jg.thepelicanbrief-第67部分

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en　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　watching　the　front　entrance　to　the　Post。　He　wore　a　black　cap；　denim　jacket；　and　jeans。　He　was　under　thirty。　And　he　just　stood　there　staring　across　the　street。　She　nibbled　on　her　sand　wich；　and　watched　him　for　ten　minutes。　He　sipped　from　his　cup　and　never　moved。
　　
　　〃Gray；　e　here；　please。〃
　　
　　〃What　is　it？〃　He　walked　over。　She　pointed　to　the　man　with　the　black　cap。
　　
　　〃Watch　him　carefully；〃　she　said。Tell　me　what　he's　doing。〃
　　
　　〃He's　drinking　something；　probably　coffee。　He's　leaning　on　the　side　of　that　building；　and　he's　watching　this　building。〃
　　
　　〃What's　he　wearing？〃
　　
　　〃Denim　from　head　to　toe；　and　a　black　cap。　Looks　like　boots。　What　about　it？〃
　　
　　〃I　saw　him　an　hour　ago　standing　over　there　by　the　hotel。　He　was　sort　of　hidden　by　that　telephone　van；　but　I　know　it　was　him。　Now　he's　over　there。〃
　　
　　〃So？〃
　　
　　〃So　for　the　past　hour；　at　least；　he's　been　moving　around　doing　nothing　but　watching　this　building。〃　
　　
　　Gray　nodded。　This　was　no　time　for　a　smart　ment。　The　guy　looked　suspicious；　and　she　was　concerned。　She'd　been　tracked　for　two　weeks　now；　from　New　Orleans　to　New　York；　and　now　maybe　to　Washington；　and　she　knew　more　about　being　followed　than　he　did。
　　
　　〃What're　you　saying；　Darby？〃
　　
　　〃Give　me　one　good　reason　why　this　man；　who　obviously　is　not　a　street　bum；　would　be　doing　this。〃　
　　
　　The　man　looked　at　his　watch；　and　walked　slowly　along　the　sidewalk　until　he　was　gone。　Darby　looked　at　her　watch。
　　
　　It's　exactly　one；〃　she　said。　〃Let's　check　every　fifteen　minutes；　okay？〃
　　
　　〃Okay。　I　doubt　if　it's　anything；〃　he　said；　trying　to　be　forting。　It　didn't　work。　She　sat　at　the　table；　and　looked　at　the　notes。　
　　
　　He　watched　her　and　slowly　returned　to　the　puter。　
　　
　　Gray　typed　furiously　for　fifteen　minutes；　then　walked　back　to　the　window。　Darby　watched　him　carefully。　〃I　don't　see　him；〃　he　said。　
　　
　　He　did　see　him　at　one…thirty。　〃Darby；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　the　spot　where　she'd　first　seen　him。　She　looked　out　the　window；　and　slowly　focused　on　the　man　with　the　black　cap。　Now　he　had　a　dark　green　windbreaker；　and　he　was　not　facing　the　Post。　He　watched　his　boots；　and　every　ten　seconds　or　so　glanced　at　the　front　entrance。　This　made　him　all　the　more　suspicious；　but　he　was　partially　hidden　behind　a　delivery　truck。　The　Styrofoam　cup　was　gone。　He　lit　a　cigarette。　He　glanced　at　the　Post；　then　watched　the　sidewalk　in　front　of　it。
　　
　　〃Why　do　I　have　this　knot　in　my　stomach？〃　Darby　said。
　　
　　〃How　could　they　follow　you？　It's　impossible。〃
　　
　　〃They　knew　I　was　in　New　York。　That　seemed　impossible　at　the　time。〃
　　
　　〃Maybe　they're　following　me。　I've　been　told　they　were　watching。　That's　what　the　guy's　doing。　Why　should　he　know　you're　here？　The　dude's　following　me。〃
　　
　　〃Maybe；〃　she　said　slowly。
　　
　　〃Have　you　seen　him　before？〃
　　
　　〃They　don't　introduce　themselves。〃
　　
　　〃Look。　We've　got　thirty　minutes；　and　they're　back　in　here　with　knives　to　carve　up　our　story。　Le