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！
〃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