"That's a rabbity kinda word for what we got here," Melvis Cupper allowed.
"Well, I guess there's only one way to find out," said Remo.
"Yes," said Chiun, raising his arms so his wide kimono sleeves slid back to his elbows, exposing pipestem arms resembling plucked chicken wings.
Remo turned to Melvis Cupper. "Think you could find a flashlight?"
"I guess I can rustle one up. You wait here now."
Melvis Cupper was gone only five minutes, long enough to forage a flashlight from the freight yards. He was loping back when he heard the wild straining and shriek of metal.
He broke into a run. "Dad-gum it all to hell!"
Remo and Chiun were climbing out of the cab when he got there. Remo was holding a short black sword of some kind.
"What's that?" Melvis demanded.
"Katana. "
"I can see that. I got eyes. Where'd you get it?"
"From the engine block."
"How?"
"Reached into the rip in the back of the cab," said Remo as they fell to examining the blade. Melvis clambered into the cab and examined the rent. It was bigger now. Very big. It looked as though someone had used clevis hooks to open it wide.
He poked his head out again. "What kinda tool you boys use?"
"Handy ones," said Remo, not taking his eyes from the blade.
Melvis rejoined them, looking mad. "You DOT boys ain't got no right to poke your noses into my investigation."
"You'd never have discovered this without us."
"Fine, then. That there frog-sticker is NTSB accident evidence."
Remo moved it out of Melvis's reach. "Sorry. Finders keepers."
"I plan on writin' you uncooperative boys up."
"Feel free," said Remo, turning the sword around in his hands.
Melvis's eyes kept going to the blade. "That's what chopped that poor soul's head clean off, you reckon?"
"Looks that way."
"Lopped it off and buried itself into the bulkhead, is what you're sayin'?"
"That's right."
"If that be the case, why ain't it banged up or broke?"
"Good question," said Remo.
The blade was straight, true and without nicks or scratches.
"And while we're gnawin' at the subject, how'd it get in there in the first place?"
"Through the windscreen."
"No hole in the windscreen. Not one big enough to pass that sucker through. Explain that if you can."
"We cannot," said Chiun.
"Then your theory falls all to hell and gone."
"That's life," said Remo.
"Yes, that is life," echoed Chiun.
Melvis Cupper eyed them skeptically. "For DOT boys you two seem powerful casual about your work."
They started off.
"We'll see you around the old camp fire," said Remo.
"Not if I see you gents first," said Melvis Cupper, slapping on his NTSB Stetson.
Chapter 13
On the flight back east, Remo had one question for the Master of Sinanju. "What do we tell Smith?"
"The truth," said Chiun.
This wasn't exactly the answer Remo expected, so he asked another question. "All of it?"
"Of course not."
"What part are we leaving out?"
"The important part."
"Which is?"
"Family business. It is not for the emperor's ears."