mac.thepearlharbormurders-第16节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　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　from　the　big　island；　though；　and　needs　lodging　when　we　work　Oahu；　which　lately　has　been　most　of　the　time。〃
　〃I　had　the　idea　that　Pearl　lived　with　her　uncle；　that　grocer；　in　Chinatown。〃
　Kaupiko　nodded。　〃She　did；　when　she　first　came　here。　But　once　we　got　this　steady　gig　at　the　Niumalu；　Harry　negotiated　with　Mr。　Bivens　to　get　her　a　room　in　the　lodge。〃
　〃Who　else　lives　here　at　the　hotel？〃
　The　musician　looked　around；　rather　furtively；　apparently　checking　to　see　if　any　of　his　band　mates　were　watching。。。　or　listening。
　'Terry　Mizuha；〃　he　said；　finally。　〃He's　the　only　guy　besides　Harry　that　was　really　cozy　with　Pearl。〃
　〃Did　she　date　him；　too？〃
　Kaupiko　laughed。
　〃What's　so　funny；　Jim？〃
　〃Sorry。〃　The　musician's　expression　was　sober　again。　〃Listen；　I　don't　want　to　talk　outta　school。　Terry's　a　great　guy；　helluva　guitar　player。〃
　〃Okay…now　drop　the　other　shoe。〃
　He　shrugged。　〃I　don't　think　Terry　likes　dolls。　He's；　uh　。。。　you　know。〃　Kaupiko　held　up　his　hand　and　made　a　sideways　shaking　gesture。
　〃But　he　and　Pearl　were　friends？〃
　〃Yeah。　Sort　of。。。　'girlfriends。'　Hey；　don't　spread　that　around。　We　don't　care　about　Terry's　tastes…he's　discreet　and　he's　a　good　musician　and　he's　our　pal。　Anyway；　some　of　the　people　we　work　for　might　not　hire　us　if　they　knew　he　was　that　way。　So　mum's　the　word。〃
　〃I　appreciate　you　leveling　with　me；　Jim。〃
　Kaupiko　sighed；　shook　his　head。　〃We　all　loved　Pearl。　She　could've　taken　us　to　Hollywood　or　somethin'；　someday；　if　some　bastard　hadn't　done　her　in。　And　I　want　to　thank　you　for　saying　what　you　did　in　front　of　the　band…you　really　got　everybody　thinking。　I　mean；　in　our　hearts　we　didn't　believe　Harry　could　have　done　that　terrible　thing　。。。　but　we　believed　what　we　were　told。〃
　〃That's　understandable。〃
　He　sighed　again；　relieved　this　time。　〃Anyway；　I'm　going　down　to　the　police　station　and　see　about　Harry…　like　you　suggested。〃
　〃Good。　Before　you　go；　is　there　anything　else　you　can　think　of；　that　might　be　pertinent？〃
　Kaupiko's　eyes　squeezed　tight　in　thought。　〃e　to　think　of　it。。。　I　did　see　Pearl　have　an　argument　last　night；　but　not　with　Harry。　Before　we　went　onstage。〃
　Hully　leaned　in。　〃Who　with？〃
　〃Do　you　know　that　Japanese　diplomat；　that　idiot　skirt…chaser　Morimura？〃
　〃I　know　who　he　is…he　sat　with　Dad　and　me　at　the　luau。〃
　Kaupiko　nodded。　〃Well；　he　had　her　cornered；　out　in　the　parking　lot；　away　from　everybody　and　everything；　out　by　that　big　fancy　car　of　his…it's　a　Lincoln。　He　was　really　chewing　her　out；　shaking　his　finger　at　her。。。。
　She　just　had　her　arms　folded　and　was　taking　it；　chin　up；　kinda　proud。〃
　〃Huh；〃　Hully　grunted。　〃What　did　you　make　of　that？〃
　Kaupiko　shrugged　elaborately。　〃I　didn't　know　what　to　think；　and　I　never　said　a　word　to　Pearl　about　it。　I　mean；　I　always　thought　that　Morimura　character　was　just　a　harmless　grinning　jerk；　always　chasing　tail。〃
　〃You　think　Pearl　and　Morimura　may　have　dated？〃
　Another；　less　elaborate　shrug。　〃I　suppose　anything　is　possible。　But　it　doesn't　ring　true；　somehow。　Morimura　doesn't　seem　her　type…she　liked　musicians；　and　she　liked　servicemen　。。。　that　was　about　it。　And　that's　the　only　time　I　ever　saw　them　together。〃
　〃Okay。〃
　Kaupiko　gestured　with　a　pointing　finger。　〃If　that　cop　asks　me　about　this；　I'm　gonna　tell　him；　too。〃
　〃Good。　It's　not　a　petition…in　fact；　say　and　do　anything　you　can　that　will　help　get　that　guy　Jardine　off　the　dime；　and　looking　at　some　suspects　besides　Harry　Kamana。〃
　The　two　men　shook　hands；　and　Kaupiko　headed　back　toward　the　bandstand；　while　Hully　returned　to　the　lobby；　intending　to　ask　Bivens　which　room　was　Terry　Mizuha's；　wanting　to　talk　to　the　guitar　player。
　But　Bivens　was　no　longer　behind　the　front　desk；　apparently　off　doing　some　other　Niumalu　chore。　That　was　all　right…it　was　even　good…because　Hully　didn't　need　Bivens's　help　to　find　Terry　Mizuha。
　The　slender　musician　was　sitting　on　a　cushioned　wicker　chair；　between　two　archways　that　looked　out　onto　the　parking　lot。
　Mizuha；　in　a　cream　sportshirt　and　white　slacks　and　cream　slippers；　had　almost　delicate　features…handsome　but　vaguely　feminine；　his　dark　hair　long；　slicked　back　like　an　Oriental　George　Raft。　His　Iong…lashed　eyes　were　dark…circled　and　webbed　with　red。
　〃I　hoped　you　might　e　through　here；〃　Mizuha　said。　His　voice　was　soft；　gentle；　melodic。　Hully　pulled　another　of　the　wicker　chairs　up。　
　〃Why　didn't　you　stop　me　in　the　other　room；　Terry；　when　I　asked　for　information？〃　
　〃Jim　beat　me　to　it。　What　did　he　fell　you？〃　
　〃That　you　and　Pearl　were　good　friends。〃　
　〃That's　true。。。　that's　true。〃　He　covered　his　face
　with　a　finely　boned　hand　and　began　to　weep。　Hully；　embarrassed；　dug　out　a　hankie　from　his　pocket　and　handed　it　to　the　man；　who　took　it　gratefully；　for　two　excruciatingly　long　minutes；　Mizuha　wept　into　Hully's　cloth。　When　the　slender　man　lowered　the　handkerchief　from　his　face；　his　eyes　were　even　more　bloodshot。　He　said；　〃She　was　my　best　friend。〃　
　〃Do　you　know　anything　about　her　murder？〃　
　〃I　know　I　saw　that　soldier。。。　Stanton？　She　had　dated　him；　before　the　sailor　boy…Fielder？　I　saw　him　yelling　at　her；　after　the　dance；　when　we　were　packing　up。〃
　〃Did　the　others　see　this？　Why　didn't　they…？〃　Mizuha　was　shaking　his　head。　〃They　didn't　see　the　argument。　It　was　outside；　he　had　her　up　against　the　wall　of　the　lodge。　I。。。　I　interceded。　He　almost　struck　me；　but　I　pretended　she　was　needed　by　Jim；　for　band　business。　Stanton　stalked　off。〃
　〃Did　you　hear　anything　of　what　was　said？〃
　〃Just　the　usual　spurned…lover　recriminations。〃
　〃Did　Stanton　threaten　her？〃
　〃Not　overtly。　Just　his　manner。　I　do　think　she　was　afraid。。。　she　was　trembling。　I　put　my　arm　around　her。〃　He　began　to　cry　again；　into　the　hankie。
　Hully　waited；　then　asked；　〃Is　there　anything　else　you　saw；　Terry？　Anything　else　you　know？〃
　Mizuha　bunked。　〃What　do　you　mean。。。　anything　else　I　know？〃
　This　seemed　a　peculiar　reaction　to　Hully；　who　shrugged。　〃Just　that。〃
　The　pretty　eyes　narrowed；　the　smooth　forehead　furrowed。　〃You're　not　a　detective；　are　you？〃
　〃Unfortunately；　no…just　a　friend　trying　to　help　a　friend　who　is　beyond　help；　really。〃
　He　swallowed；　nodded。　〃You　were　going　to　talk　to　Colonel　Fielder　for　her；　weren't　you？〃
　〃Yes。。。。My　father　agreed；　also。〃
　Mizuha　sat　forward；　a　strange　urgency　in　his　voice。　〃What　did　she　say　to　you？　What　did　she　tell　you？　Or　your　father？〃
　The　intensity　of　the　man　made　Hully　rear　back；　a　little。　〃Nothing；　really…obviously；　she　wanted　to　state　her　case；　plead　for　the　colonel's　consent　to　the　marriage。〃
　Mizuha's　eyes　tightened；　but　otherwise　he　relaxed；　air　escaping　as　if　from　a　balloon；　his　body　being　even　smaller。　Then　he　said；　〃Let　us　talk　again；〃
　〃Sure。〃
　〃I　have　。。。　I　have　to　sort　a　few　things　out。　I　have　to　think。〃
　'Terry；　if　you　know　something；　tell　me；　hell；　tell　the　police。。。。〃
　Mizuha　was　shaking　his　head。　〃I'm　too　distraught　right　now。　I'm　confused。　I'm　afraid。　Please　give　me　a　few　hours。。。。We'll　talk　again。〃
　'Terry。。。〃
　But　the　conversation　ended　there；　because　something　attracted　Hully's　attention：　he　saw　Bill　Fielder　getting　out　of　a　gray　Ford　sedan　（it　beloriged　to　Colonel　Fielder）；　having　just　parked　in　the　Niumalu　lot。
　Something　was　terribly　wrong：　Bill　was　smiling；　his　expression　cheerful；　the　young　Naval　officer…who　was　in　a　green　sportshirt　and　chinos；　on　this　fine　off…duty　day…was　even　whistling　a　tune。
　〃We'll　talk　more；　later；〃　Hully　said；　and　Terry　Mizuha　was　getting　up　and　going　off　in　one　direction；　as　Hully…shuddering　as　if　from　cold　on　this　warm　morning…moved　through　that　open　archway　into　the　parking　lot；　where　he　approached　Bill；　catching　him　before　he　entered　the　lodge。
　〃Hey；　Hully。〃　The　handsome；　cleft…chinned　Fielder　wore　a　winning　smile。　〃Hell　of　a　beautiful　day；　huh？〃
　〃Yeah；　Bill…nice　weather；　even　for　Hawaii。〃　He　touched　his　friend's　arm。　〃You　doing　okay？〃
　〃Yeah；　better　today。　I　skipped　Hotel　Street；　and　had　it　out　with　Dad；　and。。。〃
　Hully　stopped　listening　to　his　optimistic　friend；　his　own　mind　throbbing　with　the　inescapable　realization　that　Bill　did　not　know　about　the　murder。。。。
　〃We　have　to　sit　down；〃。　Hully　said；　guiding　his　confused　friend　into　the　lodge　lobby；　〃and　we　have　to　talk。〃
　〃What's　wrong　with　you？　What　the　hell…listen；　I　have　to　see　Pearl；　she's　waiting；　I'm　a　little　late。。。。〃
　〃Sit　down；　Bill。　I　have　to　tell　you　something…something　very　bad。　Very　sad。〃
　Hully　sat　his　friend　down　in　the　wicker　chair　the　musician　had　vacated　and　he　stood　in　front　of　his　friend　and　quickly；　calmly；　as　gently　as　he　could；　told　Bill　Fielder　that　Pearl　Harada　had　been　murdered。
　Bill's　cry　of　emotional　pain　echoed　through　the　lodge　like　that　of　a　mortally　wounded　beast。
　The　young　Naval　officer　fell　onto　the　parquet　floor　and　assumed　a　fetal　position　and　Hully　got　down　there　with　him；　taking　his　friend　into　his　arms；　patting　him　on　the　back；　forting　him　as　Bill　howled　and　wept。　Hully　couldn't　even　offer　Bill　a　handkerchief　because　the　trumpet　player　had　taken　it。
　But　no　handkerchief　could　have　contained　the　tears　of　the　young　sailor。
　It　was　a　long　time　before　Bill　got　settl