mc.risingsun-第25节

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mediately　bowed　again；　and　this　time　he　waited；　bent　over；　staring　at　the　floor；　until　Connor　spoke　to　him　in　Japanese。　Ishiguro's　reply；　also　in　Japanese；　was　quiet　and　deferential。　He　kept　looking　at　the　floor。
　Tom　Graham　pulled　me　over　by　the　water　cooler。　〃Holy　Christ；〃　he　said。　〃It　looks　like　we　got　a　fucking　confession　happening　here。〃
　〃Yeah；　maybe；〃　I　said。　I　wasn't　convinced。　I'd　seen　Ishiguro　change　his　demeanor　before。
　I　watched　Connor　as　he　talked　to　Ishiguro。　The　Japanese　man　remained　hangdog。　He　kept　looking　at　the　floor。
　〃I　never　would　have　figured　him；〃　Graham　said。　〃Not　in　a　million　years。　Never　him。〃
　〃How　is　that？〃
　〃Are　you　kidding？　To　kill　the　girl；　and　then　to　stay　in　the　room；　and　order　us　around。　What　fucking　nerves　of　steel。　But　look　at　him　now：　Christ；　he's　almost　crying。〃
　It　was　true：　tears　seemed　to　be　welling　up　in　Ishiguro's　eyes。　Connor　took　the　box　and　turned　away；　crossing　the　room　to　us。　He　gave　me　the　box。　〃Deal　with　this。　I'm　going　to　take　a　statement　from　Ishiguro。〃
　〃So；〃　Graham　said。　〃Did　he　confess？〃
　〃To　what？〃
　〃The　murder。〃
　〃Hell；　no；〃　Connor　said。　〃What　makes　you　think　that？〃
　〃Well；　he's　over　there　bowing　and　scraping…　〃
　〃That's　just　sumimasen；〃　Connor　said。　〃I　wouldn't　take　it　too　seriously。〃
　〃He's　practically　crying；〃　Graham　said。
　〃Only　because　he　thinks　it'll　help　him。〃
　〃He　didn't　confess？〃
　〃No。　But　he　discovered　that　the　tapes　had　been　removed；　after　all。　That　means　he　made　a　serious　mistake；　with　his　public　blustering　in　front　of　the　mayor。　Now　he　could　be　accused　of　concealing　evidence。　He　could　be　disbarred。　His　corporation　could　be　disgraced。　Ishiguro　is　in　big　trouble；　and　he　knows　it。〃
　I　said；　〃And　that's　why　he's　so　humble？〃
　〃Yes。　In　Japan；　if　you　screw　up；　the　best　thing　is　to　go　to　the　authorities　and　make　a　big　show　of　how　sorry　you　are；　and　how　bad　you　feel；　and　how　you　will　never　do　it　again。　It's　pro　forma；　but　the　authorities　will　be　impressed　by　how　you've　learned　your　lesson。　That's　sumimasen：　apology　without　end。　It's　the　Japanese　version　of　throwing　yourself　on　the　mercy　of　the　court。　It's　understood　to　be　the　best　way　to　get　leniency。　And　that's　all　Ishiguro　is　doing。〃
　〃You　mean　it's　an　act；〃　Graham　said；　his　eyes　hardening。
　〃Yes　and　no。　It's　difficult　to　explain。　Look。　Review　the　tapes。　Ishiguro　says　he　brought　one　of　the　VCRs；　because　the　tapes　are　recorded　in　an　unusual　format；　and　he　was　afraid　we　wouldn't　be　able　to　play　them。　Okay？〃
　I　opened　the　cardboard　box。　I　saw　twenty　small　eight…millimeter　cartridges；　like　audio　cassette　cartridges。　And　I　saw　a　small　box；　the　size　of　a　Walkman；　which　was　the　VCR。　It　had　cables　to　hook　to　a　TV。
　〃Okay；〃　I　said。　〃Let's　have　a　look。〃
　
　The　first　of　the　tapes　that　showed　the　forty…sixth　floor　was　a　view　from　the　atrium　camera；　high　up；　looking　down。　The　tape　showed　people　working　on　the　floor；　in　what　looked　like　an　ordinary　office　day。　We　fast…forwarded　through　that。　Shadows　of　sunlight　ing　through　the　windows　swung　in　hot　arcs　across　the　floor；　and　then　disappeared。　Gradually；　the　light　on　the　floor　softened　and　dimmed；　as　daylight　came　to　an　end。　One　by　one；　desk　lights　came　on。　The　workers　moved　more　slowly　now。　Eventually　they　began　to　depart；　leaving　their　desks　one　by　one。　As　the　population　thinned；　we　noticed　something　else。　Now　the　camera　moved　occasionally；　panning　one　or　another　of　the　workers　as　they　passed　beneath。　Yet　at　other　times；　the　camera　would　not　pan。　Eventually　we　realized　the　camera　must　be　equipped　for　automatic　focusing　and　tracking。　If　there　was　a　lot　of　movement　in　the　frame　…　several　people　going　in　different　directions　…　then　the　camera　did　not　move。　But　if　the　frame　was　mostly　empty；　the　camera　would　fix　on　a　single　person　walking　through；　and　track　him。
　〃Funny　system；〃　Graham　said。
　〃It　probably　makes　sense　for　a　security　camera；〃　I　said。　〃They'd　be　much　more　concerned　about　a　single　person　on　the　floor　than　a　crowd。〃
　As　we　watched；　the　night　lights　came　on。　The　desks　were　all　empty。　Now　the　tape　began　to　flicker　rapidly；　almost　like　a　strobe。
　〃Something　wrong　with　this　tape？〃　Graham　said；　suspiciously。　〃They　fucked　around　with　it？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　No；　wait。　It's　not　that。　Look　at　the　clock。〃
　On　the　far　wall；　we　could　see　the　office　clock。　The　minute　hands　were　sweeping　smoothly　from　seven…thirty　toward　eight　o'clock。
　〃It's　time　lapse；〃　I　said。
　〃What　is　it；　taking　snapshots？〃
　I　nodded。　〃Probably；　when　the　system　doesn't　detect　anybody　for　a　while；　it　begins　to　take　single　frames　every　ten　or　twenty　seconds；　until…　〃
　〃Hey。　What's　that？〃
　The　flickering　had　stopped。　The　camera　had　begun　to　pan　to　the　right；　across　the　deserted　floor。　But　there　was　nobody　in　the　frame。　Just　empty　desks；　and　occasional　night　lights；　which　flared　in　the　video。
　〃Maybe　they　have　a　wide　sensor；〃　I　said。　〃That　looks　beyond　the　borders　of　the　image　itself。　Either　that；　or　it's　being　moved　manually。　By　a　guard；　somewhere。　Maybe　down　in　the　security　room。〃
　The　panning　image　came　to　rest　on　the　elevator　doors。　The　doors　were　at　the　far　right；　in　deep　shadow；　beneath　a　kind　of　ceiling　overhang　that　blocked　our　view。
　〃Jeez；　dark　under　there。　Is　someone　there？〃
　〃I　can't　see　anything；〃　I　said。
　The　image　began　to　swim　in　and　out　of　focus。
　〃What's　happening　now？〃　Graham　said。
　〃Looks　like　the　automatic　focus　is　having　trouble。　Maybe　it　can't　decide　what　to　focus　on。　Maybe　the　overhang　is　bothering　the　logic　circuits。　My　video　camera　at　home　does　the　same　thing。　The　focus　gets　screwed　up　when　it　can't　tell　what　I　am　shooting。〃
　〃So　is　the　camera　trying　to　focus　on　something？　Because　I　can't　see　anything。　It　just　looks　black　under　there。〃
　〃No；　look。　There's　someone　there。　You　can　see　pale　legs。　Very　faint。〃
　〃Christ；〃　Graham　said；　〃that's　our　girl。　Standing　by　the　elevator。　No；　wait。　Now　she's　moving。〃
　A　moment　later；　Cheryl　Austin　stepped　from　beneath　the　ceiling　overhang；　and　we　saw　her　clearly　for　the　first　time。
　
　She　was　beautiful　and　assured。　She　moved　unhesitatingly　into　the　room。　She　was　direct；　purposeful　in　her　movements；　with　none　of　the　awkward；　shuffling　sloppiness　of　the　young。
　〃Jesus；　she's　good…looking；〃　Graham　said。　Cheryl　Austin　was　tall　and　slender；　her　short　blond　hair　made　her　seem　even　taller。　Her　carriage　was　erect。　She　turned　slowly；　surveying　the　room　as　if　she　owned　it。
　〃I　can't　believe　we're　seeing　this；〃　Graham　said。
　I　knew　what　he　meant。　This　was　a　girl　who　had　been　killed　just　a　few　hours　before。　Now　we　were　seeing　her　on　a　videotape；　walking　around　just　minutes　before　her　death。
　On　the　monitor；　Cheryl　picked　up　a　paperweight　on　one　of　the　desks；　turned　it　in　her　hand；　put　it　back。　She　opened　her　purse；　closed　it　again。　She　glanced　at　her　watch。
　〃Starting　to　fidget。〃
　〃She　doesn't　like　to　be　kept　waiting；〃　Graham　said。　〃And　I　bet　she　doesn't　have　much　practice　at　it；　either。　Not　a　girl　like　that。〃
　She　began　to　tap　on　the　desk　with　her　fingers　in　a　distinct　rhythm。　It　seemed　familiar　to　me。　She　bobbed　her　head　to　the　rhythm。　Graham　squinted　at　the　screen；　〃Is　she　talking？　Is　she　saying　something？〃
　〃It　looks　like　it；〃　I　said。　We　could　barely　see　her　mouth　moving。　And　then　I　suddenly　put　it　together；　her　movements；　everything。　I　realized　I　could　sync　her　lips。　〃I　chew　my　nails　and　I　twiddle　my　thumbs。　I'm　real　nervous　but　it　sure　is　fun。　Oh　baby；　you　drive　me　crazy　。　。　。〃
　〃Jesus；〃　Graham　said。　〃You're　right。　How'd　you　know　that？〃
　〃Goodness；　gracious；　great　balls　of…　〃
　Cheryl　stopped　singing。　She　turned　toward　the　elevators。
　〃Ah。　Here　we　go。〃
　Cheryl　walked　toward　the　elevators。　Just　as　she　stepped　beneath　the　overhang；　she　threw　her　arms　around　the　man　who　had　arrived。　They　embraced　and　kissed　warmly。　But　the　man　remained　beneath　the　overhang。　We　could　see　his　arms　around　Cheryl；　but　we　could　not　see　his　face。
　〃Shit；〃　Graham　said。
　〃Don't　worry；〃　I　said。　〃We'll　see　him　in　a　minute。　If　not　this　camera；　another　camera。　But　I　think　we　can　say　this　is　not　somebody　she　just　met。　This　is　somebody　she　already　knows。〃
　〃Not　unless　she's　real　friendly。　Yeah；　look。　This　guy　isn't　wasting　any　time。〃
　The　man's　hands　slid　up　the　black　dress；　raising　her　skirt。　He　squeezed　her　buttocks。　Cheryl　Austin　pressed　against　his　body。　Their　clinch　was　intense；　passionate。　Together　they　moved　deeper　into　the　room；　turning　slowly。　Now　the　man's　back　was　to　us。　Her　skirt　was　bunched　around　her　waist。　She　reached　down　to　rub　his　crotch。　The　couple　half　walked；　half　stumbled　to　the　nearest　desk。　The　man　bent　her　back　against　the　desk　and　suddenly　she　protested；　pushing　him　away。
　〃Ah；　ah。　Not　so　fast；〃　Graham　said。　〃Our　girl　has　standards；　after　all。〃
　I　wondered　if　that　was　it。　Cheryl　seemed　to　have　led　him　on；　then　changed　her　mind。　I　noticed　that　she　had　changed　moods　almost　instantaneously。　It　made　me　wonder　if　she　had　been　acting　all　along；　if　her　passion　was　faked。　Certainly　the　man　did　not　seem　particularly　surprised　by　her　sudden　change。　Sitting　up　on　the　desk；　she　kept　pushing　at　him；　almost　angrily。　The　man　stepped　away。　His　back　was　still　to　us。　We　couldn't　see　his　face。　As　soon　as　he　had　stepped　back；　she　changed　again：　smiling；　kittenish　now。　Wit