按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Ushiba shrugged as he sat down。 〃That may well be true； now that you and Tetsuo Akinaga have agreed on Tachi Shidare's accession to oyabun of the Yamauchi clan。 You two will have more control than you did when Kozo was the Yamauchi oyabun。〃
Ushiba scowled as he looked down into the milk。 〃But you had best make certain Linnear never discovers that it was Kozo's man tailing his wife when she had the fatal accident。 Considering how he feels about Yakuza in general； he'd e after all of us； not just the Yamauchi。 The police we can control through the politicians whom we own； but Linnear is the one man who can destroy us。〃
Chosa grunted 〃We've made certain that Linnear will never learn the true nature of the incident。 The truck driver knows nothing more than he gave to the police in his statement。 There was no mention of the white Toyota。 Even Tanzan Nangi has no idea that Kozo was having Linnear's wife followed。 Why would he？ Kozo was crazy； we all knew it。 What did Kozo have to gain by having her followed？〃
〃That's simple。 Once Kozo learned of the link between Okami and Linnear； he put Linnear's wife under surveillance in hopes of finding her husband。〃
〃Who was this man she went to meet； who she spent the night with in a Tokyo hotel？〃
〃He was her lover； an advertising executive。〃 Ushiba continued to stare into his milk； smoke curling around his face。 〃They were both innocent。〃
〃Yes； but we didn't know that then。 All Kozo knew was that the man was an American who； upon arriving in Japan； had gone straight to Tanzan Nangi。 Kozo； already wary of our American partners in the Godaishu； became suspicious。〃
〃Paranoid； you mean；〃 Ushiba said in contempt。
〃There is always a whiff of paranoia to suspicion； isn't there？〃 Chosa was thoughtful for a moment。 〃In any event； Kozo had Linnear's wife followed。 She must have spotted the white Toyota following her and panicked。〃
〃So the death of Linnear's wife was accidental。〃
〃Not at all；〃 Chosa said thoughtfully。 〃If you think about it； it's Linnear's fault。 The life he chose to live murdered her。 She was always looking over her shoulder； jumping at shadows。〃
The Daijin laughed harshly。 〃You've put an interesting spin on nasty events。〃
〃Nicholas Linnear。 As you have said； he's very dangerous； highly skilled。 There isn't an oyabun alive who isn't terrified of him。〃
〃Except you； eh？〃 Ushiba said archly。
〃Especially me。〃 Chosa poured himself more tea； tried to ignore Ushiba's milky cup。 〃I have a more realistic respect than most for Linnear's hatred of the Yakuza。〃
〃Don't let's bring a sense of personal vengeance into a situation that is already fraught with enough difficulty。〃
〃Is that what you think？〃 Chosa eyed Ushiba。 〃I'm going after Linnear for a very good reason。 Somehow； Okami learned of my plot to have him eliminated； and he responded in an altogether extraordinary manner … he enlisted the aid of Nicholas Linnear。〃
Ushiba shook his head。 〃But how was that possible？ Linnear despises all Yakuza。〃
〃Of that I have no doubt。 But inside Linnear is Japanese； just as his father； Colonel Linnear； was。 There is a family debt owed to Okami and Linnear is obligated to fulfill it。 Giri。 He became Okami's protector。 That is why I have no faith in the assumption that the Kaisho is dead。 And that is why I put to you that Linnear must be destroyed。〃
〃Whatever arguments you put to me； I must forbid you to act against Linnear。〃
Chosa looked at him archly。 〃You forbid me？〃
〃Listen to me； I am the voice of reason。 Kozo tried it and he's dead。 But I know you。 You think you're better than Kozo。 You think you can outsmart Linnear。〃
〃I know it。 He is a man； after all； not a machine or a god。 And he is vulnerable just like any man。〃
〃You will jeopardize the entire Godaishu because you want to prove your erection is bigger than his。〃
〃Spoken like a true woman。〃
Ushiba stubbed out his butt； got up； and went over to the kitchen window so he could drink his humiliating milk in privacy。 Having to ignore Chosa's cruel wit was bad enough。 He did not want to think about Nicholas Linnear or the pitched battle Chosa was precipitating。 Instead； he peered through the glass。 All he could see was a thicket of steel； tinted glass； and ferroconcrete。 It was quite a sight； a testament to how successful his policies had been； how far and how fast Japan had grown。 Too fast； he thought now。 Like a child who has learned to run before he can walk； Japan now stumbles in its prodigious efforts to outproduce the West。
Ushiba turned back to the oyabun。 〃Linnear is not like other men。〃
Chosa was very relaxed now； this worried Ushiba； who turned back to the window。 He knew what that studied calm portended： imminent action。
〃Rubbish。 I happen to know the origin of Linnear's intense hatred for the Yakuza。 I intend to make it his Achilles' heel。 Men who hate deeply are careless men。〃
Ushiba felt the knife twisting in his stomach； saw his grimace reflected grotesquely back at him。 With a convulsive gesture； he brought the cup to his lips； drained it。 The milk would not be enough； he knew。 Just as the regulations he was putting into effect would not be enough to stem the tsunami of the economic slide。
The present was bitter； indeed； for him。 The bureaucracy had failed in its promise to protect Japan's central banks； three…quarters of whose assets were in equities and real estate。 With the Nikkei at less than 60 percent of its value of just a few short years ago and property values at ten cents on the dollar； the banks' assets were perilously low。
The present invidious cycle that had developed was proving resistant to Ushiba's best efforts to break it。 The economic malaise had caused a flood of corporate bankruptcies； putting even more pressure on the banks' monetary reserves。 This； in turn； had made investors so fearful they were continuing to sell equities at an unprecedented rate； despite the government's assurances as to Japan's overall economic health。
The trouble is； Ushiba thought sourly； after all the scandals of corporate end bureaucratic kickbacks mid illegal payments； the man in the street believes we deserve everything we've brought on ourselves … and he's justified in that opinion；
He turned around； abruptly disgusted with these self…pitying musings。 What was he so worried about； anyway？ They had the Godaishu。 Whatever disasters were lurking short…term for Japan； they would not affect the Godaishu。 The men who prised the Godaishu； global in design； generating assets from all over the world； were insulated against any short…term setback； even the involvement of Nicholas Linnear。 If Chosa said he had a way of neutralizing Linnear； Ushiba had no choice but to believe him。 Anyway； he wanted to believe him。
He also wanted more milk； but he would not ask his friend。 What good would it do； anyway？ he asked himself bitterly。 Everyone； Chosa included； thought his pain stemmed from a bleeding ulcer。 Good。 He had fooled them all。 How quickly they would be rid of him if they knew he had stomach cancer。
Inoperable。 That is what he had told his physicians when they had described the aftermath of cutting him open： an invalid who could not even digest f