mac.thepearlharbormurders-第27部分

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r　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　。。。　the　creator　of　Tarzan？〃
　The　admiral　thanked　both　men　for　their　diligence；　and　returned　to　the　terrace　and　the　single　cocktail　he　was　conservatively　making　last　all　evening。
　Soon　the　writer　and　the　FBI　man　were　back　at　the　Niumalu；　in　their　respective　bungalows；　when　he　took　his　leave；　Sterling　seemed　weary　and　defeated。　Burroughs　felt　about　the　same；　but　was　relieved　and　even　energized　to　find　Hully　at　home。　They　had　pany：　Hully　had　hauled　his　inebriated　and　somewhat　battered　friend；　Bill　Fielder；　to　sleep　it　off；　which　he　was　doing；　on　a　pallet　on　the　floor。
　Father　and　son　sat　on　the　couch　and　exchanged　their　tales　of　the　evening's　investigations；　each　surprising；　occasionally　delighting；　the　other　with　revelations　and　adventures。
　But　finally　it　was　left　to　Hully　to　ask；　〃What　does　it　all　add　up　to；　O。　B。？〃　。
　His　father　shrugged。　〃Harry　Kamana　is　innocent…　and　so；　most　likely；　are　Bill　and　Stanton　and　the　other　'jealous　lovers。'　Pearl　Harada　was　killed　for　a　classic　motive：　she　knew　too　much。〃
　〃But　what　did　she　know；　Dad？〃
　〃I　can't　tell　you；　Son…and　neither　can　Pearl。〃
　Hully　sighed。　〃I　guess　our　investigation　is　over。〃
　〃Ours　is…but　when　Sterling　and　Jardine　get　together　with　Colonel　Fielder　of　Army　intelligence；　Morimura　and　Kuhn　won't　stand　a　chance。〃
　〃And　when　does　this　happen？〃
　〃Monday。〃
　〃Monday。〃　Hully　stretched；　yawned。　〃I　guess　it　can　wait　that　long。〃
　And…with　Bill　snoring　on　his　pallet　on　the　floor…　Hully　folded　out　the　couch　into　a　bed；　while　his　father　trundled　off　in　hopes　of　a　good　night's　sleep；　minus　any　nightmares　or　other　rude　awakenings。
　THREE：
　December　7；　1941
　
　THIRTEEN
　War　Games
　
　After　the　midnight　closing　of　the　Navy's　new　Bloch　Recreation　Center…where　the　Arizona's　dance　band　had　e　in　second　to　the　Pennsylvania；　a　much…contested　decision…and　with　the　dimming　of　the　clubs　and　bars　of　the　city；　garish　Hotel　Street　included；　the　blush　in　the　sky　over　Honolulu　began　to　fade；　until　the　heavens　again　belonged　to　the　stars。　Oahu　itself　seemed　to　slumber；　with　only　the　slowly　turning　hands　of　the　Aloha　Tower's　quartet　of　clock　faces　to　mark　the　passing　of　another　tropical　night。
　By　three　a。m。；　the　darkness　was　broken　chiefly　by　stoplights　pulsing　red；　and　mute；　deserted　streets　twinkling　with　Christmas　lights。　A　few　pleasure　palaces　in　Chinatown　ignored　the　curfew；　their　entryways　scarlet　with　the　neon　promise　of　sin；　beckoning　foolish　tourists　and　fearless　servicemen。　And　offshore；　to　the　west；　at　the　entrance　to　Pearl　Harbor；　red　and　green　buoy　lights　winked　in　the　dark；　as　if　they　and　the　night　shared　a　secret。
　In　these　deceptively　peaceful　hours　before　dawn；　out　in　the　blackness　beyond　the　reef；　destiny　was　bearing　down　upon　Oahu。　Three　hundred　miles　north　of　Honolulu；　an　armada　charged　through　heavy　seas　at　a　clip　of　twenty　knots…destroyers　and　cruisers；　battleships　and　aircraft　carriers；　bombers　and　torpedo　planes…　while；　much　closer　to　Oahu；　a　small　fleet　of　submarines　already　had　the　island　surrounded；　and　five　midget　submarines