mc.risingsun-第56节

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　〃No；〃　Connor　said；　shaking　his　head。　〃If　you　take　away　all　the　bullshit；　what　Senator　Morton　told　us　was　his　train　of　thought：　Is　the　investigation　over？　And　can　you　connect　it　to　MicroCon？　Because　I　am　now　going　to　change　my　position　on　the　MicroCon　sale。〃
　〃Okay　。　。　。〃
　〃But　he　never　explained　a　crucial　point。　Why　was　he　changing　his　position　on　the　MicroCon　sale？〃
　〃He　told　us　why；〃　I　said。　〃He　had　no　support；　nobody　cares。〃
　Connor　handed　me　a　Xerox。　I　glanced　at　it。　It　was　a　page　from　a　newspaper。　I　gave　it　back。　〃I'm　driving。　Tell　me。〃
　〃This　is　an　interview　Senator　Morton　gave　in　The　Washington　Post。　He　repeats　his　stand　on　MicroCon。　It's　against　the　interest　of　national　defense　and　American　petitiveness　to　sell　the　pany。　Blah　blah。　Eroding　our　technology　base　and　selling　off　our　future　to　the　Japanese。　Blah　blah。　That　was　his　position　on　Thursday　morning。　On　Thursday　night　he　attends　a　party　in　California。　By　Friday　morning；　he　has　a　different　view　of　MicroCon。　The　sale　is　fine　with　him。　Now　you　tell　me　why。〃
　〃Jesus；〃　I　said。　〃What　are　we　going　to　do？〃
　Because　there　is　a　thing　about　being　a　policeman。　Most　of　the　time；　you　feel　pretty　good。　But　at　certain　points；　it　es　back　to　you　that　you　are　just　a　cop。　The　truth　is；　you're　pretty　far　down　the　ladder。　And　you　are　reluctant　to　take　on　certain　kinds　of　people；　certain　kinds　of　power。　It　gets　messy。　It　gets　out　of　control。　You　can　have　your　ass　handed　to　you。
　〃What　do　we　do？〃　I　said　again。
　〃One　thing　at　a　time；〃　Connor　said。　〃Is　this　your　apartment　building　up　here？〃
　
　The　TV　minivans　were　lined　up　along　the　street。　There　were　several　sedans　with　PRESS　signs　behind　the　windshield。　A　knot　of　reporters　stood　outside　the　front　door　to　my　apartment；　and　along　the　street。　Among　the　reporters　I　saw　Weasel　Wilhelm；　leaning　against　his　car。　I　didn't　see　my　ex…wife。
　〃Keep　driving；　kōhai；〃　Connor　said。　〃Go　to　the　end　of　the　block　and　turn　right。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃I　took　the　liberty　of　calling　the　D。A。's　office　a　while　ago。　I　arranged　for　you　to　meet　your　wife　in　the　park　down　here。〃
　〃You　did？〃
　〃I　thought　it　would　be　better　for　everybody。〃
　I　drove　around　the　corner。　Hampton　Park　was　adjacent　to　the　elementary　school。　At　this　hour　of　the　afternoon；　kids　were　outside；　playing　baseball。　I　drove　slowly　along　the　street；　looking　for　a　parking　place。　I　passed　a　sedan　with　two　people　inside。　There　was　a　man　in　the　passenger　seat；　smoking　a　cigarette。　There　was　a　woman　behind　the　wheel；　drumming　her　fingers　on　the　dashboard。　It　was　Lauren。
　I　parked　the　car。
　〃I'll　wait　here；〃　Connor　said。　〃Good　luck。〃
　
　？
　She　always　favored　pale　colors。　She　was　wearing　a　beige　suit　and　a　cream　silk　blouse。　Her　blond　hair　was　pulled　back。　No　jewelry。　Sexy　and　businesslike　at　the　same　time；　her　particular　talent。
　We　walked　along　the　sidewalk　on　the　edge　of　the　park；　looking　at　the　kids　playing　ball。　Neither　of　us　said　anything。　The　man　who　had　e　with　her　waited　in　the　car。　A　block　away；　we　could　see　the　press　clustered　outside　my　apartment。
　Lauren　looked　at　them　and　said；　〃Jesus　Christ；　Peter。　I　can't　believe　you；　I　really　can't。　This　is　very　badly　handled。　This　is　very　insensitive　to　my　position。〃
　I　said；　〃Who　told　them？〃
　〃Not　me。〃
　〃Someone　did。　Someone　told　them　you　were　ing　at　four　o'clock。〃
　〃Well；　it　wasn't　me。〃
　〃You　just　happened　to　show　up　with　full　makeup　on？〃
　〃I　was　in　court　this　morning。〃
　〃Okay。　Fine。〃
　〃Fuck　you；　Peter。〃
　〃I　said；　fine。〃
　〃Such　a　fucking　detective。〃
　She　turned；　and　we　walked　back　the　way　we　had　e。　Moving　away　from　the　press。
　She　sighed。　〃Look；〃　she　said。　〃Let's　try　and　be　civil　about　this。〃
　〃Okay。〃
　〃I　don't　know　how　you　managed　to　get　yourself　into　this　mess；　Peter。　I'm　sorry；　but　you're　going　to　have　to　give　up　custody。　I　can't　permit　my　daughter　to　be　raised　in　a　suspect　environment。　I　can't　allow　that。　I　have　my　position　to　think　of。　My　reputation　in　the　office。〃
　Lauren　was　always　preoccupied　with　appearances。　〃Why　is　the　environment　suspect？〃
　〃Why？　Child　abuse　is　an　extremely　serious　allegation；　Peter。〃
　〃There's　no　child　abuse。〃
　〃The　allegations　from　your　past　must　be　dealt　with。〃
　〃You　know　all　about　those　allegations；〃　I　said。　〃You　were　married　to　me。　You　know　everything　about　it。〃
　She　said　stubbornly；　〃Michelle　has　to　be　tested。〃
　〃Fine。　The　exam　will　be　negative。〃
　〃At　this　point；　I　don't　really　care　what　the　exam　shows。　It's　gone　beyond　that；　Peter。　I'm　going　to　have　to　get　custody。　For　my　peace　of　mind。〃
　〃Oh；　for　Christ's　sake。〃
　〃Yes；　Peter。〃
　〃You　don't　know　what　it's　like　to　raise　a　child。　It'll　take　too　much　time　away　from　your　career。〃
　〃I　have　no　choice；　Peter。　You　have　left　me　no　choice。〃　Now　she　sounded　long　suffering。　Martyrdom　was　always　one　of　her　strong　suits。
　I　said；　〃Lauren；　you　know　the　past　accusations　are　false。　You're　just　running　with　this　thing　because　Wilhelm　called　you。〃
　〃He　didn't　call　me。　He　called　the　assistant　D。A。　He　called　my　boss。〃
　〃Lauren。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　Peter。　But　you　brought　it　on　yourself。〃
　〃Lauren。〃
　〃I　mean　it。〃
　〃Lauren；　this　is　very　dangerous。〃
　She　laughed　harshly。　〃Tell　me。　You　think　I　don't　know　how　dangerous　this　is；　Peter？　This　could　be　my　ass。〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃What　do　you　think　I'm　talking　about；　you　son　of　a　bitch？〃　she　said；　furiously。　〃I'm　talking　about　Las　Vegas。〃
　I　was　silent。　I　didn't　follow　her　line　of　thought　at　all。
　〃Look；〃　she　said。　〃How　many　times　have　you　been　to　Las　Vegas？〃
　〃Just　once。〃
　〃And　the　one　time　you　went；　you　won　big？〃
　〃Lauren；　you　know　all　about　that…　〃
　〃Yes；　I　do。　Clearly　I　do。　And　what　is　the　timing　of　your　big　winning　trip　to　Las　Vegas；　and　the　accusations　against　you　of　child　abuse？　A　week　apart？　Two　weeks　apart？〃
　So　that　was　it。　She　was　worried　that　somebody　could　put　those　two　things　together；　that　it　could　be　traced　back；　somehow。　And　that　it　would　implicate　her。
　〃You　should　have　made　another　trip；　last　year。〃
　〃I　was　busy。〃
　〃If　you　remember；　Peter；　I　told　you　to　go　every　year；　for　the　next　couple　of　years。　Establish　a　pattern。〃
　〃I　was　busy。　I　had　a　child　to　raise。〃
　〃Well。〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃Now　we're　here。〃
　I　said；　〃What's　the　problem？　They'll　never　figure　it　out。〃
　That　was　when　she　really　exploded。　〃Never　figure　it　out？　They've　already　figured　it　out。　They　already　know；　Peter。　I'm　sure　they've　already　talked　to　Martinez　or　Hernandez　or　whoever　that　couple　is。〃
　〃But　they　can't　possibly…　〃
　〃For　Christ's　sake。　How　do　you　think　somebody　gets　a　job　as　Japanese　liaison？　How　did　you　get　the　job；　Peter？〃
　I　frowned；　thinking　back。　It　was　more　than　a　year　ago。　〃There　was　a　posting　of　the　job　in　the　department。　A　list　of　candidates　applied　for　it　。　。　。〃
　〃Yes。　And　then　what？〃
　I　hesitated。　The　truth　was；　I　wasn't　sure　exactly　what　happened　administratively。　I　had　just　applied　for　the　job　and　had　forgotten　all　about　it；　until　it　came　through。　I　had　been　busy　in　those　days。　Working　in　the　press　section　was　a　hectic　job。
　〃I'll　tell　you　what　happens；〃　Lauren　said。　〃The　chief　of　Special　Services　for　the　department　makes　a　final　determination　of　appropriate　candidates；　in　consultation　with　members　of　the　Asian　munity。〃
　〃Well；　that's　probably　true；　but　I　don't　see…　〃
　〃And　do　you　know　how　long　the　members　of　the　Asian　munity　take　to　review　the　list　of　candidates？　Three　months；　Peter。　That's　long　enough　to　learn　everything　about　the　people　on　that　list。　Everything。　They　know　everything　from　the　size　of　your　shirt　collar　to　your　financial　status。　And　believe　me；　they　know　about　the　allegations　of　child　abuse。　And　your　trip　to　Las　Vegas。　And　they　can　put　it　together。　Anybody　can　put　it　together。〃
　I　was　going　to　protest；　when　I　found　myself　remembering　what　Ron　said　earlier　in　the　day：　Now　they　watch　the　backhaul。
　She　said；　〃You're　going　to　stand　there　and　tell　me　you　don't　know　how　all　this　works？　That　you　weren't　paying　attention　to　the　process？　Christ；　Peter；　e　on。　You　understood　what　was　involved　in　that　liaison　job：　you　wanted　the　money。　Just　like　everybody　else　who　has　anything　to　do　with　the　Japanese。　You　know　how　they　make　their　deals。　There's　something　for　everyone。　You　get　something。　The　department　gets　something。　The　chief　gets　something。　Everybody　gets　taken　care　of。　And　in　return　they　get　to　pick　exactly　the　kind　of　person　they　want　as　a　liaison。　They　know　they　have　a　handle　on　you　going　in。　And　now　they　have　a　handle　on　me；　too。　All　because　you　didn't　take　your　goddamn　trip　to　Las　Vegas　last　year　and　establish　a　pattern；　the　way　I　told　you　to。〃
　〃So　now　you　think　you　have　to　get　custody　of　Michelle？〃
　She　sighed。　〃At　this　point；　we're　just　playing　out　our　roles。〃
　She　glanced　at　her　watch；　and　looked　toward　the　reporters。　I　saw　that　she　was　impatient　to　get　on　with　it；　to　meet　the　press　and　make　the　speech　she　had　already　prepared　for　herself。　Lauren　had　always　had　a　strong　sense　of　drama。
　〃Are　you　sure　what　your　role　is；　Lauren？　Because　it's　going　to　get　very　messy　around　here　in　the　next　few　hours。　You　may　not　want　to　be　involved。〃
　〃I　am　involved。〃
　〃No。〃　I　took　the　Polaroid　out　of　my　pocket　and　showed　it　to　her。
　〃What's　this？〃
　〃That's　a　video　frame　from　the　Nak