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！
〃She's seen nothing。〃
Darby stuffed the printout into a pocket。 〃Look； Alice； suddenly I'm very scared。 You don't need to be seen with me。 Maybe this was not a good idea。〃
〃Who are these people？〃
〃I don't know。 They killed Thomas； and they tried to kill me。 I got lucky； and now they're after me。〃
〃But why； Darby？〃
〃You don't want to know； and I'm not going to tell。 The more you know； the more danger you're in。 Trust me； Alice。 I can't tell you what I know。〃
〃But I won't tell。 I swear。〃
〃What if they make you tell？〃
Alice glanced around as if all was fine。 She studied her friend。 They had been close since freshman orientation。 They had studied hours together； shared notes； sweated exams； teamed up for mock trials； gossiped about men。 Alice was hopefully the only student who knew about Darby and Callahan。 〃I want to help； Darby。 I'm not afraid。〃
Darby had not touched the beer。 She slowly spun the bottle。 〃Well； I'm terrified。 I was there when he died； Alice。 The ground shook。 He was blown to pieces and I was supposed to be with him。 It was intended for me。〃
〃Then go to the cops。〃
〃Not yet。 Maybe later。 I'm afraid to。 Thomas went to the FBI； and two days later we were supposed to be dead。〃
〃So the FBI is after you？〃
〃I don't think so。 They started talking； and someone was listening very closely； and it found the wrong ears。〃
〃Talked about what！ e on； Darby。 It's me。 Your best friend。 Stop playing games。〃
Darby took the first tiny swallow from the bottle。 Eye contact was avoided。 She stared at the table。 〃Please； Alice。 Allow me to wait。 There's no sense telling you something that could get you killed。〃 A long pause。 〃If you want to help； go to the memorial service tomorrow。 Watch everything。 Spread the word that I called you from Denver where I'm staying with an aunt with a name you don't know； and that I've dropped out this semester but I'll be back in the spring。 Make sure that rumor gets started。 I think some people will be listening carefully。〃
〃Okay。 The paper mentioned a white female near the scene when he was killed； as if she might be a suspect or something。〃
〃Or something。 I was there and I was supposed to be a victim。 I'm reading the papers with a magnifying glass。 The cops are clueless。〃
〃Okay； Darby。 You're smarter than I am。 You're smarter than every person I've ever met。 So what now？〃
〃First； go out the back door。 There's a white door at the end of the hall where the rest rooms are。 It goes into a storage room； then to the kitchen； then out the back door。 Don't stop。 The alley leads to Royal。 Catch a cab and ride back to your car。 Watch your rear。〃
〃Are you serious？〃
〃Look at this hair； Alice。 Would I mutilate myself like this if I was playing games？〃
〃Okay； okay。 Then what？〃
〃Go to the service tomorrow； start the rumor； and I'll call you within two days。〃
〃Where are you staying？〃
〃Here and there。 I move around a lot。〃
Alice stood and pecked her on the cheek。 Then she was gone。
* * *
FOR TWO HOURS； Verheek stomped the floor； picking up magazines； tossing them around； ordering room service； unpacking； stomping。 Then for the next two hours； he sat on the bed； sipping a hot beer and staring at the phone。 He would do this until midnight； he told himself； and then； well； then what？
She said she would call。
He could save her life if she would only call。
At midnight； he threw another magazine and left the room。 An agent in the New Orleans office had helped a little； and given him a couple of law school hangouts close to campus。 He would go there and mix and mingle； drink a beer； and listen。 The students were in town for the game。 She wouldn't be there； and it wouldn't matter because he'd never seen her。 But maybe he would hear something； and he could drop a name； leave a card； make a friend who knew her or maybe knew someone who knew her。 A long shot； but a helluva lot more productive than staring at the phone。
He found a seat at the bar in a joint called Barrister's； three blocks from campus。 It had a nice little varsity look to it with football schedules and pinups on the walls。 The crowd was rowdy and under thirty。
The bartender looked like a student。 After two beers； the crowd thinned and the bar was half empty。 There would be another wave in a moment。
Verheek ordered number three。 It was one…thirty。 〃Are you a law student？〃 he asked the bartender。
〃Afraid so。〃
〃It's not that bad； is it？〃
He was wiping around the peanuts。 〃I've had more fun。〃
Verheek longed for the bartenders who served his beer in law school。 Those guys knew the art of conversation。 Never met a stranger。 Talk about anything。
〃I'm a lawyer；〃 Verheek said in desperation。
Oh； hey； wow； this guy's a lawyer。 How rare。 Someone special。 The kid walked off。
Little son of a bitch。 I hope you flunk out。 Verheek grabbed his bottle and turned to face the tables。 He felt like a grandfather amid the children。 Though he hated law school and the memories of it； there had been some long Friday nights in the bars of Georgetown with his pal Callahan。 Those were good memories。
〃So what kind of law？〃 The bartender was back。 Gavin turned to the bar； and smiled。
〃Special counsel； FBI。〃
He was still wiping。 〃So you're in Washington？〃
〃Yeah； in town for the game Sunday。 I'm a Redskins freak。〃 He hated the Redskins and every other organized football team。 Don't get the kid started on football。Where do you go to school？〃
〃Here。 Tulane。 I'll finish in May。〃
〃Then where？〃
〃Probably Cincinnati for a clerkship for a year or two。〃
〃You must be a good student。〃
He shrugged it off。 〃You need a beer？〃
〃No。 Did you have Thomas Callahan？〃
〃Sure。 You know him？〃
〃I was in law school with him at Georgetown。〃 Verheek pulled a card from his pocket and handed it to the kid。 〃I'm Gavin Verheek。〃 The kid looked at it； then politely laid it next to the ice。 The bar was quiet and the kid was tired of chitchat。
〃Do you know a student by the name of Darby Shaw？〃
The kid glanced at the tables。 〃No。 I haven't met her； but I know who she is。 I think she's second year。〃 A long； rather suspicious pause。 〃Why？〃
〃We need to talk to her。〃 We； as in FBI。 Not simply he； as in Gavin Verheek。 The 〃we〃 part sounded much graver。Does she hang out in here？〃
〃I've seen her a few times。 She's hard to miss。〃
〃I've heard。〃 Gavin looked at the tables。Do you think these guys might know her？〃
〃Doubt it。 They're all first year。 Can't you tell？ They're over there arguing property rights and search and seizure。〃
〃Yeah； those were the days。 Gavin pulled a dozen cards from his pocket and laid them on the bar。I'll be at the Hilton for a few days。 If you