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Tim looked pained。 〃Well。 In crude layman's terms。〃
〃How long before death did these abrasions occur？〃
〃It could be as much as an hour or two。 It wasn't near the actual time of death。 You can tell that from the extravasation and swelling of the affected areas。 If death occurs soon after the injury； blood flow stops； and therefore the swelling is limited or absent。 In this case； as you see； swelling is quite pronounced。〃
〃And the sperm？〃
〃Samples have gone to the lab。 Along with all her usual fluids。〃 He shrugged。 〃Have to wait and see。 Now； are you two going to fill me in？ Because it looks to me like this little girl was going to get in trouble； sooner or later。 I mean； she's cute； but she's screwed up。 So 。 。 。 what is the big deal？ Why am I out of bed in the middle of the night to do a careful； documented post on some little gasper？〃
I said； 〃Beats me。〃
〃e on。 Fair is fair；〃 Dr。 Tim said。 〃I showed you mine； now you show me yours。〃
〃Why； Tim；〃 Connor said。 〃You made a joke。〃
〃Fuck you；〃 Tim said。 〃You guys owe me。 e on。〃
〃I'm afraid Peter is telling you the truth；〃 Connor said。 〃All we know is that this murder occurred at the time of a big public Japanese reception； and they are eager to get it cleared up right away。〃
〃That makes sense；〃 Tim said。 〃The last time the shit hit the fan around here； it was because of that thing involving the Japanese consulate。 Remember； the Takashima kidnapping case？ Maybe you don't remember： it never made the papers。 The Japanese managed to keep it very quiet。 But anyway； a guard was killed under odd circumstances； and for two days； they put a hell of a pressure on our office。 I was amazed what they could do。 We had Senator Rowe calling us in person； telling us what to do。 The governor calling in person。 Everybody calling us。 You'd think it was the president's kid。 I mean； these people have influence。〃
〃Of course they do。 They've paid handsomely for it；〃 Graham said； ing into the room。
〃Close the door；〃 Tim said。
〃But this time； all their fucking influence won't help；〃 Graham said。 〃Because this time； we have them by the short and curlies。 We have a murder： and based on the lab results so far； we can say without question that the murderer was Japanese。〃
？
The pathology lab next door was a large room lit by even banks of fluorescent lights。 Rows of microscopes； neatly laid out。 But late at night； only two technicians were working in the big space。 And Graham was standing beside them； gloating。
〃Look for yourself。 Pubic hair b…through reveals male pubic hair； moderate curl； ovoid cross section； almost certainly Asian in origin。 The first semen analysis is blood type： AB； relatively rare among Caucasians； but much more mon among Asians。 The first analysis of protein in the seminal fluid es up negative for the genetic marker for 。 。 。 what's it called？〃
〃Ethanol dehydrogenase；〃 the technician said。
〃Right。 Ethanol dehydrogenase。 It's an enzyme。 Missing in Japanese。 And missing in this seminal fluid。 And there's the Diego factor； which is a blood…group protein。 So。 We have more tests ing； but it seems clear that this girl had forced sex with a Japanese man before she was killed by him。〃
〃It's clear you've found evidence of Japanese semen in her vagina；〃 Connor said。 〃That's all。〃
〃Christ；〃 Graham said。 〃Japanese semen； Japanese pubic hair； Japanese blood factors。 We are talking a Japanese perp here。〃
He had set out some pictures from the crime scene； showing Cheryl lying on the boardroom table。 He started to pace back and forth in front of them。
〃I know where you guys have been； and I know you've been wasting your time；〃 Graham said。 〃You went for videotapes： but they're gone； right？ Then you went to her apartment： but it was cleaned up before you ever got there。 Which is exactly what you'd expect if the perp is Japanese。 It lays right out； plain as can be。〃
Graham pointed to the pictures。 〃There's our girl。 Cheryl Austin from Texas。 She's cute。 Fresh。 Good figure。 She's an actress； sort of。 She does a few mercials。 Maybe a Nissan mercial。 Whatever。 She meets some people。 Makes some contacts。 Gets on some lists。 You with me？〃
〃Yes；〃 I said to Graham。 Connor was staring intently at the pictures。
〃One way or another； our Cheryl's doing well enough to be wearing a black Yamamoto gown when she gets invited to the grand opening of the Nakamoto Tower。 She es with some guy； maybe a friend or a hairdresser。 A beard。 Maybe she knows other people at the party； and maybe not。 But in the course of the evening； somebody big and powerful suggests they slip away for a while。 She agrees to go upstairs。 Why not？ This girl likes adventure。 She likes danger。 She's cruising for a bruising。 So she goes upstairs … maybe with the other guy； maybe separately。 But anyway； they meet upstairs； and they look around for a place to do it。 A place that's exciting。 And they decide … him； probably； he decides … to do it right on the fucking boardroom table。 So they start doing it； they're whanging away but things get out of hand。 Her loverboy gets a little too worked up； or else he's kinky； and 。 。 。 he squeezes her neck a little too hard。 And she's dead。 You with me so far？'〃
〃Yes 。 。 。〃
〃So now loverboy has a problem。 He's e upstairs to fuck a girl； but unfortunately he's killed her。 So what does he do？ What can he do？ He goes back down； rejoins the party； and since he is a big samurai cocksman； he tells one of his underlings that he has this little problem。 He has unfortunately snuffed out the life of a local whore。 Very inconvenient for his busy schedule。 So the underlings run around and clean up the boss's mess。 They clean up incriminating evidence from the floor upstairs。 They remove the videotapes。 They go to her apartment and remove evidence there。 Which is all fine； except it takes time。 So somebody has to stall the police。 And that's where their smoothie suckass lawyer Ishiguro es in。 He delays us a good hour and a half。 So。 How does that sound？〃
There was a silence when he had finished。 I waited for Connor to speak。
〃Well；〃 Connor said； at last。 〃My hat is off to you； Tom。 That sequence of events sounds correct in many respects。〃
〃You're damned right it does。〃 Graham puffed up。 〃Damn fucking right。〃
The telephone rang。 The lab technician said； 〃Is there a Captain Connor here？〃
Connor went to answer the phone。 Graham said to me； 〃I'm telling you。 A Jap killed this girl； and we are going to find him and fucking flay him。 Flay him。〃
I said； 〃Why do you have it in for them； anyway？〃
Graham gave me a sullen look。 He said； 〃What are you talking about？〃
〃I'm talking about how you hate the Japanese。〃
〃Hey； listen；〃 Graham said。 〃Let's get something straight； Petey…san。 I don't hate anybody。 I do my job。 Black man； white man； Japanese man； it makes no difference to me。〃
〃Okay； Tom。〃 It was late at night。 I didn't want to argue。
〃No； hell。 You fucking think I'm prejudiced。〃
〃Let's just drop it； Tom。〃
〃No； hell。 We're not going to drop it。 Not now。 Let me tell you something； Petey…san。 You got yourself this fucking liaison job； isn't that right？〃
〃That's right； Tom。〃
〃And how e you applied for it？ Because