mc.risingsun-第19节

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；　and　she　doesn't　get　upset。
　I'm　the　one　who　gets　upset。
　Mrs。　Ascenio　said；　〃You　ing　back　soon；　Lieutenant？〃
　〃No。　It　looks　like　I'll　be　out　all　night。　Can　you　stay？〃
　〃Yes；　but　I　have　to　leave　by　nine　in　the　morning。　You　want　I　pull　out　the　couch'？〃
　I　had　a　couch　bed　in　the　living　room。　She　used　it　when　she　stayed　over。　〃Yes；　sure。〃
　〃Okay；　good…bye；　Lieutenant。〃
　〃Good…bye；　Mrs。　Ascenio。〃
　
　Connor　said；　〃Anything　wrong？〃　I　was　surprised　to　hear　tension　in　his　voice。
　〃No。　Just　my　ex　pulling　her　usual　shit。　She's　not　sure　she'll　take　the　baby　this　weekend。　Why？〃
　Connor　shrugged。　〃Just　asking。〃
　I　didn't　think　that　was　all　there　was　to　it。　I　said；　〃What　did　you　mean　earlier；　when　you　said　that　this　case　could　turn　ugly？〃
　〃It　may　not；〃　Connor　said。　〃Our　best　solution　is　to　wrap　it　up　in　the　next　few　hours。　And　I　think　we　can。　Here's　the　restaurant　up　ahead　on　the　left。〃
　I　saw　the　neon　sign。　Bora　Bora。
　〃This　is　the　restaurant　owned　by　Sakamura？〃
　〃Yes。　Actually　he's　just　a　part　owner。　Don't　let　the　valet　take　the　car。　Park　it　in　the　red。　We　may　need　to　leave　quickly。〃
　
　The　Bora　Bora　was　this　week's　hot　L。A。　restaurant。　The　decor　was　a　jumble　of　Polynesian　masks　and　shields。　Lime　green　wooden　outriggers　jutted　out　over　the　bar　like　teeth。　Above　the　open　kitchen；　a　Prince　video　played　ghostlike　on　an　enormous　five…meter　screen。　The　menu　was　Pacific　Rim；　the　noise　deafening；　the　clientele　movie…industry　hopeful。　Everyone　was　dressed　in　black。
　Connor　smiled。　〃It　looks　like　Trader　Vic's　after　a　bomb　went　off；　doesn't　it？　Stop　staring。　Don't　they　let　you　out　enough？〃
　〃No；　they　don't；〃　I　said。　Connor　turned　to　speak　to　the　Eurasian　hostess。　I　looked　at　the　bar；　where　two　women　kissed　briefly　on　the　lips。　Farther　down；　a　Japanese　man　in　a　leather　bomber　jacket　had　his　arm　around　a　huge　blonde。　They　were　both　listening　to　a　man　with　thinning　hair　and　a　pugnacious　manner　whom　I　recognized　as　the　director　of…
　〃e　on；〃　Connor　said　to　me。　〃Let's　go。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Eddie's　not　here。〃
　〃Where　is　he？〃
　〃At　a　party　in　the　hills。　Let's　go。〃
　
　？
　The　address　was　on　a　winding　road　in　the　hills　above　Sunset　Boulevard。　We　would　have　had　a　good　view　of　the　city　up　here；　but　the　mist　had　closed　in。　As　we　approached；　the　street　was　lined　on　both　sides　with　luxury　cars：　mostly　Lexus　sedans；　with　a　few　Mercedes　convertibles　and　Bentleys。　The　parking　attendants　looked　surprised　as　we　pulled　up　in　our　Chevy　sedan；　and　headed　up　to　the　house。
　Like　other　residences　on　the　street；　the　house　was　surrounded　by　a　three…meter　wall；　the　driveway　closed　off　with　a　remote…controlled　steel　gate。　There　was　a　security　camera　mounted　above　the　gate；　and　another　at　the　path　leading　up　to　the　house　itself。　A　private　security　guard　stood　by　the　path　and　checked　our　badges。
　I　said；　〃Whose　house　is　this？〃
　Ten　years　ago；　the　only　people　in　Los　Angeles　who　maintained　such　elaborate　security　were　either　Mafioso；　or　stars　like　Stallone　whose　violent　roles　attracted　violent　attention。　But　lately　it　seemed　everybody　in　wealthy　residential　areas　had　security。　It　was　expected；　almost　fashionable。　We　walked　up　steps　through　a　cactus　garden　toward　the　house；　which　was　modern；　concrete；　and　fortresslike。　Loud　music　played。
　〃This　house　belongs　to　the　man　who　owns　Maxim　Noir。〃　He　must　have　seen　my　blank　look。　〃It's　an　expensive　clothing　store　famous　for　its　snotty　salespeople。　Jack　Nicholson　and　Cher　shop　there。〃
　〃Jack　Nicholson　and　Cher；〃　I　said；　shaking　my　head。　〃How　do　you　know　about　it？〃
　〃Many　Japanese　shop　at　Maxim　Noir　now。　It's　like　most　expensive　American　stores　…　it'd　go　out　of　business　without　visitors　from　Tokyo。　It's　dependent　on　the　Japanese。〃
　As　we　approached　the　front　door　a　large　man　in　a　sport　coat　appeared。　He　had　a　clipboard　with　names。　〃I'm　sorry。　It's　by　invitation　only；　gentlemen。〃
　Connor　flashed　his　badge。　〃We'd　like　to　speak　to　one　of　your　guests；〃　he　said。
　〃Which　guest　is　that；　sir？〃
　〃Mr。　Sakamura。〃
　He　didn't　look　happy。　〃Wait　here；　please。〃
　From　the　entryway；　we　could　see　into　the　living　room。　It　was　crowded　with　party…goers；　who　at　a　quick　glance　seemed　to　be　many　of　the　same　people　who　had　been　at　the　Nakamoto　reception。　As　in　the　restaurant；　almost　everyone　was　wearing　black。　But　the　room　itself　caught　my　attention：　it　was　stark　white；　entirely　unadorned。　No　pictures　on　the　wall。　No　furniture。　Just　bare　white　walls　and　a　bare　carpet。　The　guests　looked　unfortable。　They　were　holding　cocktail　napkins　and　drinks；　looking　around　for　someplace　to　put　them。
　A　couple　passed　us　on　their　way　to　the　dining　room。　〃Rod　always　knows　what　to　do；〃　she　said。
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃So　elegantly　minimalist。　The　detail　in　executing　that　room。　I　don't　know　how　he　ever　got　that　paint　job。　It's　absolutely　perfect。　Not　a　brush　stroke；　not　a　blemish。　A　perfect　surface。〃
　〃Well；　it　has　to　be；〃　she　said。　〃It's　integral　to　his　whole　conception。〃
　〃It's　really　quite　daring；〃　the　man　said。
　〃Daring？〃　I　said。　〃What　are　they　talking　about？　It's　just　an　empty　room。〃
　Connor　smiled。　〃I　call　it　faux　zen。　Style　without　substance。〃
　I　scanned　the　crowd。
　〃Senator　Morton's　here。〃　He　was　standing　in　the　corner；　holding　forth。　Looking　very　much　like　a　presidential　candidate。
　〃So　he　is。〃
　The　guard　hadn't　returned；　so　we　stepped　a　few　feet　into　the　room。　As　I　approached　Senator　Morton；　I　heard　him　say；　〃Yes；　I　can　tell　you　exactly　why　I'm　disturbed　about　the　extent　of　Japanese　ownership　of　American　industry。　If　we　lose　the　ability　to　make　our　own　products；　we　lose　control　over　our　destiny。　It's　that　simple。　For　example；　back　in　1987　we　learned　that　Toshiba　sold　the　Russians　critical　technology　that　allowed　the　Soviets　to　silence　their　submarine　propellers。　Russian　nuclear　subs　now　sit　right　off　the　coast　and　we　can't　track　them；　because　they　got　technology　from　Japan。　Congress　was　furious；　and　the　American　people　were　up　in　arms。　And　rightly　so；　it　was　outrageous。　Congress　planned　economic　retaliation　against　Toshiba。　But　the　lobbyists　for　American　panies　pleaded　their　case　for　them；　because　American　panies　like　Hewlett…Packard　and　paq　were　dependent　on　Toshiba　for　puter　parts。　They　couldn't　stand　a　boycott　because　they　had　no　other　source　of　supply。　The　fact　was；　we　couldn't　afford　to　retaliate。　They　could　sell　vital　technology　to　our　enemy；　and　there　wasn't　a　damned　thing　we　could　do　about　it。　That's　the　problem。　We're　now　dependent　on　Japan　…　and　I　believe　America　shouldn't　be　dependent　on　any　nation。〃
　Somebody　asked　a　question；　and　Morton　nodded。　〃Yes；　it's　true　that　our　industry　is　not　doing　well。　Real　wages　in　this　country　are　now　at　1962　levels。　The　purchasing　power　of　American　workers　is　back　where　it　was　thirty…odd　years　ago。　And　that　matters；　even　to　the　well…to…do　folks　that　I　see　in　this　room；　because　it　means　American　consumers　don't　have　the　money　to　see　movies；　or　buy　cars；　or　clothing；　or　whatever　you　people　have　to　sell。　The　truth　is；　our　nation　is　sliding　badly。〃
　A　woman　asked　another　question　I　couldn't　hear；　and　Morton　said；　〃Yes；　I　said　1962　levels。　I　know　it's　hard　to　believe；　but　think　back　to　the　fifties；　when　American　workers　could　own　a　house；　raise　a　family；　and　send　the　kids　to　college；　all　on　a　single　paycheck。　Now　both　parents　work　and　most　people　still　can't　afford　a　house。　The　dollar　buys　less；　everything　is　more　expensive。　People　struggle　just　to　hold　on　to　what　they　have。　They　can't　get　ahead。〃
　I　found　myself　nodding　as　I　listened。　About　a　month　before；　I　had　gone　looking　for　a　house；　hoping　to　get　a　backyard　for　Michelle。　But　housing　prices　were　just　impossible　in　L。A。　I　was　never　going　to　be　able　to　afford　one；　unless　I　remarried。　Maybe　not　even　then；　considering…
　I　felt　a　sharp　jab　in　the　ribs。　I　turned　around　and　saw　the　doorman。　He　jerked　his　head　toward　the　front　door。　〃Back；　fella。〃
　I　was　angry。　I　glanced　at　Connor；　but　he　just　quietly　moved　back　to　the　entrance。
　In　the　entryway；　the　doorman　said；　〃I　checked。　There's　no　Mr。　Sakamura　here。〃
　〃Mr。　Sakamura；〃　Connor　said；　〃is　the　Japanese　gentleman　standing　at　the　back　of　the　room；　to　your　right。　Talking　to　the　redhead。〃
　The　doorman　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　sorry；　fellas。　Unless　you　have　a　search　warrant；　I'll　have　to　ask　you　to　leave。〃
　〃There　isn't　a　problem　here；〃　Connor　said。　〃Mr。　Sakamura　is　a　friend　of　mine。　I　know　he'd　like　to　talk　to　me。〃
　〃I'm　sorry。　Do　you　have　a　search　warrant？〃
　〃No；〃　Connor　said。
　〃Then　you're　trespassing。　And　I'm　asking　you　to　leave。〃
　Connor　just　stood　there。
　The　doorman　stepped　back　and　planted　his　feet　wide。　He　said；　〃I　think　you　should　know　I'm　a　black　belt。〃
　〃Are　you　really？〃　Connor　said。
　〃So　is　Jeff；〃　the　doorman　said；　as　a　second　man　appeared。
　〃Jeff；〃　Connor　said。　〃Are　you　the　one　who'll　be　driving　your　friend　here　to　the　hospital？〃
　Jeff　laughed　meanly。　〃Hey。　You　know；　I　like　humor。　It's　funny。　Okay；　Mr。　Wise　Guy。　You're　in　the　wrong　place。　You've　had　it　explained。　Move　out。　Now。〃　He　poked　Connor　in　the　chest　with　a　stubby　finger。
　Connor　said　quietly；　〃That's　assault。〃
　Jeff　said；　〃Hey。　Fuck　you；　buddy。　I　told　you　you're　in　the　wrong　place…　〃
　Connor　did　something　very　fast；　and　Jeff　was　suddenly　down　on　the　floor；　moani