ericlustbader.the ninja-第69节

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　with　a　white　brick　facade。　It　had　dark　green；　rather　ginger…bready　trim。　A　swinging　sign　on　the　lawn　at　the　front；　black　on　white；　read：　PARKSIDE　FUNERAL　HOME。　A　large　shade　elm　stood　on　the　other　side　of　the　lawn。　The　wooden　doors　stood　open。　As　they　sat　there；　several　people　walked　inside。　Nicholas　recognized　one　of　the　do　jo's　instructors。
　'She　gave　me　a　detailed　description　of　the　man；　Nick。　There's　no　doubt　he's　Raphael　Tomkin。'
　'So　Tomkin　was　having　an　affair　with　Angela　Didion。　It's　not　that　surprising；　two　high…powered　people　living　in　the　same　apartment　building。　Could　she　place　him　there　the　night　of　the　murder？'
　Croaker　looked　towards　the　elm。　It　rustled　slightly　in　a　warm　desultory　breeze。　'She's　afraid　of　flying；'　he　said　finally。　'She　took　a　chloral　hydrate　with　a　large　slug　of　gin　and　passed　out　at　6　p。m。　She　didn't　get　up　until　about　five　the　next　morning。'
　'When　she　left　for　Key　West。'
　'Yeah；　right。'　Croaker　turned　to　him。　'But　I　know　what　I　know。　I've　checked　and　rechecked　the　movements　of　all　her　known　intimates。　It　was　Tomkin；　all　right。'
　'You've　got　no　proof；　Lew；'　Nicholas　said。　'You've　got　nothing。'
　'Less　than　nothing；　buddy；'　Croaker　said　morosely。　He　got　out　of　the　car　and　Nicholas　followed　him　up　the　flagstone　path　to　the　funeral　home。
　Another　of　the　dojo's　instructors　stopped　Nicholas　on　the　steps；　said　several　words　to　him。　Nicholas　nodded。
　'Listen；'　Croaker　said；　pulling　Nicholas　close　to　him　and　lowering　his　voice；　'the　Didion　case　is　officially　closed。　Finis。　Kaput。　I　got　the　word　the　other　day　from　jellybelly　Finnigan。　This　came　right　from　the　top；　no　one　would　be　stupid　enough　to　grease　his　mick　palm。'
　'Are　you　saying　the　police　were　bought　off？〃
　'What　I'm　telling　you　is　that　if　I　had　any　lingering　doubts　as　to　Tomkin's　plicity　in　this；　they　went　bye…bye　with　that　order　to　shut　down。　Very　few　people　can　mand　that　kind　of　strict　hush。　He's　one　of　'em。'　His　voke　was　a　harsh　whisper　now；　sibilant；　ledial。　'But　now　I　got　a　lead。　One　of　my　contacts　came　through　with　a　make　on　the　other　woman　in　Angela
　Didion's　apartment　the　night　of　the　murder。　I'm　waiting　for　her　name　and　address。　When　they　e　dirough；　I'm　gonna　nail　that　sonovabitch's　hide　to　the　goddamned　wall。'
　The　service　was　brief　but　expressive；　half　in　English；　half　in　Japanese。　But　it　was；　basically；　an　American　ceremony；　which　they　had　both　　wanted。　Nicholas　had　been　asked　to　eulogize　both　Terry　and　Eileen　and　he　did　so。　He　spoke　in　Japanese。　There　was　music。　A　couple；　friends　of　Eileen's。　They　were　professionals　and　it　showed。　They　played　traditional　Japanese　music　on　f（oto　and　shauhachi。　And　there　were　the　traditional　flowers。
　Croaker　waited　until　they　had　walked　away　from　the　graveyard。　Behind　them；　the　workmen　were　beginning　to　fill　in　the　graves。　There　seemed　to　be　no　sound　as　the　brown　earth　filled　the　spaces。
　'Nick；'　he　said；　'what　do　the　names　Hideoshi；　Yodogimi　and　Mitsunari　mean　to　you？'
　^^Nicholas　stopped　and　turned　away　from　the　sun。　He　did　not　want　to　put　on　his　sun…glasses。　'They're　famous　names　out　of　Japanese　history。　Why？'
　Croaker　seemed　to　ignore　the　question。　'Could　they　be　people　who　are　alive　today？'
　Nicholas　shrugged。　'It's　possible；　I　suppose。　Sure。　They're　family　names。　But　those　threeare　linked　together　by　history。　The　chances　…'
　'I　see　what　you　mean。'
　Past'　them；　along　the　black　macadam　road；　a　car　door　slammed　and　a　motor　coughed　into　life；　the　sound　seeming　to　float　on　the　hot　air。　Plane　and　maple　trees　rustled　their　　　　　leaves　by　the　side　of　the　padi　they　were　on。　The　heat　was　mounting。
　'You'd　better　tell　me　what　this　is　all　about。'
　Croaker　reached　inside　his　coat　pocket。　He　handed　over　a　thin　folded　slip　of　what　looked　like　scratch　paper。　As　Nicholas　opened　it；　he　said；　'I　found　this　when　I　was　going　through　Terry's　effects　the　M。E。　gave　me。　It　was　in　his　pocket。　It　might　have　been　made　the　night　he　was　killed。'
　'So？'
　'So　there　was　a　man　…　a　Japanese　…　at　the　dojo　the　afternoon
　Terry　and　Ei　were　murdered。　Two　of　the　instructors　…　Karate　and　aikido　senseis　…
　'Sensei。'
　'All　right；　whatever。　They　said　this　man　was　the　best　they　had　ever　seen。　Afterwards；　he　had　a　kendo　match　with　Terry。　Vincent　told　me　Terry　had　been　troubled　by　it　when　they　had　dinner　together。　That　was　the　night　of　the　double　murder。'
　Nicholas　looked　at　him；　ignoring　the　paper　in　his　hand。　It　was　thin　and　limp；　seeming　to　be　stained　with　sweat。　'What's　the　punch…line？'
　'This　Japanese　gave　his　name　as　Hideoshi。'
　Nicholas　looked　away　for　a　moment；　out　over　the　cemetery。　The　white　marble　headstones　were　brilliant　in　the　burning　sun　and　even　。the　dark　grey　or　striated　stones　seemed　as　light　as　feathers；　threatening　at　any　moment　to　shake　free　of　their　moorings　and　float　away　into　the　sky　as　serenely　as　clouds。　It　was　the　middle　of　the　week；　there　was　little　movement　along　the　neat；　narrow　paths；　the　close…cropped　lawns。　Bright　blobs　of　colour；　flowers　placed　precisely　at　the　doorways　to　heaven；　gave　the　panorama　a　rather　false　festiveness　as　if　they　stood　in　the　middle　of　a　newly　abandoned　state　fair。　At　the　periphery　of　his　vision；　a　yellow　bulldozer　moved　fallow　earth。　Beyond；　the　highway　arched　in　a　steel　and　stressed…concrete　rainbow；　its　traffic　so　muted　its　hiss　seemed　like　the　sigh　of　endless　surf。
　'In　1598；'　Nicholas　said；　'Hideoshi；　the　Kwambaku；　he　who　controlled　all　the　warring　daimyo　of　Japan；　died。　It　is　monly　believed　that　he；　being　a　far…sighted　man；　bequeathed　his　power　to　leyasu　Tokugawa；　the　strongest　member　of　the　governing　council。　This　is　not　so。　Hideoshi's　mistress　was　Yodogimi　and　she　had　given　him　a　son。　He　loved　them　both　and　wished；　above　all　else；　to　have　his　heir　one　day　rule　Japan。　Just　before　his　death　he　asked　to　see　a　close　friend；　Mitsunari　the　policeman。　He　told　him　in　strict　secrecy　to　guard　Yodogimi　and　his　son。　In　effect；　he　set　Mitsunari　against　leyasu。　〃Mitsunari；　my　friend；〃　he　said；　〃leyasu　exults　in　my　death　though　you　will　see　him　act　otherwise。　Do　not　be　deceived。　leyasu　is　as　clever　as　he　is　dangerous。　He　will；　within　a　short　time　of　my　death；　seek　to
　bee　Shogun。　Mitsunari；　my　friend；　you　must　oppose　this　with　all　your　might　for；　to　do　this；　leyasu　must　destroy　Yodogimi　and　the　true　heir。〃
　'Then；　just　moments　afterwards；　Hideoshi　received　leyasu。　〃You　are　the　strongest　of　the　council；〃　he　told　him。　〃Thus　you　must　take　over　the　reins　of　power　after　I　am　gone。〃　〃Do　not　speak　of　such　sad　matters；　Kwambaku；〃　leyasu　said；　but　Hideoshi　waved　him　to　silence。　〃Listen　to　what　I　have　to　say。　There　is　little　time。　When　I　am　gone；　there　will　be　anarchy　among　the　council　members。　Undoubtedly　they　will　split　into　factions　and　the　country　will　be　plunged　back；　into　civil　war。　This　must　be　avoided　at　all　costs。　You　must　seize　power；　leyasu。　Those　other　three　daimyo　are　as　nothing　to　you。　Sweep　them　aside；　rule　to　forestall　a　civil　war　which　would　rip　Japan　asunder。〃　And　leyasu　Tokugawa　bowed　his　head　in　acquiescence。
　〃Thus　did　Hideoshi　set　in　motion　at　the　very　moment　of　his　death　a　plex　plan　for　the　eventual　succession　of　his　heir；　thus　he　hoped　to　manipulate　the　destiny　of　Japan　even　from　…beyond　the　grave。　He　knew　that　the　moment　of　his　death　was　most　inopportune。　His　son　was　still　far　too　young　to　be　able　to　defend　himself　or　to　hold　for　long　the　loyalty　of　all　but　a　tiny　fraction　of　those　who　were　loyal　to　him。　He　knew　of　leyasu's　ambition　to　bee　Shogun　and　this　he　would　not　permit。　That　honour　must　go　to　his　own　heir。'
　Off　to　their　left；　a　small　funeral　procession　made　its　lenti…tudinous　way　from　the　black　macadam　road　from　which　heat　waves　rose；　along　one　of　the　narrow　paths　towards　an　open　grave。　The　gleaming　casket　was　already　in　place；　surrounded　by　garlands　of　flowers。　The　mourners　were　forming　up　and　a　slight　motion　began　as　one　of　the　family　members　collapsed。　Distance　and　the　heaviness　of　the　air　dampened　the　sound　so　that　it　appeared　as　if　they　were　viewing　a　mime　show。
　'Was　Hideoshi　successful？'　Croaker　asked　after　a　time。
　'No；'　Nicholas　said；　'he　wasn't。'　He　was　still　watching　the　crowd　of　people。　The　person　…　a　woman；　it　appeared　…　had　recovered　and　the　service　menced。　'For　one　thing；　leyasu　Tokugawa　was　far　too　clever　and　powerful。　For　another；　Mitsunari　gathered　a　coalition　of　daimyo　around　him　who　were　just
　not　up　to　the　task　of　defeating　leyasu。　In　1615　leyasu　led　his　forces　against　those　who　sought　to　protect　Yodogimi　and　the　heir。　They　had　retreated　into　the　nearly　invulnerable　castle　at　Osaka。　On　June　fourth　of　that　year；　leyasu's　forces　breached　the　castle's　defences　but　by　that　time　both　Yodogimi　and　the　young　heir　were　already　dead；　she　had　killed　her　son　and　then　mitted　seppuku。'
　'Is　there　a　villain　in　this　story　？'
　There　came　a　flash　in　the　sky　and　a　drone；　heavy　with　vibration；　as　a　747　headed　in　to　Kennedy。
　'I　suppose　it　depends　on　your　point　of　view；'　Nicholas　said。　'But　I　can　tell　you　that　leyasu　was　one　of　the　greatest　leaders　in　the　history　of　Japan。　Whether　Hideoshi　understood　those　qualities　in　leyasu　is　open　to　debate。　In　any　case；　they　were　two　different　kinds　of　men；　and　it　is　impossible；　I　think；　to　make　an　overwhelming　case　for　one　against　the　other。　They　were　both　c