jg.thefirm-第68节

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　next　few　days。〃
　　〃A　heart　attack。〃
　　〃That's　what　he　said。〃
　　〃I'm　not　surprised；　Avery。　It's　a　wonder　any　lawyer　in　that　firm　lives　past　fifty。〃
　　〃Capps　did　it　to　me；　Mitch。　Sonny　Capps。　This　is　his　heart　attack。　He　called　Friday　and　said　he'd　found　a　new　tax　firm　in　Washington。　Wants　all　his　records。　That's　my　biggest　client。　I　billed　him　almost　four　hundred　thousand　last　year；　about　what　he　paid　in　taxes。　He's　not　mad　about　the　attorney's　fees；　but　he's　furious　about　the　taxes。　It　doesn't　make　sense；　Mitch。〃
　　〃He's　not　worth　dying　for。〃　Mitch　looked　for　an　IV；　but　did　not　see　one。　There　were　no　tubes　or　wires。　He　sat　in　the　only　chair　and　laid　his　feet　on　the　bed。
　　〃Jean　filed　for　divorce；　you　know。〃
　　〃I　heard。　That's　no　surprise；　is　it？〃
　　〃Surprised　she　didn't　do　it　last　year。　I've　offered　her　a　small　fortune　as　a　settlement。　I　hope　she　takes　it。　I　don't　need　a　nasty　divorce。〃
　　Who　does？　thought　Mitch。　〃What　did　Lambert　say？〃
　　〃It　was　kind　of　fun；　really。　In　nineteen　years　I've　never　seen…him　lose　his　cool；　but　he　lost　it。　He　told　me　I　was　drinking　too　much；　chasing　women　and　who　knows　what　else。　Said　I　had　embarrassed　。　Suggested　I　see　a　psychiatrist。〃
　　Avery　spoke　slowly；　deliberately；　and　at　times　with　a　raspy；　weak　voice。　It　seemed　phony。　A　sentence　later　he　would　forget　about　it　and　return　to　his　normal　voice。　He　lay　perfectly　still　like　a　corpse；　with　the　sheets　tucked　neatly　around　him。　His　color　was　good。
　　〃I　think　you　need　a　psychiatrist。　Maybe　two。〃
　　〃Thanks。　I　need　a　month　in　the　sun。　Doc　said　he　would　discharge　me　in　three　or　four　days；　and　that　I　couldn't　work　for　two　months。　Sixty　days；　Mitch。　Said　I　cannot；　under　any　circumstances；　go　near　the　office　for　sixty　days。〃
　　〃What〃　a　blessing。　I　think　I'll　have　a　slight　heart　attack。〃
　　〃At　your　pace；　it's　guaranteed。〃
　　〃What　are　you；　a　doctor　now？〃
　　〃No。　Just　scared。　You　get　a　scare　like　this；　and　you　start　thinking　about　things。　Today　is　the　first　time　in　my　life　I've　ever　thought　about　dying。　And　if　you　don't　think　about　death；　you　don't　appreciate　life。〃
　　〃This　is　getting　pretty　heavy。〃
　　〃Yeah；　I　know。　How's　Abby？〃
　　〃Okay。　I　guess。　I　haven't　seen　her　in　a　while。〃
　　〃You'd　better　go　see　her　and　bring　her　home。　And　get　her　happy。　Sixty　hours　a　week　is　plenty；　Mitch。　You'll　ruin　your　marriage　and　kill　yourself　if　you　work　more。　She　wants　babies；　then　get　them。　I　wish　I　had　done　things　differently。〃
　　〃Damn；　Avery。　When's　the　funeral？　You're　forty…four；　and　you　had　a　slight　heart　attack。　You're　not　exactly　a　vegetable。〃
　　The　male　nurse　glided　in　and　glared　at　Mitch。　〃Visiting　hours　are　over；　sir。　You　need　to　leave。〃
　　Mitch　jumped　to　his　feet。　〃Yeah；　sure。〃　He　slapped　Avery's　feet　and　walked　out。　〃See　you　in　a　couple　of　days。〃
　　〃Thanks　for　ing。　Tell　Abby　I　said　hello。〃
　　The　elevator　was　empty。　Mitch　pushed　the　button　to　the　sixteenth　floor　and　seconds　later　got　off。　He　ran　two　flights　of　stairs　to　the　eighteenth；　caught　his　breath　and　opened　the　door。　Down　the　hall；　away　from　the　elevators；　Rick　Acklin　watched　and　whispered　into　a　dead　telephone　receiver。　He　nodded　at　Mitch；　who　walked　toward　him。　Acklin　pointed；　and　Mitch　stepped　into　a　small　area　used　as　a　waiting　room　by　worried　relatives。　It　was　dark　and　empty；　with　two　rows　of　folding　chairs　and　a　television　that　did　not　work。　A　Coke　machine　provided　the　only　light。　Tarrance　sat　next　to　it　and　flipped　through　an　old　magazine。　He　wore　a　sweat　suit；　headband；　navy　socks　and　white　canvas　sneakers。　Tarrance　the　jogger。
　　Mitch　sat　next　to　him；　facing　the　hall。
　　〃You're　clean。　They　followed　you　from　the　office　to　the　parking　lot；　then　left。　Acklin's　in　the　hall。　Laney's　around　somewhere。　Relax。〃
　　〃I　like　the　headband。〃
　　〃Thanks。〃
　　〃I　see　you　got　the　message。〃
　　〃Obviously。　Real　clever；　McDeere。　I'm　sitting　at　my　desk　this　afternoon；　minding　my　own　business；　trying　to　work　on　something　other　than　the　Bendini　case。　I've　got　others；　you　know。　And　my　secretary　es　in　and　says　there's　a　woman　on　the　phone　who　wants　to　talk　about　a　man　named　Marty　Kozinski。　I　jump　from　my　chair；　grab　the　phone；　and　of　course　it's　your　girl。　She　says　it's　urgent；　as　always。　So　I　say　okay；　let's　talk。　No；　she　don't　play　it。　She　makes　me　drop　everything　I'm　doing；　run　over　to　the　Peabody；　go　to　the　lounge…what's　the　name　of　it？　Mallards…and　have　a　seat。　So　I'm　sitting　there；　thinking　about　how　stupid　this　is　because　our　phones　are　clean。　Dammit；　Mitch；　I　know　our　phones　are　clean。　We　can　talk　on　our　phones！　I'm　drinking　coffee　and　the　bartender　walks　over　and　asks　if　my　name　is　Kozinski。　Kozinski　who？　I　ask。　Just　for　fun。　Since　we're　having　a　ball；　right？　Marty　Kozinski；　he　says　with　a　puzzled　look　on　his　face。　I　say　yeah；　that's　me。　I　felt　stupid；　Mitch。　And　he　says　I　have　a　call。　I　walk　over　to　the　bar；　and　it's　your　girl。　Tolar's　had　a　heart　attack　or　something。　And　you'll　be　here　around　eleven。　Real　clever。〃
　　〃Worked；　didn't　it？〃
　　〃Yeah；　and　it　would　work　just　as　easily　if　she　would　talk　to　me　on　my　phone　in　my　office。〃
　　〃I　like　it　better　my　way。　It's　safer。　Besides；　it　gets　you　out　of　the　office。〃
　　〃Damned　right；　it　does。　Me　and　three　others。〃
　　〃Look；　Tarrance；　we'll　do　it　my　way；　okay？　It's　my　neck　on　the　line；　not　yours。〃
　　〃Yeah；　yeah。　What　the　hell　are　you　driving？〃
　　〃A　rented　Celebrity。　Nice；　huh？〃
　　〃What　happened　to　the　little　black　lawyer's　car？〃
　　〃It　had　an　insect　problem。　Full　of　bugs。　I　parked　it　at　a　mall　Saturday　night　in　Nashville　and　left　the　keys　in　it。　Someone　borrowed　it。　I　love　to　sing；　but　I　have　a　terrible　voice。　Ever　since　I　could　drive　I've　done　my　singing　in　the　car；　alone。　But　with　the　bugs　and　all；　I　was　too　embarrassed　to　sing。　I　just　got　tired　of　it。〃
　　Tarrance　could　not　resist　a　smile。　〃That's　pretty　good；　McDeere。　Pretty　good。〃
　　〃You　should've　seen　Oliver　Lambert　this　morning　when　I　walked　in　and　laid　the　police　report　on　his　desk。　He　stuttered　and　stammered　and　told　me　how　sorry　he　was。　I　acted　like　I　was　real　sad。　Insurance　will　cover　it；　so　old　Oliver　says　they'll　get　me　another　one。　Then　he　says　they'll　go　get　me　a　rental　car　for　the　meantime。　I　told　him　I　already　had　one。　Got　it　in　Nashville　Saturday　night。　He　didn't　like　this；　because　he　knew　it　was　insect…free。　He　calls　the　BMW　dealer　himself；　while　I'm　standing　there；　to　check　on　a　new　one　for　me。　He　asked　me　what　color　I　wanted。　I　said　I　was　tired　of　black　and　wanted　a　burgundy　one　with　tan　interior。　I　drove　to　the　BMW　place　yesterday　and　looked　around。　I　didn't　see　a　burgundy　of　any　model。　He　told　the　guy　on　the　phone　what　I　wanted；　and　then　he　tells　him　they　don't　have　it。　How　about　black；　or　navy；　or　gray；　or　red；　or　white？　No；　no；　no；　I　want　a　burgundy　one。　They'll　have　to　order　it；　he　reports。　Fine；　I　said。　He　hung　up　the　phone　and　asked　me　if　I　was　sure　I　couldn't　use　another　color。　Burgundy；　I　said。　He　wanted　to　argue；　but　realized　it　would　seem　foolish。　So；　for　the　first　time　in　ten　months；　I　can　sing　in　my　car。〃
　　〃But　a　Celebrity。　For　a　hotshot　tax　lawyer。　That's　got　to　hurt。〃
　　〃I　can　deal　with　it。〃
　　Tarrance　was　still　smiling；　obviously　impressed。　〃I　wonder　what　the　boys　in　the　chop　shop　will　do　when　they　strip　it　down　and　find　all　those　bugs。〃
　　　〃Probably　sell　it　to　a　pawnshop　as　stereo　equipment。　How　much　was　it　worth？〃
　　〃Our　boys　said　it　was　the　best。　Ten；　fifteen　thousand。　I　don't　know。　That's　funny。〃
　　Two　nurses　walked　by　talking　loudly。　They　turned　a　corner；　and　the　hall　was　quiet。　Acklin　pretended　to　place　another　phone　call。
　　〃How's　Tolar？〃　Tarrance　asked。
　　〃Superb。　I　hope　my　heart　attack　is　as　easy　as　his。　He'll　be　here　for　a　few　days；　then　off　for　two　months。　Nothing　serious。〃
　　〃Can　you　get　in　his　office？〃
　　〃Why　should　I？　I've　already　copied　everything　in　it。〃
　　Tarrance　leaned　closer　and　waited　for　more。
　　〃No；　I　cannot　get　in　his　office。　They've　changed　the　locks　on　the　third　and　fourth　floors。　And　the　basement。〃
　　〃How　do　you　know　this？〃
　　〃The　girl；　Tarrance。　In　the　last　week；　she's　been　in　every　office　in　the　building；　including　the　basement。　She's　checked　every　door；　pulled　on　every　drawer；　looked　in　every　closet。　She's　read　mail；　looked　at　files　and　rummaged　through　the　garbage。　There's　not　much　garbage；　really。　The　building　has　ten　paper　shredders　in　it。　Four　in　the　basement。　Did　you　know　that？〃
　　Tarrance　listened　intently　and　did　not　move　a　muscle。　〃How　did　she…〃
　　〃Don't　ask；　Tarrance；　because　I　won't　tell　you。〃
　　〃She　works　there！　She's　a　secretary　or　something。　She's　helping　you　from　the　inside。〃
　　Mitch　shook　his　head　in　frustration。　〃Brilliant；　Tarrance。　She　called　you　twice　today。　Once　at　about　two…fifteen　and　then　about　an　hour　later。　Now；　how　would　a　secretary　make　two　calls　to　the　FBI　an　hour　apart？〃
　　〃Maybe　she　didn't　work　today。　Maybe　she　called　from　home。〃
　　〃You're　wrong；　Tarrance；　and　quit　guessing。　Don't　waste　time　worrying　about　her。　She　works　for　me；　and　together　we'll　deliver　the　goods　to　you。〃
　　〃What's　in　the　basement？〃
　　〃One　big　room　with　twelve　cubicles；　twelve　busy　desks　and　a　thousand　file　cabinets。　Electronically　wired　file　cabinets。　I　think　it's　the　operations　center　f