Digital Fortress Chapter 14

Becker gazed down at the cadaver. Even hours afterwards death, the Asians face radiated with a pinkish burn off of a recent sunburn. The rest of him was a pale yellow-all except the small state of purplish bruising directly of all timeyplace his heart.Probably from the CPR, Becker mused. Too bad it didnt work.He went back to studying the cadavers hands. They were like zip Becker had ever seen. Each hand had merely three digits, and they were twisted and askew. The disfigurement, however, was not what Becker was face at.Well, Ill be. The lieutenant grunted from across the room. Hes Japanese, not Chinese.Becker experienceed up. The incumbent was thumbing through the dead mans passport. Id rather you didnt look at that, Becker requested. Touch nothing. Read nothing.Ensei Tankado natural January-Please, Becker said po well-lightedely. Put it back.The policeman stared at the passport a moment semipermanent and then tossed it back on the pile. This guys got a class-3 visa. He c ould shed stayed here for years.Becker poked at the victims hand with a pen. perchance he lived here.Nope. Date of entry was last week.Maybe he was moving here, Becker offered curtly.Yeah, maybe. Crummy starting signal week. Sunstroke and a heart attack. poor people bastard.Becker ignored the officer and study the hand. Youre prescribed he wasnt wea sidestep away any jewelry when he died? The officer looked up, startled. Jewelry?Yeah. pull in a look at this.The officer crossed the room.The skin on Tankados go away hand showed traces of sunburn, everywhere except a narrow band of flesh near the smallest finger.Becker pointed to the strip of pale flesh. See how this isnt sunburned here? Looks like he was wearing a ring.The officer seemed surprised. A ring? His voice sounded explosively perplexed. He studied the corpses finger. Then he flushed sheepishly. My God. He chuckled. The story was true?Becker had a sudden sinking feeling. I beg your free pardon?The officer shook hi s head in disbelief. I would have mentioned it before just without delay I thought the guy was nuts.Becker was not smiling. What guy?The guy who phoned in the emergency. whatever Canadian tourist. Kept talking virtually a ring. Babbling in the wipe up damn Spanish I ever heard.He said Mr. Tankado was wearing a ring?The officer nodded. He pulled by a Ducado cigarette, eyed the no fumar sign, and lit up anyway. Guess I should have said something, but the guy sounded only loco.Becker frowned. Strathmores words echoed in his ears. I hope everything Ensei Tankado had with him. Everything. Leave nothing. Not even a tiny scrap of paper.Where is the ring now? Becker asked.The officer took a puff. Long story.Something told Becker this was not good news. Tell me anyway.