th pretty Hawaiian girls stringing flowers。 Other sorts of 〃leis〃 were available； as well： hotels whose rooms all had the shades drawn…the Rex； the Anchor； the Ritz… attracted lines down the block of sailors and soldiers waiting to choose between two varieties of 〃room〃： three dollars for three minutes； or five dollars for an extended stay； up to ten。 Relatively safe； too： the local police； in turning a blind if well…paid eye； insisted on weekly blood tests for these unofficially sanctioned soiled doves。
Hully and Jardine had recruited Sam Fujimoto to join on their Hotel Street expedition。 Sam knew both
Ensign Bill Fielder and Corporal Jack Stanton； the former better than the latter； but in either case enough to recognize either in this sea of uniforms。 Starting at the west end； Hully and Jardine； who were on a first…name basis now； took one side of the street； while Sam took the other…they had agreed to rendezvous at the Black Cat Cafe in an hour and a half。
〃You figure whoever killed Pearl Harada；〃 Hully said to the Portuguese detective； 〃killed Terry Mizuha； as well。〃
They were shouldering their way down the tight； teeming sidewalk； faces around them flushed with neon…theirs； too。
〃Probably；〃 Jardine said。
〃Why was Terry killed？ What could he have known？〃
Jardine shrugged。 〃It's possible this Terry was a real eyewitness 。。。 which may be more than can be said for Otto Kuhn。〃
A group of sailors slouched under a tin awning in front of a cafe； laughing； smoking； caps at jaunty an…gles； pant legs flapping in the almost cool breeze。
Hully said； 'Terry wouldn't've had to be an eyewitness to be dangerous to the killer。 Everybody knew he and Pearl were best friends。 She might have confided in Terry about something that allowed him to know； or anyway strongly suspect； the murderer's identity。〃
Jardine nodded。 〃There's another possibility。〃
〃Which is？〃
They were passing by a shooting gallery where soldiers were throwing baseballs at milk cans； and sailors were playing Skee…Ball and pinball。
〃Perhaps；〃 Jardine said； 'Terry Mizuha wasn't strictly mahu…maybe he was even closer to Pearl than we've been led to believe。〃
〃Oh； that's crazy。。。。〃
〃Is it？ Gates have been known to swing both ways； on this island。 Suppose this jealous sailor pal of yours； or that soldier； came upon Terry and Pearl； together on the beach？〃
〃What； and confronted by a sudden act of violence； Terry fled？〃
〃Yes 。。。 and was afraid to e forward； for fear of looking a coward…hoping his silence would buy him a free pass from the killer。〃
〃I don't buy it； John。〃
The detective summoned a thin smile。 〃Well； it's your own damn fault； Hully。〃
〃My fault？〃
〃You're the one that started me thinking…I was content with Harry Kamana as the murderer。〃
Looking for Bill and Stanton； Hully and Jardine tried various taverns…the Two Jacks； the Mint； the New Emma Cafe…wading through clouds of cigarette smoke laced with the smell of stale beer； sorting swarms of sailors and soldiers； who were crowded at tables； packed in booths； flirting with Oriental waitresses； whom they so greatly outnumbered。 None of the fresh； young； happy； sad faces belonged to Bill Fielder or Jack Stanton。
Hully and the detective checked tattoo parlors； where boys sat bare…chested under bare bulbs as Filipino artists inscribed American flesh with hula girls； anchors and 〃Mother。〃 They tried curio shops where this sailor bought a fringed pillow cursively designated 〃Honolulu；〃 and that soldier purchased a monkey…pod carving。 They tried storefront photo studios； where gobs and GIs posed with pretty； grass…skirted Hawaiian girls who had no interest in a date。 They tried cafй's…the Bunny Ranch； Lousy Lui's； Swanky Franky…where servicemen who had gotten drunk too fast tried to sober up just as quickly。 No Fielder； no Stanton。
They tried a dime…a…dance joint； a barnlike second…floor ballroom not unlike a church hall or an Elks club。 A small bo…piano； guitar； drums…played slow tunes； tables were scattered on either side of the heavily varnished； underlit cavern。 Many of the girls were surprisingly good…looking； Hully thought； a variety of Japanese； Chinese； Puerto Rican； Hawaiian and binations thereof…also the occasional white girl… in low…cut； shoulder…baring evening gowns。 No liquor was sold on the premises； nor was it allowed to be brought in。
〃These girls don't look like prostitutes；〃 Hully whispered to Jardine； as the two stood on the sidelines。
〃They aren't；〃 the detective said。 〃See that blonde over there？〃
Jardine was indicating a dazzling blonde dancing with an older man； a Filipino。
〃She's somebody's wife； I'll lay odds；〃 the detective said。 〃These are nice girls。 They aren't allowed to date the customers…aren't allowed to leave until closing； when their mothers or their husbands pick them up。〃
But Hully wasn't looking at the blonde； anymore。 He was nodding toward a soldier。 〃Hey…that's him。。。。 That's Stanton。〃
Corporal Jack Stanton was dancing with an attractive if overly made…up Japanese girl in a low…cut blue satin gown that would have made her the hit of any prom； she was holding the boyishly handsome； brown…haired soldier close； her small fist tightly clenching a curling strand of tickets。 She looked just a little bit like Pearl Harada； particularly to somebody drunk； like Jack Stanton。
When the tune ended…〃Moonlight Bees You〃… Jardine went out onto the dance floor and tapped Stanton's shoulder； as if he were cutting in。
Stanton glared at the little fedora…sporting detective； but when Jardine held up his wallet； displaying his badge； Stanton swallowed and nodded； with morose inevitability。 Hully couldn't hear what either man was saying…he had secured a small table at Jardine's request…and watched as the broad…shouldered； athletic…looking Stanton walked subserviently along with the diminutive detective； over to the waiting table。
Hully pulled out a chair for the corporal。
Suddenly Stanton's submissive attitude shifted； he seemed to bristle at the sight of Hully； saying； 〃I know you。〃
〃I know you； too； Jack。〃 Hully gestured to the chair and； in a not unfriendly way； said； 〃Sit down。〃
Stanton was scowling。 〃You're Bill Fielder's friend。〃
〃I'm one of them。〃
Jardine said to Stanton； 〃Sit down。〃 Not so friendly。 Stanton sat。 He was inebriated； but short of sloshed。 Jardine sat on one side of the soldier； Hully on the other。
The detective said； 〃I brought Mr。 Burroughs along to identify you。 I could have embarrassed you by going to your manding officer and requesting a photo； you know。〃
Stanton's eyes narrowed。 〃Why didn't you？〃
〃I wanted to hear your story。〃
〃What story？〃
〃The story of you and Pearl Harada。〃
Stanton swallowed。 Then he put his elbows on the table and began to cry into his hands。 The shabby little bo was playing 〃Fools Rush In。〃
Jardine gave the corporal a handkerchief。 Stanton thanked Jardine and used it； drying his eyes； blowing his nose。
Then the detective said； 〃You and Bill Fielder got into a tussle over Pearl Harada last night。 Want to tell me about it？〃
Swallowing again； Stanton shrugged； saying； 〃It wasn't much of a 'tussle'…I punched him and he punched me。 Then it got broke up。 That's all。〃
〃Why did you punch him？〃
〃Because 。。。 Pearl was my girl。 I wanted him to stay away from her。〃
〃You mean you were still seeing her？ She was dating you； at the same time as Fielder？〃
He shook his head； glumly。 〃No 。。。 no。 She broke it off with me； weeks ago。 I just。。。 couldn't get her out of my mind。 Couldn't accept it。 She was。。。 so beautiful。 So much fun。。。 sweet。。。 talented。。。 smart。。。〃
Jardine waited until Stanton stopped crying again； then said； 〃You were seen arguing with her last night。〃
〃I know。〃 Stanton worked up a sneer。 〃By that fairy Mizuha。 He told you； right？〃
Jardine's face was as impassive as a cigarstore Indian's。 〃The way this works is； I ask the questions。 You argued with her？〃
〃It。。。 it wasn't really an argument。 I was 。。。 a little drunk。 I yelled at her。〃 The soldier leaned against an elbow； hand to his forehead； as if taking his own temperature。 〃She just looked at me； like 。。。 like she felt sorry for me。 And maybe a little 。。。 dis