〃Yes； they do；〃 Connor said。 〃By the way； can you tell me why there are so many cameras on the forty…sixth floor？〃
〃You didn't hear it from me；〃 Phillips said。 〃But you know how they like efficiency。 The word is； they are going to kaizen the office workers。〃
〃So basically these cameras have been installed to observe workers during the day； and help them improve their efficiency？〃
〃That's what I heard。〃
〃Well； I think that's it；〃 Connor said。 〃Oh； one more question。 Do you have an address for Ted Cole？〃
Phillips shook his head。 〃No； I don't。〃
〃Have you ever been out with him； socialized with him？〃
〃I have； but not much。 He's an odd guy。〃
〃Ever been to his apartment？〃
〃No。 He's kind of secretive。 I think he lives with his mother or something。 We usually go to this bar； the Palomino； over by the airport。 He likes it there。〃
Connor nodded。 〃And one last question： where is the nearest pay phone？〃
〃Out in the lobby； and around to your right； by the restrooms。 But you're wele to use the phone here。〃
Connor shook the guard's hand warmly。 〃Mr。 Phillips； I appreciate your taking the time to talk to us。〃
〃No problem。〃
I gave the guard my card。 〃If you think of anything later that could help us； Mr。 Phillips； don't hesitate to call me。〃 And I left。
？
Connor stood at the pay phone in the lobby。 It was one of those new standing booths that has two receivers； one on either side； allowing two people to talk on the same line at once。 These booths had been installed in Tokyo years ago； and now were starting to show up all over Los Angeles。 Of course； Pacific Bell no longer was the principal provider of American public pay phones。 Japanese manufacturers had penetrated that market； too。 I watched Connor write down the phone number in his notebook。
〃What are you doing？〃
〃We have two separate questions to answer tonight。 One is how the girl came to be killed on an office floor。 But we also need to find out who placed the original call； notifying us of the murder。〃
〃And you think the call might have been placed from this phone？〃
〃Possibly。〃
He closed his notebook； and glanced at his watch。 〃It's late。 We better get going。〃
〃I think we're making a big mistake here。〃
〃Why is that？〃 Connor asked。
〃I don't know if we should leave the tapes in that security room。 What if somebody switches them while we're gone？〃
〃They've already been switched；〃 Connor said。
〃How do you know？〃
〃I gave up a perfectly good pen to find out；〃 he said。 〃Now e on。〃 He started walking toward the stairs leading down to the garage。 I followed him。
〃You see；〃 Connor said； 〃when Phillips first explained that simple system of rotation； it was immediately clear to me that there might have been a switch。 The question was how to prove it。〃
His voice echoed in the concrete stairwell。 Connor continued down； taking the steps two at a time。 I hurried to keep up。
Connor said； 〃If somebody switched the tapes； how would they go about it？ They would be working hastily； under pressure。 They'd be terrified of making a mistake。 They certainly wouldn't want to leave any incriminating tapes behind。 So probably they'd switch an entire set； and replace it。 But replace it with what？ They can't just put in the next set。 Since there are only nine sets of tapes all together； it would be too easy for someone to notice that one set was missing； and the total was now eight。 There would be an obvious empty drawer。 No； they would have to replace the set they were taking away with an entirely new set。 Twenty brand…new tapes。 And that meant I ought to check the trash。〃
〃That's why you threw your pen away？〃
〃Yes。 I didn't want Phillips to know what I was doing。〃
〃And？〃
〃The trash was full of crumpled plastic wrappers。 The kind that new videotapes e wrapped in。〃
〃I see。〃
〃Once I knew the tapes had been replaced； the only remaining question was； which set？ So I played dumb； and looked in all the drawers。 You probably noticed that set C； the set Phillips removed when he came on duty； had slightly whiter labels than the other sets。 It was subtle； because the office has only been active two months； but you could tell。〃
〃I see。〃 Somebody had e into the security room； taken out twenty fresh tapes； unwrapped them； written new labels； and popped them into the video machines； replacing the original tapes that had recorded the murder。
I said； 〃If you ask me； Phillips knows more about this than he was telling us。〃
〃Maybe；〃 Connor said； 〃but we have more important things to do。 Anyway； there's a limit to what he knows。 The murder was phoned in about eight…thirty。 Phillips arrived at quarter to nine。 So he never saw the murder。 We can assume the previous guard； Cole； did。 But by a quarter of nine； Cole was gone； and an unknown Japanese man was in the security room； closing up a briefcase。〃
〃You think he's the one who switched the tapes？〃
Connor nodded。 〃Very possibly。 In fact； I wouldn't be surprised if this man was the killer himself。 I hope to find that out at Miss Austin's apartment。〃 He threw open the door； and we went into the garage。
？
A line of party guests waited for valets to bring their cars。 I saw Ishiguro chatting up Mayor Thomas and his wife。 Connor steered me toward them。 Standing alongside the mayor； Ishiguro was so cordial he was almost obsequious。 He gave us a big smile。 〃Ah； gentlemen。 Is your investigation proceeding satisfactorily？ Is there anything more I can do to help？〃
I didn't get really angry until that moment： until I saw the way he toadied up in front of the mayor。 It made me so mad I began to turn red。 But Connor took it in stride。
〃Thank you； Ishiguro…san；〃 he said； with a slight bow。 〃The investigation is going well。〃
〃You're receiving all the help you requested？〃 Ishiguro said。
〃Oh； yes；〃 Connor said。 〃Everyone has been very cooperative。〃
〃Good； good。 I'm glad。〃 Ishiguro glanced at the mayor； and smiled at him； too。 He was all smiles； it seemed。
〃But；〃 Connor said； 〃there is just one thing。〃
〃Just name it。 If there is anything we can do 。 。 。〃
〃The security tapes seem to have been removed。〃
〃Security tapes？〃 Ishiguro frowned； clearly caught off guard。
〃Yes；〃 Connor said。 〃Recordings from the security cameras。〃
〃I don't know anything about that；〃 Ishiguro said。 〃But let me assure you； if any tapes exist； they are yours to examine。〃
〃Thank you；〃 Connor said。 〃Unfortunately； it seems the crucial tapes have been removed from the Nakamoto security office。〃
〃Removed？ Gentlemen； I believe there must be some mistake。〃
The mayor was watching this exchange closely。
Connor said； 〃Perhaps； but I don't think so。 It would be reassuring； Mr。 Ishiguro； if you were to look into this matter yourself。〃
〃I certainly will；〃 Ishiguro said。 〃But I must say again。 I can't imagine； Captain Connor； that any tapes are missing。〃
〃Thank you for checking； Mr。 Ishiguro；〃 Connor said。
〃Not at all； Captain；〃 he said； still smiling。 〃It is my pleasure to assist you in whatever way I can。〃
〃The son of a bitch；〃 I said。 We were driving west on the Santa Monica freeway。 〃The little prick looked us right in the eye and lied。〃
〃It's annoying；〃 Connor said。 〃But you see； Ishiguro takes a different view。 Now that he is beside the mayor； he sees himself in another context； with another set of obligations and requirements for his behavior。 Since he is sensitive to context； he's able to act differently； with no reference to his earlier behavior。 To us； he seems like a different person。 But Ishiguro feels he's just being appropriate。〃
〃What burns me is he acted so confident。〃
〃Of course he did；〃 Connor said。 〃And he would be quite surprised to learn that you're angry with him。 You consider him immoral。 He considers you naive。 Because for a Japanese； consistent behavior is not possible。 A Japanese bees a different person around people of different rank。 He bees a different person when he moves through different rooms of his own house。〃
〃Yeah；〃 I said。 〃That's fine； but the fact is he's a lying son of a bitch。〃
Connor looked at me。 〃Would you talk that way to your mother？〃
〃Of course not。〃
〃So you change according to context； too；〃