Yamamura's Moment Of Realization

Perish By The Sword, 14.

I should have known that this was going to happen. Every regular blog reader should know what I mean.

"'But Mike's enemy let himself into the apartment with a key. Who had such a key, except Janice? It got lost, she claims -' Yamamura's argument was cut off as if by an ax. Pereira saw him, not stiffen, but relax totally, so that dark slitted eyes filmed over and the long body almost slid from the chair.
"'What is it?' exclaimed Pereira.
"Yamamura didn't reply. Pereira watched him for an entire minute, then rose to pace the room in unease. The world in the window began to seem pale and remote.
"Finally Yamamura's mouth firmed. He sat up and reached for his pipe. 'Excuse me,' he said in a flat voice. 'I was thinking.'
"'I should hope so,' Pereira responded. 'It seemed as if you had invented a new kind of epilepsy.'" (p. 133)

I have quoted this passage in full because it is a particularly prolonged Andersonian "moment of realization." See here. Yamamura has effectively solved the case. All that remains is to work out the implications and to inform the reader of the outcome. Usually, Andersonian heroes solve practical problems, e.g., of survival in space, not murder mysteries, but the moment of realization is always recognizable.

I am still at sea. Did Janice lie about losing the key? Did her (jealous?) husband steal it? Yamamura's next question to Pereira has to be significant:

"'What do you know about Roy Linden?'" (ibid.)

I have not focused on Linden before because my purpose is to analyze interesting phrases and passages, not to summarize the plot. Blog readers are encouraged to read the novel. However, we have received significant information about Linden and it now looks as though he is important.