mc.risingsun-第31章

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ncial　scandals　brought　down　Prime　Minister　Tanaka　in　the　seventies。　It's　the　same　way　the　Japanese　screwed　General　Electric　a　couple　of　years　ago。〃
　〃They　screwed　General　Electric？〃
　〃In　the　Yokogawa　scandal。　You　heard　of　it？　No？　Well；　it's　classic　Japanese　maneuvering。　A　few　years　ago；　General　Electric　made　the　best　scanning　equipment　in　the　world　for　hospitals。　GE　formed　a　subsidiary；　Yokogawa　Medical；　to　market　this　equipment　in　Japan。　And　GE　did　business　the　Japanese　way：　cutting　costs　below　petitors　to　get　market　share；　providing　excellent　service　and　support；　entertaining　customers　…　giving　potential　buyers　air　tickets　and　traveler's　checks。　We'd　call　it　bribes；　but　it's　standard　business　procedure　in　Japan。　Yokogawa　quickly　became　the　market　leader；　ahead　of　Japanese　panies　like　Toshiba。　The　Japanese　panies　didn't　like　that　and　plained　about　unfairness。　And　one　day　government　agents　raided　Yokogawa's　offices　and　found　evidence　of　the　bribes。　They　arrested　several　Yokogawa　employees；　and　blackened　the　pany　name　in　scandal。　It　didn't　hurt　GE　sales　in　Japan　very　much。　It　didn't　matter　that　other　Japanese　panies　also　offer　bribes。　For　some　reason；　it　was　the　non…Japanese　pany　that　got　caught。　Amazing；　how　that　happens。〃
　I　said；　〃Is　it　really　that　bad？〃
　〃The　Japanese　can　be　tough；〃　Connor　said。　〃They　say　'business　is　war；'　and　they　mean　it。　You　know　how　Japan　is　always　telling　us　that　their　markets　are　open。　Well；　in　the　old　days；　if　a　Japanese　bought　an　American　car；　he　got　audited　by　the　government。　So　pretty　soon；　nobody　bought　an　American　car。　The　officials　shrug：　what　can　they　do？　Their　market　is　open：　they　can't　help　it　if　nobody　wants　an　American　car。　The　obstructions　are　endless。　Every　imported　car　has　to　be　individually　tested　on　the　dock　to　make　sure　it　plies　with　exhaust…emission　laws。　Foreign　drugs　can　only　be　tested　in　Japanese　laboratories　on　Japanese　nationals。　Foreign　skis　were　once　banned　because　Japanese　snow　was　said　to　be　wetter　than　European　and　American　snow。　That's　the　way　they　treat　other　countries；　so　it's　not　surprising　they　worry　about　getting　a　taste　of　their　own　medicine。〃
　〃Then　Ishiguro　is　waiting　for　some　scandal？　Because　that's　what　would　happen　in　Japan？〃
　〃Yes。　He's　afraid　that　Nakamoto　will　be　finished　in　a　single　stroke。　But　I　doubt　that　it　will。　Chances　are；　it'll　be　business　as　usual　in　Los　Angeles　tomorrow。〃
　
　I　drove　Connor　back　to　his　apartment。　As　he　climbed　out　of　the　car　I　said；　〃Well；　it's　been　interesting；　Captain。　Thanks　for　spending　the　time　with　me。〃
　〃You're　wele；〃　Connor　said。　〃Call　me　any　time；　if　you　need　help　in　the　future。〃
　〃I　hope　your　golf　game　isn't　too　early　tomorrow。〃
　〃Actually；　it's　at　seven；　but　at　my　age　I　don't　need　much　sleep。　I'll　be　playing　at　the　Sunset　Hills。〃
　〃Isn't　it　a　Japanese　course？〃　The　purchase　of　the　Sunset　Hills　Country　Club　was　one　of　the　more　recent　outrages　in　L。A。　The　West　Los　Angeles　golf　course　was　bought　for　a　huge　cash　price：　two　hundred　million　dollars　in　1990。　At　the　time；　the　new　Japanese　owners　said　no　changes　would　be　made。　But　now；　the　American　membership　was　slowly　being　reduced　by　a　simple　procedure：　whenever　an　American　retired；　his　place　was　offered　to　a　Japanese。　Sunset　Hills　memberships　were　sold　in　Tokyo　for　a　million　dollars　each；　where　they　were　considered　a　bargain；　there　was　a　long　waiting　list。
　〃Well；〃　Connor　said；　〃I'm　playing　with　some　Japanese。〃
　〃You　do　that　often？〃
　〃The　Japanese　are　avid　golfers；　as　you　know。　I　try　to　play　twice　a　week。　Sometimes　you　hear　things　of　interest。　Good　night；　kōhai。〃
　〃Good　night；　Captain。〃
　I　drove　home。
　
　I　was　pulling　onto　the　Santa　Monica　freeway　when　the　phone　rang。　It　was　the　DHD　operator。　〃Lieutenant；　we　have　a　Special　Services　call。　Officers　in　the　field　request　assistance　of　the　liaison。〃
　I　sighed。　〃Okay。〃　She　gave　me　the　mobile　number。
　〃Hey；　buddy。〃
　It　was　Graham。　I　said；　〃Hi；　Tom。〃
　〃You　alone　yet？〃
　〃Yeah。　I'm　heading　home。　Why？〃
　〃I　was　thinking；〃　Graham　said。　〃Maybe　we　should　have　the　Japanese　liaison　on　hand　for　this　bust。〃
　〃I　thought　you　wanted　to　do　it　alone。〃
　〃Yeah；　well；　maybe　you　want　to　e　over　and　help　out　with　this　bust。　Just　so　everything　is　done　by　the　book。〃
　I　said；　〃Is　this　a　CYA？〃　I　meant　cover　your　ass。
　〃Hey。　You　going　to　help　me　out；　or　not？〃
　〃Sure；　Tom。　I'm　on　my　way。〃
　〃We'll　wait　for　you。〃
　
　？
　Eddie　Sakamura　lived　in　a　small　house　on　one　of　those　narrow　twisting　streets　high　in　the　Hollywood　hills　above　the　101　freeway。　It　was　2：45　a。m。　when　I　came　around　a　curve　and　saw　the　two　black　and　whites　with　their　lights　off；　and　Graham's　tan　sedan；　parked　to　one　side。　Graham　was　standing　with　the　patrolmen；　smoking　a　cigarette。　I　had　to　go　back　a　dozen　meters　to　find　a　place　to　park。　Then　I　walked　over　to　them。
　We　looked　up　at　Eddie's　house；　built　over　a　garage　at　street　level。　It　was　one　of　those　two…bedroom　white　stucco　houses　from　the　1940s。　The　lights　were　on；　and　we　heard　Frank　Sinatra　singing。　Graham　said；　〃He's　not　alone。　He's　got　some　broads　up　there。〃
　I　said；　〃How　do　you　want　to　handle　it？〃
　Graham　said；　〃We　leave　the　boys　here。　I　told　'em　no　shooting；　don't　worry。　You　and　I　go　up　and　make　the　bust。〃
　Steep　stairs　ran　up　from　the　garage　to　the　house。
　〃Okay。　You　take　the　front　and　I'll　take　the　back？〃
　〃Hell；　no；〃　Graham　said。　〃I　want　you　with　me；　buddy。　He's　not　dangerous；　right？〃
　I　saw　the　silhouette　of　a　woman　pass　one　of　the　windows。　She　looked　naked。　〃Shouldn't　be；〃　I　said。
　〃Okay　then；　let's　do　it。〃
　We　started　up　the　stairs　single　file。　Frank　Sinatra　was　singing　〃My　Way。〃　We　heard　the　laughter　of　women。　It　sounded　like　more　than　one。　〃Christ；　I　hope　they　got　some　fucking　drugs　out。〃
　I　thought　the　chances　of　that　were　pretty　good。　We　reached　the　top　of　the　stairs；　ducking　to　avoid　being　seen　through　the　windows。
　The　front　door　was　Spanish；　heavy　and　solid。　Graham　paused。　I　moved　a　few　steps　toward　the　back　of　the　house；　where　I　saw　the　greenish　glow　of　pool　lights。　There　was　probably　a　back　door　going　out　to　the　pool。　I　was　trying　to　see　where　it　was。
　Graham　tapped　my　shoulder。　I　came　back。　He　gently　turned　the　handle　of　the　front　door。　It　was　unlocked。　Graham　took　out　his　revolver　and　looked　at　me。　I　took　out　my　gun。
　He　paused；　held　up　three　fingers。　Count　of　three。
　Graham　kicked　the　front　door　open　and　went　in　low；　shouting　〃Hold　it；　police！　Hold　it　right　there！〃　Before　I　got　into　the　living　room；　I　could　hear　the　women　screaming。
　
　There　were　two　of　them；　pletely　naked；　running　around　the　room　and　shrieking　at　the　top　of　their　lungs；　〃Eddie！　Eddie！〃　Eddie　wasn't　there。　Graham　was　shouting；　〃Where　is　he？　Where　is　Eddie　Sakamura？〃　The　redhead　grabbed　a　pillow　from　the　couch　to　cover　herself；　and　screamed；　〃Get　out　of　here；　you　fucker！〃　and　then　she　threw　the　pillow　at　Graham。　The　other　girl；　a　blonde；　ran　squealing　into　the　bedroom。　We　followed　her；　and　the　redhead　threw　another　pillow　at　us。
　In　the　bedroom；　the　blonde　fell　on　the　floor　and　howled　in　pain。　Graham　leaned　over　her　with　his　gun。　〃Don't　shoot　me！〃　she　cried。　〃I　didn't　do　anything！〃
　Graham　grabbed　her　by　the　ankle。　There　was　all　this　twisting　bare　flesh。　The　girl　was　hysterical。　〃Where　is　Eddie？〃　Graham　said。　〃Where　is　he？〃
　〃In　a　meeting！〃　the　girl　squealed。
　〃Where？〃
　〃In　a　meeting！〃　And　flailing　around；　she　kicked　Graham　in　the　nuts　with　her　other　leg。
　〃Aw；　Christ；〃　Graham　said；　letting　the　girl　go。　He　coughed　and　sat　down　hard。　I　went　back　to　the　living　room。　The　redhead　had　her　high　heels　on　but　nothing　else。
　I　said；　〃Where　is　he？〃
　〃You　bastards；〃　she　said。　〃You　fucking　bastards。〃
　I　went　past　her　toward　a　door　at　the　far　end　of　the　room。　It　was　locked。　The　redhead　ran　up　and　began　to　hit　me　on　the　back　with　her　fists。　〃Leave　him　alone！　Leave　him　alone！〃　I　was　trying　to　open　the　locked　door　while　she　pounded　on　me。　I　thought　I　heard　voices　from　the　other　side　of　the　door。　In　the　next　moment　Graham's　big　bulk　slammed　into　the　door　and　the　wood　splintered。　The　door　opened。　I　saw　the　kitchen；　lit　by　the　green　light　of　the　pool　outside。　The　room　was　empty。　The　back　door　was　open。
　〃Shit。〃
　By　now　the　redhead　had　jumped　on　my　back；　and　locke