mac.thepearlharbormurders-第19节

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　The　chief　of　Army　intelligence；　however；　was　not　overawed。　Handing　the　transcript　back；　Fielder　said；　〃It　seems　like　quite　an　ordinary　message。　Sounds　like　just　the　sort　of　mundane　stuff　a　newspaperman　would　need　for　a　feature　story　on　life　in　present…day　Honolulu。〃
　〃Colonel；〃　Sterling　said；　〃I　can't　agree…I　know　nothing　here　can　be　clearly　defined　as　manifestly　dangerous　to　security　。。。　but　the　general　tone　of　the　conversation；　in　light　of　suspicious　activity　by　a　German　'sleeper'　agent；　and　the　Jap　Consulate　burning　their　papers　。。。　Wooch；　damnit；　man…I　have　a　sick　feeling　about　this。〃
　Fielder　crushed　his　cigarette　out　in　a　little　metal　ashtray。　He　was　nodding。　〃Fair　enough。　I'll　tell　General　Short　you　want　an　appointment；　Monday　morning。〃　
　〃No…tonight。　As　soon　as　possible。〃　
　The　colonel　looked　up；　sharply。　〃I　told　you；　Adam…　the　general　has　plans　for　the　evening。〃
　〃Then　I'll　meet　with　him　on　his　goddamn　front　porch。　I　have　to　insist；　Colonel。　These　Moris　are　on　my　list　of　potentially　disloyal　Japs。　I'm　positive　this　call　means　something…something's　definitely　in　the　wind。〃
　Fielder　sighed　heavily。　He　finished　off　his　rum　punch　and　said；　〃All　right；　you　stubborn　s。o。b。　Can　you　meet　me　at　my　quarters　at　six　o'clock？〃　〃Yes。　Absolutely。〃
　Nodding；　Fielder　rose；　the　two　men　shook　hands。　〃See　you　there。〃
　And　Colonel　Fielder　headed　toward　the　tavern　and　its　parking　lot。　〃I　think　you're　doing　the　right　thing；〃　Burroughs　said。
　〃Hell；〃　Sterling　said　with　a　laugh。　The　FBI　man　gulped　down　the　rest　of　his　rum　punch。　〃I　was　just　hoping　I　was　full　of　crap。〃
　
　
　NINE
　Chinatown
　
　For　a　Coast　haole　（as　mainlanders　were　referred　to）；　Hully　Burroughs　had　a　better…than…average　understanding　of　Hawaii's　Japanese　munity。
　He　knew　that　Japanese　owned　many　of　the　restaurants　in　Honolulu；　that　they　repaired　most　cars　and　built　most　houses；　that　they　worked　behind　most　retail　counters。　And；　anyway；　you　didn't　have　to　be　terribly　aware　to　notice　the　dozens　of　Japanese　teahouses；　or　the　kimono　shops；　or　the　sake　breweries；　the　Japanese…language　newspapers；　fish…cake　factories；　movie　houses。。。。
　Still；　much　of　mis　eluded　the　average　haole；　particularly　the　typical　tourist；　because　on　the　one　hand；　Hawaii　worked　hard　at　its　Polynesian　image…Waikiki　wallowed　in　it…and　on　the　other；　Hawaii　was　insistent　upon　its　American　status；　indignantly　reminding　forgetful　mainlanders　that　they　were　in　the　United　States；　not　some　foreign　land。
　Hully　had　gained　his　awareness；　limited　though　it　might　be；　through　his　friendship　with　Sam　Fujimoto；　the　son　of　their　maid　at　the　Niumalu。　Sam…a　senior　in　prelaw　at　the　University　of　Hawaii…had　shown　Hully　the　local　ropes；　when　the　mainlander　had　first　arrived。
　This　afternoon；　Hully　needed　his　friend's　help；　for　two　reasons。　First；　he　needed　wheels…his　father　had　taken　the　Pierce　Arrow　to　the　Shriner　game。　Second；　he　needed　a　tour　guide…because；　despite　whatever　scant　familiarity　he　had　with　local　Asian　customs；　Hully　felt　that　would　not　be　enough　for　where　he　needed　to　go。
　Chinatown。　The　Oriental　neighborhood　had　been　staked　out　many　decades　before　by　Chinese　workers　fleeing　the　sugar　and　pineapple　plantations；　marking　off　this　triangle　of　downtown　Honolulu…Nuuanu　Street　on　the　southeast；　North　Beretania　Street　on　the　northeast；　South　King　Street　as　the　hypotenuse…for　small　retail　businesses　and　restaurants。
　But　despite　the　name；　in　Chinatown；　the　Japanese　（and　the　Filipinos；　too；　for　that　matter）　vastly　outnumbered　the　Chinese；　though　the　white　tourists；　ing　and　going　from　the　main　port　at　the　foot　of　Nuuanu　Street；　rarely　knew　the　difference；　much　less　noticed　how　the　Japanese　and　Chinese　merchants　kept　their　distance　from　each　other；　even　when　jammed　side　by　side。
　Coast　haoles　saw　only　the　Orient；　a　nonspecific　Asia　crammed　into　a　few　blocks…sleazy　storefronts　and　Shinto　shrines；　silk　shops　and　tattoo　parlors；　bathhouses　and　Buddhist　temples；　live　chickens　and　dead　ducks；　coffee　shops　and　chop　suey　joints；　incense　and　strangely　aromatic　spices　mingling　with　the　sickly…sweet　perfume　of　the　nearby　pineapple　canneries　and　the　salty　stench　of　the　marshlands　below　the　city。
　〃What　do　you　think　her　uncle's　likely　to　know？〃　Sam　Fujimoto　asked。
　The　slender；　smoothly　handsome　nisei…black　hair　trimmed　military　short　（he　was　in　ROTC　at　the　Manoa　campus）…was　casual　at　the　wheel　of　his　dark　blue　'38　Ford　convertible　sedan；　his　sportshirt　was　a　lighter　blue；　his　trousers　white；　his　shoes　the　slippers　so　mon　on　the　island　（Hully　was　wearing　a　pair　himself）。
　〃You　and　I；　we　only　knew　Pearl　through　the　Niumalu；〃　Hully　said。　〃The　only　people　in　her　life　that　we　know；　too；　are　musicians；　hotel　staff　and　guests。〃
　〃And　boyfriends　like　Bill　and　that　Stanton　character；　who　met　her　there。〃
　〃Right；　Sam。　But　she　used　to　live　with　her　uncle；　in　Chinatown；　when　she　first　moved　to　Oahu…that　could　open　up　a　whole　new　world　of　friends　and　acquaintances。〃
　〃Maybe　it　is　worth　talking　to　him。〃　Sam　had　never　dated　Pearl；　but　he　knew　her　a　littie；　had　spoken　to　her　a　few　times。　〃But　it'll　probably　be　a　dead　end。　My　feeling　is；　she　distanced　herself　from　anything。。。　overtly　Japanese。〃　He　shrugged。　〃A　lot　of　my　generation　do。〃
　〃Pearl　sure　seemed　like　an　all…American　girl。〃
　One　hand　on　the　wheel；　Sam　gave　Hully　half　a　smile。　〃She　was　one…she　was　born　in　Frisco；　right？〃
　〃Right。〃
　The　convertible　was　bouncing　along　Fort　Street。　They　crossed　Nuuanu　Street；　where　the　Liberty　Theater…home　to　a　Chinese　stock　pany　that　went　in　for　horrific　flights　of　fancy…was　at　the　left。
　〃I　think　I've　seen　this　guy　around　the　Niumalu；〃　Sam　said；　referring　to　Yoshio　Harada；　Pearl's　grocer　uncle。　Though　he　didn't　live　at　the　hotel；　Sam　had　spent　his　share　of　time　there；　what　with　his　mother's　work　and　his　friendship　with　Hully。
　〃I　saw　him　just　yesterday；〃　Hully　said。　〃Helped　him　unload；　a　little。　Bivens　buys　fresh　seafood　and　fruit　and　vegetables　from　Harada。　Seems　like　a　nice　enough　little　guy　。。。　You　would　think　he'd　be　heartsick；　today。〃
　〃His　niece　murdered；　I　should　say。〃
　Actually；　Hully　had　his　doubts；　though　he　said；　〃Maybe　he　won't　even　be　working。〃
　〃Oh；　he'll　be　working；〃　Sam　said　with　a　knowing　smile。　〃Guy　like　that　doesn't　miss　a　Saturday　at　the　market。〃
　Hully　knew　Sam　was　right…knew　that　Harada　was　indeed　working　today。　Since　Hully　hadn't　had　an　address　for　the　grocer；　he'd　stopped　at　the　front　desk　and　checked　with　manager　Fred　Bivens；　who'd　said；　〃Funny　thing　is；　you　just　missed　him。　He　made　a　delivery　not　ten　minutes　ago。〃
　〃Really？　Gosh；　he　delivered　a　boatload　of　stuff　just　yesterday…I　helped　him　unload　some　of　it。〃
　〃I　remember…but　sometimes　Mr。　Harada　makes　unscheduled　stops　when　he　has　something　nice　for　me…　like　the　swordfish　he　dropped　by　with；　just　now。〃
　〃How's　he　doing？〃
　〃Doing？〃
　〃His　niece　was　murdered　last　night；　Fred。　How　is　he　doing？〃
　〃Oh。　Well；　he's　doing　fine。　I　paid　my　sympathies；　he　thanked　me；　we　both　said　what　a　sad　awful　thing　it　was；　and。。。　frankly；　then　we　did　business。〃
　〃So　Pearl's　uncle　isn't　holed　up　in　some　funeral　home　or　church；　mourning；　then。〃
　〃No。　He　said　he　was　on　his　way　back　to　his　store。〃
　〃You　have　an　address？〃
　〃Actually。。。　funny　thing；　no。　I　never　been　down　there　to　his　shop　in　Chinatown。。。　he　always　makes　deliveries。　All　I　know　is　it's　down　near　the　Aala　Market。〃
　They　were　deep　into　Chinatown　now。　Just　past　Mau…nakea　Street；　on　the　right…hand　side　of　Beretania；　was　notorious　Tin　Can　Alley；　that　quaint；　exotic；　harmless…looking　entry　into　a　deadly　tenement　area　replete　with　crooked　pathways；　whores；　rickety　wooden　stairs；　pimps；　sagging　balconies；　and　thugs…a　literal　tourist　trap。　Within　easy　walking　distance　were　neighborhoods　with　such　sobriquets　as　Blood　Town；　Hell's　Half　Acre　and　Mosquito　Flats；　home　to　a　staggering　array　of　opium　dens；　gambling　halls　and　cathouses。
　〃What's　your　take　on　this？〃　Hully　asked　his　friend。　〃You　know　Bill　well　enough…could　he　be　a　suspect？〃
　Sam　shrugged　a　shoulder。　〃Only　if　Pearl　was　running　around　on　him；　and　he　caught　her　in　the　act。〃
　〃Do　you　believe　that's　possible？〃
　〃She　was　a　flirt；　and　she　got　around…but　this　last　month　or　so？　I　can't　see　it。　Hell；　she　was　crazy　about　Bill…she　was　serious。　They　were　serious。〃
　Nodding　thoughtfully；　Hully　said；　〃I'd　like　to　track　down　this　Stanton…he's　on　a　weekend　pass。　Maybe　we　could　check　out　Hotel　Street　later。〃
　〃I'm　game。〃
　Just　beyond　Lau　Yee　Chai…the　best；　most　lavish　chop　suey　house　in　Honolulu　（a　different　sort　of　tourist　trap）…was　River　Street；　bordering　the　Nuuanu　Stream。　Soon　they　were　on　Queen　Street；　and　Sam　found　a　parking　place；　and　they　headed　over　on　foot　to　the　Aala　Market　and　the　Japanese　sampan　fishing　dock。
　Along　the　way　they　encountered　Japanese　women　wearing　silk　kimonos　clip…clopping　along　the　wooden　walkway　in　clogs　called　gettas；　lugging　children　on　their　backs。　Past　the　garish　Oriental　lettering　of　signs；　small　simple　wooden　storefronts　were　gorged　with　tourist…friendly　merchandise；　often　a　diapered　baby　would　be　crawling　across　a　wooden　floor；　and　one　moonfaced　older　child　sat　unattended；　nibbling　pink　gelatin　candies；　while　tourists　and　clerks　bartered。　They　passed　pawnshops；　saimin　（noodle）　cafe