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！
〃So；〃 Hully said； 〃you were just。。。 chatting tonight； down on the beach。〃
Kamana shook his head； emphatically。 〃I wasn't talking to her on the beach 。。。 not at all； not tonight！ I heard arguing 。。。 my bungalow's near the beach； you know 。。。 and recognized her voice 。。。 heard a man's voice； but it was soft； I didn't recognize it。 Then I。。。 I heard her scream； and I ran out and down there。。。 and。。。〃
He began to weep again； instinctively covering his face with his hands…smearing the blood all over himself。 Hully glanced at O。 B。； who looked back with wide eyes。
〃。。。 She was dead。。。。My lovely Pearl was dead。。。。 Somebody killed her。。。。All crushed in 。。。 I tried to help her； and got her blood on me。。。。〃
His pockmarked face was streaked with blood； now… he looked like an Apache with war paint。
A knock at the door made them jump； even O。 B。； who said to Hully； 〃Get that。〃
The man Hully let in was small and swarthy； a hawk…faced obvious plainclothes cop in a snap…brim fedora； rumpled gray suit and red tie。 His eyes were small and dark and needle…sharp。
〃Hulbert Burroughs；〃 Hully said； extending his hand to the little detective。
〃John Jardine；〃 he replied； and shook Hully's hand； a strong grip。
Jardine and O。 B。 shook hands； as well。 The elder Burroughs had already filled the detective in on many of the particulars； over the phone。
〃How did you get blood on your face； Mr。 Kamana？〃 Jardine asked bluntly； standing unfortably close to the seated musician。
〃It isn't on my face；〃 Kamana said； stupidly； holding up his hand； where the blood was just a stain； now。
〃It's on your face。〃
Kamana's grief had subsided and fear was moving in； with Honolulu's top homicide cop staring him down； the musician obviously was grasping what kind of spot he was in。 〃It。。。 it was on my hand。。。 I must have。。。 must have touched my face。。。。〃
〃How did you get it on your hand？〃
Hully and his father sat on the couch as Jardine questioned Kamana…just preliminary stuff； but Hully was interested in the musician's responses； which were for the most part a rehash of the things Kamana had emotionally blurted to Hully and O。 B。
But Hully was impressed by the unrehearsed consistency of Kamana's answers。
Before long； Jardine was lugging Kamana…his hands cuffed behind him…outside into the breeze…kissed dark； where he turned the musician over to a uniformed cop； a Polynesian who walked Kamana toward a squad car waiting in the parking lot near the lodge。 From down toward the beach came bursts of light； as if a tiny lightning storm had moved in。
Noting Hully's confused expression； Jardine said； 〃Flash photos。〃
Hully nodded…like his dad had said； the beach was a crime scene now 。。。 and Pearl was no longer a person； but evidence。
The Portuguese detective said to O。 B。； 〃Do you mind a few questions？ While it's all fresh in your mind？〃
〃Not at all。 Shall we go back inside？〃
O。 B。 was opening the screen door for the detective when a figure came rushing up； dressed in white； a ghost emerging from the darkness。
Otto Kuhn…in a white shirt and white linen pants； looking like a male nurse seeking a doctor…seemed out of breath； though his bungalow； next door； was hardly any distance。 His light blue eyes had a startled look。
〃Are you with the police； sir？〃 he asked Jardine in his thick yet smoothly accented second tenor。
〃I'm Detective Jardine。〃
〃I'm Otto Kuhn…I live there。〃 He pointed toward the bungalow past a cluster of palms。 〃Could I speak to you； sir？〃
Jardine gestured toward the sitting room； which beckoned beyond the screen door O。 B。 held open。 〃Mr。 Burroughs； do you mind？〃
〃Not at all。〃
And soon Hully and his father were again seated on the couch； spectators； as the German real…estate agent spoke excitedly to the Portuguese detective。 Though Kuhn towered over the little man； literally； Jardine's manding presence loomed over the German； figuratively。
With an inappropriate smile； Kuhn said； 〃I saw you arrest that。。。 native。 That musician。〃
〃You did。〃
〃Yes； and you were correct to do so。 I。。。 hesitated to e forward until I was sure he was safely in custody。〃
〃You sound as if you were afraid of Kamana； Mr。 Kuhn。〃
Kuhn swallowed； nodded。 〃I'm not proud to admit that is the case。 You see。。。 I saw of what brutality he was capable。 My bungalow 。。。 a window looks out on the beach。 It is somewhat blocked by trees； but I had them trimmed back； recently 。。。 for a better view。〃
〃What kind of view did you have tonight； Mr。 Kuhn？〃
〃I was sleeping；〃 he said； tilting his head； as if onto a pillow； 〃and woke suddenly。。。。〃 He jerked his head straight up。
Hully winced； these histrionics were somehow distasteful。
Kuhn was saying； 〃I heard arguing； loud arguing； a man and a woman。 I rolled over； to go back to sleep 。。。 my wife did not waken； I must emphasize； she saw nothing。〃
〃All right。〃
Gesturing with both hands； the German said； 〃The arguing got louder。 Heated； you might say。 I went to the window； to plain。 I think if I shout at them； they might stop； and I can sleep again； and no one would be harmed。 But when I got to the window 。。。 that's when I saw it。〃
〃Saw what？〃
〃The murder。 That man。。。 the Hawaiian musician； Kamana。。。 he had something in his hand。。。 a rock； I think。 Something heavy； anyway； small enough for him to grasp。 He raised his hand； and I wanted to shout； 'Stop！' But I was too late。。。 she screamed； and he struck her。 Struck her a terrible blow。〃
Kuhn lowered his head； shaking it； as if remembering this terrible thing。。。 but something about it seemed hollow to Hully。 He glanced at his father； to see if he could read any similar reaction； and noted his dad's eyes were so narrow； they might have been cuts in his face。
〃This is a very interesting story； Mr。 Kuhn；〃 Jardine said。 〃I have one question…why didn't you call the police？〃
Kuhn nodded toward O。 B。； on the couch。 〃I saw Mr。 Burroughs capture the Hawaiian。。。。Edgar was obviously taking him to justice。 I calmed my wife。。。 she had woken by this time； and heard my story； and had bee terribly upset。。。 and I simply waited for you to arrive。〃 He smiled； clasped his hands in front of him； like a waiter about to show a patron to a really nice table。 〃I would be most happy to give you a formal statement； tomorrow； at your headquarters。〃
Jardine said nothing for a few seconds； then he sighed； and said； 〃Why don't you show me the window you saw all this through？〃
Kuhn nodded； curtly。 〃My pleasure。〃
Pleasure？ That seemed an odd thing to say。。。。
Hully found this German's story unsettling； and unconvincing； despite the way it hewed to the particulars of Pearl Harada's death。
As he acpanied Kuhn out； Jardine turned to O。 B。 and said； 〃We'll talk tomorrow； Mr。 Burroughs。 Thanks for your help…shouldn't have to bother you again； tonight。〃
〃Good night； John；〃 O。 B。 said； seeing them to the door。
〃Nice meeting you；〃 Jardine said to Hully； and then they were out of the door。
A few minutes later； Hully was folding the couch out into its bed； and his father…in a fresh pair of pa…jama bottoms…came out from his bedroom and stood there； bare…chested； with his hands on hips； Tarzan…style。
〃I thought tha