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！
〃Yes； Mr。 President。 But we cannot guarantee total secrecy in our investigations。〃
〃Just try； okay。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 Lewis handed the memo to Eric East。
〃Is that all？〃 Voyles asked。
The President glanced at Coal； who was ignoring them all and standing before the window。 〃Yes； Denton； that's all。 I'd like to have these names checked out in ten days。 I want to move fast on this。〃
Voyles was standing。 〃You'll have it in ten days。〃
* * *
CALLAHAN WAS IRRITATED when he knocked on the door to Darby's apartment。 He was quite perturbed and had a lot on his mind； a lot that he wanted to say； but he knew better than to start a fight because there was something he wanted much worse than to blow off a little steam。 She had avoided him for four days now while she played detective and barricaded herself in the law library。 She had skipped classes and failed to return his calls； and in general neglected him during his hour of crisis。 But he knew when she opened the door he would smile and forget about being neglected。
He held a liter of wine and a real pizza from Mama Rosa's。 It was after ten； Saturday night。 He knocked again； and looked up and down the street at the neat duplexes and bungalows。 The chain rattled from inside； and he instantly smiled。 The neglect vanished。
〃Who is it？〃 she asked through the chain。
〃Thomas Callahan； remember？ I'm at your door begging you to let me in so we can play and be friends again。〃
The door opened and Callahan stepped in。 She took the wine and pecked him on the cheek。 〃Are we still buddies？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； Thomas。 I've been busy。〃 He followed her through the cluttered den to the kitchen。 A puter and an assortment of thick books covered the table。
〃I called。 Why didn't you call me back？〃
〃I've been out；〃 she said； opening a drawer and removing a corkscrew。
〃You've got a machine。 I've been talking to it。〃
〃Are you trying to fight； Thomas？〃
He looked at her bare legs。 〃No！ I swear I'm not mad。 I promise。 Please forgive me if I appear to be upset。〃
〃Stop it。〃
〃When can we go to bed？〃
〃Are you sleepy？〃
〃Anything but。 e on； Darby； it's been three nights。〃
〃Five。 What kind of pizza？〃 She removed the cork and poured two glasses。 Callahan watched every move。
〃Oh； it's one of those Saturday night specials where they throw on everything headed for the garbage。 Shrimp tails； eggs； crawfish heads。 Cheap wine too。 I'm a little low on cash； and I'm leaving town tomorrow so I have to watch what I spend； and since I'm leaving I thought I'd just e on over and get laid tonight so I wouldn't be tempted by some contagious woman in D。C。 What do you think？〃
Darby was opening the pizza box。 〃Looks like sausage and peppers。〃
〃Can I still get laid？〃
〃Maybe later。 Drink your wine and let's chat。 We haven't had a long talk in a while。〃
〃I have。 I've been talking to your machine all week。〃
He took his wineglass and the bottle and followed her closely to the den； where she turned on the stereo。 They relaxed on the sofa。
〃Let's get drunk；〃 he said。
〃You're so romantic。〃
〃I've got some romance for you。〃
〃You've been drunk for a week。〃
〃No I haven't。 Eighty percent of a week。 It's your fault for avoiding me。〃
〃What's wrong with you； Thomas？〃
〃I've got the shakes。 I'm all keyed up and I need panionship to knock the edge off。 Whatta you say？〃
〃Let's get half drunk。〃 She sipped her wine and draped her legs across his lap。 He held his breath as if in pain。
〃What time is your flight？〃 she asked。
He was gulping now。 〃One…thirty。 Nonstop to National。 I'm supposed to register at five； and there's a dinner at eight。 After that I may be forced to roam the streets looking for love。〃
She smiled。 〃Okay； okay。 We'll do it in a minute。 But let's talk first。〃
Callahan breathed a sigh of relief。 〃I can talk for ten minutes； then I'll just collapse。〃
〃What's up for Monday？〃
〃The usual eight hours of airhead debate on the future of the Fifth Amendment； then a mittee will draft a proposed conference report that no one will approve。 More debate Tuesday； another report； perhaps an altercation or two； then we adjourn with nothing acplished and go home。 I'll be in late Tuesday evening； and I'd like a date at a very nice restaurant； after which we can go back to my place for an intellectual discussion and animal sex。 Where's the pizza？〃
〃In there。 I'll get it。〃
He was stroking her legs。 〃Don't move。 I'm not the least bit hungry。〃
〃Why do you go to these conferences？〃
〃I'm a member； and I'm a professor； and we're just sort of expected to roam the country attending meetings with other educated idiots and adopting reports nobody reads。 If I didn't go； the dean would think I was not contributing to the academic environment。〃
She refilled the wineglasses。 〃You're uptight； Thomas。〃
〃I know。 It's been a rough week。 I hate the thought of a bunch of Neanderthals rewriting the Constitution。 We'll live in a police state in ten years。 I can't do anything about it； so I'll probably resort to alcohol。〃
Darby sipped slowly and watched him。 The music was soft and the lights low。 〃I'm getting a buzz；〃 she said。
〃That's about right for you。 A glass and a half and you're history。 If you were Irish you could drink all night。〃
〃My father was half Scottish。〃
〃Not good enough。〃 Callahan crossed his feet on the coffee table and relaxed。 He gently rubbed her ankles。 〃Can I paint your toes？〃
She said nothing。 He had a fetish for her toes； and insisted on doing the nails with bright red polish at least twice a month。 They'd seen it in Bull Durham； and though he wasn't as neat and sober as Kevin Costner； she had grown to enjoy the intimacy of it。
〃No toes tonight？〃 he asked。
〃Maybe later。 You look tired。〃
〃I'm relaxing； but I'm filled with virile male electricity； and you will not put me off by telling me I look tired。〃
〃Have some more wine。〃
Callahan had more wine； and sank deeper in the sofa。 〃So； Ms。 Shaw； who done it？〃
〃Professionals。 Haven't you read the papers？〃
〃Of course。 But who's behind the professionals？〃
〃I don't know。 After last night； the unanimous choice seems to be the Underground Army。〃
〃But you're not convinced。〃
〃No。 There have been no arrests。 I'm not convinced。〃
〃And you've got some obscure suspect unknown to the rest of the country。〃
〃I had one； but now I'm not so sure。 I spent three days tracking it down； even summarized it all real nice and neat in my little puter； and printed out a thin rough draft of a brief which I have now discarded。〃
Callahan stared at her。 〃You're telling me you skipped classes for three days； ignored me； wor