"So anyways, I'm almost there, walkin' along the railroad track. All of a sudden, this car comes screamin' away from the loadin' dock and practically runs me down.
"Who was it, do you know?
"How the hell would I know? It was dark. I was just tryin' to get the hell out of the way so the bastard wouldn't hit me.
"Could you tell what kind of car it was, or did you get the license number?
Dean shook his head. "No way. He was drivin' too damn fast.
"So the driver was a man?
"I think so.
"What kind of car was it?
"Small. Foreign. I don't know what kind.
"Was there anything about it that might help us identify it?
"I didn't see nothin', except for one thing.
"What was that?
"The taillights. The car had funny little slanted taillights. Reminded me of one of them barber poles.
"Could you tell what color the car was?
"No way, man. It was dark back there. I couldn't hardly see nothin'. So after he left, I went up on the dock and tried the door, but it was locked, so I give up and come on home.
"What time was that?
Dean shrugged. "Around midnight, I guess, maybe later. I didn't check.
The timing element in the story bothered me. If Kurobashi was already dead at ten o'clock, why was the killer still hanging around Industry Square at midnight, two hours later? There had to be some compelling reason for the murderer to risk being caught with the body.
I glanced at Dean Morrison. He was standing there, watching me apprehensively, waiting for my next question. "Did you see anyone else around the office during the course of the evening?
"Only the woman. Chrissey already told you about her.
"No one else?
"Nobody.
"How many bags of confetti were there when you finished?
"Six. Five of paper and one with nothin' in it but floppy disks.
"Can you think of anything else?
"Nope, that's just about it.
"That's what I need then, I said. "Thanks for your help.
"You mean I can go?
I nodded. He looked down at Chrissey, as though he couldn't quite believe his ears. She returned the look with a smile of encouragement. They turned and started away.
"One more thing, I said.
Dean Morrison's shoulders sagged as he slowly turned back to face me. "What's that? he asked.
"Get your butt back to work, I said. "You and your wife have a good little business going, but if you go AWOL in that truck very often, you're going to screw it up.
Gradually a grin spread over Morrison's somber face. "You bet. We'll be open again on Monday. He gave a thumbs-up sign.
DataDump was back in business. Have shredder, will travel.
Dean Morrison reached over and put one arm across his wife's shoulders. The two of them walked away. I watched while they crossed the series of footbridges and then went out toward the parking lot through the gardens. They were struggling, but maybe they'd make it. For all her shortcomings, Chrissey Morrison had a whole lot more going for her than Monica Halvorsen.
I sat on the bench for another ten minutes, giving them plenty of time to leave without worrying about being followed. I was lost in thought. A car with barber pole taillights and a handcart loaded with six bags of shredder confetti didn't make for much of a lead, but it was more than we'd had before. Often it's a whole slew of little things taken together that solve a case rather than one huge mind-boggling revelation.
Spending my Saturday afternoon going from auto dealership to auto dealership trying to spot late-model foreign cars with striped and slanted taillights didn't sound like my idea of a good time, and I didn't much want to hike along a railroad track looking for confetti, either, but I knew I'd do both if I had to, if there was no other way.
The phone in the car was ringing as I turned the key in the ignition. "Hello, Ralph, I said.
"How did you know it was me? Am I the only person who calls you on your cellular phone?
"Damn near. What's up?
"I just dropped Machiko off at the Four Seasons and wondered if you'd like to have lunch. I'll buy, and not at the Doghouse, either.
Ames is a good sport about going to the Doghouse with me, but I don't think he'd nominate it for inclusion in the local dining guide, Seattle's Best Places. Seattle Cheap Eats is more like it.
"Where do you want to go?
"Meet me at Triples. I'm in the mood for Dijon chicken.
Triples is built right on the water at Lake Union. It's a place where you can park your car or your boat with equal facility. It was almost two, but the Saturday lunchtime crowd lingered over coffee and drinks. We had to wait a few minutes to get a window table.
"So how did the meeting go with George? I asked.
Ames seemed distant, preoccupied. "Oh, that was fine. No problem. From the way it sounded, I think the two of them may get around to burying the hatchet eventually. Machiko told Dr. Yamamoto the same story she told us.
"About her first husband? How'd he take it?
Ames frowned. "Relieved I'd say. Like he finally had the answer to a question that had been plaguing him for a long time.
"Forty years is a long time to be asking the same damn question, I said. "But he did give Machiko the sword?
"He didn't give it to her; he lent it to her.
"Lent it! What the hell does that mean?
"He said they got the results back from the lab. The only prints on it belong to Tadeo Kurobashi. George still needs to have the sword available for possible court room proceedings, but Machiko convinced him to let her have it for the afternoon, complete with the rosewood box. Sentimental reasons I guess.
So George Yamamoto hadn't entirely knuckled under. Somehow he and Machiko had reached an agreement. "Isn't George worried that she'll take off with it?
Ames shook his head. "He isn't. She gave her word. The two of them evidently came to some kind of understanding. They were speaking in Japanese, so I'm not entirely sure what was said. I offered to post a security bond, but George said that wouldn't be necessary.
"Surely your friend Winter could translate for you.
"He wasn't there. Archie got called to Vancouver, B.C., this morning two hours before our first appointment. He had to go up right away to check out something that's coming on the market. The sword business could be delayed indefinitely.
"What about the other appointment, the one with Davenport?
Ames frowned. "Not so good. That's the one that's bothering me.
"Why? What happened?
"Davenport is pushing too hard. It's like he wants all of this completed overnight. It's far too complicated for that. I advised Machiko to take her time and not be pushed into anything, particularly considering what's happening with Winter and the sword. Archie may be able to come up with a program that will give them enough capital to pay off the judgment.
"If that flake of a Clay Woodruff would shape up and agree to testify…
"Who's Woodruff? Ralph Ames was suddenly on point and sitting a full three inches taller in his chair.
"Woodruff. Clay Woodruff, the guy who ditched me over in Port Angeles last night.
"Who is he?
"He was supposedly Tadeo Kurobashi's friend, a key witness in the patent infringement trial, but he didn't show up when he was supposed to testify, and Kurobashi lost the case. I talked to the judge, Chip Kelley, who's a friend of mine. He said that if Woodruff would actually testify, there was a good chance Kimiko could countersue Blakeslee and void the judgment against her father. But like I said, Woodruff's flake. When I tried to talk to him last night, he ditched me and disappeared.
"He's here, Ralph Ames said quietly.
"He's what? I demanded.
"He's here. In Seattle. When I dropped Machiko off at the Four Seasons on my way to meet you, Woodruff was waiting for her in the lobby.