"Jeez, I didn't think we had a Nakamoto story yesterday. I know Jodie was doing the party, but that won't run until tomorrow. You know, Japan draws the glitterati. Jeff didn't have anything on the scheds in Metro yesterday."
Jeff was the Metro editor. I said, "There's a story in the paper this morning about the murder."
"What murder?" he said. His voice sounded odd.
"There was a murder at Nakamoto last night. About eight-thirty. One of the guests was killed."
Ken was silent at the other end of the line. Putting things together. Finally he said, "Were you involved?"
"Homicide called me in as Japanese liaison."
"Hmmm," Ken said. "Listen. Let me get to my desk and see what I can find out. Let's talk in an hour. And give me your numbers so I can call you direct."
"Okay."
He cleared his throat. "Listen, Pete," he said. "Just between us. Do you have any problems?"
"Like what?"
"Like a morals problem, or a problem with your bank account. Discrepancy about reported income . . . anything I should know about? As your friend?"
"No," I said.
"I don't need the details. But if there's something that isn't quite right . . . . "
"Nothing, Ken."
" 'Cause if I have to go to bat for you, I don't want to discover I have stepped in shit."
"Ken. What's going on?"
"I don't want to go into detail right now. But offhand I would say somebody is trying to fuck you in the ass," Ken said.
The girl said, "Daddy, that's disgusting."
"Well, you're not supposed to be listening. Pete?"
"Yeah," I said. "I'm here."
"Call me in an hour," Ken said.
"You're a pal," I said. "I owe you."
"Fucking right you do," Ken said.
He hung up.
I looked around the apartment. Everything still looked the same. Morning sunlight was still streaming into the room. Michelle was sitting in her favorite chair, watching cartoons and sucking her thumb. But somehow everything felt different. It was creepy. It was like the world had tilted.
But I had things to do. It was also getting late; I had to get her dressed before Elaine came to take her to day care. I told her that. She started to cry. So I turned off the television set, and she threw herself on the floor and began to kick and scream. "No, Daddy! Cartoons, Daddy!"
I picked her up and slung her underarm to the bedroom to get her changed. She was screaming at the top of her lungs. The phone rang again. This time it was the division dispatcher.
"Morning, Lieutenant. I have your uncleared messages."
"Let me get a pencil," I said. I put Michelle down. She cried even louder. I said, "Can you go pick out which shoes you want to wear today?"
"Sounds like you got a murder there," the dispatcher said.
"She doesn't want to get dressed for school."
Michelle was tugging at my leg. "No, Daddy. No school, Daddy."
"Yes, school," I said firmly. She bawled. "Go ahead," I said to the dispatcher.
"Okay, eleven forty-one last night, you had a call from a Ken Subotik or Subotnick, L.A. Times, he said please call him. Message reads 'The Weasel is checking up on you.' He said you would know what that meant. You can call him at home. You have the number?"
"Yes."
"Okay. One forty-two a.m. this morning, you had a call from a Mr. Eddie Saka– looks like Sakamura. He said it's urgent, please call him at home, 555-8434. It's about the missing tape. Okay?"
Shit.
I said, "What time was that call?"
"One forty-two a.m. The call was forwarded to County General and I guess their switchboard couldn't locate you. You were at the morgue or something?"
"Yeah."
"Sorry, Lieutenant, but once you're out of your car, we have to go through intermediates."
"Okay. Anything else?"
"Then at six forty-three a.m., Captain Connor left a beeper number for you to call. He said he's playing golf this morning."
"Okay."
"And at seven-ten, we had a call from Robert Woodson, who is with Senator Morton's office. Senator Morton wants to meet you and Captain Connor at one o'clock today at the Los Angeles Country Club. He asked that you call and confirm that you will attend the meeting with the senator. I tried to reach you but your phone was busy. Will you call the senator?"
I said I would call the senator. I told the dispatcher to page Connor for me at the golf course, and have him call me in the car.
I heard the front door unlock. Elaine came in. "Good morning," she said.
"I'm afraid Shelly isn't dressed yet."
"That's okay," she said. "I'll do it. What time is Mrs. Davis coming to pick her up?"
"We're waiting to hear."
Elaine had been through this routine many times before. "Come on, Michelle. Let's pick your clothes for today. Time to get ready for school."
I looked at my watch, and was on my way to get another cup of coffee when the phone rang. "Lieutenant Peter Smith, please."
It was the assistant chief, Jim Olson.
* * *
"Hi, Jim."
"Morning, Pete." He sounded friendly. But Jim Olson never called anybody before ten o'clock in the morning unless there was a big problem. Olson said, "Looks like we got ourselves a rattlesnake by the tail. You see the papers today?"
"Yeah, I did."
"You happen to catch the morning news?"
"Some of it."
"The chief's been calling me for damage control. I wanted to get where you stand before I make a recommendation. Okay?"
"Okay."
"I just got off the phone with Tom Graham. He admits last night was a prime screwup. Nobody is covered in glory."
"I'm afraid not."
"Couple of naked broads impeded two able-bodied police officers and prevented apprehension of the suspect? Is that about it?"
It sounded ridiculous. I said, "You had to be there, Jim."
"Uh-huh," he said. "Well, one good thing so far. I've been checking if correct pursuit procedures were followed. Apparently they were. We have recordings off the computers, and we have voice recordings off the radio, and it's all strictly by the book. Thank God. Nobody even swears. We can release those records to the media if this thing gets any worse. So we're covered there. But it's very unfortunate that Sakamura is dead."
"Yes."
"Graham went back to get the girls, but the house was deserted. The girls were gone."
"I see."
"In all the rush, nobody got the names of the girls?"
"No, I'm afraid not."
"That means we have no witnesses to the events in the house. So we're a little vulnerable."
"Uh-huh."
"They're cutting Sakamura's body out of the wreck this morning to ship what's left to the morgue. Graham tells me as far as he's concerned, the case is wrapped up. I gather there are videotapes that show Sakamura killed the girl. Graham says he is ready to file his concluding five-seven-nine report. Is that how you see it? The case closed?"
"I guess so, Chief. Sure."
"Then we can shut this fucker down," the chief said. "The Japanese community finds the Nakamoto inquiry irritating and offensive. They don't want it to continue any longer than necessary. So if we can call it a day, it would help."