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As expected； White and Blazevich had no one named Garcia。 Darby searched for another Hispanic name； but found none。 It was one of those lily…white silk…stocking outfits filled with Ivy Leaguers with long names that ended in numerals。 There were a few female names sprinkled about； but only two were partners。 Most of the women had joined after 1980。 If she lived long enough to finish law school； she would not consider working for a factory like White and Blazevich。
Grantham had suggested she check for Hispanics because Garcia was a bit unusual for an alias。 Maybe the guy was Hispanic； and since Garcia is mon for them； then maybe he just said it real quick。 It didn't work。 There were no Hispanics in this firm。
According to the directory； their clients were big and rich。 Banks； Fortune 5005； and lots of oil panies。 They listed four of the defendants in the lawsuit as clients； but not Mr。 Mattiece。 There were chemical panies and shipping lines； and White and Blazevich also represented the governments of South Korea； Libya； and Syria。 Silly； she thought。 Some of our enemies hire our lawyers to lobby our government。 But then； you can hire lawyers to do anything。
Brim； Stearns； and Kidlow was a smaller version of White and Blazevich； but； gosh； there were four Hispanic names listed。 She wrote them down。 Two men and two women。 She figured this firm must have been sued for race and sex discrimination。 In the past ten years they had hired all kinds of people。 The client list was predictable： oil and gas； insurance； banks； government relations。 Pretty dull stuff。
She sat in a corner of the Fordham law library for an hour。 It was Friday morning； ten in New York and nine in New Orleans； and instead of hiding in a library she'd never seen before； she was supposed to be sitting in Federal Procedure under Alleck； a professor she never liked but now missed sorely。 Alice Stark would be sitting next to her。 One of her favorite law nerds； D。 Ronald Petrie； would be sitting behind her asking for a date and making lewd ments。 She missed him too。 She missed the quiet mornings on Thomas' balcony； sipping coffee and waiting for the French Quarter to shake its cobwebs and e to life。 She missed the smell of cologne on his bathrobe。
She thanked the librarian； and left the building。 On Sixty…second； she headed east toward the park。 It was a brilliant October morning with a perfect sky and cool wind。 A pleasant change from New Orleans； but difficult to appreciate under the circumstances。 She wore new Ray…Bans and a muffler up to her chin。 The hair was still dark； but she would cut no more。 She was determined to walk without looking over her shoulder。 They probably weren't back there； but she knew it would be years before she could stroll along a street without a doubt。
The trees in the park were a magnificent display of yellow and orange and red。 The leaves fell gently in the breeze。 She turned south on Central Park West。 She would leave tomorrow； and spend a few days in Washington。 If she survived； she would then leave the country； go maybe to the Caribbean。 She'd been there twice； and there were a thousand little islands where most people spoke some form of English。
Now was the time to leave the country。 They'd lost her trail； and she'd already checked on flights to Nassau and Jamaica。 She could be there by dark。
She found a pay phone in the rear of a bagel shop on Sixth； and punched Gray's number at the Post。 〃It's me；〃 she said。
〃Well； well。 I was afraid you had skipped the country。〃
〃Thinking about it。〃
〃Can you wait a week？〃
〃Probably。 I'll be there tomorrow。 What do you know？〃
〃I'm just gathering junk。 I've got copies of the annual statements for the seven public corporations involved in the suit。〃
〃It's lawsuit； not suit。 A suit is something you wear。〃
〃How can you ever forgive me？ Mattiece is neither an officer nor director of any。〃
〃What else？〃
〃Just the thousand phone calls routine。 I spent three hours yesterday hanging around courthouses looking for Garcia。〃
〃You won't find him at a courthouse； Gray。 He's not that kind of lawyer。 He's in a corporate firm。〃
〃I take it you have a better idea。〃
〃I've got several ideas。〃
〃Well； then； I'm just sitting here waiting on you。〃
〃I'll call you when I get there。〃
〃Don't call me at home。〃
She paused for a second。 〃May I ask why not？〃
〃There's a chance someone is listening； and maybe following。 One of my best sources thinks I've ruffled enough feathers to get myself placed under surveillance。〃
〃Fabulous。 And you want me to rush down there and team up with you？〃
〃We'll be safe； Darby。 We just have to be careful。〃
She gripped the phone and clenched her teeth。 〃How dare you talk to me about being careful！ I've been dodging bombs and bullets for ten days now； and you're smug enough to tell me to be careful。 Kiss my ass； Grantham！ Maybe I should stay away from you。〃
There was a pause as she looked around the tiny cafe。 Two men at the nearest table looked at her。 She was much too loud。 She turned away and breathed deeply。
Grantham spoke slowly。 〃I'm sorry。 I〃
〃Forget it。 Just forget it。〃
He waited a moment。 〃Are you okay？〃
〃I'm terrific。 Never felt better。〃
〃Are you ing to D。C。？〃
〃I don't know。 I'm safe here； and I'll be much safer when I get on a plane and leave the country。〃
〃Sure； but I thought you had this wonderful idea about finding Garcia； then hopefully nailing Mattiece。 I thought you were outraged and morally indignant and motivated by revenge。 What's happened to you？〃
〃Well； for one； I have this burning desire to see my twenty…fifth birthday。 I'm not selfish； but perhaps I'd like to see my thirtieth too。 That would be nice。〃
〃I understand。〃
〃I'm not sure you understand。 I think you're more concerned with Pulitzers and glory than my pretty little neck。〃
〃I assure you that's not true。 Trust me； Darby。 You'll be safe。 You've told me the story of your life。 You must trust me。〃
〃I'll think about it。〃
〃That's not definite。〃
〃No； it's not。 Give me some time。〃
〃Okay。〃
She hung up； and ordered a bagel。 A dozen languages rattled around her as the cafe was suddenly packed。 Run； baby； run； her good sense told her。 Take a cab to the airport。 Pay cash for a ticket to Miami。 Find the nearest flight south； and get on the plane。 Let Grantham dig and wish him the best。 He was very good； and he'd find a way to break the story。 And she would read about it one day while lying on a sun…drenched beach sipping a pina colada and watching the windsurfers。
Stump limped by on the sidewalk。 She caught a glimpse of him through the crowd and through the window。 Her mouth was suddenly dry and she was dizzy。 He didn't look inside。 He just ambled by； looking rather lost。 She ran through the tables and watched him throu