mac.thepearlharbormurders-第30部分

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　〃So　much　for　a　fifth　column；〃　Burroughs　said　to　Hully；　looking　around　at　the　desolation；　as　they　approached　the　small　grocery　near　the　Aala　Market。
　〃I'd　feel　better　about　this；〃　Hully　said；　clearly　a　little　nervous；　〃if　Agent　Sterling　were　at　our　side。〃
　Burroughs　held　up　his　palm；　where　the　tiny　German　automatic　nestled。　〃We'll　be　fine。　Sterling　has　his　own　job　to　do。〃
　〃Well；　the　door's　open；　anyway；〃　Hully　said；　and　brushed　aside　the　hanging　black　beads　and　gestured；　politely；　for　his　father　to　go　in　first。
　The　writer　stepped　inside；　Hully　right　behind　him。　The　wooden　storefront　was　unattended；　the　place　had　a　curious　fragrance；　similar　to　incense…though　to　Burroughs　the　unfamiliar　scent　suggested　decay。　His　son　had　told　him　about　the　shop；　but　Burroughs　was　not　prepared　for　how　little　the　〃grocery〃　had　to　do　wife　his　American　preconceptions。　He　glanced　around　at　the　walls　of　shelves　lined　with　jars　and　baskets　of　strange　herbs；　roots；　dried　seaweed；　and　other　exotica。
　〃I　guess　he's　out　of　Ovaltine；〃　Burroughs　said　dryly。
　With　his　left　hand；　Burroughs　slapped　the　〃Please　Ring〃　bell　on　the　counter；　which　stretched　along　the　left　of　the　shop。
　A　door；　opposite　the　beaded　one　they'd　e　in；　cracked　open；　apparently　from　a　rear　storage　area。
　〃Shop　is　closed；〃　Yoshio　Harada　said。　Then　he　recognized　them；　and　the　grocer　stepped　into　the　storefront；　closing　the　storeroom　door　behind　him。　He　half　bowed。　〃Burroughs…san　。。。　Burroughs…san；〃　he　said；　acknowledging　them　both。
　〃The　door　was　open；〃　Burroughs　said；　nodding　toward　the　beaded　entry。　〃Sorry　to　drop　by　unannounced；　but　this　is　an　extraordinary　morning；　wouldn't　you　say；　Mr。　Harada？〃
　Nodding　again；　the　diminutive；　trimly　mustached　man…in　a　white　shirt；　grocer's　apron；　blue　trousers；　and　sandals…shuffled　behind　the　counter　at　the　left；　the　shelves　rising　behind　him　provided　a　bizarre　backdrop　of　gnarled　roots；　shark　fins　and　seahorse　skeletons。
　〃A　terrible　day。〃　Harada　was　hanging　his　head。　〃I　am　ashamed　to　be　Japanese　on　this　day。〃
　〃No　kidding？〃　Burroughs　leaned　a　hand　against　the　counter；　his　other　hand；　with　the　little　gun；　was　behind　his　back。　〃I　heard　you　used　to　have　the　emperor's　picture　on　display。〃
　Head　still　bowed；　he　gestured　with　both　hands；　as　if　disgusted。　〃I　threw　it　away；　many　weeks　ago。　We　work　so　hard　to　be　accepted…to　be　good　American。　In　one　morning；　all　is　undone。　I　am　angry　at　Japan。〃
　A　faraway　explosion　seemed　to　punctuate　his　sentence。
　The　little　grocer　shook　a　fist　at　the　sky。　〃Dirty　Japs！〃
　〃Not　bad；〃　Burroughs　said；　chuckling。　〃If　Weiss…muller　was　as　good　an　actor　as　you　are；　Harada；　I'd　be　a　happy　man。〃
　Harada　looked　up　at　the　writer；　blinking。　〃Who？　What？〃
　Moving　closer　to　the　counter；　Hully　went　into　their　prepared　spiel。　〃We've　just　e　from　the　Japanese　Consulate；　Mr。　Harada。　General　Consul　Kita　says　you　and　Morimura　are　buddies。〃
　Harada　frowned　in　apparent　confusion。　〃I　know　no　one　named　Morimura。〃
　〃How　about　Yoshikawa？〃　Burroughs　asked；　innocently。　〃A　rose　by　any　other　name。。。　You　see；　I　thought；　what　with　bombs　dropping　and　all；　you　might　be　just　the　guy　to　help　get　the　vice　consul　out　of　the　limelight。〃
　The　grocer　shook　his　head。　〃I　know　nothing　of　what　you　speak。〃
　〃Well；〃　Burroughs　said；　〃to　tell　you　the　truth；　we　were　bluffing。　Kita　didn't　mention　your　name。　Matter　of　fact；　I　doubt　Kita　even　knows　your　name；　unless　the　Consulate　buys　seafood　and　vegetables　from　you。〃
　〃They　do　not。〃
　〃After　all；　Kita's　not　the　espionage　agent…he'd　likely　be　kept　out　of　the　know；　for　security　reasons。　It's　Morimura…that　is；　Yoshikawa…who's　the　spy　in　the　woodpile。〃
　Harada's　frown　no　longer　seemed　confused；　though　his　words　continued　down　the　path　of　denial：　〃I　understand　none　of　what　you　say。〃
　〃There's　no　fifth　column　in　Oahu；〃　Burroughs　said　with　a　grin；　which　quickly　vanished。　〃But　there　is　a　tiny　network　of　real　spies。　That　radiophone　call　was　a　signal　that　this　Sunday　would　make　a　fine　morning　for　a　surprise　party。　Your　niece　knew　something　was　up…　more　importantly；　she　knew　you　were　an　agent；　just　like　Otto　Kuhn；　and　Morimura。〃
　Now　the　mask　dropped　and　a　tiny；　but　very　nasty　smile；　etched　itself　on　the　bland　features。　〃Are　these　things　you　can　prove？〃
　Burroughs　shrugged。　〃Hell；　I'll　leave　that　to　the　FBI。〃　He　jerked　a　thumb　at　Hully。　〃My　son；　here；　is　the　one　who　really　put　it　together。〃
　Hully　said；　〃I　couldn't　stop　thinking　about　Morimura　bawling　Pearl　out…she　wasn't　one　of　his　conquests；　he　wasn't　her　type。　Why　would　she　even　know　him？　Then　it　came　to　me：　through　you。。。。〃
　〃As　the　grocer　making　deliveries　to　the　Niumalu；〃　Burroughs　said；　〃you　could　easily　maintain　contact　with　your　German　'sleeper'　agent。　And　Pearl　was　aware　of　your　relationship　with　both　Kuhn　and　Morimura。　After　all；　she　lived　with　you；　up　above　your　shop；　before　she　moved　to　the　Niumalu；　so　she　knew　you　and　Morimura　were　in　league…and　she　knew　or　figured　out　that　he　was　an　espionage　agent；　she　even　knew　his　real　name。　She　got　wind　of　something　big　ing　up；　and　she　was　going　to　turn　you；　and　Morimura；　in　to　military　intelligence。。。　to　show　her　loyalty　to　America。〃
　'To　prove　herself；〃　Hully　said　softly；　sadly；　〃to　her　boyfriend's　father。〃
　Harada　held　out　both　empty　palms　and　shook　his　head；　smiling　as　if　this　was　all　too　far…fetched；　too　absurd。　〃And　you　think　this　。。。　Morimura。。。　killed　my　niece？〃
　〃No。〃　Burroughs　twitched　a　smile；　nodding　right　at　the　grocer。　〃I　think　you　killed　her。　I　know　you　killed　her。　You　confronted　her　about　what　you　considered　her　disloyalty；　to　her　family；　to　Japan；　and　she　told　you　she　was　going　to　Colonel　Fielder；　to　tell　him　everything。　You　struck　her　down；　with　a　goddamn　rock；　crushed
　her　skull…then　Morimura　helped　cover　it　up；　by　calling　Kuhn　and　having　him　finger　the　wrong　man。〃
　Now　the　grocer　folded　his　arms　and　his　chin　raised；　his　tone　was　quietly　defiant；　now。　〃I　would　take　offense　at　these　accusations；　but　they　are　。。。　foolish。〃
　〃Oh；　there's　more。　You　got　to　thinking　about　your　niece's　close　friend；　that　homosexual　musician；　and　got　worried　that　she　may　have　talked　to　him；　shared　what　she　knew。　Or　perhaps　she　bragged　to　you　that　she　had　told　Terry　Mizuha　what　she　knew；　thinking　it　would　protect　her；　would　keep　you　from　harming　her。　Either　way；　she　was　too　naive；　or　maybe　too　nice　a　kid；　to　understand　that　this　is　war：　that　one　more　casualty；　more　or　less；　is　nothing　to　a　soldier。。。　even　if　it　is　his　own　niece。〃
　Harada　said　nothing；　however；　a　faint　sneer　could　be　detected　under　the　trim　mustache。
　A　slight　tremor　in　his　voice；　Hully　said；　〃You　made　an　unscheduled；　unexpected　delivery　of　seafood　to　the　Niumalu…the　day　after　your　niece　was　murdered！　If　you　had　any　human　passion　or　decency；　you'd　know　how　suspicious；　how　wrong　that　would　seem　to　a　normal　person。〃
　〃You　murdered　Terry　Mizuha　at　the　hotel；　probably　in　his　room；〃　Burroughs　said；　〃tossed　him　in　your　pickup　truck；　like　another　swordfish；　and　hauled　him　to　the　beach。〃
　Hully　added；　〃Though　you　probably　picked　up　your　pal　Morimura　to　help　you　carry　him　down　that　rocky　slope　to　the　beach。〃
　Harada　smiled；　just　a　little；　then　looked　at　each　man；　one　at　a　time；　with　quiet　contempt。　〃You　will　try　to　prove　this；　how？〃
　Burroughs　shrugged。　〃Like　I　said；　it's　not　our　job　to　prove　it…that's　up　to　the　feds；　and　Detective　Jardine。　But　they're　a　little　busy　this　morning　。。。　so　I　thought　I'd　help　out。〃
　Burroughs　brought　his　hand　out　from　around　his　back　and　aimed　the　Lьger　at　the　grocer's　chest。
　〃What　is　this？〃　Harada　asked；　only　his　eyes　betraying　any　alarm。
　〃It's　what　we　Americans　call　a　citizen's　arrest。〃
　The　backroom　door　flew　open　and　suddenly　Morimura　was　at　Burroughs's　side；　pressing　the　nose　of　a　。38　revolver　into　the　writer's　neck。
　〃This　is　not　judo；〃　Morimura　said。　〃This　is　a　gun。〃
　The　slender；　handsome　spy　wore　golf　clothes…a　checkered　sweater　vest　over　a　white　shirt　and　knee　pants　with　high　checkered　socks；　well；　Kita　had　said　Morimura　had　a　golf　date；　this　morning。
　With　a　sigh；　Burroughs　set　the　little　Lьger　on　the　counter。　The　grocer　did　not　take　the　weapon；　rather　he　reached　under　the　counter　and　swung　out　a　sawed…off　shotgun。　Hully　and　his　father　exchanged　glances…this　was　not　going　quite　as　planned。
　〃I　hope　you'll　forgive　me　for　eavesdropping；〃　Morimura　said；　looking　a　little　ridiculous　in　the　golf　outfit；　though　not　enough　so　to　take　the　edge　off　the　weapon　he'd　stuck　in　the　writer's　neck。
　'Til　let　it　go　this　time；〃　Burroughs　said；　as　the　cold　steel　of　the　spy's　gun　dimpled　his　flesh。
　Morimura's　expression　was　smug　but　his　eyes　had　a
　wildness；　a　fear；　in　them。　〃You　should　write　detective　stories；　Mr。　Burroughs。　You　put　the　pieces　together　very　well。〃
　The　writer　looked　sideways　at　his　captor。　〃What　now；　Morimura？　You　don't　mind　if　I　don't　call　you　'Yoshikawa'…I'm　used　to　you　the　other　way。〃
　Morimura　offered　half　a　smile。　〃The　ineffectual；　buf…foonish　ladies'　man；　you　mean？　I　must　give　you　credit；　Mr。　Burroughs…you　never　did　accept　that　masquerade。〃
　〃By　any　yardstick；　buddy；　you're　no　diplomat。　You'll　face　the　firing　squad；　as　a　spy。〃
　The　half　smile　dissolved　into　a　full　scowl。　〃You're　facing　a　firing　squad　right　now；　Mr。　Burroughs…something　I　have　no　intention　of　doing。〃
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　Burroughs　did　his　best　to　show　no　fear；　and　he　wasn't　afraid　for　himself…but　his　son；　at　his　side；　that　was　something　again。　〃You　can't　just　kill　us。〃
　〃Really？〃　Morimura　laughed　softly。　〃Do　you　see　anyone　around　to　be　a　witness？　Mr。　Harada　and　I　will　be　on　the　tiny　island　of　Niihau；　by　nightfall；　and　a　few　days　later；　a　submarine　will　take　us　to　。。。　friendlier　waters。〃
　Burroughs　locked　eyes　with　the　spy。　〃Did　you　know；　Morimura？　Did　you　know　today　was　the　day？〃
　The　spy　smirked；　shaking　his　head。　〃I　suspected…　all　signs　indicated　that　was　the　case。。。　but　it　might　have　been　next　week；　or　the　next。　What　was　the　difference；　with　your　military　so　obsessed　with　fighting　fifth　columnists；　and　ignoring　the　real　threat？〃
　Hully　was　looking　at　the　little　grocer；　the　big　hollow　eyes　of　the　man's　shotgun　looking　back　at　him。　〃How　could　you　do　it？　How　could　you　kill　your　own　niece？〃
　Harada's　features　were　impassive；　even　proud。　〃She　was　a　traitor。〃