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the whites all round。 She might have been a madwoman and he saw why。
Upside down； Philip looked at him reproachfully； tongue 〃half bitten through between his teeth。
The screaming seemed to go on and on in cadence； as effective as a siren。
'There's another way；' Nicholas had said。 'A better way。' He dipped half a dumpling into its dark brown spicy sauce； popped it into his mouth。 'I don't want any of your men getting hurt。'
Croaker looked at him quizzically。 'You're a strange bird； you know that？ It's what we get paid for； us cops … taking risks。'
They were in a dumpling house on Elizabeth Street between Canal and Bayard。 The place was crowded； the noise level high。
'Reasonable risks；' Nicholas pointed out。 'The ninja's a sorcerer of death。 They're not going to be prepared for him。'
'Aren't you being just a little bit melodramatic？'
'No。'
Croaker put down his chopsticks； pushed his plate away from him。 A waiter immediately came to clear it away。 'All right。 What's your idea？'
'Let me go in alone。'
'You're nuts。' He levelled a finger。 'Let me tell you something； Nick。 This is a police operation。 You know what that means？ I could be suspended just for taking you along。 And you want me to let you go after him on your own？ The missioner would publicly string up any part of me left intact after Finnigan； my captain； had got through。 Uh…uh。 You'll just have to be content with the way it is now。〃 'You and me then。'
'No dice。 That would mean I'd have to leave you to cover the rear。 Can't do it。
'There's going to be trouble； then。'
'Not if we contain him in Ah Ma's。 That's what we've got to do。'
What worried him most in those last few moments as they had climbed the steps to Ah Ma's was the tactical disadvantage they were under。 True； the element of surprise was in their favour； but only the man up in that suite knew the layout of the place； including the number of exits。 Nicholas did not like any part of it。
On the first landing； he stopped Croaker； said； 'You know； if we don't get him within the first few seconds； we've had it。'
'Just concentrate on getting the bastard；' Croaker had said and started up to Ah Ma's door。
Crouching in the dim hallway； Croaker had his 。38 in one hand； the warrant in the other。 That piece of paper had not been easy to obtain； Ah Ma had many influential friends。
Somewhere behind them the intermittent buzz of a defective light…fixture。 A car passed in the street outside； honking its horn。 The clatter of running feet。 A sharp abrasive laugh。
Then the door was opening； Croaker was pushing aside a tall； elegant Chinese woman。 The warrant flew through the air like a broken bird。
And Nicholas saw it all before him as if in a film。 The killings； one by one； like links in a chain。 One chain。 Terry's historical clues。 Three signposts： Hideoshi； Yodogimi； Mitsunari； as obvious now as if they were glowing neon。 Satsugai； Yukio； Saigo。 The policeman sent to guard the dead Shogun's mistress； a close enough approximation。
Idiot！ he thought savagely as he stumbled into Ah Ma's after Croaker。 Why did I withhold it from myself？
An American man； eyes wide in terror； stood up awkwardly； dumping a tiny Chinese woman onto the floor。 He ran from them； through one of the living rooms； into a side suite。
Croaker was already midway down the long corridor leading to the back suites。 Flower； who had opened the door to them； had been calling for Ah Ma。 She was calm even in this seeming crisis。
Ah Ma appeared just as Nicholas began following Croaker back through the place。
'What is the meaning of this？' She grabbed at Nicholas。 'How dare you break into my apartment？ I have many friends who will …'
'The Japanese；' Nicholas said in perfect Mandarin。 Ah Ma started。 She was borne along as he rushed through the long corridor。 'Where is he？' Nicholas said。 'He is all we want。' He turned his head slightly。 Doors passed them up； half…open； empty rooms lurking； mockingly。 'Are you Ah Ma？' Noise up ahead。 Croaker kicking at a locked door。
'He will destroy the place！' Ah Ma cried。 She thought of the munists ing in the dead of night； destroying the house before dragging out her husband。 But this was America。
Nicholas perceived her agitation。 'The Japanese is a very dangerous man； Ah Ma。 He could hurt your girls。'
This she understood immediately and she fell silent； looking at him。
'Where is he？'
〃There。 There。 Take him then。'
He broke away from her； calling； 'The left one。 The left I'
Croaker swivelled； put a shot through the lock on the left…hand door。 He went in with his shoulder and that was when the screaming began。
A blur of movement and Nicholas instinctively threw his arm across his eyes。
Flash of light； blue…white。 The stink of cordite。
Croaker reeled and； running； Nicholas saw the last of a leg and shoe disappear through the open window。 …
'Christ Jesus！'
He turned。 Croaker had one hand over his eyes。
'What happened？' His voice seemed hoarse。
'Flash bomb；' Nicholas said。 'A miniature。'
Noise from the corridor； quickening。
'He's gone； Croaker。 Out of the rear window。〃
Patrolman Tony DeLong received his final instructions from Lieutenant Croaker via the two…way radio and drove the blue…and…white slowly along the length of Pell Street。
'There it is；' said Sandy Binghamton； his partner。 'Pull over。' DeLong doused the lights； parked the car on a diagonal； blocking the street。 It served a dual purpose。 It would help keep the suspect within their perimeter if he came out at the back of the building and it would discourage civilians from poking their noses into a potential red sector。
Binghamton was out first； swinging his big black bulk around the right side of the slewed patrol car。 He paused； one hand on the chrome； and turned his head back towards the beginning of Pell Street。 DeLong； still in the blue…and…white； was at this moment in radio contact with the second car but Binghamton wanted a visual fix。 Civilian infiltration could be disastrous at this point and curiosity was a powerful motivator。 He took his cap off； wiped his forehead on the sleeve of his uniform。 He turned back； studying the configuration of the end of the street； the specifics of the target building。
DeLong shut down the radio and came out into the street and together they melted into the deep shadows thrown by the architecture on either side。 The Lieutenant had been quite insistent on this score。 No sound and no sight。 He watched the line of windows three storeys up and thought about this。 It was
an unusual procedure where more than one blue…and…white was being used。 But DeLong had no worries。 He had faith in the Lieutenant。 He had worked with him for just under a year and a half and was now virtually assured； the next time the exam was given； of making sergeant。 He wanted that very badly。 He had had enough of the uniform division and now he longed for a permanent assignment to a detective squad。 There； too； the Lieutenant could help him。 And the extra money would e in handy now that Denise was due。
He felt Binghamton's bulk reassuringly near him。 They were old partners and this was his lone regret in moving up。 He did not want to break up a partnership that had been so successful。 But Sandy had no desire to bee a detective。 He was content to be on the street with the people； 'It's where I belong； man；' he had told DeLong often enough。 'I don't want to be no desk jockey。' It was just that they conceived of the same job in different ways。 Lieutenant Croaker's life wasn't filled with paper work but he could not convince Sandy of that。 Once the big man had made up his mind about something； it took the devil's own…
Binghamton nudged him but he had already seen it。 A hot flash of intense light； followed by a surprisingly soft phutt。
'Trouble maybe；' DeLong said。 They both drew their weapons； crouched in darkness； waiting tensely。
Movement at the windows； flickerings like a children's shadow play。
'Get ready。' Binghamton's voice was a basso rumble。 'I gotta believe he's on his way out。'
DeLong nodded and； together； they began to edge closer to the rear of the building。 They moved as quietly as they could； keeping to the shad