took four steps； stuck a key into the trunk of the Peugeot and removed the heavy black briefcase。 She slammed the trunk and sped away in the Rabbit。 From a small window in the teachers' lounge； Abby sipped coffee and stared through the trees； across the playground and into the parking lot in the distance。 She could barely see her car。 She smiled and checked her watch。 Twelve…thirty； as planned。
Tammy weaved her way carefully through the noon traffic in the direction of downtown。 Driving was tedious when watching the rearview mirror。 As usual； she saw nothing。 She parked in her designated place across the street from the Cotton Exchange Building。
There were nine files in this load。 She arranged them neatly on the folding table and began making copies。 Sigalas Partners； Lettie Plunk Trust； HandyMan Hardware and two files bound loosely with a thick rubber band and marked AVERY'S FILES。 She ran two copies of every sheet of paper in the files and meticulously put them back together。 In a ledger book； she entered the date； time and name of each file。 There were now twenty…nine entries。 He said there would eventually be about forty。 She placed one copy of each file into the locked and hidden cabinet in the closet； then repacked the briefcase with the original files and one copy of each。
Pursuant to his instructions； a week earlier she had rented in her name a twelve…by…twelve storage room at the Summer Avenue Mini Storage。 It was fourteen miles from downtown； and thirty minutes later she arrived and unlocked number 38C。 In a small cardboard box she placed the other copies of the nine files and scribbled the date on the end of the flap。 She placed it next to three other boxes on the floor。
At exactly 3 P。M。； she wheeled into the parking lot； stopped behind the Peugeot； opened its trunk and left the briefcase where she'd found it。
Seconds later； Mitch stepped from the front door of the Bendini Building and stretched his arms。 He breathed deeply and gazed up and down Front Street。 A lovely spring day。 Three blocks to the north and nine floors up； in the window； he noticed the blinds had been pulled all the way down。 The signal。 Good。 Everything's fine。 He smiled to himself； and returned to his office。
At three o'clock the next morning； Mitch eased out of bed and quietly pulled on a pair of faded jeans； flannel law school shirt； white insulated socks and a pair of old work boots。 He wanted to look like a truck driver。 Without a word； he kissed Abby； who was awake； and left the house。 East Meadowbrook was deserted； as were all the streets between home and the interstate。 Surely they would not follow him at this hour。
He drove Interstate 55 south for twenty…five miles to Senatobia； Mississippi。 A busy； all…night truck stop called the 4…55 shone brightly a hundred yards from the four…lane。 He darted through the trucks to the rear where a hundred semis were parked for the night。 He stopped next to the Truck Wash bay and waited。 A dozen eighteen…wheelers inched and weaved around the pumps。
A black guy wearing a Falcons football cap stepped from around the corner and stared at the BMW。 Mitch recognized him as the agent in the bus terminal in Knoxville。 He killed the engine and stepped from the car。
〃McDeere？〃 the agent asked。
〃Of course。 Who else？ Where's Tarrance？〃
〃Inside in a booth by the window。 He's waiting。〃
Mitch opened the door and handed the keys to the agent。 〃Where are you taking it？〃
〃Down the road a little piece。 We'll take care of it。 You were clean ing out of Memphis。 Relax。〃
He climbed into the car； eased between two diesel pumps and headed for the interstate。 Mitch watched his little BMW disappear as he entered the truck…stop cafe。 It was three forty…five。
The noisy room was filled with heavy middle…aged men drinking coffee and eating store…bought pies。 They picked their teeth with colored toothpicks and talked of bass fishing and politics back at the terminal。 Many spoke with loud Northern twangs。 Merle Haggard wailed from the jukebox。
The lawyer moved awkwardly toward the rear until he saw in an unlit corner a familiar face hidden beneath aviator's sunshades and the same Michigan State baseball cap。 Then the face smiled。 Tarrance was holding a menu and watching the front door。 Mitch slid into the booth。
〃Hello； good buddy；〃 Tarrance said。 〃How's the truckin'？〃
〃Wonderful。 I think I prefer the bus； though。〃
〃Next time we'll try a train or something。 Just for variety。 Laney get your car？〃
〃Laney？〃
〃The black dude。 He's an agent； you know。〃
〃We haven't been properly introduced。 Yes； he's got my car。 Where is he taking it？〃
〃Down the interstate。 He'll be back in an hour or so。 We'll try to have you on the road by five so you can be at the office by six。 We'd hate to mess up your day。〃
〃It's already shot to hell。〃
A partially crippled waitress named Dot ambled by and demanded to know what they wanted。 Just coffee。 A surge of Roadway drivers swarmed in the front door and filled up the cafe。 Merle could barely be heard。
〃So how are the boys at the office？〃 Tarrance asked cheerfully。
〃Everything's fine。 The meters are ticking as we speak and everyone's getting richer。 Thanks for asking。〃
〃No problem。〃
〃How's my old pal Voyles doing？〃 Mitch asked。
〃He's quite anxious； really。 He called me twice today and repeated for the tenth time his desire to have an answer from you。 Said you'd had plenty of time and all that。 I told him to relax。 Told him about our little roadside rendezvous tonight and he got real excited。 I'm supposed to call him in four hours； to be exact。〃
〃Tell him a million bucks won't do it； Tarrance。 You boys like to brag about spending billions fighting organized crime； so I say throw a little my way。 What's a couple of million cash to the federal government？〃
〃So it's a couple of million now？〃
〃Damned right it's a couple of million。 And not a dime less。 I want a million now and a million later。 I'm in the process of copying all of my files； and I should be finished in a few days。 Legitimate files； I think。 If I gave them to anyone I'd be permanently disbarred。 So when I give them to you； I want the first million。 Let's just call it good…faith money。〃
〃How do you want it paid？〃
〃Deposited in an account in a bank in Zurich。 But we'll discuss the details later。〃
Dot slid two saucers onto the table and dropped two mismatched cups on them。 She poured from a height of three feet and splashed coffee in all directions。 〃Free refills；〃 she grunted； and left。
〃And the second million？〃 Tarrance asked； ignoring the coffee。
〃When you and I and Voyles decide I've supplied you with enough documents to get the indictments； then I get half。 After I testify for the last time； I get the other half。 That's incredibly fair； Tarrance。〃
〃It is。 You've got a deal。〃
Mitch breathed deeply； and felt weak。 A deal。 A contract。 An agreement。 One that could never be put in writing； but one that was terribly enforceable nonetheless。 He sipped the coffee but didn't taste it。 They had agreed on the money。 He was on a roll。 Keep pushing。
〃And there's one other thing； Tarrance。〃
The head lowered and turned slightly to the right。 〃Yeah？〃〃
Mitch leaned closer； resting on his forearms。 〃It won't cost you a dime； and you boys can pull it off with no sweat。 Okay？〃
〃I'm listening。〃
〃My brother Ray is at Brushy Mountain。 Seven years until parole。 I want him out。〃
〃That's ridiculous； Mitch。 We can do a lot of things； but we damned sure can't parole state prisoners。 Federal maybe； but not state。 No way。〃
〃Listen to me； Tarrance； and listen good。 If I hit the road with the Mafia on my tail； my brother goes with me。 Sort of like a package deal。 And I know if Director Voyles wants him out of prison； he'll get out of prison。 I know that。 Now； you boys just figure out a way to make it happen。〃
〃But we have no authority to interfere with state prisoners。〃
Mitch smiled and returned to his coffee。 〃James Earl Ray escaped from Brushy Mountain。 And he had no help from the outside。〃
〃Oh； that's great。 We attack the prison like mandos and rescue your brother。 Beautiful。〃
〃Don't play dumb with me； Tarrance。 It's not negotiable。〃
〃All right； all right。 I'll see what I can do。 Anything else？ Any more surprises？〃
〃No； just questions about where we go and what we do。 Where do we hide initially？ Where do we hide during the trials？ Where do we〃live for the rest of our lives？ Just minor questions like that。〃
〃We can discuss it later。〃
〃What did Hodge and Kozinski tell you？〃
〃Not enough。 We've got a notebook； a rather thick notebook； in which we've accumulated and indexed everything we know about the Moroltos and 。 Most of it's Morolto crap； their organization； key people； illegal activities and so on。 You need to read it all before we start to work。〃
〃Which； of course； will be after I've received the first million。〃
〃Of course。 When can we see your files？〃
〃In about a week。 I've managed to copy four files that belong to someone else。 I may get my hands on a few more of those。〃
〃Who's doing the copy