jg.thefirm-第14部分

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ht　they　were　cute；　but　was　not　inspired。　He　was　busy　recalling　the　events　of　the　day。
　　The　women　ate　quickly；　then　left　to　look　at　the　furniture　and　talk　about　the　remodeling。　The　children　took　Hearsay　to　the　backyard。
　　〃I'm　a　little　surprised　they　put　you　with　Tolar；〃　Lamar　said；　wiping　his　mouth。
　　〃Why　is　that？〃
　　〃I　don't　think　he's　ever　supervised　an　associate。〃
　　〃Any　particular　reason？〃
　　〃Not　really。　He's　a　great　guy；　but　not　much　of　a　team　player。　Sort　of　a　loner。　Prefers　to　work　by　himself。　He　and　his　wife　are　having　some　problems；　and　there's　talk　that　they've　separated。　But　he　keeps　it　to　himself。〃
　　Mitch　pushed　his　plate　away　and　sipped　the　iced　tea。　〃Is　he　a　good　lawyer？〃
　　〃Yes；　very　good。　They're　all　good　if　they　make　partner。　A　lot　of　his　clients　are　rich　people　with　millions　to　put　in　tax　shelters。　He　sets　up　limited　partnerships。　Many　of　his　shelters　are　risky；　and　he's　known　for　his　willingness　to　take　chances　and　fight　with　the　IRS　later。　Most　of　his　clients　are　big…time　risk　takers。　You'll　do　a　lot　of　research　looking　for　ways　to　bend　the　tax　laws。　It'll　be　fun。〃
　　〃He　spent　half　of　lunch　lecturing　on　billing。〃
　　〃It's　vital。　There's　always　the　pressure　to　bill　more　and　more。　All　we　have　to　sell　is　our　time。　Once　you　pass　the　bar　your　billing　will　be　monitored　weekly　by　Tolar　and　Royce　McKnight。　It's　all　puterized　and　they　can　tell　down　to　the　dime　how　productive　you　are。　You'll　be　expected　to　bill　thirty　to　forty　hours　a　week　for　the　first　six　months。　Then　fifty　for　a　couple　of　years。　Before　they'll　consider　you　for　partner；　you've　got　to　hit　sixty　hours　a　week　consistently　over　a　period　of　years。　No　active　partner　bills　less　than　sixty　a　week…most　of　it　at　the　maximum　rate。〃
　　〃That's　a　lot　of　hours。〃
　　〃Sounds　that　way；　but　it's　deceptive。　Most　good　lawyers　can　work　eight　or　nine　hours　a　day　and　bill　twelve。　It's　called　padding。　It's　not　exactly　fair　to　the　client；　but　it's　something　everybody　does。　The　great　firms　have　been　built　by　padding　files。　It's　the　name　of　the　game。〃
　　〃Sounds　unethical。〃
　　〃So　is　ambulance　chasing　by　plaintiff's　lawyers。　It's　unethical　for　a　dope　lawyer　to　take　his　fee　in　cash　if　he　has　a　reason；　to　believe　the　money　is　dirty。　A　lot　of　things　are　unethical。　What　about　the　doctor　who　sees　a　hundred　Medicare　patients　a　day？　Or　the　one　who　performs　unnecessary　surgery？　Some　of　the　most　unethical　people　I've　met　have　been　my　own　clients。　It's　easy　to　pad　a　file　when　your　client　is　a　multimillionaire　who　wants　to　screw　the　government　and　wants　you　to　do　it　legally。　We　all　do　it。〃
　　〃Do　they　teach　it？〃
　　〃No。　You　just　sort　of　learn　it。　You'll　start　off　working　long；　crazy　hours；　but　you　can't　do　it　forever。　So　you　start　taking　shortcuts。　Believe　me；　Mitch；　after　you've　been　with　us　a　year　you'll　know　how　to　work　ten　hours　and　bill　twice　that　much。　It's　sort　of　a　sixth　sense　lawyers　acquire。〃
　　〃What　else　will　I　acquire？〃
　　Lamar　rattled　his　ice　cubes　and　thought　for　a　moment。　〃A　certain　amount　of　cynicism。　This　business　works　on　you。　When　you　were　in　law　school　you　had　some　noble　idea　of　what　a　lawyer　should　be。　A　champion　of　individual　rights；　a　defender　of　the　Constitution；　a　guardian　of　the　oppressed；　an　advocate　for　your　client's　principles。　Then　after　you　practice　for　six　months　you　realize　we're　nothing　but　hired　guns。　Mouthpieces　for　sale　to　the　highest　bidder；　available　to　anybody；　any　crook；　any　sleazebag　with　enough　money　to　pay　our　outrageous　fees。　Nothing　shocks　you。　It's　supposed　to　be　an　honorable　profession；　but　you'll　meet　so　many　crooked　lawyers　you'll　want　to　quit　and　find　an　honest　job。　Yeah；　Mitch；　you'll　get　cynical。　And　it's　sad；　really。〃
　　〃You　shouldn't　be　telling　me　this　at　this　stage　of　my　career。〃
　　〃The　money　makes　up　for　it。　It's　amazing　how　much　drudgery　you　can　endure　at　two　hundred　thousand　a　year。〃
　　〃Drudgery？　You　make　it　sound　terrible。〃
　　〃I'm　sorry。　It's　not　that　bad。　My　perspective　on　life　changed　radically　last　Thursday。〃
　　〃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。