mc.risingsun-第48节

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　I　said　they　were。
　〃And　there's　nothing　left　of　Sakamura；〃　Graham　said。　〃I　talked　to　the　PEO　boys　an　hour　ago。　They're　downtown；　cutting　the　corpse　out　of　the　car；　but　I　guess　he's　burned　beyond　identification。　The　M。E。's　office　is　going　to　try；　but　good　luck。〃　He　stared　unhappily　out　the　window。　〃You　know　what？　We　did　the　best　we　could　with　this　fucking　case；〃　he　said。　〃And　I　think　we　did　pretty　good。　We　got　the　right　guy。　We　did　it　fast；　no　fuss　no　muss。　But　all　I　hear　now　is　a　lot　of　Japan…bashing。　Fuck。　You　can't　win。〃
　〃Uh…huh；〃　I　said。
　〃And　Christ　they　have　juice　now；〃　Graham　said。　〃The　heat　on　my　ass　is　terrific。　I　got　the　chief　calling　me；　wanting　this　thing　wrapped　up。　I　got　some　reporter　at　the　Times　investigating　me；　hauling　out　some　old　shit　about　a　questionable　use　of　force　on　a　Hispanic　back　in　1978。　Nothing　to　it。　But　this　reporter；　he's　trying　to　show　I've　always　been　a　racist。　And　what　is　the　background　of　his　story？　That　last　night　was　a　'racist'　incident。　So　I　am　now　an　example　of　racism　rearing　its　ugly　head　again。　I　tell　you。　The　Japanese　are　masters　of　the　smear　job。　It's　fucking　scary。〃
　〃I　know；〃　I　said。
　〃They　getting　to　you；　too？〃
　I　nodded。
　〃For　what？〃
　〃Child　abuse。〃
　〃Christ；〃　Graham　said。　〃And　you　got　a　daughter。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Doesn't　it　piss　you　off？　Innuendo　and　smear　tactics；　Petey…san。　Nothing　to　do　with　reality。　But　try　and　tell　that　to　a　reporter。〃
　〃Who　is　it？〃　I　asked。　〃The　reporter　talking　to　you。〃
　〃Linda　Jensen；　I　think　she　said。〃
　I　nodded。　Linda　Jensen　was　the　Weasel's　protégé。　Somebody　once　said　that　Linda　didn't　fuck　her　way　to　the　top。　She　fucked　other　people's　reputations　to　the　top。　She　had　been　a　gossip　columnist　in　Washington　before　graduating　to　the　big　time　in　Los　Angeles。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Graham　said；　shifting　his　bulk。　〃Personally；　I　think　it's　not　worth　it。　They're　turning　this　country　into　another　Japan。　You've　already　got　people　afraid　to　speak。　Afraid　to　say　anything　against　them。　People　just　won't　talk　about　what's　happening。〃
　〃It　would　help　if　the　government　passed　a　few　laws。〃
　Graham　laughed。　〃The　government。　They　own　the　government。　You　know　what　they　spend　in　Washington　every　year？　Four　hundred　million　fucking　dollars　a　year。　That's　enough　to　pay　the　campaign　costs　of　everybody　in　the　United　States　Senate　and　the　House　of　Representatives。　That　is　a　lot　of　fucking　money。　Now　you　tell　me。　Would　they　spend　all　that　money；　year　after　year；　if　it　wasn't　paying　off　for　them？　Of　course　they　wouldn't。　Shit。　The　end　of　America；　buddy。　Hey。　Looks　like　your　boss　wants　you。〃
　I　looked　out　the　window。　Connor　was　waving　to　me。
　I　said；　〃I　better　go。〃
　〃Good　luck；〃　Graham　said。　〃Listen。　I　may　take　a　couple　of　weeks　off。〃
　〃Yeah？　When？〃
　〃Maybe　later　today；〃　Graham　said。　〃The　chief　mentioned　it。　He　said　as　long　as　the　fucking　Times　is　on　my　ass；　maybe　I　should。　I'm　thinking　of　a　week　in　Phoenix。　I　got　family　there。　Anyway；　I　wanted　you　to　know；　I　might　be　going。〃
　〃Okay；　sure；〃　I　said。
　Connor　was　still　waving　to　me。　He　seemed　impatient。　I　hurried　down　to　see　him。　As　I　came　down　the　steps；　I　saw　a　black　Mercedes　sedan　pull　up；　and　a　familiar　figure　emerge。
　It　was　Weasel　Wilhelm。
　
　？
　By　the　time　I　got　down　there；　the　Weasel　had　his　notepad　and　tape　recorder　out。　A　cigarette　hung　from　the　corner　of　his　mouth。　〃Lieutenant　Smith；〃　he　said。　〃I　wonder　if　I　could　talk　to　you。〃
　〃I'm　pretty　busy；〃　I　said。
　〃e　on；〃　Connor　called　to　me。　〃Time's　a'wasting。〃　He　was　holding　the　door　open　for　me。
　I　started　toward　Connor。　The　Weasel　fell　in　step　with　me。　He　held　a　tiny　black　microphone　toward　my　face。　〃I'm　taping；　I　hope　you　don't　mind。　After　the　Malcolm　case；　we　have　to　be　extra　careful。　I　wonder　if　you　would　ment　on　racial　slurs　allegedly　made　by　your　associate　Detective　Graham　during　last　night's　Nakamoto　investigation？〃
　〃No；〃　I　said。　I　kept　walking。
　〃We've　been　told　he　referred　to　them　as　'fucking　Japs。'　〃
　〃I　have　no　ment；〃　I　said。
　〃He　also　called　them　'little　Nips。'　Do　you　think　that　kind　of　talk　is　appropriate　to　an　officer　on　duty？〃
　〃Sorry。　I　don't　have　a　ment；　Willy。〃
　He　held　the　microphone　up　to　my　face　as　we　walked。　It　was　annoying。　I　wanted　to　slap　it　away；　but　I　didn't。　〃Lieutenant　Smith；　we're　preparing　a　story　on　you　and　we　have　some　questions　about　the　Martinez　case。　Do　you　remember　that　one？　It　was　a　couple　of　years　back。〃
　I　kept　walking。　〃I'm　pretty　busy　now；　Willy；〃　I　said。
　〃The　Martinez　case　resulted　in　accusations　of　child　abuse　brought　by　Sylvia　Morelia；　the　mother　of　Maria　Martinez。　There　was　an　internal　affairs　investigation。　I　wondered　if　you　had　any　ment。〃
　〃No　ment。〃
　〃I've　already　talked　to　your　partner　at　that　time；　Ted　Anderson。　I　wondered　if　you　had　any　ment　on　that。〃
　〃Sorry。　I　don't。〃
　〃Then　you　aren't　going　to　respond　to　these　serious　allegations　against　you？　'
　〃The　only　one　I　know　that's　making　allegations　is　you；　Willy。〃
　〃Actually；　that's　not　entirely　accurate；〃　he　said；　smiling　at　me。　〃I'm　told　the　D。A。's　office　has　started　an　investigation。〃
　I　said　nothing。　I　wondered　if　it　was　true。
　〃Under　the　circumstances；　Lieutenant；　do　you　think　the　court　made　a　mistake　in　granting　you　custody　of　your　young　daughter？〃
　All　I　said　was；　〃Sorry。　No　ment；　Willy。〃　I　tried　to　sound　confident。　I　was　starting　to　sweat。
　Connor　said；　〃e　on；　e　on。　No　time。〃　I　got　into　the　car。　Connor　said　to　Wilhelm；　〃Son；　I'm　sorry；　but　we're　busy。　Got　to　go。〃　He　slammed　the　car　door。　I　started　the　engine。　〃Let's　go；〃　Connor　said。
　Willy　stuck　his　head　in　the　window。　〃Do　you　think　that　Captain　Connor's　Japan…bashing　represents　another　example　of　the　department's　lack　of　judgment　in　racially　sensitive　cases？〃
　〃See　you；　Willy。〃　I　rolled　up　the　window；　and　started　driving　down　the　hill。
　〃A　little　faster　wouldn't　bother　me；〃　Connor　said。
　〃Sure；〃　I　said。　I　stepped　on　the　gas。
　In　the　rearview　mirror；　I　saw　the　Weasel　running　for　his　Mercedes。　I　took　the　turn　faster；　tires　squealing。　〃How　did　that　lowlife　know　where　to　find　us？　He　monitoring　the　radio？〃
　〃We　haven't　been　on　the　radio；〃　Connor　said。　〃You　know　I'm　careful　about　the　radio。　But　maybe　the　patrol　car　phoned　in　something　when　we　arrived。　Maybe　we　have　a　bug　in　this　car。　Maybe　he　just　figured　we'd　turn　up　here。　He's　a　scumbag。　And　he's　connected　to　the　Japanese。　He's　their　plant　at　the　Times。　Usually　the　Japanese　are　a　little　more　classy　about　who　they　associate　with。　But　I　guess　he'll　do　everything　they　want　done。　Nice　car；　huh？〃
　〃I　notice　it's　not　Japanese。〃
　〃Can't　be　obvious；〃　Connor　said。　〃He　following　us？〃
　〃No。　I　think　we　lost　him。　Where　are　we　going　now？〃
　〃U。S。C。　Sanders　has　had　enough　time　screwing　around　by　now。〃
　We　drove　down　the　street；　down　the　hill；　toward　the　101　freeway。　〃By　the　way；〃　I　said。　〃What　was　all　that　about　the　reading　glasses？〃
　〃Just　a　small　point　to　be　verified。　No　reading　glasses　were　found；　right？〃
　〃Right。　Just　sunglasses。〃
　〃That's　what　I　thought；〃　Connor　said。
　〃And　Graham　says　he's　leaving　town。　Today。　He's　going　to　Phoenix。〃
　〃Uh…huh。〃　He　looked　at　me。　〃You　want　to　leave　town；　too？〃
　〃No；〃　I　said。
　〃Okay；〃　Connor　said。
　I　got　down　the　hill　and　onto　the　101　going　south。　In　the　old　days　it　would　be　ten　minutes　to　U。S。C。　Now　it　was　more　like　thirty　minutes。　Especially　now；　right　at　midday。　But　there　weren't　any　fast　times；　anymore。　Traffic　was　always　bad。　The　smog　was　always　bad。　I　drove　through　haze。
　〃You　think　I'm　being　foolish？〃　I　said。　〃You　think　I　should　pick　up　my　kid　and　run；　too？〃
　〃It's　one　way　to　handle　it。〃　He　sighed。　〃The　Japanese　are　masters　of　indirect　action。　It's　their　instinctual　way　to　proceed。　If　someone　in　Japan　is　unhappy　with　you；　they　never　tell　you　to　your　face。　They　tell　your　friend；　your　associate；　your　boss。　In　such　a　way　that　the　word　gets　back。　The　Japanese　have　all　these　ways　of　indirect　munication。　That's　why　they　socialize　so　much；　play　so　much　golf；　go　drinking　in　karaoke　bars。　They　need　these　extra　channels　of　munication　because　they　can't　e　out　and　say　what's　on　their　minds。　It's　tremendously　inefficient；　when　you　think　about　it。　Wasteful　of　time　and　energy　and　money。　But　since　they　cannot　confront　…　because　confrontation　is　almost　like　death；　it　makes　them　sweat　and　panic　…　they　have　no　other　choice。　Japan　is　the　land　of　the　end　run。　They　never　go　up　the　middle。〃
　〃Yeah；　but　。　。　。〃
　〃So　behavior　that　seems　sneaky　and　cowardly　to　Americans　is　just　standard　operating　procedure　to　Japanese。　It　doesn't　mean　anything　special。　They're　just　letting　you　know　that　powerful　people　are　displeased。〃
　〃Letting　me　know？　That　I　could　end　up　in　court　over　my　daughter？　My　relationship　with　my　kid　could　be　ruined？　My　own　reputation　could　be　ruined？〃
　〃Well；　yes。　Those　are　normal　penalties。　The　threat　of　social　disgrace　is　the　usual　way　you're　expected　to　know　of　displeasure。〃
　〃Well；　I　think　I　know　it；　now；〃　I　said。　〃I　think　I　get　the　fucking　picture。〃
　〃It's　not　personal；〃　Connor　said。　〃It's　just　the　way　they　proceed。〃
　〃Yeah；　right。　They're　spreading　a　lie。〃
　〃In　a　sense。〃
　〃No；　not　in　a　sense。　It's　a　fucking　lie。〃
　Connor　sighed。　〃It　took　me　a　long　time　to　understand；〃　he　said；　〃that　Japanese　behavior　is　based　on　the