lrh.villainyvictorious-第4部分

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Heller　had　an　impulse　to　push　it　back。　Then　he　didn't。　He　took　it　by　the　collar　and　hauled　it　out　of　the　car。
He　only　had　two　hands　and　he　now　had　two　objects；　the　case　and　the　corpse。　And　he　had　to　recover　that　coil！　To　leave　it　would　be　a　Code　break；　for　this　car　possibly　would　be　recovered。
With　one　hand；　he　held　the　case　and　the　collar　of　dead　Rockecenter。　The　car　was　level　with　the　water　now。　With　his　thumb　he　turned　the　dial　and；　following　quickly　as　the　vehicle　abruptly　sank；　pried　it　out　of　the　spring。
He　surfaced　with　his　burdens；　treading　water。
The　Jersey　shore　seemed　some　distance　away。
He　took　Rockecenter's　coattail；　pulled　it　up　around　the　case　and　wedged　it　around　his　own　arm。　He　slid　the　antigravity　coil　into　his　other　hand　and　turned　it　on　slightly。　His　burden　buoyed。
With　his　free　hand；　he　began　to　paddle　to　the　cliffs。　At　the　foot　of　them；　at　the　bottom　of　the　slide；　he　saw　Bang…Bang　dancing　up　and　down；　waiting　to　help　him　out　of　the　water。
Heller；　as　he　paddled；　glanced　around　at　the　deserted　landscape。　These　gasless　days；　they　had　the　whole　world　to　themselves。　Americans；　in　a　culture　built　around　the　automobile；　could　only　stay　home。　Aside　from　a　few　birds；　no　witnesses。

Chapter　4

Two　hours　later；　Heller　stopped　the　cab　at　the　front　door　of　the　Pokantickle　house。　Bang…Bang　got　off　the　bike　and　opened　the　cab's　rear　door。　Heller　reached　in　and　picked　Rockecenter's　body　off　the　floor。
He　turned　and　walked　up　the　front　steps。　The　National　Guard　major　general　was　standing　there　staring；　horrified；　as　he　gazed　at　the　drooping　arms　and　lolling　head　of　the　corpse。
Bang…Bang　was　following；　carrying　the　heavy　case。　Bang…Bang　looked　with　contempt　at　the　general。　〃Lousy　army；〃　he　said。　〃See　what　your　delay　caused！　Maysabongo　saboteurs　blew　up　the　tank　and　the　road。　You　cost　Rockecenter　his　life！〃
The　general　stared　at　the　body；　then　at　the　pockmarked　windshield。　〃We'll　get　after　them　at　once！〃
〃They're　all　dead；〃　said　Bang…Bang。　〃Blown　to　bits。　Weren't　you　responsible　for　Rockecenter's　safety？〃
The　general　sagged。　〃They'll　court…martial　me！〃
Heller　shook　his　head。　〃We　don't　want　to　end　your　career。　We　won't　say　anything　if　you　don't。〃
〃God　bless　you；　Lieutenant！〃　said　the　general。　〃Just　tell　me　what　I　can　do　for　you。〃
〃You　can　have　them　bring　those　two　men　you　are　holding　back　into　the　office。　We　weren't　finished　with　them　yet。〃
The　general　sprinted　off。
Heller　carried　the　body　into　the　office　and　laid　it　on　the　couch。
Bang…Bang　swung　the　heavy　case　up　and　put　it　on　the　desk。　Heller　came　over　and　put　his　ear　against　it；　twiddling　the　bination。　Presently　there　was　a　click。　He　opened　the　cover。
The　label　said　it　was　fireproof　and　waterproof　and　it　must　be　true。　The　papers　inside　were　all　dry。　Heller　ruffled　them　to　make　sure　they　were　all　present。
A　dry；　rasping　voice　sounded　at　the　door。　〃I　think　that　you　will　need　me。　I'm　a　lawyer　without　a　client。〃　Bury！　His　head　was　all　swathed　in　bandages；　his　prune　face　very　solemn。
Heller　stared　at　him。　〃You　aren't　dead　then。　You　were　even　conscious　when　he　fired　you！〃
〃Of　course　I　was　conscious。　But　you　didn't　think　I　was　going　to　go　up　against　you　again；　did　you？　Anybody　who　can　live　through　J。　Walter　Madison　is　unkillable！〃
〃So　you're　the　one　who　put　him　on　to　me！〃　said　Heller。
〃Worse　than　that；〃　said　Bury。　〃I'm　the　one　that　relayed　Rockecenter's　orders　to　kill　you　when　you　were　born。〃
〃You　criminal！〃　said　Heller。
〃Well；　let　me　put　it　this　way；　Junior。　I　am　a　Wall　Street　lawyer。　The　client　is　dead：　Long　live　the　heirs。〃
〃You　don't　keep　your　word！〃　said　Heller。
〃A　Wall　Street　lawyer　only　keeps　his　word　to　his　client；　Junior。　That's　the　legal　profession。　But　you　need　me。　You　need　my　firm。　The　lines　are　intricate。　For　instance；　I　can　handle　Faustino。〃
Heller　said；　〃He's　probably　just　now　passing　through　Hell　Nine　unless　they　let　him　live。〃
〃Ah；〃　said　Bury；　〃then　who　is　the　capo　di　tutti　capi？〃
Heller　said；　〃Babe　Corleone。〃
〃Well；　it　will　sure　raise　hell　with　I。　G。　Barben　Pharmaceutical。　Mrs。　Corleone　is　death　on　drugs。　But　we　can　convert　the　firm　to　something　legitimate。　Long　live　Babe　Corleone！　Now；　on　this　client　thing；　what　do　you　say；　Junior？〃
〃I　could　kick　your　bloody　head　in！〃　said　Heller。
Bury　felt　his　skull。　〃You　already　did。〃
They　suddenly　both　broke　out　laughing；　Bury　with　his　〃Heh；　heh；　heh！〃
Just　then　Izzy　and　Twoey　walked　in。
Izzy　couldn't　believe　his　eyes。　〃Oy；　what's　this？〃
〃Bury　knows　where　all　the　skeletons　are　buried；〃　said　Heller。　〃I　think　we　just　hired　the　firm　of　Swindle　and　Crouch。〃
〃Wait；　wait！〃　said　Bury。　〃There's　a　codicil　to　this。〃
Heller　looked　at　him　suspiciously。
Bury　said；　〃You　have　quite　a　bit　of　unfinished　Rockecenter　business　hanging　around。　But　two　of　them　I　want　free　rein　with：　one　is　Miss　Agnes…known　to　the　world　as　Dr。　Morelay；　a　psychiatrist。　The　other　is　Miss　Peace。〃
Heller　shrugged。　〃I　suppose　it's　all　right。〃
〃Even　if　I　take　them　to　see　the　Snake　House　in　the　Bronx　Zoo？〃　said　Bury。
Twoey　spoke　up。　〃Zoos　is　very　educational。　Sounds　fine　to　me。〃
Bury　said；　〃Oh；　good。　White　mice　are　so　dear　these　days！　So　that　settles　it。　My　firm　and　I　are　retained。〃
Bury　walked　over　to　the　open　case　and　pulled　out　handfuls　of　papers　under　Heller's　watchful　eye。　〃Why　did　you　so　tamely　sign　these　two　quitclaims？〃　he　asked　Heller。
Izzy　was　hovering　near　now。　〃Mr。　Jet　owns　all　the　panies　anyway。　I　just　never　put　his　name　on　anything　because　of　you。〃
Bury　shied　the　two　quitclaims　at　the　trash　can。　〃If　it　was　your　intention　for　your　brother　to　own　everything；　it　takes　quite　a　different　form。　But　it　would　just　snarl　up　probate。　Forget　it。〃　He　picked　up　the　49…percent　oil…stock　transfer　to　Rockecenter　and　threw　it　in　the　trash　can。　〃It　would　just　add　to　the　inheritance　tax。　Why　transfer　it　away　when　it's　ing　right　back　to　you？〃　He　selected　out　the　document　which　gave　Rockecenter　49　percent　of　the　180　billion　being　made　on　the　sell　options。　He　threw　that　in　the　trash　can。　〃Just　more　inheritance　tax；　a　thing　we　must　avoid。　And　as　for　all　this　money　breaking　the　American　banking　system；　you　own　all　the　banks　now　and　all　the　money　as　well；　so　there's　no　rupture　of　the　economy。　Now；　as　for　this　patent　transfer；　forget　those；　too。　Just　keep　on　owning　them　and　keep　them　out　of　probate　court。　The　trust　fund　is　now　yours；　so　no　problem。　The　important　thing　here　is　the　will。　And　it　is　not　correct。〃
They　all　stared　at　him。
Bury　looked　toward　the　door。　〃Wills　are　seldom　notarized。　They're　witnessed　and　this　lacks　two　witnesses。　I　see　two　privates　over　there　who　came　in　just　as　Rockecenter　finished　signing　it。　Is　that　right；　boys？〃
Two　of　the　men　who　had　fetched　Izzy　and　Twoey　nodded。　They　stepped　forward。　Bury　held　a　pen　at　them。　〃So　if　you　fellows　will　just　put　your　John　Henrys　on　this　document；　it's　all　legal。〃
The　two　privates　signed　it。
〃So　that's　all　legal；〃　said　Bury。　〃And　that's　that。〃
〃No；　it　isn't！〃　said　Heller。　〃There's　the　matter　of　the　war！〃
〃Oh；　if　you　want　to　get　into　petty　details；〃　said　Bury。　He　signalled　the　officer　nearby　to　clear　the　room。　When　that　was　done；　he　went　to　the　red　phone　on　the　desk　and　lifted　it。　He　got　put　through　to　the　president　of　the　United　States。　〃Mr。　President？　This　is　Bury　of　Swindle　and　Crouch。。。。　No；　it　won't　be　necessary　for　you　to　chase　up　to　Philadelphia　to　the　Swillerberger　Conference　this　evening。　I'm　ordering　it　called　off。。。。　Well；　yes；　Mr。　President；　there's　been　a　slight　change　of　plans。　Please　cancel　the　emergency　mobilization。。。。　Yes；　and　also　tell　Congress　they　don't　have　to　declare　a　war。　We've　got　all　the　Maysabongo　oil　already　and　the　refineries　will　be　back　in　operation　in　a　few　days；　I　understand。。。。　Well；　probably　Maysabongo　is　upset；　Mr。　President。　Have　Congress　vote　them　a　few　billion　in　foreign　aid。。。。　You　will？　That's　fine；　Mr。　President。。。。　Oh；　I'm　sorry；　sir。　But　I　can't　give　your　best　wishes　to　Delbert　John　Rockecenter；　Senior。。。。　Well；　yes；　sir。　Something　did　happen　to　him。　He　fell　in　the　swimming　pool　and　drowned。。。。　Oh；　yes；　we've　got　it　all　under　control；　Mr。　President。　His　two　sons　are　right　here；　they're　of　age　and　Rockecenter　willed　them　everything。　It's　all　quite　routine。。。。　Yes。　I'm　following　their　orders　right　now；　sir。。。。　Yes；　I'll　convey　to　them　your　best　wishes。。。。　No；　they　won't　forget　contributions　to　your　reelection　campaign。。。。　Well；　that's　fine；　Mr。　President。。。。　Thank　you；　sir。　But　sir；　do　you　mind　if　I　ring　off　now？　I've　got　to　call　IRS　and　tell　them　to　suspend　inheritance　taxes　in　this　instance。。。。　Well；　I'm　sure　you　will；　sir。　Good…bye。〃
Bury　called　the　Internal　Revenue　Service　and　then　called　Philadelphia　to　cancel　the　conference。
Heller；　on　another　phone；　located　Miss　Simmons　and　told　her　how　splendidly　she　had　done　and　would　she　please　call　her　antinuclear　marchers　off　around　the　world；　as　he　had　a　firm　promise　from　the　oil　panies　to　decontaminate　the　plants。
〃We　have　won；　then！〃　she　cried。　〃Oh；　I　am　eternally　grateful　to　you；　Wister。　What　joy　you　are　bringing　to　me　and　all　the　world！〃
Izzy；　on　yet　another　phone；　was　catching　bank　presidents　and　brokers　at　home　and　making　sure　both　sets　of　options　would　be　exercised。
Bury　pushed　some　buzzers；　routing　out　the　domestic　staff　from　where　they　had　been　in　hiding　ever　since　the　arrival　of　the　National　Guard。
A　scared　butler　came　in。　Bury　pointed　at　the　body　on　the　couch。　He　said；　〃Take　that　body　to　the　local　mortuary。　Tell　them　to　file　a　death　certificate　and　fix　the　corpse　up。　It'll　just　be　a　family　funeral。　Nobody　will　mourn　anyway。〃　He　turned　to　Heller。　〃He　didn't　have　a　friend　in　all　the　world。　Not　even　me。　All　he　had　was　money。〃
Heller　looked　down　at　the　body。　It　was　staring　fisheyed　at　the　ceiling。　Delbert　John　Rockecenter；　Senior；　the　man　who　had　wrecked　hundreds　of　millions　of　lives　and　had　almost　wrecked　the　planet；　was　very；　very　dead。　No；　nobody　would　mourn。

Chapter　5

〃If　he　has　also　harmed　Rockecenter；〃　said　Lombar　Hisst；　〃I　will　tear　the　universe　apart　to　find　and　kill　him！〃　The　Royal　officer's　baton　that　he　held　in　his　hands　and　inspected　was　no　weapon　in　itself：　it　was　just　a　ceremonial　rod　of　the　kind　presented　to　Royal　officers　by　families　or　friends　when　a　top…level　Academy　graduate　was　elevated　to　that　coveted　status　of　trust　and　favor。　This　one　was　bent　as　thoug