jg.thepartner-第32部分

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　Sandy　ignored　this　and　said；　〃He'll　be　easier　to　protect　in　the　hospital。〃
　〃Have　you　been　to　my　jail？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Then　don't　lecture　me　about　how　unsafe　it　is。　I've　been　doing　this　for　a　long　time；　got　it？〃
　〃I'm　not　lecturing。〃
　〃The　hell　you're　not。　You　got　five　more　minutes。　Anything　else？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Good。〃　Sweeney　bolted　to　his　feet　and　left　the　room。
　THE　HONORABLE　KARL　HUSKEY　arrived　at　Keesler　Air　Force　Base　late　in　the　afternoon；　and　slowly　made　his　way　through　security　to　the　hospital。　He　was　in　the　middle　of　a　one…week　drug　trial；　and　he　was　tired。　Patrick　had　called　and　asked　him　to　stop　by；　if　possible。
　Himself　a　pallbearer；　Karl　had　sat　next　to　Sandy　McDermott　at　Patrick's　funeral。　Unlike　Sandy；　though；　Huskey　had　been　a　recent　friend　of　Patrick's。　The　two　had　met　during　a　civil　case　Patrick　had　tried　not　long　after　he　arrived　in　Biloxi。　They　became　friendly；　the　way　lawyers　and　judges　often　do　when　they　see　each　other　every　week。　They　chatted　over　bad　food　at　the　monthly　bar　luncheons；　and　once　drank　too　much　at　a　Christmas　party。　They　played　golf　twice　a　year。
　It　was　an　easy　acquaintance；　but　not　a　close　friendship；　at　least　not　for　the　first　three　years　Patrick　was　in　Biloxi。　But　they　grew　closer　in　the　months　before　he　disappeared。　With　the　benefit　of　hindsight；　though；　it　was　easy　to　look　back　and　see　a　change　in　Patrick。
　IN　THE　MONTHS　after　his　disappearance；　those　in　the　legal　munity　who　knew　him　best；　including　Karl；　liked　to　gather　over　drinks　at　the　Lower　Bar　at　Mary　Mahoney's　Restaurant　on　Friday　afternoons　and　piece　together　the　Patrick　puzzle。
　Trudy　took　her　share　of　the　blame；　though　she　was　too　easy　a　target；　in　Karl's　opinion。　On　the　surface；　the　marriage　didn't　appear　to　be　that　bad。　Patrick　certainly　didn't　discuss　it　with　anybody；　at　least　no　one　who　drank　with　them　at　Mary　Mahoney's。　Trudy's　actions　after　the　funeral；　especially　the　red　Rolls　and　the　live…in　toyboy　and　the　go…to…hell　attitude　she　adopted　as　soon　as　the　life　insurance　was　collected；　had　soured　everyone　and　made　objectivity　impossible。　No　one　was　certain　that　she　was　sleeping　around　before　Patrick　left。　In　fact；　Buster　Gillespie；　the　Chancery　Clerk　and　a　regular　at　those　sessions；　professed　admiration　for　Trudy。　She'd　once　worked　with　his　wife　at　a　charity　ball　of　some　variety；　and　he　always　felt　pelled　to　say　something　nice　about　her。　He　was　about　the　only　one。　Trudy　was　easy　to　talk　about　and　easy　to　criticize。
　Job　pressure　was　certainly　a　factor　in　pushing　Patrick　to　the　brink。　The　firm　was　rolling　in　those　days；　and　he　desperately　wanted　to　bee　a　partner。　He　worked　long　hours；　and　he　took　the　difficult　cases　his　partners　didn't　want。　Not　even　the　birth　of　Ashley　Nicole　kept　him　home。　He　had　made　partner　three　years　after　joining　as　an　associate；　but　few　people　outside　the　firm　knew　it。　He　had　whispered　it　to　Karl　one　day　after　court；　but　Patrick　was　not　the　least　bit　boastful。
　He　was　tired　and　stressed；　but　then　so　were　most　of　the　lawyers　who　entered　Karl's　courtroom。　The　oddest　changes　in　Patrick　were　physical。　He　was　an　even　six　feet　tall；　and　he　said　he　had　never　been　thin。　He　claimed　to　have　been　quite　a　jogger　in　law　school；　at　one　point　doing　forty　miles　a　week。　But　as　a　busy　lawyer；　who　had　the　time？　His　weight　crept　up；　then　ballooned　the　last　year　he　was　in　Biloxi。　He　seemed　oblivious　to　the　jokes　and　ments　from　the　court…house　crowd。　Karl　had　chided　him　more　than　once；　but　he　kept　eating。　A　month　before　he　disappeared；　he　told　Karl　over　lunch　that　he　weighed　two　hundred　and　thirty　pounds；　and　that　Trudy　was　raising　hell　about　it。　She；　of　course；　aerobicized　two　hours　a　day　with　Jane　Fonda　and　was　as　thin　as　a　model。
　He　said　his　blood　pressure　was　up；　and　he　promised　to　go　on　a　diet。　Karl　had　encouraged　this。　He　found　out　later　that　Patrick's　blood　pressure　had　been　normal。
　The　weight　gain；　and　its　overnight　loss；　made　perfect　sense　now　that　they　thought　about　it。
　The　beard　too。　He　had　grown　it　around　November　of　1990；　said　it　was　his　deer　hunting　beard。　Such　growth　was　not　unusual　among　non…rednecks　and　lawyers　in　Mississippi。　The　air　was　cool。　The　testosterone　was　up。　It　was　a　boy　thing。　He　didn't　shave　it；　and　Trudy　bitched　about　that　too。　The　longer　he　kept　it；　the　grayer　it　became。　His　friends　got　accustomed　to　it。　She　did　not。
　He　let　his　hair　a　grow　a　bit　and　started　wearing　it　thicker　on　top　and　halfway　down　the　ears。　Karl　called　it　the　Jimmy　Carter　look　from　1976。　Patrick　claimed　to　have　lost　his　hairstylist　and　couldn't　find　one　he　trusted。
　He　wore　nice　clothes　and　carried　his　weight　well；　but　he　was　too　young　to　let　himself　go。
　Three　months　before　he　checked　out　of　Biloxi；　Patrick　succeeded　in　convincing　his　partners　that　the　firm　needed　its　own　brochure。　It　was　a　small　project；　but　one　he　embraced　with　great　vigor。　Though　Patrick　wasn't　supposed　to　know　it；　the　firm　was　getting　closer　to　the　Aricia　settlement；　and　the　money　was　almost　in　sight。　Egos　were　expanding　daily。　A　very　serious　firm　was　about　to　bee　a　very　wealthy　one；　so　why　not　impress　themselves　with　a　professionally　done　brochure。　It　was　a　way　to　humor　Patrick。　Each　of　the　five　sat　for　a　professional　photographer；　then　they　spent　an　hour　on　the　group　shot。　Patrick　printed　five　thousand；　and　received　high　marks　from　the　other　partners。　There　he　was　on　page　two；　fat；　bearded；　bushy…headed；　and　looking　nothing　like　the　Patrick　they　found　in　Brazil。
　The　photo　was　used　by　the　press　when　his　death　was　reported。　It　was　by　far　the　most　recent；　and　coinciden…tally；　Patrick　had　sent　a　brochure　to　the　local　paper；　just　in　case　the　firm　decided　to　advertise。　They　had　laughed　about　this　over　drinks　at　Mary　Mahoney's。　They　could　envision　Patrick　orchestrating　the　photography　in　the　firm's　conference　room。　They　could　see　Bogan　and　Vitrano　and　Rapley　and　Havarac　in　the　darkest　navy　suits　and　their　most　serious　smiles；　and　all　the　while　Patrick　was　laying　the　groundwork　for　his　exit。
　In　the　months　after　he　left　them；　the　gang　at　Mary　Mahoney's　had　toasted　Patrick　many　times　and　played　the　game　of　〃Where　could　he　be？〃　They　had　wished　him　well　and　thought　about　his　money。　Time　passed　and　so　did　the　shock　of　his　disappearance。　Once　they　had　thoroughly　analyzed　his　life；　the　sessions　came　further　apart　and　finally　stopped。　Months　became　years。　Patrick　would　never　be　found。
　KARL　STILL　FOUND　IT　difficult　to　believe。　He　entered　the　elevator　in　the　lobby　and　rode　alone　to　the　third　floor。
　He　wondered　if　he　had　ever　given　up　on　Patrick。　The　mysteries　were　too　rich　to　escape。　A　bad　day　on　the　bench；　and　he　would　think　of　Patrick　on　a　sundrenched　beach　reading　a　novel；　sipping　a　drink；　watching　the　girls。　Another　year　without　a　pay　raise；　and　he　would　wonder　what　the　ninety　million　was　doing。　The　latest　rumor　on　the　demise　of　the　Bogan　firm；　and　he　would　shame　Patrick　for　the　misery　he　had　caused。　No；　the　truth　was；　Karl　had　thought　of　Patrick；　for　one　reason　or　another；　at　least　once　a　day；　every　day；　since　he　left。
　There　were　no　nurses　or　other　patients　in　the　hall。　The　two　deputies　stood。　One　said；　〃Evenin'；　Judge。〃　He　greeted　them　and　entered　the　darkened　room。
　Twenty…three
　PATRICK　WAS　SITTING　in　bed　watching　〃Jeopardy〃　with　his　shirt　off　and　the　blinds　drawn。　A　dim　table　light　was　on。　〃Sit　here；〃　he　told　Kaii；　pointing　to　the　end　of　his　bed。　He　waited　just　long　enough　for　Karl　to　see　the　burns　on　his　chest；　then　quickly　slipped　on　a　tee　shirt。　The　sheet　was　up　to　his　waist。
　〃Thanks　for　ing；〃　he　said。　He　turned　the　TV　off；　and　the　room　grew　even　darker。
　〃Pretty　nasty　burns；　Patrick；〃　Karl　said　as　he　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　as　far　away　as　possible；　his　right　foot　hanging　off　the　edge。　Patrick　pulled　his　knees　to　his　chest。　Under　the　sheet；　he　still　looked　painfully　thin。
　〃It　was　ugly；〃　he　said；　his　hands　wrapped　tightly　around　his　knees。　〃Doc　says　they're　healing　okay。　But　I'll　need　to　stay　here　for　a　while。〃
　〃I　have　no　problem　with　that；　Patrick。　No　one　is　screaming　for　you　to　be　moved　to　the　jail。〃
　〃Not　yet。　But　I　bet　the　press　will　start　soon。〃
　〃Relax；　Patrick。　That　decision　will　be　made　by　me。〃
　He　seemed　relieved。　〃Thanks；　Karl。　You　know　I　can't　survive　in　jail。　You've　seen　it。〃
　〃What　about　Parchman？　It's　a　hundred　times　worse。〃
　There　was　a　long　pause　as　Karl　wished　he　could　take　back　the　words。　It　was　instantaneous；　and　cruel。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　said。　〃That　was　uncalled　for。〃
　〃I'll　kill　myself　before　I　go　to　Parchman。〃
　〃I　don't　blame　you。　Let's　talk　about　something　pleasant。〃
　〃You　can't　keep　this　case；　can　you；　Karl？〃
　〃No。　Of　course　not。　I'll　have　to　recuse　myself。〃
　〃When？〃
　〃Pretty　soon。〃
　〃Who'll　get　it？〃
　〃Either　Trussel　or　Lanks；　probably　Trussel。〃　Karl　stared　at　him　intently　as　he　spoke。　Patrick　was　having　trouble　with　eye　contact。　Karl　was　waiting　for　a　telling　flicker　from　the　eyes；　followed　by　a　grin；　then　a　laugh　as　Patrick　broke　down　and　bragged　about　his　escapades。　〃e　on；　Patrick；〃　Karl　wanted　to　say。　〃Let's　hear　it。　Tell　me　the　whole　story。〃
　But　the　eyes　were　distant。　This　was　not　the　same　Patrick。
　Karl　felt　pelled　to　try。　〃Where'd　you　get　that　chin？〃
　〃Bought　it　in　Rio。〃
　〃And　the　nose？〃
　〃Same　place；　same　time。　You　like　it？〃
　〃It's　handsome。〃
　〃In　Rio；　they　have　drive…through　plastic　surgery　shops。〃
　〃I　hear　they　have　beaches。〃
　〃Unbelievable　beaches。〃
　〃Did　you　meet　any　girls　down　there？〃
　〃A　couple。〃
　Sex　was　not　a　subject　Patrick　had　ever　dwelt　on。　He　enjoyed　a　long；　admiring　gaze　at　an　attractive　woman；　but；　to　Karl's　knowledge；　he　had　remained　faithful　to　Trudy　throughout　their　marriage。　Once；　at　deer　camp；　they　had　pared　notes　about　their　wives。　Patrick　had　admitted　it　was　a　challenge　to　keep　Trudy　satisfied。
　A　long　pause；　and　Karl　realized　Patrick　was　in　no　hurry　to　talk。　The　first　minute　passed　in　silence；　and　the　second　one　dragged　on。　Karl　was　happy　to　visit；　even　delighted　to　see　his　friend；　but　there　was　a　limit　to　how　long　he　could　sit　in　a　dark　room　and　stare　at　the　walls。
　〃Look；　Patrick；　I　will　not　hear　your　case；　so　I'm　not　here　as　your　Judge。　I'm　not　your　lawyer。　I'm　your　friend。　You　can　talk　to　me。〃
　Patrick　reached　for　a　small　can　of　orange　juice　with　a　straw　in　it。　〃Would　you　like　something　t