Book2:KigdomIteDreams (第117/246页)

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    “Yht.Yht.ImustcalmdownandthinkofawaytosaveRomi.IotallowanyoneundermyprotetobetreatedsoshamefullybecausetohumiliateanymemberofmyKingdomisequaltohumiliatingmepersonally.”

    “Yes”repliedMegginn.“Yes.Weuandthat.Givemeamihinkitoverathebestsolutionis.”Shelookedatherwristwatdsaid,“It’snineo’clock.Thefundraiserhasjustbegun.IfwewanttosaveRomi,wehavetomove.Wemayjustmakeit.”

    “Howshouldweproceed?”inquiredDimitri.

    “Ifwecallthepolice,”saidMegginn“theywillghasetofproceduresthatwillwastealotoftime.Murphyisaslyer.Wedonothaveanycreteevidenceofhiswrongdoingsathandsothepolicemaynotbeabletodoanything.”

    10

    “Itwillbeuptousthen.”cludedDimitri.RichardandJamazwerestimutedbythefactthattherewillbeexcitementaheadofthemandtheirheadclearedallofasuddenfromtheirhangover.Richardrolleduphissleevessaying,

    “Good.Good.Sonofagun,Iwasjustfeelingboredwithnothingtodo.Hey,Dimitri,justtelluswhattodo.ehellhwaterswewillfollowyou.”

    “Don’tbeimpatient”cautionedDimitri.“Wemustnotrushandmakehastydecisions.Iamblindnowandnotofmuchuse.Justthetwoofyouarenomatchforthisoutfit.Let’sseewhatMegginnhastosay.”Megginnagbadforthinthebackyard.Shecametoadecisionandsaid,

    “IsuggestresurregMr.KaffeeandBigOahemeoutoftheirretreatanddealwiththis.”

    “Oh?”saidDimitriverymuchsurprised.“BringBigOandOliverKaffeebatopower?Youdon’tthinkthat’stoorisky?”

    “No.Ithinkit’squiteappropriate.Don’tfetthatMr.KaffeewastheMafiabigshotandHawknoseusedtobeunderhim.Mr.Kaffeewouldknowanythingthatwastoknowaboutthisguyandwouldknowhowtodealwithhimpointbnk.Thisisthemostdirectwaytosolvetheproblem.”

    “WillMr.Kaffeebewillingtodothisforme?”

    “Ithinkhewill.Youhavetreatedhimmorethanfairlyaurnedgoodforevil.Heshouldbegratefultoyou.Acctomyobservation,youhavepletelycaptivatedhisheartandwhenpushestoshove,hewillbewillingtofighttothedeathforyou.”

    “Ifthatisthecase,let’sgiveitatry.Wehaveeralternativeanyway.”RichardandJamazwalkedquicklytowardsthegate.WhiteFairygedtoapuffofsmokeandstoppedthemsaying,

    “Waitforme.Iwillgowithyou.Ibeyourmessengerandflytoandfrosothateveryonewillbeinformed.”

    10

    “Yes”saidDimitri.“Thatwouldbeforthebest.”

    “Yourdipidatedjalopylyseattwo”saidMegginn,takiofherpocketandhandingittoRichard.“Takemytaxicabalongaswell.Youmight.”RichardandJamazeachdroveadmadeforthetemplebytheke,followedbyapuffofsmoke.

    Whenthere’snoknowinghowthingswillturnout,thewaitingwasatorment.Butatthistimetherewasnootherrecourse.DimitriacceptedMegginn’sadvidtriedtokeepcalmandposed,butinhisheartastormofthoughtsemergedoeranotheranditwashardforhimtokeephisequilibrium.Hethought,

    “Inone’slifetimetherearesuretobecrisisandcamitiesofdifferentdegreesofseverity.Whenoneesalong,itmustbedealtwithandovere.Iftherewereneverah-takingmomentsinone’slife,lifewouldbedulndft.Inmylifetherehadbeensomehair-raisingoccasions,butluckilyIhavealwayseoutsafelyandsmoothedthingsover.ThisbusinesswithRomiisnotanemergencyofthefirstcaliber.Itisbutasmalltwistitome,ablindman,itisadifficultproblemtosolve.Yes,thisiso