Abby hung on every word； but waited to start asking。
〃And now； today； while I'm minding my own business； eating a foot…long with onions； this guy I went to college with walks up and tells me that they； the FBI； know for a fact that my phones are bugged； my home is wired and somebody down at Bendini； Lambert & Locke knows when I sneeze and take a crap。 Think of it； Abby； Rick Acklin was transferred here after I passed the bar exam。 Nice coincidence； huh？〃
〃But what do they want？〃
〃They won't say。 They can't tell me； yet。 They want me to trust them； and all that routine。 I don't know； Abby。 I have no idea what they're after。 But they've chosen me for some reason。〃
〃Did you tell Lamar about this visit？〃
〃No。 I haven't told anyone。 Except you。 And I don't plan to tell anyone。〃
She gulped the wine。 〃Our phones are tapped？〃
〃According to the FBI。 But how do they know？〃
〃They're not stupid； Mitch。 If the FBI told me my phones were tapped； I'd believe them。 You don't？〃
〃I don't know whom to believe。 Locke and Lambert were so smooth and believable when they explained how fights with the IRS and the FBI。 I want to believe them； but so much of it doesn't add up。 Look at it this way…if had a rich client who was shady and worthy of FBI scrutiny； why would the FBI pick me； the rookie； the one who knows the least； and begin following me？ What do I know？ I work on files someone else hands me。 I have no clients of my own。 I do as I'm told。 Why not go after one of the partners？〃
〃Maybe they want you to squeal on the clients。〃
〃No way。 I'm a lawyer and sworn to secrecy about the affairs of clients。 Everything I know about a client is strictly confidential。 The feds know that。 No one expects a lawyer to talk about his clients。〃
〃Have you seen any illegal deals？〃
He cracked his knuckles and gazed around the dining room。 He smiled at her。 The wine had settled and was taking effect。 〃I'm not supposed to answer that question； even from you； Abby。 But the answer is no。 I've worked on files for twenty of Avery's clients and a few other ones here and there； and I've seen nothing suspicious。 Maybe a couple of risky tax shelters； but nothing illegal。 I've got a few questions about the bank accounts I saw in the Caymans； but nothing serious。〃 Caymans！ His stomach dropped as he thought of the girl on the beach。 He felt sick。
The waiter loitered nearby and stared at the menus。 〃More wine；〃 Mitch said； pointing at the glasses。
Abby leaned forward； near the candles； and looked bewildered。 〃Okay； who tapped our phones？〃
〃Assuming they're tapped； I have no idea。 At the first meeting in August； Tarrance implied it was someone from 。 I mean； that's the way I took it。 He said not to trust anyone at ； and that everything I said was subject to being heard and recorded。 I assumed he meant they were doing it。〃
〃And what did Mr。 Locke say about that？〃
〃Nothing。 I didn't tell him。 I kept a few things to myself。〃
〃Someone has tapped our phones and wired our house？〃
〃And maybe our cars。 Rick Acklin made a big deal of it today。 He kept telling me not to say anything I didn't want recorded。〃
〃Mitch； this is incredible。 Why would a law firm do that？〃
He shook his head slowly and looked into the empty wineglass。 〃I have no idea； babe。 No idea。〃
The waiter set two new wineglasses on the table and stood with his hands behind him。 〃Will you be ordering？〃 he asked。
〃In a few minutes；〃 Abby said。
〃We'll call you when we're ready；〃 Mitch added。
〃Do you believe it； Mitch？〃
〃I think something's up。 There's more to the story。〃
She slowly folded her hands on the table and stared at him with a look of utter fear。 He told the story of Hodge and Kozinski； starting with Tarrance at the deli； then to the Caymans and being followed and the meeting with Abanks。 He told her everything Abanks had said。 Then Eddie Lo…max and the deaths of Alice Knauss； Robert Lamm and John Mickel。
〃I've lost my appetite；〃 she said when he finished。
〃So have I。 But I feel better now that you know。〃
〃Why didn't you tell me sooner？〃
〃I hoped it would go away。 I hoped Tarrance would leave me alone and find someone else to torment。 But he's here to stay。 That's why Rick Acklin was transferred to Memphis。 To work on me。 I have been selected by the FBI for a mission I know nothing about。〃
〃I feel weak。〃
〃We have to be careful； Abby。 We must continue to live as if we suspect nothing。〃
〃I don't believe this。 I'm sitting here listening to you； but I don't believe what you're telling me。 This is not real； Mitch。 You expect me to live in a house that's wired and the phones are tapped and someone； somewhere is listening to everything we say。〃
〃Do you have a better idea？〃
〃Yeah。 Let's hire this Lomax guy to inspect our house。〃
〃I've thought of that。 But what if he finds something？ Think about it。 What if we know for sure that the house is wired？ What then？ What if he breaks a device that's been planted？ They； whoever in hell they are； will know that we know。 It's too dangerous； for now anyway。 Maybe later。〃
〃This is crazy； Mitch。 I guess we're supposed to run out in the backyard to have a conversation。〃
〃Of course not。 We could use the front yard。〃
〃At this moment； I don't appreciate your sense of humor。〃
〃Sorry。 Look； Abby； let's be normal and patient for a while。 Tarrance has convinced me he's serious and he's not going to forget about me。 I can't stop him。 He finds me； remember。 I think they follow me and wait in ambush。 For the time being； it's important that we carry on as usual。〃
〃Usual？ e to think of it； there's not much conversation around our house these days。 I sort of feel sorry for them if they're waiting to hear meaningful dialogue。 I talk to Hearsay a lot。〃
17
THE snow cleared long before Christmas； leaving the ground wet and making way for the traditional Southern holiday weather of gray skies and cold rain。 Memphis had seen two white Christmases in the past ninety years； and the experts predicted no more in the century。
There was snow in Kentucky； but the roads were clear。 Abby called her parents early Christmas morning after she packed。 She was ing； she said； but she would be alone。 They were disappointed； they said； and suggested that perhaps she should stay if it was causing trouble。 She insisted。 It was a ten…hour drive。 Traffic would be light； and she would be there by dark。
Mitch said very little。 He spread the morning paper on the floor next to the tree and pretended to concentrate as she loaded her car。 The dog hid nearby under a chair； as if waiting for an explosion。 Their gifts had been opened and arranged neatly on the couch。 Clothes and perfume and albums； and for her； a full…length fox coat。 For the first time in the young marriage； there was money to spend at Christmas。
She draped the coat over her arm and walked to the paper。 〃I'm leaving now；〃 she said softly； but firmly。
He stood slowly and looked at her。
〃I wish you would e with me；〃 she said。
〃Maybe next year。〃 It was a lie； and they knew it。 But it sounded good。 It was promising。
〃Please be careful。〃
〃Take care of my dog。〃
〃We'll be fine。〃
He took her shoulders and kissed her on the cheek。 He looked at her and smiled。 She was beautiful； much more so than when they married。 At twenty…four； she looked her age； but the years were being very generous。
They walked to the carport； and he helped her into the car。 They kissed again； and she backed down the driveway。
Merry Christmas； he said to himself。 Merry Christmas； he said to the dog。
After an hour of watching the walls； he threw two changes of clothes in the BMW； placed Hearsay in the front seat and left town。 He drove south on Interstate 55； out of Memphis； into Mississippi。 The road was deserted； but he kept an eye on the rearview mirror。 The dog whimpered precisely every sixty minutes； and Mitch would stop on the shoulder…if possible； just over a hill。 He would find a cluster of trees where he could hide and watch the traffic while Hearsay did his business。 He noticed nothing。 After five stops； he was sure he was not being followed。 They evidently took off Christmas Day。
In six hours he was in Mobile； and two hours later he crossed the bay at Pensacola and headed for the Emerald Coast of Florida。 Highway 98 ran through the coastal towns of Navarre； Fort Walton Beach； Destin and Sandestin。 It encountered clusters of condominiums and motels； miles of shopping centers； then strings of run…down amusement parks and low rent T…shirt shops； most of which had been locked and neglected since Labor Day。 Then it went for miles with no congestion； no sprawl； just an awesome view of the snowy…white beaches and brilliant emerald waters of the Gulf。 East of Sandestin； the highway narrowed and left the coast； and for an hour he drove alone on the two…lane with nothing to look at but the woods and an occasional self…serve gas station or quick…shop convenience store。
At dusk； he passed a high rise； and a sign said Panama City Beach was eight miles ahead。 The highway found the coast again at a point where it forked an