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〃On the other hand； I have a weird feeling about Margarite myself。 I mean； her brother gets whacked and he leaves the business to a knucklehead like Tony D。？ Just because he married into the family？ It doesn't add up。 Dominic was too damn smart to make that classic mistake。 So what's the story？〃 He held up the hand。 〃So maybe you don't know； but I'm willing to bet my chadrool that Margarite does。 You know I'm on the fucking right path because you've had the same notion。 Why else are you tailing her and not Tony？
〃Margarite was the only one close to Dominic in the years before his death； and she's one smart cookie； even though she's handicapped。〃
〃Handicapped？〃
〃She's a woman； schmuck。 What would you call it？〃
Croaker looked away。 〃I want something to eat。〃 The two separate people inside Caesare Leonforte were driving him crazy。
Leonforte； smirking uncontrollably； signaled the waiter。 〃Sure。 Why not？ That's why we came here； right？〃
He ordered penne with vodka and a green salad。 Croaker； whose mood had turned from sour to bitter； opted for the steak frites。 Leonforte added another salad for Croaker。
When they were alone again； Leonforte lifted his glass； pointing it in the direction of a young couple who were being shown to a nearby table。
〃Look at this putz； staring into her eyes。 He looks like a heap of limp linguine。 I tell you what； I'd sure like to be across the negotiating table from him this afternoon。 He'll get back to the office； he won't know whether to say yes or no to anything。〃
Leonforte broke off a crust of bread； dipped it into the cabernet； stared at the ruby stain。 〃Ever since the dawn of time； women have had an evil effect on men。〃
〃Is that your opinion or a statement of scientific fact？〃
Leonforte laughed briefly。 〃You； my friend； should not be such a skeptic。〃 He popped the wine…soaked bread into his mouth； chewed reflectively。 〃Take you and Margarite； for instance。 A liaison … a mere dalliance … would not； objectively speaking； be for the worse。 But you've developed an attachment。 Now； when you should be clearheaded； your judgment has been impaired。 You want to protect her； to be her savior。〃
〃You know nothing about it。〃
The salads came； and Leonforte lit into his with the gusto of a man with a freed id。 Croaker took one bite of his and his stomach closed up。 He put down his fork。
〃Fact is； I know everything about it；〃 Leonforte said between mouthfuls of salad； 〃Because I know what goes on between men and women。 Men crave power and women crave men who are powerful； that's the nature of the human condition。 End of story。〃
He finished off his salad； then used a chunk of bread to wipe up the excess oil and vinegar。 He pointed。 〃You gonna eat that？〃
〃Help yourself。〃
He did； finishing off Croaker's salad in record time。 Then； with a heartfelt sigh； he pushed the plate away。 The waiter appeared and cleared the table； setting out silverware for their next course。
Leonforte took some wine。 〃Look； I can get over the fact that you're banging Tony D。's wife because； God help you； I can see you got a real good hard…on for her。 But this is a weakness； Mr。 Croaker； and now you see why I say that women exert an evil influence over men。 You owe me big time； and unlike Tony the weeny ding…a…ling； I am no man to trifle with。 You got the inside track with Margarite； and I'm convinced she has in her possession something I want very much。〃
Croaker tried to still the heavy beating of his heart。 〃And what might that be？〃
〃Dominic's list。 The item that allowed him to intimidate almost everyone in the city； state； and federal governments。 Tony D。 sure as shit doesn't have it； so that leaves Margarite。 God only knows why she was the only person Dom trusted； no matter how smart she is； she's only a skirt； no one will pay her any respect。〃
The entrees came； and Leonforte started on his penne almost before the waiter had set the large bowl in front of him。
〃Here's the way it is； Mr。 Croaker。 You're gonna continue shadowing Margarite。 You're gonna find out what she knows； Dom's secret； and then you're gonna give it all to me。 Because you work for me now。〃
〃What if I say no？〃
Leonforte looked up； and that red light of madness danced brightly in his eyes； and an awful grin burst out across his face。 〃Then； Mr。 Croaker； I put a bullet through Margarite Goldoni DeCamillo's brain。〃
4
Tokyo/Saigon/Washington
The girl with the almond…colored skin turned her dark eyes in Akira Chosa's direction； and he saw the secrets floating there like islands in the stream。
Secrets were Chosa's stock in trade； so he felt an immediate bond with the girl She was spread upon a black lacquered table； her long hair； glossy as the lacquer itself； fanned out across her small breasts； slim belly； and firm thighs。 The atmosphere at the intimate akachochin he habituated was thick with cigarette smoke and the musky intimation of sex。 The girl； naked； streaked with indigo dye； watched him as she calmly opened her mouth in a perfect O。
Secrets were what allowed Chosa； the oyabun of the Kokorogurushii dan of Yakuza； to remain out of jail。 Too many high…rolling financial traders； high…ranking politicians； and senior bureaucrats were being investigated； hauled off to jail to face charges of embezzlement； tax evasion； and making illegal contributions to political war chests。
A thin strip of a shiny Mylar…like material was stretched decorously across the girl's loins； but there was no mistaking the phallic shape of the large rubber device being lowered into her open mouth。 This was the performance： while colored strobes probed her breasts and belly and thighs； only her lipstick…coated lips moved in a subtle dance。 It was so still in the room that Chosa could hear the ragged breathing of the small audience of males who had e to this after…hours club from expensive and boozy business dinners； where the immense pressures of their daily work schedules could be obliterated for at least a few hedonistic hours。
Of all the secrets that Chosa possessed； the one he treasured most was the one about Nicholas Linnear。 But； in truth； Linnear was only the central figure around which events whirled in their own peculiar rhythm。
Like the girl's lips； which pulsed； expanding and contracting as they worked their way up and down the shaft of the rubber device。 She knew her business； this girl； her eyes closing slowly； as if in ecstasy； as her tiny pink tongue swirled around the head。
Nicholas's father； Col。 Denis Linnear； had formed a kind of sub…rosa alliance with Mikio Okami； during the early years of the American occupation of Japan。 On the surface； there was nothing extraordinary in that。 In those days； it was mon practice for the American military to enlist the help of Yakuza to quell the munist…inspired worker riots that plagued the big cities。 Better by far； the Americans felt； to have Japanese nationals cracking the heads of protesting Japanese workers than to have American military personnel do it。 And the Yakuza were more than happy to help out； they feared the munists as much as the Americans did。
But it seemed as if the relationship between Colonel Linnear and Mikio Okami ran d