jg.thepelicanbrief-第69章

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hydrocarbons　from　pesticides。　The　rains　wash　the　pesticides　from　the　soil　into　small　streams　which　eventually　empty　into　rivers　which　eventually　empty　into　the　Mississippi。　By　the　time　the　pelicans　in　Louisiana　eat　the　fish；　they　are　loaded　with　DDT　and　other　chemicals　which　accumulate　in　the　fatty　tissues　of　the　birds。　Death　is　seldom　immediate；　but　in　times　of　stress　such　as　hunger　or　bad　weather；　the　pelicans　and　eagles　and　cormorants　are　forced　to　draw　upon　their　reserves；　and　can　literally　be　poisoned　by　their　own　fat。　If　they　don't　die；　they　are　usually　unable　to　reproduce。　Their　eggs　are　so　thin　and　fragile　they　crack　during　incubation。　Did　you　know　that？〃
　　
　　〃Why　would　I　know　that？〃
　　
　　〃In　the　late　sixties；　Louisiana　began　transplanting　brown　pelicans　from　southern　Florida；　and　over　the　years　the　population　has　slowly　increased。　But　the　birds　are　still　very　much　in　danger。　Forty　years　ago　there　were　thousands　of　them。　The　cypress　swamp　that　Mattiece　wants　to　destroy　is　home　to　only　a　few　dozen　pelicans。〃　
　　
　　Gray　pondered　these　things。　She　was　silent　for　a　long　time。
　　
　　〃What　day　is　it？〃　she　asked　without　opening　her　eyes。
　　
　　〃Monday。〃
　　
　　〃I　left　New　Orleans　a　week　ago　today。　Thomas　and　Verheek　had　dinner　two　weeks　ago　today。　That；　of　course；　was　the　fateful　moment　when　the　pelican　brief　changed　hands。〃
　　
　　〃Three　weeks　ago　tomorrow；　Rosenberg　and　Jensen　were　murdered。〃
　　
　　〃I　was　an　innocent　little　law　student　minding　my　own　business　and　having　a　wonderful　love　affair　with　my　professor。　I　guess　those　days　are　gone。〃　
　　
　　Law　school　and　the　professor　might　be　gone；　he　thought。　〃What're　your　plans？〃
　　
　　〃I　have　none。　I'm　just　trying　to　get　out　of　this　damned　mess　and　stay　alive。　I'll　run　off　somewhere　and　hide　for　a　few　months；　maybe　a　few　years。　I've　got　enough　money　to　live　for　a　long　time。　If　and　when　I　reach　the　point　when　I'm　not　looking　over　my　shoulder；　I　might　e　back。〃
　　
　　〃To　law　school？〃
　　
　　〃I　don't　think　so。　The　law　has　lost　its　allure。〃
　　
　　〃Why'd　you　want　to　be　a　lawyer？〃
　　
　　〃Idealism；　and　money。　I　thought　I　could　change　the　world　and　get　paid　for　it。〃　
　　
　　〃But　there　are　so　damned　many　lawyers　already。　Why　do　all　these　bright　students　keep　flocking　to　law　school？〃
　　
　　〃Simple。　It's　greed。　They　want　BMWs　and　gold　credit　cards。　If　you　go　to　a　good　law　school；　finish　in　the　top　ten　percent；　and　get　a　job　with　a　big　firm；　you'll　be　earning　six　figures　in　a　few　short　years；　and　it　only　goes　up。　It's　guaranteed。　At　the　age　of　thirty…five；　you'll　be　a　partner　raking　in　at　least　two　hundred　thousand　a　year。　Some　earn　much　more。〃
　　
　　〃What　about　the　other　ninety　percent？〃
　　
　　〃It's　not　such　a　good　deal　for　them。　They　get　the　leftovers。〃
　　
　　〃Most　lawyers　I　know　hate　it。　They'd　rather　be　doing　something　else。〃
　　
　　〃But　they　can't　leave　it　because　of　the　money。　Even　a　lousy　lawyer　in　a　small　office　can　earn　a　hundred　thousand　a　year　after　ten　years　of　practice；　and　he　may　hate　it；　but　where　can　he　go　and　match　the　money？〃
　　
　　〃I　detest　lawyers。〃
　　
　　〃And　I　guess　you　think　reporters　are　adored。〃　
　　
　　Good　point。　Gray　looked　at　his　watch；　then　picked　up　the　phone。　He　dialed　Keen's　number。　Keen　read　him　the　obit；　and　the　Post　story　about　the　senseless　street　killing　of　this　young　lawyer。　Gray　took　notes。
　　
　　〃A　couple　of　other　things；〃　Keen　said。　〃Feldman　is　very　concerned　about　your　safety。　He　expected　a　briefing　in　his　office　today；　and　he　was　pissed　when　he　didn't　get　one。　Make　sure　you　report　to　him　before　noon　tomorrow。　Understand？〃
　　
　　〃I'll　try。〃
　　
　　〃Do　more　than　try；　Gray。　We're　very　nervous　over　here。〃
　　
　　〃The　Times　is　sucking　wind；　isn't　it？〃
　　
　　〃I'm　not　worried　about　the　Times　right　now。　I'm　much　more　concerned　about　you　and　the　girl。〃
　　
　　〃We're　fine。　Everything's　lovely。　What　else　have　you　got？〃
　　
　　〃You　have　three　messages　in　the　past　two　hours　from　a　man　named　Cleve。　Says　he's　a　cop。　Do　you　know　him？〃
　　
　　〃Yes。〃
　　
　　〃Well；　he　wants　to　talk　tonight。　Says　it's　urgent。〃
　　
　　〃I'll　call　him　later。〃
　　
　　〃Okay。　You　guys　be　careful。　We'll　be　here　till　late；　so　check　in。〃　
　　
　　Gray　hung　up　and　looked　at　his　notes。　It　was　almost　seven。　〃I'm　going　to　see　Mrs。　Morgan。　I　want　you　to　stay　here。〃　
　　
　　She　sat　between　the　pillows　and　crossed　her　arms　on　her　knees。　〃I'd　rather　go。〃
　　
　　〃What　if　they're　watching　the　house？〃　he　asked。
　　
　　〃Why　would　they　watch　the　house？　He's　dead。〃
　　
　　〃Maybe　they're　suspicious　now；　because　a　mysterious　client　appeared　today　looking　for　him。　Even　though　he's　dead；　he's　attracting　attention。〃　
　　
　　She　thought　about　this　for　a　minute。　〃No。　I'm　going。〃
　　
　　〃It's　too　risky；　Darby。〃
　　
　　〃Don't　talk　to　me　about　risks。　I've　survived　in　the　minefields　for　twelve　days。　This　is　easy。〃　
　　
　　He　waited　on　her　by　the　door。　〃By　the　way；　where　am　I　staying　tonight？〃
　　
　　〃Jefferson　Hotel。〃
　　
　　〃Do　you　have　the　phone　number？〃
　　
　　〃What　do　you　think？〃
　　
　　〃Dumb　question。〃　
　　
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　　THE　PRIVATE　JET　with　Edwin　Sneller　aboard　landed　at　National　in　Washington　a　few　minutes　after　seven。　He　was　delighted　to　leave　New　York。　He'd　spent　six　days　there　bouncing　off　the　walls　in　his　suite　at　the　Plaza。　For　almost　a　week；　his　men　had　checked　hotels　and　watched　airports　and　walked　streets；　and　they　knew　damned　well　they　were　wasting　their　time；　but　orders　were　orders。　They　were　told　to　stay　there　until　something　broke　and　they　could　move　on。　It　was　silly　trying　to　find　the　girl　in　Manhattan；　but　they　had　to　stay　close　in　case　she　made　a　mistake　like　a　phone　call　or　a　plastic　transaction　that　could　be　traced；　and　suddenly　they　were　needed。　
　　
　　She　made　no　mistakes　until　two…thirty　this　afternoon　when　she　needed　money　and　went　to　the　account。　They　knew　this　would　happen；　especially　if　she　planned　to　leave　the　country　and　was　afraid　to　use　plastic。　At　some　point；　she　would　need　cash；　and　she'd　have　to　wire　it　since　the　bank　was　in　New　Orleans　and　she　wasn't。　Sneller's　client　owned　eight　percent　of　the　bank；　not　a　lot；　but　a　nice　little　twelve…million…dollar　holding　that　could　make　things　happen。　A　few　minutes　after　three；　he'd　received　a　call　from　Freeport。　
　　
　　They　did　not　suspect　her　to　be　in　Washington。　She　was　a　smart　girl　who　was　running　away　from　trouble；　not　to　it。　And　they　certainly　didn't　expect　her　to　link　up　with　the　reporter。　They　had　no　idea；　but　now　it　seemed　so　logical。　And　it　was　worse　than　critical。　
　　
　　Fifteen　thousand　went　from　her　account　to　his；　and　suddenly　Sneller　was　back　in　business。　He　had　two　men　with　him。　Another　private　jet　was　en　route　from　Miami。　He　had　asked　for　a　dozen　men　immediately。　It　would　be　a　quick　job；　or　no　job　at　all。　There　was　not　a　second　to　spare。　
　　
　　Sneller　was　not　hopeful。　With　Khamel　on　the　team；　everything　seemed　possible。　He　had　killed　Rosenberg　and　Jensen　so　cleanly；　then　disappeared　without　a　trace。　Now　he　was　dead；　shot　in　the　head　because　of　one　little　innocent　female　law　student。　
　　
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　　THE　MORGAN　HOUSE　was　in　a　neat　suburb　in　Alexandria。　The　neighborhood　was　young　and　affluent；　with　bikes　and　tricycles　in　every　yard。　
　　
　　Three　cars　were　parked　in　the　drive。　One　had　Ohio　plates。　Gray　rang　the　doorbell　and　watched　the　street。　Nothing　suspicious。　
　　
　　An　older　man　opened　the　door　slightly。　〃Yes；〃　he　said　softly。
　　
　　〃I'm　Gray　Grantham　with　the　Washington　Post；　and　this　is　my　assistant；　Sara　Jacobs。〃　Darby　forced　a　smile。We　would　like　to　speak　with　Mrs。　Morgan。〃
　　
　　〃I　don't　think　so。〃
　　
　　〃Please。　It's　very　important。〃　
　　
　　He　looked　at　them　carefully。　〃Wait　a　minute。〃　He　closed　the　door　and　disappeared。　
　　
　　The　house　had　a　narrow　wooden　porch　with　a　small　veranda　over　it。　They　were　in　the　darkness　and　could　not　be　seen　from　the　street。　A　car　passed　slowly。　
　　
　　He　opened　the　door　again。　〃I'm　Tom　Kupcheck；　her　father；　and　she　doesn't　want　to　talk。〃　
　　
　　Gray　nodded　as　if　this　was　understandable。　〃We　won't