mac.thepearlharbormurders-第6章

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stilities　begin。〃
　〃Your　contacts　are　trustworthy？　I　mean；　can　you　really　trust　these　nisei？'
　〃I　trust　them；〃　Sterling　said。　〃But　I　also　trust　my　fellow　FBI　agents；　who've　been　keeping　their　eyes　peeled。　A　tittle　over　a　month　ago；　the　Tatsuta　Maru　arrived　in　Honolulu；　delivering　a　pair　of　Japanese　diplomats；　both　of　whom　met　with　Kuhn…who　then　deposited　fourteen　thousand　dollars　in　cash　in　a　local　bank。〃
　Burroughs　took　another　swig　of　the　root　beer。
　〃You've　convinced　me…he's　a　rat。　Where　do　I　e　in？〃
　Sterling's　face　was　a　tight　mask。　〃Things　are　heating　up。　This　war　is　ing。　I　can　use　another　pair　of　eyes　here　at　the　Niumalu　。。。　informed　eyes。。。　not　to　do　any　spying　or　poking　around；　understand…just　to　keep　watch。　I'm　not　here　during　the　day；　and　Kuhn　frequently　is。〃
　〃You're　not　asking　me　to　do　surveillance…take　notes。。。〃
　〃No。　Just　keep　your　head　up。　Stay　alert。　Let　me　know　if　you　see　anything；　anyone；　suspicious　around　Kuhn　or　his　cottage。〃
　〃Glad　to　help；〃　Burroughs　said。
　〃All　right；　then…mum's　the　word。〃　Sterling　slapped　his　thighs；　and　rose。　〃See　you　tonight　at　the　luau？〃
　Burroughs　stood。　〃I'll　be　there…just　don't　pass　me　any　of　that　goddamn　library　paste。〃
　The　FBI　man　chuckled；　shook　the　writer's　hand；　collected　the　empty　soda…pop　bottles；　and　went　out；　leaving　an　energized　Burroughs　behind。
　Feeling　revitalized；　Edgar　Rice　Burroughs　returned　to　Venus；　wondering　if　this　time　he　might　make　it　to　the　fire　before　it　went　out。
　
　
　THREE
　Luau　Luminaries
　
　The　Niumalu　was　noted　for　its　luaus；　which　were　held　once　a　month。　Guests　often　asked　why　the　hotel　didn't　hold　their　version　of　a　native　feast　every　week；　but　the　truth　was；　it　took　seven　to　ten　days　to　properly　prepare　for　the　event。
　The　central　set　piece　of　the　affair　was　itself　a　daylong　chore：　the　roasting　of　a　kalua　pig；　hoofs　and　all。　The　pig　was　stuffed　with　hot　rocks；　lowered　into　a　barbecue　pit　called　an　imu；　which　was　already　filled　with　red…hot　rocks；　then　the　unprotesting　pig　was　covered　with　ti　leaves；　buried　under　earth　and　canvas；　and　left　to　slowly　cook；　hour　upon　hour。
　The　result　was　melt…in…your…mouth　succulence；　a　tender；　delicious；　fall…off…the…bone　meat　the　likes　of　which　Hully　Burroughs　had　never　tasted。　Hully　was　an　ardent　supporter　of　the　picturesque　ritual…even　if　O。　B。　did　dismiss　the　tradition　of　roasting　a　pig　in　an　imu　as　〃a　lot　of　silly　fuss　over　cooking　some　damn　pork。〃
　All　day　long；　hotel　manager　Fred　Bivens　and　his　staff　had　been　bustling　around　the　palm…shaded　grounds；　in　particular　dealing　with　deliveries　of　foodstuffs。　That　little　Japanese　grocer；　Yoshio　Harada；　had　been　bringing　pickup…truckloads　of　fresh　fish　and　produce　over　from　his　shop　at　the　Aala　Market　in　Chinatown。　That　afternoon；　Hully…in　his　tennis　whites；　waiting　to　meet　his　father　on　the　court…had　helped　the　nice　little　guy　unload　for　a　while；　making　a　few　trips　to　the　rear　kitchen　door。
　Harada…slight；　mustached；　primly　businesslike　in　a　white　short…sleeved　shirt　with　a　red　tie…had　an　〃in〃　with　the　hotel　staff：　his　niece；　Pearl；　was　the　featured　singer　with　the　Niumalu　band；　which　was　a　popular　local　attraction。
　〃You　are　very　kind；　Burroughs…san；〃　Harada　said。　〃Pearl　speak　very　well　of　you。〃
　〃She's　never　given　me　the　time　of　day；　though；〃　Hully　said；　hauling　a　bushel　basket　of　sweet　potatoes。　
　〃Pearl　is　popular　girl；〃　the　grocer　said；　smile　flashing　under　the　neatly　trimmed　mustache；　the　little　man　carrying　enough　bananas　to　send　Tarzan's　pet　monkey　into　a　frenzy。
　Actually；　Hully　was　aware　that　the　pretty　singer…　who　indeed　had　been　〃popular；〃　dating　any　number　of　guys　in　recent　months…was　seriously　seeing　Ensign　Bill　Fielder；　a　good　pal　of　Hully's。　But　he　didn't　mention　this　to　the　grocer；　as　he　wasn't　sure　how　the　Japanese　gent　would　react　to　his　daughter　dating　a　haole。
　When　Hully　wandered　over　to　the　tennis　court　to　wait　for　his　dad；　he　discovered　Pearl　sunbathing　on　the　strip　of　sand　nearby。　Hully　and　the　singer　were　friendly；　but　（as　he'd　indicated　to　her　uncle）　she'd　always　been　involved　with　one　guy　or　another；　and　he　never　seemed　to　get　his　turn。
　He　would've　loved　to　have　one：　she　was　a　stunning　girl　in　her　early　twenties；　with　black　hair　and　a　slender；　curvy　form　made　obvious　by　a　formfitting　pink　bathing　suit；　petite　at　five…two　or　…three；　with　wonderful　high　cheekbones；　a　flawless　plexion　and　full　lips　that　always　seemed　poised　to　pucker　into　a　kiss。　Her　father；　back　home　in　San　Francisco；　was　Japanese；　but　her　mother；　also　in　Frisco；　was　white；　and　the　Eurasian　bination　was　exquisite。　If　he　hadn't　known　of　her　Japanese　blood；　Hully　would　never　have　guessed　its　presence；　her　dark　eyes　lacking　the　distinctive　Asian　almond　shape；　still；　something　exotic　lurked　in　those　features。
　Before　his　father　showed　up　for　tennis；　Hully　sat　hugging　his　knees　on　the　sand；　next　to　Pearl；　and　they　chatted。　She　was　on　her　back；　half　sitting；　leaning　on　her　elbows。
　〃I　suppose　Bill's　got　your　dance　card　filled　tonight；〃　he　said。
　Her　smile　was　lazy　yet　dazzling　and　as　white　as　her　name。　〃I　only　get　to　dance　on　a　few　songs…I　have　to　sing　for　my　supper；　you　know。。。。Is　Bill's　father　going　to　be　here　tonight？〃
　Colonel　Kendall　Fielder；　chief　of　Army　intelligence；　was　a　good　Mend　of　the　elder　Burroughs；　and　frequently　stopped　by　the　Niumalu。
　〃I　think　so；〃　Hully　said。　〃He's　a　regular　at　these　luaus。〃
　She　seemed　troubled。　〃I　hope　the　colonel　won't　mind　seeing　his　son　dance　with　the　likes　of　me。〃　〃He'll　only　be　jealous。〃
　The　smile　returned。　〃If　Bill's　father　breaks　us　up；　how　about　catching　me　on　the　rebound？〃
　Hully　felt　his　heart　race…foolish　though　that　was。　〃Why　wait？〃
　She　shrugged；　stared　toward　the　vast　blue　of　the　ocean；　visible　through　an　opening　in　the　palms　and　across　a　stubby　fence　guarding　a　short　drop…off。　〃I　don't　think　your　father　would　like　me　much；　either。　He　always　growls　at　me。〃
　〃He　growls　at　everybody。　Anyway；　he　doesn't　think　for　me…I'm　free；　wuh　。。。〃　He　paused。
　〃White　and　twenty…one？〃　The　smile　was　sad　now；　but　no　less　lovely。　〃Don't　kid　yourself；　Hully。　These　are。。。　precarious　times。　You　know　Colonel　Fielder　well；　don't　you？〃
　〃Fairly　well。　He　and　my　pop　are　tight　as　ticks。〃　The　lovely　dark　eyes　tightened。　〃Do　you　think　you　。。。　or　your　father。。。　could　introduce　us？　I'd　really　like　to　talk　to　Colonel　Fielder。〃
　〃I'm　sure　you　could　meet　him。〃　A　strange　sense　of　urgency　throbbed　in　the　girl's　voice。　〃I　really　need　to　see　him；　alone。。。。　Would　you　help　me？　Perhaps　speak　to　your　father；　and　ask　him　to　arrange　a　meeting？〃
　〃Well。。。　sure。〃
　Hully's　heart　wasn't　racing　now。　The　breathtaking　Pearl　simply　wanted　his　help　so　she　could　make　her　case　to　her　beau's　father…which　no　doubt　meant　Bill　had　finally　popped　the　question。　And　Hully　felt　sad　for　her；　sorry　for　her；　because　he　knew　how　the　colonel　was　likely　to　respond；　in　this　climate　of　war　clouds；　to　the　notion　of　his　son　marrying　a　nisei。
　Then　his　father　had　arrived；　and　Hully　hopped　up　from　the　sand　and　joined　the　old　man　on　the　court。　The　tantalizing　aroma　of　the　nearby　roasting　pig　offered　a　distraction　almost　as　bad　as　Pearl　in　her　pink　bathing　suit；　and　Hully　again　lost　to　his　old　man；　two　sets　to　one。
　As　he　and　his　dad　headed　back　to　the　bungalow　for　cool　showers…the　Niumalu's　acmodations　lacked　water　heaters；　typical　here　in　this　land　of　perfect　temperatures…Hully　told　his　father　that　he'd　put　them　in　for　the　luau。
　They　were　moving　past　hedges　of　hibiscus　and　morning　glory　flowering　beneath　poinciana　and　jaca…randa　trees。
　〃I'd　rather　go　to　the　wrestling　match；〃　O。　B。　grumbled；　〃and　eat　hot　dogs。〃
　Hully　knew　his　dad　wasn't　kidding：　they　frequently　attended　the　professional　wrestling　bouts　at　several　local　arenas；　particularly　when　the　champ；　Prince　Ali　Hassan；　was　peting；　as　he　was　tonight；　O。　B。　found　the　sport　〃hilariously　exciting；〃　relishing　what　he　termed　the　〃sweaty　theatricality〃　and　〃hokey　sadism。〃　
　〃You　know　a　lot　of　your　Navy　and　Army　pals　will　be　here；〃　Hully　said；　opening　the　bungalow　door　for　his　dad。　Nearby；　orchids　bloomed　in　coconut　shells　hanging　from　a　monkey　pod。　〃The　brass　always　turns　out　for　these　Niumalu　luaus。〃
　〃I'm　sure　there'll　be　the　usual　quota　of　admirals　and　colonel