mac.thepearlharbormurders-第24部分

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fit　show　put　on　by　〃talented　young　ladies〃　who　worked　on　the　post。　Right　now　they　could　hear　a　small　bo…piano；　drums；　guitar　and　bass　fiddle…acpanying　a　thin　female　voice　doing　Ella　Fitzgerald's　〃A　Tisket　a　Tasket；〃　passably。
　Once　inside；　they　peeked　in　at　the　wood…paneled　dining　room；　which　was　decked　out　with　ferns　and　floral　arrangements；　and　every　linen…covered　table　had　fresh…cut　flowers；　between　two　lava…rock　columns　was　the　stage　area；　where　various　amateurs　were　ing　up　to　sing　and　dance　and　do　their　best。　The　men　in　the　audience　were　in　dress　uniform　and　the　women　in　their　fanciest　gowns；　and　the　club　was　brimming　with　brass…in　addition　to　Short　and　Fielder；　who　were　positioned　up　front　（unfortunately）；　Burroughs　spotted　Major　Durward　Wilson　of　the　24th　Infantry　Division；　Lieutenant　Colonel　Emil　Leard；　and　Lieutenant　Colonel　Walter　Phillips；　Short's　chief　of　staff。
　〃Wait　in　the　bar；〃　Sterling　told　Burroughs；　who　did　as　he　was　told；　as　the　FBI　man　waded　gingerly　into　the　sea　of　high…ranking　officers。
　With　the　benefit　show　in　full　sway；　the　bar　was　empty；　but　for　the　bartender　himself；　and　Burroughs　ordered　a　root　beer　at　the　counter；　and　retreated　to　a　booth。
　A　few　minutes　later；　Sterling　returned　with　both　General　Short　and　Colonel　Fielder；　neither　of　whom　seemed　happy。　Nor　did　they　did　seem　inclined　to　join　Burroughs　in　the　booth；　and　the　writer　crawled　out　and　stood　and　apologized　for　interrupting　their　evening　out。
　〃I　hope　there's　a　good　reason　for　this；　Mr。　Burroughs；〃　the　slim；　wiry　general　said　tightly。
　Burroughs　jumped　right　in。　〃You　already　know　about　the　Mori　radiophone　call；　and　the　Jap　Consulate　burning　its　papers。　What　you　don't　know　is　mat　Otto　Kuhn；　the　German　'sleeper'　agent；　is　working　with　Vice　Consul　Morimura；　in　an　effort　to　pin　the　murder　of　Pearl　Harada　on　an　innocent　man。〃
　The　general　frowned；　but　with　interest。　This　news　perked　Fielder's　curiosity；　as　well。　Short　gestured　to　the　booth；　said；　〃Let's　sit　down…I'd　like　to　hear　this。〃
　Burroughs　and　Sterling　sat　across　from　the　general　and　the　colonel。　Both　men　seemed　keenly　attentive　as　the　writer　told　them　what　Kuhn　had　admitted　about　the　phone　call；　and　that　Morimura　had　flaunted　his　spying　activities；　right　down　to　the　powerful　telescope　in　his　private　room　at　the　Shuncho…ro。
　Sterling　said；　〃My　office　has　clearly　underestimated　Morimura…he's　put　on　a　good　front　as　a　womanizer　and　buffoon。　But　it's　apparent　he's　involved　heavily　in　spying；　though　much　of　it　may　be　legal。〃
　〃This　is　intriguing　information；　Mr。　Burroughs；〃　the　general　said；　nodding　thoughtfully。　〃But　I　as　yet　fail　to　see　a　reason　for　your　sense　of　urgency。。。。〃
　〃Pearl　Harada's　uncle　is　on　the　FBI's　list　of　dangerous　Japanese…Americans　here　in　Oahu。　She　may　have　been　involved　in　something　having　to　do　with　espionage；　or　overheard　something。〃　Burroughs　turned　to　Fielder。　〃Wooch；　that　girl　made　a　concerted　effort　to　have　me　arrange　a　meeting　between　the　two　of　you。〃
　Fielder　shrugged。　〃Of　course…because　she　and　my　son　wanted　to　get　married。。。。〃
　This　was　news　to　Short；　who　looked　sharply　at　Fielder；　who　went　on；　faintly　chagrined。
　〃My　son　and　that　girl　knew　I　would　forbid　such　a　union；　and　she　wanted　to　try　to　win　me　over。〃
　〃That's　right；〃　Burroughs　said。　〃And　we've　been　assuming　that　she　was　going　to　bat　her　eyes　and　sweet…talk　you　and　just　generally　appeal　to　your　basic　goodness。。。　but　Wooch；　what　if　she　was　going　to　prove　herself　to　you　by　handing　you　sensitive　information？〃　　　　　…
　Fielder's　eyes　narrowed；　and　so　did　Short's。
　〃I　spoke　to　that　girl　minutes　before　her　murder；〃　Burroughs　said。　〃She　was　anxious　to　see　you；　Wooch；　as　soon　as　possible。　She　had　a　real　sense　of　urgency　about　her；　let　me　tell　you　。。。　and　somebody　else　had　enough　of　a　sense　of　urgency　to　murder　her　before　she　could　talk　to　you。〃
　Fielder　seemed　stunned；　trying　to　absorb　this。
　〃What　do　you　think　she　knew？〃　the　general　asked。
　〃I　can　only　guess；〃　Burroughs　said。　〃But　if　the　Japs；　through　Morimura；　are　waking　their　sleeper　agent。。。　literally　。。。　and　murder　is　being　mitted；　right　down　to　framing　some　poor　fall　guy　。。。　it　must　be　something　important。　Something　。。。　urgent。〃
　〃It　would　certainly　seem　that　Morimura　and　Kuhn　are　worth　serious　investigation。〃　General　Short　turned　to　Fielder；　who　was　after　all　his　top　intelligence　man。　〃First　thing　Monday　morning；　I　want　you　to　meet　with　Agent　Sterling　and　whoever's　handling　this　murder　case。〃
　〃That　would　be　Detective　John　Jardine　of　the　Prosecutor's　Office；〃　Burroughs　told　the　general；　〃but　do　you　really　think　you　should　wait　until　Monday？〃
　Short　raised　an　eyebrow。　〃Morimura　is　a　diplomat…　with　protected　status。　If　he's　been　involved　in　illegal　espionage；　that　status　dissolves。　Kuhn　we　can　simply　have　arrested。　Nevertheless；　we　need　to　tread　slowly；　carefully。〃
　Burroughs　leaned　forward　in　the　booth。　〃General　Short；　what　if　Pearl　Harada　had　information　indicating　invasion　was　at　hand？〃
　〃Mr。　Burroughs；　war　is　at　hand；　unless　these　negotiations　with　the　Japs　start　going　someplace；　quick。。。　Washington　indicates　we　could　have　hostile　action　at　any　moment。〃
　〃Well；　then…〃
　〃And　I'm　grateful　to　you；　Mr。　Burroughs；　for　this　information　indicating　that　espionage　efforts　here　in　Oahu　are　heating　up。〃
　The　writer　was　shaking　his　head。　〃General；　I'm　not　talking　about　war；　I'm　talking　about　invasion…a　sneak　attack。　Your　man　Colonel　Teske　believed　it　would　e　by　air　at　dawn　on　a　Saturday　or　Sunday…when　the　Japs　know　they　would　have　their　best　shot　at　rinding　our　ships　in　port　and　many　men　off　duty；　our　guard　dropped。〃
　〃Our　'guard'　is　never　dropped；　Mr。　Burroughs；〃　the　general　said；　crisply；　defensive　irritation　unmistakable　in　his　tone。　〃War　is　ing　but　almost　certainly　not　in　Hawaii…I　asked　my　chief　of　staff　just　yesterday　what　the　odds　were　of　that；　and　he　told　me；　flatly；　'Zero。'　〃
　Then　Short　was　out　of　the　booth；　Fielder　too；　the　general　thanking　the　writer　for　his　patriotism　and　his　conscientiousness。
　〃This　activity　by　Morimura　and　Kuhn　is　unquestionably　pertinent；〃　he　told　Burroughs　and　Sterling；　who　were　still　seated　in　the　booth。　〃We're　on　alert　against　sabotage；　espionage　activities　and　subversion　right　now。　When　the　Japs　attack…whether　it's　the　Philippines　or　Borneo…we'll　have　to　be　ready　to　handle　a　bloody　uprising　of　their　local　fifth　column。〃
　And；　after　a　few　polite　smiles　and　nods；　General　Walter　Short　and　Colonel　Kendall　Fielder　were　off　to　rejoin　their　wives；　who　were　listening　to　a　trio　of　girls　from　the　camp　PX　singing　〃Boogie　Woogie　Bugle　Boy。〃
　〃Hell；　Ed；〃　Sterling　said；　ashen；　as　the　two　walked　out　into　the　officers'…club　parking　lot　in　the　still；　crisp　air；　〃if　your　hunch　about　invasion　is　correct；　the　general's　antisabotage　efforts　could　backfire　tragically。〃
　〃How　so？〃
　〃Well；　in　this　antisabotage　alert　he's　implemented；　Short's　ordered　ammo　boxed　up　and　locked；　to　prevent　theft。　And　all　the　warplanes　are　disarmed　and　massed　close　together；　in　the　middle　of　open　tarmacs。〃
　The　writer's　eyes　popped。　〃Are　you　serious？　That　makes　a　perfect　target　for　an　enemy　air　raid！〃
　The　FBI　agent　shrugged；　glumly。　〃It's　easier　to　guard　the　planes　that　way；　Short　says…against　the　'fifth　column'　of　local　Jap　saboteurs。〃
　Burroughs　shook　his　head。　〃And　what　I　told　him　about　Morimura　probably　only　reinforced　that　notion。〃
　As　they　headed　out　of　Schofield　in　the　black　Ford；　Burroughs　said　to　Sterling；　〃We　have　to　talk　to　Admiral　Kimmel。　We　have　to　try　him。〃
　〃That's　probably　not　advisable。。。。〃
　〃Do　you　know　where　he　is　tonight？〃
　〃I　do；〃　Sterling　admitted。　〃A　party　at　the　Halekulani；　given　by　Admiral　Leary　and　his　wife。〃
　A　number　of　the　Navy's　top　brass　lived　at　the　Halekulani　Hotel。
　〃Drop　me　at　my　car；〃　Burroughs　said；　〃and　I'll　meet　you　over　there…in　the　lobby。〃
　Just　beyond　Fort　DeRussey；　on　the　ocean　side　of　Kalia　Street；　the　Halekulani　was　a　low…key；　casually　posh　hotel　whose　buildings　and　cottages　seemed　interwoven　with　the　Hawaiian　landscape。　The　House　Without　a　Key　bar　was　named　after　Earl　Derr　Biggers'　s　first　Charlie　Chan　mystery；　a　small　resonance　Burroughs　might　have　savored；　under　less　tense　circumstances：　John　Jardine's　late　colleague　on　the　Honolulu　PD；　Chang　Apana；　had　been　the　basis　for　the　fictional　Chan。
　Burroughs　and　the　FBI　agent　found　Admiral　Kimmel　in　the　pany　of　Rear　Admiral　Draemel　and　Admiral　Pye　and　their　wives；　sipping　cocktails　at　a　table　under　the　big　hau　tree　on　the　Halekulani　terrace。　A　grouping　of　tables　nearby　made　up　a　dinner　party　of　around　a　dozen…all　top　brass　and　their　wives　。。。　except；　of　course；　for　Husband　Kimmel；　whose　wife　was　back　on　the　mainland。
　Sterling　approached　the　stern；　broad…browed　admiral；　apologizing　for　the　intrusion；　and　politely　asking　for　a　few　minutes　of　his　time。
　In　the　charming；　pale　pink；　wicker…furnished　lobby；　standing　near　a　huge　window　looking　out　on　a　seemingly　impenetrable　thickness　of　tropical　garden；　Burroughs　and　the　FBI　man　laid　out　their　cards　for　Admiral　Kimmel。　It　took　a　while　longer　than　the　meeting　with　Short　and　Fielder；　because　Kimmel　knew　nothing　of　the　Mori　radiophone　call；　though　he　was　aware　of　the　Japanese　Consulate　burning　their　papers。
　〃That's　only　natural；〃　the　stately　admiral　said；　a　faint　touch　of　Kentucky　in　his　voice；　〃at　a　time　like　this。〃
　〃With　war　imminent；　you　mean？〃　Burroughs　said。
　〃Yes。　Now　what　is　this　business　about　murder；　and　espionage？〃
　They　filled　him　in　slowly；　and　the　admiral　listened；　absorbed；　frequently　nodding。　Burroughs　and　Sterling　exchanged　occasional　glances；　both　men　feeling　they　were　getting　through　to　Kimmel。
　But　in　the　end；　the　admiral's　reaction　mirrored　the　general's。
　〃This　begs　prompt　action；〃　Kimmel　said。　〃First　thing　Monday　morning。〃
　〃Admiral　Kimmel；〃　Burroughs　said；　〃Sunday　is　the　perfect　time　for　an　invasion。。。。〃
　The　admiral's　clear　blue　eyes　seemed　tranquil。　〃The　Japs　may　indeed　invade；　tomorrow…somewhere　in　Southeast　Asia；　that　is。〃
　〃What　about　here？　In　Hawaii？〃
　〃No　one　gives　that　possibility　much　credence。　Just　last　week　I　asked　my　operations　officer　what　the　chances　were；　of　a　surprise　attack　on　Oahu；　and　he　said；　'None。'　I　hope　you　won't　mind　if　I　rely　on　the　advice　of　our　leading　military　minds　and　not。。。　forgive　me　。。