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oo。 Sandy collected their business cards and escorted them into the same parlor where the first meeting had taken place。 The court reporters took their positions。
Jaynes and Sprawling were next door in the den； on the phone to Washington。 They had sent the rest of their entourage down to the casino for an hour of leisure； no alcohol。
The squad from Monarch…Sierra was much smaller； just Hal Ladd； one of his associates； and the chief in…house lawyer for the pany； a dapper little man named Cohen。 Stiff introductions were made around the room； and they all settled in to listen to Sandy。 He had packets for them； thin folders which he distributed and asked them to flip through。 Each contained a copy of the lawsuit filed by Patrick against the FBI for his injuries； and each had a set of color pictures of the burns。 The insurance boys had been prepped by their lawyers； so none of this was a surprise。
Sandy summarized what he had alleged yesterday… that the injuries to his client had not been inflicted by the FBI because the FBI didn't find Patrick。 Stephano did。 And Stephano was working for three clients：
Benny Aricia； Northern Case Mutual； and Monarch…Sierra。 All three had serious exposure in a civil liability suit to be filed by Patrick。
〃How do you plan to prove this Stephano business？〃 asked Talbot Mims。
〃Just a second；〃 Sandy said。 He opened the door that led to the den and asked Jaynes if he had a minute。 Jaynes entered the room； and identified himself to the group。 With great pleasure he described in detail the things Stephano had told them about the search for Patrick； the financing of the consortium； the rewards； the tips； the hunt in Brazil； the plastic surgeon； the boys from Pluto； the capture； and the torture。 Everything。 And all done with money provided by Aricia； Monarch…Sierra； and Northern Case Mutual。 And all done solely for their benefit。
It was a dazzling performance； one Jaynes himself enjoyed immensely。
〃Any questions for Mr。 Jaynes？〃 Sandy asked happily as the narrative came to a close。
There were none。 In the past eighteen hours； neither Shenault of Northern Case Mutual nor Cohen of Monarch…Sierra had been able to determine who in their panies had authorized the hiring of Jack Stephano。 It was unlikely they would ever know； now that tracks were being erased。
Both panies were large and rich； with lots of shareholders and big ad budgets used to protect their good corporate names。 Neither wanted this headache。
〃Thank you； Mr。 Jaynes；〃 Sandy said。
〃I'm next door if you need me；〃 Jaynes said； as if he would like nothing better than to return and do some more coffin…nailing。
His presence was baffling and ominous。 Why was the Deputy Director of the FBI in Biloxi； and why did he seem so eager to place blame on them？
〃Here's the deal；〃 Sandy said when the door was shut。 〃It's simple； quick； non…negotiable。 First； Mr。 Shenault； as to Northern Case Mutual； your client's last assault in this little war is an effort to recoup its two and a half million paid to Trudy Lanigan。 We prefer that you simply go back home。 Dismiss the lawsuit； forget about Trudy； let her live in peace。 She has a child to raise； and； besides； most of the money has been spent anyway。 Dismiss； and my client will not pursue his claim for personal injuries against your pany。〃
〃Is that all？〃 Talbot Mims asked in disbelief。
〃Yes。 That's it。〃
〃Done。〃
〃We'd like a moment to consult；〃 Shenault said； still hard…faced。
〃No we don't；〃 Mims said to his client。 〃It's a great deal。 It's on the table。 We take it。 Just like that。〃
Shenault said； 〃I'd like to analyze…〃
〃No；〃 Mims said； bristling at Shenault。 〃We take the deal。 Now； if you want someone else to represent you； fine。 But as long as I'm your lawyer； we're taking the deal； right now。〃
Shenault went speechless。
〃We'll take it；〃 Mims said。
〃Mr。 Shenault？〃 Sandy said。
〃Uh； sure。 I guess we'll agree to it。〃
〃Great。 I have a proposed settlement agreement waiting on you in the room next door。 Now； if you gentlemen will leave us for a few minutes； I need to talk with Mr。 Ladd and his client in private。〃
Minis led his crew out。 Sandy locked the door behind them and turned to address Mr。 Cohen； Hal Ladd； and his associate。 〃Your deal is a bit different from theirs； I'm afraid。 They get off lightly because there is a divorce。 It's messy and plicated； and my client can use his claim against Northern Case Mutual to his advantage in the divorce proceedings。 You； unfortunately； are not in the same position。 They put up a half a million for Stephano； you put up twice that much。 You have more liability； more exposure； and； as we all know； a helluva lot more cash than Northern Case Mutual。〃
〃How much do you have in mind？〃 Cohen asked。
〃Nothing for Patrick。 He's very concerned； however； about the child。 She's six； and her mother burns money。 That's one reason Northern Case Mutual collapsed so quickly…it'll be very difficult to collect from Mrs。 Lanigan。 Patrick would like a modest amount to go into a trust fund for the child； money out of the mother's reach。〃
〃How much？〃
〃A quarter of a million。 Plus the same amount to cover his legal fees。 Total of a half a million； paid very quietly so your client won't be embarrassed by those pictures。〃
The Coast had a history of generous verdicts in personal injury and wrongful death cases。 Hal Ladd had advised Cohen that he could see a multi…million…dollar verdict against Aricia and the insurance panies for what was done to Patrick。 Cohen； from California； certainly understood this。 The pany was quite anxious to settle and leave town。
〃All litigation is dismissed；〃 Cohen said。 〃And we pay a half a million？〃
〃That's it。〃
〃We'll do it。〃
Sandy reached into a file and removed some papers。 〃I have a proposed settlement agreement； which I'll leave with you。〃 He handed copies to them； and left them。
Thirty…five
PSYCHIATRIST was a friend of Dr。 JL Hayani's。 Patrick's second session with him lasted for two hours and was as unproductive as the first。 It would be the last。
Patrick asked to be excused； and returned to his room in time for dinner。 He ignored most of it as he watched the evening news。 His name was not mentioned。 He paced the floor and spoke to his guards。 Sandy had called throughout the afternoon with updates； but he wanted to see documents。 He watched 〃Jeopardy〃 and tried to read a thick paperback。
It was almost eight when he heard Sandy speak to the guards and ask how the prisoner was doing。 Sandy enjoyed referring to him as 〃the prisoner。〃
Patrick met him at the door。 His lawyer was exhausted； but smiling。 〃It's all done；〃 he said as he handed Patrick a stack of paperwork。
〃What about the documents and tapes？〃
〃We handed them over an hour ago。 There must've been a dozen FBI agents swarming around。 Jaynes told me they would work through the night。〃
Patrick took the settlement agreements and sat at his worktable in the corner； under the television。 Carefully； he read every word。 Sandy's dinner was fast food from a bag； and he ate it standing beside the bed； watching muted rugby from Australia on ESPN。
〃Did they squawk at the half a million？〃 Patrick asked