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her of them； or touch them except to shake hands。 For their part； the senators seemed acutely aware of the camera； and maintained a friendly； if somewhat formal demeanor。
〃Our country's going to hell； and on a Thursday night； United States senators are standing around chatting with models；〃 Jenny said。 〃No wonder we're in trouble。 And these are important guys。 They're talking about Morton as a presidential candidate in the next election。〃
I said； 〃What do you know about them personally？〃
〃They're both married。 Well。 Rowe's semi…separated。 His wife stays home in Virginia。 He gets around。 Tends to drink too much。〃
I looked at Rowe on the monitor。 He was the same man who had gotten on the elevator with us earlier in the evening。 And he had been drunk then； almost falling down。 But he wasn't drunk now。
〃And Morton？〃
〃Supposedly he's Mr。 Clean。 Ex…athlete； fitness nut。 Eats health food。 Family man。 Morton's big area is science and technology。 The environment。 American petitiveness； American values。 All that。 But he can't be that clean； I've heard he has a young girlfriend。〃
〃Is that right？〃
She shrugged。 〃The story is； his staffers are trying to break it off。 But who knows what's true。〃
The tape ejected and Jenny pushed in the next one。 〃This is the last； fellas。〃
Connor hung up the phone and said； 〃Forget the tape。〃 He stood。 〃We've got to go； kōhai。〃
〃Why？〃
〃I've been talking to the phone pany about the calls made from the pay phone in the lobby of the Nakamoto building between eight and ten。〃
〃And？〃
〃No calls were made during those hours。〃
I knew that Connor thought that someone had gone out of the security room and called from the pay phone … Cole； or one of the Japanese。 Now his hopes of following a promising lead by tracing the call were dashed。 〃That's too bad；〃 I said。
〃Too bad？〃 Connor said； surprised。 〃It's extremely helpful。 It narrows things down considerably。 Miss Gonzales； do you have any tapes of people leaving the party？〃
〃Leaving？ No。 Once the guests arrived； all the crews went upstairs to shoot the actual party。 Then they brought the tape back here to make the deadline； while the party was still going on。〃
〃Fine。 Then I believe we're finished here。 Thanks for your help。 Your knowledge is remarkable。 Kōhai； let's go。〃
？
Driving again。 This time to an address in Beverly Hills。 By now it was after one in the morning； and I was tired。 I said； 〃Why does the pay phone in the lobby matter so much？〃
〃Because；〃 Connor said； 〃our whole conception of this case revolves around whether someone made a call from that phone； or not。 The real question now is； which pany in Japan has locked horns with Nakamoto？〃
〃Which pany in Japan？〃 I said。
〃Yes。 It is clearly a corporation belonging to a different keiretsu；〃 Connor said。
I said； 〃Keiretsu？〃
〃The Japanese structure their businesses in large organizations they call keiretsu。 There are six major ones in Japan； and they're huge。 For example； the Mitsubishi keiretsu consists of seven hundred separate panies that work together； or have interrelated financing； or interrelated agreements of various sorts。 Big structures like that don't exist in America because they violate our antitrust laws。 But they are the norm in Japan。 We tend to think of corporations as standing alone。 To see it the Japanese way； you'd have to imagine； say； an association of IBM and Citibank and Ford and Exxon； all having secret agreements among themselves to cooperate； and to share financing or research。 That means a Japanese corporation never stands alone … it's always acting in partnership with hundreds of other panies。 And in petition with the panies of other keiretsu。
〃So when you think about what Nakamoto Corporation is doing； you have to ask what the Nakamoto keiretsu is doing； back in Japan。 And what panies in other keiretsu oppose it。 Because this murder is embarrassing to Nakamoto。 It could even be seen as an attack against Nakamoto。〃
〃An attack？〃
〃Think about it。 Nakamoto plans a great； star…studded opening night for their building。 They want it to go perfectly。 For some reason； a guest at the party gets strangled。 And the question is … who called it in？〃
〃Who reported the murder？〃
〃Right。 Because after all； Nakamoto controls that environment pletely： it's their party； their building。 And it would be a simple matter for them to wait until eleven o'clock； after the party was over and the guests had left； to report the murder。 If I were preoccupied with appearances； with the nuances of public face； that's the way I'd do it。 Because anything else is potentially dangerous to the corporate image of Nakamoto。〃
〃Okay。〃
〃But the report wasn't delayed；〃 Connor said。 〃On the contrary； somebody called it in at eight thirty…two； just as the party was getting under way。 Thus putting the whole evening at risk。 And our question has always been： who called it in？〃
I said； 〃You told Ishiguro to find the person who called。 And he hasn't done it yet。〃
〃Correct。 Because he can't。〃
〃He doesn't know who called it in？〃
〃Correct。〃
〃You don't think anybody from the Nakamoto Corporation made the call？〃
〃Correct。〃
〃An enemy of Nakamoto called？〃
〃Almost certainly。〃
I said； 〃So how do we find out who called the report in？〃
Connor laughed。 〃That's why I checked the lobby phone。 It's crucial to that question。〃
〃Why is it crucial？〃
〃Suppose you work for a peting corporation； and you want to know what's going on inside Nakamoto。 You can't find out； because Japanese corporations hire their executives for life。 The executives feel they are part of a family。 And they'd never betray their own family。 So Nakamoto Corporation presents an impenetrable mask to the rest of the world； which makes even the smallest details meaningful： which executives are in town from Japan； who is meeting with whom； ings and goings； and so on。 And you might be able to learn those details； if you strike up a relationship with an American security guard who sits in front of monitors all day。 Particularly if that guard has been subjected to Japanese prejudice against blacks。〃
〃Go on；〃 I said。
〃The Japanese often try to bribe local security officers from rival firms。 The Japanese are honorable people； but their tradition allows such behavior。 All's fair in love and war； and the Japanese see business as war。 Bribery is fine； if you can manage it。〃
〃Okay。〃
〃Now； in the first few seconds after the murder； we can be certain of only two people who knew a girl had been killed。 One is the killer himself。 The other is the security guard； Ted Cole； who watched it on the monitors。〃
〃Wait a minute。 Ted Cole watched it on the monitors？ He knows who the killer is？〃
〃Obviously。〃
〃He said he left at eight…fifteen。〃
〃He was lying。〃
〃But if you knew that； then why didn't we… 〃
〃He'll never tell us；〃 Connor said。 〃The same way Phillips won't tell us。 That's why I didn't arrest Cole； bring him down for questioning。 In the end it would be a waste of time … and time is of the essence here。 We know he won't tell us。 My question is； did he tell anyone else？〃
I began to see what he was driving at。 〃You mean； did he walk out of the security office to the lobby pay phone； and call somebody to tell them that a murder had occurred？〃
〃Correct。 Because he wouldn't use the phone in his office。 He'd use the pay phone； and call somebody … an enemy of Nakamoto； a peting corporation。 Somebody。〃
I said； 〃But now we know that no calls were made from that phone。〃
〃Correct；〃 Connor said。
〃So your whole line of reasoning collapses。〃
〃Not at all。 It is clarified。 If Cole didn't notify anybody； then who phoned in the murder？ Clearly； the source can only be the murderer himself。〃
I felt a chill。
〃He called it in to embarrass Nakamoto？〃
〃Presumably；〃 Connor said。
〃Then where did he call from？〃
〃That's not clear yet。 I assume from somewhere inside the building。 And there are a few other confusing details that we have not begun to consider。〃
〃Such as？〃
The car phone rang。 Connor answered it； and handed the receiver to me。 〃It's for you。〃
〃No； no；〃 Mrs。 Ascenio said。 〃The baby is fine。 I checked on her a few minutes ago。 She is fine。 Lieutenant； I wanted you to know Mrs。 Davis called。〃 That was how she referred to my ex…wife。
〃When？〃
〃I think ten minutes ago。〃
〃Did she leave a number？〃
〃No。 She say she can't be reached tonight。 But she want you to know： something has e up； and maybe she go out of town。 So she say maybe she don't take the baby this weekend。〃
I sighed。 〃Okay。〃
〃She say she call you tomorrow and let you know for sure。〃
〃Okay。〃
I wasn't surprised。 It was typical Lauren。 Last…minute changes。 You could never make plans involving Lauren because she was always changing her mind。 Probably this latest change meant that she had a new boyfriend and she might go away with him。 She wouldn't know until tomorrow。
I used to think all this unpredictability was bad for Michelle； that it would make her insecure。 But kids are practical。 Michelle seems to understand that's the way her mother is； and she doesn't get upset。
I'm the one who gets upset。
Mrs。 Ascenio said； 〃You ing back soon