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〃What are you； kidding？〃 Graham laughed。 〃The place is swarming with them。 Fucking Disneyland up there。〃
〃I mean the crime scene。〃
〃So do I；〃 Graham said。 〃We can't keep 'em out。 They say it's their building； they have a right to be there。 Tonight is the grand opening of the Nakamoto Tower。 They have a right to be there。 On and on。〃
I said； 〃Where is the opening taking place？〃
〃One floor below the murder； on the forty…fifth floor。 They're having one hell of a bash。 Must be eight hundred people there。 Movie stars； senators； congressmen； you name it。 I hear Madonna is there； and Tom Cruise。 Senator Hammond。 Senator Kennedy。 Elton John。 Senator Morton。 Mayor Thomas's there。 District Attorney Wyland's there。 Hey； maybe your ex…wife is there； too； Pete。 She still works for Wyland； doesn't she？〃
〃Last I heard。〃
Graham sighed。 〃Must be great to fuck a lawyer； instead of getting fucked by them。 Must make for a nice change。〃
I didn't want to talk about my ex…wife。 〃We don't have a lot of contact any more；〃 I said。
A little bell rang； then the elevator said； 〃Yonjūsan kai。〃
Graham glanced at the glowing numbers above the door。 〃Can you believe that shit？〃
〃Yonjūyon kai；〃 the elevator said。 〃Mōsugu de gozaimasu。〃
〃What'd it say？〃
〃 'We're almost at the floor。' 〃
〃Fuck；〃 Graham said。 〃If an elevator's going to talk； it should be English。 This is still America。〃
〃Just barely；〃 Connor said； staring out at the view。
〃Youjūgo kai；〃 the elevator said。
The door opened。
Graham was right： it was a hell of a party。 The whole floor had been made into a replica forties ballroom。 Men in suits。 Women in cocktail dresses。 The band playing Glenn Miller swing music。 Standing near the elevator door was a gray…haired； suntanned man who looked vaguely familiar。 He had the broad shoulders of an athlete。 He stepped onto the elevator and turned to me。 〃Ground floor； please。〃 I smelled whiskey。
A second； younger man in a suit instantly appeared by his side。 〃This elevator is going up； Senator。〃
〃What's that？〃 the gray…haired man said； turning to his aide。
〃This elevator's going up； sir。〃
〃Well。 I want to go down。〃 He was speaking with the careful； over…articulated speech of the drunk。
〃Yes； sir。 I know that； sir；〃 the aide replied cheerfully。 〃Let's take the next elevator； Senator。〃 He gripped the gray…haired man firmly by the elbow and led him off the elevator。
The doors closed。 The elevator continued up。
〃Your tax dollars at work；〃 Graham said。 〃Recognize him？ Senator Stephen Rowe。 Nice to find him partying here； considering he's on the Senate Finance mittee； which sets all Japanese import regulations。 But like his pal Senator Kennedy； Rowe is one of the great pussy patrollers。〃
〃Oh； yeah？〃
〃They say he can drink pretty good； too。〃
〃I noticed that。〃
〃That's why he's got that kid with him。 To keep him out of trouble。〃
The elevator stopped at the forty…sixth floor。 There was a soft electronic ping。 〃Yonjūroku kai。 Goriyō arigatō gozaimashita。〃
〃Finally；〃 Graham said。 〃Now maybe we can get to work。〃
？
The doors opened。 We faced a solid wall of blue business suits； backs turned to us。 There must have been twenty men jammed in the area just beyond the elevator。 The air was thick with cigarette smoke。
〃ing through； ing through；〃 Graham said； pushing his way roughly past the men。 I followed； Connor behind me； silent and inconspicuous。
The forty…sixth floor had been designed to house the chief executive offices of Nakamoto Industries； and it was impressive。 Standing in the carpeted reception area just beyond the elevators； I could see the entire floor … it was a gigantic open space。 It was about sixty by forty meters； half the size of a football field。 Everything added to the sense of spaciousness and elegance。 The ceilings were high； paneled in wood。 The furnishings were all wood and fabric； black and gray； and the carpet was thick。 Sound was muted and lights were low； adding to the soft； rich quality。 It looked more like a bank than a business office。
The richest bank you ever saw。
And it made you stop and look。 I stood by the yellow crime…scene tape； which blocked access to the floor itself； and got my bearings。 Directly ahead was the large atrium； a kind of open bullpen for secretaries and lower…level people。 There were desks in clusters； and trees to break up the space。 In the center of the atrium stood a large model of the Nakamoto Tower； and the plex of surrounding buildings still under construction。 A spotlight shone on the model； but the rest of the atrium was relatively dark； with night lights。
Private offices for the executives were arranged around the perimeter of the atrium。 The offices had glass walls facing the atrium； and glass walls on the outside walls as well； so that from where I was standing you could look straight out to the surrounding skyscrapers of Los Angeles。 It made you think the floor was floating in midair。
There were two glass…walled conference rooms； on the left and right。 The room on the right was smaller； and there I saw the body of the girl； lying on a long black table。 She was wearing a black dress。 One leg dangled down toward the floor。 I didn't see any blood。 But I was pretty far away from her； maybe sixty meters。 It was hard to see much detail。
I heard the crackle of police radios； and I heard Graham saying； 〃Here's your liaison； gentlemen。 Now maybe we can get started on our investigation。 Peter？〃
I turned to the Japanese men by the elevator。 I didn't know which I should talk to； there was an awkward moment until one of them stepped forward。 He was about thirty…five and wore an expensive suit。 The man gave a very slight bow； from the neck； just a hint。 I bowed back。 Then he spoke。
〃Konbanwa。 Hajimemashite； Sumisu…san。 Ishiguro desu。 Dōzo yoroshiku。〃 A formal greeting； although perfunctory。 No wasted time。 His name was Ishiguro。 He already knew my name。
I said； 〃Hajimemashite。 Watashi wa Sumisu desu。 Dōzo yoroshiku。〃 How do you do。 Glad to meet you。 The usual。
〃Watashi no meishi desu。 Dōzo。〃 He gave me his business card。 He was quick in his movements； brusque。
〃Dōmo arigatō gozaimasu。 〃 I accepted his card with both hands； which wasn't really necessary； but taking Connor's advice； I wanted to do the most formal thing。 Next I gave him my card。 The ritual required us both to look at each other's cards； and to make some minor ment； or to ask a question like 〃Is this your office telephone number？〃
Ishiguro took my card with one hand and said； 〃Is this your home phone； Detective？〃 I was surprised。 He spoke the kind of unaccented English you can only learn by living here for a long time； starting when you're young。 He must have gone to school here。 One of the thousands of Japanese who studied in America in the seventies。 When they were sending 150；000 students a year to America； to learn about our country。 And we were sending 200 American students a year to Japan。
〃That's my number at the bottom； yes；〃 I said。
Ishiguro slipped my card into his shirt pocket。 I started to make a polite ment about his card； but he interrupted me。 〃Look； Detective。 I think we can dispense with the formalities。 The only reason there's a problem here tonight is that your colleague is unreasonable。〃
〃My colleague？〃
Ishiguro gave a head jerk。 〃The fat one there。 Graham。 His demands are unreasonable； and we strongly object to his intention to carry out an investigation tonight。〃
I said； 〃Why is that； Mr。 Ishiguro？〃
〃You have no probable cause to conduct one。〃
〃Why do you say that？〃
Ishiguro snorted。 〃I would think it's obvious； even to you。〃
I stayed cool。 Five years as a detective； and then a year in the press section had taught me to stay cool。
I said； 〃No； sir； I'm afraid it's not obvious。〃
He looked at me disdainfully。 〃The fact is； Lieutenant； you have no reason to connect this girl's death to the party we're holding downstairs。〃
〃It looks like she's wearing a party dress… '
He interrupted me rudely。 〃My guess is you'll probably discover that she has died of an accidental drug overdose。 And therefore her death has nothing to do with our party。 Wouldn't you agree？〃
I took a deep breath。 〃No； sir； I wouldn't agree。 Not without an investigation。〃 I took another breath。 〃Mr。 Ishiguro； I appreciate your concerns； but… 〃
〃I wonder if you do；〃 Ishiguro said； interrupting me again。 〃I insist that you appreciate the position of the Nakamoto pany tonight。 This is a very significant evening for us； a very public evening。 We are naturally distressed by the prospect that our function might be marred by unfounded allegations of a woman's death； especially this； a woman of no importance 。 。 。〃
〃A woman of no importance？〃
Ishiguro made a dismissing wave。 He seemed to be tired of talking to me。 〃It's obvious； just look at her。 She's no better than a mon prostitute。 I can't imagine how she came to be in this building at all。 And for this reason； I strongly protest the intention of Detective Graham to interrogate the guests at the reception downstairs。 That's entirely unreasonable。 We have many senators； congressmen； and officials of Los Angeles among our guests。 Surely you agree that such prominent people will find it awkward…〃
I said； 〃Just a minute。 Detective Graham told you he was going to interrogate everybody at the reception？〃
〃That is what he said to me。 Yes。〃
Now； at last； I began to understand why I'd been called。 Graham didn't like the Japanese and he had threatened to spoil their evening。 Of course it was never going to happen。 There was no way Graham was going to interrogate United States senators； let alone the district attorney or the mayor。 Not if he expected to e to work tomorrow。 But the Japanese annoyed him； and Graham had decided to annoy them back。
I said to Ishiguro； 〃We can set up a registration desk downstairs； and your guests can sign out as they leave。〃
〃I am afraid that will be difficult；〃 Ishiguro began； 〃because surely you will admit… 〃
〃Mr。 Ishiguro； that's what we're going to do。〃
〃But what you ask is extremely difficult… 〃
〃Mr。 Ishiguro。〃
〃You see； for us this is going to cause… 〃
〃Mr。 Ishiguro； I'm sorry。 I've just told you what police procedure is going to be。〃
He stiffened。 There was a pause。 He wiped some sweat from his upper lip and said； 〃I am disappointed； Lieutenant； not to have greater cooperation from you。〃
〃Cooperation？〃 That was when I started to get pissed off。 〃Mr。 Ishiguro； you've got a dead woman in there； and it is our job to investigate what happened to… 〃
〃But you must acknowledge our special circumstances… 〃
Then I heard Graham say； 〃Aw； Christ； what is this？〃
Looking over my shoulder； I saw a short； bookish Japanese man twenty meters beyond the yellow tape。 He was taking pictures of the crime scene。 The camera he held was so small it was nearly concealed in the palm of his hand。 But he wasn't concealing the fact that he had crossed the tape barrier to take his pictures。 As I watched； he moved slowly back toward us； raising his hands for a moment to snap a picture； then blinking behind his wire…frame spectacles as he selected his next shot。 He was deliberate in his movements。
Graham went up to the tape and said； 〃For Christ's sake； get out of there。 This is a crime scene。 You can't take pictures in there。〃 The man didn't respond。 He kept moving backward。 Graham turned away。 〃Who is this guy？〃
Ishiguro said； 〃This is our employee； Mr。 Tanaka。 He works for Nakamoto Security。〃
I couldn't believe what I was seeing。 The Japanese had their own employee wandering around inside the yellow tapes； contaminating the crime scene。 It was outrageous。 〃Get him out of there；〃 I said。
〃He is taking pictures。〃
〃He can't do that。〃
Ishiguro said； 〃But this is for our corporate use。〃
I said； 〃I don't care； Mr。 Ishiguro。 He can't be inside the yellow tape； and he can't take pictures。 Get him out of there。 And I want his film； please。〃
〃Very well。〃 Ishiguro said something quickly in Japanese。 I turned； just in time to see Tanaka slip under the yellow tape； and disappear among the blue…suited men clustered by the elevator。 Behind their heads； I saw the elevator doors open and close。
Son of a bit