jg.thepelicanbrief-第75部分

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hite　button…down。　White　and　Blazevich　was　not　an　ideal　place　to　work；　he　said；　but　most　of　the　four　hundred　lawyers　were　honest　and　probably　knew　nothing　about　Mattiece。　In　fact；　he　doubted　if　many　besides　Wakefield；　Velmano；　and　Einstein　were　involved　in　the　conspiracy。　There　was　a　partner　named　Jarreld　Schwabe　who　was　sinister　enough　to　be　involved；　but　Morgan　had　no　proof。　（Darby　remembered　him　well。）　There　was　an　ex…secretary　who'd　quit　abruptly　a　few　days　after　the　assassinations。　Her　name　was　Miriam　LaRue；　and　she'd　worked　in　the　oil　and　gas　section　for　eighteen　years。　She　might　know　something。　She　lives　in　Falls　Church。　Another　secretary　whom　he　would　not　name　had　told　him　she　overheard　a　conversation　between　Wakefield　and　Velmano；　and　the　topic　was　whether　he；　Morgan；　could　be　trusted。　But　she　just　heard　bits　and　pieces。　They　treated　him　differently　after　the　memo　was　found　on　his　desk。　Especially　Schwabe　and　Wakefield。　It　was　as　if　they　wanted　to　throw　him　up　against　the　wall　and　threaten　his　life　if　he　told　of　the　memo；　but　they　couldn't　do　it　because　they　weren't　sure　he'd　seen　it。　And　they　were　afraid　to　make　a　big　deal　out　of　it。　But　he'd　seen　it；　and　they　were　almost　certain　he'd　seen　it。　And　if　they　conspired　to　kill　Rosenberg　and　Jensen；　well；　hell；　he　was　just　an　associate。　He　could　be　replaced　in　seconds。　
　　
　　Litsky　the　lawyer　shook　his　head　in　disbelief。　The　numbness　was　wearing　off；　and　they　moved　a　bit　in　their　seats。　
　　
　　Morgan　muted　by　car；　and　twice　he　was　trailed。　Once　during　lunch；　he　saw　a　man　watching　him。　He　talked　about　his　family　for　a　while；　and　started　to　ramble。　It　was　apparent　he'd　run　out　of　hard　news。　Gray　handed　the　affidavit　and　the　memo　to　Feldman；　who　read　it　and　passed　it　to　Krauthammer；　who　passed　it　on。　
　　
　　Morgan　finished　with　a　chilling　farewell：　〃I　don't　know　who　will　see　this　tape。　I'll　be　dead；　so　it　won't　really　matter；　I　guess。　I　hope　you　use　this　to　nail　Mattiece　and　his　sleazy　lawyers。　But　if　the　sleazy　lawyers　are　watching　this　tape；　then　you　can　all　go　straight　to　hell。〃　
　　
　　Gray　ejected　the　tape。　He　rubbed　his　hands　together　and　smiled　at　the　group。　〃Well；　gentlemen；　did　we　bring　you　enough　verification；　or　do　you　want　more？〃
　　
　　〃I　know　those　guys；〃　Litsky　said；　dazed。　〃Wakefield　and　I　played　tennis　a　year　ago。〃　
　　
　　Feldman　was　up　and　walking。　〃How'd　you　find　Morgan？〃
　　
　　〃It's　a　long　story；〃　Gray　said。
　　
　　〃Give　me　a　real　short　version。〃
　　
　　〃We　found　a　law　student　at　Georgetown　who　clerked　for　White　and　Blazevich　last　summer。　He　identified　a　photograph　of　Morgan。〃
　　
　　〃How'd　you　get　the　photograph？〃　Litsky　asked。
　　
　　〃Don't　ask。　It　doesn't　go　with　the　story。〃
　　
　　〃I　say　run　the　story；〃　Krauthammer　said　loudly。
　　
　　〃Run　it；〃　said　Elliot　Cohen。
　　
　　〃How'd　you　learn　he　was　dead？〃　Feldman　asked。
　　
　　〃Darby　went　to　White　and　Blazevich　yesterday。　They　broke　the　news。〃
　　
　　〃Where　was　the　video　and　affidavit？〃
　　
　　〃In　a　lockbox　at　First　Columbia。　Morgan's　wife　gave　me　the　key　at　five　this　morning。　I've　done　nothing　wrong。　The　pelican　brief　has　been　verified　fully　by　an　independent　source。〃
　　
　　〃Run　it；〃　said　Ernie　DeBasio。　〃Run　it　with　the　biggest　headline　since　NIXON　RESIGNS。〃　
　　
　　Feldman　stopped　near　Smith　Keen。　The　two　friends　eyed　each　other　carefully。　〃Run　it；〃　said　Keen。　
　　
　　He　turned　to　the　lawyer。　〃Vince？〃
　　
　　〃There's　no　question；　legally。　But　I'd　like　to　see　the　story　after　it's　written。〃
　　
　　〃How　long　will　it　take　to　write　it？〃　the　editor　asked　Gray。
　　
　　〃The　brief　portion　is　already　outlined。　I　can　finish　it　up　in　an　hour　or　so。　Give　me　two　hours　on　Morgan。　Three　at　the　most。〃　
　　
　　Feldman　hadn't　smiled　since　he　shook　hands　with　Darby。　He　paced　to　the　other　side　of　the　room；　and　stood　in　Gray's　face。　〃What　if　this　tape's　a　hoax？〃
　　
　　〃Hoax？　We're　talking　dead　bodies；　Jackson。　I've　seen　the　widow。　She's　a　real；　live　widow。　This　paper　ran　the　story　of　his　murder。　He's　dead。　Even　his　law　firm　says　he's　dead。　And　that's　him　on　the　tape；　talking　about　dying。　I　know　that's　him。　And　we　talked　to　the　notary　public　who　witnessed　his　signature　on　the　affidavit。　She　identified　him。〃　Gray　was　getting　louder　and　looking　around　the　room。　〃Everything　he　said　verifies　the　pelican　brief。　Everything。　Mattiece；　the　lawsuit；　the　assassinations。　Then　we've　got　Darby；　the　author　of　the　brief。　And　more　dead　bodies；　and　they've　chased　her　all　over　the　country。　There　are　no　holes；　Jackson。　It's　a　story。〃　
　　
　　He　finally　smiled。　〃It's　more　than　a　story。　Have　it　written　by　two。　It's　eleven　now。　Use　this　conference　room　and　close　the　door。〃　Feldman　was　pacing　again。We'll　meet　here　at　exactly　two　and　read　the　draft。　Not　a　word。〃　
　　
　　The　men　stood　and　filed　from　the　room；　but　not　before　each　shook　hands　with　Darby　Shaw。　They　were　uncertain　whether　to　say　congratulations　or　thanks　or　whatever；　so　they　just　smiled　and　shook　her　hand。　She　kept　her　seat。　
　　
　　When　they　were　alone；　Gray　sat　beside　her　and　they　held　hands。　The　clean　conference　table　was　before　them。　The　chairs　were　placed　perfectly　around　it。　The　walls　were　white；　and　the　room　was　lit　by　fluorescent　lights　and　two　narrow　windows。
　　
　　〃How　do　you　feel？〃　he　asked。
　　
　　〃I　don't　know。　This　is　the　end　of　the　road；　I　guess。　We　made　it。〃
　　
　　〃You　don't　sound　too　happy。〃
　　
　　〃I've　had　better　months。　I'm　happy　for　you。〃　
　　
　　He　looked　at　her。　〃Why　are　you　happy　for　me？〃
　　
　　〃You　put　the　pieces　together　and　it　hits　tomorrow。　It's　got　Pulitzer　written　all　over　it。〃
　　
　　〃I　hadn't　thought　about　that。〃
　　
　　〃Liar。〃
　　
　　〃Okay；　maybe　once。　But　when　you　got　off　the　elevator　yesterday　and　told　me　Garcia　was　dead；　I　quit　thinking　about　Pulitzers。〃
　　
　　〃It's　not　fair。　I　do　all　the　work。　We　used　my　brains　and　looks　and　legs；　and　you　get　all　the　glory。〃
　　
　　〃I'll　be　glad　to　use　your　name。　I'll　credit　you　as　the　author　of　the　brief。　We'll　put　your　picture　on　the　front　page；　along　with　Rosenberg；　Jensen；　Mattiece；　the　President；　Verheek；　and〃
　　
　　〃Thomas？　Will　his　picture　run　with　the　story？〃
　　
　　〃It's　up　to　Feldman。　He'll　edit　this　one。〃　
　　
　　She　thought　about　this；　and　said　nothing。
　　
　　〃Well；　Ms。　Shaw；　I've　got　three　hours　to　write　the　biggest　story　of　my　career。　A　story　that　will　shock　the　world。　A　story　that　could　bring　down　a　presidency。　A　story　that　will　solve　the　assassinations。　A　story　that　will　make　me　rich　and　famous。〃
　　
　　〃You'd　better　let　me　write　it。〃
　　
　　〃Would　you？　I'm　tired。〃
　　
　　〃Go　get　your　notes。　And　some　coffee。〃　
　　
　　*　　*　　*
　　
　　THEY　CLOSED　THE　DOOR　and　cleared　the　table。　A　news　aide　rolled　in　a　PC　with　a　printer。　They　sent　him　after　a　pot　of　coffee。　Then　some　fruit。　They　outlined　the　story　in　sections；　beginning　with　the　assassinations；　then　the　pelican　case　in　south　Louisiana；　then　Mattiece　and　his　link　to　the　President；　then　the　pelican　brief　and　all　the　havoc　it　created；　Callahan；　Verheek；　then　Curtis　Morgan　and　his　muggers；　then　White　and　Blazevich　and　Wakefield；　Velmano；　and　Einstein。　Darby　preferred　to　write　in　longhand。　She　scaled　down　the　litigation　and　the　brief；　and　what　was　known　of　Mattiece。　Gray　took　the　rest；　and　typed　out　rough　notes　on　the　machine。　
　　
　　Darby　was　a　model　of　organization；　with　notes　neatly　arranged　on　the　table；　and　words　carefully　written　on　paper。　He　was　a　whirlwind　of　chaospapers　on　the　floor；　talking　to　the　puter；　printing　random　paragraphs　that　were　discarded　by　the　time　they　were　on　paper。　She　kept　telling　him　to　be　quiet。　This　is　not　a　law　school　library；　he　explained。　This　is　a　newspaper。　You　work　with　a　phone　in　each　ear　and　someone　yelling　at　you。　
　　
　　At　twelve…thirty；　Smith　Keen　sent　in　food。　Darby　ate　a　cold　sandwich　and　watched　the　traffic　below。　Gray　was　digging　through　campaign　reports。　
　　
　　She　saw　him。　He　was　leaning　on　the　side　of　a　building　across　Fifteenth　Street；　and　he　would　not　have　been　suspicious　except　he　had　been　leaning　on　the　side　of　the　Madison　Hotel　an　hour　earlier。　He　was　sipping　something　from　a　tall　Styrofoam　cup；　and　w