mac.thepearlharbormurders-第15部分

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　〃What's　your　opinion？〃
　Hully　sighed；　and　stared　out　at　the　vast　blue　of　the　sky　meeting　the　ocean。　He　was　a　handsome　young　man…Burroughs　could　see　so　much　of　his　own　late　mother　in　the　boy's　sensitive；　oval　face。
　〃Well；　like　you　said　last　night；　O。　B。…Kamana　was　a　hell　of　a　lot　more　credible　than　that　Kuhn　character　。。。　but　why　would　Kuhn　have　lied？〃
　〃Maybe　he　did　the　killing。〃　Burroughs　nodded　to　the　left；　toward　the　foliage　lining　the　beach；　behind　which　the　German's　bungalow　nestled。　〃He　had　easy　access…　as　you　put　it；　opportunity。〃
　Hully　was　making　a　face。　〃What's　his　motive？〃
　〃Pearl　was　a　nice　girl；　but　let's　face　it…she　got　around。　And　Otto；　married　or　not；　has　a　reputation　as　a　playboy。〃
　Hully　snapped　his　fingers。　〃That　makes　his　wife　a　suspect；　too！　Suppose　Otto　and　Pearl　were　down　on　the　beach；　and　Mrs。　Kuhn　caught　'em！〃
　Nodding；　with　a　wry；　rueful　smile；　Burroughs　said；　〃Doesn't　take　long　to　e　up　with　other　suspects；　does　it？　And　there　could　be　other　reasons　why　Kuhn　lied。〃
　〃If　he　did　lie。〃
　〃If　he　did　lie；〃　Burroughs　allowed。　He　wanted　to　share　Kuhn's　supposed　status　as　〃sleeper〃　agent　for　the　Japanese；　but　didn't　feel　he　should　betray　FBI　agent　Sterling's　confidence。
　〃Anyway；　I　can　see　the　problem　with　Jardine；〃　Hully　said。　〃As　a　prosecutor's　investigator；　he's　already　focused　on　one　suspect…when　there　are　plenty　of　others。〃
　Burroughs　glanced　around；　to　make　sure　he　and　his　son　were　still　alone　on　the　beach。　〃I　hate　to　say　so；　but　。。。　Colonel　Fielder　and　his　son　have　to　be　included　on　that　list。〃
　Hully　was　shaking　his　head。　〃I　can't　believe　Bill　would　do　anything　to　harm　Pearl…he　was　crazy　about　her！〃
　〃　'Crazy'　might　be　the　operative　word…suppose　Bill　found　Pearl　with　another　man；　on　the　beach？〃
　〃Well。。。　I　can　see　your　point；　but…〃
　〃Were　you　with　Bill　last　night？　Can　you　alibi　him？〃
　Hully　lowered　his　gaze。　〃No。　Last　I　saw　him；　he　was　on　Hotel　Street。。。　plenty　of　time　to　get　back　here。〃
　〃And　I　know　for　a　fact　Pearl　was　looking　to　talk　to　Fielder。。。。〃
　Quickly；　Burroughs　filled　his　son　in　on　Pearl's　visit
　to　the　bungalow；　and　her　request　for　Burroughs　to　set　up　a　meeting　with　Bill's　father。
　〃She　asked　me　the　same　thing；〃　Hully　said。　〃Wanted　me；　or　you；　to　arrange　a　meet。　Are　you　thinking　the　colonel　may　have　e　back。。。　or　was　still　hanging　around　here　。。。　and　she　approached　him；　and。。。　tried　to　present　her　case；　for　marrying　Bill；　and　。。。〃
　〃Can　you　deny　it's　a　possibility？〃
　Hully　gestured　with　an　open　hand。　〃What　if　you　run　all　of　this　by　Jardine？〃
　〃I　intend　to　。。。　but　I　know　how　that　Portuguese　po…lice　dog's　mind　works；　and　I　know　his　single…minded　technique。〃
　〃What　do　you　suggest；　Dad？〃
　Burroughs　leaned　toward　his　son；　placed　a　hand　on　Hully's　shoulder；　gently　squeezing。　〃Why　don't　we　do　a　little。。。　informal　investigating？　We　can　chat　with　people…many　of　the　suspects　are　our　friends；　after　all。。。。〃
　〃Unfortunately。〃
　〃No…fortunately。〃　Now　Burroughs　looked　out　at　the　ocean　and　the　sky；　his　eyes；　his　whole　face；　tight　as　a　clenched　fist。　〃The　worst　that　could　be　said　of　that　young　woman　is　she　may　have　been　a　little　fast。　She　didn't　deserve　anything　but　a　long；　happy　life。　She　was　pretty　and　smart　and　talented。　Any　'friend'　of　mine　who　murdered　that　girl　is　no　friend　at　all。〃
　〃Dad。。。　Jesus；　Dad。　You　really　were　a　cop。〃
　He　turned　to　Hully　again。　〃What　do　you　say；　son？　Why　don't　we　split　up；　and　do　some　。。。　socializing？〃
　Hully's　eyes　narrowed；　then　he　nodded；　vigorously。　〃Pearl　deserves　our　help。〃
　〃She　sure　as　hell　does…I　only　wish　I'd　been　a　little　earlier　last　night；　and　could　have　really　helped　her；　when　she　needed　it　most。〃
　They　briefly　discussed　who　among　the　Niumalu　residents　and　staff　each　would　attempt　to　interrogate…　without　seeming　to；　of　course…and　soon　Hully　was　heading　off　toward　the　lodge；　and　Burroughs　was　angling　over　toward　the　bungalow　where　the　Kuhns　resided。
　As　he　approached；　he　encountered　Mrs。　Fujimoto；　ing　from　the　direction　of　the　Kuhn　bungalow。　The　slender；　fortyish　kimono…clad　woman；　her　graying　hair　tucked　back　in　a　bun；　worked　as　a　maid　at　the　Niumalu；　she　was　not　on　the　hotel　staff；　rather　worked　for　a　handful　of　guests　who　shared　her　services；　Burroughs　and　the　Kuhns　among　them。
　〃Good　morning；　Mr。　Burroughs；〃　she　said；　stopping；　lowering　her　head　respectfully。
　〃How　are　you　this　morning；　Mrs。　Fujimoto？〃
　〃Very　sad；　since　I　hear　of　Miss　Pearl　Harada's　misfortune。　Very　sad。〃
　Nodding；　Burroughs　said；　〃She　was　a　lovely　girl；　a　nice　person…she'll　be　missed。〃
　Mrs。　Fujimoto　looked　up　and　her　eyes　were　filigreed　red；　she　wore　no　makeup；　which　made　her　seem　rather　plain　when　actually　her　features　were　pleasant。　〃I　am　on　way　to　your　cottage；　Mr。　Burroughs；　to　begin　my　work。〃
　He　checked　his　watch。　〃You're　not　due　till　around　eleven；　are　you？〃
　〃I　ran　early…the　Kuhns　did　not　want　me。。。　what　they　say？　'Underfoot。'　Is　it　inconvenience；　my　early　e？〃
　〃No；　no…go　ahead。〃
　At　the　Kuhns'　bungalow；　Burroughs　stood　on　the　stoop　at　the　screen　door；　about　to　knock；　when　the　German　opened　the　door；　slapping　the　writer　with　it。
　〃Sorry；　Edgar！〃　Kuhn　looked　aghast。　〃Forgive　me！〃
　Burroughs；　knocked　back　a　bit；　touched　his　forehead　and　said；　〃Jeez；　Otto；　where's　the　fire？〃
　〃Fire？〃　Shutting　the　screen；　Kuhn　joined　the　writer；　at　the　bottom　of　the　short　stoop。　The　German　was　again　in　white　linen；　his　tie　a　light　blue；　damn　near　matching　the　light　blue　of　his　eyes…the　whiteness　of　his　suit　was　stark　against　the　rose…colored　bougainvillea　blanketing　his　bungalow。
　Burroughs　explained；　〃　'Where's　the　fire'…what's　your　hurry？〃
　Kuhn　blinked；　raised　his　chin。　〃Oh；　I　have　a　business　appointment。〃　Then　he　put　a　hand　on　the　writer's　shoulder。　〃I　feel　the　fool…are　you　all　right？〃
　〃I'll　survive。〃　Actually；　the　wooden　frame　had　clipped　Burroughs　on　the　forehead　and　it　did　hurt；　a　little。　〃I　just　wanted　to　see　how　you　were　doing；　this　morning…after　that　unpleasantness　last　night。〃
　Kuhn　withdrew　his　hand　from　Burroughs's　shoulder；　and　summoned　an　unconvincing　smile；　it　was　like　a　gash　in　his　pasty　pale　face。　〃How　thoughtful；　Edgar。　Well；　of　course；　it　was　a　terrible　thing　to　witness。〃　He　said　this　as　offhandedly　as　a　man　describing　an　overcooked　steak　he'd　had　to　send　back。
　Burroughs　shook　his　head。　〃I　should　say…her　scream　woke　me　from　a　deep　sleep；　and　scared　the　bejesus　out　of　me。〃　That　wasn't　exactly　true；　but　the　writer　liked　the　effect　of　it。　〃Did　Pearl　scream　when　Kamana　raised　the　rock？〃
　Kuhn　cocked　his　head。　〃Pardon　me？〃
　〃Well；　you　saw　the　murder…did　she　scream　when　Kamana　raised　his　hand；　to　strike　her？　Or　did　he　hit　her　more　than　once；　and　she　screamed　after　one　glancing　blow　。。。　and　then　another　blow；　or　blows；　silenced　her？〃
　The　blue　eyes　were　wide；　white　showing　all　around。　〃I；　uh。。。　my　God；　Edgar；　this　is　an　unpleasant　subject。　I've　already　。had　to　go　over　this　with　the　police；　again　and　again。。。　I　was　up　until　all　hours。〃
　Burroughs　raised　his　palms；　as　if　in　surrender。　〃My　mistake…I　thought；　since　we'd　both　been　witnesses　to　this　thing；　that　we　had　something　in　mon。　That　we'd　shared　something；　however　horrible。〃
　Kuhn　nodded；　once。　〃I　do　understand…I　meant　no　offense。　But　I　would　prefer　not　to　discuss　the　matter　any　further。〃
　Not　the　murder…the　〃matter。〃
　〃Sure；　Otto。　I　guess　I　don't　blame　you。〃
　The　ambiguity　of　what　Burroughs　had　just　said　froze　the　German　for　a　moment；　then　he　gave　the　writer　another　curt　nod。　〃If　you'll　excuse　me；　Edgar…I　have　business　downtown。〃
　Kuhn　strode　off　across　the　grass；　toward　the　lodge　and　its　parking　lot；　and　Burroughs　began　back　toward　his　own　quarters；　then；　when　Kuhn　was　out　of　sight；　the　writer　cut　back　toward　the　bougainvillea…covered　bungalow。
　He　didn't　have　to　knock　on　the　screen　door；　this　time…Kuhn's　wife；　the　person　he　had　hoped　to　casually　interview；　was　already　outside。　He　didn't　see　her；　at　first…she　was　down　at　the　far　end　of　the　bungalow；　tucked　back　in　the　cool　blue　shade　of　sheltering　palms；　seated　in　a　wood…and…canvas　beach…type　chair。
　Elfriede　Kuhn's　slender　shape　was　well　served　by　a　white　halter　top　and　matching　shorts。　Honey…blonde　hair　brushing　her　shoulders；　eyes　a　mystery　behind　the　dark　blue　circles