mac.thepearlharbormurders-第9章

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topped　him。
　The　man　was　weeping。
　
　
　FIVE
　Sad　Song
　
　After　the　luau　wound　down；　Hully　Burroughs　had　been　in　no　mood　to　join　his　sailor　friends　Bill　Fielder　and　Dan　Pressman　in　any　Hotel　Street　excursions。　Bill　had　been　rather　on　the　morose　side…he'd　learned　about　Colonel　Fielder's　displeased　reaction　at　seeing　his　son　and　the　Japanese　songstress　on　the　dance　floor；　and　Pearl　herself　had　begged　off　any　after…hours　date；　pleading　fatigue　from　her　night　on　the　bandstand。
　This　meant　Bill　would　get　plastered；　while　Dan　would　be　on　the　prowl　for　dames；　and　in　that　part　of　town；　the　likely　candidates　served　up　love　for　a　fee。　Hully　was　interested　in　acpanying　neither　a　drunk　nor　a　tomcat；　and　instead　headed　to　the　Royal　Hawaiian；　where　Harry　Owens's　orchestra　was　playing。　Nobody　pulled　off　that　hapa　haole　sound　better；　and　Hully's　odds　of　meeting　a　nice　young　female…a　tourist　maybe；　as　the　absent；　much…missed　Marjorie　Petty　had　been…were　far　better　than　down　at　sleazy　Hotel　Street。
　He'd　gotten　very　lucky…not　in　the　way　the　sailors　on　Hotel　Street　did；　either。　He　danced　several　slow　tunes　with　a　pretty　brunette　named　Marion　Thrasher；　a　local　girl　in　her　early　twenties　out　celebrating　a　friend's　birthday。　She　was　down…to…earth　and　friendly；　so　different　from　the　girls　in　California；　all　of　whom　seemed　to　be　aspiring　actresses　（expecting　Hully　to　land　them　a　part　in　a　Tarzan　picture！）。　All　he'd　〃scored〃　were　a　few　lovely　if　tentative　smiles；　some　conversation　and　a　phone　number。。。　but　he　was　walking　on　air。
　Or　rather　driving　on　air；　in　his　father's　Pierce　Arrow　convertible；　one　hand　on　the　wheel；　elbow　resting　on　the　rolled…down　window；　enjoying　the　way　the　stirred…up；　sweetly　scented　breeze　raffled　his　hair。　He　loved　this　little　low…rise　city　of　Honolulu；　which　hid　shyly　under　banyans　and　flowering　shrubs；　palm　trees　towering　over　telephone　poles。
　Waikiki　itself　was　a　bohemian　village；　increasingly　given　over　to　hotels　and　inns；　but　still　with　room　for　clapboard　houses；　fisherman's　shacks；　picket　fences　and　vacant　lots。　On　an　evening　like　this…well；　early　morning；　as　it　was　approaching　one　a。m。…the　sounds　were　unbelievably　romantic；　the　music　of　strolling　troubadours　mingling　with　the　benign　roar　of　surf。
　As　he　pulled　into　the　moonlight…washed　Niumalu　parking　lot；　the　revelry　of　the　luau　was　long　over；　the　staff's　cleanup　acplished；　with　a　few　lights　on　in　the　lodge　itself；　but　most　of　the　bungalows…peeking　from　between　palms…dark。　He　parked；　headed　down　a　crashed　coral　path　toward　the　Burroughs　bungalow；　whistling　〃Sweet　Leilani；〃　jingling　change　and　keys　in　his　khaki　pockets。
　That　was　when　he　heard；　ing　from　the　beach；　a　man's　voice…his　father's　voice；　he　could　have　sworn…　shouting　〃You！　Don't　move！〃
　The　shout　conveyed　an　urgency；　and　a　sense　of　menace；　that　sent　Hully　running　down　the　path；　and　cutting　through　the　hedges；　toward　the　sandy　shore。
　By　the　time　he　got　there；　it　was　over：　his　father　had　apprehended　（there　could　be　no　other　word）　the　individual；　who　proved　to　be　bandleader　Harry　Kamana。　A　bare…chested　O。　B。　was　hauling　the　aloha…shirt…sporting　musician…who　was　blubbering　like　a　baby…toward　their　bungalow。
　Hully　slowed　and；　approaching　his　father；　was　about　to　ask　him　what　had　happened　when　he　noticed　the　twisted　form　of　the　girl；　down　a　ways　on　the　beach。
　For　a　moment；　he　covered　his　mouth；　in　shock　and　horror；　then　Hully　managed；　〃Is　that。。。　？〃
　〃It's　the　Japanese　girl；〃　his　father　affirmed。　〃Pearl　Harada。　Head　crashed　with　a　rock…I　caught　this　son　of　a　bitch　red…handed。〃
　Literally：　the　musician's　right　hand　was　damply　red　with　blood。
　〃I'm　going　to　take　Harry　here　to　our　bungalow；〃　O。　B。　said；　holding　on　to　the　slumping；　bawling　musician；　〃and　call　the　cops。　You　go　alert　Fred　at　the　lodge；　and　have　him　post　somebody　at　the　crime　scene；　so　that　the　body　isn't　disturbed。〃
　Had　the　situation　not　been　so　loathsome；　Hully　might　have　laughed。　〃I'll　be　damned；　Dad；〃　he　said。　〃You　really　were　a　cop。〃
　Burroughs　nodded；　and　dragged　Kamana　off。
　Hully　went　to　the　lodge　and　woke　the　manager；　filling　him　in　as　they　walked　to　the　beach；　where　the　younger　Burroughs　got　his　first　close；　grisly　look　at　the　beautiful　dead　woman　with　the　ugly　head　wound；　bathed　in　gold　by　an　obscenely　beautiful　Hawaiian　moon。
　Manager　Fred　Bivens…who　was　in　his　pajama　top　and　some　trousers　he'd　thrown　on；　a　heavyset　genial　fellow　in　his　forties…turned　away；　aghast。
　The　tide　sweeping　onto　the　shore　had　a　distant　sound；　despite　its　closeness；　like　the　hoarse　echo　of　a　scream。　The　ocean　stretched　purple　to　the　horizon；　glimmering　with　gold；　almost　as　lovely　as　this　girl　had　been。
　〃Are　you　all　right；　Fred？〃　Hully　asked；　touching　the　man's　arm。
　〃What　a　hell　of　a　thing；〃　Fred　whispered。　〃What　a　hell　of　a　thing。。。　She　was　a　sweet　kid。　Flirty；　but　sweet…and　so　talented。。。　What　a　goddamn　shame。〃
　Hully　understood　and　shared　all　these　sentiments；　and　was　not　surprised　by　the　tears　in　Fred's　eyes。
　〃Can　you　stay　here　with　her；　Fred？　Till　the　police　e？　Dad's　calling　them。〃
　Fred　ran　a　hand　through　his　thinning　brown　hair；　shaking　his　head；　as　if　saying　no；　as　he　said；　〃Sure。。。　sure。　Poor　sweet　kid。。。〃
　〃We　need　to　keep　everybody　away。　Dad　says　this　is　a。。。　crime　scene；　now。　So　you　need　to　keep　your　distance；　too；　Fred…don't　touch　her　or　anything。〃
　〃Don't　worry。〃
　Moments　later；　Hully　joined　his　father　in　the　bungalow。　The　whimpering　musician　was　seated　on　O。　B。's　typing　chair；　which　had　been　situated　in　the　middle　of　the　sitting　room。　Kamana　sat　there；　slumped；　chin　on　his　chest；　one　hand　on　a　knee；　the　other　hand…the　bloody　one…held　out；　palm　up；　as　if　he　were　trying　to　weigh　something。
　O。　B。…who　had　thrown　on　an　aloha　shirt　and　some　chinos　but　whose　feet　were　bare…stood　with　his　muscular　arms　folded；　staring　at　the　musician　like　a　scornful　genie。
　〃Fred's　standing　watch；〃　Hully　said。
　〃Good。〃
　〃When　will　the　police　get　here？〃
　〃Soon。　I　got　lucky。〃
　〃How　so？〃
　〃Have　you　met　my　friend　Jardine？〃
　Hully　shook　his　head。　〃Don't　believe　so。〃
　〃He's　a　Portuguese…the　best　homicide　detective　on　the　island…works　out　of　City　Hall；　not　the　police　station。　Officially　he's　a　detective　on　the　Honolulu　PD；　but　he　operates　strictly　out　of　the　prosecutor's　office；　principally　on　murder　cases。〃
　〃That's　a　good　thing？〃
　Burroughs　came　over　to　his　son；　turning　his　back　to　the　seated；　moaning　musician；　and　whispered；　〃Local　PD　is　so　corrupt；　it　makes　the　LAPD　look　squeaky…clean。〃
　〃Jeez。〃
　〃Jardine's　straight　as　an　arrow。　Luckily　he　was　in；　at　this　hour。〃
　〃Why　was　he？〃
　A　tiny　half　smile　crinkled　O。　B。's　bronzed　face。　〃When　he　isn't　working　a　murder　case；　he　makes　a　habit　on　weekend　nights　of　standing　at　the　corner　of　Hotel　and　Bishop；　giving　the　soldiers　and　sailors　the　evil　eye。　He's　known　around　there　as　a　hard…nosed　cop；　so　standing　guard　like　that；　looking　at　passersby　like　。　they're　all　suspects；　well　it's　his　idea　of　crime　prevention。。。。1　caught　him　at　his　desk　just　before　he　was　heading　home。〃
　Hully　figured　this　Jardine　had　probably　given　his　friends　Fielder　and　Pressman　the　〃evil　eye〃　tonight…　and　many　nights。
　〃I　want　to　wash　my　hands！〃
　Hully　and　his　father　turned　toward　the　musician；　who　had　finally　stopped　sobbing　and　spoken…actually；　more　like　yelled。
　O。　B。　went　over　to　the　man…who　was　holding　the　blood…streaked　hand　out；　staring　at　it…and　sneered　down　at　him。　〃I　just　bet　you'd　like　to　wash　your　hands　of　this。〃
　The　slight；　pockmarked；　roughly　handsome　Kamana　looked　up；　as　if　startled；　as　if　realizing　for　the　first　time　just　what　he　was　being　accused　of…even　though　he'd　already　run　guiltily　away。　〃I　didn't　do　this。〃
　〃You　didn't；　huh；〃　Burroughs　said。　It　wasn't　really　a　question。
　Kamana's　eyes　were　about　as　red　as　the　bloody　hand。　〃I　loved　her。。。。1　loved　her　more　than　life！〃
　〃More　than　her　life？〃
　〃I　didn't　kill　her！〃　Though　he'd　stopped　crying；　he　nonetheless　seemed　on　the　verge　of　hysteria。　〃I'd　sooner　kill　myself！〃
　O。　B。　grunted　a　humorless　laugh。　〃Maybe　you'd　better　save　it　for　the　cops。〃
　But　Kamana　wanted　to　talk；　and　the　words　tumbled　out　of　him…how　two　years　ago　Pearl　Harada；　who　had　been　visiting　relatives　in　Honolulu；　auditioned　for　his　band；　on　an　impulse。　When　Kamana　told　her　she　had　the　job；　Pearl　had　moved　from　San　Francisco　to　Oahu。
　〃I　knew　she　was　something　special。。。。　It　was　more　than　just　her　looks；　or　that　nice　voice　of　hers。。。　so　much　like　Dinah　Shore　。。。　she　had　star　quality。　She　could　have　gone　places。　We　might　have　gone　places！〃
　Hully　knew　what　the　man　was　doing：　Kamana　was　talking　about　her　because　it　was　a　way　of　keeping　her　alive。　Though　it　seemed　obvious　he'd　killed　her；　this　man　just　as　obviously　was　deeply　sorry　she　was　dead。
　O。　B。　didn't　seem　terribly　moved　by　any　of　this。　〃So　you　might　have　'gone　places'　。。。　and　that　makes　you　innocent　of　her　murder？　As　in；　why　would　you　kill　your　meal　ticket？〃
　Kamana　was　shaking　his　head；　and　he　seemed　desperate　to　be　believed。　〃She　was　more　than　that　to　me　。。。　so　much　more。　I　didn't　date　her　at　first。。。　I　tried　to　keep　things。。。　businesslike。　But　we　hit　it　off　so　well；　musically；　it　was　just　natural　for　us　to　get　together；　in　other　ways。。。。　I　wanted　her　to　marry　me。　But　she　wouldn't。　She　said　her　career　came　first；　and　she　didn't　want　to　settle　down　anyway　。。。　and　she　dated　a　lot　of　guys；　mostly　servicemen　who　followed　the　band。　Then　this　Fielder　came　along　。。。　and　she　got　serious　with　him　。。。　said　she　was　going　to　marry　him　。。。　quit　the　band。。。　quit　show　business　。。。　quit　me。〃
　Hully　asked；　casually；　〃So　you　argued？　Tonight？〃
　〃We've　argued　several　times　about　it；〃　Kamana　said。　Talking　seemed　to　calm　him。　〃But　not　tonight。　I。。。　I　accepted　it　and。。。　well；　I　was　hoping　it　would　just。。。　pass。　Anyway；　I　figured　in　the　long　run　it　was　just　a
　pipe　dream。。。。That　Fielder　kid；　his　colonel　papa　wouldn't　put　up　with　his　boy　marrying　a　Jap。　I　stopped　arguing　with　her…maybe　she　would　e　to　her　senses；　maybe　she　wouldn't；　but　that　Fielder　kid　would　。。。　or　at　least　his　father　would　make　him　e　to　his　senses。〃
　〃So；〃　Hully　said；　〃you　were　just。。。　chatting　tonight；　down　on　the　beach。〃
　Kamana　shook　his　head；　emphatically。　〃I　wasn't　talking　to　her　on　the　beach　。。。　not　at　all；　not　tonight！　I　heard　arguing　。。。　my　bungalow's　near　the　beach；　you　know　。。。　and　recognized　her　voice　。。。　heard　a　man's　voice；　but　it　was　soft；　I　didn't　recognize　it。　Then　I。。。　I　heard　her　scream；　and　I　ran　out　and　down　there。。。　and。。。〃
　He　began　to　weep　again；　instinctively　covering　his　face　with　his　hands…smearing　the　blood　all　over　himself。　Hully　glanced　at　O。　B。；　who　looked　back　with　wide　eyes。
　〃。。。　She　was　dead。。。。My　lovely　Pearl　was　dead。。。。　Somebody　killed　her。。。。All　crushed　in　。。。　I　tried　to　help　her；　and　got　her　blood　on　me。。。。〃
　His　pockmarked　face　was　streaked　with　blood；　now…　he　looked　like　an　Apache　with　war　paint。
　A　knock　at　the　door　made　them　jump；　even　O。　B。；　who　said　to　Hully；　〃Get　that。〃
　The　man　Hully　let　in　was　small　and　swarthy；　a　hawk…faced　obvious　plainclothes　cop　in　a　snap…brim　fedora；　rumpled　gray　suit　and　red　tie。　His　eyes　were　small　and　dark　and　needle…sharp。
　〃Hulbert　Burroughs；〃　Hully　said；　extending　his　hand　to　the　little　detective。
　〃John　Jardine；〃　he　replied；　and