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press tried to get in。 Somehow a photographer snapped a picture of Mattiece shaking hands with the VP。 The New Orleans paper ran it the next day。 It's a wonderful picture。 They're grinning at each other like best friends。〃
〃It'll be easy to get。〃
〃I stuck it on the last page of the brief； just for the fun of it。 This is fun； isn't it？〃
〃I'm having a ball。〃
〃Mattiece dropped out of sight a few years ago； and is now believed to live in several places。 He's very eccentric。 Del Greco said most people believe he's demented。〃
The recorder beeped； and Gray changed tapes。 Darby stood and stretched her long legs。 He watched her as he fumbled with the recorder。 Two other tapes were already used and marked。
〃Are you tired？〃 he asked。
〃I haven't been sleeping well。 How many more questions？〃
〃How much more do you know？〃
〃We've covered the basics。 There are some gaps we can fill in the morning。〃
Gray turned off the recorder and stood。 She was at the window； stretching and yawning。 He relaxed on the sofa。
〃What happened to the hair？〃 he asked。
Darby sat in a chair and pulled her feet under her。 Red toe…nails。 Her chin rested on her knees。 〃I left it in a hotel in New Orleans。 How did you know about it？〃
〃I saw a photograph。〃
〃From where？〃
〃Three photos； actually。 Two from the Tulane yearbook； and one from Arizona State。〃
〃Who sent them to you？〃
〃I have contacts。 They were faxed to me； so they weren't that good。 But there was this gorgeous hair。〃
〃I wish you hadn't done that。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Every phone call leaves a trail。〃
〃e on； Darby。 Give me a little credit。〃
〃You were snooping around on me。〃
〃Just a little background。 That's all。〃
〃No more； okay？ If you want something from me； just ask。 If I say no； then leave it alone。〃
Grantham shrugged and agreed。 Forget the hair。 On to less sensitive matters。 〃So who selected Rosenberg and Jensen？ Mattiece is not a lawyer。〃
〃Rosenberg is easy。 Jensen wrote little on environmental issues； but he was consistent in voting against all types of development。 If they shared mon ground with any consistency； it was protecting the environment。〃
〃And you think Mattiece figured this out by himself？〃
〃Of course not。 A pretty wicked legal mind presented him with the two names。 He has a thousand lawyers。〃
〃And none in B。C。？〃
Darby raised her chin and frowned at him。 〃What did you say？〃
〃None of his lawyers are in D。C。〃
〃I didn't say that。〃
〃I thought you said the law firms were primarily from New Orleans and Houston and other cities。 You didn't mention D。C。〃
Darby shook her head。 〃You're assuming too much。 I can think of at least two D。C。 firms that I ran across。 One is White and Blazevich； a very old； powerful； rich Republican firm with four hundred lawyers。〃
Gray moved to the edge of the sofa。
〃What's the matter？〃 she asked。 He was suddenly wired。 He was on his feet walking to the door； then back to the sofa。
〃This may fit。 This may be it； Darby。〃
〃I'm listening。〃
〃Are you listening？〃
〃I swear I'm listening。〃
He was at the window。 〃Okay； last week I got three phone calls from a lawyer in D。C。 named Garcia； but that's not his name。 He said he knew something and saw something about Rosenberg and Jensen； and he wanted so badly to tell me what he knew。 But he got scared and disappeared。〃
〃There are a million lawyers in B。C。〃
〃Two million。 But I know he works in a private firm。 He sort of admitted it。 He was sincere and very frightened； thought they were following。 I asked who they were； and he of course wouldn't say。〃
〃What happened to him？〃
〃We had a meeting planned for last Saturday morning； and he called early and said forget it。 Said he was married and had a good job； and why risk it。 He never admitted it； but I think he has a copy of something that he was about to show me。〃
〃He could be your verification。〃
〃What if he works for White and Blazevich？ We've suddenly narrowed it to four hundred lawyers。〃
〃The haystack is much smaller。〃
Grantham darted to his bag； flipped through some papers； and presto！ pulled out a five…by…seven black and white。 He dropped it in her lap。 〃This is Mr。 Garcia。〃
Darby studied the picture。 It was a man on a busy sidewalk。 The face was clear。 〃I take it he didn't pose for this。〃
〃Not exactly。〃 Grantham was pacing。
〃Then how'd you get it？〃
〃I cannot reveal my sources。〃
She slid it onto the coffee table； and rubbed her eyes。 〃You're scaring me； Grantham。 This has a sleazy feel to it。 Tell me it's not sleazy。〃
〃It's just a little sleazy； okay。 The kid was using the same pay phone； and that's a mistake。〃
〃Yes； I know。 That's a mistake。〃
〃And I wanted to know what he looked like。〃
〃Did you ask if you could take his photograph？〃
〃No。〃
〃Then it's sleazy as hell。〃
〃Okay。 It's sleazy as hell。 But I did it； and there it is； and it could be our link to Mattiece。〃
〃Our link？〃
〃Yes； our link。 I thought you wanted to nail Mattiece。〃
〃Did I say that？ I want him to pay； but I'd rather leave him alone。 He's made a believer out of me； Gray。 I've seen enough blood to last me a long time。 You take this ball and run with it。〃
He didn't hear this。 He walked behind her to the window； then back to the bar。 〃You mentioned two firms。 What's the other？〃
〃Brim； Stearns； and somebody。 I didn't get a chance to check them out。 It's sort of odd because neither firm is listed as counsel of record for any of the defendants； but both firms； especially White and Blazevich； kept popping up as I went through the file。〃
〃How big is Brim； Stearns； and somebody？〃
〃I can find out tomorrow。〃
〃As big as White and Blazevich？〃
〃I doubt it。〃
〃Just guess。 How big？〃
〃Two hundred lawyers。〃
〃Okay。 Now we're up to six hundred lawyers in two firms。 You're the lawyer； Darby。 How can we find Garcia？〃
〃I'm not a lawyer； and I'm not a private detective。 You're the investigative reporter。〃 She didn't like this 〃we〃 business。
〃Yeah； but I've never been in a law office； except for the divorce。〃
〃Then you're very fortunate。〃
〃How can we find him？〃
She was yawning again。 They had been talking for almost three hours； and she was exhausted。 This could resume in the morning。 〃I don't know how to find him； and I really haven't given it much thought。 I'll sleep on it； and explain it to you in the morning。〃
Grantham was suddenly calm。 She stood and walked to the bar for a glass of water。
〃I'll get my things；〃 he said； picking up the tapes。
〃Would you do me a favor？〃 she aske