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There were other questions about this and that； nothing of significance； just little inquiries served up in hopes of taking something from the meeting that the papers had left out。 They voted unanimously to indict Patrick on one count of capital murder…murder mitted in the perpetration of another crime； to wit； grand larceny。 Punishable by death； by lethal injection up at the state penitentiary at Parchman。
In less than twenty…four hours； Patrick managed to get himself indicted for capital murder； sued for divorce； sued for ninety million by Aricia； plus punitive damages； sued for thirty million by his old law firm buddies； plus punitive； and sued for four million by Monarch…Sierra Insurance； plus another ten million in punitive； for good measure。
He watched it all； pliments of CNN。
THE PROSECUTORS； T。L。 Parrish and Maurice Mast； once again stood glumly before the cameras and announced； jointly； though the feds had nothing to do with this indictment； that the good people of Harrison County； acting by and through the office of its grand jury； had now moved swiftly to lay charges against Patrick Lanigan； a murderer。 They deflected the questions they could not answer； evaded the ones they could； and hinted strongly that more charges would follow。
When the cameras left； the two men met quietly with the Honorable Karl Huskey； one of the three circuit judges for Harrison County； and a close friend of Patrick's； before the funeral。 Cases were supposedly assigned at random； but Huskey； as well as the other judges； knew how to manipulate the filing clerk so that he could receive； or not receive； any particular case。 Huskey wanted Patrick's case； for now。
WHILE EATING a tomato sandwich in the kitchen； alone； Lance saw something move in the rear yard； near the pool。 He grabbed his shotgun； eased from the house； around some shrubs on the patio； and spotted a chubby photographer squatting by the pool house； three bulking cameras dangling from his neck。 Lance tiptoed barefoot around the pool house； gun at the ready； and crouched to within two feet of the man's back。 He leaned forward； placed the gun near the man's head with the barrel pointed upward； and pulled the trigger。
The photographer lurched forward and fell on his face； screaming frightfully and floundering on top of his cameras。 Lance kicked him between the legs； then again as he rolled over and finally got a glimpse of his assailant。
Lance ripped off the three cameras and threw them into the pool。 Trudy was on the patio； horrified。 Lance yelled at her to call the police。
Nine
I'M GOING to scrape the dead skin away now；〃 the doctor said； gently probing a chest wound with a pointed instrument。 〃I really think you should consider some pain medication。〃
〃No thanks；〃 Patrick said。 He was sitting on his bed； naked； with the doctor； two nurses； and the Puerto Rican orderly； Luis； huddled around him。
〃It's gonna hurt； Patrick；〃 said the doctor。
〃I've been through worse。 Besides； where would you stick me？〃 he asked； lifting his left arm。 It was covered with purple and dark blue bruises where the Brazilian doctor had relentlessly poked him during his ordeal。 His entire body was a rainbow of bruises and scar tissue。 〃No more drugs；〃 he said。
〃Okay。 As you wish。〃
Patrick reclined and gripped the side rails to his bed。 The nurses and Luis held his ankles as the doctor began scraping the raw； third…degree burns on his chest。 With surgical scalpels； he pulled the dead skin off the wound； then cut it free。
Patrick flinched and closed his eyes。
〃How about a shot； Patrick？〃 asked the doctor。
〃No；〃 he grunted。
More scalpels。 More dead skin。
〃These are healing nicely； Patrick。 I tend to think you might not need skin grafts after all。〃
〃Good；〃 he said；； then flinched again。
Four of the nine burns were severe enough to be considered third degree； two on the chest； one on the left thigh； and one on the right calf。 The rope burns on his wrists； elbows； and ankles were raw and covered with ointments。
The doctor finished in half an hour； and explained that it would be best to remain still； unclothed and unbandaged； at least for now。 He applied a cool antibacterial salve； and again offered pills for the pain。 Patrick again declined。
The doctor and the nurses left； and Luis loitered long enough to see them off。 He closed the door behind them and pulled down the blinds。 From a pocket under his white orderly's jacket； he produced a disposable Kodak camera； with a flash。
〃Start there；〃 Patrick said； pointing to the foot of the bed。 〃Get the entire body； including my face。〃 Luis stuck the camera to his head； fiddled with it； backed to the wall； then pushed the button。 The camera flashed。
〃Again； from there；〃 Patrick directed。
Luis did as he was told。 At first； he'd been reluctant to agree to this venture； said his boss might need to approve it。 Living on the border of Paraguay； Patrick not only had perfected his Portuguese but he'd also learned to handle Spanish。 He could understand almost everything Luis said。 Luis had more trouble understanding Patrick。
The language of money prevailed； with Luis eventually prehending the offer of five hundred U。S。 dollars in return for his services as a photographer。 He agreed to purchase three disposable cameras； take almost a hundred shots； get them developed overnight； and to hide them far from the hospital until further orders。
Patrick didn't have five hundred dollars on him； but he persuaded Luis that he was an honest man； regardless of what he might have heard； and that he would send the money as soon as he got home。
Luis wasn't much of a photographer； but then he didn't have much of a camera。 Patrick coordinated every shot。 There were close…ups of the serious burns on his chest and thigh； close…ups of his badly bruised limbs； full…length shots from every angle。 They worked fast so they wouldn't get caught。 It was almost time for lunch and another round of busy nurses with charts and incessant chatter。
Luis left the hospital on his lunch break and dropped the film off at a camera shop。
IN RIO； Osmar convinced a low…paid secretary at Eva's law firm to accept a thousand dollars in cash in exchange for all the current in…house gossip。 There wasn't much。 Things were very quiet among the partners。 But the phone records revealed two calls to the firm from a number in Zurich。 It was a hotel； Guy determined from Washington； but no other information was available。 The Swiss were so discreet。
Her partners had no patience with her disappearance。 Their quiet gossip about her soon changed to daily meetings about what to do。 She'd called once the first day； once the second； then no word。 The mysterious client she had flown off to see could not be verified。 Meanwhile； her legitimate clients were making demands and threats。 She missed appointments； meetings； deadlines。
Finally； they decided to temporarily remove her from the firm； and deal with her later when she returned。
Osmar and his men stalked Eva's father until the poor man was unable to sleep。 They watched his apartment lobby and followed him in traffic and along the busy sidewalks of Ipanema。 There was talk of snatching him and ro