jg.thefirm-第79部分

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s　deal。〃
　　Mitch　started　for　the　door。　〃How　about　another　fifty　thousand？〃
　　〃I'll　take　it。〃
　　He　winked　at　her　and　closed　the　door；　wondering　if　he　would　ever　see　her　again。
　　The　cell　was　eight　by　eight；　with　a　toilet　in　a　corner　and　a　set　of　bunk　beds。　The　top　bunk　was　uninhabited　and　had　been　for　a　year。　Ray　lay　on　the　bottom　bunk　with　wires　running　from　his　ears。　He　spoke　to　himself　in　a　very　foreign　language。　Turkish。　At　that　moment　on　that　floor；　it　was　safe　to　bet　he　was　the　only　soul　listening　to　Berlitz　jabber　in　Turkish。　There　was　quiet　talk　up　and　down　the　hall；　but　most　lights　were　out。　Eleven　o'clock；　Tuesday　night。
　　The　guard　walked　silently　to　his　cell。　〃McDeere；〃　he　said　softly；　secretly；　through　the　bars。　Ray　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　under　the　bunk　above；　and　stared　at　him。　He　removed　the　wires。
　　〃Warden　wants　to　see　you。〃
　　Sure；　he　thought；　the　warden's　sitting　at　his　desk　at　11　P。M。　waiting　on　me。　〃Where　are　we　going？〃　It　was　an　anxious　question。
　　〃Put　your　shoes　on　and　e　on。〃
　　　Ray　glanced　around　the　cell　and　took　a　quick　inventory　of　his　worldly　possessions。　In　eight　years　he　had　accumulated　a　black…and…white　television；　a　large　cassette　player；　two　cardboard　boxes　full　of　tapes　and　several　dozen　books。　He　made　three　dollars　a　day　working　in　the　prison　laundry；　but　after　cigarettes　there　had　been　little　to　spend　on　tangibles。　These　were　his　only　assets。　Eight　years。
　　The　guard　fitted　a　heavy　key　in　the　door　and　slid　it　open　a　few　inches。　He　turned　off　the　light。　〃Just　follow　me；　and　no　cute　stuff。　I　don't　know　who　you　are；　mister；　but　you　got　some　heavy…duty　friends。〃
　　Other　keys　fit　other　doors；　and　they　were　outside　under　the　basketball　hoop。　〃Stay　behind　me；〃　the　guard　said。
　　Ray's　eyes　darted　around　the　dark　pound。　The　wall　loomed　like　a　mountain　in　the　distance；　beyond　the　courtyard　and　walking　area　where　he　had　paced　a　thousand　miles　and　smoked　a　ton　of　cigarettes。　It　was　sixteen　feet　tall　in　the　daylight；　but　looked　much　larger　at　night。　The　guard　towers　were　fifty　yards　apart　and　well　lit。　And　heavily　armed。
　　The　guard　was　casual　and　unconcerned。　Of　course；　he　had　a　uniform　and　a　gun。　He　moved　confidently　between　two　cinder…block　buildings；　telling　Ray　to　follow　and　be　cool。　Ray　tried　to　be　cool。　They　stopped　at　the　corner　of　a　building；　and　the　guard　gazed　at　the　wall；　eighty　feet　away。　Floodlights　made　a　routine　sweep　of　the　courtyard；　and　they　backed　into　the　darkness。
　　Why　are　we　hiding？　Ray　asked　himself。　Are　those　guys　up　there　with　the　guns　on　our　side？　He　would　like　to　know　before　he　made　any　dramatic　moves。
　　The　guard　pointed　to　the　exact　spot　on　the　wall　where　James　Earl　Ray　and　his　gang　went　over。　A　rather　famous　spot；　studied　and　admired　by　most　of　the　inmates　at　Brushy　Mountain。　Most　of　the　white　ones　anyway。　〃In　about　five　minutes；　they'll　throw　a　ladder　up　there。　The　wire　has　already　been　cut　on　top。　You'll　find　a　heavy　rope　on　the　other　side。〃
　　〃Mind　if　I　ask　a　few　questions？〃
　　〃Make　it　quick。〃
　　〃What　about　all　these　lights？〃
　　〃They'll　be　diverted。　You'll　have　total　darkness。〃
　　〃And　those　guns　up　there？〃
　　〃Don't　worry。　They'll　look　the　other　way。〃
　　〃Dammit！　Are　you　sure？〃
　　〃Look；　man；　I've　seen　some　inside　jobs　before；　but　this　takes　the　cake。　Warden　Lattemer　himself　planned　this　one。　He's　right　up　there。〃　The　guard　pointed　to　the　nearest　tower。
　　〃The　warden？〃
　　〃Yep。　Just　so　nothing'll　go　wrong。〃
　　〃Who's　throwing　up　the　ladder？〃
　　〃Coupla　guards。〃
　　Ray　wiped　his　forehead　with　his　sleeve　and　breathed　deeply。　His　mouth　was　dry　and　his　knees　were　weak。
　　The　guard　whispered；　〃There'll　be　a　dude　waiting　for　you。　His　name　is　Bud。　White　dude。　He'll　find　you　on　the　other　side；　and　just　do　what　he　says。〃
　　The　floodlights　swept　through　again；　then　died。　〃Get　ready；〃　the　guard　said。　Darkness　settled　in；　followed　by　a　dreadful　silence。　The　wall　was　now　black。　From　the　nearest　tower；　a　whistle　blew　two　short　signals。　Ray　knelt　and　watched。
　　From　behind　the　next　building；　he　could　see　the　silhouettes　running　to　the　wall。　They　grabbed　at　something　in　the　grass；　then　hoisted　it。
　　〃Run；　dude；〃　the　guard　said。　〃Run！〃
　　Ray　sprinted　with　his　head　low。　The　homemade　ladder　was　in　place。　The　guards　grabbed　his　arms　and　threw　him　to　the　first　step。　The　ladder　bounced　as　he　scurried　up　the　two…　by…fours。　The　top　of　the　wall　was　two　feet　wide。　A　generous　opening　had　been　cut　in　the　coiled　barbed　wire。　He　slid　through　without　touching　it。　The　rope　was　right　where　it　was　supposed　to　be；　and　he　eased　down　the　outside　of　the　wall。　Eight　feet　from　pay　dirt；　he　turned　loose　and　jumped。　He　squatted　and　looked　around。　Still　dark。　The　floodlights　were　on　hold。
　　The　clearing　stopped　a　hundred　feet　away；　and　the　dense　woods　began。　〃Over　here；〃　the　voice　said　calmly。　Ray　started　for　it。　Bud　was　waiting　in　the　first　cluster　of　black　bushes。
　　〃Hurry。　Follow　me。〃
　　Ray　followed　him　until　the　wall　was　out　of　sight。　They　stopped　in　a　small　clearing　next　to　a　dirt　trail。　He　stuck　out　a　hand。　〃I'm　Bud　Riley。　Kinda　fun；　ain't　it？〃
　　〃Unbelievable。　Ray　McDeere。〃
　　Bud　was　a　stocky　man　with　a　black　beard　and　a　black　beret。　He　wore　bat　boots；　jeans　and　a　camouflage　jacket。　No　gun　was　in　sight。　He　offered　Ray　a　cigarette。
　　〃Who　are　you　with？〃　Ray　asked。
　　〃Nobody。　I　just　do　a　little　free…lance　work　for　the　warden。　They　usually　call　me　when　somebody　goes　over　the　wall。　Course；　this　is　a　little　different。　Usually　I　bring　my　dogs。　I　thought　we'd　wait　here　for　a　minute　until　the　sirens　go　off；　so　you　can　hear。　Wouldn't　be　right　if　you　didn't　get　to　hear　'em。　I　mean；　they're　sorta　in　your　honor。〃
　　〃That's　okay。　I've　heard　them　before。〃
　　〃Yeah；　but　it's　different　out　here　when　they　go　off。　It's　a　beautiful　sound。〃
　　〃Look；　Bud；　I…〃
　　〃Just　listen；　Ray。　We　got　plenty　of　time。　They　won't　chase　you；　much。〃
　　〃Much？〃
　　〃Yeah；　they　gotta　make　a　big　scene；　wake　ever'body　up；　just　like　a　real　escape。　But　they　ain't　ing　after　you。　I　don't　know　what　kinda　pull　you　got；　but　it's　something。〃
　　The　sirens　began　screaming；　and　Ray　jumped。　Lights　flashed　across　the　black　sky；　and　the　faint　voices　of　the　tower　guards　were　audible。
　　〃See　what　I　mean？〃
　　〃Let's　go；〃　Ray　said；　and　began　walking。
　　〃My　truck's　just　up　the　road　a　piece。　I　brought　you　some　clothes。　Warden　gave　me　your　sizes。　Hope　you　like　them。〃
　　Bud　was　out　of　breath　when　they　reached　the　truck。　Ray　quickly　changed　into　the　olive　Duckheads　and　navy　cotton　work　shirt。　〃Very　nice；　Bud；〃　he　said。
　　〃Just　throw　them　prison　clothes　in　the　bushes。〃
　　They　drove　the　winding　mountain　trail　for　two　miles；　then　turned　onto　blacktop。　Bud　listened　to　Conway　Twitty　and　said　nothing。
　　〃Where　are　we　going；　Bud？〃　Ray　finally　asked。
　　〃Well；　the　warden　said　he　didn't　care　and　really　didn't　want　to　know。　Said　it　was　up　to　you。　I'd　suggest　we　get　to　a　big　town　where　there's　a　bus　station。　After　that；　you're　on　your　own。〃
　　〃How　far　will　you　drive　me？〃
　　〃I　got　all　night；　Ray。　You　name　the　town。〃
　　〃I'd　like　to　get　some　miles　behind　us　before　I　start　hanging　around　a　bus　station。　How　about　Knoxville？〃
　　〃Knoxville　it　is。　Where　are　you　going　from　there？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　I　need　to　get　out　of　the　country。〃
　　〃With　your　friends；　that　should　be　no　problem。　Be　careful；　though。　By　tomorrow；　your　picture　will　be　hanging　in　every　sheriff's　office　in　ten　states。〃
　　Three　cars　with　blue　lights　came　blazing　over　the　hill　in　front　of　them。　Ray　ducked　onto　the　floorboard。
　　〃Relax；　Ray。　They　can't　see　you。〃
　　　He　watched　them　disappear　through　the　rear　window。　〃What　about　roadblocks？〃
　　〃Look；　Ray。　Ain't　gonna　be　no　roadblocks；　okay？　Trust　me。〃　Bud　stuck　a　hand　in　a　pocket　and　threw　a　wad　of　cash　on　the　seat。　〃Five　hundred　bucks。　Hand…delivered　by　the　warden。　You　got　some　stout　friends；　buddy。〃
　　
　　　34
　　WEDNESDAY　morning。　Tarry　Ross　climbed　the　stairs　to　the　fourth　floor　of　the　Phoenix　Park　Hotel。　He　paused　on　the　landing　outside　the　hall　door　and　caught　his　breath。　Sweat　beaded　across　his　eyebrows。　He　removed　the　dark　sunglasses　and　wiped　his　face　with　the　sleeve　of　his　overcoat。　Nausea　hit