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She pressed buttons on the equipment in rapid succession。 The tape rolled back to the beginning of the sequence。
I said； 〃How are we going to do this？〃
〃There are three basic approaches to learn how video has been doctored。 The first is blur and color edges。 The second is shadow lines。 We can try to work with those elements； but I've been doing that for the last two hours； and I haven't gotten very far。〃
〃And the third method？〃
〃Reflected elements。 I haven't looked at them yet。〃
I shook my head。
〃Basically； reflected elements … REs … are portions of the scene that are reflected within the image itself。 Like when Sakamura walks out of the room； and his face is reflected in the mirror。 There are almost certainly other reflections in that room。 A desk lamp may be chrome； and it may show the people； distorted； as they pass。 The walls of the conference room are glass。 We may be able to pull a reflection off the glass。 A silver paperweight on a desk； with a reflection in it。 A glass vase of flowers。 A plastic container。 Anything shiny enough to make a reflection。〃
I watched her reset the tapes； and prepare to run forward。 Her one good hand moved quickly from one machine to the next as she talked。 It was odd to stand next to a woman so beautiful； who was so unselfconscious of her beauty。
〃In most images； there is something reflective；〃 Theresa said。 〃Outside； there are car bumpers； wet streets； glass windowpanes。 And inside a room there are picture frames； mirrors； silver candlesticks； chrome table…legs 。 。 。 。 There's always something。〃
〃But won't they fix the reflections； too？〃
〃If they have time； yes。 Because now there are puter programs to map an image onto any shape。 You can map a picture onto a plicated； twisted surface。 But it takes time。 So。 Let's hope they had no time。〃
She started the tapes forward。 The first portion was dark； as Cheryl Austin first appeared by the elevators。 I looked at Theresa。 I said； 〃How do you feel about this？〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Helping us。 The police。〃
〃You mean； because I am Japanese？〃 She glanced at me； and smiled。 It was an odd； crooked smile。 〃I have no illusions about Japanese。 Do you know where Sako is？〃
〃No。〃
〃It is a city … a town； really … in the north。 In Hokkaido。 A provincial place。 There is an American airfield there。 I was born in Sako。 My father was a kokujin mechanic。 You know that word； kokujin？ Niguro。 A black man。 My mother worked in a noodle shop where the air force personnel went。 They married； but my father died in an accident when I was two years old。 There was a small pension for the widow。 So we had some money。 But my grandfather took most of it； because he insisted he had been disgraced by my birth。 I was ainoko and niguro。 They are not nice words； what he called me。 But my mother wanted to stay there； to stay in Japan。 So I grew up in Sako。 In this 。 。 。 place 。 。 。〃
I heard the bitterness in her voice。
〃You know what the burakumin are？〃 she said。 〃No？ I am not surprised。 In Japan； the land where everyone is supposedly equal； no one speaks of burakumin。 But before a marriage； a young man's family will check the family history of the bride； to be sure there are no burakumin in the past。 The bride's family will do the same。 And if there is any doubt； the marriage will not occur。 The burakumin are the untouchables of Japan。 The outcasts； the lowest of the low。 They are the descendants of tanners and leather workers； which in Buddhism is unclean。〃
〃I see。〃
〃And I was lower than burakumin； because I was deformed。 To the Japanese； deformity is shameful。 Not sad； or a burden。 Shameful。 It means you have done something wrong。 Deformity shames you； and your family； and your munity。 The people around you wish you were dead。 And if you are half black； the ainoko of an American big nose 。 。 。〃 She shook her head。 〃Children are cruel。 And this was a provincial place； a country town。〃
She watched the tape go forward。
〃So I am glad to be here。 You Americans do not know in what grace your land exists。 What freedom you enjoy in your hearts。 You cannot imagine the harshness of life in Japan； if you are excluded from the group。 But I know it very well。 And I do not mind if the Japanese suffer a little now； from my efforts with my one good hand。〃
She glared at me。 The intensity turned her face to a mask。 〃Does that answer your question； Lieutenant？〃
〃Yes；〃 I said。 〃It does。〃
〃When I e to America； I think the Americans are very foolish about the Japanese … but never mind。 Here is the sequence now。 You watch the top two monitors。 I will watch the bottom three。 Look carefully for objects that reflect。 Look closely。 Here it es。〃
？
I watched the monitors in the darkness。
Theresa Asakuma was feeling bitter about the Japanese； but so was I。 The incident with Weasel Wilhelm had made me angry。 Angry the way somebody who's scared can be angry。 One sentence he had said kept ing back to my mind； again and again。
Under the circumstances； don't you think the court made a mistake in granting you custody of your young daughter？
I never wanted custody。 In all the turmoil of the divorce； of Lauren moving out； packing up； this is yours； this is mine … in all that； the last thing I wanted was custody of a seven…month…old baby。 Shelly was just starting to move around the living room； holding onto the furniture。 She would say 〃Mama。〃 Her first word。 But Lauren didn't want the responsibility and kept saying； 〃I can't handle it； Peter。 I just can't handle it。〃 So I took custody。 What else could I do？
But now it was almost two years later。 I had changed my life。 I had changed my job； my schedule。 She was my daughter now。 And the thought of giving her up was like twisting a knife in my stomach。
Under the circumstances； Lieutenant； don't you think 。 。 。
On the monitor； I watched as Cheryl Austin waited in the darkness for the arrival of her lover。 I watched the way she looked around the room。
The court made a mistake 。 。 。
No； I thought； the court didn't make a mistake。 Lauren couldn't handle it； and had never been able to handle it。 Half the time； she skipped on her weekends。 She was too busy to see her own daughter。 Once after a weekend she returned Michelle to me。 Michelle was crying。 Lauren said； 〃I just don't know what to do with her。〃 I checked。 Her diapers were wet and she had a painful rash。 Michelle always gets a rash when her diapers aren't changed promptly。 Lauren hadn't changed her diapers often enough during the weekend。 So I changed her； and there were streaks of shit in Michelle's vagina。 She hadn't cleaned her own daughter properly。
Don't you think the court made a mistake？
No； I didn't。
Under the circumstances； don't you think …
〃Fuck it；〃 I said。
Theresa stabbed a button； stopped the tapes。 The images froze on the monitors all around us。 〃What is it？〃 she said。 〃What did you see？〃
〃Nothing。〃
She looked at me。
〃I'm sorry。 I was thinking of something else。〃
〃Don't。〃
She started the tape again。
On multiple monitors； the man embraced Cheryl Austin。 Images from the different cameras were coordinated in an eerie way。 It was as if we could see all sides of the event