reproduced keys the night of April 1 or the early morning of April 2。 Bribe them； he told DeVasher。 They'll talk for a little money。 He ordered a fingerprint examination of the files from Avery's office。 DeVasher proudly explained he had already started this。 McDeere's prints were on file with the state bar association。
He also ordered a sixty…day suspension of Avery Tolar。 DeVasher suggested this might alert McDeere to something unusual。 Fine； said Lazarov； tell Tolar to check into the hospital with chest pains。 Two months off…doctor's orders。 Tell Tolar to clean up his act。 Lock up his office。 Assign McDeere to Victor Milligan。
〃You said you had a good plan to eliminate McDeere；〃 DeVasher said。
Lazarov grinned and picked his nose。 〃Yeah。 I think we'll use the plane。 We'll send him down to the islands on a little business trip； and there will be this mysterious explosion。〃
〃Waste two pilots？〃 asked DeVasher。
〃Yeah。 It needs to look good。〃
〃Don't do it anywhere around the Caymans。 That'll be too coincidental。〃
〃Okay； but it needs to happen over water。 Less debris。 We'll use a big device； so they won't find much。〃
〃That plane's expensive。〃
〃Yeah。 I'll run it by Joey first。〃
〃You're the boss。 Let me know if we can help down there。〃
〃Sure。 Start thinking about it。〃
〃What about your man in Washington？〃 DeVasher asked。
〃I'm waiting。 I called New York this morning； and they're checking into it。 We should know in a week。〃
〃That would make it easy。〃
〃Yeah。 If the answer is yes； we need to eliminate him within twenty…four hours。〃
〃I'll start planning。〃
The office was quiet for a Saturday morning。 A handful of partners and a dozen associates loitered about in khakis and polos。 There were no secretaries。 Mitch checked his mail and dictated correspondence。 After two hours he left。 It was time to visit Ray。
For five hours； he drove east on Interstate 40。 Drove like an idiot。 He drove forty…five； then eighty…five。 He darted into every rest stop and weigh station。 He made sudden exits from the left lane。 He stopped at an underpass and waited and watched。 He never saw them。 Not once did he notice a suspicious car or truck or van。 He even watched a few eigh…teen…wheelers。 Nothing。 They simply were not back there。 He would have caught them。
His care package of books and cigarettes was cleared through the guard station； and he was pointed to stall number nine。 Minutes later； Ray sat through the thick screen。
〃Where have you been？〃 he said with a hint of irritation。 〃You're the only person in the entire world who visits me； and this is only the second time in four months。〃
〃I know。 It's tax season； and I've been swamped。 I'll do better。 I've written； though。〃
〃Yeah； once a week I get two paragraphs。 'Hi； Ray。 How's the bunk？ How's the food？ How are the walls？ How's the Greek or Italian？ I'm fine。 Abby's great。 Dog's sick。 Gotta run。 I'll e visit soon。 Love； Mitch。' You write some rich letters； little brother。 I really treasure them。〃
〃Yours aren't much better。〃
〃What have I got to say？ The guards are selling dope。 A friend got stabbed thirty…one times。 I saw a kid get raped。 e on； Mitch； who wants to hear it？〃
〃I'll do better。〃
〃How's Mom？〃
〃I don't know。 I haven't been back since Christmas。〃
〃I asked you to check on her； Mitch。 I'm worried about her。 If that goon is beating her； I want it stopped。 If I could get out of here； I'd stop it myself。〃
〃You will。〃 It was a statement； not a question。 Mitch placed a finger over his lips and nodded slowly。 Ray leaned forward on his elbows and stared intently。
Mitch spoke softly。 〃Espanol。 Hable despotic。〃 Spanish。 Speak slowly。
Ray smiled slightly。 〃tCudndo？〃 When？
〃La semana proximo。〃 Next week。
〃iQue dia？〃 What day？
Mitch thought for a second。 〃Maries o miercoles。〃 Tuesday or Wednesday。
〃iQue tiempo？〃 What time？
Mitch smiled and shrugged； and looked around。
〃How's Abby？〃 Ray asked。
〃She's been in Kentucky for a couple of weeks。 Her mother's sick。〃 He stared at Ray and softly mouthed the words 〃Trust me。〃
〃What's wrong with her？〃
〃They removed a lung。 Cancer。 She's smoked heavy all her life。 You should quit。〃
〃I will if I ever get out of here。〃
Mitch smiled and nodded slowly。 〃You've got at least seven more years。〃
〃Yeah； and escape is impossible。 They try it occasionally； but they're either shot or captured。〃
〃James Earl Ray went over the wall； didn't he？〃 Mitch nodded slowly as he asked the question。 Ray smiled and watched his brother's eyes。
〃But they caught him。 They bring in a bunch of mountain boys with bloodhounds； and it gets pretty nasty。 I don't think anyone's ever survived the mountains after they got over the wall。〃
〃Let's talk about something else；〃 Mitch said。
〃Good idea。〃
Two guards stood by a window behind the row of visitors' booths。 They were enjoying a stack of dirty pictures someone took with a Polaroid and tried to sneak through the guard station。 They giggled among themselves and ignored the visitors。 On the prisoners' side； a single guard with a stick walked benignly back and forth； half asleep。
〃When can I expect little nieces and nephews？〃 Ray asked。
〃Maybe in a few years。 Abby wants one of each； and she would start now if I would。 I'm not ready。〃
The guard walked behind Ray； but did not look。 They stared at each other； trying to read each other's eyes。
〃jAddnde voy？〃 Ray asked quickly。 Where am I going？
〃Perdido Beach Hilton。 We went to the Cayman Islands last month； Abby and I。 Had a beautiful vacation。〃
〃Never heard of the place。 Where is it？〃
〃In the Caribbean； below Cuba。〃
〃iQue es mi nombre？〃 What is my name？
〃Lee Stevens。 Did some snorkeling。 The water is warm and gorgeous。 owns two condos right on Seven Mile Beach。 All I paid for was the airfare。 It was great。〃
〃Get me a book。 I'd like to read about it。 jPasaporte？〃
Mitch nodded with a smile。 The guard walked behind Ray and stopped。 They talked of old times in Kentucky。
At dusk he parked the BMW on the dark side of a suburban mall in Nashville。 He left the keys in the ignition and locked the door。 He had a spare in his pocket。 A busy crowd of Easter shoppers moved en masse through the Sears doors。 He joined them。 Inside he ducked into the men's clothing department and studied socks and underwear while watching the door。 Nobody suspicious。 He left Sears and walked quickly through the crowd down the mall。 A black cotton sweater in the window of a men's store caught his attention。 He found one inside； tried it on and decided to wear it out of there； he liked it so much。 As the clerk laid his change on the counter； he scanned the yellow pages for the number of a cab。 Back into the mall； he rode the escalator to the first floor； where he found a pay phone。 The cab would be there in ten minutes。
It was dark now； the cool early dark of spring in the South。 He watched the mall entrance from inside a singles bar。 He was certain he had not been followed through the mall。 He walked casually to the cab。 〃Brentwood；〃 he said to the driver； and disappeared into the back seat。
Brentwood was twenty minutes away。 〃Savannah Creek Apartments；〃 he said。 The cab searched through the sprawling plex and found number 480E。 He threw a twenty over the seat and slammed the door。 Behind an outside stairwell he found the door to 480E。 It was locked。
〃Who is it？〃 a nervous female voice asked from within。 He heard the voice and felt weak。
〃Barry Abanks；〃 he said。
Abby pulled the door open and attacked。 They kissed violently as he lifted her； walked inside and slammed the door with his foot。 His hands were wild。 In less than two seconds； he pulled her sweater over her head； unsnapped her bra and slid the rather loose…fitting skirt to her knees。 They continued kissing。 With one eye； he glanced apprehensively at the cheap； flimsy rented fold…a…bed that was waiting。 Either that or the floor。 He laid her gently on it and took off his clothes。
The bed was too short； and it squeaked。 The mattress was two inches of foam rubber wrapped in a sh