mc.risingsun-第15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！


　〃You　said　that　you　couldn't　work　the　hours。〃
　〃That　was　most　of　it；　yeah。〃
　〃That；　and　what　else？〃
　I　shrugged。　〃After　the　divorce；　I　just　didn't　want　to　work　homicide　any　more。　I　felt　like　…　I　don't　know。　Disillusioned。　I　had　this　little　infant　and　my　wife　had　moved　out。　She　was　going　on　with　her　life；　dating　some　hotshot　attorney。　I　was　left　holding　the　kid。　I　just　felt　flat。　I　didn't　want　to　be　a　detective　any　more。〃
　〃You　seek　counseling　at　that　time？　Therapy？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Trouble　with　drugs　or　alcohol？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Other　women？〃
　〃Some。〃
　〃During　the　marriage？〃
　I　hesitated。
　〃Farley？　In　the　mayor's　office？〃
　〃No。　That　was　later。〃
　〃But　there　was　somebody　during　the　marriage。〃
　〃Yes。　But　she　lives　in　Phoenix　now。　Her　husband　got　transferred。〃
　〃She　was　in　the　department？〃
　I　shrugged。
　Connor　sat　back　in　his　seat。　〃Okay；　kōhai；〃　he　said。　〃If　this　is　all　there　is；　you're　fine。〃　He　looked　at　me。
　〃That's　all。〃
　〃But　I　have　to　warn　you；〃　he　said。　〃I've　been　through　this　kind　of　thing　before；　with　the　Japanese。　When　the　Japanese　play　hardball；　they　can　make　things　unpleasant。　Really　unpleasant。〃
　〃You　trying　to　scare　me？〃
　〃No。　Just　telling　you　the　way　things　are。〃
　〃Fuck　the　Japanese；〃　I　said。　〃I've　got　nothing　to　hide。〃
　〃Fine。　Now　I　think　you　better　call　your　friends　at　the　network；　and　tell　them　we'll　be　over；　after　our　next　stop。〃
　
　？
　A　747　roared　low　overhead；　its　landing　lights　flaring　in　the　fog。　It　passed　the　sputtering　neon　sign　that　read　GIRLS！　GIRLS！　ALL　NUDE！　GIRLS！　It　was　around　eleven…thirty　when　we　went　inside。
　To　call　the　Club　Palomino　a　strip　joint　was　to　flatter　it。　It　was　a　converted　bowling　alley　with　cactus　and　horses　painted　on　the　walls。　It　seemed　smaller　inside　than　it　appeared　from　the　outside。　A　woman　in　a　silver　tassled　G…string　who　looked　close　to　forty　danced　listlessly　in　orange　light。　She　seemed　as　bored　as　the　customers　hunched　over　tiny　pink　tables。　Topless　waitresses　moved　through　the　smoky　air。　The　tape…recorded　music　had　a　loud　hiss。
　A　guy　just　inside　the　door　said；　〃Twelve　bucks。　Two　drink　minimum。〃　Connor　flipped　his　badge。　The　guy　said；　〃Okay；　fine。〃
　Connor　looked　around　and　said；　〃I　didn't　know　Japanese　came　here。〃　I　saw　three　businessmen　in　blue　suits；　sitting　at　a　corner　table。
　〃Hardly　ever；〃　the　bouncer　said。　〃They　like　the　Star　Strip　downtown。　More　glitz；　more　tits。　You　ask　me；　those　guys　got　lost　from　their　tour。〃
　Connor　nodded；　〃I'm　looking　for　Ted　Cole。〃
　〃At　the　bar。　Guy　with　the　glasses。〃
　Ted　Cole　was　sitting　at　the　bar。　His　windbreaker　covered　his　Nakamoto　Security　uniform。　He　stared　at　us　dully　when　we　came　up　and　sat　beside　him。
　The　bartender　came　over。　Connor　said；　〃Two　Buds。〃
　〃No　Bud。　Asahi　okay？〃
　〃Okay。〃
　Connor　flipped　his　badge。　Cole　shook　his　head　and　turned　away　from　us。　He　looked　studiously　at　the　stripper。
　〃I　don't　know　anything。〃
　Connor　said；　〃About　what？〃
　〃About　anything。　I'm　just　minding　my　own　business。　I'm　off　duty。〃　He　was　a　little　drunk。
　Connor　said；　〃When　did　you　get　off　duty？〃
　〃I　got　off　early　tonight。〃
　〃Why　is　that？〃
　〃Stomach　trouble。　I　got　an　ulcer；　it　acts　up　sometimes。　So　I　got　off　early。〃
　〃What　time？〃
　〃I　got　off　at　eight…fifteen　at　the　latest。〃
　〃Do　you　punch　a　time　clock？〃
　〃No。　We　don't　do　that。　No　time　clock。〃
　〃And　who　took　over　for　you？〃
　〃I　got　relieved。〃
　〃By　whom？〃
　〃My　supervisor。〃
　〃Who　is　that？〃
　〃I　don't　know　him。　Japanese　guy。　Never　seen　him　before。〃
　〃He's　your　supervisor；　and　you　never　saw　him　before？〃
　〃New　guy。　Japanese。　I　don't　know　him。　What　do　you　want　from　me；　anyway？〃
　〃Just　to　ask　a　few　questions；〃　Connor　said。
　〃I　got　nothing　to　hide；〃　Cole　said。
　One　of　the　Japanese　men　sitting　at　the　table　came　up　to　the　bar。　He　stood　near　us　and　said　to　the　bartender；　〃What　kind　of　cigarettes　you　got？〃
　〃Marlboro；〃　the　bartender　said。
　〃What　else？〃
　〃Maybe　Kools。　I　have　to　check。　But　I　know　we　got　Marlboro。　You　want　Marlboro？〃
　Ted　Cole　stared　at　the　Japanese　man。　The　Japanese　seemed　not　to　notice　him　as　he　stood　at　the　bar。　〃Kent？〃　the　Japanese　said。　〃You　got　any　Kent　lights？〃
　〃No。　No　Kent。〃
　〃Okay　then；　Marlboro；〃　the　Japanese　man　said。　〃Marlboro　is　okay。〃　He　turned　and　smiled　at　us。　〃This　is　Marlboro　country；　right？〃
　〃That's　right；〃　Connor　said。
　Cole　picked　up　his　beer　and　sipped　it。　We　were　all　silent。　The　Japanese　man　beat　the　bar　with　his　hands；　in　time　to　the　music。　〃Great　place；〃　he　said。　〃Lot　of　atmosphere。〃
　I　wondered　what　he　was　talking　about。　This　place　was　a　dump。
　The　Japanese　slid　onto　the　bar　stool　next　to　us。　Cole　studied　his　beer　bottle　as　if　he'd　never　seen　one　before。　He　turned　it　in　his　hands；　making　rings　on　the　bar　top。
　The　bartender　brought　cigarettes；　and　the　Japanese　man　tossed　a　five…dollar　bill　on　the　table。　〃Keep　the　change。〃　He　tore　open　the　pack；　and　took　out　a　cigarette。　He　smiled　at　us。
　Connor　took　out　his　lighter　to　light　the　man's　cigarette。　As　the　man　leaned　over　the　flame；　he　said；　〃Doko　kaisha　ittenno？〃
　The　man　blinked。　〃Sorry？〃
　〃Wakannē　no？〃　Connor　said。　〃Doko　kaisha　ittenno？〃
　The　man　smiled；　and　slipped　off　the　bar　stool。　〃Soro　soro　ikanakutewa。　Shitsurei　shimasu。〃　He　gave　a　little　wave；　and　he　went　back　to　his　friends　across　the　room。
　〃Dewa　mata；〃　Connor　said。　He　moved　around　to　sit　on　the　stool　where　the　Japanese　man　had　been　sitting。
　Cole　said；　〃What　was　that　all　about？〃
　〃I　just　asked　him　what　pany　he　worked　for；〃　Connor　said。　〃But　he　didn't　want　to　talk。　I　guess　he　wanted　to　get　back　to　his　friends。〃　Connor　ran　his　hands　under　the　bar；　feeling。　〃Feels　clean。〃
　Connor　turned　back　to　Cole　and　said；　〃Now　then；　Mr。　Cole。　You　were　telling　me　that　a　supervisor　took　over　for　you。　At　what　time　was　that？〃
　〃Eight…fifteen。〃
　〃And　you　didn't　know　him？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃And　before　that　time；　while　you　were　on　duty；　were　you　taping　from　the　video　cameras？〃
　〃Sure。　The　security　office　always　tapes　from　the　cameras。〃
　〃And　did　the　supervisor　remove　the　tapes？〃
　〃Remove　them？　I　don't　think　so。　The　tapes　are　still　there；　as　far　as　I　know。〃
　He　looked　at　us　in　a　puzzled　way。
　〃You　fellows　are　interested　in　the　tapes？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Connor　said。
　〃Because　I　never　paid　much　attention　to　the　tapes。　I　was　interested　in　the　cameras。〃
　〃How's　that？〃
　〃They　were　getting　the　building　ready　for　the　big　party；　and　there　were　lots　of　last…minute　details。　But　you　still　had　to　wonder　why　they　pulled　so　many　security　cameras　off　other　parts　of　the　building　and　put　them　up　on　that　floor。〃
　I　said；　〃They　what？〃
　〃Those　cameras　weren't　on　the　forty…sixth　floor　yesterday　morning；〃　Cole　said。　〃They　were　scattered　all　around　the　building。　Somebody　moved　them　during　the　day。　They're　easy　to　move；　you　know；　because　there's　no　wires　attached。〃
　〃The　cameras　have　no　wires？〃
　〃No。　It's　all　cellular　transmission　inside　the　building　itself。　Built　that　way。　That's　why　they　don't　have　audio：　they　can't　transmit　full　bandwidth　on　cellular。　So　they　just　send　an　image。　But　they　can　move　those　cameras　around　to　suit　their　purposes。　See　whatever　they　want　to　see。　You　didn't　know　that？〃
　〃No；〃　I　said。
　〃I'm　surprised　nobody　told　you。　It's　one　of　the　features　of　the　building　they're　most　proud　of。〃　Cole　drank　his　beer。　〃Only　question　I　have　is　why　somebody　would　take　five　cameras　and　install　them　on　the　floor　above　the　party。　'Cause　there's　no　security　reason。　You　can　lock　off　the　elevators　above　a　certain　floor。　So　for　security；　you'd　want　your　cameras　on　the　floors　below　the　party。　Not　above。〃
　〃But　the　elevators　weren't　locked　off。〃
　〃No。　I　thought　that　was　kind　of　unusual；　myself。〃　He　looked　at　the　Japanese　across　the　room。　〃I　got　to　be　going　soon；〃　he　said。
　〃Well；〃　Connor　said。　〃You've　been　very　helpful；　Mr。　Cole。　We　may　want　to　question　you　again…　〃
　
　〃I'll　write　down　my　phone　number　for　you；〃　Cole　said；　scribbling　on　a　bar　napkin。
　〃And　your　address？〃
　〃Yeah；　right。　But　actually；　I'm　going　out　of　town　for　a　few　days。　My　mother's　been　feeling　sick；　and　she　asked　me　to　take　her　down　there　to　Mexico　for　a　few　days。　Probably　go　this　weekend。〃
　〃Long　trip？〃
　〃Week　or　so。　I　got　vacation　days　ing　up；　it　seems　like　a　good　time　to　take　it。〃
　〃Sure；〃　Connor　said。　〃I　can　see　how　it　would。　Thanks　again　for　your　help。〃　He　shook　hands　with　Cole；　and　punched　him　lightly　on　the　shoulder。　〃And　you　take　care　of　your　health。〃
　〃Oh；　I　will。〃
　〃Stop　drinking；　and　have　a　safe　drive　home。〃　He　paused。　〃Or　wherever　you　may　decide　to　go　tonight；　instead。〃
　Cole　nodded。　〃I　think　you're　right。　That's　not　a　bad　idea。〃
　〃I　know　I'm　right。〃
　Cole　shook　my　hand。　Connor　was　heading　out　the　door。　Cole　said；　〃I　don't　know　why　you　guys　are　bothering。〃
　〃With　the　tapes？〃
　〃With　the　Japanese。　What　can　you　do？　They're　ahead　of　us　every　step　of　the　way。　And　they　have　the　big　guys　in　their　pocket。　We　can't　beat　'em　now。　You　two　guys'll　never　beat　'em。　They're　just　too　good。〃
　Outside；　beneath　the　crackling　neon　sign；　Connor　said；　〃e　on；　time　is　wasting。〃
　We　got　in　the　car。　He　handed　me　the　bar　napkin。　On　it　was　scrawled　in　block　letters：
　
　THEY　STOLE　THE　TAPES
　
　〃Let's　get　going；〃　nnor　said。
　I　started　the　car。
　
　？
　The　eleven　o'