jg.thefirm-第67部分

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oached；　and　none　of　them　stood。　It　was　almost　eleven。　He　had　said　that　he　would　do　the　job　in　his　shop　out　back；　and　that　his　fees　were　modest；　and　that　he　would　like　a　fifth　of　Myers's　Rum　as　a　down　payment　before　he　started。
　　〃Mr。　Dantley；　I'm　sorry　I'm　late。　I've　brought　you　a　little　gift。〃　She　held　out　the　fifth　of　rum。
　　Mr。　Dantley　emerged　from　the　darkness　and　took　the　rum。　He　inspected　the　bottle。　〃Boys；　a　bottle　of　Myers's。〃
　　Abby　could　not　understand　the　chatter；　but　it　was　obvious　the　gang　on　the　porch　was　terribly　excited　about　the　bottle　of　Myers's。　Dantley　handed　it　to　them　and　led　Abby　behind　his　house　to　a　small　outbuilding　full　of　tools　and　small　machines　and　a　hundred　gadgets。　A　single　yellow　light　bulb　hung　from　the　ceiling　and　attracted　mosquitoes　by　the　hundreds。　She　handed　Dantley　the　eleven　keys；　and　he　carefully　laid　them　on　a　bare　section　of　a　cluttered　workbench。　〃This　will　be　easy；〃　he　said　without　looking　up。
　　Although　he　was　drinking　at　eleven　at　night；　Dantley　appeared　to　be　in　control。　Perhaps　his　system　had　built　an　immunity　to　rum。　He　worked　through　a　pair　of　thick　goggles；　drilling　and　carving　each　replica。　After　twenty　minutes；　he　was　finished。　He　handed　Abby　the　two　original　sets　of　keys　and　their　copies。
　　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Dantley。　How　much　do　I　owe　you？〃
　　〃They　were　quite　easy；〃　he　drawled。　〃A　dollar　per　key。〃　。　　　　She　paid　him　quickly　and　left。
　　Tammy　filled　the　two　small　suitcases　with　the　contents　of　the　top　drawer　of　the　first　file　cabinet。　Five　drawers；　twelve　cabinets；　sixty　trips　to　the　copier　and　back。　In　eight　hours。　It　could　be　done。　There　were　files；　notebooks；　puter　printouts　and　more　files。　Mitch　said　to　copy　it　all。　He　was　not　exactly　sure　what　he　was　looking　for；　so　copy　it　all。
　　She　turned　off　the　light　and　ran　upstairs　to　check　on　lover　boy。　He　had　not　moved。　The　snoring　was　in　slow　motion。
　　The　Samsonites　weighed　thirty　pounds　apiece；　and　her　arms　ached　when　she　reached　Room　188。　First　trip　t）ut　of　sixty；　she　would　not　make　it。　Abby　had　not　returned　from　Georgetown；　so　Tammy　unloaded　the　suitcases　neatly　on　the　bed。　She　took　one　drink　from　her　Coke　and　left　with　the　empty　bags。　Back　to　the　condo。　Drawer　two　was　identical。　She　fitted　the　files　in　order　into　the　suitcases　and　strong…armed　zippers。　She　was　sweating　and　gasping　for　breath。　Four　packs　a　day；　she　thought。　She　vowed　to　cut　back　to　two。　Maybe　even　one　pack。　Up　the　stairs　to　check　on　him。　He　had　not　breathed　since　her　last　trip。
　　The　copier　was　clicking　and　humming　when　she　returned　from　trip　two。　Abby　was　finishing　the　second　briefcase；　about　to　start　on　the　third。
　　〃Did　you　get　the　keys？〃　Tammy　asked。
　　〃Yeah；　no　problem。　What's　your　man　doing？〃
　　〃If　the　copier　wasn't　running；　you　could　hear　him　snoring。〃　Tammy　unpacked　into　another　neat　stack　on　the　bed。　She　wiped　her　face　with　a　wet　towel　and　left　for　the　condo。
　　Abby　finished　the　third　briefcase　and　started　on　the　stacks　from　the　file　cabinets。　She　quickly　got　the　hang　of　the　automatic　feed；　and　after　thirty　minutes　she　moved　with　the　efficient　grace　of　a　seasoned　copy…room　clerk。　She　fed　copies　and　unstapled　and　restapled　while　the　machine　clicked　rapidly　and　spat　the　reproductions　through　the　collator。
　　Tammy　arrived　from　trip　three　out　of　breath　and　with　sweat　dripping　from　her　nose。　〃Third　drawer；〃　she　reported。　〃He's　still　snoring。〃　She　unzipped　the　suitcases　and　made　another　neat　pile　on　the　bed。　She　caught　her　breath；　wiped　her　face　and　loaded　the　now　copied　contents　of　drawer　one　into　the　bags。　For　the　rest　of　the　night；　she　would　be　loaded　ing　and　going。
　　At　midnight；　the　Barefoot　Boys　sang　their　last　song；　and　the　Palms　settled　down　for　the　night。　The　quiet　hum　of　the　copier　could　not　be　heard　outside　Room　188。　The　door　was　kept　locked；　the　shades　pulled　tightly；　and　all　lights　extinguished　except　for　a　lamp　near　the　bed。　No　one　noticed　the　tired　lady；　dripping　with　sweat；　lugging　the　same　two　suitcases　to　and　from　the　room。
　　After　midnight　they　did　not　speak。　They　were　tired；　too　busy　and　scared；　and　there　was　nothing　to　report　except　lover　boy's　movements　in　bed；　if　any。　And　there　was　none；　until　around　1　A。M。；　when　he　subconsciously　rolled　onto　his　side；　where　he　stayed　for　about　twenty　minutes；　then　returned　to　his　back。　Tammy　checked　on　him　with　each　visit　and　asked　herself　each　time　what　she　would　do　if　his　eyes　suddenly　opened　and　he　attacked。　She　had　a　small　tube　of　Mace　in　her　shorts　pocket；　just　in　case　a　confrontation　occurred　and　escape　became　necessary。　Mitch　had　been　vague　on　the　details　of　such　an　escape。　Just　don't　lead　him　back　to　the　motel　room；　he　said。　Hit　him　with　the　Mace；　then　run　like　crazy　and　scream；　〃Rape！〃
　　But　after　twenty…five　trips；　she　became　convinced　he　was　hours　away　from　consciousness。　And　it　was　bad　enough　hiking　like　a　pack　mule　to　and　from；　but　she　also　had　to　climb　the　stairs；　fourteen　of　them；　each　trip　to　check　on　Casanova。　So　she　went　to　check　every　other　trip。　Then　one　out　of　three。
　　By　2　A。M。；　halfway　through　the　project；　they　had　copied　the　contents　from　five　of　the　file　cabinets。　They　had　made　over　four　thousand　copies；　and　the　bed　was　covered　with　neat　little　stacks　of　materials。　Their　copies　stood　along　the　wall　next　to　the　sofa　in　seven　even　rows　almost　waist　high。
　　They　rested　for　fifteen　minutes。
　　At　five…thirty　the　first　flicker　of　sunrise　rose　in　the　east；　and　they　forgot　about　being　tired。　Abby　quickened　her　movements　around　the　copier　and　hoped　it　would　not　burn　up。　Tammy　rubbed　the　cramps　in　her　calves　and　walked　quickly　back　to　the　condo。　It　was　either　trip　number　fifty…one　or　fifty…two。　She　had　lost　count。　It　would　be　her　last　trip　for　a　while。　He　was　waiting。
　　She　opened　the　door　and　went　straight　to　the　storage　room；　as　usual。　She　set　the　packed　Samsonites　on　the　floor；　as　usual。　She　quietly　walked　up　the　stairs；　into　the　bedroom；　and　froze。　Avery　was　sitting　on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　facing　the　balcony。　He　heard　her　and　turned　slowly　to　face　her。　His　eyes　were　swollen　and　glazed。　He　scowled　at　her。
　　Instinctively；　she　unbuttoned　the　khaki　shorts　and　they　fell　to　the　floor。　〃Hey；　big　boy；〃　she　said；　trying　to　breathe　normally　and　act　like　a　party　girl。　She　walked　to　the　edge　of　the　bed　where　he　was　sitting。　〃You're　up　kinda　early。　Let's　get　some　more　sleep。〃
　　His　gaze　returned　to　the　window。　He　said　nothing。　She　sat　beside　him　and　rubbed　the　inside　of　his　thigh。　She　slid　her　hand　up　the　inside　of　his　leg；　and　he　did　not　move。
　　〃Are　you　awake？〃　she　asked。
　　No　response。
　　〃Avery；　talk　to　me；　baby。　Let's　get　some　more　sleep。　It's　still　dark　out　there。〃
　　He　fell　sideways；　onto　his　pillow。　He　grunted。　No　attempt　at　speech。　Just　a　grunt。　Then　he　closed　his　eyes。　She　lifted　his　legs　onto　the　bed　and　covered　him　again。
　　She　sat　by　him　for　ten　minutes；　and　when　the　snoring　returned　to　its　former　intensity；　she　slid　into　the　shorts　and　ran　to　the　Palms。
　　〃He　woke　up；　Abby！〃　she　reported　in　panic。　〃He　woke　up；　then　passed　out　again。〃
　　Abby　stopped　and　stared。　Both　women　looked　at　the　bed；　which　was　covered　with　uncopied　documents。
　　〃Okay。　Take　a　quick　shower；〃　Abby　said　coolly。　〃Then　go　get　in　bed　with　him　and　wait。　Lock　the　door　to　the　storage　room；　and　call　me　when　he　wakes　up　and　gets　in　the　shower。　I'll　keep　copying　what's　left；　and　we'll　try　to　move　it　later；　after　he　goes　to　work。〃
　　〃That's　awfully　risky。〃
　　〃It's　all　risky。　Hurry。〃
　　Five　minutes　later；　Tammy/Doris/Libby　with　the　bright　orange　string　bikini　made　another　trip…without　the　suitcases…to　the　condo。　She　locked　the　front　door　and　the　storage　door　and　went　to　the　bedroom。　She　removed　the　orange　top　and　crawled　under　the　covers。
　　The　snoring　kept　her　awake　for　fifteen　minutes。　Then　she　dozed。　She　sat　up　in　bed　to　prevent　sleep。　She　was　scared；　sitting　there　in　bed　with　a　nude　man　who　would　kill　her　if　he　knew。　Her　tired　body　relaxed；　and　sleep　became　unavoidable。　She　dozed　again。
　　Lover　boy　broke　from　his　a　at　three　minutes　past　nine。　He　moaned　loudly　and　rolled　to　the　edge　of　the　bed。　His　eyelids　were　stuck　together。　They　opened　slowly；　and　the　bright　sun　came　piercing　through。　He　moaned　again。　The　head　we