按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃How did she know about him？〃
〃It's a very long； plicated story； and I don't know most of it。〃
〃Then why bring it up？〃
〃Because Stephano is still after my client； and I'd like to stop him。〃
More scribbling by Cutter； another sip of steaming coffee。 A rough flow chart evolved as he tried to arrange who had said what to whom。 He knew most of what was happening in Washington with the Stephano tell…all； but there were gaps。 It had certainly been established that Stephano would stop his chase。 〃And how do you know this？〃
〃Because his men in Brazil have kidnapped the father of my co…counsel。〃
Cutter couldn't keep his lips together； nor his head exactly straight。 His eyes wandered to the ceiling as this rattled around his brain。 Then it made some sense。 〃Could it be that this Brazilian lawyer might possibly know where the money is？〃
〃That's a possibility。〃
Perfect sense now。
Sandy continued； 〃The kidnapping is an effort to lure her back to Brazil； where they'd like to snatch her and give her some of the same medicine they gave ； Patrick。 It's all about money。〃
Cutter's words were ponderous； but not by choice。 〃When did the kidnapping occur？〃
〃Yesterday。〃 A paralegal in Sandy's office had pulled a story off the Internet two hours earlier。 It was a short report on page six of O Globo； a popular Rio daily。 It gave the victim's name as Paulo Miranda。 Sandy still had no idea of Leah's real name； and it was safe to assume the FBI could identify her if and when it got the story。 Frankly； he saw no harm in telling the FBI her name。 Trouble was； he didn't know it。
〃There's not much we can do about it。〃
〃The hell there isn't。 Stephano's behind it。 Put pressure on him。 Tell him my co…counsel is not about to be sucked into his trap； and that she's preparing to go to the Brazilian authorities with the name of Jack Stephano。〃
〃I'll see what I can do。〃 Cutter had not forgotten the fact that Sandy McDermott had filed a multi…million…dollar lawsuit against the Bureau for crimes it did not mit。 Nothing would be gained by discussing the lawsuit at this point。 Maybe later。
〃Stephano cares about nothing but the money；〃 Sandy said。 〃If the old man gets hurt； he'll never see a dime。〃
〃Are you implying there's room for negotiation here？〃
〃What do you think？ You're facing death row or life in prison； wouldn't you be willing to negotiate？〃
〃So what do we tell Stephano？〃
〃Tell him to release the old man； and then we might talk about the money。〃
STEPHANO'S DAY began early。 The meeting； his fourth； was scheduled to last all day and bring to an end his tales of adventure in the search for Patrick。 His lawyer was absent； away in court with an unavoidable conflict。 Stephano didn't need a lawyer to hold his hand； and； frankly； he was tired of paying 450 an hour。 The interrogator was a new one。 Oliver something or other。 It didn't matter。 They were all from the same school。
〃You were talking about the plastic surgeon；〃 Oliver said； as if the two men had simply been interrupted by a phone call。 The two men had never met； and it had been thirteen hours since Jack had spoken to anyone about Patrick。
〃Yes。〃
〃And that was April of '94？〃
〃Correct。〃
〃Continue； then。〃
Stephano settled into his chair and got himself fortable。 〃The trail ran cold for a while。 For a long time； actually。 We worked hard； but months passed with nothing； absolutely nothing。 Not a clue。 Then； late in '94； we were contacted by an investigative firm in Atlanta； the Pluto Group。〃
〃Pluto？〃
〃Yes； the Pluto Group。 We referred to them as the boys from Pluto。 Good boys。 Some of your ex…agents。 They asked questions about the search for Patrick Lanigan； said they might have some information。 I met with them a couple of times here in Washington。 They had a mysterious client who claimed to know something about Lanigan。 Obviously； I was interested。 They were in no hurry because their client seemed quite patient。 The client； not surprisingly； wanted lots of money。 Oddly enough； this was encouraging。〃
〃How so？〃
〃If their client knew enough to expect a fat reward； then the client had to know that Lanigan still had plenty of money。 In July of '95； the boys from Pluto approached me with a scheme。 What if； they said； their client could lead us to a place in Brazil where Lanigan had recently lived？ I said sure。 They said； how much？ And we agreed on the sum of fifty thousand dollars。 I was desperate。 The money changed hands by way of a wire transfer to a bank in Panama。 I was then told to go to the small city of Itajai in the state of Santa Catarina； in die deep south of Brazil。 The address they gave us led to a small apartment building in a nice part of town。 The manager was cordial； especially after we greased his palm。 We showed him our pictures of Lanigan post…op； and he said maybe。 More grease in the palm； and he made a definite I。D。 Jan Horst was the man's name； a German； he thought； with good Portuguese。 He had rented a three…room apartment for two months； paid in cash； kept to himself； and spent little time there。 He was friendly； and liked to drink coffee with the manager and his wife。 She also made a positive I。D。 Horst said he was a travel writer who was working on a book about the immigration of Germans and Italians to Brazil。 When he left； he said he was going to the city of Blumenau to study the Bavarian architecture there。〃
〃Did you go to Blumenau？〃
〃Of course we did。 And quickly。 We covered the town； but after two months gave it up。 After the initial excitement； we settled back into the tedium of hanging around hotels and markets； showing the photos and offering small bribes。〃
〃What about the boys from Pluto； as you called them？〃
〃They cooled off considerably。 I was anxious to talk to them； but they had little to say。 I think their client got scared； or maybe was happy just to get the fifty grand。 Anyway； six months passed with little word from Pluto。 Then； in late January of this year； they came back in a rush。 Their client needed money； and was finally ready to sell out。 We shadowboxed for a few days； then they dropped the bomb that for a million dollars we could learn the exact location of our man。 I said no。 It wasn't that I didn't have the money； it was just too risky。 Their client was not willing to talk until the money was paid； and I was not willing to pay until their client talked。 There was no way whatsoever to ascertain whether their client knew anything。 In fact； for all I knew there wasn't a client anymore。 Tempers flared and talks broke down。〃
〃But you kept talking？〃
〃Yes； eventually。 We had to。 Their client had to have the money。 We had to have Lanigan。 Another deal was proposed whereby we would； for another fifty thousand bucks； get the name and location of a place Lanigan had lived after he left Itajai。 We agreed； because from our point of view the fifty thousand was cheap and there was always the chance of getting lucky and stumbling over another tip。 From their point of view； it was smart because it strengthened their client's credibility。 And； of course； it was another step toward the million bucks。 There was a brain at work behind Pluto； and I was desperate to play ball。 I would