ait。 And holy shit； all the reporters。 Cameras。 Everything。 So I stay low； play with Shelly。〃 He lit a cigarette； turned nervously。 〃So。 What do you say； Lieutenant？ How about you give me my passport？ Netsutuku。 No harm done。 I'm dead anyway。 Okay？〃
〃Not just yet；〃 Connor said。
〃e on； John。〃
〃Eddie； you have to do a little job first。〃
〃Hey。 What job？ I got to go； Captain。〃
〃Just one job； Eddie。〃
Morton took a deep breath； and turned away from the studio window。 I had to admire his self…control。 He seemed pletely calm。 〃It appears；〃 he said； 〃that my options at this moment are somewhat reduced。〃
〃Yes； Senator；〃 Connor said。
He sighed。 〃You know it was an accident。 It really was。〃
Connor nodded sympathetically。
〃I don't know what it was about her；〃 Morton said。 〃She was beautiful； of course； but it wasn't 。 。 。 it wasn't that。 I only met her a short time ago。 Four； five months ago。 I thought she was a nice girl。 Texas girl； sweet。 But it was 。 。 。 one of those things。 It just happened。 She had this way of getting under your skin。 It was crazy。 Unexpected。 I started to think about her all the time。 I couldn't 。 。 。 she would call me； when I was on a trip。 She would find out when I was on a trip； somehow。 And pretty soon； I couldn't tell her to stay away。 I couldn't。 She always seemed to have money； always had a plane ticket。 She was crazy。 Sometimes； she would make me so mad。 It was like my 。 。 。 I don't know。 Demon。 Everything changed when she was around。 Crazy。 I had to stop seeing her。 And eventually I had the feeling she was paid for。 Someone was paying her。 Someone knew all about her。 And me。 So I had to stop it。 Bob told me。 Hell； everybody in the office told me。 I couldn't。 Finally I did。 It was over。 But when I came to that reception； there she was。 Shit。〃 He shook his head。 〃It just happened。 What a mess。〃
The girl stuck her head in the door。 〃Two minutes； Senator。 They're asking for you downstairs if you're ready。〃
Morton said to us； 〃I'd like to do this first。〃
〃Of course；〃 Connor said。
His self…possession was extraordinary。 Senator Morton conducted a televised interview with three reporters for half an hour； without a trace of tension or disfort。 He smiled； cracked jokes； bantered with the reporters。 It was as if he had no problems at all。
At one point he said； 〃Yes； it's true that the British and the Dutch both have larger investments in America than the Japanese。 But we can't ignore the reality of targeted； adversarial trade as practiced by Japan … where business and government make a planned attack on some segment of the American economy。 The British and Dutch don't operate that way。 We haven't lost basic industries to those countries。 But we've lost many to Japan。 That is a real difference … and that's the reason for concern。〃
He added； 〃And； of course； if we want to buy a Dutch or English pany； we can。 But we can't buy a Japanese pany。〃
The interview continued； but nobody asked him about MicroCon。 So he steered it： in reply to a question； he said； 〃Americans should be able to criticize Japan without being called racists or bashers。 Every country has conflicts with other countries。 It's inevitable。 Our conflicts with Japan should be freely discussed； without these ugly epithets。 My opposition to the MicroCon sale has been termed racist； but it is nothing of the sort。〃
Finally； one reporter asked him about the MicroCon sale。 Morton hesitated； then he leaned forward across the table。
〃As you know； George； I have opposed the MicroCon sale from the beginning。 I still oppose it。 It is time for Americans to take steps to preserve the assets of this nation。 Its real assets； its financial assets； and its intellectual assets。 The MicroCon sale is unwise。 My opposition continues。 Therefore； I am pleased to say that I have just learned Akai Ceramics has withdrawn its bid to purchase the MicroCon Corporation。 I think this is the best solution all around。 I applaud Akai for its sensitivity on this matter。 The sale will not go forward。 I am very pleased。〃
I said； 〃What？ The bid was withdrawn？〃
Connor said； 〃I guess it is now。〃
Morton was cheerful as the interview drew to a close。 〃Since I've been characterized as so critical of Japan； perhaps you'll let me express my admiration for a moment。 The Japanese have a wonderful lighthearted side； and it shows up in the most unlikely places。
〃You probably know that their Zen monks are expected to write a poem close to the moment of death。 It's a very traditional art form； and the most famous poems are still quoted hundreds of years later。 So you can imagine； there's a lot of pressure on a Zen roshi when he knows he's nearing death and everyone expects him to e up with a great poem。 For months； it's all he can think about。 But my favorite poem was written by one particular monk who got tired of all the pressure。 It goes like this。〃
And then he quoted this poem。
Birth is thus；
Death is thus；
Poem or no poem
What's the fuss？
All the reporters started laughing。 〃So let's not take all this Japan business too seriously；〃 Morton said。 〃That's another thing we can learn from the Japanese。〃
At the end of the interview； Morton shook hands with the three reporters and stepped away from the set。 I saw that Ishiguro had arrived in the studio； very red…faced。 He was sucking air through his teeth in the Japanese manner。
Morton said cheerfully； 〃Ah； Ishiguro…san。 I see you have heard the news。〃 And he slapped him on the back。 Hard。
Ishiguro glowered。 〃I am extremely disappointed； Senator。 It will not go well from this point。〃 He was clearly furious。
〃Hey；〃 Morton said。 〃You know what？ Tough shit。〃
〃We had an arrangement；〃 Ishiguro hissed。
〃Yes； we did；〃 Morton said。 〃But you didn't keep your end of it； did you？〃
The senator came over to us and said； 〃I suppose you want me to make a statement。 Let me get this makeup off； and we can go。〃
〃All right；〃 Connor said。
Morton walked away； toward the makeup room。
Ishiguro turned to Connor and said； 〃Totemo taihenna koto ni narimashita ne。〃
Connor said； 〃I agree。 It is difficult。〃
Ishiguro hissed through his teeth。 〃Heads will roll。〃
〃Yours first；〃 Connor said。 〃Sō omowa nakai。〃
The senator was walking toward the stairway going up to the second floor。 Woodson came over to him； leaned close； and whispered something。 The senator threw his arm around his shoulder。 They walked arm in arm a moment。 Then the senator went upstairs。
Ishiguro said bleakly； 〃Konna hazuja nakatta no ni。〃
Connor shrugged。 〃I am afraid I have little sympathy。 You attempted to break the laws of this country and now there is going to be big trouble。 Eraikoto ni naruyo； Ishiguro…san。〃
〃We will see； Captain。〃
Ishiguro turned and gave Eddie a frosty look。 Eddie shrugged and said； 〃Hey； I got no problems！ Know what I mean； padre？ You got all problems now。〃 And he laughed。
The floor manager； a heavyset guy wearing a headset； came over。 〃Is one of you Lieutenant Smith？〃
I said I was。
〃A Miss Asakuma is calling you。 You can take it over there。〃 He pointed to a living…room set。 Couch and easy chairs； against a morning city skyline。 I saw a blinking telephone by one chair。
I walked over and sat in the chair and picked up the phone。 〃Lieutenant Smith。〃
〃Hi； it's Theresa；〃 she said。 I liked the way she used her first name。 〃Listen； I've been looking at the last part of the tape。 The very end。 And I think there may be a problem。〃
〃Oh？ What kind of a problem？〃 I didn't tell her Morton had already confessed。 I looked across the stage。 The senator had already gone upstairs； he was out of sight。 Woodson； his aide； was pacing back and forth at the foot of the stairs； a pale； stricken look on his face。 Nervously； he fingered his belt； feeling it through his suit coat。
Then I heard Connor say； 〃Ah； shit！〃 and he broke into a run； sprinting across the studio toward the stairs。 I stood up； surprised； dropped the phone； and followed him。 As Connor passed Woodson； he said 〃You son of a bitch；〃 and then he was taking the stairs two at a time； racing upward。 I was right behind him。 I heard Woodson say something like； 〃I had to。〃
When we got to the second floor hallway Connor shouted 〃Senator！〃 That was when we heard the single； cracking report。 It wasn't loud： it sounded like a chair falling over。
But I knew that it was a gunshot。
SECOND NIGHT
？
The sun was setting on the sekitei。 The shadows of the rocks rippled over the concentric circles of raked sand。 I sat and stared at the patterns。 Connor was somewhere inside； still watching television。 I could faintly hear the newscast。 Of course； a Zen temple would have a television set on the premises。 I was starting to bee accustomed to these contradictions。
But I didn't want to watch TV any more。 I had seen enough； in the last hour； to know how the media was going to play it。 Senator Morton had been under a great deal of stress lately。 His family life was troubled； his teenage son had recently been arrested for drunk driving； after an accident in which another teenager had been seriously injured。 The senator's daughter was rumored to have had an abortion。 Mrs。 Morton w