jg.thefirm-第66部分

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　code。〃
　　〃I'm　game。〃
　　They　moved　closer　together；　and　his　hand　was　suddenly　between　her　knees。　His　elbow　nestled　next　to　her　left　breast；　and　he　smiled。　She　smiled。　This　was　not　altogether　unpleasant；　she　thought；　but　there　was　business　at　hand。
　　The　Barefoot　Boys　began　to　tune　up；　and　the　festival　began。　Beachbers　from　all　directions　flocked　to　the　Palms。　Natives　in　white　jackets　and　white　shorts　lined　up　folding　tables　and　laid　heavy　cotton　cloths　over　them。　The　smell　of　boiled　shrimp　and　grilled　amberjack　and　barbecued　shark　filled　the　beach。　The　lovebirds；　Avery　and　Libby；　walked　hand　in　hand　into　the　courtyard　of　the　Palms　and　lined　up　for　the　buffet。
　　For　three　hours　they　dined　and　danced；　drank　and　danced；　and　fell　madly　in　heat　over　each　other。　Once　he　became　drunk；　she　returned　to　straight　club　soda。　Business　was　at　hand。　By　ten；　he　was　sloppy　and　she　led　him　away　from　the　dance　floor；　to　the　condo　next　door。　He　attacked　her　at　the　front　door；　and　they　kissed　and　groped　for　five　minutes。　He　managed　the　key；　and　they　were　inside。
　　〃One　more　drink；〃　she　said；　ever　the　party　girl。　He　went　to　the　bar　and　fixed　her　a　gin　and　tonic。　He　was　drinking　scotch　and　water。　They　sat　on　the　balcony　outside　the　master　bedroom　and　watched　a　half…moon　decorate　the　gentle　sea。
　　She　had　matched　him　drink　for　drink；　he　thought；　and　if　she　could　handle　another；　then　so　could　he。　But　nature　was　calling　again；　and　he　excused　himself。　The　scotch　and　water　sat　on　the　wicker　table　between　them；　and　she　smiled　at　it。　Much　easier　than　she　had　prayed　for。　She　took　a　small　plastic　packet　from　the　orange　strap　between　her　legs　and　dumped　one　capsule　of　chloral　hydrate　into　his　drink。　She　sipped　her　gin　and　tonic。
　　〃Drink　it　up；　big　boy；〃　she　said　when　he　returned。　〃I'm　ready　for　bed。〃
　　He　grabbed　his　whiskey　and　gulped　it　down。　The　taste　buds　had　been　numb　for　hours。　He　took　another　swallow；　then　began　to　relax。　Another　swallow。　His　head　wobbled　from　shoulder　to　shoulder；　and　finally　his　chin　hit　his　chest。　The　breathing　became　heavy。
　　〃Sleep　well；　lover　boy；〃　she　said　to　herself。
　　With　a　man　of　a　hundred　eighty　pounds；　one　shot　of　chloral　hydrate　would　induce　a　dead　sleep　for　ten　hours。　She　took　his　glass　and　gauged　what　was　left。　Not　much。　Eight　hours；　to　be　safe。　She　rolled　him　out　of　the　chair　and　dragged　him　to　the　bed。　Head　first；　then　feet。　Very　gently；　she　pulled　his　yellow…and…blue　surfer　shorts　down　his　legs　and　laid　them　on　the　floor。　She　stared　for　a　long　second；　then　tucked　the　sheets　and　blankets　around　him。　She　kissed　him　good　night。
　　On　the　dresser　she　found　two　key　rings；　eleven　keys。　Downstairs　in　the　hall　between　the　kitchen　and　the　great　room　with　a　view　of　the　beach；　she　found　the　mysterious　locked　door　Mitch　had　found　in　November。　He　had　paced　off　every　room；　upstairs　and　down；　and　determined　this　room　to　be　at　least　fifteen　by　fifteen。　It　was　suspicious　because　the　door　was　metal；　and　because　it　was　locked；　and　because　a　small　STORAGE　sign　was　affixed　to　it。　It　was　the　only　labeled　room　in　the　condo。　A　week　earlier　in　Unit　B；　he　and　Abby　had　found　no　such　room。
　　One　key　ring　held　a　key　to　a　Mercedes；　two　keys　to　the　Bendini　Building；　a　house　key；　two　apartment　keys　and　a　desk　key。　The　keys　on　the　other　ring　were　unmarked　and　fairly　generic。　She　tried　it　first；　and　the　fourth　key　fit。　She　held　her　breath　and　opened　the　door。　No　electric　shocks；　no　alarms；　nothing。　Mitch　told　her　to　open　the　door；　wait　five　minutes　and；　if　nothing　happened；　then　turn　on　the　light。
　　She　waited　ten　minutes。　Ten　long　and　frightful　minutes。　Mitch　had　speculated　that　Unit　A　was　used　by　the　partners　and　trusted　guests；　and　that　Unit　B　was　used　by　the　associates　and　others　who　required　constant　surveillance。　Thus；　he　hoped；　Unit　A　would　not　be　laden　with　wires　and　cameras　and　recorders　and　alarms。　After　ten　minutes；　she　opened　the　door　wide　and　turned　on　the　light。　She　waited　again；　and　heard　nothing。　The　room　was　square；　about　fifteen　by　fifteen；　with　white　walls；　no　carpet；　and；　as　she　counted；　twelve　fireproof　legal…size　file　cabinets。　Slowly；　she　walked　over　to　one　and　pulled　the　top　drawer。　It　was　unlocked。
　　She　turned　off　the　light；　closed　the　door　and　returned　to　the　bedroom　upstairs；　where　Avery　was　now　atose　and　snoring　loudly。　It　was　ten…thirty。　She　would　work　like　crazy　for　eight　hours　and　quit　at　six　in　the　morning。
　　Near　a　desk　in　a　corner；　three　large　briefcases　sat　neatly　in　a　row。　She　grabbed　them；　turned　off　the　lights　and　left　through　the　front　door。　The　small　parking　lot　was　dark　and　empty　with　a　gravel　drive　leading　to　the　highway。　A　sidewalk　ran　next　to　the　shrubbery　in　front　of　both　units　and　stopped　at　a　white　board　fence　along　the　property　line。　A　gate　led　to　a　slight　grassy　knoll；　with　the　first　building　of　the　Palms　just　over　it。
　　It　was　a　short　walk　from　the　condos　to　the　Palms；　but　the　briefcases　had　grown　much　heavier　when　she　reached　Room　188。　It　was　on　the　first　floor；　front　side；　with　a　view　of　the　pool　but　not　of　the　beach。　She　was　panting　and　sweating　when　she　knocked　on　the　door。
　　Abby　yanked　it　open。　She　took　the　briefcases　and　placed　them　on　the　bed。　〃Any　problems？〃
　　〃Not　yet。　I　think　he's　dead。〃　Tammy　wiped　her　face　with　a　towel　and　opened　a　can　of　Coke。
　　〃Where　is　he？〃　Abby　was　all　business；　no　smiles。
　　〃In　his　bed。　I　figure　we've　got　eight　hours。　Until　six。〃
　　〃Did　you　get　in　the　room？〃　Abby　asked　as　she　handed　her　a　pair　of　shorts　and　a　bulky　cotton　shirt。
　　〃Yeah。　There's　a　dozen　big　file　cabinets；　unlocked。　A　few　cardboard　boxes　and　other　junk；　but　not　much　else。〃
　　〃A　dozen？〃
　　〃Yeah；　tall　ones。　All　legal　size。　We'll　be　lucky　to　finish　by　six。〃
　　It　was　a　single　motel　room　with　a　queen…size　bed。　The　sofa；　coffee　table　and　bed　were　pushed　to　the　wall；　and　a　Canon　Model　8580　copier　with　automatic　feed　and　collator　sat　in　the　center　with　engines　running。　On　lease　from　Island　Office　Supply；　it　came　at　the　scalper's　price　of　three　hundred　dollars　for　twenty…four　hours；　delivered。　It　was　the　newest　and　largest　rental　copier　on　the　island；　the　salesman　had　explained；　and　he　was　not　excited　about　parting　with　it　for　only　a　day。　But　Abby　charmed　him　and　began　laying　hundred…dollar　bills　on　the　counter。　Two　cases　of　copy　paper；　ten　thousand　sheets；　sat　next　to　the　bed。
　　They　opened　the　first　briefcase　and　removed　six　thin　files。　〃Same　type　of　files；〃　Tammy　mumbled　to　herself。　She　unhitched　the　two…prong　clasp　on　the　inside　of　the　file　and　removed　the　papers。　〃Mitch　says　they're　very　particular　about　their　files；〃　Tammy　explained　as　she　unstapled　a　ten…page　document。　〃He　says　lawyers　have　a　sixth　sense　and　can　almost　smell　if　a　secretary　or　a　clerk　has　been　in　a　file。　So　you'll　have　to　be　careful。　Work　slowly。　Copy　one　document；　and　when　you　restaple　it；　try　to　line　up　with　the　old　staple　holes。　It's　tedious。　Copy　only　one　document　at　a　time；　regardless　of　the　number　of　pages。　Then　put　it　back　together　slowly　and　in　order。　Then　staple　your　copy　so　everything　stays　in　order。〃
　　With　the　automatic　feed；　the　ten…page　document　took　eight　seconds。
　　〃Pretty　fast；〃　Tammy　said。
　　The　first　briefcase　was　finished　in　twenty　minutes。　Tammy　handed　the　two　key　rings　to　Abby　and　picked　up　two　new；　empty；　all…canvas　Samsonite　handbags。　She　left　for　the　condo。
　　Abby　followed　her　out　the　door；　then　locked　it。　She　walked　to　the　front　of　the　Palms；　to　Tammy's　rented　Nissan　Stanza。　Dodging　at　oning　traffic　from　the　wrong　side　of　the　road；　she　drove　along　Seven　Mile　Beach　and　into　Georgetown。　Two　blocks　behind　the　stately　Swiss　Bank　Building；　on　a　narrow　street　lined　with　neat　frame　houses；　she　found　the　one　owned　by　the　only　locksmith　on　the　island　of　Grand　Cayman。　At　least；　he　was　the　only　one　she'd　been　able　to　locate　without　assistance。　He　owned　a　green　house　with　open　windows　and　white　trim　around　the　shutters　and　the　doors。
　　She　parked　in　the　street　and　walked　through　the　sand　to　the　tiny　front　porch；　where　the　locksmith　and　his　neighbors　were　drinking　and　listening　to　Radio　Cayman。　Solid…gold　reggae。　They　quietened　when　she　approached；　and　none　of　them　stood。　It　was　almost　eleven。　He　had　said　that　he　would　do　the　job　in　his　sh