jg.thefirm-第85节

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　　〃Eight　million；　give　or　take；〃　Mitch　said。
　　〃That's　nice。　You've　got　the　money　to　do　as　you　please；　so　forget　about　them。　Just　tour　the　islands　for　the　rest　of　your　life。　There　are　worse　things；　you　know。〃
　　For　days　they　sailed　toward　Cuba；　then　around　it　in　the　direction　of　Jamaica。　They　watched　George　and　listened　to　his　lectures。　After　twenty　years　of　sailing　through　the　Caribbean；　he　was　a　man　of　great　knowledge　and　patience。　Ray；　the　linguist；　listened　to　and　memorized　words　like　spinnaker；　mast；　bow；　stern；　aft；　tiller；　halyard　winches；　masthead　fittings；　shrouds；　lifelines；　stanchions；　sheet　winch；　bow　pulpit；　coamings；　transom；　clew　outhaul；　genoa　sheets；　mainsail；　jib；　jibstays；　jib　sheets；　cam　cleats　and　boom　vangs。　George　lectured　on　heeling；　luffing；　running；　blanketing；　backwinding；　heading　up；　trimming　and　pointing。　Ray　absorbed　the　language　of　sailing；　Mitch　studied　the　technique。　Abby　stayed　in　the　cabin；　saying　little　and　smiling　only　when　necessary。　Life　on　a　boat　was　not　something　she　dreamed　about。　She　missed　her　house　and　wondered　what　would　happen　to　it。　Maybe　Mr。　Rice　would　cut　the　grass　and　pull　the　weeds。　She　missed　the　shady　streets　and　neat　lawns　and　the　small　gangs　of　children　riding　bicycles。　She　thought　of　her　dog；　and　prayed　that　Mr。　Rice　would　adopt　it。　She　worried　about　her　parents…their　safety　and　their　fear。　When　would　she　see　them　again？　It　would　be　years；　she　decided；　and　she　could　live　with　that　if　she　knew　they　were　safe。
　　Her　thoughts　could　not　escape　the　present。　The　future　was　inconceivable。
　　During　the　second　day　of　the　rest　of　her　life；　she　began　writing　letters；　letters　to　her　parents；　Kay　Quin；　Mr。　Rice　and　a　few　friends。　The　letters　would　never　be　mailed；　she　knew；　but　it　helped　to　put　the　words　on　paper。
　　Mitch　watched　her　carefully；　but　left　her　alone。　He　had　nothing　to　say；　really。　Maybe　in　a　few　days　they　could　talk。
　　By　the　end　of　the　fourth　day；　Wednesday；　Grand　Cayman　was　in　sight。　They　circled　it　slowly　once　and　anchored　a　mile　from　shore。　After　dark；　Barry　Abanks　said　goodbye。　The　McDeeres　simply　thanked　him；　and　he　eased　away　in　the　rubber　raft。　He　would　land　three　miles　from　Bodden　Town　at　another　dive　lodge；　then　call　one　of　his　dive　captains　to　e　get　him。　He　would　know　if　anyone　suspicious　had　been　around。　Abanks　expected　no　trouble。
　　George's　pound　on　Little　Cayman　consisted　of　a　small　main　house　of　white…painted　wood　and　two　smaller　outbuildings。　It　was　inland　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　on　a　tiny　bay。　The　nearest　house　could　not　be　seen。　A　native　woman　lived　in　the　smallest　building　and　maintained　the　place。　Her　name　was　Fay。
　　The　McDeeres　settled　in　the　main　house　and　tried　to　begin　the　process　of　starting　over。　Ray；　the　escapee；　roamed　the　beaches　for　hours　and　kept　to　himself。　He　was　euphoric；　but　could　not　show　it。　He　and　George　took　the　boat　out　for　several　hours　each　day　and　drank　scotch　while　exploring　the　islands。　They　usually　returned　drunk。
　　Abby　spent　the　first　days　in　a　small　room　upstairs　overlooking　the　bay。　She　wrote　more　letters　and　began　a　diary。　She　slept　alone。
　　Twice　a　week；　Fay　drove　the　Volkswagen　bus　into　town　for　supplies　and　mail。　She　returned　one　day　with　a　package　from　Barry　Abanks。　George　delivered　it　to　Mitch。　Inside　the　package　was　a　parcel　sent　to　Abanks　from　Doris　Greenwood　in　Miami。　Mitch　ripped　open　the　thick　legal…sized　envelope　and　found　three　newspapers；　two　from　Atlanta　and　one　from　Miami。
　　The　headlines　told　of　the　mass　indicting　of　the　Bendini　law　firm　in　Memphis。　Fifty…one　present　and　former　members　of　　were　indicted；　along　with　thirty…one　alleged　members　of　the　Morolto　crime　family　in　Chicago。　More　indictments　were　ing；　promised　the　U。S。　Attorney。　Just　the　tip　of　the　iceberg。　Director　F。　Denton　Voyles　allowed　himself　to　be　quoted　as　saying　it　was　a　major　blow　to　organized　crime　in　America。　It　should　be　a　dire　warning；　he　said；　to　legitimate　professionals　and　businessmen　who　are　tempted　to　handle　dirty　money。
　　Mitch　folded　the　newspapers　and　went　for　a　long　walk　on　the　beach。　Under　a　cluster　of　palms；　he　found　some　shade　and　sat　down。　The　Atlanta　paper　listed　the　names　of　every　Bendini　lawyer　indicted。　He　read　them　slowly。　There　was　no　joy　in　seeing　the　names。　He　almost　felt　sorry　for　Nathan　Locke。　Almost。　Wally　Hudson；　Kendall　Mahan；　Jack　Al…drich　and；　finally；　Lamar　Quin。　He　could　see　their　faces。　He　knew　their　wives　and　their　children。　Mitch　gazed　across　the　brilliant　ocean　and　thought　about　Lamar　and　Kay　Quin。　He　loved　them；　and　he　hated　them。　They　had　helped　seduce　him　into　；　and　they　were　not　without　blame。　But　they　were　his　friends。　What　a　waste！　Maybe　Lamar　would　only　serve　a　couple　of　years　and　then　be　paroled。　Maybe　Kay　and　the　kids　could　survive。　Maybe。
　　〃I　love　you；　Mitch。〃　Abby　was　standing　behind　him。　She　held　a　plastic　pitcher　and　two　cups。
　　He　smiled　at　her　and　waved　to　the　sand　next　to　him。　〃What's　in　the　pitcher？〃
　　〃Rum　punch。　Fay　mixed　it　for　us。〃
　　〃Is　it　strong？〃
　　She　sat　next　to　him　on　the　sand。　〃It's　mostly　rum。　I　told　Fay　we　needed　to　get　drunk；　and　she　agreed。〃
　　He　held　her　tightly　and　sipped　the　rum　punch。　They　watched　a　small　fishing　boat　inch　through　the　sparkling　water。
　　〃Are　you　scared；　Mitch？〃
　　〃Terrified。〃
　　〃Me　too。　This　is　crazy。〃
　　〃But　we　made　it；　Abby。　We're　alive。　We're　safe。　We're　together。〃
　　〃But　what　about　tomorrow？　And　the　next　day？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；　Abby。　Things　could　be　worse；　you　know。　My　name　could　be　in　the　paper　there　with　the　other　freshly　indicted　defendants。　Or　we　could　be　dead。　There　are　worse　things　than　sailing　around　the　Caribbean　with　eight　million　bucks　in　the　bank。〃
　　〃Do　you　think　my　parents　are　safe？〃
　　〃I　think　so。　What　would　Morolto　have　to　gain　by　harming　your　parents？　They're　safe；　Abby。〃
　　She　refilled　the　cups　with　rum　punch　and　kissed　him　on　the　cheek。　〃I'll　be　okay　Mitch。　As　long　as　we're　together；　I　can　handle　anything。〃
　　　〃Abby；〃　Mitch　said　slowly；　staring　at　the　water；　〃I　have　a　confession　to　make。〃
　　〃I'm　listening。〃
　　〃The　truth　is；　I　never　wanted　to　be　a　lawyer　anyway。〃
　　〃Oh；　really。〃
　　〃Naw。　Secretly；　I've　always　wanted　to　be　a　sailor。〃
　　〃Is　that　so？　Have　you　ever　made　love　on　the　beach？〃　Mitch　hesitated　for　a　slight　second。　〃Uh；　no。〃
　　〃Then　drink　up；　sailor。　Let's　get　drunk　and　make　a　baby。〃







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