mc.risingsun-第21部分

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is；　did　he　tell　anyone　else？〃
　I　began　to　see　what　he　was　driving　at。　〃You　mean；　did　he　walk　out　of　the　security　office　to　the　lobby　pay　phone；　and　call　somebody　to　tell　them　that　a　murder　had　occurred？〃
　〃Correct。　Because　he　wouldn't　use　the　phone　in　his　office。　He'd　use　the　pay　phone；　and　call　somebody　…　an　enemy　of　Nakamoto；　a　peting　corporation。　Somebody。〃
　I　said；　〃But　now　we　know　that　no　calls　were　made　from　that　phone。〃
　〃Correct；〃　Connor　said。
　〃So　your　whole　line　of　reasoning　collapses。〃
　〃Not　at　all。　It　is　clarified。　If　Cole　didn't　notify　anybody；　then　who　phoned　in　the　murder？　Clearly；　the　source　can　only　be　the　murderer　himself。〃
　I　felt　a　chill。
　〃He　called　it　in　to　embarrass　Nakamoto？〃
　〃Presumably；〃　Connor　said。
　〃Then　where　did　he　call　from？〃
　〃That's　not　clear　yet。　I　assume　from　somewhere　inside　the　building。　And　there　are　a　few　other　confusing　details　that　we　have　not　begun　to　consider。〃
　〃Such　as？〃
　The　car　phone　rang。　Connor　answered　it；　and　handed　the　receiver　to　me。　〃It's　for　you。〃
　
　〃No；　no；〃　Mrs。　Ascenio　said。　〃The　baby　is　fine。　I　checked　on　her　a　few　minutes　ago。　She　is　fine。　Lieutenant；　I　wanted　you　to　know　Mrs。　Davis　called。〃　That　was　how　she　referred　to　my　ex…wife。
　〃When？〃
　〃I　think　ten　minutes　ago。〃
　〃Did　she　leave　a　number？〃
　〃No。　She　say　she　can't　be　reached　tonight。　But　she　want　you　to　know：　something　has　e　up；　and　maybe　she　go　out　of　town。　So　she　say　maybe　she　don't　take　the　baby　this　weekend。〃
　I　sighed。　〃Okay。〃
　〃She　say　she　call　you　tomorrow　and　let　you　know　for　sure。〃
　〃Okay。〃
　I　wasn't　surprised。　It　was　typical　Lauren。　Last…minute　changes。　You　could　never　make　plans　involving　Lauren　because　she　was　always　changing　her　mind。　Probably　this　latest　change　meant　that　she　had　a　new　boyfriend　and　she　might　go　away　with　him。　She　wouldn't　know　until　tomorrow。
　I　used　to　think　all　this　unpredictability　was　bad　for　Michelle；　that　it　would　make　her　insecure。　But　kids　are　practical。　Michelle　seems　to　understand　that's　the　way　her　mother　is；　and　she　doesn't　get　upset。
　I'm　the　one　who　gets　upset。
　Mrs。　Ascenio　said；　〃You　ing　back　soon；　Lieutenant？〃
　〃No。　It　looks　like　I'll　be　out　all　night。　Can　you　stay？〃
　〃Yes；　but　I　have　to　leave　by　nine　in　the　morning。　You　want　I　pull　out　the　couch'？〃
　I　had　a　couch　bed　in　the　living　room。　She　used　it　when　she　stayed　over。　〃Yes；　sure。〃
　〃Okay；　good…bye；　Lieutenant。〃
　〃Good…bye；　Mrs。　Ascenio。〃
　
　Connor　said；　〃Anything　wrong？〃　I　was　surprised　to　hear　tension　in　his　voice。
　〃No。　Just　my　ex　pulling　her　usual　shit。　She's　not　sure　she'll　take　the　baby　this　weekend。　Why？〃
　Connor　shrugged。　〃Just　asking。〃
　I　didn't　think　that　was　all　there　was　to　it。　I　said；　〃What　did　you　mean　earlier；　when　you　said　that　this　case　could　turn　ugly？〃
　〃It　may　not；〃　Connor　said。　〃Our　best　solution　is　to　wrap　it　up　in　the　next　few　hours。　And　I　think　we　can。　Here's　the　restaurant　up　ahead　on　the　left。〃
　I　saw　the　neon　sign。　Bora　Bora。
　〃This　is　the　restaurant　owned　by　Sakamura？〃
　〃Yes。　Actually　he's　just　a　part　owner。　Don't　let　the　valet　take　the　car。　Park　it　in　the　red。　We　may　need　to　leave　quickly。〃
　
　The　Bora　Bora　was　this　week's　hot　L。A。　restaurant。　The　decor　was　a　jumble　of　Polynesian　masks　and　shields。　Lime　green　wooden　outriggers　jutted　out　over　the　bar　like　teeth。　Above　the　open　kitchen；　a　Prince　video　played　ghostlike　on　an　enormous　five…meter　screen。　The　menu　was　Pacific　Rim；　the　noise　deafening；　the　clientele　movie…industry　hopeful。　Everyone　was　dressed　in　black。
　Connor　smiled。　〃It　looks　like　Trader　Vic's　after　a　bomb　went　off；　doesn't　it？　Stop　staring。　Don't　they　let　you　out　enough？〃
　〃No；　they　don't；〃　I　said。　Connor　turned　to　speak　to　the　Eurasian　hostess。　I　looked　at　the　bar；　where　two　women　kissed　briefly　on　the　lips。　Farther　down；　a　Japanese　man　in　a　leather　bomber　jacket　had　his　arm　around　a　huge　blonde。　They　were　both　listening　to　a　man　with　thinning　hair　and　a　pugnacious　manner　whom　I　recognized　as　the　director　of…
　〃e　on；〃　Connor　said　to　me。　〃Let's　go。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Eddie's　not　here。〃
　〃Where　is　he？〃
　〃At　a　party　in　the　hills。　Let's　go。〃
　
　？
　The　address　was　on　a　winding　road　in　the　hills　above　Sunset　Boulevard。　We　would　have　had　a　good　view　of　the　city　up　here；　but　the　mist　had　closed　in。　As　we　approached；　the　street　was　lined　on　both　sides　with　luxury　cars：　mostly　Lexus　sedans；　with　a　few　Mercedes　convertibles　and　Bentleys。　The　parking　attendants　looked　surprised　as　we　pulled　up　in　our　Chevy　sedan；　and　headed　up　to　the　house。
　Like　other　residences　on　the　street；　the　house　was　surrounded　by　a　three…meter　wall；　the　driveway　closed　off　with　a　remote…controlled　steel　gate。　There　was　a　security　camera　mounted　above　the　gate；　and　another　at　the　path　leading　up　to　the　house　itself。　A　private　security　guard　stood　by　the　path　and　checked　our　badges。
　I　said；　〃Whose　house　is　this？〃
　Ten　years　ago；　the　only　people　in　Los　Angeles　who　maintained　such　elaborate　security　were　either　Mafioso；　or　stars　like　Stallone　whose　violent　roles　attracted　violent　attention。　But　lately　it　seemed　everybody　in　wealthy　residential　areas　had　security。　It　was　expected；　almost　fashionable。　We　walked　up　steps　through　a　cactus　garden　toward　the　house；　which　was　modern；　concrete；　and　fortresslike。　Loud　music　played。
　〃This　house　belongs　to　the　man　who　owns　Maxim　Noir。〃　He　must　have　seen　my　blank　look。　〃It's　an　expensive　clothing　store　famous　for　its　snotty　salespeople。　Jack　Nicholson　and　Cher　shop　there。〃
　〃Jack　Nicholson　and　Cher；〃　I　said；　shaking　my　head。　〃How　do　you　know　about　it？〃
　〃Many　Japanese　shop　at　Maxim　Noir　now。　It's　like　most　expensive　American　stores　…　it'd　go　out　of　business　without　visitors　from　Tokyo。　It's　dependent　on　the　Japanese。〃
　As　we　approached　the　front　door　a　large　man　in　a　sport　coat　appeared。　He　had　a　clipboard　with　names。　〃I'm　sorry。　It's　by　invitation　only；　gentlemen。〃
　Connor　flashed　his　badge。　〃We'd　like　to　speak　to　one　of　your　guests；〃　he　said。
　〃Which　guest　is　that；　sir？〃
　〃Mr。　Sakamura。〃
　He　didn't　look　happy。　〃Wait　here；　please。〃
　From　the　entryway；　we　could　see　into　the　living　room。　It　was　crowded　with　party…goers；　who　at　a　quick　glance　seemed　to　be　many　of　the　same　people　who　had　been　at　the　Nakamoto　reception。　As　in　the　restaurant；　almost　everyone　was　wearing　black。　But　the　room　itself　caught　my　attention：　it　was　stark　white；　entirely　unadorned。　No　pictures　on　the　wall。　No　furniture。　Just　bare　white　walls　and　a　bare　carpet。　The　guests　looked　unfortable。　They　were　holding　cocktail　napkins　and　drinks；　looking　around　for　someplace　to　put　them。
　A　couple　passed　us　on　their　way　to　the　dining　room。　〃Rod　always　knows　what　to　do；〃　she　said。
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃So　elegantly　minimalist。　The　detail　in　executing　that　room。　I　don't　know　how　he　ever　got　that　paint　job。　It's　absolutely　perfect。　Not　a　brush　stroke；　not　a　blemish。　A　perfect　surface。〃
　〃Well；　it　has　to　be；〃　she　said。　〃It's　integral　to　his　whole　conception。〃
　〃It's　really　quite　daring；〃　the　man　said。
　〃Daring？〃　I　said。　〃What　are　they　talking　about？　It's　just　an　empty　room。〃
　Connor　smiled。　〃I　call　it　faux　zen。　Style　without　substance。〃
　I　scanned　the　crowd。
　〃Senator　Morton's　here。〃　He　was　standing　in　the　corner；　holding　forth。　Looking　very　much　like　a　presidential　candidate。
　〃So　he　is。〃
　The　guard　hadn't　returned；　so　we　stepped　a　few　feet　into　the　room。　As　I　approached　Senator　Morton；　I　heard　him　say；　〃Yes；　I　can　tell　you　exactly　why　I'm　disturbed　about　the　extent　of　Japanese　ownership　of　American　industry。　If　we　lose　the　ability　to　make　our　own　products；　we　lose　control　over　our　destiny。　It's　that　simple。　For　example；　back　in　1987　we　learned　that　Toshiba　sold　the　Russians　critical　technology　that　allowed　the　Soviets　to　silence　their　submarine　propellers。　Russian　nuclear　subs　now　sit　right　off　the　coast　and　we　can't　track　them；　because　they　got　technology　from　Japan。　Congress　was　furious；　and　the　American　people　were　up　in　arms。　And　rightly　so；　it　was　outrageous。　Congress　planned　economic　retaliation　against　Toshiba。　But　the　lobbyists　for　American　panies　pleaded　their　case　for　them；　because　American　panies　like　Hewlett…Packard　and　paq　were　dependent　on　Toshiba　for　puter　parts。　They