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〃I was simply trying to find you。〃
〃Yes； that's what you said on the phone； what a number of people said to me in the street…people who had been asked a number of questions having nothing to do with my residence； such as it is。〃
〃I had to know if you were capable。 You can't fault me for that。〃
〃Good heavens； no。 Not considering what you had me do； what I think you had me do。〃
〃Merely act as a confidential messenger； that's all。 You certainly can't object to the money。〃
〃Object？〃 said the visitor； with a high…pitched and tremulous laugh。 〃Let me tell you something； Randy。 You can be disbarred at thirty or thirty…five and still get by； but when you're disbarred at fifty and your trial is given national press along with a jail sentence； you'd be shocked at how your options disappear…even for a learned man。 You bee an untouchable； and I was never much good at selling anything but my wits。 I proved that； too； over the last twenty…odd years； incidentally。 Alger Hiss did better with greeting cards。〃
〃I haven't time to reminisce。 The information； please。〃
〃Oh； yes； of course。 。。。 Well； first the money was delivered to me on the corner of monwealth and Dartmouth； and naturally I wrote down the names and the specifics you gave me over the phone…〃
〃Wrote down？〃 asked Gates sharply。
〃Burned as soon as I'd mitted them to memory…I did learn a few things from my difficulties。 I reached the engineer at the telephone pany； who was overjoyed with your…excuse me…my largess； and took his information to that repulsive private detective； a sleaze if I ever saw one； Randy； and considering his methods； someone who could really use my talents。〃
〃Please；〃 interrupted the renowned legal scholar。 〃The facts； not your appraisals。〃
〃Appraisals often contain germane facts； Professor。 Surely you understand that。〃
〃If I want to build a case； I'll ask for opinions。 Not now。 What did the man find out？〃
〃Based on what you told me； a lone woman with children…how many being undetermined…and on the data provided by an underpaid telephone pany mechanic； namely； a narrowed…down location based on the area code and the first three digits of a number； the unethical sleaze went to work at an outrageous hourly rate。 To my astonishment； he was productive。 As a matter of fact； with what's left of my legal mind； we may form a quiet； unwritten partnership。〃
〃Damn you； what did he learn？〃
〃Well； as I say； his hourly rate was beyond belief； I mean it really invaded the corpus of my own well…deserved retainer； so I think we should discuss an adjustment； don't you？〃
〃Who the hell do you think you are？ I sent you three thousand dollars！ Five hundred for the telephone man and fifteen hundred for that miserable keyhole slime who calls himself a private detective…〃
〃Only because he's no longer on the public payroll of the police department； Randolph。 Like me； he fell from grace； but he obviously does very good work。 Do we negotiate or do I leave？〃
In fury； the balding imperious professor of law stared at the gray…faced old disbarred and dishonored attorney in front of him。 〃How dare you？〃
〃Dear me； Randy； you really do believe your press； don't you？ Very well； I'll tell why I dare； my arrogant old friend。 I've read you； seen you； expounding on your esoteric interpretations of plex legal matters； assaulting every decent thing the courts of this country have decreed in the last thirty years； when you haven't the vaguest idea what it is to be poor； or hungry； or have an unwanted mass in your belly you neither anticipated nor can provide a life for。 You're the darling of the royalists； my unprofound fellow； and you'd force the average citizen to live in a nation where privacy is obsolete； free thought suspended by censorship； the rich get richer； and for the poorest among us the beginnings of potential life itself may well have to be abandoned in order to survive。 And you expound on these unoriginal； medieval concepts only to promote yourself as a brilliant maverick…of disaster。 Do you want me to go on； Doctor Gates？ Frankly； I think you chose the wrong loser to contact for your dirty work。〃
〃How 。。。 dare you？〃 repeated the perplexed professor； sputtering as he regally strode to the window。 〃I don't have to listen to this！〃
〃No； you certainly don't； Randy。 But when I was an associate at the law school and you were one of my kids…one of the best but not the brightest…you damn well had to listen。 So I suggest you listen now。〃
〃What the hell do you want？〃 roared Gates； turning away from the window。
〃It's what you want； isn't it？ The information you underpaid me for。 It's that important to you； isn't it？〃
〃I must have it。〃
〃You were always filled with anxiety before an exam…〃
〃Stop it！ I paid。 I demand the information。〃
〃Then I must demand more money。 Whoever's paying you can afford it。〃
〃Not a dollar！〃
〃Then I'm leaving。〃
〃Stop！ 。。。 Five hundred more； that's it。〃
〃Five thousand or I go。〃
〃Ridiculous！〃
〃See you in another twenty years…〃
〃All right。 。。。 All right； five thousand。〃
〃Oh； Randy； you're so obvious。 It's why you're not really one of the brightest； just someone who can use language to make yourself appear bright； and I think we've seen and heard enough of that these days。 。。。 Ten thousand； Dr。 Gates； or I go to the raucous bar of my choice。〃
〃You can't do this。〃
〃Certainly I can。 I'm now a confidential legal consultant。 Ten thousand dollars。 How do you want to pay it？ I can't imagine you have it with you； so how will you honor the debt…for the information？〃
〃My word…〃
〃Forget it； Randy。〃
〃All right。 I'll have it sent to the Boston Five in the morning。 In your name。 A bank check。〃
〃That's very endearing of you。 But in case it occurs to your superiors to stop me from collecting； please advise them that an unknown person； an old friend of mine in the streets； has a letter detailing everything that's gone on between us。 It is to be mailed to the Massachusetts Attorney General； Return Receipt Requested； in the event I have an accident。〃
〃That's absurd。 The information； please。〃
〃Yes； well； you should know that you've involved yourself in what appears to be an extremely sensitive government operation； that's the bottom line。 。。。 On the assumption that anyone in an emergency leaving one place for another would do so with the fastest transportation possible； our rumbottom detective went to Logan Airport； under what guise I don't know。 Nevertheless； he succeeded in obtaining the manifests of every plane leaving Boston yesterday morning from the first flight at six…thirty to ten o'clock。 As you recall； that corresponds with the parameters of your statement to me…'leaving first thing in the morning。' 〃
〃And？〃
〃Patience； Randolph。 You told me not to write anything down； so I must take this step by step。 Where was I？〃
〃The manifests。〃
〃Oh； yes。 Well； according to Detective Sleaze； there were eleven unacpanied children booked on various flights； and eight women； two of them nuns； who had reservations with minors。 Of these eight； including the nuns who were taking nine orphans to California； the remaining six were identified as follows。〃 The old man reached int