jg.thefirm-第24部分

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ced　tea。
　　〃Can　I　help　you？〃　he　asked。
　　The　stranger　glanced　at　the　counter；　glanced　at　the　empty　tables　and　glanced　behind　him。　〃You're　McDeere；　aren't　you？〃
　　It　was　a　rich　brogue；　undoubtedly　Brooklyn。　Mitch　studled　him　carefully。　He　was　about　forty；　with　a　short　military　haircut　on　the　sides　and　a　wisp　of　gray　hair　hanging　almost　to　his　eyebrows。　The　suit　was　a　three…piece；　navy　in　color；　made　of　at　least　ninety　percent　polyester。　The　tie　was　cheap　imitation　silk。　He　wasn't　much　of　a　dresser；　but　there　was　a　certain　neatness　about　him。　And　an　air　of　cockiness。
　　〃Yeah。　Who　are　you？〃　Mitch　asked。
　　He　grabbed　his　pocket　and　whipped　out　a　badge。　〃Tar…ranee；　Wayne　Tarrance；　Special　Agent；　FBI。〃　He　raised　his　eyebrows　and　waited　for　a　response。
　　〃Have　a　seat；〃　Mitch　said。
　　〃Don't　mind　if　I　do。〃
　　〃Do　you　want　to　frisk　me？〃
　　〃Not　till　later。　I　just　wanted　to　meet　you。　Saw　your　name　in　the　paper　and　heard　you　were　the　new　man　at　Bendini；　Lambert　&　Locke。〃
　　〃Why　should　that　interest　the　FBI？〃
　　〃We　watch　that　firm　pretty　close。〃
　　Mitch　lost　interest　in　the　chili　dog　and　slid　the　plate　to　the　center　of　the　table。　He　added　more　sweetener　to　his　tea　in　a　large　Styrofoam　cup。
　　〃Would　you　like　something　to　drink？〃　Mitch　asked。
　　〃No；　thanks。〃
　　〃Why　do　you　watch　the　Bendini　firm？〃
　　Tarrance　smiled　and　looked　toward　the　Greek。　〃I　can't　really　say　at　this　point。　We　got　our　reasons；　but　I　didn't　e　here　to　talk　about　that。　I　came　here　to　meet　you；　and　to　warn　you。〃
　　〃To　warn　me？〃
　　〃Yes；　to　warn　you　about　。〃
　　〃I'm　listening。〃
　　〃Three　things。　Number　one；　don't　trust　anyone。　There's　not　a　single　person　in　that　firm　you　can　confide　in。　Remember　that。　It　will　bee　important　later　on。　Number　two；　every　word　you　utter；　whether　at　home；　at　the　office　or　anywhere　in　the　building；　is　likely　to　be　recorded。　They　might　even　listen　to　you　in　your　car。〃
　　Mitch　watched　and　listened　intently。　Tarrance　was　enjoying　this。
　　〃And　number　three？〃　Mitch　asked。
　　〃Number　three；　money　don't　grow　on　trees。〃
　　〃Would　you　care　to　elaborate？〃
　　〃I　can't　right　now。　I　think　you　and　I　will　bee　very　close。　I　want　you　to　trust　me；　and　I　know　I'll　have　to　earn　your　trust。　So　I　don't　want　to　move　too　fast。　We　can't　meet　at　your　office；　or　my　office；　and　we　can't　talk　on　the　phone。　So　from　time　to　time　I'll　e　find　you。　In　the　meantime；　just　remember　those　three　things；　and　be　careful。〃
　　Tarrance　stood　and　reached　for　his　wallet。　〃Here's　my　card。　My　home　number　is　on　the　back。　Use　it　only　from　a　pay　phone。〃
　　Mitch　studied　the　card。　〃Why　should　I　be　calling　you？〃
　　〃You　won't　need　to　for　a　while。　But　keep　the　card。〃
　　Mitch　placed　it　in　his　shirt　pocket。
　　〃There's　one　other　thing；〃　Tarrance　said。　〃We　saw　you　at　the　funerals　of　Hodge　and　Kozinski。　Sad；　really　sad。　Their　deaths　were　not　accidental。〃
　　He　looked　down　at　Mitch　with　both　hands　in　his　pockets　and　smiled。
　　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　　Tarrance　started　for　the　door。　〃Gimme　a　call　sometime；　but　be　careful。　Remember；　they're　listening。〃
　　A　few　minutes　after　four　a　horn　honked　and　Dutch　bolted　to　his　feet。　He　cursed　and　walked　in　front　of　the　headlights。　〃Dammit；　Mitch。　It's　four　o'clock。　What're　you　doing　here？〃
　　〃Sorry；　Dutch。　Couldn't　sleep。　Rough　night。〃　The　gate　opened。
　　By　seven…thirty　he　had　dictated　enough　work　to　keep　Nina　busy　for　two　days。　She　bitched　less　when　her　nose　was　glued　to　the　monitor。　His　immediate　goal　was　to　bee　the　first　associate　to　justify　a　second　secretary。
　　At　eight　o'clock　he　parked　himself　in　Lamar's　office　and　waited。　He　proofed　a　contract　and　drank　coffee；　and　told　Lamar's　secretary　to　mind　her　own　business。　He　arrived　at　eight…fifteen。
　　〃We　need　to　talk；〃　Mitch　said　as　he　closed　the　door。　If　he　believed　Tarrance；　the　office　was　bugged　and　the　conversation　would　be　recorded。　He　was　not　sure　whom　to　believe。
　　〃You　sound　serious；〃　Lamar　said。
　　〃Ever　hear　of　a　guy　named　Tarrance；　Wayne　Tarrance？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃FBI。〃
　　Lamar　closed　his　eyes。　〃FBI；〃　he　mumbled。
　　〃That's　right。　He　had　a　badge　and　everything。〃
　　〃Where　did　you　meet　him？〃
　　〃He　found　me　at　Lansky's　Deli　on　Union。　He　knew　who　I　was；　knew　I'd　just　been　admitted。　Says　he　knows　all　about　。　They　watch　us　real　close。〃
　　〃Have　you　told　Avery？〃
　　〃No。　No　one　but　you。　I'm　not　sure　what　to　do。〃
　　Lamar　picked　up　the　phone。　〃We　need　to　tell　Avery。　I　think　this　has　happened　before。〃
　　〃What's　going　on；　Lamar？〃
　　Lamar　talked　to　Avery's　secretary　and　said　it　was　an　emergency。　In　a　few　seconds　he　was　on　the　other　end。　〃We've　got　a　small　problem；　Avery。　An　FBI　agent　contacted　Mitch　yesterday。　He's　in　my　office。〃
　　Lamar　listened；　then　said　to　Mitch；　〃He's　got　me　on　hold。　Said　he　was　calling　Lambert。〃
　　〃I　take　it　this　is　pretty　serious；〃　Mitch　said。
　　〃Yes；　but　don't　worry。　There's　an　explanation。　It's　happened　before。〃
　　Lamar　held　the　receiver　closer　and　listened　to　the　instructions。　He　hung　up。　〃They　want　us　in　Lambert's　office　in　ten　minutes。〃
　　Avery；　Royce　McKnight；　Oliver　Lambert；　Harold　O'Kane　and　Nathan　Locke　were　waiting。　They　stood　nervously　around　the　small　conference　table　and　tried　to　appear　calm　when　Mitch　entered　the　office。
　　〃Have　a　seat；〃　Nathan　Locke　said　with　a　short；　plastic　smile。　〃We　want　you　to　tell　us　everything。〃
　　〃What's　that？〃　Mitch　pointed　to　a　tape　recorder　in　the　center　of　the　table。
　　〃We　don't　want　to　miss　anything；〃　Locke　said；　and　pointed　to　an　empty　chair。　Mitch　sat　and　stared　across　the　table　at　Black　Eyes。　Avery　sat　between　them。　No　one　made　a　sound。
　　〃Okay。　I　was　eating　lunch　yesterday　at　Lansky's　Deli　on　Union。　This　guy　walks　up　and　sits　across　my　table。　He　knows　my　name。　Shows　me　a　badge　and　says　his　name　is　Wayne　Tarrance；　Special　Agent；　FBI。　I　look　at　the　badge；　and　it's　real。　He　tells　me　he　wants　to　meet　because　we'll　get　to　know　each　other。　They　watch　this　firm　real　close　and　he　warns　me　not　to　trust　anyone。　I　ask　him　why；　and　he　said　he　doesn't　have　time　to　explain；　but　he　will　later。　I　don't　know　what　to　say；　so　I　just　listen。　He　says　he　will　contact　me　later。　He　gets　up　to　leave　and　tells　me　they　saw　me　at…the　funerals。　Then　he　says　the　deaths　of　Kozinski　and　Hodge　were　not　accidents。　And　he　leaves。　The　entire　conversation　lasted　less　than　five　minutes。〃
　　Black　Eyes　glared　at　Mitch　and　absorbed　every　word。　〃Have　you　ever　seen　this　man　before？〃
　　〃Never。〃
　　〃Whom　did　you　tell？〃
　　〃Only　Lamar。　I　told　him　first　thing　this　morning。〃
　　〃Your　wife？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃Did　he　leave　you　a　phone　number　to　call？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃I　want　to　know　every　word　that　was　said；〃　Locke　demanded。
　　〃I've　told　you　what　I　remember。　I　can't　recall　it　verbatim。〃
　　〃Are　you　certain？〃
　　〃Let　me　think　a　minute。〃　A　few　things　he　would　keep　to　himself。　He　stared　at　Black　Eyes；　and　knew　that　Locke　suspected　more。
　　〃Let's　see。　He　said　he　saw　my　name　in　the　paper　and　knew　I　was　the　new　man　here。　That's　it。　I've　covered　everything。　It　was　a　very　brief　conversation。〃　；
　　〃Try　to　remember　everything；〃　Locke　persisted。
　　〃I　asked　him　if　he　wanted　some　of　my　tea。　He　declined。〃
　　The　tape　recorder　was　turned。off；　and　the　partners　seemed　to　relax　a　little。　Locke　walked　to　the　window。　〃Mitch；　we've　had　trouble　with　the　FBI；　as　well　as　the　IRS。　It's　been　going　on　for　a　number　of　years。　Some　of　our　clients　are　high　rollers…wealthy　individuals　who　make　millions；　spend　millions　and　expect　to　pay　little　or　no　taxes。　They　pay　us　thousands　of　dollars　to　legally　avoid　taxes。　We　have　a　reputation　for　being　very　aggressive；　and　we　don't　mind　taking　chances　if　our　clients　instruct　us　to。　We're　talking　about　very　sophisticated　businessmen　who　understand　risks。　They　pay　dearly　for　our　creativeness。　Some　of　the　shelters　and　write…offs　we　set　up　have　been　challenged　by　the　IRS。　We've　slugged　it　out　with　them　in　tax　litigation　for　the　past　twenty　years。　They　don't　like　us；　we　don't　like　them。　Some　of　our　clients　have　not　always　possessed　the　highest　degree　of　ethics；　and　they　have　been　investigated　and　harassed　by　the　FBI。　For　the　past　three　years；　we；　too；　have　been　harassed。
　　〃Tarrance　is　a　rookie　looking　for　a　big　name。