el.angeleyes-第107部分

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et　her　interview　with　Hitasura　out　of　her　mind；　What　if　it　was　one　of　his　lieutenants　who　had　murdered　Royce；　or　even　worse；　Hitasura　himself？
　Tori　asked　herself　what　she　would　do　if　the　worse　came　to　the　worst。　Would　she　try　to　bring　Hitasura　down；　or　would　she　back　away；　as　he　had　first　suggested？
　This　was　the　essential　question　that　gnawed　at　her　the　night　she　was　at　The　Neon　Starfish。　It　was　a　club　just　this　side　of　respectability；　on　the　outskirts　of　the　Ginza；　starlit　with　colored　lights；　with　a　transparent　floor　beneath　which　lusciously　colored　tropical　fish　swam　in　lazy　circles。
　There　were　two　Japanese　businessmen；　drunk　on　sake；　who　she　had　been　aware　of　for　some　time。　They　looked　as　similar　as　bookends；　though　one　was　shorter　than　the　other。　They　had　already　taken　off　their　suit　jackets；　hung　them　up　on　seat　backs。　They　wanted　women；　but　were　apparently　too　drunk　to　make　it　down　the　block　to　the　local　akachochin；　where　they　could　have　their　pick　of　the　litter　in　return　for　a　sum　of　money　equal　to　a　month's　paycheck。
　Instead　they　had　begun　a　series　of　obnoxiously　maudlin　reports　on　the　pathetic　state　of　their　home　lives。　Tori　had　just　about　had　it　with　stories　of　their　suckling　at　their　wives　teats　as　they　had　done　with　their　mothers；　when；　as　drunks　are　often　wont　to　do；　without　warning　they　veered　off　on　another　topic　entirely。
　Now　they　were　intent　on　impressing　one　another　with　tales　from　the　office　where；　latter…day　samurai　as　they　apparently　considered　themselves；　they　were　rife　with　legends　of　their　boardroom　prowess。
　This　also　proved　to　be　boring；　and　Tori　was　considering　changing　tables　to　escape　the　white　noise；　when　the　shorter　man　said　to　his　pal；　〃That's　nothing。　My　boss　killed　a　man。　Yes；　yes；　of　course；　it's　true。　I　swear　it！　We　got　drunk　together　last　week；　and　he　told　me　so　himself。　'I　killed　an　American；'　he　said。　A　drastic　resolution　to　a　problem；　I　said；　but　you　know　my　boss；　very　old…fashioned；　es　from　the　Murashitos…his　ancestors　it　is　said　were　samurai　at　the　court　of　the　first　Shogun；　Ieyasu　Tokugawa。　But　now　he　tells　me　that　this　American　raped　his　daughter；　and　I　say；　did　you　go　to　the　police？　'What？'　he　said　crossly；　'and　involve　my　poor　daughter　further？　Do　you　think　I　would　consider　holding　her　up　for　public　inspection；　or　dragging　her　through　the　courts？　No；　no；　not　a　chance。'　This　had　to　be　settled　quickly；　privately；　absolutely。　I　agreed。　Yes；　yes；　I　believe　he　did　right。〃
　Tori　moved　closer　to　the　shorter　businessman；　and　at　one　point；　in　leaning　over　to　find　something　in　her　handbag；　she　palmed　his　wallet　out　of　his　inside　jacket　pocket。　She　dug　out　one　of　his　business　cards；　and　five　minutes　later　slipped　the　wallet　back　without　having　been　detected。
　The　next　morning　she　presented　herself　at　the　executive　offices　of　Tandom　Polycarbon。　They　had　a　dozen　floors　in　a　huge　building　in　Shinjuku；　and　the　chairman's　suite　was　on　the　top　floor。　She　asked　to　see　Tok　Murashito；　but　was　told　that　the　chairman　was　in　the　middle　of　a　board　meeting　and；　furthermore；　would　be　tied　up　all　day。　There　was　an　appointment　book　on　the　secretary's　burlwood　desk；　but　she　did　not　ask　Tori　if　she　wished　to　make　an　appointment。　Tori　was　apparently　beneath　her　notice。
　Tori　said　sweetly；　〃Just　tell　Mr。　Murashito　that　Tom　Royce's　sister　is　here　to　see　him。''
　〃I'm　afraid　that　Murashito…san　has　left　instructions　not　to　be　disturbed；〃　the　secretary　said。
　Tori　leaned　over　the　desk；　put　her　face　close　to　the　secretary's；　expanded　her　wa　to　its　limits。　〃Call　him。　I'll　wait。〃　The　secretary　jumped　as　if　poked　with　a　hot　fork。　Her　hand　trembled　as　it　picked　up　the　receiver。　She　dialed　an　internal　number；　spoke　briefly；　waited　a　moment；　then　spoke　again　at　length。　In　a　moment　she　hung　up。　She　seemed　frightened。　〃Murashito…san　will　see　you　in　his　office；〃　she　said；　getting　up。　〃I'll　show　you　the　way。''
　The　secretary　led　Tori　through　thick　wooden　doors；　down　a　hushed　carpeted　corridor　whose　walls　were　covered　with　color　blowups　of　microscopic　views　of　different　man…made　fabrics　that　Tandom　Polycarbon　had　designed；　created；　and　patented。　These　photographs　were　matted　and　framed　like　works　of　art。
　Tok　Murashito　had　an　office　that　faced　west　and　south；　a　magnificent　view　that　was　in　itself　a　major　work　of　art。　But　the　inner　walls　of　his　office　were　adorned　with　a　Braque；　a　Schiele；　and　a　Manet。　Tori　was　impressed；　as　she　was　meant　to　be；　both　by　Tok　Murashito's　wealth　and　his　good　taste。
　Fuck　good　taste；　Tori　thought　as　the　secretary　withdrew。
　Tok　Murashito　made　certain　that　she　had　the　office　to　herself　before　he　made　his　entrance　through　a　discreet　side　door　hidden　within　the　walnut　paneling　that　housed　a　wet　bar；　a　magnificent　Olmec　head　that　belonged　in　a　Mexican　museum；　and　six　shelves　of　books　more　suitable　to　a　lawyer's　office。
　He　was　shorter　than　the　short　drunk　man　who　had　spilled　the　beans　the　night　before　at　The　Neon　Starfish；　but　he　was　thicker；　too；　with　the　wide　shoulders　and　upper　arms　of　a　bodybuilder。　The　way　his　muscles　stretched　his　suit；　he　seemed　to　belong　in　a　dojo　or　a　gym　rather　than　a　boardroom。　The　way　he　was　built；　Tori　saw；　he'd　have　to　have　all　his　clothes　made　to　order。
　〃Well；〃　Tok　Murashito　said　without　preliminaries；　〃what　is　it　you　want？〃
　Okay；　Tori　thought。　〃You　murdered　an　American　named　Tom　Royce。〃
　Murashito　didn't　blink。　〃I　had　just　cause。〃
　〃I　wonder　whether　the　police　will　think　so。〃
　〃The　police　won't　be　called。〃
　〃Oh？　What　makes　you　think　that？〃
　Tok　Murashito　walked　past　his　desk；　looked　out　his　windows。　It　was　a　magnificent　view；　but　it　was　also　a　long　way　down。
　Murashito　put　his　hands　behind　his　back。　〃Why　would　the　police　be　called？''
　〃They　usually　are　when　a　murder　has　been　mitted。〃
　He　nodded。　〃That's　true。　In　fact；　they're　already　on　the　case。''　He　smiled。　〃Surprised；　Miss　Royce？　The　police　have　been　in　contact　with　me。　You　see；　we　knew　one　another。　Royce　and　I　did　business　from　time　to　time。〃
　Tori　recalled　Tom　Royce's　cover　as　a　textile　salesman；　thought；　Fronts　have　to　be　maintained　in　order　for　them　to　seem　legitimate。　〃So　you　knew　him；〃　she　said。　〃Do　the　police　also　know　you　had　a　motive？〃
　Tbk　Murashito　went　very　still。　〃Who　are　you？〃　he　said。
　Tori　ignored　him。　''You　didn't　report　the　rape　of　your　daughter；　did　you？〃
　Now　an　odd　thing　happened。　Murashito's　face　changed；　and　if　Tori　hadn't　known　better；　she　would　have　sworn　it　relaxed。　He　turned　quickly　away；　as　if　embarrassed。　〃She's　already　endured　more　pain　and　suffering　than　any　young　woman　should。''
　Tori　went　silently　up　behind　him。　She　said；　〃I'm　not　Tom　Royce's　sister。　My　name　is　Tori　Nunn。　Do　you　know　me？〃
　Tok　Murashito　shook　his　head　no。
　〃I'm　the　Wild　Child。　I　could　kill　you　right　here　and　no　one　would　know　about　it。　Do　you　understand　me？〃
　Tbk　Murashito　said　nothing　for　some　time；　then　he　said；　〃You're　a　foolish　young　woman。　There　is　too　much　fire　burning　inside　you。　Go　home。〃　When　she　did　not　move；　he　turned　to　face　her。　''One　of　these　days　you'll　discover　that　there　are　alternatives　far　preferable　to　violence。〃
　〃That's　curious　advice；　ing　from　you。〃
　〃Giri。　I　did　what　I　had　to　do。〃
　Tori　looked　him　in　the　eye。　〃Just　as　I　do；〃　she　said。
　Tok　Murashito　stared　at　her　for　a　long　time。　Then　he　shook　his　head。　〃Time　makes　fools　of　us　all；　Miss　Nunn。　I　strive　to　remember　that；　but　all　too　often　it　slips　my　mind。〃　When　she　said　nothing；　he　said；　〃Will　you　kill　me　now？〃
　〃If　I　did；〃　Tori　said；　〃your　daughter's　pain　would　forever　be　on　my　conscience。〃
　〃Well；〃　Tbk　Murashito　said；　〃after　all；　perhaps　there　is　such　a　thing　in　the　world　as　justice。〃　He　never　took　his　eyes　from　her。　〃Tell　me；　why　did　you　e　here。　Miss　Nunn？〃
　〃To　let　you　know　that　I　was　here；〃　Tori　said。　〃To　see　how　you　would　react。''
　〃You　were　testing　me。〃
　〃In　a　manner　of　speaking。''
　He　passed　a　hand　across　his　face。　〃I　must　say　that　this　is　the　first　time　I　have　been　tested　by　a　woman。''
　〃How　does　it　feel？〃
　〃To　be　truthful；　it　makes　me　unfortable。〃
　Tori　nodded。　〃The　traditional　roles　have　been　reversed。〃
　〃That's　not　what　I　meant；〃　Tok　Murashito　said　carefully。　〃What　makes　me　unfortable　is　your　easy　acceptance　of　violence。〃
　''You　think　that