mac.thepearlharbormurders-第24部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃But　he　could　have　been　killed　elsewhere。〃
　〃Yes…if　the　killer　had　an　acplice　to　help　him　carry　the　body　down　the　slope。　The　body　could　have　been　transported　here　in　the　trunk　of　a　car。〃
　〃Did　you　find　the　clothes？〃
　Jardine　nodded。　〃I'm　told　they　were　neatly　stacked　in　the　rocks　nearby。〃
　The　afternoon　was　dying。　The　setting　sun　seemed　a　red…hot　ball　of　flame；　tinting　the　waves　pink；　as　if　the　ocean　were　watered…down　blood。
　The　detective　looked　up　at　Hully　with　eyes　that　were　bright　but　no　longer　hard　or　sharp。　〃Would　you　help　me　tonight；　Mr。　Burroughs？　We'll　go　to　Hotel　Street　and　find　that　sailor　and　that　soldier。〃
　There　was　no　question　about　it：　Hully　would　go　along　with　Jardine。　But　just　the　same；　he　said；　〃I　thought　I　was　supposed　to　leave　this　to　the　professionals。〃
　〃You'll　be　with　a　professional。　What　do　you　say？〃
　Down　the　beach；　foamy　surf　licking　ever　nearer；　Terry　Mizuha　seemed　to　have　no　objection。
　〃I　had　nothing　else　planned；〃　Hully　said。
　
　
　TEN
　An　Evening　at　the　Shuncho…ro
　
　At　the　top　of　Red　Hill；　Burroughs　slowed　his　Pierce　Arrow　to　take　in　the　panoramic　view　of　Pearl　Harbor　on　this　peaceful　evening…the　scattering　of　stars　in　God's　purple　Hawaiian　sky　peting　with　the　man…made　twinkling　of　buildings　and　ships；　the　ebony　sea　highlighted　shimmeringly　by　the　rays　of　the　near…golden　moon。　Dance　band　music　drifted　up　from　the　officers'　club　below；　the　view　including　the　Naval　Station；　Luke　Field；　and…in　the　distance…the　Ewa　Sugar　Plantation；　but　the　equipment；　the　trappings；　of　the　great　base　were　lost　in　the　night；　the　workshops；　the　big　hammerhead　crane；　swallowed　by　darkness；　with　only　the　lights　of　the　Pacific　Fleet　remaining…and　there　were　plenty；　what　with　every　battleship　in　port。　Winding　down　the　hill；　passing　through　Halawa　Gulch；　the　convertible　glided　by　fields　of　sugarcane；　which　waved　at　the　writer；　friendly　in　the　moonlight。
　A　sign　told　Burroughs　that　Pearl　City　Road　Junction　lay　ahead　just　three　miles；　where　a　left　turn　would　take　him　to　the　Peninsula　residential　section　and　the　Shuncho…ro　teahouse。
　He　had　not　connected　with　Hully；　and　Burroughs　wondered　what　his　son　might　have　uncovered…he　only　hoped　the　boy　hadn't　gotten　himself　in　any　jam。　For　once　Burroughs　valued　his　son's　friendship　with　Sam　Fujimoto…snooping　in　Chinatown　without　a　safari　guide　would　have　been　reckless。　Not　that　he　was　worried；　really；　other　than　a　standard　fatherly　concern：　Hully　was　as　smart　as　he　was　strapping；　and　could　damn　well　take　care　of　himself。
　On　the　other　hand；　it　was　a　murderer　they　were　chasing。　And　Burroughs　was　starting　to　wonder　whether　Pearl　Harada's　death　really　had　been　a　simple　crime　of　passion；　driven　by　the　jealousy　of　one　suitor　or　another　。。。　or　was　it　a　small　yet　important　part　of　something　greater　and　far　more　sinister？
　Back　at　the　Waikiki　Tavern；　after　Colonel　Fielder　had　departed；　Burroughs　and　FBI　agent　Sterling　had　sat　and　talked　for　another　fifteen　minutes；　in　the　matched…roofed　pergola　on　the　beach。　No　more　rum　punch：　a　waiter　was　dispatched　to　bring　coffee　for　both　men。　As　they　spoke；　a　tropical　sunset　painted　the　water；　the　world；　with　shades　of　red　and　orange；　but　as　the　sun's　ball　of　fire　slipped　over　the　horizon；　darkness　rapidly　invaded。
　Burroughs　had　told　Sterling　about　the　informal　investigation　he　and　his　son　were　undertaking　into　the　Harada　girl's　death；　assuring　the　agent　that　Hully　had　not　been　clued　in　on　Otto　Kuhn's　suspected　status　as　a　sleeper　agent。
　〃To　me；　the　most　interesting　thing　you've　e　up　with；〃　the　ruggedly　handsome　FBI　agent　said；　stirring　sugar　into　his　coffee；　〃is　that　phone　call　that　Kuhn　and　his　wife　argued　about。〃
　Burroughs　lifted　an　eyebrow。　〃Apparently；　Otto　told　her　to　deny　there'd　been　any　phone　call；　or　anyway　not　to　mention　there　had　been　one。〃
　Sterling's　eyes　narrowed。　〃But　who　rang　Otto；　in　the　middle　of　the　night？　And　why？〃
　〃He's　a　sleeper　agent…maybe　it　was　a　wake…up　call。〃
　The　FBI　agent　nodded。　〃Maybe　in　a　way　it　was…　Otto　receives　a　call；　and　then　before　you　know　it；　he's　on　your　doorstep；　telling　Jardine　he　witnessed　Kamana　killing　that　girl。〃
　〃You　mean。。。　the　real　murderer　called　him；　and　ordered　up　an　alibi？〃
　Sterling　made　an　openhanded　shrugging　gesture。　〃There's　really　only　two　reasonable　alternatives；　here：　Kuhn　did　the　killing　and　blamed　Kamana；　or　someone　else　did　the　killing；　and　Kuhn　is　alibiing　for　him。。。　or　her。〃
　〃Her？　Mrs。　Kuhn；　you　mean？〃
　〃She　remains　a　viable　suspect；〃　Sterling　said；　and　sipped　his　coffee。　〃Otto's　reputation　as　a　playboy　has　been　well　earned…he　does　run　around　on　Elfriede　。。。　and　you　gotta　give　Otto　his　nerve　for　that：　his　wife　is　the　niece　of　Heinrich　Himmler　himself。〃
　The　saltwater　breeze　suddenly　seemed　chilly　to　Burroughs。　〃So　I　really　do　have　Nazis　living　next　door。〃
　〃No　doubt　of　that。〃
　〃Then　where　does　the　damn　phone　call　e　in？〃
　Sterling　threw　his　hands　up。　〃Search　me。　But　I　can　tell　you　this…there's　a　reason　why　Pearl　Harada's　murder　sent　up　a　warning　flare　at　my　office　。。。　particularly　with　Otto　Kuhn　as　a　supposed　eyewitness；　apparently　fingering　a　fall　guy。〃
　〃Why　is　that；　Adam？〃
　The　agent　leaned　forward。　〃Remember　what　I　told　you　about　the　network　of　nisei　who　are　helping　pile　a　list　of　potentially　disloyal　Japs　here　in　Oahu？〃
　〃Sure。〃
　〃Well；　Pearl　Harada's　uncle…the　Chinatown　grocer…is　on　that　list。〃
　Burroughs　half　climbed　out　of　his　wicker　chair。　〃Jesus；　Hully　went　to　question　that　guy　this　afternoon！〃
　Sterling　patted　the　air；　calmingly。　〃I　didn't　say　Uncle　Harada　was　dangerous…just　that　he's　loyal　to　his　native　country。。。　like　a　lot　of　issei　in　Chinatown。〃
　Issei　were　first…generation　immigrants。
　Sterling　was　saying；　〃Until　recently；　Harada　displayed　photographs　of　the　emperor　in　his　shop。　Plus；　he's　vocally　supported　Japan's　war　on　China；　buying　Jap　war　bonds；　helping　organize　an　effort　to　send　'fort　bags'　to　Japanese　soldiers…blankets；　shoes；　candy。〃
　Burroughs　shifted　in　his　chair。　〃Well；　this　is　beginning　to　look　like　Pearl　Harada's　death　may　have　more　to　do　with　espionage　than　affairs　of　the　heart。〃
　Sterling　shrugged　again。　〃There's　no　question　this　was　a　beautiful　girl　who　could　have　driven　a　man　to　some　irrational；　jealous　act　of　violence。。。　but　with　both　her　uncle　and　your　'Nazi…next…door'　in　the　scenario；　an　espionage…related　motive　remains　a　distinct　possibility。〃
　〃And　let's　not　forget　she　knew　Vice　Consul　Mori…mura；　either…or　that　he　was　reading　her　the　Riot　Act　in　the　parking　lot；　a　few　hours　before　she　was　killed。〃
　Sterling's　reaction　was　not　what　Burroughs　had　expected：　the　FBI　agent　laughed。
　Astounded；　Burroughs　said；　〃This　is　funny；　all　of　a　sudden？〃
　〃I'm　sorry。　It's　just。。。　That　guy's　hard　to　take　seriously。　My　guess　is　Morimura　was　yelling　at　her　because　she　wouldn't　give　him　the　time　of　day。〃
　〃How　can　you　say　that；　Adam？　Fielder　admits　this　clown　spends　most　of　his　time　engaged　in　'legal'　spying。〃
　〃　'Clown'　is　the　key　word；　there。〃　Sterling　sipped　his　coffee；　then　leaned　forward　again。　〃Listen；　Ed…　Morimura　is　an　idiot。　I　have　it　on　good　authority　that　everybody　else　at　the　Consulate　hates　his　guts；　considers　him　a　lazy　ass。　We've　had　him　under　surveillance；　from　time　to　time；　and　the　guy　just　wanders　around　like　a　tourist；　never　takes　a　note　or　a　photo　or　makes　a　sketch。〃
　〃Maybe　he　has　a　photographic　memory。〃
　〃I　sincerely　doubt　it；　considering　all　the　brain　cells　he's　lost　to　sake。　Morimura's　a　simpleton　and　a　sybarite。〃
　Burroughs　was　shaking　bis　head；　astounded　by　Sterling's　attitude。　〃Kuhn's　a　playboy　and　you　take　him　seriously。〃
　〃Morimura　spends　all　his　time　drinking　himself　into　a　stupor　and　screwing　geisha　girls…end　of　story。〃
　〃Maybe　he's　just　a　clever　agent…you　were　concerned　enough　about　the　Consulate　burning　their　papers；　yesterday；　and　Morimura's　a　damn　vice　consul。。。。〃
　Sterling　held　up　his　hands　as　if　in　surrender。　〃Check　him　out　yourself；　if　you　like；　Ed…this　is　Saturday　。。。　he'll　no　doubt　be　at　the　Shuncho…ro　teahouse；　tonight。　The　management　keeps　a　room　upstairs　for　him；　to　pursue　his　debaucheries；　and　then　sleep　it　off。〃　Sterling　checked　his　watch。　〃As　for　me；　I　have　to　get　over　to　General　Short's　quarters；　to　try　to　jump…start　h