〃What is it？〃 I said。
〃He says he's got five Japanese nationals down there； demanding to inspect the wrecked vehicle。〃
I frowned。 〃What wrecked vehicle？〃
〃That Ferrari。 The one in the high…speed pursuit。 Apparently it's pretty ragged： the impact crushed it； and there was a fire。 And the body was cut out with torches by the VHDV teams this morning。 But the Japanese insist on inspecting the vehicle anyway。 Matlovsky can't tell from the paperwork whether it's okay to let somebody look at it or not。 You know； whether it's material to an ongoing investigation or not。 And he can't speak the language to understand the Japanese。 One of the Japanese claims to be related to the deceased。 So； you want to go down there and handle it？〃
I sighed。 〃Am I on tonight？ I was on last night。〃
〃Well； you're on the board。 You traded nights with Allen； looks like。〃
I dimly remembered。 I had traded nights with Jim Allen so he could take his kid to a Kings hockey game。 I had agreed to it a week ago； but it seemed like something from my distant past。
〃Okay；〃 I said。 〃I'll handle it。〃
I went back to tell Connor I had to leave。 He listened to the story and suddenly jumped to his feet； 〃Of course！ Of course！ What was I thinking of？ Damn！〃 He pounded his hand in his fist。 〃Let's go； kōhai。〃
〃We're going to impound？〃
〃Impound？ Absolutely not。〃
〃Then what are we doing？〃
〃Oh； damn it； I'm a fool！〃 he said。 He was already heading for the car。
I hurried after him。
* * *
As I pulled up in front of Eddie Sakamura's house； Connor leapt from the car； and raced up the steps。 I parked and ran after him。 The sky was deep blue。 It was almost night。
Connor was taking the steps two at a time。 〃I blame myself；〃 he said。 〃I should have seen it earlier。 I should have understood what it meant。〃
〃What what meant？〃 I said。 I was panting a little； at the top of the steps。
Connor threw open the front door。 We went inside。 The living room was exactly as I had last seen it； earlier in the day； when I had stood there talking to Graham。
Connor went quickly from room to room。 In the bedroom； a suitcase lay open。 Armani and Byblos jackets lay on the bed； waiting to be packed。 〃The little idiot；〃 Connor said。 〃He should never have e back here。〃
The pool lights were on outside。 They cast a green rippling pattern on the ceiling。 Connor went outside。
The body lay face down in the water； naked； floating in the center of the pool； a dark silhouette in the glowing green rectangle。 Connor got a skimmer pole and pushed Eddie toward the far edge。 We hauled him up onto the concrete lip。
The body was blue and cold； beginning to stiffen。 He appeared unmarked。
〃They would be careful about that；〃 Connor said。
〃About what？〃
〃About not letting anything show。 But I'm sure we can find the proofs 。 。 。〃 He got out his penlight and peered inside Eddie's mouth。 He inspected the nipples； and the genitals。 〃Yes。 There。 See the rows of red dots？ On the scrotum。 And there on the side of the thigh 。 。 。〃
〃Alligator clips？〃
〃Yes。 For the electric shock coil。 Damn！〃 Connor said。 〃Why didn't he tell me？ All that time； when we were driving from your apartment to the television station to see the senator。 He could have said something then。 He could have told me the truth。〃
〃About what？〃
Connor didn't answer me。 He was lost in his own thoughts。 He sighed。 〃You know； in the end； we are just gaijin。 Foreigners。 Even in his desperation； we're excluded。 And anyway； he probably wouldn't tell us because 。 。 。〃
He fell silent。 He stared at the corpse。 Finally； he slid the body back into the water。 It floated out again。
〃Let somebody else do the paperwork；〃 Connor said； standing up。 〃We don't need to be the ones who found the body。 It doesn't matter。〃 He watched Eddie drift back to the center of the pool。 The head tilted down slightly。 The heels bobbed on the surface。
〃I liked him；〃 Connor said。 〃He did favors for me。 I even met his family when I was in Japan。 Some of his family。 Not the father。〃 He watched the body rotate slowly。 〃But Eddie was okay。 And now； I want to know。〃
I was lost。 I had no idea what he was talking about； but I didn't think I should say anything。 Connor looked angry。
〃e on；〃 he said finally。 〃We have to move fast。 There's only a couple of possibilities。 And once again； we have fallen behind events。 But if it's the last thing I do； I want to get that son of a bitch。〃
〃What son of a bitch？〃
〃Ishiguro。〃
？
We were driving back to my apartment。 〃You take the night off；〃 he said。
〃I'm going with you；〃 I said。
〃No。 I'll do this alone； kōhai。 It's better if you don't know。〃
〃Know what？〃 I said。
We went on like this for a while。 He didn't want to tell me。 Finally he said； 〃Tanaka went to Eddie's house last night because Eddie had the tape。 Presumably； the original。〃
〃Right 。 。 。〃
〃And Tanaka wanted it back。 That's why they had an argument。 When you and Graham came； and all hell broke loose； Eddie told Tanaka the tape was in the Ferrari。 So Tanaka went down there； panicked when he saw the police； and drove the car away。〃
〃Right。〃
〃I always assumed the tape was destroyed in the crash； and the fire。〃
〃Yes 。 。 。〃
〃But obviously it wasn't。 Because Eddie wouldn't dare be so cocky around Ishiguro unless he still had a tape。 The tape would be his ace in the hole。 He knew it。 But he obviously didn't understand how ruthless Ishiguro would be。〃
〃They tortured him for the tape？〃
〃Yes。 But Eddie must have surprised them。 He didn't tell them。〃
〃How do you know？〃
〃Because；〃 Connor said； 〃otherwise； there wouldn't be five Japanese nationals asking to inspect the wreck of a Ferrari in the middle of the night。〃
〃So they're still looking for the tape？〃
〃Yes。 Or evidence of the tape。 They may not even know how many are missing； at this point。〃
I thought it over。
〃What are you going to do？〃 I said。
〃Find the tape；〃 Connor said。 〃Because it matters。 People are dying for that tape。 If we can find the original 。 。 。〃 He shook his head。 〃It'll put Ishiguro in deep shit。 Which is just where he belongs。〃
I pulled up in front of my apartment building。 As Elaine had said； all the reporters were gone。 The street was quiet。 Dark。
〃I still want to go with you；〃 I said again。
Connor shook his head。 〃I'm on extended leave；〃 he said。 〃You're not。 You've got your pension to think of。 And you don't want to know exactly what I am going to do tonight。〃
〃I can guess；〃 I said。 〃You're going to retrace Eddie's steps from last night。 Eddie left his house and went to stay with the redhead。 Maybe he went somewhere else； too… 〃
〃Look；〃 Connor said。 〃Let's not waste more time； kōhai。 I have some contacts and some people I can lean on。 Leave it at that。 If you need me； you can call me on the car phone。 But don't call unless you have to。 Because I'll be busy。〃
〃But… 〃
〃e on； kōhai。 Out of the car。 Spend a nice night with your kid。 You did a good job； but your job is finished now。〃
Finally； I got out of the car。
〃Sayonara；〃 Connor said； with an ironic wave。 And he drove off。
〃Daddy！ Daddy！〃 She ran toward me； arms outstretched。 〃Pick me up； Daddy。〃
I picked her up。 〃Hi； Shelly。〃
〃Daddy； can I watch Sleeping Beauty？〃
〃I don't know。 Have you had dinner yet？〃
〃She ate two hot dogs and an ice cream cone；〃 Elaine said。 She was washing dishes in the kitchen。
〃Jeez；〃 I said。 〃I thought we were going to stop feeding her junk food。〃
〃Well； it's all she would eat；〃 Elaine said。 She was irritable。 It was the end of a long day with a two…year…old。
〃Daddy； can I watch Sleeping Beauty？〃
〃Just a minute； Shelly； I'm talking to Elaine。〃
〃I tried that soup；〃 Elaine said； 〃but she wouldn't touch it。 She wanted a hot dog。〃
〃Daddy； can I watch Disney channel？〃
〃Michelle；〃 I said。
Elaine said； 〃So I thought it was better that she eat something。 I think she was thrown off。 You know； the reporters and everything。 All the excitement。〃
〃Daddy？ Can I？ Sleeping Beauty？〃 She was squirming in my arms。 Patting my face to get my attention。
〃Okay； Shel。〃
〃Now； Daddy？〃
〃Okay。〃
I put her down。 She ran into the living room and tur