mc.risingsun-第26章

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e　was　politically　tense。　Like　this　one。〃
　Connor　said；　〃We're　not　sure　why　it　is　tense；　either。〃
　〃Maybe　you　better　find　out。　Because　there's　a　lot　of　pressure　here。　The　M。E。　calls　me　from　San　Francisco；　and　he　keeps　saying；　'Do　it　now；　do　it　tonight；　and　get　it　done。'　I　say；　'Okay；　Bill。'　Then　he　says；　'Listen；　Tim。　Do　this　one　right。　Go　slow；　take　lots　of　pictures　and　lots　of　notes。　Document　your　ass　off。　Shoot　with　two　cameras。　Because　I　got　a　feeling　that　anybody　who　has　anything　to　do　with　this　case　could　get　into　deep　shit。'　So。　It's　natural　to　wonder　what　the　big　deal　is。〃
　Connor　said；　〃What　time　was　that　call　to　you？〃
　〃About　ten…thirty；　eleven。〃
　〃The　M。E。　say　who　called　him？〃
　〃No。　But　it's　usually　only　one　of　two　people：　the　chief　of　police　or　the　mayor。〃
　Tim　looked　at　the　liver；　pulling　apart　the　lobes；　then　placed　it　on　a　steel　tray。　The　assistant　was　taking　flash　pictures　of　each　organ　and　then　setting　it　aside。
　〃So？　What've　you　found？〃
　〃Frankly；　the　most　interesting　findings　so　far　are　external；〃　Dr。　Tim　said。　〃She　had　heavy　makeup　on　her　neck；　to　cover　a　pattern　of　multiple　contusions。　Bruises　of　different　ages。　Without　a　spectroscopic　curve　for　the　hemoglobin　breakdown　products　at　the　bruise　sites；　I'd　still　say　these　bruises　are　of　variable　age；　up　to　two　weeks　old。　Perhaps　older。　Consistent　with　a　pattern　of　repeated；　chronic　cervical　trauma。　I　don't　think　there's　any　question：　we're　looking　at　a　case　of　sexual　asphyxia。〃
　〃She's　a　gasper？〃
　〃Yeah。　She　is。〃
　Kelly　thought　so。　For　once　Kelly　was　right。
　〃It's　more　mon　in　men；　but　it　is　certainly　reported　in　women。　The　syndrome　is　the　individual　is　sexually　aroused　only　by　the　hypoxia　of　near…strangulation。　These　individuals　ask　their　sexual　partners　to　strangle　them；　or　put　a　plastic　bag　over　their　head。　When　they're　alone；　they　sometimes　tie　a　cord　around　their　neck；　and　hang　themselves　while　they　masturbate。　Since　the　effect　requires　that　they　are　strangled　almost　to　the　point　of　passing　out；　it's　easy　to　make　a　mistake　and　go　too　far。　They　do；　all　the　time。〃
　〃And　in　this　case？〃
　Tim　shrugged。　〃Well。　She　has　physical　findings　consistent　with　a　sexual　asphyxia　syndrome　of　long　standing。　And　she　has　ejaculate　in　her　vagina　and　abrasions　on　her　external　vaginal　labia；　consistent　with　a　forced　sexual　episode　on　the　same　night　of　her　death。〃
　Connor　said；　〃You're　sure　the　vaginal　abrasions　occurred　before　death？〃
　〃Oh；　yes。　They　are　definitely　antemortem　injuries。　There's　no　question　she　had　forced　sex　sometime　before　she　died。〃
　〃Are　you　saying　she　was　raped？〃
　〃No。　I　wouldn't　go　that　far。　As　you　see；　the　abrasions　are　not　severe；　and　there　are　no　associated　injuries　to　other　parts　of　her　body。　In　fact；　there　are　no　signs　of　physical　struggle　at　all。　So　I　would　consider　the　findings　consistent　with　premature　vaginal　entry　with　insufficient　lubrication　of　the　external　labia。〃
　I　said；　〃You're　saying　she　wasn't　wet。〃
　Tim　looked　pained。　〃Well。　In　crude　layman's　terms。〃
　〃How　long　before　death　did　these　abrasions　occur？〃
　〃It　could　be　as　much　as　an　hour　or　two。　It　wasn't　near　the　actual　time　of　death。　You　can　tell　that　from　the　extravasation　and　swelling　of　the　affected　areas。　If　death　occurs　soon　after　the　injury；　blood　flow　stops；　and　therefore　the　swelling　is　limited　or　absent。　In　this　case；　as　you　see；　swelling　is　quite　pronounced。〃
　〃And　the　sperm？〃
　〃Samples　have　gone　to　the　lab。　Along　with　all　her　usual　fluids。〃　He　shrugged。　〃Have　to　wait　and　see。　Now；　are　you　two　going　to　fill　me　in？　Because　it　looks　to　me　like　this　little　girl　was　going　to　get　in　trouble；　sooner　or　later。　I　mean；　she's　cute；　but　she's　screwed　up。　So　。　。　。　what　is　the　big　deal？　Why　am　I　out　of　bed　in　the　middle　of　the　night　to　do　a　careful；　documented　post　on　some　little　gasper？〃
　I　said；　〃Beats　me。〃
　〃e　on。　Fair　is　fair；〃　Dr。　Tim　said。　〃I　showed　you　mine；　now　you　show　me　yours。〃
　〃Why；　Tim；〃　Connor　said。　〃You　made　a　joke。〃
　〃Fuck　you；〃　Tim　said。　〃You　guys　owe　me。　e　on。〃
　〃I'm　afraid　Peter　is　telling　you　the　truth；〃　Connor　said。　〃All　we　know　is　that　this　murder　occurred　at　the　time　of　a　big　public　Japanese　reception；　and　they　are　eager　to　get　it　cleared　up　right　away。〃
　〃That　makes　sense；〃　Tim　said。　〃The　last　time　the　shit　hit　the　fan　around　here；　it　was　because　of　that　thing　involving　the　Japanese　consulate。　Remember；　the　Takashima　kidnapping　case？　Maybe　you　don't　remember：　it　never　made　the　papers。　The　Japanese　managed　to　keep　it　very　quiet。　But　anyway；　a　guard　was　killed　under　odd　circumstances；　and　for　two　days；　they　put　a　hell　of　a　pressure　on　our　office。　I　was　amazed　what　they　could　do。　We　had　Senator　Rowe　calling　us　in　person；　telling　us　what　to　do。　The　governor　calling　in　person。　Everybody　calling　us。　You'd　think　it　was　the　president's　kid。　I　mean；　these　people　have　influence。〃
　〃Of　course　they　do。　They've　paid　handsomely　for　it；〃　Graham　said；　ing　into　the　room。
　〃Close　the　door；〃　Tim　said。
　〃But　this　time；　all　their　fucking　influence　won't　help；〃　Graham　said。　〃Because　this　time；　we　have　them　by　the　short　and　curlies。　We　have　a　murder：　and　based　on　the　lab　results　so　far；　we　can　say　without　question　that　the　murderer　was　Japanese。〃
　
　？
　The　pathology　lab　next　door　was　a　large　room　lit　by　even　banks　of　fluorescent　lights。　Rows　of　microscopes；　neatly　laid　out。　But　late　at　night；　only　two　technicians　were　working　in　the　big　space。　And　Graham　was　standing　beside　them；　gloating。
　〃Look　for　yourself。　Pubic　hair　b…through　reveals　male　pubic　hair；　moderate　curl；　ovoid　cross　section；　almost　certainly　Asian　in　origin。　The　first　semen　analysis　is　blood　type：　AB；　relatively　rare　among　Caucasians；　but　much　more　mon　among　Asians。　The　first　analysis　of　protein　in　the　seminal　fluid　es　up　negative　for　the　genetic　marker　for　。　。　。　what's　it　called？〃
　〃Ethanol　dehydrogenase；〃　the　technician　said。
　〃Right。　Ethanol　dehydrogenase。　It's　an　enzyme。　Missing　in　Japanese。　And　missing　in　this　seminal　fluid。　And　there's　the　Diego　factor；　which　is　a　blood…group　protein。　So。　We　have　more　tests　ing；　but　it　seems　clear　that　this　girl　had　forced　sex　with　a　Japanese　man　before　she　was　killed　by　him。〃
　〃It's　clear　you've　found　evidence　of　Japanese　semen　in　her　vagina；〃　Connor　said。　〃That's　all。〃
　〃Christ；〃　Graham　said。　〃Japanese　semen；　Japanese　pubic　hair；　Japanese　blood　factors。　We　are　talking　a　Japanese　perp　here。〃
　He　had　set　out　some　pictures　from　the　crime　scene；　showing　Cheryl　lying　on　the　boardroom　table。　He　started　to　pace　back　and　forth　in　front　of　them。
　〃I　know　where　you　guys　have　been；　and　I　know　you've　been　wasting　your　time；〃　Graham　said。　〃You　went　for　videotapes：　but　they're　gone；　right？　Then　you　went　to　her　apartment：　but　it　was　cleaned　up　before　you　ever　got　there。　Which　is　exactly　what　you'd　expect　if　the　perp　is　Japanese。　It　lays　right　out；　plain　as　can　be。〃
　Graham　pointed　to　the　pictures。　〃There's　our　girl。　Cheryl　Austin　from　Texas。　She's　cute。　Fresh。　Good　figure。　She's　an　actress；　sort　of。　She　does　a　few　mercials。　Maybe　a　Nissan　mercial。　Whatever。　She　meets　some　people。　Makes　some　contacts。　Gets　on　some　lists。　You　with　me？〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said　to　Graham。　Connor　was　staring　intently　at　the　pictures。
　〃One　way　or　another；　our　Cheryl's　doing　well　enough　to　be　wearing　a　black　Yamamoto　gown　when　she　gets　invited　to　the　grand　opening　of　the　Nakamoto　Tower。　She　es　with　some　guy；　maybe　a　friend　or　a　hairdresser。　A　beard。　Maybe　she　knows　other　people　at　the　party；　and　maybe　not。　But　in　the　course　of　the　evening；　somebody　big　and　powerful　suggests　they　slip　away　for　a　while。　She　agrees　to　go　upstairs。　Why　not？　This　girl　likes　adventure。　She　likes　danger。　She's　cruising　for　a　bruising。　So　she　goes　upstairs　…　maybe　with　the　other　guy；　maybe　separately。　But　anyway；　they　meet　upstairs；　and　they　look　around　for　a　place　to　do　it。　A　place　that's　exciting。　And　they　decide　…　him；　probably；　he　decides　…　to　do　it　right　on　the　fucking　boardroom　table。　So　they　start　doing　it；　they're　whanging　away　but　things　get　out　of　hand。　Her　loverboy　gets　a　little　too　worked　up；　or　else　he's　kinky；　and　。　。　。　he　squeezes　her　neck　a　little　too　hard。　And　she's　dead。　You　with　me　so　far？'〃
　〃Yes　。　。　。〃
　〃So　now　loverboy　has　a　problem。　He's　e　upst