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。〃
〃When did you leave New Orleans？〃
〃Monday night。 I took a cab to Baton Rouge； and that would have been easy to follow。 I flew to Chicago； where I bought four tickets to four different cities； including Boise； where my mother lives。 I jumped on the plane to La Guardia at the last moment。 I don't think anyone followed。〃
〃You're safe。〃
〃Maybe for the moment。 We'll both be hunted when this story is published。 Assuming it's published。〃
Gray rattled his ice and studied her。 〃Depends on what you tell me。 And it depends on how much can be verified from other sources。〃
〃The verification is up to you。 I'll tell you what I know； and from there you're on your own。〃
〃Okay。 When do we start talking？〃
〃After dinner。 I'd rather do it on a full stomach。 You're in no hurry； are you？〃
〃Of course not。 I've got all night； and all day tomorrow； and the next day and the next。 I mean； you're talking about the biggest story in twenty years； so I'll hang around as long as you'll talk to me。〃
Darby smiled and looked away。 Exactly a week ago； she and Thomas were waiting for dinner in the bar at Mouton's。 He was wearing a black silk blazer； denim shirt； red paisley tie and heavily starched khakis。 Shoes； but no socks。 The shirt was unbuttoned and the tie was loose。 They had talked about the Virgin Islands and Thanksgiving and Gavin Verheek while they waited on a table。 He was drinking fast； and that was not unusual。 He got drunk later； and it saved her life。
She had lived a year in the past seven days； and she was having a real conversation with a live person who did not wish her dead。 She crossed her feet on the coffee table。 It was not unfortable having him here in her room。 She relaxed。 His face said； 〃Trust me。〃 And why not？ Whom else could she trust？
〃What are you thinking about？〃 he asked。
〃It's been a long week。 Seven days ago I was just another law student busting my tail to get to the top。 Now look at me。〃
He was looking at her。 Trying to be cool； not like a gawking sophomore； but he was looking。 The hair was dark and very short； and quite stylish； but he liked the long version in yesterday's fax。
〃Tell me about Thomas Callahan；〃 he said。
〃Why？〃
〃I don't know。 He's part of the story； isn't he？〃
〃Yeah。 I'll get to it later。〃
〃Fine。 Your mother lives in Boise？〃
〃Yes； but she knows nothing。 Where's your mother？〃
〃Short Hills； New Jersey；〃 he answered with a smile。 He crunched on an ice cube and waited for her。 She was thinking。
〃What do you like about New York？〃 she asked。
〃The airport。 It's the quickest way out。〃
〃Thomas and I were here in the summer。 It's hotter than New Orleans。〃
Suddenly； Grantham realized she was not just a hot little coed； but a widow in mourning。 The poor lady was suffering。 She had not been checking out his hair or his clothes or his eyes。 She was in pain。 Dammit！
〃I'm very sorry about Thomas；〃 he said。 〃I won't ask about him again。〃
She smiled but said nothing。
There was a loud knock。 Darby jerked her feet off the table； and glared at the door。 Then she breathed deeply。 It was the food。
〃I'll get it；〃 Gray said。 〃Just relax。〃
* * *
FOR CENTURIES； a quiet but mammoth battle of nature raged without interference along the coastline of what would bee Louisiana。 It was a battle for territory。 No humans were involved until recent years。 From the south； the ocean pushed inland with its tides and winds and floods。 From the north； the Mississippi River hauled down an inexhaustible supply of freshwater and sediment； and fed the marshes with the soil they needed to vegetate and thrive。 The saltwater from the Gulf eroded the coastline and burned the freshwater marshes by killing the grasses that held them together。 The river responded by draining half the continent and depositing its soil in lower Louisiana。 It slowly built a long succession of sedimentary deltas； each of which in turn eventually blocked the river's path and forced it to change course yet again。 The lush wetlands were built by the deltas。
It was an epic struggle of give…and…take； with the forces of nature firmly in control。 With the constant replenishment from the mighty river； the deltas not only held their own against the Gulf； but expanded。
The marshlands were a marvel of natural evolution。 Using the rich sediment as food； they grew into a green paradise of cypress and oak and dense patches of pickerelweed and bulrush and cattails。 The water was filled with crawfish； shrimp； oysters； red snappers； flounder； pompano； bream； crabs； and alligators。
The coastal plain was a sanctuary for wildlife。 Hundreds of species of migratory birds came to roost。
The wetlands were vast and limitless； rich and abundant。
Then oil was discovered there in 1930； and the rape was on。 The oil panies dredged ten thousand miles of canals to get to the riches。 They crisscrossed the fragile delta with a slashing array of neat little ditches。 They sliced the marshes to ribbons。
They drilled； found oil； then dredged like maniacs to get to it。 Their canals were perfect conduits for the Gulf and its saltwater； which ate away at the marshes。
Since oil was found； tens of thousands of acres of wetlands have been devoured by the ocean。 Sixty square miles of Louisiana vanishes every year。 Every fourteen minutes； another acre disappears under water。
* * *
IN 1979； AN OIL PANY punched a hole deep in Terrebonne Parish and hit oil。 It was a routine day on just another rig； but it was not a routine hit。 There was a lot of oil。 They drilled again an eighth of a mile away； and hit another big one。 They backed off a mile； drilled； and hit an even bigger one。 Three miles away； they struck gold again。
The oil pany capped the wells and pondered the situation； which had all the markings of a major new field。
The oil pany was owned by Victor Mattiece； a Cajun from Lafayette who'd made and lost several fortunes drilling for oil in south Louisiana。 In 1979； he happened to be wealthy； and more importantly； he had access to other people's money。 He was quickly convinced he had just tapped a major reserve。 He began buying land around the capped wells。
Secrets are crucial but hard to keep in the oilfields。 And Mattiece knew if he threw around too much money； there would soon be a mad rush of drilling around his new gold mine。 A man of infinite patience and planning； he looked at the big picture and said no to the quick buck。 He decided he would have it all。 He huddled with his lawyers and other advisers； and devised a plan to methodically buy the surrounding land under a myriad of corporate names。 They formed new panies； used some of his old ones； purchased all or portions of struggling firms； and went about the business of acquiring acreage。
Those in the business knew Mattiece； and knew he had money and could get more。 Mattiece knew they knew； so he quietly unleashed two dozen faceless entities upon the landowners of Terrebonne Parish。 It worked without a major hitch。
The plan was to consolidate territory； then dredge yet another channel through the hapless and beleaguered marshlands so that the men and their equipment could get to the rigs and the oil could be brought out with haste。 The canal would be thirty…five miles long and twice as wide as the others。 There would be a lot of traffic。
Because Mattiece had money； he was a popular man with the politicians and bureaucrats。 He played their game skillfully。 He sprinkled money around where needed。 He loved politics； but hated publicity。 He was paranoid and reclusive。
As the land acquisition sailed smoothly along； Mattiece suddenly found himself short of cash。 The industry turned downward in the early eighties； and his other rigs stopped pumping。 He needed big money； and he wanted partners adept at putting it up and remaining silent about it。 So he stayed away from Texas。 He went overseas and found some Arabs who studied his maps and believed his estimate of a mammoth reserve of crude and natural gas。 They bought a piece of the action； and Mattiece had plenty of cash again。
He did the sprinkling act； and obtained official permission to gouge his way through the delicate marshes and cypress swamps。 The pieces were falling majestically into place； and Victor Mattiece could smell a billion dollars。 Maybe two or three。
Then an odd thing happened。 A lawsuit was filed to stop the dredging and drilling。 The plaintiff was an obscure environmental outfit known simply as Green Fund。
The lawsuit was unexpected because for fifty years Louisiana had allowed itself to be devoured and polluted by oil panies and people like Victor Mattiece。 It had been a trade…off。 The oil business employed many and paid well。 The oil and gas taxes collected in Baton Rouge paid the salaries of state employees。
The small bayou villag