mac.thepearlharbormurders-第25节

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temperature。　〃She　just　looked　at　me；　like　。。。　like　she　felt　sorry　for　me。　And　maybe　a　little　。。。　disgusted。。。　after　I　wouldn't　stop　yelling。　I　almost　think　that's　what　hurts　most　of　all。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃That　she　died　thinking　I　was　a　jerk。〃
　More　tears　followed；　then　Jardine　asked；　〃Where　were　you；　around　twelve…thirty；　one　o'clock？〃
　〃Back　at　Hickam。〃
　〃What　time　did　you　argue　with　Pearl？〃
　〃Midnight…right　after　the　band　got　finished。〃
　〃Where　did　you　go；　after　the　argument？〃
　〃I　told　you…Hickam。　I　took　a　cab。　I　was　in　my　rack　by　twelve…thirty；　or　damn　close。〃
　〃You　were　in　the　barracks？〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　Jardine　was　jotting　this　down　in　his　little　notebook。　Hully　realized　these　assertions　would　be　easily
　checked：　the　cab　could　be　tracked；　and　whether　or　not　Stanton　had　been　in　the　barracks　at　the　time　of　the　girl's　death。　Pearl　had　been　alive　at　twelve…fifteen；　when　she'd　taken　her　leave　of　Hully's　father；　at　their　bungalow。　And　Hickam　Field　was　twenty　minutes　from　Waikiki。
　If　he　was　telling　the　truth；　Stanton　couldn't　have　been　Pearl　Harada's　murderer。
　〃I　want　you　at　Central　Police　Station　at　ten　o'clock　Monday　morning；〃　Jardine　said　to　the　corporal。　〃For　a　formal　statement。　If　you　need　to　have　your　manding　officer　call　me；　I　work　out　of　the　Prosecutor's　Office　at　City　Hall。〃
　And　Jardine　handed　Stanton　a　business　card。　Stanton　held　it　between　thumb　and　middle　finger　and　stared　at　it　like　a　chimp　trying　to　figure　out　a　math　problem。
　Stanton's　expression　was　one　of　astonishment。　〃You　don't　really　think　I。。。　listen；　I　didn't。。。　Do　I　need　an　attorney？〃
　〃That's　up　to　you；　Corporal。　If　you　were　a　prime　suspect　in　my　mind；　I'd　be　taking　you　in　right　now。〃
　He　was　shaking　his　head；　his　eyes　as　intense　as　they　were　red。　〃I　wouldn't　have　hurt　her。　I　would　never　have　hurt　her。　I'd　sooner　kill　myself。　Do　you　have　any　idea　what　I'm　going　through？　What　it　feels　like　inside　my　head　right　now？　Inside　my　gut？　My　heart？〃
　〃Monday。　Ten　o'clock。〃
　〃I　thought　Harry　Kamana　did　it。　Didn't　you　arrest　him？〃
　'Ten　o'clock。　Monday。〃
　Jardine　rose　and　Hully　followed　suit。
　〃What　about　Fielder？〃　Stanton　asked；　still　seated。　〃Where　was　he　when　Pearl　was　。。。　？〃
　〃We're　going　to　find　that　out；〃　Jardine　said。　He　touched　the　brim　of　his　fedora；　in　a　tip…of…the…hat　manner；　and　headed　for　the　door；　Hully　trailing　after。
　Just　as　they　were　going　out；　Hully　saw　Stanton　heading　back　out　to　the　dance　floor　with　the　Japanese　girl；　the　bo　playing；　〃I　Got　It　Bad　and　That　Ain't　Good。〃
　The　Black　Cat　was　a　long；　open…faced　cafй　that　benefited　from　its　proximity　to　the　YMCA　across　the　street；　where　buses　and　cabs　had　brought…and　would　later　pick　up…sailors　and　soldiers　。。。　anyway；　those　who　weren't　sleeping　it　off　in　a　room　in　the　big；　rambling；　palm…surrounded　Y。
　Sam　Fujimoto　was　at　a　table　right　on　the　street　with　two　sailors…one　of　whom　was　Bill　Fielder。　The　other　was　Dan　Pressman。　The　Black　Cat　served　liquor；　but　all　three　were　drinking　coffee。
　〃Nice　work；〃　Jardine　said　to　Sam；　pulling　up　a　chair；　Hully　doing　the　same。
　Bill　sat　slumped　in　his　chair；　his　expression　dour；　his　handsome　features　puffy；　his　dark　hair　unbed。　Blond；　blue…eyed　Dan　Pressman　seemed　more　alert；　and　was　watching　Bill　the　way　a　parent　watches　a　child。　Hully's　hunch　was　that　Bill　had　been　tying　one　on；　and　Dan　had　laid　off　the　booze；　to　keep　an　eye　on　his　friend's　safety　and　welfare。
　〃Found　Bill　and　Dan　down　at　the　Tradewinds；〃　Sam　said。
　〃Rough　joint；〃　Jardine　said；　and　showed　his　badge　to　the　two　sailors。　〃I'm　Detective　Jardine。　How　are　you　doing；　Bill？〃
　〃My　fiancee　was　murdered；〃　he　said；　just　slightly　slurring　his　words。　〃How　the　hell　you　think　I　am？〃
　〃When　did　you　see　Pearl　Harada　last；　Ensign？〃
　Dan　said；　〃Detective；　if　you　want　to　question　Bill；　don't　you　think　it'd　be　more　appropriate　if　you　waited　till　he's…〃
　〃I'll　talk　to　him　now；〃　Bill　said　sharply。　〃Right　now。　I'm　sober…sober　enough。　And　I　don't　have　a　goddamn　thing　to　hide。〃
　〃You　should　have　a　lawyer；〃　Dan　said。　〃This　is　a　murder　case。〃
　Bill　batted　the　air。　〃They　already　caught　the　guy。　Didn't　you　catch　the　guy？〃
　〃Harry　Kamana　is　in　custody；〃　Jardine　said。　〃When　did　you　see　Pearl　last；　Ensign？〃
　〃At　the　Niumalu。　I　left　about　a　quarter　to　midnight。　。。。　The　Harbor　Lights　were　still　playing。〃
　Jardine　gazed　out　from　under　the　shadow　of　the　fedora　brim。　〃She　was　your　girl；　wasn't　she？　Why　didn't　you　hang　around　to　spend　some　time　with　her；　after？〃
　〃I　wanted　to　talk　to　my　father。　I　was　spending　the　weekend　with　my　folks…and　I　knew　I'd　have　the　chance　to　talk　to　Dad　about。。。　about　Pearl　and　me。　About　us　getting　married。〃
　〃Did　you　talk　to　him？〃
　〃Yes。〃　He　shook　his　head；　rolled　his　eyes。　〃Oh　yes　indeed。〃
　〃It　did　not　go　well？〃
　He　grunted　a　humorless　laugh。　〃It　did　not　go　well。〃
　〃What　happened？〃
　Bill　leaned　forward；　weaving　slightly；　his　words　remained　slurred　but　coherent。　〃Just　a　shouting　match。　My　mother　tried　to　calm　both　of　us　down；　but。。。　I　went　to　the　guest　room；　slammed　the　door。　That　was　the　end　of　it。〃
　〃What　time　was　this？〃
　〃I　got　home　just　after　midnight。　We　must　have　argued　till　one　o'clock；　one…fifteen。〃
　Jardine　glanced　at　Hully：　this　would　seem　to　be　an　alibi　for　both　Bill　and　his　father。　。　。　unless　one　was　covering　for　the　other。
　〃Ensign　Fielder；〃　the　detective　said；　〃I　mean　no　disrespect　。。。　but　you　were　not　the　only　man　in　Pearl's　life。〃
　Bill　slapped　the　metal　table　and　the　coffee　cups　jumped；　spilling　a　little。　〃You're　wrong！　I　was　the　only　man　in　her　life。〃
　Jardine's　voice　was　a　persistent　near　monotone。　〃What　about　Jack　Stanton？　Harry　Kamana？〃
　Bill　gestured　with　an　awkward　hand。　〃They　were　old　boyfriends。　I　didn't　say　she　was　a。。。　a　nun。　But　we　were　engaged…she　wasn't　dating　anybody　else；　wasn't　seeing　anybody　else。　Just　me。〃
　〃How　would　you　have　felt　if　you　found　her　in　the　arms　of　another　man？〃
　The　ensign　bobbed　forward。　〃Would　it　make　me　want　to　kill　somebody？　Is　that　what　you　want　to　know？　Sure；　Detective　。。。〃
　Touching　his　friend's　arm；　Dan　said；　〃Bill…easy；　now　。。。　watch　what　you're　saying。。。。〃
　〃I'd　have　wanted　to　kill　the　son　of　a　bitch　who　was　with　her。。。　not　Pearl。　Never　Pearl。　But　that　didn't　happen；　Detective；　and　it　wouldn't　happen；　couldn't　happen。　She　loved　me；　I　loved　her。　We　were　engaged。　She　was　going　to　be　。。。　my　wife。〃
　〃What　if　you　found　her　in　the　arms　of　Terry　Mi…zuha？〃
　Bill　blinked。　〃Why　would　she　be　in　that　queer's　arms？　What　the　hell　kind　of　stupid　question　is　that？〃
　Jardine　handed　Bill　a　business　card。　〃That's　my　office　number　at　City　Hall。　But　I　want　you　down　at　Central　Police　Station　at　eleven　o'clock　Monday　morning。　Can　you　remember　that？〃
　〃Yeah。〃　Bill　was　looking　at　the　business　card；　trying　to　make　his　eyes　focus。　〃Why　do　you　wanna　talk　to　me　again？〃
　〃I　want　your　formal　statement。　I　don't　think　you　did　this　thing；　Ensign　Fielder；　but　you　are　a　suspect。　You　may　wish　to　bring　an　attorney　along。〃
　Bill's　head　was　rocking；　slightly。　〃I　don't　understand　this…Harry　Kamana　did　it！　He　had　goddamn　blood　all　over　himself！　Somebody　saw　him　do　it；　right？　Why。。。〃
　〃We　can　discuss　this　Monday。　Show　up　sober；　Ensign。〃
　Then　Bill　was　on　his　feet；　raving；　ranting。　〃You　let　that　bastard　Kamana　out；　I'll　kill　his　ass！　You　understand？　You　wanna　arrest　me　for　a　murder；　you'll　get　your　chance。。。。〃
　Dan　also　got　to　his　feet；　latching　onto　Bill's　arm。　〃Take　it　easy；　Bill。　Just　stop　talking；　goddamnit。〃
　A　male　voice　chimed　in：　〃Did　you　kill　her；　Fielder？　Did　you　murder　my　girl？〃
　As　if　he'd　materialized；　Corporal　Jack　Stanton　was　standing　next　to　the　table。　Now　Hully　and　Jardine　were　getting　to　their　feet；　as　Stanton　grabbed　the　startled　Bill　Fielder　by　his　khaki　blouse；　with　both　hands。
　〃Why　did　you　do　it；　Fielder？〃　Stanton　demanded；　his　eyes　crazed。　〃Was　she　throwing　you　over？　ing　back　to　me？〃
　Bill　threw　the　first　punch。　Then　the　two　heartsick；　drunken　servicemen　were　slugging　away　at　each　other；　flailing；　stumbling　out　into　the　street；　mostly　missing；　occasionally　connecting。　Within　seconds　a　crowd　of　sailors　and　soldiers　had　formed　around　them；　cheering　them　on。
　Jardine　was　shaking　his　head；　giving　Hully　a　look。　〃Oh　hell；〃　he　said　wearily。
　It　was　only　a　matter　of　minutes　before　the　crowd　turned　itself　into　a　brawling　mob；　sailors　belting　soldiers；　soldiers　smacking　sailors。　Fielder　and　Stanton　were　no　longer　visible；　swallowed　in　the　sea　of　white　and　khaki；　with　shouted　obscenities　mingling　with　cries　of　pain。
　The　gunshot　froze　them　all。
　Then　their　eyes　turned　to　the　little　Portuguese　detective　who　had　fired　his　。38　revolver　into　the　air。　The　sailors　and　soldiers　did　not　have　time　to　process　this　before　the　MPs　and　Shore　Patrol　descended；　blowing　whistles；　shouting　admonitions；　arresting　a　few　of　them；　the　bulk　scattering。
　Hully　found　Bill　Fielder　in　a　pile　on　the　pavement；
　barely　conscious；　fairly　battered；　Stanton　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　Hully　and　Dan　Pressman…who　had　not　gotten　involved　in　the　fracas…walked　Bill　to　the　table　and　sat　him　down。
　Dan　said　to　Hully；　〃Listen；　I　need　to　catch　a　liberty　ship。　You　want　me　to　haul　him　back　to　the　Arizona？'
　〃No…I'll　baby…sit　him　tonight；〃　Hully　said。　〃Clean　him　up；　and　let　him　sleep　it　off。〃