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！
ere were vague links to the Libyans and Palestinians。 Coal admired it。 How long before it would be in the Post or the Times？ He made little bets with himself about which paper would get it first。
THE DIRECTOR was at the White House； and from there would fly to New York and return tomorrow。 Gavin camped outside the office of K。 O。 Lewis until there was a small opening。 He was in。
Lewis was irritated； but always the gentleman。 〃You look scared。〃
〃I've just lost my best friend。〃
Lewis waited for more。
〃His name was Thomas Callahan。 He's the guy from Tulane who brought me the pelican brief； and it got passed around； then sent to the White House and who knows where else； and now he's dead。 Blown to bits by a car bomb last night in New Orleans。 Murdered； K。O。〃
〃I'm sorry。〃
〃It's not a matter of being sorry。 Evidently the bomb was intended for Callahan and the student who wrote it； a girl by the name of Darby Shaw。〃
〃I saw her name on the brief。〃
〃That's right。 They've been dating； and were supposed to be in the car together when it exploded。 But she survived； and I get this call this morning at five； and it's her。 Scared to death。〃
Lewis listened； but was already dismissing it。 〃You're not certain it was a bomb。〃
〃She said it was a bomb； okay。 It went BOOM！ and blew the hell out of everything； okay。 I'm certain he's dead。〃
〃And you think there's a connection between his death and the brief？〃
Gavin was a lawyer； untrained in the art of investigation； and he did not wish to appear gullible。 〃There could be。 I think so； yes。 Don't you？〃
〃Doesn't matter； Gavin。 I just got off the phone with the Director。 Pelican's off our list。 I'm not sure it was ever on； but we're spending no more time on it。〃
〃But my friend's been killed with a car bomb。〃
〃I'm sorry。 I'm sure the authorities down there are investigating。〃
〃Listen to me； K。O。 I'm asking for a favor。〃
〃Listen to me； Gavin。 I don't have any favors。 We're chasing enough rabbits right now； and if the Director says stop； then we stop。 You're free to talk to him。 I wouldn't advise it。〃
〃Maybe I'm not handling this right。 I thought you would listen to me； and at least act interested。〃
Lewis was walking around the desk。 〃Gavin； you look bad。 Take the day off。〃
〃No。 I'll go to my office； wait an hour； and e back in here and do this again。 Can we try it again in an hour？〃
〃No。 Voyles was explicit。〃
〃So was the girl； K。O。 He was murdered； and now she's hiding somewhere in New Orleans afraid of her shadow； calling us for help； and we're too busy。〃
〃I'm sorry。〃
〃No； you're not。 It's my fault。 I should've thrown the damned thing in the garbage。〃
〃It served a valuable purpose； Gavin。〃 Lewis placed his hand on his shoulder as if his time was up and he was tired of this drivel。 Gavin jerked away and headed for the door。
〃Yeah； it gave you guys something to play with。 I should've burned it。〃
〃It's too good to burn； Gavin。〃
〃I'm not giving up。 I'll be back in an hour； and we'll do this again。 This didn't go right。〃 Verheek slammed the door behind him。
* * *
SHE ENTERED Rubinstein Brothers from Canal Street； and got lost between the racks of men's shirts。 No one followed her in。 She quickly picked out a navy parka； men's small； a genderless pair of aviator sunglasses； and a British driving cap that was also a men's small but fit。 She paid for it with plastic。 As the clerk ran the card through； she picked the tags off； and put the parka on。 It was baggy； like something she would wear to class。 She stuffed her hair under the hooded collar。 The clerk watched discreetly。 She exited on Magazine Street； and got lost in the crowd。
Back on Canal。 A busload of tourists swarmed into the Sheraton； and she joined them。 She went to the wall of phones； found the number； and called Mrs。 Chen； her neighbor in the duplex next door。 Had she seen or heard anyone？ Very early； there was a knock on the door。 It was still dark； and woke them。 She didn't see anyone； just heard the knock。 Her car was still on the street。 Everything okay？ Yes； all's fine。 Thanks。
She watched the tourists and punched the inside number for Gavin Verheek。 Inside meant a minor hassle only； and after three minutes of refusing to give her name and repeating his； she had him。
〃Where are you？〃 he asked。
〃Let me explain something。 For the moment； I will not tell you or anyone else where I am。 So don't ask。〃
〃All right。 I guess you're making the rules。〃
〃Thank you。 What did Mr。 Voyles say？〃
〃Mr。 Voyles was at the White House and unavailable。 I'll try to talk to him later today。〃
〃That's pretty weak； Gavin。 You've been at the office for almost four hours； and you have nothing。 I expected more。〃
〃Be patient； Darby。〃
〃Patience will get me killed。 They're after me； aren't they； Gavin？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃What would you do if you knew you were supposed to be dead； and the people trying to kill you have had assassinated two Supreme Court Justices； and knocked off a simple law pro fessor； and they have billions of dollars which they obviously don't mind using to kill with？ What would you do； Gavin？〃
〃Go to the FBI。〃
〃Thomas went to the FBI； and he's dead。〃
〃Thanks； Darby。 That's not fair。〃
〃I'm not worried about fairness or feelings。 I'm more concerned with staying alive until noon。〃
〃Don't go to your apartment。〃
〃I'm not stupid。 They've already been there。 And I'm sure they're watching his apartment。〃
〃Where's his family？〃
〃His parents live in Naples； Florida。 I guess the university will contact them。 I don't know。 He has a brother in Mobile； and I thought of calling him and trying to explain all this。〃
She saw a face。 He walked among the tourists at the registration desk。 He held a folded newspaper and tried to appear at home； just another guest； but his walk was a bit hesitant and his eyes were searching。 The face was long and thin with round glasses and a shiny forehead。
〃Gavin； listen to me。 Write this down。 I see a man I've seen before； not long ago。 An hour maybe。 Six feet two or three； thin； thirty years old； glasses； receding hair； dark in color。 He's gone。 He's gone。〃
〃Who the hell is it？〃
〃We haven't met； dammit！〃
〃Did he see you？ Where the hell are you？〃
〃In a hotel lobby。 I don't know if he saw me。 I'm gone。〃
〃Darby！ Listen to me。 Whatever you do； keep in touch with me； okay？〃
〃I'll try。〃
The rest room was around the corner。 She went to the last stall； locked the door behind her； and stayed there for an hour。
* * *
THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S NAME was Croft； and he'd worked for the Post for seven years until his third drug conviction sent him away for nine months。 Upon parole； he