mac.thepearlharbormurders-第20节

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nd　clerks　bartered。　They　passed　pawnshops；　saimin　（noodle）　cafes；　coffee　shops；　and　herb　dens；　the　babblelike　sounds　of　Asian　tongues　mingling　with　the　occasional　popping　of　firecrackers　and　the　hollow　echo　of　gongs　gliding　down　the　Nuuanu　Valley　from　a　Buddhist　temple。
　The　Aala　Market　was　democracy…and　capitalism…　in　action：　all　classes　of　people；　half　a　dozen　or　more　races；　moving　along　the　vegetable；　fish　and　flower　stalls；　rubbing　（sometimes　knocking）　elbows　in　the　mon　pursuit　of　food。　The　fish　caught　in　Hawaiian　waters　were　second　to　none；　and　spread　out　in　rows　for　the　approval　of　customers：　red　snappers　looking　like　giant　goldfish；　enormous　swordfish；　tuna　small　and　large　（aku）；　bass；　needlefish；　even　an　octopus。　Some　of　it　had　been　chopped　into　slabs　and　steaks；　and　there　was　seaweed　for　sale；　too；　and　dried　salmon；　and　fresh　poi。
　Hully　let　Sam　do　the　talking…since　much　of　it　was　in　Japanese…seeking　directions　to　the　grocer's　shop。　Sam　had　little　luck　for　some　time；　until　Hully　thought　to　ask　him　to　explain　to　these　merchants　that　they　were　not　seeking　Harada　to　make　a　purchase。
　〃I　should've　thought　of　that；〃　Sam　said；　grinning；　shaking　his　head。　〃They　don't　want　to　send　us　to　a　petitor！〃
　Next　time　out；　they　got　the　address…and　it　was　close　by。
　As　they　strolled　along　the　sampan　dock；　where　both　small　blue　sampans　and　larger　diesel…powered　boats　were　moored；　Sam　said；　〃These　fishermen　are　all　Japanese…no　Chinese　or　Filipino　or　anybody　else。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃We're　just　better　at　it。〃　This　was　a　rare　instance　of　Sam　referring　to　himself　as　in　any　way　Japanese。　〃Faster　boats；　powerful　shortwave　radios。　We're　good　at　gizmos。〃
　〃Size　of　some　of　these　boats　is　amazing。〃
　〃Fishing　is　big　business；　around　here…one　of　those　diesel…powered　forty…footers　can　run　you　twelve　grand。　That　kind　of　dough　even　Tarzan　wouldn't　sneeze　at。〃
　Hully　whistled。　〃You　know；　all　this　talk　of　a　Japanese　attack　on　Oahu…would　they　really　do　it？　I　mean；　there　are　so　many　Japanese　here　。。。　so　much　Japanese　business。〃
　〃Well；　it's　really　American　business；　Hully。　But　you　have　a　point…Honolulu　is　probably　the　most　Japanese　city　on　earth；　outside　Japan。〃
　〃So　you're　saying　they　wouldn't　bomb　us？〃　〃No。〃　And　Sam's　eyes　tightened　into　slits；　and　his　smile　was　utterly　mirthless。　〃They'd　bomb　us　in　a　flash。〃
　〃That's　hard　for　me　to　believe。〃　Sam　put　a　hand　on　his　friend's　shoulder。　〃Hully；　there　are　quite　likely　people　in　Japan　right　now　banking　on　that　very　attitude。〃
　Yoshio　Harada's　shop　was　not　a　grocery　in　any　American　sense。　It　was　a　small；　unpretentious　wooden　storefront　whose　front　door　was　black　hanging　beads；　the　walls　were　consumed　with　shelves　overflowing　with　reed　baskets　and　glass　jars　of　ginger　root；　shark…fins；　seahorse　skeletons；　dried　seaweed　and　other　exotic　wares。　None　of　the　fresh　fish　or　produce　that　Harada　delivered　to　the　Niumalu　（and；　presumably；　other　clients）　was　on　display…apparently；　he　strictly　made　his　purchases　at　the　nearby　Aala　Market　for　deliveries　by　pick…up　truck。
　The　small；　mustached　man…wearing　a　white　shirt　and　tan　trousers　and　a　grocer's　apron；　despite　the　lack　of　groceries…was　manning　a　counter　to　the　left；　the　shelves　of　weird　roots　and　herbs　rising　surrealistically　behind　him。
　Harada　recognized　Hully　at　once；　half…bowing。　〃Ah；　Burroughs…san。　You　honor　me。　What　brings　you　to　Chinatown？〃
　〃I　came　to　pay　my　respects。〃　Hully　gestured　to　Sam。　〃This　is　my　friend　Sam　Fujimoto…his　mother　is　our　maid　at　the　Niumalu…perhaps　you　know　her。〃
　〃I　am　sorry；　I　do　not。　But　it　is　a　pleasure。〃　Harada　held　out　his　hand　and　he　and　Sam　shook；　like　they　were　both　Americans　。。。　which；　of　course；　they　were。
　〃I　was　a　friend　of　your　niece's；　as　well；　sir；〃　Sam　said；　with　another　respectful　nod。　〃We're　sorry　for　your　loss。〃
　The　grocer　offered　a　curt　nod　in　return。　〃Thank　you；　gentlemen。〃
　〃When　will　the　service　be　held？〃　Hully　asked。
　Harada　seemed　confused。　〃Service？〃
　〃Pearl's　funeral。〃
　〃Oh。。。　no　arrangements　have　been　made。〃
　〃Ah。　Can　I　help？〃
　〃I　have　written　her　parents。　Posted　the　letter。〃
　〃You　didn't　call　them？〃
　〃No。　It　is　long　distance。〃
　Hully　exchanged　glances　with　Sam。　〃But　Mr。　Harada；　surely　Pearl　deserves　better　than　this。。。。As　I　said；　I'll　be　glad　to　help。。。。〃
　〃Offer　is　。。。　kind。〃　Harada　smiled　faintly；　patiently。　〃Burroughs…san；　I　like　my　niece；　but　we　were　not。。。　close。　I　am　Buddhist；　she　was　Christian。　She　would　not　want　a　service　in　my　faith；　I　no　have　interest　in　arranging　one　in　hers。　Her　parents　share　her　Christian　belief。　They　may　feel　other　way。〃
　Frowning；　Hully　asked；　〃Where　is　her　body　now？〃
　〃I　understand　is　in　morgue。　She　was　murdered。〃
　〃Well；　I　know　she　was　murdered；　but…〃
　Harada　held　up　a　hand。　His　face　was　strangely　hard。　〃I　am　sorry　for　her　death。　But　she　turned　her　back　on　her　people。　She　did　not　like　it　here；　with　me…and　she　did　not　return；　once　she　got　her。。。　job。〃
　〃I　thought　she　helped　line　you　up　your　grocery　account　with　Fred　Bivens；　at　the　Niumalu。〃
　〃She　did。　I　was　grateful。〃
　Sam　said；　〃But　you　weren't　close。〃
　〃No。〃
　Hully　tried　another　angle。　〃Did　she　have　any　friends　down　here？　Or　for　that　matter；　enemies？〃
　Harada's　eyes　narrowed；　his　face　seemed　to　harden　even　more。　〃Why　do　you　ask　this？〃
　〃Well；　someone　killed　her。。。。〃
　Harada's　chin　lifted。　〃A　man　is　under　arrest。　She　had　loose　morals　and　a　man　killed　her。　He　is　in　custody；　is　he　not？〃
　〃Yeah；　sure；　but…〃
　〃The　circle　has　closed。　Why　do　you　ask　questions　as　if　you　are　a　policeman？〃
　Hully　gestured　with　an　open　hand。　〃Mr。　Harada；　I　meant　no　offense。　I　merely　。。。　we　merely　。。。　thought　we'd　offer　our　sympathies　in　what　we　had　assumed　would　be　a　dark　hour；　for　you。〃
　Harada　said　nothing。
　Sam　said；　〃I　guess　that　was　our　mistake。〃
　For　several　long　seconds；　Hully　just　stared　at　the　little　grocer；　who　didn't　even　blink。　Then　Hully　rushed　out　onto　the　wooden　sidewalk；　anger　bubbling；　Sam　followed。　Hully　was　several　storefronts　down；　moving　quickly　through　the　interracial　crowd；　when　Sam　caught　up　with　him。　'Take　it　easy；　Hul。。。。You　just　ran　head…on　into　a　cultural　war　I've　fought　every　day　of　my　life。〃
　Hully　stopped；　looked　at　his　friend。　〃Something　smells。〃
　〃Yeah；　fish　and　dirty　diapers　and　incense。　What；　you　think　Harada　killed　his　own　niece？　Why？　Because　she　was　Christian？〃
　Hully　didn't　know　what　to　say；　and　was　still　looking　for　words　when　a　small　dark　man　in　a　snap…brim　fedora；　orange　tie；　and　brown　rumpled　suit　was　suddenly　in　their　midst。
　〃What　the　hell　do　you　think　you're　doing？〃　Detective　John　Jardine　demanded。　His　dark　eyes　were　daggers。
　〃I；　uh。。。　well。。。〃
　Jardine　took　Hully　by　the　back　of　the　arm　and　bus…tied　him　into　a　booth　in　a　nearby　cafe。　Sam　came　along；　a　wide…eyed　bystander；　who　slipped　in　next　to　Hully。
　A　waitress　in　a　kimono　came　over；　and　Jardine　said；　〃Three　coffees；〃　and　she　went　away。
　〃You　were　grilling　that　guy；〃　Jardine　said。
　〃You。。。　you　heard？〃
　〃There's　no　damn　door。　Sure　I　heard…I　was　on　my　way　in　to　interrogate　him　myself。　What　in　the　hell　are　you　doing；　walking　my　damn　beat？〃
　Calmly；　Hully　said；　〃Have　you　talked　to　my　dad　today？〃
　〃No…we've　missed　each　other；　traded　phone　calls。　Why；　is　he　in　this　too？〃
　With　another　glance　at　Sam；　who　shrugged；　Hully　sighed　and　made　a　clean　breast　it…sharing　not　only　the　notion　of　the　informal　investigation　he　and　his　father　had　been　conducting；　but　the　various　pieces　of　information　they　had　discovered。
　Though　he　looked　irritated；　the　Portuguese　detective　jotted　much　of　this　down　in　his　small　notebook。
　〃Thank　you　for　the　information；〃　Jardine　said；　sliding　the　notebook　into　an　inside　suit…jacket　pocket。　〃Now…give　your　father　a　message　for　me：　leave　this　to　the　professionals。　I　won't　write　about　his　jungle；　and　you　and　your　father　need　to　stay　the　hell　out　of　mine。〃
　Hully　leaned　forward。　〃Are　you　looking　at　any　suspects；　other　than　Harry　Kamana？〃
　An　eyebrow　arched。　〃I　was　about　to　interview　that　grocer；　wasn't　I？　Damnit；　boy…leave　this　to　the　police。〃　He　looked　sharply　at　Sam。　〃What's　your　part　in　this？〃
　Sam's　eyes　widened。　〃I'm　just　a　friend　of　Hully's　。。。　I　was　a　friend　of　Pearl's；　too。〃
　〃Where　were　you　last　night？〃
　〃At　a　college　dance…pregame　bash。〃
　〃But　you　weren't　at　the　game　today？〃
　〃I　don't　like　football。〃
　〃But　you　went　to　the　'pregame　bash'？〃
　〃Well；　sure…I　do　like　girls。〃
　〃Did　you　like　Pearl　Harada？〃
　〃Not　that　way。。。　hey；　what　is　this？〃
　Jardine　looked　pointedly　at　Hully。　〃How's　this　guy　for　another　suspect？　We're　looking　at　everybody　and　everything。。。　including　you；　Mr。　Burroughs。〃
　A　uniformed　officer；　a　young　Polynesian；　peered　in　the　cafй's　storefront　window　and　seemed　relieved　to　see　Jardine。　The　cop　hurried　in　and　stood　next　to　the　booth；　hands　behind　him。
　〃Detective；　may　I　have　a　word？〃　Jardine　rose　and；　pointing　to　Hully　and　then　at　Sam；　said；　〃Stay；〃　as　if　to　a　pair　of　dogs。
　Hully　and　Sam　watched　out　the　window　as　the　uniformed　cop　delivered　some　slice　of　detailed　information　that　made　Jardine　cover　his　mouth；　then　the　detective　pushed　his　fedora　back　on　his　head；　and　turned　and　gazed　through　the　cafe　window　at　Hully。　He　crooked　a　finger。
　Hully　raised　his　eyebrows　and　gestured　to　himself。　Jardi