jg.thepelicanbrief-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　
　　〃Are　you　crazy？　Is　he　crazy？　If　I　asked　my　brethren　to　follow　that　request　they　would　all　leave　town　tonight　and　travel　for　the　next　month。　That's　absurd。〃　Runyan　frowned　at　his　law　clerks；　who　shook　their　heads　in　disgust。　Truly　absurd。　
　　
　　Lewis　was　unmoved。　This　was　expected。　〃As　you　wish。　Just　a　suggestion。〃
　　
　　〃A　foolish　suggestion。〃
　　
　　〃The　Director　did　not　expect　your　cooperation　on　that　one。　He　would；　however；　expect　to　be　notified　in　advance　of　all　travel　plans　so　that　we　can　arrange　security。〃
　　
　　〃You　mean；　you　plan　to　escort　each　Justice　each　time　he　leaves　the　city？〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　Chief。　That's　our　plan。〃
　　
　　〃Won't　work。　These　people　are　not　accustomed　to　being　baby…sat。〃
　　
　　〃Yes　sir。　And　they're　not　accustomed　to　being　stalked　either。　We're　just　trying　to　protect　you　and　your　honorable　brethren；　sir。　Of　course；　no　one　says　we　have　to　do　anything。　I　think；　sir；　that　you　called　us。　We　can　leave；　if　you　wish。〃　
　　
　　Runyan　rocked　forward　in　his　chair　and　attacked　a　paper　clip；　prying　the　curves　out　of　it　and　trying　to　make　it　perfectly　straight。　〃What　about　around　here？〃　
　　
　　Lewis　sighed　and　almost　smiled。　〃We're　not　worried　about　this　building；　Chief。　It's　an　easy　place　to　secure。　We　don't　expect　trouble　here。〃
　　
　　〃Then　where？〃　
　　
　　Lewis　nodded　at　a　window。　The　noise　was　louder。　〃Out　there　somewhere。　The　streets　are　full　of　idiots　and　maniacs　and　zealots。〃
　　
　　〃And　they　all　hate　us。〃
　　
　　〃Evidently。　Listen；　Chief；　we're　very　concerned　about　Justice　Rosenberg。　He　still　refuses　to　allow　our　men　inside　his　home；　makes　them　sit　in　a　car　in　the　street　all　night。　He　will　allow　his　favorite　Supreme　Court　officer　what's　his　name？　Ferguson　to　sit　by　the　back　door；　outside；　but　only　from　10　P。M。　to　6　A。M。　No　one　gets　in　the　house　but　Justice　Rosenberg　and　his　male　nurse。　The　place　is　not　secure。〃　
　　
　　Runyan　picked　his　fingernails　with　the　paper　clip　and　smiled　slightly　to　himself。　Rosenberg's　death；　by　any　means　or　method；　would　be　a　relief。　No；　it　would　be　a　glorious　occasion。　The　Chief　would　have　to　wear　black　and　give　a　eulogy；　but　behind　locked　doors　he　would　chuckle　with　his　law　clerks。　Runyan　liked　this　thought。
　　
　　〃What　do　you　suggest？〃　he　asked。
　　
　　〃Can　you　talk　to　him？〃
　　
　　I've　tried。　I've　explained　to　him　that　he　is　probably　the　most　hated　man　in　America；　that　millions　of　people　curse　him　every　day；　that　most　folks　would　like　to　see　him　dead；　that　he　receives　four　times　the　hate　mail　as　the　rest　of　us　bined；　and　that　he　would　be　a　perfect　and　easy　target　for　assassination。〃　
　　
　　Lewis　waited。　〃And？〃
　　
　　〃Told　me　to　kiss　his　ass；　then　fell　asleep。〃　
　　
　　The　law　clerks　giggled　properly；　then　the　FBI　agents　realized　humor　was　permitted　and　joined　in　for　a　quick　laugh。
　　
　　〃So　what　do　we　do？〃　asked　Lewis；　unamused。
　　
　　〃You　protect　him　as　best　you　can；　put　it　in　writing；　and　don't　worry　about　it。　He　fears　nothing；　including　death；　and　if　he's　not　sweating　it；　why　should　you？〃
　　
　　〃The　Director　is　sweating；　so　I'm　sweating；　Chief。　It's　very　simple。　If　one　of　you　guys　gets　hurt；　the　Bureau　looks　bad。〃　
　　
　　The　Chief　rocked　quickly　in　his　chair。　The　racket　from　outside　was　unnerving。　This　meeting　had　dragged　on　long　enough。　〃Forget　Rosenberg。　Maybe　he'll　die　in　his　sleep。　I'm　more　concerned　over　Jensen。〃
　　
　　〃Jensen's　a　problem；〃　Lewis　said；　flipping　pages。
　　
　　〃I　know　he's　a　problem；〃　Runyan　said　slowly。　〃He's　an　embarrassment。　Now　he　thinks　he's　a　liberal。　Votes　like　Rosenberg　half　the　time。　Next　month；　he'll　be　a　white　supremacist　and　support　segregated　schools。　Then　he'll　fall　in　love　with　the　Indians　and　want　to　give　them　Montana。　It's　like　having　a　retarded　child。〃
　　
　　〃He's　being　treated　for　depression；　you　know。〃
　　
　　〃I　know；　I　know。　He　tells　me　about　it。　I'm　his　father　figure。　What　drug？〃
　　
　　〃Prozac。〃　
　　
　　The　Chief　dug　under　his　fingernails。　〃What　about　that　aerobics　instructor　he　was　seeing？　She　still　around？〃
　　
　　〃Not　really；　Chief。　I　don't　think　he　cares　for　women。〃　Lewis　was　smug。　He　knew　more。　He　glanced　at　one　of　his　agents　and　confirmed　this　juicy　little　tidbit。　
　　
　　Runyan　ignored　it；　didn't　want　to　hear　it。　〃Is　he　cooperating？〃
　　
　　〃Of　course　not。　In　many　ways　he's　worse　than　Rosenberg。　He　allows　us　to　escort　him　to　his　apartment　building；　then　makes　us　sit　in　the　parking　lot　all　night。　He's　seven　floors　up；　remember。　We　can't　even　sit　in　the　lobby。　Might　upset　his　neighbors；　he　says。　So　we　sit　in　the　car。　There　are　ten　ways　in　and　out　of　the　building；　and　it's　impossible　to　protect　him。　He　likes　to　play　hide…and…seek　with　us。　He　sneaks　around　all　the　time；　so　we　never　know　if　he's　in　the　building　or　not。　At　least　with　Rosenberg　we　know　where　he　is　all　night。　Jensen's　impossible。〃
　　
　　〃Great。　If　you　can't　follow　him；　how　could　an　assassin？〃　
　　
　　Lewis　hadn't　thought　of　this。　He　missed　the　humor。　〃The　Director　is　very　concerned　with　Justice　Jensen's　safety。〃
　　
　　〃He　doesn't　receive　that　many　threats。〃
　　
　　〃Number　six　on　the　list；　just　a　few　less　than　you；　your　honor。〃
　　
　　〃Oh。　So　I'm　in　fifth　place。〃
　　
　　〃Yes。　Just　behind　Justice　Manning。　He's　cooperating；　by　the　way。　Fully。〃
　　
　　〃He's　afraid　of　his　shadow；〃　the　Chief　said；　then　hesitated。　〃I　shouldn't　have　said　that。　I'm　sorry。〃　
　　
　　Lewis　ignored　it。　〃In　fact；　the　cooperation　has　been　reasonably　good；　except　for　Rosenberg　and　Jensen。　Justice　Stone　bitches　a　lot；　but　he　listens　to　us。〃
　　
　　〃He　bitches　at　everyone；　so　don't　take　it　personally。　Where　do　you　suppose　Jensen　sneaks　off　to？〃　
　　
　　Lewis　glanced　at　one　of　his　agents。　〃We　have　no　idea。〃　A　large　section　of　the　mob　suddenly　came　together　in　one　unrestrained　chorus；　and　everyone　on　the　streets　seemed　to　join　in。　The　Chief　could　not　ignore　it。　The　windows　vibrated。　He　stood　and　called　an　end　to　this　meeting。　
　　
　　*　　*　　*
　　
　　JUSTICE　GLENN　JENSEN'S　OFFICE　was　on　the　second　floor；　away　from　the　streets　and　the　noise。　It　was　a　spacious　room；　yet　the　smallest　of　the　nine。　Jensen　was　the　youngest　of　the　nine；　and　he　was　lucky　to　have　an　office。　When　nominated　six　years　earlier　at　the　age　of　forty…two；　he　was　thought　to　be　a　strict　constructionist　with　deep　conservative　beliefs；　much　like　the　man　who　nominated　him。　His　Senate　confirmation　had　been　a　slugfest。　Before　the　Judiciary　mittee；　Jensen　performed　poorly。　On　sensitive　issues　he　straddled　the　fence；　and　got　kicked　from　both　sides。　The　Republicans　were　embarrassed。　The　Democrats　smelled　blood。　The　President　twisted　arms　until　they　broke；　and　Jensen　was　confirmed　by　one　very　reluctant　vote。　
　　
　　But　he　made　it；　for　life。　In　his　six　years；　he　had　pleased　no　one。　Hurt　deeply　by　his　confirmation　hearings；　he　vowed　to　find　passion　and　rule　with　it。　This　had　angered　Republicans。　They　felt　betrayed；　especially　when　he　discovered　a　latent　passion　for　the　rights　of　criminals。　With　scarce　ideological　strain；　he　quickly　left　the　right；　moved　to　the　center；　then　to　the　left。　Then；　with　legal　scholars　scratching　their　little　goatees；　Jensen　would　bolt　back　to　the　right　and　join　Justice　Sloan　in　one　of　his　obnoxious　antiwomen　dissents。　Jensen　was　not　fond　of　women。　He　was　neutral　on　prayer；　skeptical　of　free　speech；　sympathetic　to　tax　protestors；　indifferent　to　Indians；　afraid　of　blacks；　tough　on　pornographers；　soft　on　criminals；　and　fairly　consistent　in　his　protection　of　the　environment。　And；　to　the　further　dismay　of　the　Republicans　who　shed　blood　to　get　him　confirmed；　Jensen　had　shown　a　troubling　sympathy　for　the　rights　of　homosexuals。　
　　
　　At　his　request；　a　nasty　case　called　Dumond　had　been　assigned　to　him。　Ronald　Dumond　had　lived　with　his　male　lover　for　eight　years。　They　were　a　happy　couple；　totally　devoted　to　each　other；　and　quite　content　to　share　life's　experiences。　They　wanted　to　marry；　but　Ohio　laws　prohibited　such　a　union。　Then　the　lover　caught　AIDS；　and　died　a　horrible　death。　Ronald　knew　exactly　how　to　bury　him；　but　then　the　lover's　family　intervened　and　excluded　Ronald　from　the　funeral　and　burial。　Distraught；　Ronald　sued