mac.thepearlharbormurders-第22部分

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　〃His　niece　murdered；　I　should　say。〃
　Actually；　Hully　had　his　doubts；　though　he　said；　〃Maybe　he　won't　even　be　working。〃
　〃Oh；　he'll　be　working；〃　Sam　said　with　a　knowing　smile。　〃Guy　like　that　doesn't　miss　a　Saturday　at　the　market。〃
　Hully　knew　Sam　was　right…knew　that　Harada　was　indeed　working　today。　Since　Hully　hadn't　had　an　address　for　the　grocer；　he'd　stopped　at　the　front　desk　and　checked　with　manager　Fred　Bivens；　who'd　said；　〃Funny　thing　is；　you　just　missed　him。　He　made　a　delivery　not　ten　minutes　ago。〃
　〃Really？　Gosh；　he　delivered　a　boatload　of　stuff　just　yesterday…I　helped　him　unload　some　of　it。〃
　〃I　remember…but　sometimes　Mr。　Harada　makes　unscheduled　stops　when　he　has　something　nice　for　me…　like　the　swordfish　he　dropped　by　with；　just　now。〃
　〃How's　he　doing？〃
　〃Doing？〃
　〃His　niece　was　murdered　last　night；　Fred。　How　is　he　doing？〃
　〃Oh。　Well；　he's　doing　fine。　I　paid　my　sympathies；　he　thanked　me；　we　both　said　what　a　sad　awful　thing　it　was；　and。。。　frankly；　then　we　did　business。〃
　〃So　Pearl's　uncle　isn't　holed　up　in　some　funeral　home　or　church；　mourning；　then。〃
　〃No。　He　said　he　was　on　his　way　back　to　his　store。〃
　〃You　have　an　address？〃
　〃Actually。。。　funny　thing；　no。　I　never　been　down　there　to　his　shop　in　Chinatown。。。　he　always　makes　deliveries。　All　I　know　is　it's　down　near　the　Aala　Market。〃
　They　were　deep　into　Chinatown　now。　Just　past　Mau…nakea　Street；　on　the　right…hand　side　of　Beretania；　was　notorious　Tin　Can　Alley；　that　quaint；　exotic；　harmless…looking　entry　into　a　deadly　tenement　area　replete　with　crooked　pathways；　whores；　rickety　wooden　stairs；　pimps；　sagging　balconies；　and　thugs…a　literal　tourist　trap。　Within　easy　walking　distance　were　neighborhoods　with　such　sobriquets　as　Blood　Town；　Hell's　Half　Acre　and　Mosquito　Flats；　home　to　a　staggering　array　of　opium　dens；　gambling　halls　and　cathouses。
　〃What's　your　take　on　this？〃　Hully　asked　his　friend。　〃You　know　Bill　well　enough…could　he　be　a　suspect？〃
　Sam　shrugged　a　shoulder。　〃Only　if　Pearl　was　running　around　on　him；　and　he　caught　her　in　the　act。〃
　〃Do　you　believe　that's　possible？〃
　〃She　was　a　flirt；　and　she　got　around…but　this　last　month　or　so？　I　can't　see　it。　Hell；　she　was　crazy　about　Bill…she　was　serious。　They　were　serious。〃
　Nodding　thoughtfully；　Hully　said；　〃I'd　like　to　track　down　this　Stanton…he's　on　a　weekend　pass。　Maybe　we　could　check　out　Hotel　Street　later。〃
　〃I'm　game。〃
　Just　beyond　Lau　Yee　Chai…the　best；　most　lavish　chop　suey　house　in　Honolulu　（a　different　sort　of　tourist　trap）…was　River　Street；　bordering　the　Nuuanu　Stream。　Soon　they　were　on　Queen　Street；　and　Sam　found　a　parking　place；　and　they　headed　over　on　foot　to　the　Aala　Market　and　the　Japanese　sampan　fishing　dock。
　Along　the　way　they　encountered　Japanese　women　wearing　silk　kimonos　clip…clopping　along　the　wooden　walkway　in　clogs　called　gettas；　lugging　children　on　their　backs。　Past　the　garish　Oriental　lettering　of　signs；　small　simple　wooden　storefronts　were　gorged　with　tourist…friendly　merchandise；　often　a　diapered　baby　would　be　crawling　across　a　wooden　floor；　and　one　moonfaced　older　child　sat　unattended；　nibbling　pink　gelatin　candies；　while　tourists　and　clerks　bartered。　They　passed　pawnshops；　saimin　（noodle）　cafes；　coffee　shops；　and　herb　dens；　the　babblelike　sounds　of　Asian　tongues　mingling　with　the　occasional　popping　of　firecrackers　and　the　hollow　echo　of　gongs　gliding　down　the　Nuuanu　Valley　from　a　Buddhist　temple。
　The　Aala　Market　was　democracy…and　capitalism…　in　action：　all　classes　of　people；　half　a　dozen　or　more　races；　moving　along　the　vegetable；　fish　and　flower　stalls；　rubbing　（sometimes　knocking）　elbows　in　the　mon　pursuit　of　food。　The　fish　caught　in　Hawaiian　waters　were　second　to　none；　and　spread　out　in　rows　for　the　approval　of　customers：　red　snappers　looking　like　giant　goldfish；　enormous　swordfish；　tuna　small　and　large　（aku）；　bass；　needlefish；　even　an　octopus。　Some　of　it　had　been　chopped　into　slabs　and　steaks；　and　there　was　seaweed　for　sale；　too；　and　dried　salmon；　and　fresh　poi。
　Hully　let　Sam　do　the　talking…since　much　of　it　was　in　Japanese…seeking　directions　to　the　grocer's　shop。　Sam　had　little　luck　for　some　time；　until　Hully　thought　to　ask　him　to　explain　to　these　merchants　that　they　were　not　seeking　Harada　to　make　a　purchase。
　〃I　should've　thought　of　that；〃　Sam　said；　grinning；　shaking　his　head。　〃They　don't　want　to　send　us　to　a　petitor！〃
　Next　time　out；　they　got　the　address…and　it　was　close　by。
　As　they　strolled　along　the　sampan　dock；　where　both　small　blue　sampans　and　larger　diesel…powered　boats　were　moored；　Sam　said；　〃These　fishermen　are　all　Japanese…no　Chinese　or　Filipino　or　anybody　else。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃We're　just　better　at　it。〃　This　was　a　rare　instance　of　Sam　referring　to　himself　as　in　any　way　Japanese。　〃Faster　boats；　powerful　shortwave　radios。　We're　good　at　gizmos。〃
　〃Size　of　some　of　these　boats　is　amazing。〃
　〃Fishing　is　big　business；　around　here…one　of　those　diesel…powered　forty…footers　can　run　you　twelve　grand。　That　kind　of　dough　even　Tarzan　wouldn't　sneeze　at。〃
　Hully　whistled。　〃You　know；　all　this　talk　of　a　Japanese　attack　on　Oahu…would　they　really　do　it？　I　mean；　there　are　so　many　Japanese　here　。。。　so　much　Japanese　business。〃
　〃Well；　it's　really　American　business；　Hully。　But　you　have　a　point…Honolulu　is　probably　the　most　Japanese　city　on　earth；　outside　Japan。〃
　〃So　you're　saying　they　wouldn't　bomb　us？〃　〃No。〃　And　Sam's　eyes　tightened　into　slits；　and　his　smile　was　utterly　mirthless。　〃They'd　bomb　us　in　a　flash。〃
　〃That's　hard　for　me　to　believe。〃　Sam　put　a　hand　on　his　friend's　shoulder。　〃Hully；　there　are　quite　likely　people　in　Japan　right　now　banking　on　that　very　attitude。〃
　Yoshio　Harada's　shop　was　not　a　grocery　in　any　American　sense。　It　was　a　small；　unpretentious　wooden　storefront　whose　front　door　was　black　hanging　beads；　the　walls　were　consumed　with　shelves　overflowing　with　reed　baskets　and　glass　jars　of　ginger　root；　shark…fins；　seahorse　skeletons；　dried　seaweed　and　other　exotic　wares。　None　of　the　fresh　fish　or　produce　that　Harada　delivered　to　the　Niumalu　（and；　presumably；　other　clients）　was　on　display…apparently；　he　strictly　made　his　purchases　at　the　nearby　Aala　Market　for　deliveries　by　pick…up　truck。
　The　small；　mustached　man…wearing　a　white　shirt　and　tan　trousers　and　a　grocer's　apron；　despite　the　lack　of　groceries…was　manning　a　counter　to　the　left；　the　shelves　of　weird　roots　and　herbs　rising　surrealistically　behind　him。
　Harada　recognized　Hully　at　once；　half…bowing。　〃Ah；　Burroughs…san。　You　honor　me。　What　brings　you　to　Chinatown？〃
　〃I　came　to　pay　my　respects。〃　Hully　gestured　to　Sam。　〃This　is　my　friend　Sam　Fujimoto…his　mother　is　our　maid　at　the　Niumalu…perhaps　you　know　her。〃
　〃I　am　sorry；　I　do　not。　But　it　is　a　pleasure。〃　Harada　held　out　his　hand　and　he　and　Sam　shook；　like　they　were　both　Americans　。。。　which；　of　course；　they　were。
　〃I　was　a　friend　of　your　niece's；　as　well；　sir；〃　Sam　said；　with　another　respectful　nod。　〃We're　sorry　for　your　loss。〃
　The　grocer　offered　a　curt　nod　in　return。　〃Thank　you；　gentlemen。〃
　〃When　will　the　service　be　held？〃　Hully　asked。
　Harada　seemed　confused。　〃Service？〃
　〃Pearl's　funeral。〃
　〃Oh。。。　no　arrangements　have　been　made。〃
　〃Ah。　Can　I　help？〃
　〃I　have　written　her　parents。　Posted　the　letter。〃
　〃You　didn't　call　them？〃
　〃No。　It　is　long　distance。〃
　Hully　exchanged　glances　with　Sam。　〃But　Mr。　Harada；　surely　Pearl　deserves　better　than　this。。。。As　I　said；　I'll　be　glad　to　help。。。。〃
　〃Offer　is　。。。　kind。〃　Harada　smiled　faintly；　patiently。　〃Burroughs…san；　I　like　my　niece；　but　we　were　not。。。　close。　I　am　Buddhist；　she　was　Christian。　She　would　not　want　a　service　in　my　faith；　I　no　have　interest　in　arranging　one　in　hers。　Her　parents　share　her　Christian　belief。　They　may　feel　other　way。〃
　Frowning；　Hully　asked；　〃Where　is　her　body　now？〃
　〃I　understand　is　in　morgue。　She　was　murdered。〃
　〃Well；　I　know　she　was　murdered；　but…〃
　Harada　held　up　a　hand。　His　face　was　strangely　hard。　〃I　am　sorry　for　her　death。　But　she　turned　her　back　on　her　people。　She　did　not　like　it　here；　with　me…and　she　did　not　return；　once　she　got　her。。。　job。〃
　〃I　thought　she　helped　line　you　up　your　grocery　account　with　Fred　Bivens；　at　the　Niumalu。〃
　〃She　did。　I　was　grateful。〃
　Sam　said；　〃But　you　weren't　close。〃
　〃No。〃
　Hull