el.angeleyes-第75部分

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t。　It　seemed　logical；　then；　for　the　two　panies　to　form　a　joint　venture。''
　〃I　see。〃　Big　Ezoe　worked　a　tiny　clamshell　around　his　mouth　until　he　had　gotten　all　the　delicious　juice　out　of　it。　Then　he　spit　it　out。　〃So　this　joint　venture　isn't　research　and　development　at　all。〃
　〃No；〃　the　Kaga　vice…president　said。　〃It's　a　manufacturing　setup。〃
　〃What　is　it　manufacturing？〃
　''I　don't　know。　All　I'm　aware　of　is　that　we　are　getting　illegal　shipments　of　hafnium　into　the　joint　pany。''
　Big　Ezoe　said；　〃What　the　hell　is　hafnium？〃
　The　Kaga　vice…president　told　him　about　hafnium　being　used　to　manufacture　control　rods　for　reactor　cores；　and　how　hafnium　kept　absorbing　neutrons　long　after　other　materials　became　saturated　and　had　to　be　replaced。　〃It　seems　evident　that　the　setup　must　be　manufacturing　parts　for　some　kind　of　nuclear　reactors；''　the　Kaga　vice…president　concluded。
　〃Nuclear　reactors？〃　Big　Ezoe　shook　his　head。　This　wasn't　turning　out　as　he　had　expected。　〃Kunio　Michita's　business　doesn't　include　atomics。〃
　〃I　guess　it　does　now；〃　the　Kaga　vice…president　said。
　〃Who　is　selling　him　the　hafnium？〃
　〃A　West　German　firm　owned　by　an　Argentine　named　Estilo。〃
　Koi　said；　〃Does　Estilo's　pany　manufacture　the　hafnium？〃
　''How　should　I　know？''
　Big　Ezoe　looked　at　her；　and　she　said；　〃I　know　of　this　West　German　pany。　It's　had　a　number　of　dealings　with　Kunio　Michita。　Estilo　is　a　middleman；　a　broker　for　all　sorts　of　hardware　and　esoteric　raw　materials　like　hafnium。〃
　Koi　thought　for　a　moment。　Then　she　looked　at　the　Kaga　vice…president。　〃Who　does　Estilo　buy　his　hafnium　from？〃
　〃I　have　no　idea；〃　the　man　said。　〃I　doubt　that　even　Ten…san　knows。〃　He　meant　Fumida　Ten；　the　chairman　of　Kaga。　The　vice…president　shrugged。　''I　don't　even　know　anything　about　this　West　German　pany；　except　that　it's　represented　in　this　country　by　Budoko　Associates。〃
　〃That　law　firm　is　huge；〃　Big　Ezoe　said。　〃Who　at　Budoko　is　handling　the　transactions？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I　shouldn't　even　be　aware　of　Budoko。　Normally　I　have　to　approve　all　corporate　bills　before　they're　sent　on　to　accounting；　but　these　were　routed　around　me。　I　only　came　across　one　by　accident。〃
　Big　Ezoe　finished　his　asari；　making　smacking　sounds　of　satisfaction。　〃Is　there　anything　else　that　might　be　of　use　to　me？〃
　''I　can't　think　of　anything；''　the　Kaga　vice…president　said。　He　had　not　touched　his　breakfast。　He　looked　at　the　food　wistfully；　as　if　he　could　recall　a　time　when　he　had　had　an　appetite。　〃Well；　the　only　thing　was；　I　don't　think　Michita　was　the　original　instigator　of　the　joint　venture　talks。　He　brought　an　American　with　him。〃
　〃A　businessman？〃
　〃I　don't　think　so。　No。　The　American　was　introduced　to　us　as　Mr。　Smith。　What　does　that　tell　you？〃
　Big　Ezoe　nodded；　threw　some　yen　on　the　table；　and　he　and　Koi　left　the　coffee　shop。　They　strolled　for　some　time　amid　the　thinning　throngs　at　the　fish　market。　It　was　a　good　place　to　talk。
　Big　Ezoe　said；　〃Now　there　are　some　intriguing　new　players　to　the　game。　It　isn't　just　Michita　and　Hitasura　we're　chasing；　it's　Kaga　and　someone　in　the　largest　law　firm　in　Tokyo。　And　where　does　Hitasura　fit　into　all　this？　It　seems　we're　no　closer　to　finding　the　link　between　him　and　Michita。　Not　to　mention　this　mysterious　American。　Do　you　remember　a　'Mr。　Smith'　or　any　likely　American　who　did　not　fit　the　typical　businessman　mold　being　in　touch　with　Michita？''
　〃No。〃
　〃Let's　leave　that　for　the　moment；〃　Big　Ezoe　said。　〃Why　were　you　so　interested　in　where　the　hafnium　is　ing　from？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure；〃　Koi　said。　〃But　it　seems　to　me　that　none　of　this　quite　hangs　together。〃
　〃Do　you　think　our　man's　lying？〃
　〃No。　He's　too　frightened　of　you　to　lie。　But　I　don't　think　he　knows　what's　really　going　on。　Neither　do　we；　yet。　What　we're　beginning　to　get　a　look　at　is　flesh　without　any　bones。　It's　not　yet　making　sense。〃
　They　walked　in　silence　for　some　time　while　Big　Ezoe　digested　this。　At　last　he　said；　〃Does　anything　else　occur　to　you？〃
　〃Yes。　I　think　we　should　put　the　deciphered　pages　of　Kakuei　Sakata's　ledgers　to　good　use。　Let's　use　them　as　leverage　to　find　out　what　Hitasura　is　up　to。〃
　Big　Ezoe　was　already　shaking　his　head。　〃I　can't　be　certain　that　Hitasura　doesn't　already　know　what　the　ledgers　contain。　After　all；　it　was　his　brother　who　did　the　deciphering。　I　can't　take　the　chance　of　losing　face。〃
　〃Then　use　the　ledgers　against　Kunio　Michita。〃
　〃Perhaps　at　some　point。　But　not　now。　The　ledgers　are　all　we　have。　I　resist　the　idea　of　shooting　a　gun　with　one　bullet　if　I　can　achieve　the　same　result　merely　by　aiming　the　weapon。''
　Koi　considered　this　a　moment；　then　nodded。　〃There's　something　else；〃　she　said。　〃When　the　Kaga　vice…president　mentioned　Budoko　Associates；　it　rang　a　bell。　I　didn't　think　of　this　before　when　you　asked　me　about　people　Michita　saw　with　some　regularity；　but　now　I'm　beginning　to　see　its　significance。
　〃There　was　a　young　lawyer；　Yen　Yasuwara。　He's　now　a　partner　in　Budoko　Associates。　Have　you　heard　of　him？''
　〃Yes；　but　it's　interesting　that　you　have　as　well。〃　Big　Ezoe's　mind　was　racing。　Yen　Yasuwara　had　been　at　the　heart　of　the　blood　feud　between　Fukuda　and　Tori　Nunn。　Fukuda　had　been　seeing　Yen　Yasuwara；　primarily　because　Big　Ezoe　had　been　given　information　that　Yasuwara　was　somehow　involved　with　the　sort　of　deals　Big　Ezoe　would　find　attractive。　Big　Ezoe　had　sent　Fukuda　to　find　out　what　she　could　in　any　way　she　saw　fit。　That　she　had　decided　to　open　her　legs　for　him　had　not　presented　Big　Ezoe　with　a　problem；　that　she　had　not　been　able　to　discover　what　Yasuwara　was　up　to　had。　Then　Tori　Nunn　had　arrived　on　the　scene　and　that　particular　line　of　inquiry　had　been　blown　because；　as　it　turned　out；　Fukuda　had　some　personal　feelings　left；　after　all。
　Now　it　seemed　that　Yen　Yasuwara　was　tied　in　with　Kunio　Michita。　Could　he　be　the　link　missing　from　Kakuei　Sakata's　ledgers？
　〃What　was　Yen　Yasuwara's　business　with　Michita？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Koi　said；　thinking　back。　〃Michita　never　met　Yasuwara　in　the　office。　In　fact；　I　never　made　the　appointments。　I　wouldn't　have　known　who　Yasuwara　or　Budoko　Associates　were　except　for　the　fact　that　during　the　particularly　difficult　negotiations　for　the　joint　venture　with　the　Kaga　conglomerate；　Michita　left　me　the　same　number　each　time　he　left　the　office　when　there　was　a　hole　in　his　daily　schedule。
　〃I　remember　he　had　asked　me　to　keep　the　hours　of　two　to　three　open。　Of　course；　I　didn't　ask　why。　But　when　the　Kaga　negotiations　were　at　a　crucial　stage；　I　had　occasion　to　call　him　several　times。〃
　〃And　the　phone　number　he　left　you　was　for　Budoko　Associates？〃
　〃Well；　that　was　the　most　intriguing　part；〃　Koi　said。　〃Each　time　I　called；　a　woman　answered。　But　it　was　obvious　from　the　way　she　spoke　that　she　was　no　secretary；　and　the　call　was　not　routed　through　a　switchboard。　I　assumed　it　was　a　private　residence；　but　I　was　wrong。　One　afternoon　when　Michita　was　out；　papers　arrived　by　messenger　from　Kaga。　They　were　so　important　that　they　did　not　e　over　the　fax。　The　envelope　was　sealed　with　red　wax　in　which　was　imprinted　the　Kaga　logo。
　〃I　phoned　Michita　at　the　number　he　gave　me；　and　told　him　what　had　e　in。　He　told　me　to　e　right　down。　He　also　told　me　to　take　the　subway；　not　a　pany　car。〃
　Koi　paused　a　moment。　''I　assumed　he　was　concerned　with　traffic…the　subway　was　far　faster　than　sitting　in　a　car　trapped　on　a　crowded　street。　But　now　I'm　convinced　his　main　concern　was　security。　He　and　Yen　Yasuwara　were　at　a　private　club　in　Shinjuku。　The　woman　who　answered　the　phone　presided　over　their　private　room　like　a　hawk　with　her　young。　She　was　a　mama…san　who　had　owned　her　own　akachochin。　This　job；　she　told　me；　was　far　more　lucrative。　She　looked　after　'special'　clients　for　whom　the　need　for　'absolute　privacy'　was　paramount。''
　''This　puzzle　is　being　more　fascinating　by　the　moment；''　Big　Ezoe　said。　〃Whatever　Michita　and　Yasuwara　were　working　on　was　so　secret　they　had　to　keep　it　from　their　respective　offices。　''　He　thought　a　moment。　〃How　was　it　that　Michita　trusted　you　with　knowing　where　he　was？〃
　〃To　be　honest；〃　Koi　said；　〃it　never　crossed　his　mind。　I　was　so　good　at　what　I　did　that　I　was　next　to　invisible。　He　thought　of　me　as　a　puter　with　hands；　nothing　more。　Certainly　not　as　someone　who　might　possess　independent　thought。〃
　Big　Ezoe　grunted。　〃More　fool　him。〃
　Yen　Yasuwara　lived　in　a　sleek；　modern　house　in　Hiroo　in　Minato…ku。　Apparently　he　was　undisturbed　by　the　influx　of　trend…minded　foreigners；　opting　for　the　flash　the　nouveau　riche　the　world　over　seemed　to　prefer。　It　was　important。　Big　Ezoe　reflected　as　he　guided　the　Mercedes　up　the　tree…lined　street；　for　those　who　were　new　to　money　to　show　how　much　they　had　to　as　many　people　foolish　enough　to　take　notice。　Insecurity。　That　made　Big　Ezoe　happy。　He　thrived　on　other　people's　insecurities。
　Big　Ezoe　nosed　the　Mercedes　into　the　curb；　pulled　to　a　stop；　but　he　didn't　cut　the　ignition。　He　said　over　the　purr　of　the　idling　engine；　〃Will　you　recognize　him？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　He　didn't　doubt　her。　He　didn't　doubt　anything　she　said。　Koi；　it　appeared；　was　totally　unconcerned　about　the　need　now　and　then　to　lie。　She　seemed；　in　fact；　totally　oblivious　to　other　people's　reactions　to　what　she　said　or　did。　This　was；　to　a　large　extent；　an　enormous　advantage；　but　her　disconnectedness　continued　to　concern　Big　Ezoe。　Koi　was　like　a　tap　gushing　water：　that　was　all　well　and　good　for　as　long　as　one　needed　the　force；　but　what　happened　when　it　was　time　to　end　the　flow　and　the　tap　would　not　close？
　It　was　just　after　eight　in　the　evening。　The　sky　was　the　color　of　bronze；　burnished　by　the　ten　billion　lights　of　the　city。　There　seemed　to　be　no　night　at　all。　They　had　spent　the　day　trying　to　get　close　to　Hitasura　and　Tori　Nunn；　but　even　with　Big　Ezoe's　vast　network　of　informants；　they　could　not　even　find　out　where　they　were。　A　day　that　had　begun　in　a　most　promising　manner　had　turned　aimless　and　frustrating。　On　the　other　hand；　Big　Ezoe's　lieutenants　had　assured　him　that；　one　way　or　another；　an　answer　would　be　forthing　before　midnight　as　to　the　whereabouts　of　Hitasura　and　Tori　Nunn。　Until　then；　Big　Ezoe　knew　he　must　content　himself　with　what　was　about　to　happen。
　Koi　slipped　out　of　the　car；　walking　toward　a　young　man　in　an　impeccable　three…piece　suit　who　was　approaching　the　front　gate　of　Yasuwara's　house。　She　had　not　said；　〃Th