lect the missing tape。 He had interrupted Eddie with the girls。 He had demanded the tape。
〃I don't know for sure； but after I talk to you； I figure they set me up。 We have a big argument。〃
〃And then the police came。 Graham came。〃
Eddie nodded slowly。 〃Tanaka…san shit a brick。 Hey！ He's unhappy Japanese man。〃
〃So you made him tell you everything 。 。 。〃
〃Oh yeah； Captain。 He tells me very fast… 〃
〃And in return you told him where the missing tape was。〃
〃Sure。 In my car。 I give him the keys。 So he can unlock it。 He has the keys。〃
Tanaka had gone into the garage to get the tape。 The patrolmen downstairs ordered him to halt。 He started the car and drove off。
〃I watch him go； John。 Drives like shit。〃
So it had been Tanaka who was driving the car when it hit the embankment。 It was Tanaka who had burned to death。 Eddie explained that he hid in the shrubbery behind the swimming pool and waited until everybody left。
〃Cold as shit out there；〃 he said。
I said to Connor； 〃You knew all this？〃
〃I suspected。 The reports of the crash said that the body was badly burned； and that even the glasses had melted。〃
Eddie said； 〃Hey； I don't wear glasses。〃
〃Exactly；〃 Connor said。 〃Even so； I asked Graham to check； the next day。 He never found any glasses in Eddie's house。 So it couldn't have been Eddie in the car。 The next day； when we went to Eddie's house； I had the patrolmen check the license plates on all the cars parked on the street。 Sure enough： there was a yellow Toyota sedan； a short distance up the road； registered to Akira Tanaka。〃
〃Hey； pretty good；〃 Eddie said。 〃Smart。〃
I said； 〃Where were you； all this time？〃
〃At Jasmine's house。 Very nice house。〃
〃Who's Jasmine？〃
〃Redhead number。 Very nice woman。 Got a Jacuzzi； too。〃
〃But why did you e here？〃
Connor said to me； 〃He had to。 You have his passport。〃
〃Right；〃 Eddie said。 〃And me； I have your business card。 You give me。 Home address and phone。 I need my passport； Lieutenant。 I got to go now。 So I e here； and wait。 And holy shit； all the reporters。 Cameras。 Everything。 So I stay low； play with Shelly。〃 He lit a cigarette； turned nervously。 〃So。 What do you say； Lieutenant？ How about you give me my passport？ Netsutuku。 No harm done。 I'm dead anyway。 Okay？〃
〃Not just yet；〃 Connor said。
〃e on； John。〃
〃Eddie； you have to do a little job first。〃
〃Hey。 What job？ I got to go； Captain。〃
〃Just one job； Eddie。〃
Morton took a deep breath； and turned away from the studio window。 I had to admire his self…control。 He seemed pletely calm。 〃It appears；〃 he said； 〃that my options at this moment are somewhat reduced。〃
〃Yes； Senator；〃 Connor said。
He sighed。 〃You know it was an accident。 It really was。〃
Connor nodded sympathetically。
〃I don't know what it was about her；〃 Morton said。 〃She was beautiful； of course； but it wasn't 。 。 。 it wasn't that。 I only met her a short time ago。 Four； five months ago。 I thought she was a nice girl。 Texas girl； sweet。 But it was 。 。 。 one of those things。 It just happened。 She had this way of getting under your skin。 It was crazy。 Unexpected。 I started to think about her all the time。 I couldn't 。 。 。 she would call me； when I was on a trip。 She would find out when I was on a trip； somehow。 And pretty soon； I couldn't tell her to stay away。 I couldn't。 She always seemed to have money； always had a plane ticket。 She was crazy。 Sometimes； she would make me so mad。 It was like my 。 。 。 I don't know。 Demon。 Everything changed when she was around。 Crazy。 I had to stop seeing her。 And eventually I had the feeling she was paid for。 Someone was paying her。 Someone knew all about her。 And me。 So I had to stop it。 Bob told me。 Hell； everybody in the office told me。 I couldn't。 Finally I did。 It was over。 But when I came to that reception； there she was。 Shit。〃 He shook his head。 〃It just happened。 What a mess。〃
The girl stuck her head in the door。 〃Two minutes； Senator。 They're asking for you downstairs if you're ready。〃
Morton said to us； 〃I'd like to do this first。〃
〃Of course；〃 Connor said。
His self…possession was extraordinary。 Senator Morton conducted a televised interview with three reporters for half an hour； without a trace of tension or disfort。 He smiled； cracked jokes； bantered with the reporters。 It was as if he had no problems at all。
At one point he said； 〃Yes； it's true that the British and the Dutch both have larger investments in America than the Japanese。 But we can't ignore the reality of targeted； adversarial trade as practiced by Japan … where business and government make a planned attack on some segment of the American economy。 The British and Dutch don't operate that way。 We haven't lost basic industries to those countries。 But we've lost many to Japan。 That is a real difference … and that's the reason for concern。〃
He added； 〃And； of course； if we want to buy a Dutch or English pany； we can。 But we can't buy a Japanese pany。〃
The interview continued； but nobody asked him about MicroCon。 So he steered it： in reply to a question； he said； 〃Americans should be able to criticize Japan without being called racists or bashers。 Every country has conflicts with other countries。 It's inevitable。 Our conflicts with Japan should be freely discussed； without these ugly epithets。 My opposition to the MicroCon sale has been termed racist； but it is nothing of the sort。〃
Finally； one reporter asked him about the MicroCon sale。 Morton hesitated； then he leaned forward across the table。
〃As you know； George； I have opposed the MicroCon sale from the beginning。 I still oppose it。 It is time for Americans to take steps to preserve the assets of this nation。 Its real assets； its financial assets； and its intellectual assets。 The MicroCon sale is unwise。 My opposition continues。 Therefore； I am pleased to say that I have just learned Akai Ceramics has withdrawn its bid to purchase the MicroCon Corporation。 I think this is the best solution all around。 I applaud Akai for its sensitivity on this matter。 The sale will not go forward。 I am very pleased。〃
I said； 〃What？ The bid was withdrawn？〃
Connor said； 〃I guess it is now。〃
Morton was cheerful as the interview drew to a close。 〃Since I've been characterized as so critical of Japan； perhaps you'll let me express my admiration for a moment。 The Japanese have a wonderful lighthearted side； and it shows up in the most unlikely places。
〃You probably know that their Zen monks are expected to write a poem close to the moment of death。 It's a very traditional art form； and the most famous poems are still quoted hundreds of years later。 So you can imagine； there's a lot of pressure on a Zen roshi when he knows he's nearing death and everyone expects him to e up with a great poem。 For months； it's all he can think about。 But my favorite poem was written by one particular monk who got tired of all the pressure。 It goes like this。〃
And then he quoted this poem。
Birth is thus；
Death is thus；
Poem or no poem
What's the fuss？
All the reporters started laughing。 〃So let's not take all this Japan business too seriously；〃 Morton said。 〃That's another thing we can learn from the Japanese。〃
At the end of the interview； Morton shook hands with the three reporters and stepped away from the set。 I saw that Ishiguro had arrived in the studio； very red…faced。 He was sucking air through his teeth in the Japanese manner。
Morton said cheerfully； 〃Ah； Ishiguro…san。 I see you have heard the news。〃 And he slapped him on the back。 Hard。
Ishiguro glowered。 〃I am extremely disappointed； Senator。 It will not go well from this point。〃 He was clearly furious。
〃Hey；〃 Morton said。 〃You know what？ Tough shit。〃
〃We had an arrangement；〃 Ishiguro hissed。
〃Yes； we did；〃 Morton said。 〃But you didn't keep your end of it； did you？〃
The senator came over to us and said； 〃I suppose you want me to make a statement。 Let me get this makeup off； and we can go。〃
〃All right；〃 Connor said。
Morton walked away； toward the makeup room。
Ishiguro turned to Connor and said； 〃Totemo taihenna koto ni narimashita ne。〃
Connor said； 〃I agree。 It is difficult。〃
Ishiguro hissed through his teeth。 〃Heads