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ere has been a mistake？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃The word is umu； not umi。 Umi is ocean。 Umu means you are asking yes or no about something。 And yes； I believe there may have been a mistake。〃
The tape continued backward； the silhouette of the killer ing back toward us。 She sucked in her breath； in surprise。
〃There is a mistake。 I cannot believe it。 Do you see it now？〃
〃No；〃 I said。
She ran the tape forward for me。 I watched as the man walked away in silhouette。
〃There； do you see it now？〃
〃No； I'm sorry。〃
She was being irritable。 〃Pay attention。 Look at the shoulder。 Watch the shoulder of the man。 See how it rises and falls with each step； in a rhythmic way； and then suddenly 。 。 。 There！ You see it？〃
I did。 Finally。 〃The outline seemed to jump。 To get bigger。〃
〃Yes。 Exactly。 To jump bigger。〃 She adjusted the controls。 〃Quite a lot bigger； Lieutenant。 They tried to blend the jump into the up…step； to make it less conspicuous。 But they did not try very hard。 It is clear anyway。〃
〃And what does that mean？〃
〃It means they are arrogant；〃 she said。 She sounded angry。 I couldn't tell why。
So I asked her。
〃Yes。 Now it pisses me off；〃 she said。 She was zooming in on the image； her one hand moving quickly。 〃It is because they have made an obvious mistake。 They expect we will be sloppy。 We will not be thorough。 We will not be intelligent。 We will not be Japanese。〃
〃But… 〃
〃Oh； I hate them。〃 The image moved； shifted。 She was concentrating on the outline of the head； now。 〃You know Takeshita Noboru？〃
I said； 〃Is that a manufacturer？〃
〃No。 Takeshita was prime minister。 A few years ago； he made a joke about visiting American sailors on a Navy ship。 He said America is now so poor； the Navy boys cannot afford to e ashore to enjoy Japan。 Everything is too expensive for them。 He said they could only remain on their ship and give each other AIDS。 Big joke in Japan。〃
〃He said that？〃
She nodded。 〃If I was American； and someone said that to me； I would take this ship away； and tell Japan to go fuck itself； pay for its own defense。 You didn't know Takeshita said this？〃
〃No 。 。 。〃
〃American news。〃 She shook her head。 〃Such nothing。〃
She was furious； working quickly。 Her fingers slipped on the controls； the image jumped back； lost definition。 〃Shit fuck。〃
〃Take it easy； Theresa。〃
〃Fuck； take it easy。 We're going to score now！〃
She moved in on the silhouetted head； isolating it； then following it； frame by frame。 I saw the image jump larger； distinctly。
〃You see； that is the join；〃 she said。 〃That is where the changed image goes back to the original。 Here on； it's original material on the tape。 This is the original man walking away from us； now。〃
The silhouette moved toward the far wall。 She proceeded frame by frame。 Then the outline began to change shape。
〃Ah。 Okay。 Good； what I hoped for 。 。 。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃He is taking a last look。 A look back at the room。 See？ The head is turning。 There is his nose； and now； the nose is gone again； because he has turned pletely。 Now he is looking back at us。〃
The silhouette was dense black。
〃Lot of good it does us。〃
〃Watch。〃
More controls。
〃The detail is there；〃 she said。 〃It is like dark exposure on film。 The detail has been recorded； but we cannot see it yet。 So。 。 。 。 Now I have enhancement。 And now I will get the shadow detail。 。 。 。 Now！〃
And in a sudden； shocking moment； the dark silhouette blossomed； the wall behind flaring white； making a kind of halo around the head。 The dark face became lighter； and we could see the face for the first time； distinctly and clearly。
〃Huh； white man。〃 She sounded disappointed。
〃My God；〃 I said。
〃You know who he is？〃
〃Yes；〃 I said。
The features were twisted with tension； the lip turned up in a kind of snarl。 But the identity was unmistakable。
I was looking at the face of Senator John Morton。
？
I sat back； staring at the frozen image。 I heard the hum of the machinery。 I heard water dripping into buckets； somewhere in the darkness of the laboratory。 I heard Theresa breathing alongside me； panting like a runner who has finished a race。
I sat there and just stared at the screen。 Everything fell into place； like a jigsaw puzzle that assembled itself before my eyes。
Julia Young： She has a boyfriend who travels a lot。 She's always traveling。 New York； Washington； Seattle 。 。 。 she meets him。 She's madly in love with him。
Jenny； in the TV studio： Morton has a young girlfriend that's driving him crazy。 Makes him jealous。 Some young girl。
Eddie： She likes to cause trouble； this girl。 She likes to make turmoil。
Jenny： I've seen this girl hanging around at parties with some of the Washington types for about six months now。
Eddie： She was a sick girl。 She liked pain。
Jenny： Morton heads the Senate Finance mittee。 The one that's been having hearings about this MicroCon sale。
Cole； the security guard； in the bar： They have the big guys in their pocket。 They own 'em。 We can't beat 'em now。
And Connor： Somebody wants this investigation to be over。 They want us to give it up。
And Morton： So your investigation is formally concluded？
〃Hell；〃 I said。
She said； 〃Who is he？〃
〃He's a senator。〃
〃Oh。〃 She looked at the screen。 〃And why do they care about him？〃
〃He has a powerful position in Washington。 And I think he has something to do with the sale of a pany。 Maybe other reasons； too。〃
She nodded。
I said； 〃Can we print a picture of this？〃
〃No。 We don't have equipment for hard copies。 The lab can't afford it。〃
〃Then what can we do？ I need something to take with me。〃
〃I can take a Polaroid for you；〃 she said。 〃Not great； but okay for now。〃 She started poking around the lab； stumbling in the dark。 Finally she came back with a camera。 She moved close to the screen and shot several copies。
We waited for them to e out； standing in the blue light from the monitors。
〃Thanks；〃 I said。 〃For all your help。〃
〃You are wele。 And I'm sorry。〃
〃Why？〃
〃I know you expected it would be a Japanese man。〃
I realized she was speaking for herself。 I didn't answer her。 The pictures darkened。 They were good quality； the image clear。 As I slipped them in my pocket； I felt something hard there。 I brought it out。
〃You have a Japanese passport？〃 she said。
〃No。 It's not mine。 It's Eddie's。〃 I put it back in my pocket。 〃I have to go；〃 I said。 〃I have to find Captain Connor。〃
〃All right。〃 She turned back to the monitors。
〃What are you going to do？〃 I said。
〃I will stay； and work more。〃
I left her； went out the back door； and made my way down the dark passageway to the outside。
Blinking in the harsh daylight； I went to a pay phone and called Connor。 He was in the car。
〃Where are you？〃 I said。
〃Back at the hotel。〃
〃What hotel？〃
〃The Four Seasons；〃 Connor said。 〃It's Senator Morton's hotel。〃
〃What are you doing there？〃 I said。 〃Do you know that …〃
〃Kōhai；〃 he said。 〃Open line； remember？ Call yourself a taxi and meet me at 1430 Westwood Boulevard。 We will meet there in twenty minutes。〃
〃But how… 〃
〃No more questions。〃 And he hung up。
I looked at the building at 1430 Westwood Bouleva