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Koi recognized him as the senior vice…president for administration for the Kaga conglomerate； the man she had seen lose so much money at Big Ezoe's gambling house； the one she had had a hand in sending into debt。
The two men nodded to one another； but otherwise there was no traditional greeting。 No names were exchanged； and Big Ezoe did not in any way seek to explain Koi's presence。 Koi got the eerie sensation of being back in Kunio Michita's office because； for this moment； she had ceased to exist。
Big Ezoe ordered asari； a soupy dish made with a ladleful of fresh baby clams； white and briny。 Koi asked for oyako…ni； a hot dish of eggs and browned onions； and three slices of toro sashimi。
Big Ezoe said； 〃There is a great deal of money outstanding。''
〃I cannot pay principle；〃 the Kaga vice…president said。
Big Ezoe nodded。 〃I understand。 I will be satisfied with a payment of interest。〃
This exchange sounded to Koi as if it were a rote call and response。 Nevertheless； the Kaga vice…president's head seemed to sink between his shoulder blades。 But he nodded。 Koi could not see his face。
Big Ezoe said； ''Your pany has a joint venture with Kunio Michita。 What does it involve？〃
The mustachioed man seemed to consider this for some time。 At length he said； 〃Our people stumbled upon a technology about two years ago。 They thought it was a dead end； until Kunio Michita showed up and began talks with them。''
〃How did Michita know about Kaga's technology？〃 Koi asked。
The mustache twitched。 〃Good question。 We are still trying to find the answer。 I have no idea how Michita did it。 Perhaps like your friend here； he's got a spy inside Kaga。''
〃And yet；〃 Koi said thoughtfully； 〃Michita must have obtained the information from someone。〃
〃In any event；〃 the Kaga vice…president went on； as if this point were of no concern to him； 〃it seems Michita had a use for this technology even though it involved nuclear devices。 We did not want to give him the technology； but we could see no conceivable use for it。 It seemed logical； then； for the two panies to form a joint venture。''
〃I see。〃 Big Ezoe worked a tiny clamshell around his mouth until he had gotten all the delicious juice out of it。 Then he spit it out。 〃So this joint venture isn't research and development at all。〃
〃No；〃 the Kaga vice…president said。 〃It's a manufacturing setup。〃
〃What is it manufacturing？〃
''I don't know。 All I'm aware of is that we are getting illegal shipments of hafnium into the joint pany。''
Big Ezoe said； 〃What the hell is hafnium？〃
The Kaga vice…president told him about hafnium being used to manufacture control rods for reactor cores； and how hafnium kept absorbing neutrons long after other materials became saturated and had to be replaced。 〃It seems evident that the setup must be manufacturing parts for some kind of nuclear reactors；'' the Kaga vice…president concluded。
〃Nuclear reactors？〃 Big Ezoe shook his head。 This wasn't turning out as he had expected。 〃Kunio Michita's business doesn't include atomics。〃
〃I guess it does now；〃 the Kaga vice…president said。
〃Who is selling him the hafnium？〃
〃A West German firm owned by an Argentine named Estilo。〃
Koi said； 〃Does Estilo's pany manufacture the hafnium？〃
''How should I know？''
Big Ezoe looked at her； and she said； 〃I know of this West German pany。 It's had a number of dealings with Kunio Michita。 Estilo is a middleman； a broker for all sorts of hardware and esoteric raw materials like hafnium。〃
Koi thought for a moment。 Then she looked at the Kaga vice…president。 〃Who does Estilo buy his hafnium from？〃
〃I have no idea；〃 the man said。 〃I doubt that even Ten…san knows。〃 He meant Fumida Ten； the chairman of Kaga。 The vice…president shrugged。 ''I don't even know anything about this West German pany； except that it's represented in this country by Budoko Associates。〃
〃That law firm is huge；〃 Big Ezoe said。 〃Who at Budoko is handling the transactions？〃
〃I don't know。 I shouldn't even be aware of Budoko。 Normally I have to approve all corporate bills before they're sent on to accounting； but these were routed around me。 I only came across one by accident。〃
Big Ezoe finished his asari； making smacking sounds of satisfaction。 〃Is there anything else that might be of use to me？〃
''I can't think of anything；'' the Kaga vice…president said。 He had not touched his breakfast。 He looked at the food wistfully； as if he could recall a time when he had had an appetite。 〃Well； the only thing was； I don't think Michita was the original instigator of the joint venture talks。 He brought an American with him。〃
〃A businessman？〃
〃I don't think so。 No。 The American was introduced to us as Mr。 Smith。 What does that tell you？〃
Big Ezoe nodded； threw some yen on the table； and he and Koi left the coffee shop。 They strolled for some time amid the thinning throngs at the fish market。 It was a good place to talk。
Big Ezoe said； 〃Now there are some intriguing new players to the game。 It isn't just Michita and Hitasura we're chasing； it's Kaga and someone in the largest law firm in Tokyo。 And where does Hitasura fit into all this？ It seems we're no closer to finding the link between him and Michita。 Not to mention this mysterious American。 Do you remember a 'Mr。 Smith' or any likely American who did not fit the typical businessman mold being in touch with Michita？''
〃No。〃
〃Let's leave that for the moment；〃 Big Ezoe said。 〃Why were you so interested in where the hafnium is ing from？〃
〃I'm not sure；〃 Koi said。 〃But it seems to me that none of this quite hangs together。〃
〃Do you think our man's lying？〃
〃No。 He's too frightened of you to lie。 But I don't think he knows what's really going on。 Neither do we； yet。 What we're beginning to get a look at is flesh without any bones。 It's not yet making sense。〃
They walked in silence for some time while Big Ezoe digested this。 At last he said； 〃Does anything else occur to you？〃
〃Yes。 I think we should put the deciphered pages of Kakuei Sakata's ledgers to good use。 Let's use them as leverage to find out what Hitasura is up to。〃
Big Ezoe was already shaking his head。 〃I can't be certain that Hitasura doesn't already know what the ledgers contain。 After all； it was his brother who did the deciphering。 I can't take the chance of losing face。〃
〃Then use the ledgers against Kunio Michita。〃
〃Perhaps at some point。 But not now。 The ledgers are all we have。 I resist the idea of shooting a gun with one bullet if I can achieve the same result merely by aiming the weapon。''
Koi considered this a moment； then nodded。 〃There's something else；〃 she said。 〃When the Kaga vice…president mentioned Budoko Associates； it rang a bell。 I didn't think of this before when you asked me about people Michita saw with some regularity； but now I'm beginning to see its significance。
〃There was a young lawyer； Yen Yasuwara。 He's now a partner in Budoko Associates。 Have you heard of him？''
〃Yes； but it's interesting that you have as well。〃 Big Ezoe's mind was racing。 Yen Yasuwara had been at the heart of the blood feud between Fukuda and Tori Nunn。 Fukuda had been seeing Yen Yasuwara； primarily because Big Ezoe had been given information that Yasuwara was somehow involved with the sort of deals Big Ezoe would find attractive。 Big Ezoe had sent Fukuda to find out what she could in any way she saw fit。 That she had decided to open her legs for him had not presented Big Ezoe with a problem； that she had not been able to discover what Yasuwara was up to had。 Then Tori Nunn had arrived on the scene and that particular line of inquiry had been blown because； as it turned out； Fukuda had some personal feelings left； after all。
Now it seemed that Yen Yasuwara was tied in with Kunio Michita。 Could he be the link missing from Kakuei Sakata's ledgers？
〃What was Yen Yasuwara's business with Michita？〃
〃I don't know；〃 Koi said； thinking back。 〃Michita never met Yasuwara in the office。 In fact； I never made the appointments。 I wouldn't have known who Yasuwara or Budoko Associates were except for the fact that during the particularly difficult negotiations for the joint venture with the Kaga conglomerate； Michita left me the same number each time he left the office when there was a hole in his daily schedule。
〃I remember he had asked me to keep the hours of two to three open。 Of course； I didn't ask why。 But when the Kaga negotiations were at a crucial stage； I had occasion to call him several times。〃
〃And the phone number he left you was for Budoko Associates？〃
〃Well； that was the most intriguing part；〃 Koi said。 〃Each time I called； a woman answered。 But it was obvious from the way she spoke that she was no secretary； and the call was not routed through a switchboard。 I assumed it was a private residence； but I was wrong。 One afternoon when Michita was out； papers arrived by messenger from Kaga。 They were so important that they did not e over the fax。 The envelope was sealed with red wax in which was imprinted the Kaga logo。
〃I phoned Michita at the number he gave me； and told him what had e in。 He told me to e right down。 He also told me to take the subway； not a pany car。〃
Koi paused a moment。 ''I assumed he