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avored; under less tense circumstances: John Jardine's late colleague on the Honolulu PD; Chang Apana; had been the basis for the fictional Chan。
Burroughs and the FBI agent found Admiral Kimmel in the pany of Rear Admiral Draemel and Admiral Pye and their wives; sipping cocktails at a table under the big hau tree on the Halekulani terrace。 A grouping of tables nearby made up a dinner party of around a dozen…all top brass and their wives 。。。 except; of course; for Husband Kimmel; whose wife was back on the mainland。
Sterling approached the stern; broad…browed admiral; apologizing for the intrusion; and politely asking for a few minutes of his time。
In the charming; pale pink; wicker…furnished lobby; standing near a huge window looking out on a seemingly impenetrable thickness of tropical garden; Burroughs and the FBI man laid out their cards for Admiral Kimmel。 It took a while longer than the meeting with Short and Fielder; because Kimmel knew nothing of the Mori radiophone call; though he was aware of the Japanese Consulate burning their papers。
〃That's only natural;〃 the stately admiral said; a faint touch of Kentucky in his voice; 〃at a time like this。〃
〃With war imminent; you mean?〃 Burroughs said。
〃Yes。 Now what is this business about murder; and espionage?〃
They filled him in slowly; and the admiral listened; absorbed; frequently nodding。 Burroughs and Sterling exchanged occasional glances; both men feeling they were getting through to Kimmel。
But in the end; the admiral's reaction mirrored the general's。
〃This begs prompt action;〃 Kimmel said。 〃First thing Monday morning。〃
〃Admiral Kimmel;〃 Burroughs said; 〃Sunday is the perfect time for an invasion。。。。〃
The admiral's clear blue eyes seemed tranquil。 〃The Japs may indeed invade; tomorrow…somewhere in Southeast Asia; that is。〃
〃What about here? In Hawaii?〃
〃No one gives that possibility much credence。 Just last week I asked my operations officer what the chances were; of a surprise attack on Oahu; and he said; 'None。' I hope you won't mind if I rely on the advice of our leading military minds and not。。。 forgive me 。。。 the creator of Tarzan?〃
The admiral thanked both men for their diligence; and returned to the terrace and the single cocktail he was conservatively making last all evening。
Soon the writer and the FBI man were back at the Niumalu; in their respective bungalows; when he took his leave; Sterling seemed weary and defeated。 Burroughs felt about the same; but was relieved and even energized to find Hully at home。 They had pany: Hully had hauled his inebriated and somewhat battered friend; Bill Fielder; to sleep it off; which he was doing; on a pallet on the floor。
Father and son sat on the couch and exchanged their tales of the evening's investigations; each surprising; occasionally delighting; the other with revelations and adventures。
But finally it was left to Hully to ask; 〃What does it all add up to; O。 B。?〃 。
His father shrugged。 〃Harry Kamana is innocent… and so; most likely; are Bill and Stanton and the other 'jealous lovers。' Pearl Harada was killed for a classic motive: she knew too much。〃
〃But what did she know; Dad?〃
〃I can't tell you; Son…and neither can Pearl。〃
Hully sighed。 〃I guess our investigation is over。〃
〃Ours is…but when Sterling and Jardine get together with Colonel Fielder of Army intelligence; Morimura and Kuhn won't stand a chance。〃
〃And when does this happen?〃
〃Monday。〃
〃Monday。〃 Hully stretched; yawned。 〃I guess it can wait that long。〃
And…with Bill snoring on his pallet on the floor… Hully folded out the couch into a bed; while his father trundled off in hopes of a good night's sleep; minus any nightmares or other rude awakenings。
THREE:
December 7; 1941
THIRTEEN
War Games
After the midnight closing of the Navy's new Bloch Recreation Center…where the Arizona's dance band had e in second to the Pennsylvania; a much…contested decision…and with the dimming of the clubs and bars of the city; garish Hotel Street included; the blush in the sky over Honolulu began to fade; until the heavens again belonged to the stars。 Oahu itself seemed to slumber; with only the slowly turning hands of the Aloha Tower's quartet of clock faces to mark the passing of another tropical night。
By three a。m。; the darkness was broken chiefly by stoplights pulsing red; and mute; deserted streets twinkling with Christmas lights。 A few pleasure palaces in Chinatown ignored the curfew; their entryways scarlet with the neon promise of sin; beckoning foolish tourists and fearless servicemen。 And offshore; to the west; at the entrance to Pearl Harbor; red and green buoy lights winked in the dark; as if they and the night shared a secret。
In these deceptively peaceful hours before dawn; out in the blackness beyond the reef; destiny was bearing down upon Oahu。 Three hundred miles north of Honolulu; an armada charged through heavy seas at a clip of twenty knots…destroyers and cruisers; battleships and aircraft carriers; bombers and torpedo planes… while; much closer to Oahu; a small fleet of submarines already had the island surrounded; and five midget submarines were even now gliding toward their targets。
A little before four a。m。; a minesweeper signaled the destroyer Ward of the sighting of a possible periscope three…quarters southwest of the harbor's blinking entrance buoys。 General quarters were sounded by Lieutenant William Outerbridge; captain of the Ward… summoned to the bridge in his pajamas; over which he wore a kimono…and for half an hour; the destroyer searched the restricted waters outside the harbor; and saw nothing; their sonarmen hearing nothing。
Then at 6:30 a。m。; a Ward crewman spotted the half…submerged midget sub trailing the supply ship Antares toward the harbor entry; whose torpedo nets…usually blocking the channel…were wide open。 Lieutenant Outerbridge sounded general quarters again; and took chase; quickly closing to within a hundred yards; firing and missing; then…with a point…blank hit…nailing the sub at the juncture of its conning tower; sinking the seaweed…shrouded sub; then pounding it with depth charges until the wounded ship bled oil。
The Ward; little realizing it; had just fired the first shots of the Pacific War。
Though this encounter had taken place within five miles of Battleship Row; Oahu continued to slumber… Lieutenant Outerbridge; who of course promptly radioed a coded message of the sinking to the mander of the Fourteenth Naval District at Pearl Harbor…did not receive a request for 〃additional details〃 until 7:37 A。M。
Just before dawn; atop a ridge on the northern shore of Oahu; one of Colonel Teske's mobile radar stations was scheduled to be shut down at seven a。m。 General Short had these half…dozen trailer…mounted units in operation only a few hours a day; primarily for training purposes。 Private George Elliot and Private Joe Lock…ard were working a four…hour graveyard shift; three in the morning till seven; but the track that was supposed to pick them up for breakfast was late; and Private Elliot left the equipment on after seven; merely for the practice。
And just as dawn was threatening to break; a notably stron