With another rumbling belly laugh, Watanabe said, ‘Around here, men don’t care. She’s both young and willing.’ He winked.
So the girl was a whore already, and Watanabe had probably slept with her. Tora was disgusted and said nastily, ‘I thought your interest was young boys. Or isn’t that why I saw you talking to them?’
The rice merchant reached for his cup. ‘I take a charitable interest in poor youths,’ he said coldly.
Right!
Tora smirked. ‘Well, to each his own. I prefer females myself.’
Watanabe choked. ‘You misunderstood. I’m a married man,’ he squawked, coughing.
‘So am I, but that doesn’t keep me from ogling a beauty.’ The girl was at the open back door now, talking to someone outside. A moment later, she slipped out.
Watanabe was still protesting his innocence. ‘I’m just helping poor boys find work. Working keeps them out of trouble.’
‘That’s very public-spirited of you.’
Watanabe eyed Tora resentfully. ‘If you don’t mind my asking, what are you doing here?’ he asked. ‘And why are you dressed like that?’
‘I’m looking for a thief. It seemed like a good idea to blend in.’
Watanabe’s bulging eyes widened. ‘Why are you looking for a thief? Are you a constable?’
‘No. This one paid a visit at my house.’
‘Ah. Did he get away with much?’
‘Not really. I have nothing to steal. Have you heard of a Jirokichi? The one that steals from the rich to give to the poor?’
Watanabe’s belly quivered with mirth again. It reminded Tora of boiling bean paste. ‘Sure, I’ve heard of him,’ he said. ‘It’s a great story. Fools will believe anything. Some even pray to him for gold – just like some god.’
Tora flushed. He did not like being called a fool, and while he knew Jirokichi was human, he had great respect for miraculous events. ‘You can believe what you want,’ he said ungraciously.
Watanabe became apologetic. ‘No offense. I knew you were joking.’ He thought a moment. ‘You know, speaking from a business standpoint, a man could make a lot of money out of a thing like that. Being thought a god, I mean.’ He started to laugh again.
Tora watched him with barely hidden disgust. The man was made of whale blubber. ‘How so?’
‘Think about it. All sorts of things can be done if people think they are done by the gods. The police don’t trouble themselves with arresting the kami.’ He leaned forward to refill their cups. ‘Oh, no! The kami are quite safe.’ He fell into another bout of laughter.
‘Pretending to be a god would be a sacrilege,’ Tora pointed out, but he wondered if Jirokichi was the sort of man who would dishonor the gods. And that brought up another thought. ‘Is that what’s going on with all those fires, do you think?’ he asked Watanabe. ‘You know, someone’s setting them and blaming it on the gods?’
Watanabe was shocked by the notion. He stopped laughing. ‘Of course not. Much too dangerous. And what’s in it for him?’
The wine had warmed Tora’s belly. He was wasting time with Watanabe. Emptying his cup, he got up. ‘Well, I’m glad I bumped into you, but it’s time I was off. My wife’s not as understanding as yours.’
Watanabe’s grin was strained. ‘Thanks for the wine, Tora. And good luck finding your thief.’
As Tora walked away from the Fragrant Peach, he passed the alley next to the building. A closely entwined couple leaned against the wall. The young waitress had her pink robe pulled up to her waist and a pale thigh clasped around a young male in a blue and white robe. His hips moved energetically against her.
Tora was amused. When he was young, he had known such uncomfortable but exhilarating moments himself, but these days he had something better waiting for him at home.
THE DEAF MUTES
There was another fire overnight. The home of a minor official burned down. The news was a painful reminder of Tora’s lack of progress. His mood was not improved when he learned that his master had been angry with him for going to the Kiyowara house. He postponed the tongue-lashing as long as possible.
When he finally reported at the main house, Seimei greeted him with a smile. ‘Good news, Tora,’ he said. ‘The master has a new assignment and has been paid. With such an auspicious turn of events, we sent for the yin- yang master right away to cast the child’s fortune. And what do you think he said?’
Tora waited expectantly. Maybe things would be all right after all.
Seimei rubbed his gnarled hands. ‘He declared the child would be blessed with health, wealth, and happiness. And when the master presented him with an additional gift, he said that fate would elevate the unborn even past the father’s rank and position. Past his father’s rank! What do you say to that?’
Tora blinked. ‘He’ll be greater than his father?’
‘Yes. Such excellent news!’ Seimei chuckled. ‘Well, the master said this would not be hard to achieve since he was without rank and position at the moment, and that he trusted his son would fare better. But I could tell that he was very happy.’
Tora’s spirits lifted. He found his master bent over his accounts and looking very pleased. ‘I hear there’s good news, sir,’ Tora offered, intent on keeping things cheerful.
His master looked up and smiled. ‘Ah, Tora. I’d hoped to see you sooner, but you must’ve been busy with that fine son of yours.’
Tora let him think so. ‘Seimei says you’ve had a great fortune cast for yours.’
His master looked a little embarrassed. ‘Well, it’s customary – not that I put much faith in it. It seemed a good idea now that we have a little money. Did Seimei tell you? I’ve been employed by Lady Kiyowara to find her husband’s murderer.’ He put on a stern expression. ‘As it turned out, your information about the son was useful, but don’t take matters in your own hands again. It may cause me a great deal of trouble with the censors.’
Tora made a show of hanging his head. ‘Sorry, sir. I wasn’t thinking.’
‘Well, don’t do it again. Now please report.’
A chastened Tora told everything he had observed and been told outside the Kiyowara gate. When he was done, he asked, ‘So, do you think the son killed the father?’
‘Too soon to know. It may be more complicated than a quarrel between father and son. The son cannot have been very surprised by his father’s decision. I suspect the young man was merely frustrated and expressed himself by shouting. The young frequently lose their temper. I did myself once.’
‘He could have done it.’ Tora felt cheated of his contribution. ‘Maybe there was more to it than the military service. Maybe that was just the last straw.’
‘Perhaps. We’ll see. What about your own case?’
Tora reported what had happened in the western city.
When he finished, his master frowned. ‘You’ll have to be careful in those low dives. There has been gang activity in the city, and those hoodlums that robbed you may work for one. Remember, that peculiar thief knows where you live. That means that he also knows what you do and who I am.’
‘Amida!’ Tora slapped his forehead. ‘What a fool I am! I should’ve thought of that. I bet the nasty little bastard is in it up to his skinny neck and has warned his gang by now. Sorry, sir. What do you want me to do?’
‘Well, leaving you the gold suggests that he’s not without honor. He may or may not belong to a gang, but it seems more important than ever to find him. A clever thief like that may well overhear secrets as he creeps into people’s houses. I don’t like this business with the fires. Just be careful in the future.’
Tora left, thinking about the situation. He would go back to the Fragrant Peach when he was done with his chores. After a light snack, he put on clean but nondescript cotton clothing of the sort worn by coach drivers, stable hands, or mounted messengers. Next he sought out Seimei for help with a note for the elusive Jirokichi. Since he could not run the thief to ground, he hoped the note would make him come to him.
Seimei balked a little when he saw the threat. He said, ‘You may be Tora the Tiger, but remember that a cornered rat attacks the cat.’
That made Tora smile. ‘You still have a way with words, old man,’ he said. ‘I’ll remember it. The master’s
