ericlustbader.the ninja-第14章

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　'Magic？'　echoed　Doc　Deerforth。　'Are　you　seriously　suggesting。。。？'
　'In　the　history　of　Japan；'　Nicholas　said；　'it　is　oftentimes　difficult　to　separate　fact　from　legend。　I　am　not　trying　to　be　melodramatic。　This　is　the　way　it　is　in　Japan。　Feats　have　been　ascribed　to　the　ninja　that　would　have　been　impossible　without　the　aid　of　some　kind　of　magic。'
　'Tall　tales；'　said　Florum。　'Every　country's　got　'em。'
　'Yes。　Possibly。'
　'And　the　poison　you　found？'
　'Is　a　ninja　poison。　Swallowed；　it's　quite　harmless。　A　favourite　method　of　administering　it　was　to　make　a　quick　drying　syrup　of　it　and　coat　the　shaken　with　it。'
　'What's　that？'　Florum　asked。
　'These　are　part　of　a　ninja's　arsenal　of　silent；　easily　concealed　weapons；　his　short…bladed　shuriken。　The　shaken　is　a　star…shaped　metal　object。　Flung　through　the　air　by　the　ninja；　it　bees　a　most　lethal　weapon。　And　coated　with　this　poison；　the　weapon　need　not　even　puncture　a　vital　spot　for　the　victim　to　die。'
　Florum　snorted。　'Are　you　trying　to　tell　me　that　that　stiff　was　killed　by　a　ninja？　Jesus；　Linnear；　you　said　they　died　out　three　hundred　years　ago。〃
　'No；'　Nicholas　corrected。　'I　merely　said　that　that　was　the　last　time　they　were　used　in　any　major　way。　Many　things　have　changed　in　Japan　since　the　sixteen　hundreds　and　the　Tokugawa　shogunate；　and　the　country　is；　in　many　respects；　no　longer　what　it　once　was。　However；　there　are　traditions　that　are　impossible　to　obliterate　by　either　man　or　time。'
　'There's　got　to　be　another　explanation；'　Florum　said；　shaking　his　head。　'What　would　a　ninja　be　doing　in　West　Bay　Bridge？'
　'I'm　afraid　that's　something　I　can't　answer；'　Nicholas　said。　'But　I　know　this。　There　is　a　ninja　abroad　here　and　in　all　the　world　there　is　no　more　deadly　or　clever　foe。　You　must　act　with　extreme　caution。　Modern　weapons　…　guns；　grenades；　tear…gas　…will　give　you　no　security　against　him；　for　he　knows　of　all　these　things　and　they　will　not　deter　him　from　destroying…　his　intended　target　and　escaping　unseen。'
　'Wellj　he's　already　done　that；'　Florum　said；　getting　up。　'Thanks　for　the　information。'　He　stuck　out　his　hand。　'Nice　meeting　you　both。'　He　nodded。　'Doc。'　And　with　that　he　left。
　The　moment　Justine　heard　the　knock　on　her　door　she　felt　her　heart　sink。　She　put　down　her　pen　and；　wiping　her　hands　on　a　chamois　cloth；　came　away　from　the　drawing…board。　The　light　had　been　just　right；　she　preferred　the　daylight　to　the　gooseneck　lamp　clamped　to　the　board；　even　though　its　bination　of　fluorescent　and　incandescent　bulbs　gave　her　a　decent　approximation　of　natural　illumination。
　She　let　Nicholas　in。
　'They　called　you　about　that　body；　didn't　they？'　she　said。
　He　went　across　the　room　and　sat　on　the　sofa；　hands　behind
　his　head。　'What　body？'
　'You　know。　The　one　they　took　out　of　the　water　the　day　we　met。'
　'Yes。　That's　the　one。'　He　looked　tired　and　drawn　to　her。
　'Why　did　they　call　you？'
　He　looked　up　at　her。　'They　thought　I　might　be　able　to　help　them　find　out　how　he　died。'
　'You　mean　he　didn't　drown？　But　what　would　you　…'
　'Justine；　why　didn't　you　tell　me　your　father　is　Raphael　Tomkin？'
　Her　hands；　which　had　been　in　front　of　her；　fingers　interlaced；　dropped　to　her　sides。　'What　possible　reason　would　I　have　to　tell　you？'　she　said。
　'Did　you　think　I'd　be　after　your　money？'
　'Don't　be　absurd。'　She　gave　a　little　laugh　but　it　came　out　quite　strangled。　'I　don't　have　any　money。'
　'You　know　what　I　mean。'
　'What　difference　could　it　make　who　my　father　is？'
　'It　doesn't；　really。　I'm　more　interested　in　why　you　chose　to　change　your　name。'
　'I　don't　think　it's　any　of　your　business。'
　He　got　up；　went　over　to　look　at　what　she　had　been　working　on。　'Nice；'　he　said。　'I　like　it。'　He　went　into　the　kitchen；　opened　the　refrigerator。　'That　man　was　murdered；'　he　told　her　over　his　shoulder。　'By　an　expert　assassin。　But　nobody　knows　why。'　He　took　out　a　bottle　of　Perrier；　opened　it　and　emptied　it　into　a　glass。　He　took　a　drink。　'Vincent　was　called　in　and　he　in　turn　asked　for　my　help；　because　the　murderer　is　in　all　likelihood　a　Japanese；　a　man　who　kills　for　money。'　He　turned　round；　went　back　into　the　living　room　where　she　still　stood　where　he　had　left　her。　She　stared　at　him；　her　eyes　very　bright。　'Not　a　hit　man　…　someone　you　read　about　in　the　papers　when　there's　some　gangland　killing　in　New　Jersey　or　Brooklyn。　No；　this　is　the　kind　of　man　you　never　hear　about。　He's　far　too　clever　to　give　himself　any　notoriety　except　among　an　elite　core　of　potential　clients。　But　I　really　don't　know　too　much　about　that　end　of　it。'　He　looked　up　at　her　as　he　settled　himself　on　the　sofa　once　more。　'Are　you　getting　all　this？'
　There　was　silence　for　a　time；　just　the　sound　of　the　surf　seeming　far　away。　She　moved；　at　last；　over　to　the　stereo；　putting　on　a　record。　But　almost　immediately　she　took　the　needle　off　the　groove　as　if　the　music　were　some　intruder　now　to　be　kept　away。
　'He　called　me　home　during　my　sophomore　year　at　Smith；'　she　said　with　her　back　to　him。　Her　voice　was　flat　and　dry　and　contained。　'Sent　his　goddamn　private　jet　for　me　so　I　was　sure　not　to　miss　any　of　my　classes。'　She　turned　round　but　her　head　was　down；　her　gaze　riveted　on　a　paper　clip　she　held；　working　it　back　and　forth　until　it　snapped　apart。
　'Well；　I　was；　I　don't　know；　I　guess　〃frightened〃　is　the　word。　I　couldn't　imagine　what　emergency　he'd　called　me　back　home　for。　I　immediately　thought　of　my　mother。　Funny；　not　Gelda；　she　never　got　sick。　Not　like　Mother。
　'Anyway；　I　was　brought　into　the　study　and　there　he　was　standing　before　the　fire；　toasting　his　hands。　I　stood　watching　him　with　my　loden　coat　brushed　with　snow；　not　even　bothering　to　take　it　off。　He　offered　me　a　drink。〃　Her　head　snapped　up　and　she　impaled　him　with　her　eyes。　'Can　you　imagine　I　He　offered　me　a　drink　as　calmly　as　if　we　were　business　partners　about　to　discuss　an　important　deal。
　'It's　odd；　you　know。　That's　precisely　the　image　I　had　at　the　time。　It　was　prophetic。　〃My　dear；〃　he　said；　〃I've　got　a　surprise　for　you。　I've　e　across　a　most　extraordinary　man。　He'll　be　here　any　moment。　I　imagine　the　snow's　delayed　him　a　bit。　e。　Take　off　your　coat　and　sit　down。〃　But　I　stayed　where　I　was；　dumbfounded。　〃Is　this　why　you　flew　me　home？〃　I　asked。　〃Well；　yes。　I　want　you　to　meet　him。　He's　ideal　for　you。　His　family's　in　the　right　bracket　and　quite　well　connected。　He's　good…looking　and　a　three…letter　man　to　boot。〃　〃Father；〃　I　said；　〃you　scared　me　half　to　death　over　some　mad　idea　that　…〃　〃I　scared　you？〃　〃Yes；　I　thought　something　had　happened；　to　Mother　or　…〃　〃Don't　be　so　idiotic；　Justine！　I　can't　think　what　I'm　going　to　do　with　you。〃　I　stormed　out；　furious；　and　he　just　couldn't　understand　what　he　had　done　to　upset　me。　It　was　all　done　out　of　love；　he　told　me。　〃Do　you　know　how　much　time　I　spent　making　this　selection？〃　he　said　as　I　went　out　the　door。'　She　sighed。　'For　my　father；　time　was　always　his　most　precious　modity。'
　'People　don't　do　that〃　any　more；'　he　said。　'Trade　off　other　people　as　if　they　were　things。'
　'Oh　no？'　She　laughed　sardonically。　'It　happens　all　the　time；　all　around。'　She　spread　out　her　arms。　'In　marriages；　when　die　woman's　expected　to　perform　certain　duties；　in　divorces；　when　the　kids　are　used　as　bargaining　points；　in　affairs。　All　the　time；　Nick。　Grow　up；　will　you？'
　He　got　up　off　the　sofa；　annoyed　at　her　height　advantage。　'I'll　bet　your　father　used　to　say　that　to　you。　〃Grow　up；　Justine。〃'
　'You're　a　bastard；　you　know　that？'
　'C'mon。　You're　not　going　to　start　another　fight　now；　are　you？　I　told　you　…'
　'Bastard！'　She　leaped　across　the　intervening　coffee　table；　her　body　crashing　against　his；　her　hands　flailing　against　him；　but　he　caught　her　slender　wrists　without　difficulty；　pinioning　her。
　'Now；　listen；'　he　said。　'I　don't　mind　horsing　around　with　you；　but　I　told　you；　I'm　not　Chris　and　you're　not　going　to　provoke　a　fight　with　me　every　time　you　want　some　attention。　There're　other　ways　to　get　it。　For　instance；　you　could　ask。'
　'I　shouldn't　have　to　ask；'　she　said。
　'Oho！　So　that's　it。　I　don't　have　ESP。　I'm　just　a　human　being。　And　I　don't　need　psychodramas。'
　'But　I　do。'
　'No；'　he　said；　'you　don't。'　He　let　her　go。
　'Prove　it。'
　'You're　the　only　one　who　can　do　that。'
　'Not　alone；　I　can't。'　She　stared　up　into　his　face。　Her　hand　lifted。　Her　fingertips　grazed