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m convinced of that。 He's got something； Smith。〃
〃And if he won't show it to you？〃
〃I'll break his neck。〃
They crossed the Potomac and cruised by Arlington Cemetery。 Keen lit his pipe and cracked a window。 〃What if you can't find Garcia？〃
〃Plan B。 She's gone and the deal's off。 Once she leaves the country； I have permission to do anything with the brief except use her name as a source。 The poor girl is convinced she's dead regardless of whether we get the story； but she wants as much protection as possible。 I can never use her name； not even as the author of the brief。〃
〃Does she talk much about the brief？〃
〃Not the actual writing of it。 It was a wild idea； she pursued it； and had almost dismissed it when bombs started going off。 She's sorry she wrote the damned thing。 She and Callahan were really in love； and she's loaded down with a lot of pain and guilt。〃
〃So what's Plan B？〃
〃We attack the lawyers。 Mattiece is too devious and slippery to penetrate without subpoenas and warrants and things we can't dispense； but we know his lawyers。 He's represented by two big firms here in town； and we go after them。 A lawyer or a group of them carefully analyzed the Supreme Court； and suggested the names of Rosenberg and Jensen。 Mattiece wouldn't know who to kill。 So his lawyers told him。 It's a conspiracy angle。〃
〃But you can't make them talk。〃
〃Not about a client。 But if the lawyers are guilty； and we start asking questions； something'll break。 We'll need a dozen reporters making a million phone calls to lawyers； paralegals； law clerks； secretaries； copy room clerks； everybody。 We assault these bastards。〃
Keen puffed his pipe and was nonmittal。 〃Who are the firms？〃
〃White and Blazevich； and Brim； Stearns； and Kidlow。 Check our library on them。〃
〃I've heard of White and Blazevich。 It's a big Republican outfit。〃
Gray nodded and sipped the last of his coffee。
〃What if it's another firm？〃 Keen asked。 〃What if the firm is not in Washington？ What if the conspirators don't break？ What if there's only one legal mind at work here and it belongs to a part…time paralegal in Shreveport？ What if one of Mattiece's in…house lawyers devised the scheme？〃
〃Sometimes you irritate the hell out of me。 Do you know that？〃
〃These are valid questions。 What if？〃
〃Then we go to Plan C。〃
〃And what's that？〃
〃I don't know yet。 She hasn't gotten that far。〃
* * *
SHE HAD INSTRUCTED HIM to stay off the streets and to eat in his room。 He had a sandwich and fries in a bag； and was obediently walking to his room on the eighth floor of the Marbury。 An Asian maid was pushing her cart near his room。 He stopped at his door and pulled the key from his pocket。
〃You forget something； sir？〃 the maid asked。
Gray looked at her。 〃I beg your pardon。〃
〃You forget something？〃
〃Well； no。 Why？〃
The maid took a step closer to him。 〃You just left； sir； and now you are back。〃
〃I left four hours ago。〃
She shook her head and took another step for a closer look。 〃No sir。 A man left your room ten minutes ago。〃 She hesitated and studied his face intently。But； sir； now I think it was another man。〃
Gray glanced at the room number on the door。 833。 He stared at the woman。 〃Are you certain another man was in this room？〃
〃Yes； sir。 Just minutes ago。〃
He panicked。 He walked quickly to the stairs； and ran down eight flights。 What was in the room？ Nothing but clothes。 Nothing about Darby。 He stopped and reached into a pocket。 The note with the Tabard Inn address and her phone number was in the pocket。 He caught his breath； and eased into the lobby。
He had to find her； and quick。
* * *
DARBY FOUND an empty table in the reading room on the second floor of the Edward Bennett Williams Law Library at Georgetown。 In her new hobby as a traveling critic of law school libraries； she found Georgetown's to be the nicest so far。 It was a separate five…story building across a small courtyard from Mc…Donough Hall； the law school。 The library was new； sleek； and modern； but still a law library and quickly filling with Sunday students now thinking of final exams。
She opened volume five of Martindale…Hubbell； and found the section for D。C。 firms。 White and Blazevich ran for twenty…eight pages。 Names； birth dates； birthplaces； schools； professional organizations； distinctions； awards； mittees； and publications of four hundred and twelve lawyers； the partners first； then the associates。 She took notes on a legal pad。
The firm had eighty…one partners； and the rest were associates。 She grouped them by alphabet； and wrote every name on the legal pad。 She was just another law student checking out law firms in the relentless chase of employment。
The work was boring and her mind wandered。 Thomas had studied here twenty years ago。 He'd been a top student and claimed to have spent many hours in the library。 He'd written for the law journal； a chore she would be enduring under normal circumstances。
Death was a subject she'd analyzed from different angles in the past ten days。 Except for going quietly in one's sleep； she was undecided as to the best approach。 A slow； agonizing demise from a disease was a nightmare for the victim and the loved ones； but at least there was time for preparation and farewells。 A violent； unexpected death was over in a second and probably best for the deceased。 But the shock was numbing for those left behind。 There were so many painful questions。 Did he suffer？ What was his last thought？ Why did it happen？ And watching the quick death of a loved one was beyond description。
She loved him more because she watched him die； and she told herself to stop hearing the explosion； and stop smelling the smoke； and stop watching him die。 If she survived three more days； she would be in a place where she could lock the door and cry and throw things until the grieving was over。 She was determined to make it to that place。 She was determined to grieve； and to heal。 It was the least she deserved。
She memorized names until she knew more about White and Blazevich than anyone outside the firm。 She eased into the darkness and caught a cab to the hotel。
* * *
MATTHEW BARR went to New Orleans； where he met with a lawyer who instructed him to fly to a certain hotel in Fort Lauderdale。 The lawyer was vague about what would happen at the hotel； but Barr checked in Sunday night and found a room waiting for him。 A note at the desk said he would receive a call in the early a。m。
He called Fletcher Coal at home at ten； and briefed him on the journey so far。
〃Coal had other things on his mind。Grantham's gone crazy。 He and a guy named Rifkin with the Times are making calls everywhere。 They could be deadly。〃
〃Have they seen the brief？〃
〃I don't know if they've seen it； but they've heard of it。 Rifkin called one of my aides at home yesterday and asked what he knew about the pelican brief。 The aide knew nothing； and got the impression Rifkin knew even less。 I don't think he's seen it； but we can't be certain。〃
〃Damn； Fletcher。 We can't keep up with a bunch of reporters。 Those guys make a hundred phone calls a minute。〃
〃Just two。 Grantham and Rifkin。 You've already got Gran…tham wired。 Do the same for Rifkin。〃
〃Grantham's wired； but he's using neither the phone in his apartment nor the one in his car。 I called Bailey from the airport in New Orleans。 Grantham hasn't been home in twenty…four hours； but his car's still there。 They called and knocked on his door。 He's either dead in the apartment； or he sneaked out last night。〃
〃Maybe he's dead。〃
〃I don't think so。 We were following； and so were the Fibbies。 I think he got wind of it。〃
〃You must find him。〃
〃He'll turn up。 He can't get too far away from the newsroom on the fifth floor。〃
〃I want Rifkin wired too。 Call Bailey tonight and get it started； okay？〃
〃Yes sir；〃 Barr said。
〃What do you think Mattiece would do if he thought Grantham had the story and was about to spread it across the front page of the Washington Post？〃 Coal asked。
Barr stretched on the hotel bed and closed his eyes。 Months ago he had made the decision never to cross Fletcher Coal。 He was an animal。
〃He's not afraid of killing people； is he？〃 Barr said。
〃Do you think you'll see Mattiece tomorrow？〃
〃I don't know。 These guys are very secretive。 They speak in hushed tones behind closed doors。 They've told me little。〃
〃Why do they want you in Fort Lauderdale？〃
〃I do not know； but it's much closer to the Bahamas。 I think I'm going there tomorrow； or perhaps he's ing here。 I just don't know。〃
〃Perhaps you should exaggerate the Grantham angle。 Mattiece will snuff out the story。〃
〃I'll think about it。〃
〃