jg.thefirm-第77部分
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〃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 for their money…laundering activities。 On the walls of the cubicles； she noticed names and phone numbers of dozens of banks in the Caribbean。 There's not much information lying around down there。 They're very careful。 There's a smaller room off to the side； heavily locked； and full of puters larger than refrigerators。〃
〃Sounds like the place。〃
〃It is； but forget it。 There's no way to get the stuff out without alerting them。 Impossible。 I know of only one way to bring the goods out。〃
〃Okay。〃
〃A search warrant。〃
〃Forget it。 No probable cause。〃
〃Listen to me； Tarrance。 This is how it's gonna be； okay？ I can't give you all the documents you want。 But I can give you all you need。 I have in my possession over ten thousand documents； and although I have not reviewed all of them； I've seen enough to know that if you had them； you could show them to a judge and get a search warrant for Front Street。 You can take the records I have now and obtain indictments for maybe half 。 But the same documents will get your search warrant and； consequently； a truckload of indictments。 There's no other way to do it。〃
Tarrance walked to the hall and looked around。 Empty。 He stretched his legs and walked to the Coke machine。 He leaned on it and looked through the small window to the east。 〃Why only half ？〃
〃Initially； only half。 Plus a number of retired partners。 Scattered through my documents are various names of partners who've set up the bogus Cayman panies with Morolto money。 Those indictments will be easy。 Once you have all the records； your conspiracy theory will fall in place and you can indict everyone。〃
〃Where did you get the documents？〃
〃I got lucky。 Very lucky。 I sort of figured had more sense than to keep the Cayman bank records in this country。 I had a hunch the records might be in the Caymans。 Fortunately； I was right。 We copied the documents in the Caymans。〃
〃We？〃
〃The girl。 And a friend。〃
〃Where are the records now？〃
〃You and your questions； Tarrance。 They're in my possession。 That's all you need to know。〃
〃I want those documents from the basement。〃
〃Listen to me； Tarrance。 Pay attention。 The documents in the basement are not ing out until you go in with a search warrant。 It is impossible； do you hear？〃
〃Who are the guys in the basement？〃
〃Don't know。 I've been there ten months and never seen them。 I don't know where they park or how they get in and out。 They're invisible。 I figure the partners and the boys in the basement do the dirty work。〃
〃What kind of equipment is down there？〃
〃Two copiers； four shredders； high…speed printers and all those puters。 State of the art。〃
Tarrance walked to the window； obviously deep in thought。 〃That makes sense。 Makes a lot of sense。 I've always wondered how ； with all those secretaries and clerks and paralegals； could maintain such secrecy about Morolto。〃
〃It's easy。 The secretaries and clerks and paralegals know nothing about it。 They're kept busy with the real clients。 The partners and senior associates sit in their big offices and dream up exotic ways to launder money； and the basement crew does the grunt work。 It's a great setup。〃
〃So there are plenty of legitimate clients？〃
〃Hundreds。 They're talented lawyers with an amazing clientele。 It's a great cover。〃
〃And you're telling me； McDeere； that you've got the documents now to support indictments and search warrants？ You've got them…they're in your possession？〃
〃That's what I said。〃
〃In this country？〃
〃Yes； Tarrance； the documents are in this country。 Very close to here； actually。〃
Tarrance was fidgety now。 He rocked from one foot to the other and cracked his knuckles。 He was breathing quickly。 〃What else can you get out of Front Street？〃
〃Nothing。 It's too dangerous。 They've changed the locks； and that sort of worries me。 I mean； why would they change the locks on the third and fourth floors and not on the first
