mc.risingsun-第14章

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ome　to　work　for　the　kaisha；　the　pany。　But　he　won't　go　home。　He　loves　it　here。　Why　not？　He's　got　everything。　He　buys　a　new　Ferrari　every　time　he　bangs　up　the　old　one。　He's　got　more　money　than　God。　He's　lived　here　long　enough；　he's　just　like　an　American。　Handsome。　Sexy。　And　with　all　the　drugs。　You　know；　real　party　animal。　What's　in　Osaka　for　him？〃
　I　said；　〃But　you　said　you　always　knew　。　。　。〃
　〃That　he'd　get　in　trouble？　Sure。　Because　of　that　crazy　side。　That　edge。〃　She　shrugged。　〃A　lot　of　them　have　it。　These　guys　e　over　from　Tokyo；　and　even　if　they　have　a　shōkai；　an　introduction；　you　still　have　to　be　careful。　They　think　nothing　of　dropping　ten　or　twenty　thousand　in　a　night。　It's　like　a　tip　for　them。　Leave　it　on　the　dresser。　But　then；　what　they　want　to　do　…　at　least；　some　of　them　。　。　。〃
　She　drifted　into　silence。　Her　eyes　had　a　vacant；　unfocused　look。　I　didn't　say　anything；　I　just　waited。　Connor　was　looking　at　her；　nodding　sympathetically。
　Abruptly；　she　began　to　speak　again；　as　if　unaware　of　the　pause。　〃And　to　them；〃　she　said；　〃their　wishes；　their　desires；　it's　just　as　natural　as　leaving　the　tip。　It's　pletely　natural　to　them。　I　mean；　I　don't　mind　a　little　golden　shower　or　whatever；　handcuffs；　you　know。　Maybe　a　little　spanking　if　I　like　the　guy。　But　I　won't　let　anybody　cut　me。　I　don't　care　how　much　money。　None　of　those　things　with　knives　or　swords　。　。　。　But　they　can　be　。　。　。　A　lot　of　them；　they　are　so　polite；　so　correct；　but　then　they　get　turned　on；　they　have　this　。　。　。　this　way　。　。　。〃　She　broke　off；　shaking　her　head。　〃They're　strange　people。〃
　Connor　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃Miss　Young；　you've　been　very　helpful。　We　may　need　to　speak　to　you　again。　Lieutenant　Smith　will　take　your　phone　number…　〃
　〃Yes；　of　course。〃
　I　flipped　open　my　pad。
　Connor　said；　〃I'm　going　to　have　a　word　with　the　doorman。〃
　〃Shinichi；〃　she　said。
　Connor　left。　I　took　down　Julia's　number。　She　licked　her　lips　as　she　watched　me　write。　Then　she　said；　〃You　can　tell　me。　Did　he　kill　her？〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃Eddie。　Did　he　kill　Cherylynn？〃
　She　was　a　pretty　girl　but　I　could　see　the　excitement　in　her　eyes。　She　was　looking　at　me　with　a　steady　gaze。　Her　eyes　were　shining。　It　was　creepy。　I　said；　〃Why　do　you　ask？〃
　〃Because。　He　was　always　threatening　to。　Like　this　afternoon；　he　threatened　her。〃
　I　said；　〃Eddie　was　here　this　afternoon？〃
　〃Sure。〃　She　shrugged。　〃He's　here　all　the　time。　He　came　to　see　her　this　afternoon；　real　worked　up。　They　put　extra　soundproofing　to　the　walls　in　this　building　when　they　took　it　over。　But　even　so；　you　could　hear　them　scream　at　each　other　in　her　apartment。　Him　and　Cherylynn。　She'd　have　on　her　Jerry　Lee　Lewis；　the　one　she　played　day　and　night　until　you　just　about　went　crazy；　and　they'd　be　screaming　and　throwing　things。　He'd　always　say；　'I'll　kill　you；　I'll　kill　you；　you　bitch。'　So。　Did　he？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃But　she's　dead？〃　Her　eyes　still　shining。
　〃Yes。〃
　〃It　had　to　happen；〃　she　said。　She　seemed　pletely　calm。　〃We　all　knew　it。　It　was　just　a　matter　of　time。　If　you　want；　call　me。　If　you　need　more　information。〃
　〃Yes。　I　will。〃　I　gave　her　my　card。　〃And　if　you　think　of　anything　else；　you　can　call　me　at　this　number。〃
　She　slipped　it　into　the　hip　pocket　of　her　shorts；　twisting　her　body。　〃I　like　talking　to　you；　Peter。〃
　〃Yes。　Okay。〃
　I　walked　down　the　corridor。　When　I　got　to　the　end　I　looked　back。　She　was　standing　in　her　doorway；　waving　good…bye。
　
　？
　Connor　was　using　the　phone　in　the　lobby　while　the　doorman　stared　sullenly　at　him；　as　if　he　wanted　to　stop　him；　but　couldn't　think　of　a　reason　why。
　〃That's　right；〃　Connor　was　saying。　〃All　the　outgoing　calls　from　that　phone　between　eight　and　ten　p。m。　That's　right。〃　He　listened　for　a　moment。　〃Well；　I　don't　care　if　your　data　isn't　organized　that　way；　just　get　it　for　me。　How　long　will　it　take？　Tomorrow？　Don't　be　ridiculous。　What　do　you　think　this　is？　I　need　it　within　two　hours。　I'll　call　you　back。　Yes。　Fuck　you；　too。〃　He　hung　up。　〃Let's　go；　kōhai。〃
　We　walked　outside　to　the　car。
　I　said；　〃Checking　your　contacts？〃
　〃Contacts？〃　He　looked　puzzled。　〃Oh。　Graham　said　something　to　you　about　my　'contacts。'　I　don't　have　any　special　informants。　He　just　thinks　I　do。〃
　〃He　mentioned　the　Arakawa　case。〃
　Connor　sighed。　〃That　old　thing。〃　We　walked　toward　the　car。　〃You　want　to　know　that　story？　It's　simple。　Two　Japanese　nationals　get　killed。　The　department　puts　detectives　on　the　case　who　can't　speak　Japanese。　Finally；　after　a　week；　they　give　the　case　to　me。〃
　〃And　what　did　you　do？〃
　〃The　Arakawas　were　staying　at　the　New　Otani　Hotel。　I　got　the　phone　records　of　the　calls　they　made　to　Japan。　I　called　those　numbers；　and　spoke　to　some　people　in　Osaka。　Then　I　called　Osaka　and　talked　to　the　police　there。　Again；　in　Japanese。　They　were　surprised　to　hear　we　didn't　know　the　whole　story。〃
　〃I　see。〃
　〃Not　quite；〃　Connor　said。　〃Because　the　police　department　here　was　very　embarrassed。　The　press　had　gone　out　on　a　limb；　criticizing　the　department。　All　sorts　of　people　had　sent　flowers。　There　had　been　a　big　show　of　sympathy　for　what　turned　out　to　be　gangsters。　A　lot　of　people　were　embarrassed。　So　the　whole　thing　became　my　fault。　I　had　done　something　underhanded　to　solve　the　case。　Pissed　me　off；　I　can　tell　you。〃
　〃That's　why　you　went　to　Japan？〃
　〃No。　That's　another　story。〃
　We　came　to　the　car。　I　looked　back　at　the　Imperial　Arms；　and　saw　Julia　Young　standing　at　the　window；　staring　down　at　us。　〃She's　seductive；〃　I　said。
　〃The　Japanese　call　women　like　that　shirigaru　onna。　They　say　she　has　a　light　ass。〃　He　opened　the　car　door；　and　got　in。　〃But　she's　on　drugs。　We　can't　trust　anything　she　told　us。　Even　so；　there's　starting　to　be　a　pattern　I　don't　like。〃　He　glanced　at　his　watch；　and　shook　his　head。　〃Damn。　We're　taking　too　long。　We'd　better　go　to　the　Palomino；　to　see　Mr。　Cole。〃
　I　started　driving　south；　toward　the　airport。　Connor　sat　back　in　his　seat　and　folded　his　arms　across　his　chest。　He　stared　at　his　feet；　looking　unhappy。
　〃Why　do　you　say　there's　a　pattern　you　don't　like？〃
　Connor　said；　〃The　wrappers　in　the　waste　basket。　The　Polaroid　in　the　trash。　Those　things　shouldn't　have　been　left　behind。〃
　〃You　said　yourself；　they're　in　a　hurry。〃
　〃Maybe。　But　you　know　the　Japanese　think　American　police　are　inpetent。　This　sloppiness　is　a　sign　of　their　disdain。〃
　〃Well；　we're　not　inpetent。〃
　Connor　shook　his　head。　〃pared　to　the　Japanese；　we　are　inpetent。　In　Japan；　every　criminal　gets　caught。　For　major　crimes；　convictions　run　ninety…nine　percent。　So　any　criminal　in　Japan　knows　from　the　outset　he　is　going　to　get　caught。　But　here；　the　conviction　rate　is　more　like　seventeen　percent。　Not　even　one　in　five。　So　a　criminal　in　the　States　knows　he　probably　isn't　going　to　get　caught　…　and　if　he's　caught；　he　won't　be　convicted；　thanks　to　all　his　legal　safeguards。　And　you　know　every　study　of　police　effectiveness　shows　that　American　detectives　either　solve　the　case　in　the　first　six　hours；　or　they　never　solve　it　at　all。〃
　〃So　what　are　you　saying？〃
　〃I'm　saying　that　a　crime　occurred　here　with　the　expectation　that　it　won't　be　solved。　And　I　want　to　solve　it；　kōhai。〃
　
　Connor　was　silent　for　the　next　ten　minutes。　He　sat　very　still；　with　his　arms　folded　and　his　chin　sunk　on　his　chest。　His　breathing　was　deep　and　regular。　I　might　have　thought　he　had　fallen　asleep；　except　his　eyes　were　open。
　I　just　drove　the　car；　and　listened　to　him　breathe。
　Finally；　he　said：　〃Ishiguro。〃
　〃What　about　him？〃
　〃If　we　knew　what　made　Ishiguro　behave　as　he　did；　we'd　understand　this　case。〃
　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　〃It's　hard　for　an　American　to　see　him　clearly；〃　Connor　said。　〃Because　in　America；　you　think　a　certain　amount　of　error　is　normal。　You　expect　the　plane　to　be　late。　You　expect　the　mail　to　be　undelivered。　You　expect　the　washing　machine　to　break　down。　You　expect　things　to　go　wrong　all　the　time。
　〃But　Japan　is　different。　Everything　works　in　Japan。　In　a　Tokyo　train　station；　you　can　stand　at　a　marked　spot　on　the　platform　and　when　the　train　stops；　the　doors　will　open　right　in　front　of　you。　Trains　are　on　time。　Bags　are　not　lost。　Connections　are　not　missed。　Deadlines　are　met。　Things　happen　as　planned。　The　Japanese　are　educated；　prepared；　and　motivated。　They　get　things　done。　There's　no　screwing　around。〃
　〃