She gave no sign of recognition when I walked into the room. Only when I came close enough that she could focus on me clearly, did her eyes widen in alarm and her free hand go to her mouth. I'm sure she thought I was coming to give her more bad news about Kimi.
"Kimiko okay? she asked plaintively, reaching out and grasping my hand with her thin, clawlike fingers.
"I don't have any news of her, Mrs. Kurobashi, I said gently. "They have taken her to Spokane. That's all I know.
She nodded and let go of my hand. Peering behind me, she caught a glimpse of someone else and frowned.
"It's Detective Halvorsen, I explained. "From the sheriff's department. We must ask you some questions.
Machiko Kurobashi closed her eyes. I wondered if she was listening or not.
"Do you know the men who did this to you?
"No.
"You had never seen them before?
"No.
"Or heard their voices?
"No, but if I hear again, I know.
"Do you think he was someone from MicroBridge, someone who worked with your husband?
She shook her head. "Maybe, maybe not.
"What did he look like?
"One was big, she answered firmly. "Big and mean. Other, with stocking on face. Smaller and not so mean.
"Did they say what they wanted?
"Computer. Kimiko's computer.
"What computer, and why did they want it?
She shrugged.
"Where was it? Did Kimi keep the computer at home or at work?
Machiko shook her head emphatically.
"If she didn't keep it either place, where was it?
"In trailer. New computer. Surprise from Tadeo.
I felt a quick catch of excitement in my throat. "A surprise? A gift? Did Kimi even know she had it?
"No.
"It was a present for Kimi from her father?
The eyes opened and looked full at me, bright and alert. "From father and mother, she corrected firmly. "Graduation present.
Her answer almost made me smile. Machiko Kurobashi was down but she most definitely was not out. Anyone who thought otherwise would be vastly underestimating her.
"From both of you, I agreed.
She smiled. Faintly, but a smile nevertheless.
"But the computer's gone now, I said. "They found it and took it. I expected that news to have some visible impact on her, but she lay there looking at me, comprehending but showing no sign.
"Do you know why they want it so badly?
Machiko Kurobashi smiled at me again, almost serenely this time. "No matter, she said, waving her hand in dismissal.
"No matter! I exploded, unable to contain my impatience. "What do you mean, ‘No matter'? The people who wanted that computer put you in the hospital and your daughter in surgery.
"Computer sick, she explained. "Need medicine. If man not have medicine, computer not work.
"What does she mean, the computer's sick? The virus? Halvorsen caught on fast.
"Must be, I said. Turning to Machiko, I asked, "You mean the computer you were giving Kimiko also has the virus?
She nodded. "Tadeo smart man. He fix.
"Fixed so it wouldn't work?
"Yes.
For once in my life, I couldn't think of the next question. Halvorsen had to manage for both of us.
"Why?
"Tadeo worry someone try to steal. He fix. Medicine in safe place. Only Kimiko can use.
"But where is the medicine? How is she supposed to get it?
Machiko answered with still another noncommittal shrug. A nurse came in and motioned for us to leave. I started for the door, but Machiko spoke to my back. "Where is sword? she asked.
Her question, as firm and resolute as the tempered steel in the weapon itself, stopped me cold. I turned around to look at her. The nearsighted eyes were gazing vaguely at the whole half of the room.
"Where? she repeated.
"It's in the crime lab, I answered slowly. "George Yamamoto is in charge of it.
She grimaced at the mention of George's name. "I want sword, she said quietly. "For Kimiko.
Of course she wanted it for Kimi, I thought. Why shouldn't she? Knowing what I did, I was afraid the sword would be the sum total of Tadeo Kurobashi's legacy to his daughter. "I'll see what I can do, I told her.
I only hoped Kimiko would live long enough to inherit it.
CHAPTER 9
A young hispanic-looking doctor with a chart in his hand was standing near the nurses' station when Andrew Halvorsen and I left Machiko Kurobashi's hospital room.
"How's it going, Rico? Andy said to him.
The doctor, Enrico Rodriguez, looked up from the chart, saw Halvorsen, and smiled. The two of them evidently knew each other. "Not bad, Andy. This your case? He closed the chart, impatiently drumming his fingers across the metal cover.
Halvorsen nodded. "Sure is, and this is Detective Beaumont from Seattle P.D.
"Seattle? Rodriguez frowned. "Have we been annexed?
"I'm working a case we believe may be related to this one, I explained.
"Is that so? Dismissing me, the doctor turned back to Halvorsen. "What can I do for you, Andy?
"Will the daughter live?
Rodriguez shook his head. "It's way too soon to tell. She was still hanging in there when they got to Spokane. That's good for starters.
"And Mrs. Kurobashi? I asked.
Rodriguez turned and looked at me before deciding, finally, to answer. "She's not that badly hurt. She's got some cuts and bruises all right, and a couple of cracked ribs. She sprained her wrist when he knocked her down and broke her glasses. I've called her optometrist in Kirkland. He's sending a new pair over by Federal Express. They won't be here until tomorrow, but conceivably, we could release Mrs. Kurobashi this afternoon.
"Don't, I said. The word slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it.
Dr. Rodriguez looked at me quizzically. "Don't? he asked, raising one disapproving eyebrow. "Don't what?
"Don't release her.
I knew from the deep frown on Rodriguez's face that I had stepped in it all the way up to my armpits. I had done the unthinkable-called into question a doctor's unquestionable, God-given judgment.
I backpedaled as fast as I could, hoping to undo the damage. "What I meant to say is that if you kept her here, we could probably make arrangements for a guard-
Dr. Rodriguez cut me off. "Let me remind you, this is a hospital, not a jail. We treat sick people here. We don't hold them under guard, and we don't keep them any longer than absolutely necessary. Furthermore, let me assure you that this hospital is fully capable of protecting patients while they are here. Once we release them, then they're your problem.
With that, Dr. Rodriguez slammed the metal chart down on the nurses' station counter and stalked off.
"Rico doesn't like being told what to do, Andy Halvorsen observed.
"I noticed, I said.
For the next two hours, accompanied by a telephone company lineman supervisor, we went from one deserted field to another, locating and examining the helicopter flattened areas near the site of each cut phone line. We scoured each area in hopes of finding some shred of evidence that would help us identify the persons responsible, including collecting the cut ends of the wire for sampling later. Other than that, we came up empty-handed.
About two o'clock, we gave up and went back into town to find something to eat. Colfax is far too small to boast its own set of Golden Arches. Big Macs are imported from Pullman, seventeen miles away. Halvorsen led me to the Wheat amp; Barley, a reasonably upscale eatery, where the two of us dined finger-food fashion, with thick hamburgers and mountains of french fries, on the largess of the City of Seattle. After lunch, we holed up in Detective Halvorsen's Spartan shared office.