hem on。
Jardine was shaking his head； giving Hully a look。 〃Oh hell；〃 he said wearily。
It was only a matter of minutes before the crowd turned itself into a brawling mob； sailors belting soldiers； soldiers smacking sailors。 Fielder and Stanton were no longer visible； swallowed in the sea of white and khaki； with shouted obscenities mingling with cries of pain。
The gunshot froze them all。
Then their eyes turned to the little Portuguese detective who had fired his 。38 revolver into the air。 The sailors and soldiers did not have time to process this before the MPs and Shore Patrol descended； blowing whistles； shouting admonitions； arresting a few of them； the bulk scattering。
Hully found Bill Fielder in a pile on the pavement；
barely conscious； fairly battered； Stanton was nowhere to be seen。 Hully and Dan Pressman…who had not gotten involved in the fracas…walked Bill to the table and sat him down。
Dan said to Hully； 〃Listen； I need to catch a liberty ship。 You want me to haul him back to the Arizona？'
〃No…I'll baby…sit him tonight；〃 Hully said。 〃Clean him up； and let him sleep it off。〃
Jardine was talking to the Shore Patrol and the MPs； showing them his badge。
〃You guys always have this much fun on Hotel Street？〃 Hully asked Pressman。
Dan grinned。 〃Every time。〃
TWELVE
Party Crashers
In the golden Hawaiian moonlight； Schofield Barracks…the largest military base in the United States… looked like a perfecdy idealized American town； right off the cover of The Saturday Evening Post or the back lot of MGM。 If it were not for the surrounding fields of sugarcane and pineapple； no one would guess the Hawaiian location； if it were not for the sentry…guarded entry； no one would take this for an Army post。 Street after street was lined with stucco and brick houses on well…manicured lawns； ranging from bungalows to near mansions； depending on the ranks of their occupants； of course； and…set off in splendid isolation； like castles of the realm…massive brick structures for various military purposes。
Burroughs pulled up outside the gate； waiting for FBI agent Adam Sterling。 He had called the agent at the Niumalu； where Sterling had been brooding in his bungalow； after an unsuccessful meeting with General Short on the lanai of the latter's home； at Fort Shafter； the Army administrative quarters just outside Honolulu。
〃Well； get out here to Schofield；〃 Burroughs had told the FBI man； from a phone booth outside a gas station with a magnificent view of Pearl Harbor that rivaled the Shuncho…ro's。 〃I have new information for the general； and I won't be able to get past the guard without your help。〃
Burroughs filled Sterling in on what he'd learned from Kuhn and Morimura； and the FBI man； excited； said he was on his way and hung up。
The writer had paused to look at the view； before driving to nearby Schofield。 Pearl Harbor was spread out before him； warships moored in pools of yellow luminance； signal lights blinking back and forth； search beams stroking the sky。
A chatty little Japanese man in coveralls…who had introduced himself as Mr。 Sumida； the service station's owner； and who had smiled during every moment of gas pumping and windshield cleaning…was also admiring the glittering view； as Burroughs paid for his gas。
〃So beautiful；〃 Mr。 Sumida said。 〃Like great big Christmas tree！〃
Somehow this observation was less than forting； and now…as Burroughs waited for Sterling outside the Schofield gate…he wondered how his son and Sam Fujimoto were faring。 About now they would be bing Hotel Street for Bill Fielder and Jack Stanton； and the writer was well aware of the potential perils of that sleazy strip of sin。
Sterling pulled up in a black Ford； government issue no doubt； and Burroughs left the Pierce Arrow and hopped in front； on the passenger side。 The FBI man showed his ID to the guard and they soon were rolling through the lush； suburban 〃barracks。〃
〃We're probably on a fool's errand； Ed；〃 the FBI agent said。 The rangy； square…jawed Sterling…who still reminded Burroughs of a hero from one of his own books…seemed frazzled at the end of this long day； his white linen suit rumpled； his tie a limp； wrinkled rag。
Sterling proceeded to tell Burroughs that when he'd arrived at Fort Shafter at seven； for a promised ten…minute audience with the general； both Mrs。 Short and Mrs。 Fielder were already seated in the general's car with its motor running； in the driveway； waiting to go to the party at the Schofield Officers' Club。
Short had been unimpressed with the transcript of the Mori radiophone call。 〃If this is code；〃 the general had asked skeptically； 〃why do they talk in the clear about things like planes and searchlights？〃
While the wives fretted and fumed in the car； Sterling had tried to make his case to Short and Fielder （who lived next door to the general）。
〃General Short thought the Mori call was 'quite an ordinary message；' 〃 Steriing said to Burroughs； pulling into the officers'…club parking lot。 〃Nothing much to get excited about。〃
〃And of course Fielder parroted that view；〃 Burroughs said dryly。
〃The worst of it is； the general said he appreciated my 'zeal；' but perhaps I was being 'too intelligence…conscious。' 〃
Burroughs； shaking his head； said； 〃Is there such a thing； with war hanging over us？〃
〃When it es to matters like these；〃 Sterling said； as he parked his car in the nearly filled lot； 〃it's easy to be wrong。。。。 Morimura being a case in point； on my part。〃
Burroughs was getting out of the car。 〃You might have done better with General Short during working hours。 When a man's wife is waiting for him in a car； dressed to the nines ready to go to a party； his judgment is easily impaired。〃
As they walked up to the entry of the unpretentious brick building； the FBI agent warned Burroughs： 〃The general was pretty patient with me at his house； all considering； but this interruption may be something else again。〃
Sterling had already explained that this was not just the club's weekly Saturday…night dance； but an annual cabaret…style benefit show put on by 〃talented young ladies〃 who worked on the post。 Right now they could hear a small bo…piano； drums； guitar and bass fiddle…acpanying a thin female voice doing Ella Fitzgerald's 〃A Tisket a Tasket；〃 passably。
Once inside； they peeked in at the wood…paneled dining room； which was decked out with ferns and floral arrangements； and every linen…covered table had fresh…cut flowers； between two lava…rock columns was the stage area； where various amateurs were ing up to sing and dance and do their best。 The men in the audience were in dress uniform and the women in their fanciest gowns； and the club was brimming with brass…in addition to Short and Fielder； who were positioned up front （unfortunately）； Burroughs spotted Major Durward Wilson of the 24th Infantry Division； Lieutenant Colonel Emil Leard； and Lieutenant Colonel Walter Phillips； Short's chief of staff。
〃Wait in the bar；〃 Sterling told Burroughs； who did as he was told； as the FBI man waded gingerly into the sea of high…ranking officers。
With the benefit show in full sway； the bar was empty； but for the bartender himself； and Burroughs ordered a root beer at the counter； and retreated to a booth。
A few minutes later； Sterling returned with both General Short and Colonel Fielder； neither of whom seemed happy。 Nor did they did seem inclined to join Burroughs in the booth； and the writer crawled out and stood and apologized for interrupting their evening out。
〃I hope there's a good reason for this； Mr。 Burroughs；〃 the slim； wiry general said tightly。
Burroughs jumped right in。 〃You already know about the Mori radiophone call； and the Jap Consulate burning its papers。 What you don't know is mat Otto Kuhn； the German 'sleeper' agent； is working with Vice Consul Morimura； in an effort to pin the murder of Pearl Harada on an innocent man。〃
The general frowned； but with interest。 This news perked Fielder's curiosity； as well。 Short gestured to the booth； said； 〃Let's sit down…I'd like to hear this。〃
Burroughs and Sterling sat across from the general and the colonel。 Both men seemed keenly attentive as the writer told them wha