lk of Japanese invasion； Burroughs could not keep from wondering if the latter was a portent。
Also； the creator of Tarzan and John Carter of Mars could not keep from noticing white clouds piling up in the placid blue of the sky into what seemed to him the unmistakable formation of a monster； whose long tongue lashed side to side。 Another omen？ At times like these； Edgar Rice Burroughs could have done without his vivid imagination。
As the second half got under way； Burroughs finally looked over at his friend and said； 〃I'm a little surprised you haven't said anything about that girl's murder。〃
Fielder gave Burroughs a quick sideways look； then said； as if menting on the rising price of wheat； 〃Well； it's certainly a terrible thing。〃 '
〃How's your son taking it？〃
Now some humanity came into Fielder's hawkish face。 〃Very hard； I'm afraid。 I don't even know where he is； he rushed off after we 。。。 He came looking for me。。。。〃
Burroughs frowned。 〃Why would he e looking for you？〃
Fielder was lighting up a cigarette。 〃He just needed to take it out on someone。。。。'Are you satisfied？'。。。。 That kind of thing。 To be expected。〃
〃Hully was the one who broke it to him。 Hell of a thing。〃
With a sigh of smoke； Fielder said； 〃Poor Hully
I hope he can help Bill。 I'm afraid I won't be able to break through the resentment for some time。〃
Bill and Wooch had a somewhat strained relationship； anyway…that the boy had joined the Navy； rather than the Army； in an effort to step out from under his father's shadow； had been a point of contention。 On the other hand； Burroughs believed that Fielder was secretly proud of his son； for taking that stand。
〃Did you and Bill ever argue about the planned marriage？〃
〃Actually； yes…last night； after the luau； he came to see me 。。。 to state his case。 I'm afraid I was rather rough on the boy。 Nothing I can do about it now。〃
Burroughs studied his friend。 〃Pearl Harada came to see me； not long before she was killed…to ask if I'd arrange a meeting between the two of you。〃
Fielder gave Burroughs a sharp look。 〃Really？ Whatever for？〃
〃Same thing； I suppose…make a case for the marriage。 You didn't talk to her？〃
〃I never met the young woman。 I'm sorry she's dead。〃 The colonel shrugged。 〃That's the end of it。〃
〃Jesus； Wooch…that's a little cold； isn't it？〃
He exhaled smoke。 〃All I care about is the best for my boy…and marrying that girl would've been a tragedy。〃
〃Her death's the tragedy； Wooch。〃
Fielder said nothing； he was watching the game。
Burroughs applauded as the Rainbows made another first down。 〃That fellow Morimura； that so…called diplomat； he was seen bawling out the Harada girl； a few hours before she was killed。〃
Another sharp； interested look。 〃Is that right？ I wonder 。。。〃
〃What； Wooch？〃
〃Well； possibly that little Jap was one of her lovers。 She was something of a tart； I understood。〃
Burroughs blinked。 〃I wouldn't refer to her that way； to your son； if I were you。〃
Fielder turned toward the writer and some of the hardness seemed to melt。 〃Ed。。。 I don't mean to be a bastard。 I'm not unfeeling。 But the very fact that this girl attracted a murderer。。。 that some suitor of hers felt pelled to kill her； in some crime of passion 。。。 that makes my case； doesn't it？ That Bill is better off without her。〃
Suddenly six…two Adam Sterling was pushing in next to Burroughs； finally taking his seat。 〃Sony I'm a little late。〃
〃A little late？〃 Burroughs said。 〃It's the third quarter and your guys are behind fourteen and haven't made a dent on the Scoreboard。〃
Sterling shrugged。 〃I'm afraid it is a lost cause for the Bearcats。〃
The FBI agent was in a white linen suit with a dark blue tie； he looked as if he'd just e from the office… which Burroughs figured was probably the case。
The score climbed to twenty to nothing； and Sterling didn't even appear to care； he； too； seemed distracted； terribly so。 The game he'd been looking forward to； so eagerly； suddenly seemed to mean nothing。
Finally Sterling leaned across Burroughs and whispered to Fielder； 〃What are your plans； after the game？〃
〃My wife and I are going to a party tonight； at Scho…field Barracks…with General Short and his wife。〃
〃Something's e up I need to fill you in on； Colonel…really need to see what you make of it。〃
Sterling clearly meant business； his handsome； bronzed features fist…tight； his voice knife…edged。 And Fielder； after all； was chief of Army intelligence on Oahu
Fielder； eyes narrowed； obviously reading this； said； 〃I don't think your team's going to e back…shall we go somewhere and talk？〃
〃You going to leave me here？〃 Burroughs asked。 'To endure this one…sided contest alone？〃
Sterling looked at Burroughs； then at Fielder。 〃I think Ed can hear this。〃
Fielder shrugged。 〃It's your call。〃
Within twenty minutes； the trio was seated in a thatched…roof pergola on the stretch of beach that belonged to the Waikiki Tavern； which despite its saloon…style name was perhaps Honolulu's most cosmopolitan restaurant。 The beachfront arbor was theirs alone； giving the three men both privacy and a breathtaking view of Diamond Head； that distinctive extinct crater whose green slopes danced with sunlight and shadows。
Fielder and Sterling had ordered mm punches and Burroughs was drinking iced tea。 The FBI agent had explained to Fielder that Burroughs was doing a little informal surveillance work at the Niumalu and that Burroughs （revealing a fact of which the writer was previously unaware） had been given a security clearance by J。 Edgar Hoover himself； for that very purpose。
Sterling got a notebook out of the inside pocket of his white linen jacket； saying； 〃I went in to the office this morning because of several disturbing events。 One was the murder of Pearl Harada。〃
Fielder frowned skeptically。 〃How would a girl singer's murder have an impact on intelligence？〃
〃I can't imagine；〃 Sterling admitted。 〃But the supposed eyewitness to her murder； Otto Kuhn； is believed to be a 'sleeper' agent for Japan。 Kuhn lives at the Niumalu； you know…he's the character Ed is helping keep an eye on。〃
Fielder nodded； lighting up a cigarette。 〃You said 'several' disturbing events…what else？〃
The colonel did not seem keen to discuss the Pearl Harada killing。
The FBI agent leaned forward。 〃We've learned that the Japanese Consulate has spent much of the week disposing of…burning…its papers。 Considering the present situation； that would seem goddamn significant…a definite indication that the end of peaceful relations between our two nations is close at hand。〃
〃Everyone knows we're heading for war with Japan；〃 Fielder said； sighing smoke； not seeming terribly impressed。 〃It doesn't surprise me that they're cleaning house！ What else？〃
〃Well； as you know；〃 Steriing said； shifting in his wicker chair； 〃we record every radiophone call made between here and Tokyo。〃
〃That's been a matter of routine for months；〃 Fielder said； apparently for Burroughs's benefit。
〃When I came in to the office this morning； with these other matters on my mind； I was presented with a transcript translation of a radiophone conversation。 Seems yesterday afternoon； a reporter at a Tokyo newspaper placed a call to Honolulu。〃 Sterling referred to the tittle notebook。 〃His name is Ogawa； and his paper is the Yomiuri Shinbun。〃 Fielder sipped his rum punch。 〃The call was to Mrs。 Ishiko Mori；〃 Sterling elaborated； 〃a Japanese citizen living here； married to a prominent nisei dentist。〃
〃Why is a Tokyo paper interviewing a dentist's wife？〃 Fielder asked。
〃Mrs。 Mori is a journalist…a stringer for the paper。 She'd been asked to round up prominent members of the Japanese…American munity for interviews… some kind of feature on everyday life in Honolulu。 But Mrs。 Mori reported to Ogawa that no one wanted to participate； possibly with the current state of relations between Japan and America； the idea made them。。。 nervous。 So Mrs。 Mori answered the questions herself。〃
〃What sort of questions？〃
〃Whether airplanes were flying daily； and were they 'big' planes 。。。 the latter could be significant； because that would indicate long…range recon missions。 Most of the questions Ogawa asked had to d