jg.thefirm-第13节

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　　〃You　want　to　look　at　the　house？　It's　marvelous。〃
　　〃Maybe　some　other　time。　Let's　just　talk。〃
　　　
　　　6
　　AT　FIVE　A。M。　the　alarm　clock　exploded　on　the　new　bed　table　under　the　new　lamp；　and　was　immediately　silenced。　Mitch　staggered　through　the　dark　house　and　found　Hearsay　waiting　at　the　back　door。　He　released　him　into　the　backyard　and　headed　for　the　shower。　Twenty　minutes　later　he　found　his　wife　under　the　covers　and　kissed　her　goodbye。　She　did　not　respond。
　　With　no　traffic　to　fight；　the　office　was　ten　minutes　away。　He　had　decided　his　day　would　start　at　five…thirty；　unless　someone　could　top　that；　then　he　would　be　there　at　five；　or　four…thirty；　or　whenever　it　took　to　be　first。　Sleep　was　a　nuisance。　He　would　be　the　first　lawyer　to　arrive　at　the　Bendini　Building　on　this　day；　and　every　day　until　he　became　a　partner。　If　it　took　the　others　ten　years；　he　could　do　it　in　seven。　He　would　bee　the　youngest　partner　in　the　history　of　；　he　had　decided。
　　The　vacant　lot　next　to　the　Bendini　Building　had　a　ten…foot　chain…link　fence　around　it　and　a　guard　by　the　gate。　There　was　a　parking　place　inside　with　his　name　spray…painted　between　the　yellow　lines。　He　stopped　by　the　gate　and　waited。　The　uniformed　guard　emerged　from　the　darkness　and　approached　the　driver's　door。　Mitch　pushed　a　button；　lowered　the　window　and　produced　a　plastic　card　with　his　picture　on　it。
　　〃You　must　be　the　new　man；〃　the　guard　said　as　he　held　the　card。
　　〃Yes。　Mitch　McDeere。〃
　　〃I　can　read。　I　should've　known　by　the　car。〃
　　〃What's　your　name？〃　Mitch　asked。
　　〃Dutch　Hendrix。　Worked　for　the　Memphis　Police　Department　for　thirty…three　years。〃
　　〃Nice　to　meet　you；　Dutch。〃
　　〃Yeah。　Same　to　you。　You　start　early；　don't　you？〃
　　Mitch　smiled　and　took　the　ID　card。　〃No；　I　thought　everyone　would　be　here。〃
　　Dutch　managed　a　smile。　〃You're　the　first。　Mr。　Locke　will　be　along　shortly。〃
　　The　gate　opened　and　Dutch　ordered　him　through。　He　found　his　name　in　white　on　the　asphalt　and　parked　the　spotless　BMW　all　by　itself　on　the　third　row　from　the　building。　He　grabbed　his　empty　burgundy　eel…skin　attache　case　from　the　rear　seat　and　gently　closed　the　door。　Another　guard　waited　by　the　rear　entrance。　Mitch　introduced　himself　and　watched　as　the　door　was　unlocked。　He　checked　his　watch。　Exactly　five…thirty。　He　was　relieved　that　this　hour　was　early　enough。　The　rest　of　　was　still　asleep。
　　He　nipped　on　the　light　switch　in　his　office　and　laid　the　attache　case　on　the　temporary　desk。　He　headed　for　the　coffee　room　down　the　hall；　turning　on　lights　as　he　went。　The　coffeepot　was　one　of　those　industrial　sizes　with　multi…levels；　multi…burners；　multi…pots　and　no　apparent　instructions　on　how　to　operate　any　of　it。　He　studied　this　machine　for　a　moment　as　he　emptied　a　pack　of　coffee　into　the　filter。　He　poured　water　through　one　of　the　holes　in　the　top　and　smiled　when　it　began　dripping　in　the　right　place。
　　In　one　corner　of　his　office　were　three　cardboard　boxes　full　of　books；　files；　legal　pads　and　class　notes　he　had　accumulated　in　the　previous　three　years。　He　sat　the　first　one　on　his　desk　and　began　removing　its　contents。　The　materials　were　categorized　and　placed　in　neat　little　piles　around　the　desk。
　　After　two　cups　of　coffee；　he　found　the　bar　review　materials　in　box　number　three。　He　walked　to　the　window　and　opened　the　blinds。　It　was　still　dark。　He　did　not　notice　the　figure　suddenly　appear　in　the　doorway。
　　〃Good　morning！〃
　　Mitch　spun　from　the　window　and　gawked　at　the　man。　〃You　scared　me；〃　he　said；　and　breathed　deeply。
　　〃I'm　sorry。　I'm　Nathan　Locke。　I　don't　believe　we've　met。〃
　　〃I'm　Mitch　McDeere。　The　new　man。〃　They　shook　hands。
　　〃Yes；　I　know。　I　apologize　for　not　meeting　you　earlier。　I　was　busy　during　your　earlier　visits。　I　think　I　saw　you　at　the　funerals　Monday。〃
　　Mitch　nodded　and　knew　for　certain　he　had　never　been　within　a　hundred　yards　of　Nathan　Locke。　He　would　have　remembered。　It　was　the　eyes；　the　cold　black　eyes　with　layers　of　black　wrinkles　around　them。　Great　eyes。　Unforgettable　eyes。　His　hair　was　white　and　thin　on　top　with　thickets　around　the　ears；　and　the　whiteness　contrasted　sharply　with　the　rest　of　his　face。　When　he　spoke；　the　eyes　narrowed　and　the　black　pupils　glowed　fiercely。　Sinister　eyes。　Knowing　eyes。
　　〃Maybe　so；〃　Mitch　said；　captivated　by　the　most　evil　face　he　had　ever　encountered。　〃Maybe　so。〃
　　〃I　see　you're　an　early　riser。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　〃Well；　good　to　have　you。〃
　　Nathan　Locke　withdrew　from　the　doorway　and　disappeared。　Mitch　checked　the　hall；　then　closed　the　door。　No　wonder　they　keep　him　on　the　fourth　floor　away　from　everyone；　he　thought。　Now　he　understood　why　he　didn't　meet　Nathan　Locke　before　he　signed　on。　He　might　have　had　second　thoughts。　Probably　hid　him　from　all　the　prospective　recruits。　He　had；　without　a　doubt；　the　most　ominous；　evil　presence　Mitch　had　ever　felt。　It　was　the　eyes；　he　said　to　himself　again；　as　he　propped　his　feet　on　the　desk　and　sipped　coffee。　The　eyes。
　　As　Mitch　expected；　Nina　brought　food　when　she　reported　at　eight…thirty。　She　offered　Mitch　a　doughnut；　and　he　took　two。　She　inquired　as　to　whether　she　should　bring　enough　food　every　morning；　and　Mitch　said　he　thought　it　would　be　nice　of　her。
　　〃What's　that？〃　she　asked；　pointing　at　the　stacks　of　files　and　notes　on　the　desk。
　　〃That's　our　project　for　the　day。　We　need　to　get　this　stuff　organized。〃
　　〃No　dictating？〃
　　〃Not　yet。　I　meet　with　Avery　in　a　few　minutes。　I　need　this　mess　filed　away　in　some　order。〃
　　〃How　exciting；〃　she　said　as　she　headed　for　the　coffee　room。
　　Avery　Tolar　was　waiting　with　a　thick；　expandable　file；　which　he　handed　to　Mitch。　〃This　is　the　Capps　file。　Part　of　it。　Our　client's　name　is　Sonny　Capps。　He　lives　in　Houston　now；　but　grew　up　in　Arkansas。　Worth　about　thirty　million　and　keeps　his　thumb　on　every　penny　of　it。　His　father　gave　him　an　old　barge　line　just　before　he　died；　and　he　turned　it　into　the　largest　towing　service　on　the　Mississippi　River。　Now　he　has　ships；　or　boats；　as　he　calls　them；　all　over　the　world。　We　do　eighty　percent　of　his　legal　work；　everything　but　the　litigation。　He　wants　to　set　up　another　limited　partnership　to　purchase　another　fleet　of　tankers；　this　one　from　the　family　of　some　dead　Chink　in　Hong　Kong。　Capps　is　usually　the　general　partner；　and　he'll　bring　in　as　many　as　twenty…five　limited　partners　to　spread　the　risk　and　pool　their　resources。
　　This　deal　is　worth　about　sixty…five　million。　I've　done　several　limited　partnerships　for　him　and　they're　all　different；　all　plicated。　And　he　is　extremely　difficult　to　deal　with。　He's　a　perfectionist　and　thinks　he　knows　more　than　I　do。　You　will　not　be　talking　to　him。　In　fact；　no　one　here　talks　to　him　but　me。　That　file　is　a　portion　of　the　last　partnership　I　did　for　him。　It　contains；　among　other　things；　a　prospectus；　an　agreement　to　form　a　partnership；　letters　of　intent；　disclosure　statements　and　the　limited　partnership　agreement　itself。　Read　every　word　of　it。　Then　I　want　you　to　prepare　a　rough　draft　of　the　partnership　agreement　for　this　venture。〃
　　The　file　suddenly　grew　heavier。　Perhaps　five…thirty　was　not　early　enough。
　　The　partner　continued。　〃We　have　about　forty　days；　according　to　Capps；　so　we're　already　behind。　Marty　Kozinski　was　helping　with　this　one；　and　as　soon　as　I　review　his　file　I'll　give　it　to　you。　Any　questions？〃
　　〃What　about　the　research？〃
　　〃Most　of　it　is　current；　but　you'll　need　to　update　it。　Capps　earned　over　nine　million　last　year　and　paid　a　pittance　in　taxes。　He　doesn't　believe　in　paying　taxes；　and　holds　me　personally　responsible　for　every　dime　that's　sent　in。　It's　all　legal；　of　course；　but　my　point　is　that　this　is　high…pressure　work。　Millions　of　dollars　in　investment　and　tax　savings　are　at　stake。　The　venture　will　be　scrutinized　by　the　governments　of　at　least　three　countries。　So　be　careful。〃
　　Mitch　flipped　through　the　documents。　〃How　many　hours　a　day　do　I　work　on　this？〃
　　〃As　many　as　possible。　I　know　the　bar　exam　is　important；　but　so　is　Sonny　Capps。　He　paid　us　almost　a　half　a　million　last　year　in　legal　fees。〃
　　〃I'll　get　it　done。〃
　　〃I　know　you　will。　As　I　told　you；　your　rate　is　one　hundred　an　hour。　Nina　will　go　over　the　time　records　with　you　today。　Remember；　don't　ignore　the　billing。〃
　　〃How　could　I　forget？〃
　　Oliver　Lambert　and　Nathan　Locke　stood　before　the　metal　door　on　the　fifth　floor　and　stared　at　the　camera　above。　Something　clicked　loudly　and　the　door　opened。　A　guard　nodded。　DeVasher　waited　in　his　office。
　　〃Good　morning；　Ollie；〃　he　said　quietly　while　ignoring　the　other　partner。
　　〃What's　the　latest？〃　Locke　snapped　in　DeVasher's　direction　without　looking　at　him。
　　〃From　where？〃　DeVasher　asked　calmly。
　　〃Chicago。〃〃
　　〃They're　very　anxious　up　there；　Nat。　Regardless　of　what　you　believe；　they　don't　like　to　get　their　hands　dirty。　And；　frankly；　they　just　don't　understand　why　they　have　to。〃
　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　　〃They're　asking　some　tough　questions；　like　why　can't　we　keep　our　people　in　line？〃
　　〃And　what're　you　telling　them？〃
　　〃That　everything's　okay。　Wonderful。　The　great　Bendini　firm　is　solid。　The　leaks　have　been　plugged。　Business　as　usual。　No　problems。〃
　　〃How　much　damage　did　they　do？〃　asked　Oliver　Lambert。
　　〃We're　not　sure。　We'll　never　be　sure；　but　I　don't　think　they　ever