mac.thepearlharbormurders-第15节

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　He　wondered　the　same　about　Otto　Kuhn's　business　downtown。
　
　
　SEVEN
　Mourning　After
　
　Hully　drifted　through　an　open　archway　into　the　airy；　A…frame　lobby　of　the　Niumalu；　its　sun…reflecting　parquet　floor　dotted　with　Oriental　rags；　potted　ferns　perching　on　the　periphery　like　silent　witnesses。　Nary　a　guest　was　partaking　of　the　cushioned　wicker　chairs　and　sofas；　but　manager　Fred　Bivens　was　behind　the　front　desk　of　the　lodge；　at　the　far　end；　distributing　mail　into　key　slots。
　Fred's　aloha　shirt　was　an　all…purpose　blue　on　which　floated　the　fluffy　clouds　and　palmy　island　of　its　pattern。　The　affable；　heavyset　Bivens　put　aside　his　work　to　chat　with　Hully…the　manager's　eyes　were　dark　and　baggy；　bis　normally　pleasant　features　seeming　to　droop；　as　if　last　night's　tragedy　had　melted　his　face　slightly。
　〃How　late　did　the　cops　keep　you　up　last　night？〃　Bivens　asked。
　Their　voices　echoed　in　the　high…ceilinged　room。
　〃Not　as　late　as　some；〃　Hully　said。　〃Dad　and　I　were　the　first　questioned　。。。　us　and　Harry　Kamana。　Did　they　wake　up　a　lot　of　your　guests；　for　questioning？〃
　〃No；　just　the　residents　in　the　bungalows　adjacent　to　the　beach。　But　that　little　Puerto　Rican　cop　said　he'd　be　back　either　today　or　Monday；　to　talk　to　everybody　else。〃
　Hully　didn't　correct　Bivens's　assumption　about　Jardine's　ethnicity。　〃You　have　any　guests　checking　out　before　then？〃
　〃That　cop　asked　the　same　thing…no。　We're　about　half　and　half；　at　the　moment；　residents　like　you　and　your　father；　and　tourists　。。。　but　nobody's　leaving　before　the　middle　of　next　week。〃
　Hully　leaned　an　arm　on　the　counter。　He　was　trying　to　keep　things　conversational…he　didn't　want　the　manager　to　figure　out　he　was　poking　around。　Then　he　shook　his　head　and　said；　〃Damn　shame…I　really　liked　Pearl。　I　know　she　dated　a　lot　of　guys；　but　I　never　got　the　feeling　she　was　。。。〃
　〃Round…heeled　or　anything？　No。　I　don't　think　she　was　any　virgin；　but　she　wasn't　any；　you　know。。。　tramp。　She　was　a　good　kid；　with　a　good　heart；　but　hell；　all　those　show…business　types　have　different　moral　codes　than　the　rest　of　us。〃
　〃How　so？〃
　Now　Bivens　leaned　on　the　counter。　〃e　on；　Hully…you　and　your　dad　live　in　Hollywood。　You　know　how　those　movie　actors　sleep　around；　you　know　how　those　musicians　drink　and　smoke　。。。　and　I'm　not　talking　about　cigarettes。〃
　Hully　shrugged。　〃I　didn't　have　the　feeling　Pearl　wanted　to　stay　in　show　business。　Matter　of　fact；　she　told　me　she　wanted　to　get　married　and　settle　down。〃
　Bivens's　head　rocked　back：　〃What；　with　that　Fielder　kid？　e　on；　Hully…that　was　a　pipe　dream！　White　soldier　with　a　high…ranking　father；　marry　a　Jap？〃
　〃Yeah；〃　Hully　admitted；　〃it　was　a　loaded　situation。。。。1　wonder　if　that　had　anything　to　do　with　her　murder。〃
　Bivens　started　filling　the　mail　slots　again；　talking　as　he　did；　occasionally　glancing　back　at　Hully。　〃Sure　it　did。　That　poor　Kamana　musta　gone　off　his　noodle；　with　jealousy。　He　loved　that　girl…everybody　knew　it。〃
　〃Does　Harry　Kamana　seem　like　the　violent　type　to　you；　Fred？　You　ever　see　him　lose　his　temper？〃
　〃No。。。。　That's　the　pity。　He's　always　been　a　sweet　guy。　But　still　waters　run　deep。〃　He　paused；　several　letters　in　hand；　and　his　gaze　held　Hully's。　〃Funny　thing；　that。　He's　the　leader；　you　know；　of　the　Harbor　Lights；　and　some　of　his　guys　have　e　to　me　to　plain。〃
　〃What　about？〃
　Letters　distributed；　he　folded　his　arms；　leaned　against　the　back　counter。　〃Well；　they　know　I　do　the　deals　with　Harry　。。。　book　the　gigs；　as　they　put　it。　And　they　think　I　take　advantage　of　Harry。。。　that　he's　too　nice；　too　soft。〃
　〃Any　truth　in　it？〃
　〃Hey；　I　give　the　boys　a　fair　shake。　They　get　pretty　close　to　top　dollar；　for　the　size　of　the　Niumalu　and　its　dance　floor。〃
　〃They're　popular…a　real　draw。〃
　Bivens　shook　his　head；　sadly。　〃Without　Pearl。。。　without　Harry。。。　I　don't　know。　They're　having　a　meeting　right　now；　over　in　the　dining　room。　I　don't　know　what　the　hell　they're　gonna　do。。。。　Supposed　to　play　for　me；　tonight。〃
　The　musicians　were　in　the　dining　room；　up　on　the　bandstand；　casually　dressed；　sitting　in　their　respective　seats　in　front　of　music　stands；　but　they　weren't　rehearsing…no　instruments　were　in　sight。
　A　guy　in　a　dark　blue　sportshirt　and　chinos　was　standing　in　front　of　them；　as　if　directing…but　he　was　really　just　conducting　a　meeting。　Hully　knew　him；　knew　most　of　the　remaining　eight　members　of　the　Harbor　Lights；　the　guy　out　front　was　Jim　Kaupiko；　a　round…faced　but　slender　trumpet　player　in　his　late　twenties。　Most　tourists　assumed　the　entire　band　was　Hawaiian；　and　Kaupiko　and　Kamana　and　a　few　other　Harbor　Lights　were　indeed　natives；　but　the　band　was　otherwise　a　mix　of　Japanese；　Chinese；　Filipino　and　Korean。
　〃I　know　how　everybody　here　feels；〃　Kaupiko　said。　〃Pearl　was　the　best。。。〃
　The　various　Polynesian　and　Oriental　faces　on　the　bandstand　were　as　grave　as　carved　masks。
　〃。。。　and　we　can't　ever　hope　to　find　someone　to　fill　her　shoes。　Whether　we're　even　gonna　be　able　to　keep　going；　that's　up　in　the　air。　But　we　owe　it　to　Mr。　Bivens　to　play　out　our　contract；　at　least。〃
　〃Including　tonight？〃　a　voice　called　out。
　〃Including　tonight；　Terry。〃
　Hully　knew　the　band　member　who　had　spoken：　Taro　'Terry〃　Mizuha；　the　only　Japanese　in　the　group　other　than　Pearl。
　〃I　don't　know；　Jim；〃　Mizuha　said；　shaking　his　head。　A　slender；　almost　pretty　young　man…a　guitar　player…　he　really　looked　devastated。　〃I　just　don't　know。。。。〃
　〃I've　asked　Sally　Suziki　to　fill　in　on　vocals…she　was　singing　with　the　Kealoha　Trio　at　the　Halekulani；　but　they　recently　broke　up。〃
　〃She'll　do　fine；〃　somebody　said　numbly。
　〃She's　no　Pearl；〃　somebody　else　said。
　〃She'll　do　fine；〃　Kaupiko　affirmed。　〃And　I've　got　Sammy　Amaulu；　trombone　player　from　the　Surfriders…　they're　not　gigging　tonight。　Sammy　can　fill　in；　but　just　this　once。〃
　Somebody　asked；　〃Are　we　gonna　rehearse　with　these　fill…ins？〃
　'Today　at　three…any　objections？〃
　There　were　none；　and　Kaupiko　seemed　about　to　adjourn　the　informal　meeting；　when　Hully　strolled　up　and　said；　〃What　do　you　guys　think　about　Harry？〃
　About　half　of　them　had　been　getting　up　out　of　their　chairs；　all　of　them　had　wide…eyed；　sucker…punched　expressions。
　Kaupiko；　still　in　the　director's　position　on　the　bandstand；　turned　and　looked　down　and　said；　〃Hiya；　Hully…　heard　you　and　your　old　man　found　Pearl；　and　nabbed　Harry。〃
　〃It　was　mostly　Dad's　doing。。。。　I　just　wondered　what　you　guys　thought；　you　know；　about　whether　Harry　did　it　or　not。〃
　One　of　the　guys；　a　Filipino　whose　name　Hully　didn't　know；　a　sax　player；　asked；　〃I　thought　your　father　caught　him　red…handed。〃
　〃Red…handed　in　that　he　had　blood　on　his　hand。。。　but　maybe　it　got　there　'cause　he　was　trying　to　help　her；　or　check　the　pulse　in　her　neck。　I　just　thought　you　guys　should　know　that　Harry　denied　killing　Pearl…he　could　probably　use　some　support　about　now。　Somebody　ought　to　go　downtown　and　make　sure　he's　got　a　good　lawyer。〃
　〃Sounds　like　he'll　need　one；〃　Kaupiko　said。
　〃No　question　about　that。　But　I　thought　maybe　you　fellas　。。。　his　friends　。。。　would　like　to　know　that　I；　for　one；　found　his　story　convincing。〃
　〃I　can't　believe　Harry'd　hurt　a　fly；〃　Jack　Wong　said。　He　was　also　a　sax　player。
　〃He　was　crazy　about　Pearl；〃　somebody　else　chimed　in。
　〃Most　people　think　his　loving　her　is　a　motive；〃　Hully　said。　〃I'd　just　like　to　know　if　any　of　you　guys　ever　saw　Harry　act　violent…ever　behave　like　a　hothead；　blow　his　top　over　anything。〃
　Nobody　said　anything；　everybody　was　sitting　down　again；　and　the　band　members　exchanged　glances；　often　shaking　their　heads。
　Hully　stood　with　hands　on　his　hips。　〃How　about　Harry　saying　anything　about　Bill　Fielder　muscling　in　on　him？　Did　Harry　ever　have　a　shouting　match　with　Pearl；　over　that　or　anything　else？〃
　No　one　said　a　word。
　Hully　searched　the　cheerless　faces。　〃I'm　not　a　cop　。。。　I'm　just　a　friend　of　Harry's；　who　wants　to　make　sure　he　doesn't　get　a　raw　deal　outta　this。〃
　〃Harry　hardly　ever　raises　his　voice；〃　Wong　said。　〃That's　his　problem…we'd　be　playing　at　the　Royal　Hawaiian　right　now；　with　the　following　we　got；　if　he　was　more　aggressive。〃
　Wong's　fellow　band　members　were　nodding。
　〃Okay；　guys；〃　Hully　said；　easily。　〃Listen；　I'll　be　over　at　my　bungalow；　for　a　while；　if　anybody　wants　to　share　anything；　one　to　one；　man　to　man。　Okay？〃
　More　nods。
　Hully　turned　and　headed　out；　to　the　tune　of　chairs　getting　pushed　back　and　murmuring　among　the　members。
　Kaupiko　caught　up　with　him　about　halfway　across　the　dance　floor；　taking　Hully　by　the　arm。　〃Let's　talk；〃　the　trumpet　player　said；　and　nodded　toward　the　courtyard；　which　the　dining　room　opened　onto。
　The　rock　garden　at　the　center　had　a　little　waterfall　which　made　just　enough　noise　to　give　them　some　additional　privacy。
　〃Are　you　investigating　Pearl's　murder？〃　Kaupiko　asked；　his　expression　thoughtful。
　〃Not　officially；〃　Hully　said。　〃But　I　think　there's　at　least　a　possibliity　that　Harry　Kamana　is　innocent；　and　I　don't　see　the　police　going　down　that　path。〃
　〃And　if　Harry's　innocent；　somebody　else　is　。。。〃
　〃The　word　is　'guilty；'　Jim。　Yes。〃　Hully　rocked　back　on　bis　heels。　〃How　many　of　the　band　live　here　at　the　Niumalu？〃
　The　round…faced　musician　stroked　his　chin；　which　was　almost　as　blue　as　his　shirt…he　needed　a　shave。
　〃Besides　Harry；　and　Pearl？　Just　a　couple。　Most　are　local。　Harry's