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er and maybe the questions will get answered eventually。 〃So Aricia's scheme worked； and at some point he approached Charles Bogan； whose cousin is an asskicker in Washington and whose old boss is a federal judge。 Did Bogan know Aricia had caused the overruns？〃
She stood； reached into the box； and removed a battery…operated tape player and a rack of neatly labeled mini…cassettes。 She picked through the cassettes with a pen until she found the one she wanted。 She inserted it in the tape player。 It was obvious to Sandy that she had done this many times before。
〃Listen；〃 she said。 〃April 11； 1991。 The first voice is Bogan； the second is Aricia。 Aricia had placed the call； and Bogan took it in the conference room on the second floor of the firm's offices。〃
Sandy leaned forward on his elbows。 The tape began to play。
BOGAN： I gotta call from one of Platt's New York lawyers today。 A guy named Krasny。
ARICIA： I know him。 Typical New Tfork ass。
BOGAN： Ifes； he wasn't very friendly。 He said they might have proof that you knew about the double…billing on the Stalker screens New Coastal bought from RamTec。 I asked him to show me the proof。 He said it would be a week or so。
ARICIA： Relax； Charlie。 There's no way they can prove that because I didn't sign anything。
BOGAN： But you knew about it？
ARICIA： Of course I knew about it。 I planned it。 I set it in motion。 It was another one of my wonderful ideas。 Their problem； Charlie； is that they can't prove it There are no documents； no witnesses。
The cassette went silent； and Leah said； 〃Same conversation； about ten minutes later。〃
ARICIA： How's the Senator？
BOGAN： Doing well。 Yesterday he met with the Secretary of the Navy。
ARICIA： How'd it go？
BOGAN： Went well。 They're old friends； you know。 The Senator expressed his strong desire to punish Platt & Rockland for its greed； yet not harm the Expedition project。 The Secretary feels the same； and said he would push for a stiff penalty against Platt & Rock…land。
ARICIA： Can he speed things up？
BOGAN： Why？
ARICIA： I want the damned money； Charlie。 I can feel it。 I can taste it。
Leah pushed a button and the recording stopped。 She removed the cassette and placed it back in the rack。 〃Patrick started recording early in '91。 Their plans were to cut him out of the firm at the end of February； on the grounds that he was not generating enough business。〃
〃Is that box full of tapes？〃
〃There are about sixty of them； all carefully edited by Patrick； so you can listen to everything in three hours。〃
Sandy glanced at his watch。
〃We have a lot of work to do；〃 she said。
Twenty…eight
PAULO'S REQUEST for a radio was declined； but when they realized he simply wanted music they brought him a well…used tape player and two cassettes of the Rio Philharmonic Orchestra。 Classical was his preference。 Paulo turned the volume low and flipped through a stack of old magazines。 His request for books had been taken under consideration。 The food so far was more than adequate； they seemed anxious to keep him happy。 His captors were young men working for someone else； someone Paulo knew he would never see。 If they in fact released him； the young men would flee and prosecution would be impossible。
His second day passed slowly。 Eva was too wise to rush into their trap。 One day soon this would make sense。 He could wait as long as they could。
HIS HONOR brought the pizza with him on the second night。 He had enjoyed the first so much； he had called Patrick during the afternoon to see if they could do it again。 Patrick was anxious for pany。
Huskey reached into a small briefcase and withdrew a stack of envelopes which he tossed on Lawyer Lani…gan's worktable。 〃A lot of people want to say hello； mostly the courthouse gang。 I told them they could write。〃
〃I didn't realize I had so many friends。〃
〃You don't。 These are bored office workers with plenty of time to write letters。 It's as close as they can get to the action。〃
〃Gee thanks。〃
Huskey pulled a chair close to Patrick's bed and propped his feet on a drawer opened from the night table。 Patrick had eaten almost two pieces of pizza and was now finished。
〃I'll have to recuse myself soon；〃 Huskey said； almost apologetically。
〃I know。〃
〃I talked with Trussel this morning at length。 I know you're not crazy about him； but he is a good judge。 He's willing to take the case。〃
〃I prefer Judge Lanks。〃
〃Yes； but unfortunately； you don't get your choice。 Lanks is having trouble with his blood pressure； and we've tried to keep the big cases away from him。 As you know； Trussel has more experience than Lanks and myself bined； especially in death penalty cases。〃
Patrick managed a slight flinch； a sudden squinting around the eyes； and a momentary sag of the bony shoulders when his friend finished the last sentence。 A death penalty case。 It seized him； as often happened when he dragged himself to the mirror for a long look。 Huskey caught every tiny movement。
As they say； anybody is capable of murder； and Huskey had chatted with many killers during his twelve years as a judge。 Patrick； however； just happened to be his first friend to face death row。
〃Why are you leaving the bench？〃 Patrick asked。
〃The usual reasons。 I'm bored with it； and if I don't quit now I'll never be able to。 Kids are getting closer to college； and I need to make more money。〃 Huskey paused for a second； then asked； 〃Just curious； how did you know I was leaving the bench？ It's not something I've broadcast。〃
〃Word gets around。〃
〃To Brazil？〃
〃I had a spy； Karl。〃
〃Someone here？〃
〃No。 Of course not。 I couldn't run the risk of contacting anyone here。〃
〃So it was someone down there？〃
〃Ifes； an attorney I met。〃
〃And you told him everything？〃
〃Her。 And yes； I told her everything。〃
Huskey tapped his fingers together and said； 〃I guess that makes sense。〃
〃I highly remend it； next time you're down there disappearing。〃
〃I'll remember that。 This attorney； where is she now？〃
〃Close by； I think。〃
〃Now I see。 She must be the one who has the money。〃
Patrick smiled； then chuckled。 The ice was broken； finally。 〃What do you want to know about the money； Karl？〃
〃Everything。 How'd you steal it？ Where is it？ How much is left？〃
〃What's the best courthouse rumor you've heard about the money？〃
〃Oh； there are hundreds。 My favorite is that you've doubled the money and buried it in vaults in Switzerland； that you were just passing time in Brazil and in a few more years you would leave and go play with your cash。〃
〃Not bad。〃
〃Remember Bobby Doak； that little pimple…faced weasel who does divorces for ninety…nine bucks and resents any lawyer who charges more？〃
〃Sure； advertises in church bulletins。〃
〃That's him。 He was drinking coffee in the clerk's office yesterday and telling how he had it from an inside source that you'd blown the money on drugs and teenaged prostitutes； and that was why you were living like a peasant in Brazil。〃
〃That sounds like Doak。〃
The levity passed quickly as Patrick grew quiet。 Huskey wasn't about to lose the moment。 〃So where's the money？〃
〃I can't tell you； Karl。〃
〃How much is left？〃
〃A ton。〃
〃More