mc.risingsun-第47章

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palm　of　her　hand。　He　didn't　touch　it；　he　just　looked　at　it；　and　nodded。　She　slipped　it　back　in　her　pocket。　Then　he　gave　her　money。　She　went　away。
　
　You　shake　my　nerves　and　you　rattle　my　brain。　
　Too　much　love　drives　a　man　insane。
　You　broke　my　will；　but　what　a　thrill…　
　
　A　valet　came　out　onto　the　loading　dock；　carrying　a　man's　blue　suit　on　a　hanger。　Connor　asked　a　question；　and　the　valet　looked　at　his　watch　before　he　answered。　Then　Connor　crouched　down　and　peered　closely　at　the　lower　edges　of　the　suit　coat。　He　opened　the　jacket　and　examined　the　trousers　on　the　hanger。
　The　valet　took　away　the　first　suit；　and　brought　a　second　one　out　onto　the　dock。　This　one　was　a　blue　pinstripe　suit。　Connor　repeated　his　inspection。　He　seemed　to　find　something　on　the　coat；　and　scraped　it　carefully　into　a　small　glassine　bag。　Then　he　paid　the　valet　and　walked　back　to　the　car。
　I　said；　〃Checking　Senator　Rowe？〃
　〃Checking　a　number　of　things；〃　he　said。　〃But；　yes；　Senator　Rowe。〃
　〃Rowe's　aide　had　white　panties　in　his　pocket　last　night。　But　Cheryl　was　wearing　black　panties。〃
　〃That's　true；〃　Connor　said。　〃But　I　think　we　are　making　progress。〃
　〃What've　you　got　in　the　bag？〃
　He　took　the　little　glassine　bag　out；　and　held　it　to　the　light。　I　saw　small　dark　strands　through　the　plastic。　〃Carpet　fibers；　I　think。　Dark；　like　the　carpet　at　the　Nakamoto　conference　room。　Have　to　check　with　the　lab　to　be　sure。　Meanwhile；　we　have　another　problem　to　solve。　Start　the　car。〃
　〃Where　are　we　going？〃
　〃Darley…Higgins。　The　pany　that　owns　MicroCon。〃
　
　？
　In　the　lobby　beside　the　receptionist；　a　workman　was　mounting　large　gold　letters　on　the　wall：　DARLEY…HIGGINS　INC。　Beneath　that　it　read　EXCELLENCE　IN　MANAGEMENT。　More　workmen　were　laying　carpet　in　the　hallway。
　We　showed　our　badges　and　asked　to　see　the　head　of　Darley…Higgins；　Arthur　Greiman。
　The　receptionist　had　a　Southern　accent　and　an　upturned　nose。　〃Mr。　Greiman　is　in　meetings　all　day。　Is　he　expecting　you？
　〃We're　here　about　the　MicroCon　sale。〃
　〃Then　you　want　Mr。　Enders；　our　vice…president　for　publicity。　He　speaks　to　people　about　MicroCon。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Connor　said。
　We　sat　down　on　a　couch　in　the　reception　area。　On　a　couch　across　the　room　sat　a　pretty　woman　in　a　tight　skirt。　She　had　a　roll　of　blueprints　under　her　arm。　The　workmen　continued　to　hammer。　I　said；　〃I　thought　the　pany　was　in　financial　trouble。　Why're　they　redecorating？〃
　Connor　shrugged；
　The　secretary　answered　the　phone；　routing　the　calls。　〃Darley…Higgins；　one　moment；　please。　Darley…Higgins　。　。　。　Oh；　please　hold；　Senator　。　。　。　Darley…Higgins；　yes；　thank　you　。　。　。〃
　I　picked　up　a　brochure　from　the　coffee　table。　It　was　the　annual　report　of　Darley…Higgins　Management　Group；　with　offices　in　Atlanta；　Dallas；　Seattle；　San　Francisco；　and　Los　Angeles。　I　found　a　picture　of　Arthur　Greiman。　He　looked　happy　and　self…satisfied。　The　report　included　an　essay　signed　by　him　entitled；　〃A　mitment　to　Excellence。〃
　The　secretary　said　to　us；　〃Mr。　Enders　will　be　right　with　you。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　Connor　said。
　A　moment　later；　two　men　in　business　suits　walked　out　into　the　hallway。　The　woman　with　the　blueprints　stood。　She　said；　〃Hello；　Mr。　Greiman。〃
　〃Hello；　Beverly；〃　the　older　man　said。　〃I'll　be　with　you　in　a　minute。〃
　Connor　stood　up；　too。　The　secretary　immediately　said；　〃Mr。　Greiman；　these　men…　〃
　〃Just　a　minute；〃　Greiman　said。　He　turned　to　the　man　with　him；　who　was　younger；　in　his　early　thirties。　〃Just　make　sure　you　get　it　straight　with　Roger；〃　Greiman　said。
　The　younger　man　was　shaking　his　head。　〃He　won't　like　it。〃
　〃I　know　he　won't。　But　tell　him　anyway。　Six　million　four　in　direct　pensation　for　the　CEO　is　the　minimum。〃
　〃But　Arthur…　〃
　〃Just　tell　him。〃
　〃I　will；　Arthur；〃　the　younger　man　said；　smoothing　his　tie。　He　lowered　his　voice。　〃But　the　board　may　balk　at　raising　you　above　six　when　pany　earnings　are　down　so　much…　〃
　〃We're　not　talking　about　earnings；〃　Greiman　said。　〃We're　talking　about　pensation。　It　has　nothing　to　do　with　earnings。　The　board　has　to　match　current　pensation　levels　for　chief　executives。　If　Roger　can't　bring　the　board　into　line　on　this；　I'm　going　to　cancel　the　March　meeting　and　ask　for　changes。　You　tell　him　that。'
　〃Okay；　I　will；　Arthur；　but…　〃
　〃Just　do　it。　Call　me　tonight。〃
　〃Right；　Arthur。〃
　They　shook　hands。　The　younger　man　walked　off　unhappily。　The　receptionist　said；　〃Mr。　Greiman；　these　gentlemen…　〃
　Greiman　turned　to　us。　Connor　said；　〃Mr。　Greiman；　we'd　like　to　speak　to　you　for　a　minute　about　MicroCon。〃　And　he　turned　slightly　aside；　and　showed　his　badge。
　Greiman　exploded　in　rage。　〃Oh；　for　Christ's　sake。　Not　again。　This　is　goddamned　harassment。〃
　〃Harassment？〃
　〃What　would　you　call　it？　I've　had　senatorial　staffers　here；　I've　had　the　F。B。I。　here。　Now　I　have　the　L。A。　police？　We're　not　criminals。　We　own　a　pany　and　we　have　the　right　to　sell　it。　Where　is　Louis？〃
　The　receptionist　said；　〃Mr。　Enders　is　ing。〃
　Connor　said　calmly；　〃Mr。　Greiman；　I'm　sorry　to　disturb　you。　We　have　only　one　question。　It'll　just　take　a　minute。〃
　Greiman　glowered。　〃What's　your　question？〃
　〃How　many　bidders　were　there　for　MicroCon？〃
　〃That's　none　of　your　business；〃　he　said。　〃Anyway；　our　agreement　with　Akai　stipulates　that　we　can't　discuss　the　sale　publicly　in　any　way。〃
　Connor　said；　〃Was　there　more　than　one　bidder？〃
　〃Look；　you　have　questions；　you　talk　to　Enders。　I'm　busy。〃　He　turned　to　the　woman　with　blueprints。　〃Beverly？　What　have　you　got　for　me？〃
　〃I　have　a　revised　layout　for　the　boardroom；　Mr。　Greiman；　and　tile　samples　for　the　washroom。　A　very　nice　gray　I　think　you'll　like。〃
　〃Good；　good。〃　He　led　her　down　the　hallway　away　from　us。
　Connor　watched　them　go；　and　then　abruptly　turned　toward　the　elevator。　〃e　on；　kōhai。　Let's　get　some　fresh　air。〃
　
　？
　〃Why　does　it　matter　if　there　were　other　bidders？〃　I　said；　when　we　were　back　in　the　car。
　〃It　goes　back　to　the　original　question　we　had；〃　Connor　said。　〃Who　wants　to　embarrass　Nakamoto？　We　know　the　sale　of　MicroCon　has　strategic　significance。　That's　why　Congress　is　upset。　But　that　almost　certainly　means　other　parties　are　upset；　too。〃
　〃In　Japan？〃
　〃Exactly。〃
　〃Who　will　know　that？〃
　〃Akai。〃
　
　The　Japanese　receptionist　tittered　when　she　saw　Connor's　badge。　Connor　said；　〃We　would　like　to　see　Mr。　Yoshida。〃　Yoshida　was　the　head　of　the　pany。
　〃One　moment；　please。〃　She　got　up　and　hurried　away；　almost　running。
　Akai　Ceramics　was　located　on　the　fifth　floor　of　a　bland　office…block　in　El　Segundo。　The　decor　was　spare　and　industrial…looking。　From　the　reception　area；　we　could　see　into　a　large　space；　which　was　not　partitioned：　lots　of　metal　desks　and　people　at　the　phones。　The　soft　click　of　word　processors。
　I　looked　at　the　office。　〃Pretty　bare。〃
　〃All　business；〃　Connor　said；　nodding。　〃In　Japan；　ostentation　is　frowned　on。　It　means　you　are　not　serious。　When　old　Mr。　Matsushita　was　the　head　of　the　third　biggest　pany　in　Japan；　he　still　took　the　regular　mercial　jet　between　his　head　offices　in　Osaka　and　Tokyo。　He　was　the　head　of　a　fifty…billion…dollar　pany。　But　no　private　jets　for　him。〃
　As　we　waited；　I　looked　at　the　people　working　at　the　desks。　A　handful　were　Japanese。　Most　were　Caucasian。　Everyone　wore　blue　suits。　There　were　almost　no　women。
　〃In　Japan；〃　Connor　said；　〃if　a　pany　is　doing　poorly；　the　first　thing　that　happens　is　the　executives　cut　their　own　salaries。　They　feel　responsible　for　the　success　of　the　pany；　and　they　expect　their　own　fortunes　to　rise　and　fall　as　the　pany　succeeds　or　fails。〃
　The　woman　came　back；　and　sat　at　her　desk　without　speaking。　Almost　immediately；　a　Japanese　man　wearing　a　blue　suit　came　toward　us。　He　had　gray　hair；　horn…rimmed　glasses；　and　a　solemn　manner。　He　said；　〃Good　morning。　I　am　Mr。　Yoshida。〃
　Connor　made　the　introductions。　We　all　bowed　and　exchanged　business　cards。　Mr。　Yoshida　took　each　card　with　both　hands；　bowing　each　time；　formally。　We　did　the　same。　I　noticed　that　Connor　did　not　speak　Japanese　to　him。
　Yoshida　led　us　to　his　office。　It　had　windows　looking　toward　the　airport。　The　furnishings　were　austere。
　〃Would　you　like　coffee；　or　tea？〃
　〃No；　thank　you；〃　Connor　said。　〃We　are　here　in　an　official　capacity。〃
　〃I　understand。〃　He　gestured　for　us　to　sit　down。
　〃We　would　like　to　talk　to　yo