ericlustbader.the ninja-第41节

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m　telling　you　that　if　it　has　to　do　with　Raphael　Tomkin　it　fucking　is　my　business；　get　me？　Now　give　I'　He　braked　savagely；　in　line　to　make　a　left　onto　the　downtown　side　of　the　avenue。
　'What　makes　you　so　interested　in　Tomkin？'　Nicholas　was　tired　of　being　questioned　without　having　any　of　the　answers。
　'Now；　look；　Linnear；'　Croaker　said；　carefully　enunciating　each　word。　It　was　obvious　he　was　holding　himself　in　with　an　effort。　'I'm　doing　my　best　to　be　civil；　to　treat　you　with　respect。　I've　got　no　beef　with　you。　Yet。　But　today's　just　not　my　day；　I'm　on　a　short　fuse。　That　means；　you　being　here　beside　me；　it's　not　your　day　either。　Now　be　nice　and　tell　me　what　I　want　to　know。　I　promise；　it　won't　hurt。'　He　leant　on　the　horn；　turned　down　Park。
　'I'm　seeing　his　daughter；'　Nicholas　said。　'He　wanted　to　check　me　out。'
　Croaker　hit　the　steering　wheel　with　the　heel　of　his　hand；　bounced　up　and　down。　'Goddamn　I'　he　exclaimed。　'Goddamn　I　Hoi'　He　shook　his　head。　'What　do　you　know！'　Then　he　swore　as　he　was　forced　to　swerve　round　a　slowly　cruising　cab。　He　gunned　the　Ford　and　they　leapt　forward　into　the　semicircle　of　the　overpass　at　Forty…sixth　Street。　When　they　emerged；　below　Forty…second；　he　said；　'Jesus；　I　thought　I'd　pass　up　the　fucking　traffic　on　Second　by　going　down　Park　but　will　you　look　at　this。'　He　gestured　at　the　sea　of　cars　gleaming　in　the　sun　ahead　of　them。　They　were　baking　in　the　interior　and　the　air　stank　of　exhaust　and　overheated　oil。　'To　hell　with　this！'　He　reached　out　his　left　hand；　started　the　siren。　On　top　the　red　light　began　to　flash。　'Christ；'　he　said　as　the　cars　began　reluctantly　to　part；　'summer　in　New　York！'
　They　turned　east　on　Thirtieth　Street　and　Croaker　cut　the　siren。　'Which　one　is　it？〃
　'Which　what？'
　'Daughter；　Linnear。　Which　daughter？　Gelda；　the　one　who　like　Chivas；　or　is　it　the　crazy　younger　one　…　what's　her　name？'
　'Jus　tine。'
　'Yeah。　I　can　never　remember　it。'　He　shrugged。　'Too　pretty　for　a　Tomkin。'　He　turned　his　head；　spat　the　toothpick　out　of　the　open　window。　'Spoke　to　her　once；　couple　of　months　ago。　She's　kinda　hard　to　forget。'
　'Yes；'　Nicholas　said。　'She's　beautiful　all　right。'　He　wished　he　was　with　her　now　instead　of　being　in　this　melting　heat　on　his　way　to　the　morgue。　Goddamn　Tomkin　I　he　thought　savagely。　Then　he　smiled　inwardly。　You　could　say　this　for　the　bastard；　he　sure　knew　his　people。　Which　led　him　to　another　point。　'You　certainly　know　the　family　well。'
　They　had　pulled　up　half　way　down　the　block　between　Third　and　Second　Avenues　as　traffic　piled　up　at　the　red　light。　A　refrigerated　meat　provisions　truck　was　in　the　process　of　pulling　out　into　the　traffic；　its　nose　canted　into　the　flow。
　Croaker　turned　to　look　at　him；　one　elbow　on　the　sill　of　the　open　window。　He　had　grey　eyes　and　thick　hair　cut　rather　long；　bed　straight　back。　He　looked　as　if　he　had　been　through　the　wars；　like　a　character　out　of　From　Here　to　Eternity。　'You　sure　are　nosy　for　a　civilian。'　The　line　of　cars　started　up；　rolling　slowly　forward　after　the　truck　had　nosed　its　way　in；　it　was　no　faster　than　a　funeral　procession。　His　voice　changed　gears；　softening　remarkably。　'Guess　the　old　bastard　didn't　take　it　too　well；　you　seeing　his　baby。'
　'You　could　put　it　that　way。'　They　had　stopped　again；　the　heat　was　oppressive。　'How'd　you　find　me　anyway？'
　Croaker　shrugged。　'I　got　to　Penn　Station　in　time　to　see　you　gettin'　into　the　limo。　Frank's　a　wiseacre。〃
　'Yeah。　I　know。'　Nicholas　grinned。　'He　and　Whistle　tried　their　best　to　evict　me　from　the　premises。'
　Croaker　eyed　him。　'Don't　look　like　it　bothered　you　none。〃
　'I　wanted　to　leave　anyway。'
　Croaker　threw　his　head　back　and　laughed。　'Linnear；'　he　said；　'you　just　made　my　day。'
　They　soon　came　to　the　source　of　the　slow　up。　The　gutter　gurgled　and　the　street　swished　with　running　water。　Farther　down　the　block　four　or　five　shirtless　kids；　their　pants　rolled　up　to　their　knees；　danced　about　an　open　fire　hydrant。　Croaker　rolled　up　his　window　and　they　splashed　through　as　if　they　were　in　a　car　wash。
　'Do　you　miss　it？'　Nicholas　asked。
　'What？　Miss　what？'　Croaker　took　them　through　the　intersection　on　the　amber；　accelerated。
　'Smoking。'　He　had　noticed　that　the　ends　of　the　other's　fingers　on　his　right　hand　were　yellowed。
　'Goddamn　right　I　miss　it；'　Croaker　growled。　'Why'n　hell　d'you　think　I　chew　these　goddamned　Mint　Picks？　Huh　You　think　I've　got　time　to　eat　with　all　the　shit　ing；　down　in　this　city？　I　ain't　been　in　a　proper　bed　in　three　days。'　He　hung　a　left　onto　First　Avenue　and；　with　a　squeal　of　brakes　that　must　have　left　several　inches　of　rubber　on　the　city's　asphalt；　he　pulled　up　in　front　of　the　turquoise…glazed　brick　facade　of　the　Chief　Medical　Examiner's　office。　He　double…parked　and　they　went　up　the　steps。
　。　Croaker　led　them　over　to　a　desk；　flipped　open　a　brown　plastic　case　to　display　his　badge　and　I。D。　to　the　receptionist。　The　man　nodded　when　Croaker　said；　'Dr　Ito；'　and　dialled　a　three…digit　number　on　the　telephone　on　the　small　desk。
　He　looked　up　as　he　cradled　the　phone。　'Dr　Ito　will　be　right　up；　Lieutenant。　He's　in　the　morgue。'
　Croaker　looked　around；　watched　the　policeman　on　duty　for　several　minutes。　He　did　not　know　the　man。
　Vincent　came　out。　He　was　wearing　a　green　lab　smock　that　tied　at　the　back。　'Hello；　Nick；'　he　said　gravely。　He　shook　Croaker's　hand。　He　led　them　back　the　way　he　had　e；　past　the　identifying　room　with　its　hydraulic　lift　to　the　morgue　and　down　a　set　of　stairs　to　the　basement。
　There　was　no　smell　at　all　down　here；　Nicholas　had　always　imagined　it　would　stink　of　disinfectant　and　formaldehyde。　It　was　silent　save　for　the　monotone　drone　ing　from　behind　a　set　of　swing…doors；　an　autopsy　was　in　progress。　Vincent　went　to　the　bank　of　stainless…steel　doors；　opened　two。　Then　he　described　in　detail　what　he　had　found。
　'It　was　no　ordinary　intruder　who　found　them；'　he　concluded。　'You　see　how　the　sternum　and　rib　cage　are　fractured？'
　'Christ；'　Croaker　said。　'I've　never　seen　anything　like　that。　He　looks　like　he's　been　battered　with　a　baseball　bat。'
　Vincent　shook　his　head。　'Nothing　so　crude；　Lieutenant。　It　was　a　human　body。'
　Croaker　snorted。　'Idiotic！　A　human　body　by　itself　couldn't　cause　such　extensive　damage　in　such　a　short　amount　of　time。　The　man　must've　had　fists　like　hammers。'
　'No　fists；'　Vincent　said。
　Croaker　stared　at　him。　I'm　　sure　this　is　leading　somewhere；　Doctor。'
　'Lieutenant；'　Nicholas　said。　'Terry　was　a　sensei；　a　master　of　kenjutsu；　karate；　aikido。　No　man　alive　could　get　close　enough　to　him　to　kill　him；　unless。。。'
　'Unless　what？　I　want　to　hear　this。'　Croaker　crossed　his　legs；　leaning　nonchalantly　against　the　bank　of　doors。
　'There　is　a　kenjutsu　technique；　perfected　and　written　about　by　Miyamoto　Musashi；　Japan's　greatest　swordsman。　It's　called　the　Body　Strike；　for　obvious　reasons。　Using　one's　shoulder　…'
　'This　guy　must　have　been　built　like　a　tank；'　Croaker　said。
　'On　the　contrary；'　Nicholas　said；　'his　stature　could　have　been　quite　a　bit　smaller　than　Vincent's。　We　are　speaking　not　so　much　of　pure　physical　strength　now；　Lieutenant；　but　of　an　inner　strength。'
　'Look；　Linnear；　the　only　inner　strength　I've　ever　seen　is　from　David　Carradine　in　〃Kung　Fu〃　and　I　didn't　believe　a　bit　of　it。'
　Nicholas　smiled。　'Then　we　must　begin　to　educate　you；　Lieutenant。'
　Croaker　stood　up；　said；　'Then　you　agree　with　Ito　here。　You　think　these　two　were　killed　by　a　Japanese。'
　'Well；　I　can　think　of　a　small　number　of　occidentals　who　are　kenjutsu　sensei。　But　none　of　them　could　kill　this　way。　This　is　a　spiritual　killing　that　would　be　far　beyond　them。'
　Croaker　stared　down　at　Terry's　smashed　chest。　'Ain't　nothing　spiritual　about　this；　my　man。　This　is　the　work　of　a　pile　driver。'
　'Was　there　any　kind　of　a　murder　weapon　found　in　Terry's　house？〃　Nicholas　asked。
　'Just　a　sword　…'
　'Terry's　katana；'　Vincent　interrupted；　his　gaze　shooting　the　message；　'lying　by　his　side。'
　'Yeah；'　Croaker　said。　'But　no　blood　on　it；　nothing　like　that。　No　other　possible　weapon　that　could've　done　that。　But　that　don't　mean　shit。　The　guy　could've　taken　off　with　it。'
　'He　didn't；'　Nicholas　said。　'Lieutenant；　killing　has　been　a　high　art　in　Japan　for　almost　two　centuries。　In　another　time；　it　was　a　way　of　life　for　the　Japanese。　And　today；　though　there　is　the　modern　Japan　which　stands　in　its　place；　still　the　old　ways　remain。　Still　there　is　bushido；　the　Way　of　the　Warrior。'
　〃Yeah？　What　the　hell　is　it；　then？'
　Nicholas　laughed。　'I　don't　think　I　could　explain　it　in　a　few　minutes。'
　'That's　okay；　I've　got　bags　of　time。'　Croaker　extracted　a　MintyPick　from　his　breast　pocket；　rolled　it　between　his　teeth。　'I　ain't　eaten　in　much　too　long。　What　say　you　and　I　talk　mis　out　over　a　meal？'
　Nicholas　nodded　and　Croaker　turned　to　Vincent。　'Say；　Doc；　I'll　sign　for　the　bags　while　I'm　here。'
　'Right。'　Vincent　went　round　the　corner　to　the　small　alcove　where　a　number　of　polythene　bundles　waited　for　collection　by　the　police：　homicide　victims'　effects　and　clothes。　Vincent　brought　two　bundles　back　to　Croaker；　gave　him　a　form　to　sign。
　Croaker　looked　up；　giving　Vincent　back　his　pen。　'I'll　be　in　touch；'　he　said。
　Nicholas's　call　made　Doc　Deerforth　uneasy；　and　while　Nicholas　had　been　brief；　he'd　given　more　than　enough　for　Doc　Deerforth　to　chew　on。
　He　had　appointments　until　twelve…thirty　b