mac.thepearlharbormurders-第13章

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　But　Kamana　wanted　to　talk；　and　the　words　tumbled　out　of　him…how　two　years　ago　Pearl　Harada；　who　had　been　visiting　relatives　in　Honolulu；　auditioned　for　his　band；　on　an　impulse。　When　Kamana　told　her　she　had　the　job；　Pearl　had　moved　from　San　Francisco　to　Oahu。
　〃I　knew　she　was　something　special。。。。　It　was　more　than　just　her　looks；　or　that　nice　voice　of　hers。。。　so　much　like　Dinah　Shore　。。。　she　had　star　quality。　She　could　have　gone　places。　We　might　have　gone　places！〃
　Hully　knew　what　the　man　was　doing：　Kamana　was　talking　about　her　because　it　was　a　way　of　keeping　her　alive。　Though　it　seemed　obvious　he'd　killed　her；　this　man　just　as　obviously　was　deeply　sorry　she　was　dead。
　O。　B。　didn't　seem　terribly　moved　by　any　of　this。　〃So　you　might　have　'gone　places'　。。。　and　that　makes　you　innocent　of　her　murder？　As　in；　why　would　you　kill　your　meal　ticket？〃
　Kamana　was　shaking　his　head；　and　he　seemed　desperate　to　be　believed。　〃She　was　more　than　that　to　me　。。。　so　much　more。　I　didn't　date　her　at　first。。。　I　tried　to　keep　things。。。　businesslike。　But　we　hit　it　off　so　well；　musically；　it　was　just　natural　for　us　to　get　together；　in　other　ways。。。。　I　wanted　her　to　marry　me。　But　she　wouldn't。　She　said　her　career　came　first；　and　she　didn't　want　to　settle　down　anyway　。。。　and　she　dated　a　lot　of　guys；　mostly　servicemen　who　followed　the　band。　Then　this　Fielder　came　along　。。。　and　she　got　serious　with　him　。。。　said　she　was　going　to　marry　him　。。。　quit　the　band。。。　quit　show　business　。。。　quit　me。〃
　Hully　asked；　casually；　〃So　you　argued？　Tonight？〃
　〃We've　argued　several　times　about　it；〃　Kamana　said。　Talking　seemed　to　calm　him。　〃But　not　tonight。　I。。。　I　accepted　it　and。。。　well；　I　was　hoping　it　would　just。。。　pass。　Anyway；　I　figured　in　the　long　run　it　was　just　a
　pipe　dream。。。。That　Fielder　kid；　his　colonel　papa　wouldn't　put　up　with　his　boy　marrying　a　Jap。　I　stopped　arguing　with　her…maybe　she　would　e　to　her　senses；　maybe　she　wouldn't；　but　that　Fielder　kid　would　。。。　or　at　least　his　father　would　make　him　e　to　his　senses。〃
　〃So；〃　Hully　said；　〃you　were　just。。。　chatting　tonight；　down　on　the　beach。〃
　Kamana　shook　his　head；　emphatically。　〃I　wasn't　talking　to　her　on　the　beach　。。。　not　at　all；　not　tonight！　I　heard　arguing　。。。　my　bungalow's　near　the　beach；　you　know　。。。　and　recognized　her　voice　。。。　heard　a　man's　voice；　but　it　was　soft；　I　didn't　recognize　it。　Then　I。。。　I　heard　her　scream；　and　I　ran　out　and　down　there。。。　and。。。〃
　He　began　to　weep　again；　instinctively　covering　his　face　with　his　hands…smearing　the　blood　all　over　himself。　Hully　glanced　at　O。　B。；　who　looked　back　with　wide　eyes。
　〃。。。　She　was　dead。。。。My　lovely　Pearl　was　dead。。。。　Somebody　killed　her。。。。All　crushed　in　。。。　I　tried　to　help　her；　and　got　her　blood　on　me。。。。〃
　His　pockmarked　face　was　streaked　with　blood；　now…　he　looked　like　an　Apache　with　war　paint。
　A　knock　at　the　door　made　them　jump；　even　O。　B。；　who　said　to　Hully；　〃Get　that。〃
　The　man　Hully　let　in　was　small　and　swarthy；　a　hawk…faced　obvious　plainclothes　cop　in　a　snap…brim　fedora；　rumpled　gray　suit　and　red　tie。　His　eyes　were　small　and　dark　and　needle…sharp。
　〃Hulbert　Burroughs；〃　Hully　said；　extending　his　hand　to　the　little　detective。
　〃John　Jardine；〃　he　replied；　and　shook　Hully's　hand；　a　strong　grip。
　Jardine　and　O。　B。　shook　hands；　as　well。　The　elder　Burroughs　had　already　filled　the　detective　in　on　many　of　the　particulars；　over　the　phone。
　〃How　did　you　get　blood　on　your　face；　Mr。　Kamana？〃　Jardine　asked　bluntly；　standing　unfortably　close　to　the　seated　musician。
　〃It　isn't　on　my　face；〃　Kamana　said；　stupidly；　holding　up　his　hand；　where　the　blood　was　just　a　stain；　now。
　〃It's　on　your　face。〃
　Kamana's　grief　had　subsided　and　fear　was　moving　in；　with　Honolulu's　top　homicide　cop　staring　him　down；　the　musician　obviously　was　grasping　what　kind　of　spot　he　was　in。　〃It。。。　it　was　on　my　hand。。。　I　must　have。。。　must　have　touched　my　face。。。。〃
　〃How　did　you　get　it　on　your　hand？〃
　Hully　and　his　father　sat　on　the　couch　as　Jardine　questioned　Kamana…just　preliminary　stuff；　but　Hully　was　interested　in　the　musician's　responses；　which　were　for　the　most　part　a　rehash　of　the　things　Kamana　had　emotionally　blurted　to　Hully　and　O。　B。
　But　Hully　was　impressed　by　the　unrehearsed　consistency　of　Kamana's　answers。
　Before　long；　Jardine　was　lugging　Kamana…his　hands　cuffed　behind　him…outside　into　the　breeze…kissed　dark；　where　he　turned　the　musician　over　to　a　uniformed　cop；　a　Polynesian　who　walked　Kamana　toward　a　squad　car　waiting　in　the　parking　lot　near　the　lodge。　From　down　toward　the　beach　came　bursts　of　light；　as　if　a　tiny　lightning　storm　had　moved　in。
　Noting　Hully's　confused　expression；　Jardine　said；　〃Flash　photos。〃
　Hully　nodded…like　his　dad　had　said；　the　beach　was　a　crime　scene　now　。。。　and　Pearl　was　no　longer　a　person；　but　evidence。
　The　Portuguese　detective　said　to　O。　B。；　〃Do　you　mind　a　few　questions？　While　it's　all　fresh　in　your　mind？〃
　〃Not　at　all。　Shall　we　go　back　inside？〃
　O。　B。　was　opening　the　screen　door　for　the　detective　when　a　figure　came　rushing　up；　dressed　in　white；　a　ghost　emerging　from　the　darkness。
　Otto　Kuhn…in　a　white　shirt　and　white　linen　pants；　looking　like　a　male　nurse　seeking　a　doctor…seemed　out　of　breath；　though　his　bungalow；　next　door；　was　hardly　any　distance。　His　light　blue　eyes　had　a　startled　look。
　〃Are　you　with　the　police；　sir？〃　he　asked　Jardine　in　his　thick　yet　smoothly　accented　second　tenor。
　〃I'm　Detective　Jardine。〃
　〃I'm　Otto　Kuhn…I　live　there。〃　He　pointed　toward　the　bungalow　past　a　cluster　of　palms。　〃Could　I　speak　to　you；　sir？〃
　Jardine　gestured　toward　the　sitting　room；　which　beckoned　beyond　the　screen　door　O。　B。　held　open。　〃Mr。　Burroughs；　do　you　mind？〃
　〃Not　at　all。〃
　And　soon　Hully　and　his　father　were　again　seated　on　the　couch；　spectators；　as　the　German　real…estate　agent　spoke　excitedly　to　the　Portuguese　detective。　Though　Kuhn　towered　over　the　little　man；　literally；　Jardine's　manding　presence　loomed　over　the　German；　figuratively。
　With　an　inappropriate　smile；　Kuhn　said；　〃I　saw　you　arrest　that。。。　native。　That　musician。〃
　〃You　did。〃
　〃Yes；　and　you　were　correct　to　do　so。　I。。。　hesitated　to　e　forward　until　I　was　sure　he　was　safely　in　custody。〃
　〃You　sound　as　if　you　were　afraid　of　Kamana；　Mr。　Kuhn。〃
　Kuhn　swallowed；　nodded。　〃I'm　not　proud　to　admit　that　is　the　case。　You　see。。。　I　saw　of　what　brutality　he　was　capable。　My　bungalow　。。。　a　window　looks　out　on　the　beach。　It　is　somewhat　blocked　by　trees；　but　I　had　them　trimmed　back；　recently　。。。　for　a　better　view。〃
　〃What　kind　of　view　did　you　have　tonight；　Mr。　Kuhn？〃
　〃I　was　sleeping；〃　he　said；　tilting　his　head；　as　if　onto　a　pillow；　〃and　woke　suddenly。。。。〃　He　jerked　his　head　straight　up。
　Hully　winced；　these　histrionics　were　somehow　distasteful。
　Kuhn　was　saying；　〃I　heard　arguing；　loud　arguing；　a　man　and　a　woman。　I　rolled　over；　to　go　back　to　sleep　。。。　my　wife　did　not　waken；　I　must　emphasize；　she　saw　nothing。〃
　〃All　right。〃
　Gesturing　with　both　hands；　the　German　said；　〃The　arguing　got　louder。　Heated；　you　might　say。　I　went　to　the　window；　to　plain。　I　think　if　I　shout　at　them；　they　might　stop；　and　I　can　sleep　again；　and　no　one　would　be　harmed。　But　when　I　got　to　the　window　。。。　that's　when　I　saw　it。〃
　〃Saw　what？〃
　〃The　murder。　That　man。。。　the　Hawaiian　musician；　Kamana。。。　he　had　something　in　his　hand。。。　a　rock；　I　think。　Something　heavy；　anyway；　small　enough　for　him　to　grasp。　He　raised　his　hand；　and　I　wanted　to　shout；　'Stop！'　But　I　was　too　late。。。　she　screamed；　and　he　struck　her。　Struck　her　a　terrible　blow。〃
　Kuhn　lowered　his　head；　shaking　it；　as　if　remembering　this　terrible　thing。。。　but　something　about　it　seemed　hollow　to　Hully。　He　glanced　at　his　father；　to　see　if　he　could　read　any　similar　reaction；　and　noted　his　dad's　eyes　were　so　narrow；　they　might　have　been　cuts　in　his　face。
　〃This　is　a　very　interesting　story；　Mr。　Kuhn；〃　Jardine　said。　〃I　have　one　question…why　didn't　you　call　the　police？〃
　Kuhn　nodded　toward　O。　B。；　on　the　couch。　〃I　saw　Mr。　Burroughs　capture　the　Hawaiian。。。。Edgar　was　obviously　taking　him　to　justice。　I　calmed　my　wife。。。　she　had　woken　by　this　time；　and　heard　my　story；　and　had　bee　terribly　upset。。。　and　I　simply　waited　for　you　to　arrive。〃　He　smiled；　clasped　his　hands　in　front　of　him；　like　a　waiter　about　to　show　a　patron　t