mac.thepearlharbormurders-第29部分

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　right　hand。　The　place　was　a　mess；　almost　as　if　it　had　been　searched；　but　that　wasn't　exactly　the　case。
　The　FBI　agent；　who　might　have　been　a　tourist　in　his　aloha　shirt　and　chinos；　looked　at　them　and　said；　〃Kuhn　and　his　wife　cleared　out；　sometime　during　the　night。〃
　Hands　on　his　hips；　O。　B。　snorted　a　laugh　and　asked；　〃Where　the　hell　do　they　think　they're　gonna　hide；　on　this　island？〃
　Sterling　stuck　the　gun　in　his　waistband；　shrugging。　〃Maybe　with　Jap　sympathizers。　Maybe　they　think　that　fifth　column　is　going　to　rise　up；　or　maybe　an　invasion　is　going　to　follow　this　goddamn　air　raid；　and　they're　hiding　till　the　oute。〃　Swallowing　thickly；　Sterling　shook　his　head　and　his　eyes　locked　with　O。　B。's。　〃Jesus；　Ed…did　we　have　to　be　right？〃
　Explosions；　muffled；　underscored　the　agent's　statement。
　'This　is　it；〃　O。　B。　said　through　clenched　teeth。　〃This　is　the　attack。　But　my　question　is…is　this　what　Pearl　Harada　knew？〃
　Sterling　shook　his　head。　〃No…but　close。　Last　night；　after　you　and　I　struck　out　with　General　Short　and　Admiral　Kimmel。　。。　and　what　a　morning　I　bet　they're　having　。。。　I　couldn't　sleep。　So　I　went　over　to　the　dining　room；　where　the　Harbor　Lights　were　dragging　their　be…hinds　through　a　performance　。。。　two　of　their　members　murdered；　what　a　damn　pall　that　cast。〃
　〃I　can　imagine；〃　Hully　said。
　〃Yeah；〃　O。　B。　said　to　the　FBI　agent；　〃but　what　the　hell　does　that…〃
　Nodding；　the　FBI　man　picked　up　his　train　of　thought。　〃I　talked　to　a　young　man　in　the　band　who；　as　it　turns　out；　was　。。。　secretly。。。　Terry　Mizuha's　other　best　friend。〃　He　grunted　a　humorless　laugh。　〃Hell；　why　mince　words　at　a　time　like　this？　Terry　Mizuha's　boyfriend…his　lover。〃
　O。　B。's　eyes　narrowed　to　slits。　〃What　did　this　'lover'　tell　you？〃
　Distant　explosions　continued　to　accentuate　the　FBI　agent's　words。
　'Terry　had　confided　in　him；　Ed…just　like　Pearl　had　confided　in　Terry。　Nonspies　aren't　much　at　keeping　secrets；　you　know。　Seems　our　esteemed　Japanese　vice　consul；　Tadashi　Morimura；　is　not　a　diplomat　at　all…
　he's　a　spy　named　Takeo　Yoshikawa。　A　top　espionage　agent。。。　So　much　for　'legal'　spying。〃
　O。　B。　and　Hully　exchanged　glances；　then　O。　B。　asked；　〃Is　that　an　act　of　war？　Having　a　spy　pose　as　a　diplomat？〃
　Sterling　barked　a　hollow　laugh。　〃Kind　of　a　moot　point　right　now；　don't　you　think？〃
　And　an　especially　loud　explosion　seemed　to　agree。
　The　FBI　agent　gestured　to　a　telephone　on　a　small　table。　〃Listen；　the　hotel　phones　are　out。　Maybe　some　Jap　plane　snagged　the　phone　lines。　So　I　can't　call　the　office；　and　anyway　it's　just　a　skeleton　crew　over　there；　and　I　can't　contact　anybody　at　home；　obviously。　I'm　on　my　own…you　and　Hully　want　to　help？〃
　Hully　was　nodding；　emphatically；　as　O。　B。　said；　〃Sure…how？〃
　Sterling's　smile　had　a　sneer　in　it。　〃I　want　to　get　over　to　that　Japanese　embassy　and　arrest　that　son　of　a　bitch；　Morimura/Yoshikawa；　plus　I　want　to　take　all　those　other　Nips　into　custody；　right　down　to　General　Counsul　Kita。。。。You　got　a　gun；　Ed？〃
　O。　B。　nodded。　〃I　still　have　Otto's　Lьger…in　the　bungalow。〃
　〃Get　it。　That　is；　if　you　want　to　help　out。〃
　〃Oh；　I　want　to　help。〃　Eyes　so　tight　they　seemed　to　be　shut；　O。　B。　stood　almost　nose　to　nose　with　the　FBI　agent　（or　would　have　if　Sterling　hadn't　been　so　much　taller）　and　said；　〃Listen；　Adam…Pearl　knew　more　than　just　Morimura's　last　name；　I'm　sure　of　it　That　bastard　Morimura　or　Yoshi…something　knew　about　this　attack。　This　invasion　got　Pearl　killed；　and　that　Terry　fella　as　well…they're　the　first　casualties　of　this　new　war。　Well；　the　Army　and　Navy　have　their　hands　full　right　now…　you　bet　we'll　be　glad　to　help　the　FBI　get　that　bastard。〃
　Sterling　and　Hully　tagged　along　as　O。　B。　headed　back　to　the　bungalow　to　get　the　German's　gun。　As　they　approached；　Bill　Fielder…in　his　bare　feet；　his　green　sportshirt　unbuttoned；　zipping　his　chinos…came　tumbling　out；　bumping　into　Hully。
　The　young　ensign's　face　was　unshaven；　his　eyes　red；　his　dark　hair　sticking　out　here　and　there　with　sleep…induced　cowlicks。
　〃Christ；　have　you　heard？〃　Bill　asked。
　With　bombs　bursting　in　air…just　like　〃The　Star　Spangled　Banner〃…this　was　a　fairly　absurd　question。
　〃It's　no　drill；〃　O。　B。　said。
　〃I　gotta　get　to　the　Arizona；〃　Bill　said　desperately；　wheeling　from　Hully　to　O。　B。　to　Sterling。　〃You　gotta　drive　me　there！　I　gotta　get　in　this！　I　gotta　help！〃
　〃Keys　to　the　Pierce　Arrow　are　on　the　coffee　table；〃　O。　B。　said；　pointing　to　the　nearby　screen　door。　'Take　it…try　not　to　get　my　buggy　shot　the　hell　up。。。　or　yourself。〃
　〃Thank　you；　thank　you；〃　Bill　murmured；　and　ran　back　inside　the　Burroughs　cottage。
　Sterling　paused　for　just　a　moment；　watching　Bill　through　the　screen；　and　Hully　was　surprised　to　see　that　the　FBI　agent…this　strong…jawed　six…foot…two　Tarzan　type…had　tears　welling。
　〃The　men　on　those　ships　getting　bombed；〃　he　said　softly；　voice　catching；　〃they're　all　boys　like　that…average　damn　age　is　nineteen。〃
　O。　B。　whispered；　〃Dying　out　there；　right　now。〃
　Then　Bill；　clutching　the　car　keys；　came　streaking　past　them；　flashing　a　nod　of　thanks　and　a　grimace　of　a　smile。
　Burroughs　went　in　and　retrieved　the　Lьger；　and　followed　after　as　the　FBI　man　dashed　toward　the　crushed…coral　parking　lot　where　the　Ford　waited；　Hully　right　there　at　his　father's　side。
　〃Didn't　miss　the　fire　this　time；　Dad；〃　he　said。
　〃Wish　to　hell　I　had；〃　O。　B。　said。
　There　were　tears　in　his　father's　eyes；　as　well；　but…　as　was　the　case　with　the　FBI　man…Edgar　Rice　Burroughs's　jaw　was　firmly　set。
　
　
　FOURTEEN
　Under　Fire
　
　At　the　same　time　as　Edgar　Rice　Burroughs　and　his　son　Hulbert　were　sitting　down　for　breakfast　at　the　Niumalu；　two　barefoot　young　fishermen　were　settling　in　on　the　enlisted　men's　landing　at　Pearl　City。　Sitting　on　the　pier　in　only　their　khaki　trousers；　having　yanked　their　T…shirts　off　（once　they'd　slipped　out　of　their　mother's　sight）；　the　Morton　boys…Don；　eleven；　and　Jerry；　thirteen…did　not　brandish　poles：　instead；　they　unfurled　a　simple　ball　of　string　out　into　the　water。
　The　boys　were　old　hands　at　this；　though　they　were　resigned　to　slim　pickings；　even　if　on　occasion　they　had　managed　to　snag　a　hapless　perch；　and　while　the　morning's　fishing　would　certainly　be　on　the　dull　side；　Don　and　Jerry　would　no　doubt　be　entertained　by　the　harbor's　always　interesting　parade　of　ships　and　sailors；　planes　and　pilots。。。。
　Puffs　of　wind　gently　stirred　the　glassy　surface　of　the　water；　and　the　sun　peeked　from　behind　cotton…candy　clouds；　promising　a　hot；　lazy　day…a　typical　Sunday　for　the　two　boys；　although　the　fish　did　seem　to　be　biting；　for　a　change。
　Seeking　more　bait；　Don　scrambled　up　to　their　house；　only　two　hundred　yards　from　the　landing；　while　Jerry　lounged　in　the　golden　sunlight；　squinting　as　he　took　in　a　view　any　kid　might　relish；　the　ships　of　the　Pacific　Fleet　strewn　before　him　like　so　many　toys　in　his　tub。　Groupings　of　destroyers　convened　about　their　tenders；　to　the　north　and　east；　and　cruisers　faced　into　the　Navy　Yard　piers；　at　the　southeast。　Farther　south　lay　the　cruiser　Helena；　and…in　dry　dock　with　two　destroyers…　the　battleship　Pennsylvania。　To　the　west　were　more　destroyers；　in　and　out　of　dry　dock。
　Lording　over　it　all；　in　the　middle　of　the　harbor；　sat　Ford　Island；　where　even　now　the　boys'　stepfather　was　on　duty　at　the　seaplane　hangars。　Patrol　planes　and　carriers　were　stationed　there；　carriers　moored　on　the　northwest　side；　battleships　on　the　southeast。　Only　today；　Jerry　noted；　the　carriers　were　all　out　at　sea。
　But　there　was　still　plenty　for　a　kid　to　look　at…the　Utah；　a　battleship　turned　target　ship；　the　seaplane　tenders　Swan　and　Tangier；　the　mine　layer　Ogala；　cruisers　like　the　Raleigh；　Helena　and　Detroit；　the　old　gunboat　Sacramento　with　its　thin；　old…fashioned　smokestack；　and…on　the　far　side　of　Ford　Island…an　exciting　lineup　of　funnels　and　masts；　the　〃trees〃　of　Battleship　Row；　the　Arizona；　California；　Maryland；　Nevada；　Oklahoma；　Tennessee；　and　West　Virginia。　What　other　kid's　bathtub　armada　could　pare　to　that？
　Still；　all　of　this　was　old　news　to　Jerry；　who　was　glad　the　fish　were　biting。　Otherwise；　this　had　the　makings　of　another　really　dull　Sunday…that　must　have　been　why　somebody　was　playing　with　firecrackers；　off　in　the　distance　someplace。
　Twenty　miles　east　of　where　Jerry　and　Don　were　fishing；　on　the　windward　coast　of　the　island；　Japanese　fighter　planes　and　dive…bombers　were　swooping　down　on　Kaneohe　Naval　Air　Station。
　One　moment　all　was　quiet；　the　next　men　were　running　after　guns　and　ammunition；　shouting；　cursing；　as　the　enemy　planes　made　scrap　metal　out　of　the　big　PBY　patrol　planes　at　the　station；　moored　to　buoys　in　the　bay　and　sitting　unmanned　on　ramps。
　Thirty…three　Army　planes　were　either　damaged　or　destroyed。
　All　were　in　flames。
　Don　Morton　was　halfway　down　to　the　pier　from　the　house；　bringing　more　bait；　when　an　explosion　pitched　him　onto　his　face。　The　eleven…year…old　covered　his　ears；　his　head；　as　three　more　blasts　rocked　the　world　over　and　around　him。
　Then；　scared　spitless；　he　scurried　back　up　the　slope　and　ran　inside　the　house；　just　as　his　mother　was　ing　out；　her　face　white；　her　eyes　wide。
　Standing　there　in　the　doorway；　she　leaned　down；　putting　her　hands　on　his　shoulders。　〃Go　down　and　fetch　your　brother…now！　Hurry！〃
　Don　did　as　he　was　told；　even　as　planes　were　gliding　by　overhead；　housetop　l