t of us。〃
〃How so？〃
Now Bivens leaned on the counter。 〃e on； Hully…you and your dad live in Hollywood。 You know how those movie actors sleep around； you know how those musicians drink and smoke 。。。 and I'm not talking about cigarettes。〃
Hully shrugged。 〃I didn't have the feeling Pearl wanted to stay in show business。 Matter of fact； she told me she wanted to get married and settle down。〃
Bivens's head rocked back： 〃What； with that Fielder kid？ e on； Hully…that was a pipe dream！ White soldier with a high…ranking father； marry a Jap？〃
〃Yeah；〃 Hully admitted； 〃it was a loaded situation。。。。1 wonder if that had anything to do with her murder。〃
Bivens started filling the mail slots again； talking as he did； occasionally glancing back at Hully。 〃Sure it did。 That poor Kamana musta gone off his noodle； with jealousy。 He loved that girl…everybody knew it。〃
〃Does Harry Kamana seem like the violent type to you； Fred？ You ever see him lose his temper？〃
〃No。。。。 That's the pity。 He's always been a sweet guy。 But still waters run deep。〃 He paused； several letters in hand； and his gaze held Hully's。 〃Funny thing； that。 He's the leader； you know； of the Harbor Lights； and some of his guys have e to me to plain。〃
〃What about？〃
Letters distributed； he folded his arms； leaned against the back counter。 〃Well； they know I do the deals with Harry 。。。 book the gigs； as they put it。 And they think I take advantage of Harry。。。 that he's too nice； too soft。〃
〃Any truth in it？〃
〃Hey； I give the boys a fair shake。 They get pretty close to top dollar； for the size of the Niumalu and its dance floor。〃
〃They're popular…a real draw。〃
Bivens shook his head； sadly。 〃Without Pearl。。。 without Harry。。。 I don't know。 They're having a meeting right now； over in the dining room。 I don't know what the hell they're gonna do。。。。 Supposed to play for me； tonight。〃
The musicians were in the dining room； up on the bandstand； casually dressed； sitting in their respective seats in front of music stands； but they weren't rehearsing…no instruments were in sight。
A guy in a dark blue sportshirt and chinos was standing in front of them； as if directing…but he was really just conducting a meeting。 Hully knew him； knew most of the remaining eight members of the Harbor Lights； the guy out front was Jim Kaupiko； a round…faced but slender trumpet player in his late twenties。 Most tourists assumed the entire band was Hawaiian； and Kaupiko and Kamana and a few other Harbor Lights were indeed natives； but the band was otherwise a mix of Japanese； Chinese； Filipino and Korean。
〃I know how everybody here feels；〃 Kaupiko said。 〃Pearl was the best。。。〃
The various Polynesian and Oriental faces on the bandstand were as grave as carved masks。
〃。。。 and we can't ever hope to find someone to fill her shoes。 Whether we're even gonna be able to keep going； that's up in the air。 But we owe it to Mr。 Bivens to play out our contract； at least。〃
〃Including tonight？〃 a voice called out。
〃Including tonight； Terry。〃
Hully knew the band member who had spoken： Taro 'Terry〃 Mizuha； the only Japanese in the group other than Pearl。
〃I don't know； Jim；〃 Mizuha said； shaking his head。 A slender； almost pretty young man…a guitar player… he really looked devastated。 〃I just don't know。。。。〃
〃I've asked Sally Suziki to fill in on vocals…she was singing with the Kealoha Trio at the Halekulani； but they recently broke up。〃
〃She'll do fine；〃 somebody said numbly。
〃She's no Pearl；〃 somebody else said。
〃She'll do fine；〃 Kaupiko affirmed。 〃And I've got Sammy Amaulu； trombone player from the Surfriders… they're not gigging tonight。 Sammy can fill in； but just this once。〃
Somebody asked； 〃Are we gonna rehearse with these fill…ins？〃
'Today at three…any objections？〃
There were none； and Kaupiko seemed about to adjourn the informal meeting； when Hully strolled up and said； 〃What do you guys think about Harry？〃
About half of them had been getting up out of their chairs； all of them had wide…eyed； sucker…punched expressions。
Kaupiko； still in the director's position on the bandstand； turned and looked down and said； 〃Hiya； Hully… heard you and your old man found Pearl； and nabbed Harry。〃
〃It was mostly Dad's doing。。。。 I just wondered what you guys thought； you know； about whether Harry did it or not。〃
One of the guys； a Filipino whose name Hully didn't know； a sax player； asked； 〃I thought your father caught him red…handed。〃
〃Red…handed in that he had blood on his hand。。。 but maybe it got there 'cause he was trying to help her； or check the pulse in her neck。 I just thought you guys should know that Harry denied killing Pearl…he could probably use some support about now。 Somebody ought to go downtown and make sure he's got a good lawyer。〃
〃Sounds like he'll need one；〃 Kaupiko said。
〃No question about that。 But I thought maybe you fellas 。。。 his friends 。。。 would like to know that I； for one； found his story convincing。〃
〃I can't believe Harry'd hurt a fly；〃 Jack Wong said。 He was also a sax player。
〃He was crazy about Pearl；〃 somebody else chimed in。
〃Most people think his loving her is a motive；〃 Hully said。 〃I'd just like to know if any of you guys ever saw Harry act violent…ever behave like a hothead； blow his top over anything。〃
Nobody said anything； everybody was sitting down again； and the band members exchanged glances； often shaking their heads。
Hully stood with hands on his hips。 〃How about Harry saying anything about Bill Fielder muscling in on him？ Did Harry ever have a shouting match with Pearl； over that or anything else？〃
No one said a word。
Hully searched the cheerless faces。 〃I'm not a cop 。。。 I'm just a friend of Harry's； who wants to make sure he doesn't get a raw deal outta this。〃
〃Harry hardly ever raises his voice；〃 Wong said。 〃That's his problem…we'd be playing at the Royal Hawaiian right now； with the following we got； if he was more aggressive。〃
Wong's fellow band members were nodding。
〃Okay； guys；〃 Hully said； easily。 〃Listen； I'll be over at my bungalow； for a while； if anybody wants to share anything； one to one； man to man。 Okay？〃
More nods。
Hully turned and headed out； to the tune of chairs getting pushed back and murmuring among the members。
Kaupiko caught up with him about halfway across the dance floor； taking Hully by the arm。 〃Let's talk；〃 the trumpet player said； and nodded toward the courtyard； which the dining room opened onto。
The rock garden at the center had a little waterfall which made just enough noise to give them some additional privacy。
〃Are you investigating Pearl's murder？〃 Kaupiko asked； his expression thoughtful。
〃Not officially；〃 Hully said。 〃But I think there's at least a possibliity that Harry Kamana is innocent； and I don't see the police going down that path。〃
〃And if Harry's innocent； somebody else is 。。。〃
〃The word is 'guilty；' Jim。 Yes。〃 Hully rocked back on bis heels。 〃How many of the band live here at the Niumalu？〃
The round…faced musician stroked his chin； which was almost as blue as his shirt…he needed a shave。
〃Besides Harry； and Pearl？ Just a couple。 Most are local。 Harry's from the big island； though； and needs lodging when we work Oahu； which lately has been most of the time。〃
〃I had the idea that Pearl lived with her uncle； that grocer； in Chinatown。〃
Kaupiko nodded。 〃She did； when she first came here。 But once we got this steady gig at the Niumalu； Harry negotiated with Mr。 Bivens to get her a room in the lodge。〃
〃Who else lives here at the hotel？〃
The musician looked around； rather furtively； apparently checking to see if any of his band mates were watching。。。 or listening。
'Terry Mizuha；〃 he said； finally。 〃He's the only guy besides Harry that was really cozy with Pearl。〃
〃Did she date him； too？〃
Kaupiko laughed。
〃What's so funny； Jim？〃
〃Sorry。〃 The musician's expression was sober again。 〃Listen； I don't want to talk outta school。 Terry's a great guy； helluva guitar player。〃
〃Okay…now drop the other shoe。〃
He shrugged。 〃I don't think Terry likes dolls。 He's； uh 。。。 you know。〃 Kaupiko held up his hand and made a sideways shaking gesture。
〃But he and Pearl were frien