mc.risingsun-第47节

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　And　I　told　him。
　
　You　have　these　times　in　your　life　when　you　believe　you　know　what　you're　doing；　but　you　really　don't。　Later　on；　you　can　look　back；　and　you　see　you　weren't　acting　right　at　all。　You　drifted　into　something；　and　you　were　pletely　screwed　up。　But　at　the　time；　you　thought　everything　was　fine。
　What　happened　to　me　was；　I　was　in　love。　Lauren　was　one　of　those　patrician…acting　girls；　lean　and　graceful　and　understated。　She　looked　like　she　grew　up　with　horses。　And　she　was　younger　than　me；　and　beautiful。
　I　always　knew　it　wouldn't　work　between　us；　but　I　was　trying　to　make　it　work　anyway。　We　had　gotten　married　and　had　begun　living　together　and　she　was　starting　to　be　dissatisfied。　Dissatisfied　with　my　apartment；　where　it　was　located；　how　much　money　we　had。　All　of　that。　She　was　throwing　up；　which　didn't　help。　She　had　crackers　in　the　car；　crackers　by　the　bed；　crackers　everywhere。　She　was　so　miserable　and　so　unhappy　that　I　tried　to　please　her　in　little　ways。　Get　her　things。　Bring　her　things。　Cook　her　meals。　Do　little　domestic　things。　It　wasn't　my　usual　way；　but　I　was　in　love。　I　was　drifting　into　this　habit　of　pleasing　her。　Trying　to　please　her。
　And　there　was　constant　pressure。　More　this；　more　that。　More　money。　More；　more。
　We　also　had　a　specific　problem。　Her　health　insurance　through　the　D。A。's　office　didn't　cover　pregnancy　and　neither　did　mine。　After　we　got　married；　we　couldn't　get　coverage　in　time　to　pay　for　the　baby。　It　was　going　to　cost　eight　thousand　dollars　and　we　had　to　e　up　with　it。　Neither　of　us　had　the　money。　Lauren's　father　was　a　doctor　in　Virginia　but　she　didn't　want　to　ask　him　for　the　money　because　he　disapproved　of　her　marrying　me　in　the　first　place。　My　family　doesn't　have　any　money。　So。　There　wasn't　any　money。　She　worked　for　the　D。A。　I　worked　for　the　department。　She　had　a　lot　of　debts　on　her　MasterCard　and　owed　money　on　her　car。　We　had　to　e　up　with　eight　thousand　dollars。　It's　hanging　over　our　heads。　How　we　are　going　to　do　this。　And　it　gets　to　be　an　unspoken　thing；　at　least　from　her。　That　I　should　handle　it。
　So　one　night　in　August　I'm　out　on　a　domestic　violence　call　in　Ladera　Heights。　Hispanic　couple。　They've　been　drinking　and　going　at　it　pretty　good；　she's　got　a　split　lip　and　he's　got　a　black　eye；　and　their　kid's　screaming　in　the　next　room；　but　pretty　soon　we　calm　them　down　and　we　can　see　that　nobody　is　seriously　injured；　so　we're　about　to　leave。　And　the　wife　sees　we're　about　to　leave。　At　that　point　she　starts　yelling　that　the　husband　has　been　fooling　with　the　daughter。　Physically　abusing　the　daughter。　When　the　husband　hears　this；　he　looks　really　pissed；　and　I　think　it's　bullshit；　the　wife　is　just　doing　something　to　harass　him。　But　the　wife　insists　we　check　the　daughter；　so　I　go　into　the　kid's　room　and　the　kid　is　about　nine　months　old　and　screaming　red　in　the　face；　and　I　pull　the　covers　back　to　check　for　bruises　and　there　I　see　a　kilo　of　white　brick。　Under　the　covers　with　the　kid。
　So。
　I　don't　know；　it's　one　of　those　situations；　they're　married　so　she'd　have　to　testify　against　her　husband；　there's　no　probable　cause；　the　search　is　invalid；　on　and　on。　If　he's　got　a　halfway　decent　lawyer　he　can　beat　this；　no　problem。　So　I　go　out　and　call　the　guy　in。　I　know　I　can't　do　anything。　All　I'm　thinking　is　that　if　his　kid　ever　got　this　brick　in　her　mouth；　chewed　on　it；　it　would　kill　her。　I　want　to　talk　to　him　about　that。　I　figure　I'll　fuck　him　over　a　little。　Scare　him　a　little。
　So　now　it's　him　and　me　in　the　kid's　room。　The　wife　is　still　out　in　the　living　room　with　my　partner；　and　suddenly　the　guy　pulls　out　an　envelope　two　centimeters　thick。　He　cracks　it　open。　I　see　hundred…dollar　bills。　An　inch　thick　of　hundred…dollar　bills。　And　he　says；　〃Thanks　for　your　help；　officer。〃　There's　got　to　be　ten　thousand　dollars　in　that　envelope。　Maybe　more。　I　don't　know。　The　guy　holds　out　the　envelope　and　looks　at　me。　Expecting　me　to　take　it。
　I　say　something　lame　about　how　it's　dangerous　to　hide　shit　in　a　kid's　bed。　Right　away；　the　guy　picks　up　the　brick；　puts　it　on　the　floor；　kicks　it　out　of　sight　under　the　bed。　Then　he　says；　〃You　are　right。　Thank　you；　officer。　I　would　hate　something　happens　to　my　daughter。〃　And　he　holds　out　the　envelope。
　So。
　Everything　is　in　turmoil。　The　wife　is　outside　screaming　at　my　partner。　The　kid　is　in　here　screaming　at　us。　The　guy　is　holding　the　envelope。　He　smiles　and　nods。　Like；　go　ahead　and　take　it。　It's　yours。　And　I　think　。　。　。　I　don't　know　what　I　thought。
　Next　thing　I　know；　I'm　out　in　the　living　room　and　I　say　everything　is　fine　with　the　kid；　and　now　the　woman　starts　to　scream　in　her　drunken　way　that　I　abused　her　child　…　now　it's　me；　not　the　husband　…　and　that　I　am　in　a　conspiracy　with　the　husband；　that　we　are　both　child　abusers。　My　partner　figures　she's　crazy　drunk　and　we　leave；　and　that's　it。　My　partner　says；　〃You　were　in　that　room　a　while。〃　And　I　say；　〃I　had　to　check　the　kid；〃　And　that's　it。　Except　the　next　day　she　es　in　and　makes　a　formal　plaint　that　I　abused　her　child。　She's　hung　over　and　she　has　a　record；　but　even　so　it's　a　serious　charge　and　it　goes　through　the　system　as　far　as　the　preliminary；　where　it　gets　thrown　out　as　entirely　without　merit。
　That's　it。
　That's　what　happened。
　That's　the　whole　story。
　
　〃And　the　money？〃　Connor　said。
　〃I　went　to　Vegas　for　the　weekend。　I　won　big。　I　paid　taxes　on　thirteen　thousand　in　unearned　ine　that　year。〃
　〃Whose　idea　was　that？〃
　〃Lauren。　She　told　me　how　to　handle　it。〃
　〃So　she　knows　what　happened？〃
　〃Sure。〃
　〃And　the　department　investigation？　Did　the　preliminary　board　issue　a　report？〃
　〃I　don't　think　it　got　that　far。　They　just　heard　it　orally　and　dismissed　it。　There's　probably　a　notation　in　the　file；　but　not　an　actual　report。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Connor　said。　〃Now　tell　me　the　rest。〃
　
　So　I　told　him　about　Ken　Shubik；　and　the　Times；　and　the　Weasel。　Connor　listened　silently；　frowning。　As　I　talked；　he　began　to　suck　air　through　his　teeth；　which　was　the　Japanese　way　of　expressing　disapproval。
　〃Kōhai；〃　he　said；　when　I　finished；　〃you　are　making　my　life　extremely　difficult。　And　certainly　you　make　me　appear　foolish　when　I　should　not。　Why　didn't　you　tell　me　this　earlier？〃
　〃Because　it　has　nothing　to　do　with　you。〃
　〃Kōhai。〃　He　was　shaking　his　head。　〃Kōhai　。　。　。〃
　I　was　thinking　about　my　daughter　again。　About　the　possibility　…　just　the　possibility　…　that　I　would　not　be　able　to　see　her　…　that　I　would　not　be　able　to…　
　〃Look；〃　Connor　said；　〃I　told　you　it　could　be　unpleasant；　Take　my　word　for　it。　It　can　get　much　more　unpleasant　than　this。　This　is　only　the　beginning。　It　can　get　nasty。　We　must　proceed　quickly　and　try　to　wrap　everything　up。〃
　〃I　thought　everything　was　wrapped　up。〃
　Connor　sighed；　and　shook　his　head。　〃It's　not；〃　he　said。　〃And　now　we　must　resolve　everything　before　you　meet　your　wife　at　four　o'clock。　So　let's　make　sure　we　are　done　by　then。〃
　
　？
　〃Christ；　I'd　say　it's　pretty　fucking　wrapped　up；〃　Graham　said。　He　was　walking　around　Sakamura's　house　in　the　Hollywood　hills。　The　last　of　the　SID　teams　was　packing　up　cases　to　leave。
　〃I　don't　know　why　the　chief　has　such　a　bug　up　his　ass　on　this；〃　Graham　said。　〃The　SID　boys　have　been　doing　most　of　their　work　right　here；　on　the　spot；　because　he's　in　such　a　rush。　But　thank　God：　everything　ties　up　perfect。　Sakamura　is　our　boy。　We　bed　his　bed　for　pubic　hair　…　it　matches　the　pubic　hair　found　on　the　girl。　We　got　dried　saliva　off　his　toothbrush。　It　matches　blood　type　and　genetic　markers　for　the　sperm　inside　the　dead　girl。　Matchup　is　ninety…seven　percent　sure。　It's　his　e　inside　her；　and　his　pubic　hair　on　her　body。　He　fucked　her　and　then　he　killed　her。　And　when　we　came　to　arrest　him；　he　panicked；　made　a　break　for　it；　and　died　as　a　result。　Where　is　Connor？〃
　〃Outside；〃　I　said。
　Through　the　windows；　I　could　see　Connor　standing　down　by　the　garage；　talking　to　policemen　in　a　black…and…white　patrol　car。　Connor　was　pointing　up　and　down　the　street；　they　were　answering　questions。
　〃What's　he　doing　down　there？〃　Graham　said。
　I　said　I　didn't　know。
　〃Damn；　I　don't　understand　him。　You　can　tell　him　the　answer　to　his　question　is　no。〃
　〃What　question？〃
　〃He　called　me　an　hour　ago；〃　Graham　said。　〃Said　he　wanted　to　know　how　many　pairs　of　reading　glasses　we　found　here。　We　checked。　The　answer　is；　no　reading　glasses。　Lots　of　sunglasses。　Couple　of　pairs　of　women's　sunglasses。　But　that's　it。　I　don't　know　why　he　cared。　Strange　man；　isn't　he？　What　the　hell　is　he　doing　now？〃
　We　watched　as　Connor　paced　back　and　forth　around　the　squad　car；　then　pointed　up　and　down　the　road　again。　One　man　was　in　the　car；　talking　on　the　radio。　〃Do　you　understand　him？〃　Graham　said。
　〃No；　I　don't。〃
　〃He's　probably　trying　to　track　down　the　girls；〃　Graham　said。　〃Christ；　I　wish　we　had　gotten　the　ID　on　that　redhead。　Especially　now　it's　turned　out　this　way。　She　must　have　fucked　him；　too。　We　could　have　gotten　some　sperm　from　her；　and　made　an　exact　match　with　all　the　factors。　And　I　look　like　a　horse's　ass；　letting　the　girls　get　away。　But　shit；　who　knew　it　was　going　to　go　that　way。　It　was　all　so　fast。　Naked　girls　up　here；　prancing　around。　A　guy　gets　a　little　confused。　It's　natural。　Shit；　they　were　good…looking；　weren't　they？〃
　I　said　they　were。
　〃And　there's　nothing　left　of　Sakamura；〃　Graham　said。