mac.thepearlharbormurders-第5部分

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er　condition。　For　three　weeks　he　was　shot　full　of　derivatives　of　the　poppy　flower；　fed　an　anesthetic　that　burned　from　his　lips　down　his　throat　into　his　lungs；　got　filled　full　of　sulfathiazole　until　he　thought　it　would　run　out　of　his　ears；　and　had　a　wire　inserted　in　his　favorite　organ。
　Upon　his　release；　he　began　to　imagine　he　was　having　small　strokes　and　heart　attacks；　but　didn't　much　care。
　He　felt　he　was　going　to　die。　He　wondered　if　maybe　helping　that　process　along　wasn't　worth　considering。
　A　note　acpanying　a　revision　of　his　will…in　which　he　thanked　his　loyal　secretary　Ralph　Rothmund　for　his　longtime　friendship；　telling　him　what　a　pleasure　it　had　been　to　work　with　him…apparently　got　his　three　children　worrying　about　his　mental　state；　alone　on　this　Pacific　island；　and　Hully　had　e　to　his　rescue。　God　bless　that　kid；　claiming　this　was　a　〃vacation。〃　They　had　moved　into　new　digs　near　the　beach　at　the　Niumalu；　a　bedroom　with　bath　and　sitting　room　（Hully　bunking　it　on　a　hideaway　couch）。　Burroughs　picked　up　the　pace　of　his　writing；　even　as　he　and　his　son　enjoyed　late；　leisurely　breakfasts；　long　lunches；　afternoons　of　driving；　horseback　riding；　fishing；　sunbathing　and；　most　of　all；　tennis。
　He　and　Hully…and　Jack；　too；　for　that　matter…had　always　enjoyed　a　friendly　rivalry；　where　sports　were　concerned。。。　swimming；　riding；　wrestling；　tennis。　Maybe　Florence　considered　him　immature；　but　Burroughs　preferred　〃young　at　heart；〃　and　enjoyed　trying　to　keep　pace　with　his　athletic　offspring。
　Hully　had　extended　the　friendly　petition　to　quitting　drinking；　and　losing　weight。　Burroughs　knew　his　son　feared　his　father　was　being　an　alcoholic；　and　privately　had　his　own　fears　in　that　regard。　So　he　had　quit…and　quit　smoking；　as　well。　Hully　was　down　to　177　pounds；　a　loss　of　ten；　and　Burroughs　had　dropped　sixteen　pounds；　down　to　182。
　After　getting　back　from　seeing　Frank　Teske　off；　the　father　and　son　had　eaten　a　light　lunch　in　the　Niumalu　dining　room；　after　which　Burroughs　headed　into　the　bungalow；　to　get　some　writing　done…he　needed　to　get　his　hero；　Carson　Napier；　out　of　one　jam　and　into　another。　He　and　Hully　would　play　a　round　of　tennis　in　the　late　afternoon　on　the　court　on　the　Niumalu　grounds…Burroughs　had　prevailed　yesterday；　two　sets　to　one。。。　a　spirited　game　that　had　exhausted　him；　though　he　was　damned　if　he'd　let　his　boy　know　just　how　tired　he　was。
　In　the　sitting　room　with　its　pale　plaster　walls；　near　a　churning　window　fan；　Burroughs　was　at　his　typewriter；　working　on　his　new　Venus　story；　when　two　sharp　knocks　at　the　bungalow　door　drew　his　attention　away　from　the　gargantuan　beasts　threatening　his　spaceman。　He　rose　from　the　typing　stand…wearing　a　white　sportshirt；　white　slacks　and　tennis　shoes　（ready　for　his　game　with　Hully）…and　saw　a　familiar　face　through　the　screen　door。
　〃I　know　you're　a　teetotaler　now；〃　Adam　Sterling　said；　holding　up　frosty　bottles　of　soda　pop；　〃but　I'm　assuming　that　doesn't　include　root　beer。〃
　A　broad…shouldered　six…foot　two；　his　brown　hair　graying　at　the　temples；　strong…jawed；　deep…tanned　Sterling　might　have　been　a　hero　out　of　one　of　Burroughs's　own　books…in　fact；　he　looked　a　little　like　Herman　Brix；　that　poor　bastard　who　almost　died　playing　Tarzan　in　the　Guatemalan　jungle　for　Florence's　ex…husband。
　〃I　can　use　something　wet　right　now；〃　Burroughs　said　through　the　screen。　〃You　want　to　sit　outside　and　chug　those　things？〃
　Sterting　wore　a　white　linen　suit　and　a　light　blue　tie；　he'd　apparently　e　from　his　office　in　the　Dillingham　Building　in　downtown　Honolulu。
　〃No；　Ed；〃　he　said；　and　he　was　almost　whispering；　〃I'd　like　you　to　ask　me　in。〃
　〃Well　e　on　in；　then；〃　Burroughs　said；　opening　the　door。　〃But　it's　stuffy　as　hell　in　here。〃
　Stepping　inside；　Sterling　said　quietly；　〃Actually；　Ed；　I　need　to　talk　to　you…in　private。　This　isn't　even　for　Hully's　ears…he　isn't　around；　is　he？〃
　〃No；　he　went　down　to　the　beach　for　a　swim。　Probably　looking　for　his　next　girlfriend。〃
　Sterling　nodded；　but…oddly…he　took　a　quick　walk　around　the　one…bedroom　bungalow；　making　sure　he　and　the　writer　were　indeed　alone。　Burroughs　watched　this　not　knowing　whether　to　be　amused　or　insulted。
　Finally；　they　sat　on　the　couch　and　sipped　their　root　beers　and　Burroughs　wondered　what　the　hell　was　on　the　FBI　man's　mind。
　〃How　goes　the　writing？〃　Sterling　asked　him。
　He　grunted。　〃Sometimes　I　think　plots　are　like　eggs。〃
　〃How　so？〃
　〃A　hen's　bom　able　to　lay　just　so　many　eggs；　and　after　she's　dropped　her　last　one；　she　can　sit　on　her　nest　and　strain　and　grunt　and　never　squeeze　out　another。　I'm　starting　to　think　a　writer　is　born　with　just　so　many　plots。〃
　A　smile　creased　Sterling's　face。　〃Why；　have　you　been　straining　and　grunting？〃
　〃Hell；　yes；　and　rearranging　my　feathers；　but　I'll　be　damned　if　I　can　squeeze　out　a　new　plot；　and　these　old　ones　are　starting　to　smell。〃
　Sterling　shrugged。　〃I　thought　that　last　Tarzan；　the　one　about　the　secret　treasure；　was　swell。〃　
　〃That　was　a　movie；　Adam…I　didn't　write　that。〃　
　〃Oh。　Sorry。〃　
　〃It　did　stink；　though。〃
　The　FBI　man　took　a　swig　of　root　beer。　〃You　going　to　the　luau　tonight？〃
　〃Those　damn　things　。。。　They　expect　you　to　eat　dried　octopus　and　raw　fish　and　disinterred　pig；　and　then　there's　that　library　paste　they　try　to　disguise　under　the　alias　of　poi。〃
　〃Yeah；　but　are　you　going？〃　
　〃Haven't　turned　down　an　invite　yet。〃　Burroughs　looked　sideways　at　his　friend；　eyes　slitted　and　amused。　〃Christ；　Adam；　I　thought　I　was　the　worst　conversationalist　on　the　planet；　till　I　heard　this　sorry　attempt　on　your　part。　Can　the　small　talk…what's　this　about？〃
　Sterling　sighed；　sat　forward；　hunkering　toward　him。　〃Ed；　I　need　to　take　you　into　my　confidence。〃　
　〃Be　my　guest。〃　
　〃This　is　very　unofficial。〃　
　〃Okay。〃
　〃I've　been　here　at　the　Niumalu　for　about　three　months；　now。　So　has　somebody　else。〃
　Burroughs　thought　about　that；　gestured　with　a　motion　of　his　head。　〃That　German　next　door；　the　big　spender…Otto　Kuhn。　He　and　his　wife　moved　in　maybe　a　week　before　you。〃　〃That's　right。　He's　why　I　moved　in；　Ed。〃
　〃Really！〃　Burroughs　got　up　from　me　couch；　pulled　his　typing　chair　over　and　sat；　so　he　could　face　his　Mend；　this　was　getting　interesting。　〃Don't　tell　me　we　have　a　Nazi　at　the　Niumalu。〃
　〃Something　like　that。　He's　really　just　a　goddamned　beachber　pretending　to　be　a　retired　gentleman　of　substance。　But。。。　he　was　an　officer　in　the　Kaiser's　Navy　during　the　Great　War；　that　much　we　know。〃
　Burroughs　arched　an　eyebrow。　〃He's　trying　to　start　a　real　estate　business；　I　understand。〃
　〃That's　just　talk…before　that　it　was　selling　furniture；　for　a　while　he　studied　Japanese　at　the　University　of　Hawaii。〃
　Now　the　writer　was　leaning　forward。　〃Why　does　a　German　in　English…speaking　Hawaii　want　to　learn　Japanese？〃
　〃Our　boy　Otto　has　frequent　dealings　with　the　Japs…　he　took　one　trip　to　Tokyo　in　'30　and　another　in　'36。　We　suspect　he's　in　their　employ。　My　contacts　confirm　as　much。〃
　〃Your　contacts。〃
　〃Ed；　you　put　our　Mend　Colonel　Frank　Teske　on　his　steamer　today。　I　don't　have　to　tell　you　he　thinks　war　is　imminent。。。　that　this　island　will　be　under　attack；　momentarily。〃
　〃What　do　you　think；　Adam？〃
　〃He's　right　and　he's　wrong…war　is　imminent　Washington　isn't　having　any　luck　negotiating　with　the　Japanese。　But　Frank's　wrong；　too…the　threat　on　our　remote　little　island　is　not　from　the　sky；　but　on　the　ground。〃
　〃Sabotage。　I　was　just　telling　Hully　the　very　same　thing。〃
　〃Well；　you're　right。　Since　the　middle　of　last　year；　I've　been　developing　a　network　of　contacts　in　the　Japanese　munity…trustworthy　ones；　Americans　who　happen　to　be　Japanese。〃
　Both　of　the　writer's　eyebrows　lifted。　〃Is　there　such　a　thing？〃
　〃Oh　yes。　The　vast　majority　of　these　Hawaii…born　Japanese　are　loyal　to　our　Sag。　And　a　number　of　them　have　been　helping　me　identify　the　potentially　dangerous　sorts　among　them。〃
　〃What　does　that　have　to　do　with　a　German　like　Kuhn？〃
　Sterling　spoke　softly；　but　with　an　edge。　〃When　the　war　begins；　we'll　be　cracking　down　on　disloyal　Japs…　arrests　will　be　made。　My　contacts　tell　me　that　Kuhn　is　a　'sleeper'　agent…set　to　take　over　as　top　local　spy；　when　and　if　the　top　Japanese　agents　on　this　island　are　arrested；　after　hostilities　begin。〃
　〃Your　contacts　are　trustworthy？　I　mean；　can　you　really　trust　these　nisei？'
　〃