pause, then: “I’m concerned for my daughter’s sake as well as yours. You will promise not to endanger her recklessly, hmm?”
In warfare and politics, enemies often attacked one another’s kin.
“I promise,” Sano said, feeling the contrary pull of honor and professional integrity, prudence and family considerations. Bowing, he said, “Thank you for your advice, Honorable Father-in-law. My apologies for disturbing you so late. I’d better go home and let you get back to work.
“Good night, Sano-san.” Magistrate Ueda bowed. “I shall do everything in my power to help you resolve the murder case with minimum damage to our families.” Then he smiled wryly. “And good luck with Reiko. If you can tame her, you’re a better man than I.”
It was a scant two hours until midnight by the time Sano returned to Edo Castle. From across the hills blew a frost-edged autumn wind. Acrid charcoal smoke rose from thousands of braziers. The sky’s starry black canopy arched above the sleeping city. Sano, huddled in his heavy cloak as he rode through the castle’s maze of walled passages, felt more than ready for sleep himself. This had been a long, tiring day, with the promise of another one tomorrow. Craving a warm bed, Sano entered his street in Edo Castle ’s Official Quarter.
He experienced a premonition of danger the moment before his vision registered its cause. The area was completely dark, though there should have been lights above the gates of every estate. The district seemed unnaturally quiet and deserted. Where were the sentries and patrol guards?
Hand on his sword hilt, Sano rode slowly toward his own house, keeping close to the rows of barracks that surrounded the mansions of his neighbors. By the light of the moon he saw two lanterns hanging from the roof of a gate, their flames extinguished. And below, a dark heap lying in the street. Sano dismounted, the sense of danger flowing over him like a malignant wind current. Crouching, he examined the heap. His heart thumped when he discerned the still bodies of two armored sentries, breathing but unconscious. Leaving his horse behind, Sano ran to the next gate, where he discovered more unconscious guards. Bloody wounds, made by a blunt weapon, marked their heads.
Alarm surged in Sano as he recalled past attempts on his life. Was this an ambush, set by Chamberlain Yanagisawa, who had tried to assassinate him many times before? Or by someone else who knew he’d left the district alone tonight? The great fortress of Edo Castle was, he knew from personal experience, no safe haven for a man with powerful enemies. Had an assassin disabled everyone who might have interfered with an attack? The guards, not expecting invasion during peacetime, had been easy targets. Was someone lying in wait for Sano now?
At his home, where Reiko, Hirata, the detective corps, and the servants slept, unaware of the danger?
Breathless with anxiety, Sano ran to his own estate. The wounded sentries lay unconscious across the threshold.
“Tokubei! Goro!” Kneeling, Sano shook them. “Are you all right?! What happened?”
The men stirred, groaning. “… got past us,” Goro muttered. “Sorry…” Dragging himself to his feet, he swayed dizzily, clutching his head.
“Who was it?” Sano asked.
“Didn’t see. Happened too fast.”
The ironclad gate was open. Sword drawn, Sano leaned into the courtyard. Nothing moved in the darkness. Beckoning for Goro to follow, he entered cautiously-and stumbled over the inert bodies of his patrol guards. The door to the fenced inner enclosure stood ajar.
“Go in the barracks and wake the detectives,” Sano told Goro. “Tell them there’s an intruder in the house.”
The guard hurried off to obey. Sano approached the enclosure. Though aware that he could be walking into a trap, he must protect his household. He couldn’t wait for help. Before him loomed the dark mansion. Sano crept up the wooden steps. He paused in the shadows beneath the deep eaves above the veranda, listening. Somewhere on the hill, a horse neighed but no sound came from inside the house. Sano tiptoed through the open front door and crossed the entry porch.
Weapon raised, he moved stealthily down the corridor. Reaching his office, he halted. His whole body went still and tense.
Dim lamplight spread a yellow glow across the mullioned paper wall. The door was closed. Now Sano heard footsteps creaking the floor inside, a drawer sliding open, the rustle of paper. The intruder was apparently going through his possessions. Sano placed two fingers in the recessed door handle and pushed. The wooden panel slid quietly aside in its oiled frame. In the alcove that housed Sano’s desk stood a figure dressed in a black cloak with a close-fitting hood. It was rummaging through a cabinet, facing away from the door.
Bursting into the room, Sano shouted, “Stop! Turn around!”
17
The intruder whirled. It was Lieutenant Kushida. Around him Sano’s books and papers lay in a scattered mess. Having already swept the shelves clear, he’d been ransacking the cabinet. His wrinkled monkey-face went slack with dismay. For a moment he stood frozen. His panicky gaze skipped from Sano to the barred windows, then lit on his naginata, which leaned against the wall nearby.
“Don’t move!” Sano ordered.
In a motion so fast that it seemed to leap into his hand, Kushida grabbed the spear. He rocketed over the desk, leapt from the alcove’s raised platform, and advanced on Sano. His eyes were black pools of desperation. The weapon’s sharp, curved blade gleamed in the dim lamplight.
“Don’t even try,” Sano warned, assuming a defensive crouch and raising his sword. “My men will be here any moment.” From the front of the mansion came the sound of hurrying footsteps, voices calling. “Even if you kill me, you won’t escape. Drop your weapon. Surrender.”
Lieutenant Kushida charged. Sano jumped aside, and the blade narrowly missed his chest. He circled, preparing to strike back. The lieutenant jabbed the spear at his throat. Sano parried. The impact of the blades knocked him sideways. A stunning blow struck his hip: Kushida had deployed the spear’s handle, as he must have done with the sentries. Sano stumbled, gasping from the pain. Regaining his balance, he lashed out with his sword.
But Kushida deftly evaded each slice. Teeth bared in a fierce grimace, he was everywhere and nowhere, like a ghost fighter who moved through space with unnatural speed. The naginata’s blade battered Sano’s sword. Its metal-tipped end jabbed his legs and back. With his shorter reach, Sano couldn’t get close enough to score a cut. Slashing and thrusting, Kushida chased him around the room. Sano vaulted backward over an iron chest. He slammed into a painted screen, then feinted a backhand slice. Kushida angled his spear to parry. Sano quickly brought his sword around. The blade cut Kushida’s arm, but the lieutenant maintained his relentless assault, driving Sano back toward the wall.
Male voices outside the room grew louder, nearer. Running footsteps pounded the corridor.
“In here!” Sano shouted, losing more ground to Kushida.
A figure dashed through the door. Finally, help at last! Sano glanced around. Relief turned to horror.
Dressed in a pale pink-and-white-flowered night robe, long hair flowing down to her knees, Reiko held a sword in both hands. Her beautiful eyes shone with excitement.
“Reiko! What do you think you’re doing?” Sano demanded, dodging the naginata’s lethal blade.
“Defending my home!” Reiko shot back.
With surprising agility, she lunged at Kushida, hair and skirts streaming. She whipped her sword around and delivered a resounding whack to the spear’s handle, striking one of its metal reinforcing rings.
Sano gaped in shock. One finger’s breadth in either direction, and she would have severed the shaft. It was a stroke worthy of an expert. But Reiko was so small, so delicate. Panic filled Sano. He inserted himself between Reiko and Lieutenant Kushida, nailing his sword.
“This is no game, Reiko. Get out of here before you get hurt!”
“Move! Let me at him!”
Reiko’s face wore the sublime expression Sano had seen on battling samurai. Again she attacked Kushida.
