ecause American panies like Hewlett…Packard and paq were dependent on Toshiba for puter parts。 They couldn't stand a boycott because they had no other source of supply。 The fact was； we couldn't afford to retaliate。 They could sell vital technology to our enemy； and there wasn't a damned thing we could do about it。 That's the problem。 We're now dependent on Japan … and I believe America shouldn't be dependent on any nation。〃
Somebody asked a question； and Morton nodded。 〃Yes； it's true that our industry is not doing well。 Real wages in this country are now at 1962 levels。 The purchasing power of American workers is back where it was thirty…odd years ago。 And that matters； even to the well…to…do folks that I see in this room； because it means American consumers don't have the money to see movies； or buy cars； or clothing； or whatever you people have to sell。 The truth is； our nation is sliding badly。〃
A woman asked another question I couldn't hear； and Morton said； 〃Yes； I said 1962 levels。 I know it's hard to believe； but think back to the fifties； when American workers could own a house； raise a family； and send the kids to college； all on a single paycheck。 Now both parents work and most people still can't afford a house。 The dollar buys less； everything is more expensive。 People struggle just to hold on to what they have。 They can't get ahead。〃
I found myself nodding as I listened。 About a month before； I had gone looking for a house； hoping to get a backyard for Michelle。 But housing prices were just impossible in L。A。 I was never going to be able to afford one； unless I remarried。 Maybe not even then； considering…
I felt a sharp jab in the ribs。 I turned around and saw the doorman。 He jerked his head toward the front door。 〃Back； fella。〃
I was angry。 I glanced at Connor； but he just quietly moved back to the entrance。
In the entryway； the doorman said； 〃I checked。 There's no Mr。 Sakamura here。〃
〃Mr。 Sakamura；〃 Connor said； 〃is the Japanese gentleman standing at the back of the room； to your right。 Talking to the redhead。〃
The doorman shook his head。 〃I'm sorry； fellas。 Unless you have a search warrant； I'll have to ask you to leave。〃
〃There isn't a problem here；〃 Connor said。 〃Mr。 Sakamura is a friend of mine。 I know he'd like to talk to me。〃
〃I'm sorry。 Do you have a search warrant？〃
〃No；〃 Connor said。
〃Then you're trespassing。 And I'm asking you to leave。〃
Connor just stood there。
The doorman stepped back and planted his feet wide。 He said； 〃I think you should know I'm a black belt。〃
〃Are you really？〃 Connor said。
〃So is Jeff；〃 the doorman said； as a second man appeared。
〃Jeff；〃 Connor said。 〃Are you the one who'll be driving your friend here to the hospital？〃
Jeff laughed meanly。 〃Hey。 You know； I like humor。 It's funny。 Okay； Mr。 Wise Guy。 You're in the wrong place。 You've had it explained。 Move out。 Now。〃 He poked Connor in the chest with a stubby finger。
Connor said quietly； 〃That's assault。〃
Jeff said； 〃Hey。 Fuck you； buddy。 I told you you're in the wrong place… 〃
Connor did something very fast； and Jeff was suddenly down on the floor； moaning in pain。 Jeff rolled away； ing to rest against a pair of black trousers。 Looking up； I saw that the man wearing the trousers was dressed entirely in black： black shirt； black tie； black satin jacket。 He had white hair and a dramatic Hollywood manner。 〃I'm Rod Dwyer。 This is my home。 What seems to be the problem？〃
Connor introduced us politely and showed his badge。 〃We're here on official business。 We asked to speak to one of your guests； Mr。 Sakamura； who is the man standing over there in the corner。〃
〃And this man？〃 Dwyer asked； pointing to Jeff； who was gasping and coughing on the floor。
Connor said calmly； 〃He assaulted me。〃
〃I didn't fucking assault him！〃 Jeff said； sitting up on his elbow； coughing。
Dwyer said； 〃Did you touch him？〃
Jeff was silent； glowering。
Dwyer turned back to us。 〃I'm sorry this happened。 These men are new。 I don't know what they were thinking of。 Can I get you a drink？〃
〃Thanks； we're on duty；〃 Connor said。
〃Let me ask Mr。 Sakamura to e over and talk to you。 Your name again？〃
〃Connor。〃
Dwyer walked away。 The first man helped Jeff to his feet。 As Jeff limped away； he muttered； 〃Fucking assholes。〃
I said； 〃Remember when police were respected？〃
But Connor was shaking his head； looking down at the floor。 〃I am very ashamed；〃 he said。
〃Why？〃
He wouldn't explain further。
〃Hey； John！ John Connor！ Hisashiburi dana！ Long time no see！ How they hanging； guy？ Hey！〃 He punched Connor in the shoulder。
Up close； Eddie Sakamura wasn't so handsome。 His plexion was gray； with pock…marked skin； and he smelled like day…old scotch。 His movements were edgy； hyperactive； and he spoke quickly。 Fast Eddie was not a man at peace。
Connor said； 〃I'm pretty good； Eddie。 How about you？ How you doing？〃
〃Hey； can't plain； Captain。 One or two things only。 Got a five…oh…one； drunk driving； try to beat that； but you know； with my record； it's getting hard。 Hey！ Life goes on！ What're you doing here？ Pretty wild place； huh？ Latest thing： no furniture！ Rod sets new style。 Great！ Nobody can sit down any more！〃 He laughed。 〃New style！ Great！〃
I had the feeling he was on drugs。 He was too manic。 I got a good look at the scar on his left hand。 It was purple…red； roughly four centimeters by three。 It appeared to be an old burn。
Connor lowered his voice and said； 〃Actually； Eddie； we're here about the yakkaigoto at Nakamoto tonight。〃
〃Ah； yes；〃 Eddie said； lowering his voice； too。 〃No surprise she came to a bad end。 That's one henntai。〃
〃She was perverted？ Why do you say that？〃
Eddie said； 〃Want to step outside？ Like to smoke cigarette and Rod doesn't allow smoking in the house。〃
〃Okay； Eddie。〃
We went outside and stood by the edge of the cactus garden。 Eddie lit a Mild Seven Menthol。 〃Hey； Captain； I don't know what you heard already so far。 But that girl。 She fucked some of the people in there。 She fucked Rod。 Some of the other people。 So。 We can talk easier out here； okay with you？〃
〃Sure。〃
〃I know that girl real well。 Real well。 You know I'm hipparidako； hey？ I can't help it。 Popular guy！ She's all over me。 All the time。〃
〃I know that； Eddie。 But you say she had problems？〃
〃Big problems； amigo。 Grande problemos。 I tell you。 She was a sick girl； this girl。 She got off on pain。〃
〃World's full of 'em； Eddie。〃
He sucked on his cigarette。 〃Hey； no；〃 he said。 〃I'm talking something else。 I'm talking； how she gets off。 When you hurt her real bad she es。 She's always asking； more； more。 Do it more。 Squeeze harder。〃
Connor said； 〃Her neck？〃
〃Yeah。 Her neck。 Right。 Squeeze her neck。 Yeah。 You heard？ And sometimes a plastic bag。 You know； dry…cleaning bag？ Put it over her head and clamp it； hold it around her neck while you fuck her and she sucks the plastic against her mouth and turns blue in the face。 Claws at your back。 Gasp and wheeze。 Christ Almighty。 Don't care for that； myself。 But I'm telling you； this girl has a pussy。 I mean she gets off； it's wild ride。 You remember afterwards。 I'm telling you。 But for me； too much。 Always on the edge； you know？ Always a risk。 Always pushing the edge。 Maybe this time。 Maybe this is the last time。 You know what I'm saying？〃 He flicked his cigarette away。 It sputtered among the cactus thorns。 〃Sometimes it's exciting。 Like Russian roulette。 Then I couldn't take it； Captain。 Seriously。 I couldn't。 And you know me； I like a wild time。〃
I decided that Eddie Sakamura gave me the creeps。 I tried to make notes while he talked； but his words were tumbling out； and I couldn't keep up。 He lit another cigarette； his hands shaking。 He kept talking fast； swinging the glowing tip in the air for emphasis。
〃And I mean； this girl； it's a problem；〃 Eddie said。 〃Okay； pretty girl。 She's pretty。 But sometimes she can't go out； looks too bad。 Sometimes； she needs lot of makeup； because neck is sensitive skin； man。 And hers is bruised。 Ring around the collar。 Bad。 You saw that； maybe。 You see her dead； Captain？〃
〃Yeah； I saw her。〃
〃So then 。 。 。〃 he hesitated。 He seemed to step back； reconsider something。 He