eleven　and　stuck　a　quarter　in　a　pay　phone。　He　called　the　Ocala　Police　Department　with　the　urgent　report　that　he　had　just　seen　those　three　convicts　everybody　was　looking　for　up　around　Panama　City　Beach。　The　McDeeres！　Said　he　saw　their　pictures　in　the　paper　the　day　before　when　he　was　driving　through　Pensacola；　and　now　he　had　just　seen　them。　The　dispatcher　informed　him　all　patrolmen　were　on　the　scene　of　a　bad　accident　and　asked　if　he　would　mind　driving　over　to　the　police　station　so　they　could　file　a　report。　Tony　said　he　was　in　a　hurry；　but　since　it　was　somewhat　important；　he　would　be　there　in　a　minute。
　　When　he　arrived；　the　chief　of　police　was　waiting　in　a　T…shirt　and　blue　jeans。　His　eyes　were　swollen　and　red；　and　his　hair　was　not　in　place。　He　led　Tony　into　his　office　and　thanked　him　for　ing　by。　He　took　notes　as　Tony　explained　how　he　was　pumping　gas　in　front　of　the　7…Eleven　and　a　green　Ford　pickup　with　a　U…Haul　trailer　behind　it　pulled　up　next　to　the　store　and　a　woman　got　out　and　used　the　phone。　Tony　was　in　the　process；　he　explained；　of　driving　from　Mobile　to　Miami　and