mac.thepearlharbormurders-第8节

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　Bill　glared　at　him。　〃What？〃
　〃What　it'll　put　your　kids　through…you　know；　the　racial　thing。〃
　〃Pearl's　half　white。　Our　kids'11　be　all　American。　Dan；　I　won't　hear　this　kind　of　talk。〃
　〃Okay；　buddy　。。。　I'm　just　trying　to　help。　You've　helped　me　before；　plenty　of　times…I'm　just　trying　to　be　your　friend。〃
　Bill　sighed　and　nodded。
　The　band　was　starting　to　play　〃I'll　Remember　April；〃　and　one　of　the　guitar　players　began　to　sing　the　lilting　ballad。　Bill　shot　out　of　his　chair　as　if　from　a　cannon；　muttering；　〃This　is　one　of　Pearl's　free　songs；〃　and　headed　for　the　bandstand。
　Then　he　was　out　there　dancing　with　her；　holding　her　close；　gazing　into　her　eyes　like　a　lovesick　puppy；　and　she　was　gazing　back；　a　beautiful　woman　who　seemed　equally　in　love。　It　was　romantic；　and　frightening。
　〃His　father　is　going　to　kick　Bill's　ass；〃　Dan　said。
　〃I　know；〃　Hully　said；　and　nodded　toward　the　entry…way　to　the　lobby。
　Colonel　Fielder…slim；　casually　attired　in　red　aloha　shirt　and　white　slacks；　his　dark　hair　widow's…peaked；　with　a　narrow　face　and　hawkish　eyes　and　hawkish　nose…stood　just　inside　the　doorway；　staring　out　at　the　dance　floor；　obviously　viewing　his　son　dancing　with　the　nisei　singer…and　just　as　obviously　unhappy。
　Shaking　his　head　in　apparent　disgust；　Fielder　exited。
　〃It's　gonna　be　ugly；〃　Dan　said。
　〃Pearl　asked　me　to　set　up　a　meeting　between　her　and　the　colonel…she　wants　to　plead　her　case。〃
　'If　she　thinks　batting　her　lashes　at　that　hardnose　is　going　to　do　the　trick；　she's　dreamin'。〃
　Out　on　the　dance　floor；　something　〃ugly〃　was　already　transpiring。　A　soldier…a　handsome　brown…haired　kid　in　a　green　sportshirt　and　tan　slacks；　not　very　tall　but　with　wide　shoulders　and　an　athletic　carriage…　was　tapping　Bill　on　the　shoulder…hard…as　if　to　cut　in。
　〃Oh　hell；〃　Hully　said；　shaking　his　head。
　〃Who　is　that　guy？〃　Dan　asked。
　〃Jack　Stanton…he's　a　corporal　over　at　Hickam。。。　used　to　date　Pearl。〃
　〃Ouch。〃
　〃Fact；　that's　who　she　threw　over　for　Bill。〃
　〃Double　ouch。〃
　Out　on　the　dance　floor；　Pearl　was　desperately　trying　to　keep　the　peace　as　the　sailor　and　the　soldier　began　shoving　each　other。
　〃You　take　Bill；〃　Hully　said；　getting　up；　〃I　got　the　dogface。〃
　The　crowd　was　forming　a　circle　around　what　was　clearly　about　to　erupt　into　a　fight；　with　reactions　that　ranged　from　shouts　of　indignation　to　squeals　of　delight。　Hully　and　Dan　broke　through　just　in　time　to　see　Stan…ton　connect　with　a　right　hook　to　Bill's　jaw。
　Bill　went　down　on　a　knee；　but　came　up　with　his　own　right　hand　to　the　soldier's　belly；　doubling　the　boy　over。
　And　the　fight　was　over　before　Hully　and　Dan　could　break　it　up；　because　the　soldier…like　everyone　here…　had　been　to　that　sumptuous；　endless　luau；　and　his　stomach　。。。　filled　with　poi　and　raw　fish　and　roast　pork　and　a　dozen　other　delicacies　。。。　did　not　take　a　punch　well。
　The　soldier；　clutching　his　stomach；　scrambled　out　of　there；　struggling　not　to　throw　up；　heading　for　the　men's　room；　as　relieved　laughter　rippled　across　the　crowd。　Soon　the　onlookers　began　to　dance　again；　the　Harbor　Lights　beginning　to　play　〃Boogie　Woogie　Bugle　Boy；〃　with　Pearl　magically　back　onstage　to　sing　it。
　〃I'm　going　after　that　bastard；〃　Bill　said；　lurching　forward；　and　Hully　grabbed　him　around　the　arms；　from　behind。
　Hully　whispered　harshly　in　his　friend's　ear。　〃You　get　back　to　the　Arizona…you　want　your　dad　to　see　this？　Much　less　get　wind　of　what　this　fight　is　about？〃
　Bill；　oke　or　not；　sighed　and　nodded。
　〃Get　him　the　hell　out　of　here；〃　Hully　said　to　Dan。
　〃Sure　thing；〃　Dan　said；　and　took　charge　of　his　friend；　walking　him　out。
　Then；　suddenly；　O。　B。　was　at　Hully's　side。　〃Did　I　miss　some　action？〃
　〃Just　a　sailor　and　a　soldier；　fighting　over　a　dame；〃　Hully　said。
　Jitterbuggers　were　jumping　and　kicking　before　them。
　O。　B。　asked；　over　the　blaring　music；　〃Fielder's　son？〃
　Hully　nodded。
　The　old　man　shook　his　head；　nodded　up　toward　the　pretty　girl　in　the　low…cut　blue　dress；　her　breasts　jiggling　provocatively　as　she　sang　the　up…tempo　tune。
　〃That　little　Pearl　of　the　Pacific　up　there；〃　he　said；　〃is　gonna　get　some　poor　fool　killed。〃
　And　then　O。　B。　turned　and　went　out；　leaving　his　son　to　marvel　at　how　little　got　past　his　old　man。
　
　
　FOUR
　Nightmare　at　the　Beach
　
　At　the　luau；　after　his　son　had　gone　in　to　enjoy　the　dance　band；　Burroughs　sought　out　his　friend　Colonel　Kendall　〃Wooch〃　Fielder；　and　chatted　on　the　Niumalu　lawn　under　the　soft　pastel　glow　of　Japanese　lanterns　。。。　an　irony　lost　on　neither　man。
　Burroughs　sipped　a　glass　of　red　wine；　and　the　slim；　hawkish…countenanced　Fielder　worked　on　both　a　cocktail　and　a　cigarette。　Wooch…a　nickname　that　dated　to　the　colonel's　Georgia　Tech　football　days…was　a　frequent　participant　in　Niumalu　poker　games。　Sunday　through　Thursday；　curfew　requirements　kept　everyone　but　officials　indoors；　and　card　games　had　bee　a　favorite　pastime。
　Lots　of　drinking　went　on　at　these　〃whiskey　poker〃　games；　and　Burroughs　had　kept　active；　despite　his　current　abstinence　from　the　hard　stuff。　He　loved　poker　with　a　passion；　and　was　accepted　as　〃boss　of　the　play　and　ruler　on　all　technicalities。〃
　Fielder　was　a　key　player　because　liquor　was　rationed；　but　as　a　high…ranking　officer；　Wooch　could　bring　unallotted　bottles　from　the　officers'　club。
　〃Listen；　Wooch；〃　Burroughs　said；　〃I　want　a　correspondent's　card。　With　war　ing；　no　one's　gonna　give　a　damn　about　fiction　writing…I　want　to　get　in　the　thick　of　it；　and　write　about　what's　really　going　on。〃
　〃Ed；〃　Fielder　said；　smiling；　exhaling　smoke；　〃what　the　hell　do　you　want　to　fool　with　that　nonsense　for？　A　man　of　your　reputation；　a　man　your　age　。。。〃
　〃An　old　fart；　you　mean。　A　hundred　bucks　says　I　can　do　more　sit…ups　than　you…right　here；　right　now。〃
　Fielder　laughed；　a　little。　〃And　here　I　always　thought　you　talked　that　way　because　you　were　drinking。〃
　〃Well；　I　have　had　a　little　wine…but　e　on；　Wooch。。。　you　can　hook　me　up；　you　can　wrangle　me　that　card。　I　want　to　see　some　action。〃
　〃Let's　wait　till　there's　some　action　to　see；　why　don't　we？〃
　Over　to　their　left；　in　the　flicker　of　torchlight；　standing　near　one　of　the　bungalows　which　was　draped　in　purple　and　rose…colored　bougainvillea；　General　Short　was　engaged　in　a　smiling　conversation　with　Morimura　of　the　Japanese　Consulate。　Mrs。　Short；　in　a　floral　muumuu；　was　at　the　general's　side；　and　a　pretty　Oriental　girl；　with　contemporary　makeup　and　hairstyle　but　wearing　a　kimono；　was　on　Morimura's　arm。　Everyone　had　cocktails　in　hand。
　〃What's　the　story　on　the　toothy　little　Jap　diplomat？〃　Burroughs　asked　Fielder。
　〃If　that　pipsqueak　is　all　Tojo　has　in　store　for　us；〃
　Fielder　said；　snorting　a　laugh；　〃we　don't　have　much　to　worry　about。　Intelligence　clears　him…inexperienced；　doesn't　show　up　on　any　list　of　attachйs。〃
　〃Why　is　the　brass　so　friendly　with　him？〃
　〃What's　the　harm？　Morimura　spends　most　of　his　days　playing　golf；　and　his　nights　in　nightclubs　and　restaurants。　He　drinks　heavily；　and　I　understand　practically　lives　at　the　Shuncho…ro。〃
　That　was　a　well…known　teahouse　on　Alawa　Heights　overlooking　Honolulu。
　〃Well；　hell；　Wooch…that　would　give　the　little　bastard　a　ringside　view　of　Pearl　Harbor；　and　Hickam　Field　to　boot。〃
　〃The　only　view　that　amiable　buffoon　is　interested　in　is　the　teahouse　girls；　like　that　one　he　escorted　here；　tonight。　He's　taken　half　the　geishas　in　Honolulu　on　glass…bottom　boat　rides　around　Pearl　Harbor。〃
　〃Sounds　to　me　like　he　makes　a　habit　out　of　socializing　around　battleships。〃
　Fielder　gestured　with　his　cocktail　in　hand；　sighed　smoke。　〃Ed；　a　certain　amount　of　espionage　is　to　be　expected。　How　can　we　keep　the　Japanese　consulate　from　studying　local　newspapers；　and　listening　to　local　radio　broadcasts？　。。。　As　for　the　ships　in　Pearl　Harbor；　all　a　'spy'　has　to　do　is　perch　someplace　and　watch。　It's　legal…we　do　the　same　damn　thing　to　them。〃
　Arching　an　eyebrow；　Burroughs　said；　〃You'll　notice　that　smiling；　sociable　Mr。　Morimura　keeps　bis　distance　from　our　German　friend；　Mr。　Kuhn。〃
　〃Your　point　being；　what？　That　they're　in　league；　helping　each　other　spy？　Those　playboy　clowns？〃
　The　writer　shook　his　head。　〃You　don't　read　enough　pulp　fiction；　Wooch…ever　hear　of　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel；　or　Zorro？〃
　〃Kuhn　and　Morimura　are　harmless　fools…not　that　I　don't　agree　with　you；　Ed；　that　all　this。。。　fraternization　。。。　is　unsettling。〃
　And　with　that　statement；　Wooch　Fielder's　expression　shifted；　or　had　Burroughs　simply　not　noticed　the　anxiety　in　the　man's　narrow　eyes？
　The　colonel　moved　near　Burroughs；　his　manner　more　intimate；　his　tone　a　near　whisper。　〃Ed；　your　son　and　my　son　are　close　。。。　as　close　as　we　are。〃
　〃I'd　say　so。〃
　〃Would　you　ask　Hully　if　he's　heard　anything　about　Bill　and　that。。。　that　little　Japanese　singer？〃
　Burroughs；　who　knew　damn　well　Bill　Fielder　had　been　dating　Pearl　Harada；　said　only；　〃Be　glad　to　check。〃
　'This　morning；　I　had　an　anonymous　call　to　that　effect。　。。。　I　don't　usually　pay　much　heed　to　such　things；　but。。。　Christ；　Ed；　you　don't　think　Bill　could　be　that　foolish；　do　you？〃
　With　General　Short　visible　in　laughing　conversation　with　the　Japanese　vice　consul；　Burroughs　said；　〃Wooch；　she's　a　pretty　girl。　If　you　were　young　and　healthy；　would　you　think　about　politics；　or　that　Hedy　Lamarr　face　and　figure？〃
　Fielder　drew　on　the　cigarette；　nodded；