“Ah.” The Rat’s sly little eyes gleamed through strands of long, untidy hair. “I’m afraid I couldn’t find him. Sorry.”
“But it’s only been one day,” Hirata said. “How far could you have looked in that time?”
“The Rat has eyes and ears all over Edo. If they haven’t picked up on Choyei by now, then either he’s left town or was never here in the first place.”
If his best informant couldn’t find the possible source of the poison, then this lead was a dead end, Hirata thought. Disappointment turned to anger. “I paid you good money,” he said, grabbing the Rat’s collar. The giant moved toward him. “Are you reneging on our deal?”
“Stay, Kyojin! Oh, no. Not at all!” The Rat quickly reached into the pouch at his waist and extracted a handful of coins, which he gave Hirata. “Here you go. A full refund, with my apologies.”
Suspicion deepened Hirata’s anger as he stuffed the coins in his own pouch. Since when had the Rat ever voluntarily relinquished money?
“Are you trying to trick me?” He shook the freak-show proprietor until his head hobbled. “Did Choyei pay you off?”
“No, no! Honest!”
The Rat struggled. The giant grabbed Hirata. A three-way tussle ensued. Finally Hirata gave up and let go. “If I find out you lied to me, you’ll be arrested. And jailed. And beaten!” He underscored each threat by jabbing the Rat’s chest with his fist. Then he stalked down the alley to retrieve his horse.
It was time to confront Lady Ichiteru.
By the time Hirata arrived back at Edo Castle, he was almost ill with eagerness to see Lady Ichiteru again. His skin felt feverish; his hands trembled as he rode through the main gate; anticipation evoked arousal. Realizing that he shouldn’t face Lady Ichiteru alone in his condition, he stopped at Sano’s mansion and fetched two detectives to accompany him. Their presence would ensure that he stuck to his plan and Lady Ichiteru behaved properly. But just as Hirata and the detectives were leaving the barracks, a servant hurried up.
“This came while you were gone, master, ' he said, proffering a small lacquer scroll case.
Hirata took it and withdrew a letter. As he read, his heart began to pound.
I have vitally important information relating to Lady Harume’s murder. It is imperative that I speak to you-but not today, and not here at Edo Castle. For the wrong people to overhear what I must impart would endanger my life. Please meet me tomorrow at the hour of the sheep, at the location described below.
And please come alone.
It is with more than ordinary pleasure that I look forward to seeing you again.
Lady Ichiteru
A map followed, with directions written in the same elegant, feminine hand as the message. The creamy white rice paper had the softness of living flesh. Moistened by Hirata’s suddenly sweaty hands, it gave off the scent of Lady Ichiteru’s perfume. Impulsively he pressed it against his face. As the smell evoked erotic memories, he forgot the day’s disappointments. Lady Ichiteru wanted to see him again! Did not her closing words imply that she shared his feelings? His spirits soared. He laughed aloud.
“Hirata-san? What are you doing?”
Hirata looked up to see the detectives watching him with concern. “Nothing,” he said, hastily cramming the letter into the scroll case.
“Are we going to visit Lady Ichiteru now?” asked one of the men.
All Hirata’s police instincts told him to stick to the plan he’d devised and avoid letting a murder suspect manipulate him. She’s up to no good said his inner voice. Yet Hirata couldn’t endanger Lady Ichiteru by forcing her to give evidence within hearing of spies. And he yearned to explore the full potential of an acquaintance with her- outside Edo Castle ’s confines, free from the constraints of duty and prudence.
“No,” he said at last. “I’m postponing the interview until tomorrow.” Then he would decide whether to accept Lady Ichiteru’s invitation. Deep inside Hirata, seven years of detective experience clamored in warning. “Dismissed.”
23
The inner palace precinct was strangely vacant even for a cold autumn evening when Sano and Hirata traversed the garden. Cherry trees raised bare, black branches to a soot-colored sky; moisture gleamed on the surfaces of boulders; fallen leaves matted the grass. A lone patrol guard made his rounds. Taking advantage of their momentary privacy before reporting to the shogun, Sano shared the results of his inquiries and passed Hirata the letter from Lady Harume’s room.
Hirata read, and whistled through his teeth. “Will you show this to the shogun?”
“Have I got a choice?” Sano said grimly, replacing the letter under his sash.
At the palace door, the guard said, “His Excellency is in a special emergency session with the Council of Elders. They await your report in the Grand Audience Hall.”
Dismay washed through Sano like an icy tide. Council meetings invariably meant trouble for him. He wished he could postpone his report and the inevitable repercussions, but there seemed no chance of reprieve. With Hirata beside him, he proceeded down the palace corridors. Sentries opened massive double doors carved with scowling guardian deities. Sano took a deep breath. He and Hirata entered.
Glowing lanterns hung from the coffered ceiling. Tokugawa Tsunayoshi knelt upon the dais. A gilded landscape mural set off his black ceremonial robes. Chamberlain Yanagisawa occupied his usual place at the shogun’s right, on the higher of the floor’s two levels. Near him on the same level, the five elders knelt in two facing rows, at right angles to their lord. However, the secretaries were absent. Only the shogun’s chief attendant served tea and brought tobacco and metal baskets of lit coals for pipes. The law barred all unnecessary personnel from special emergency sessions.
As Sano and Hirata knelt at the back of the room, Senior Elder Makino Narisada said, “Your Excellency, we apologize for requesting a meeting on such short notice, but the murder of Lady Harume has caused some disturbing incidents. The chief commander of the Large Interior has committed seppuku to atone for allowing a murder to take place during his watch. Rumors and accusations are rampant. One concerns Kato Yuichi, junior member of the judicial council. His fellow member and rival, Sagara Fumio, spread a story that Kato killed Lady Harume as practice for a mass poisoning of high officials. Kato confronted Sagara. They dueled. Now both men are dead, and the judicial council is in turmoil, with scores of men vying for the vacant positions.”
It was just as Sano had feared: The murder had ignited emotions within the bakufu, a gunpowder arsenal waiting to explode. The dreaded nightmare of past investigations had returned-because he hadn’t solved the case soon enough, more deaths had occurred.
“Other minor problems have caused inconvenience,” Makino said. “Many people refuse to believe that a mere concubine was the murderer’s only target. No one wants to eat or drink here.” He eyed the untouched tea bowls in front of his colleagues. “Servants have abandoned their posts. Officials have fled Edo, ostensibly on business in the provinces.” So that was why the palace seemed empty, Sano realized. “At this rate, there will soon be no one left to run the capital. Your Excellency, I recommend strong action to avert disaster.”
Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, who had been shrinking farther and farther into himself as the senior elder spoke, threw up his hands in despair. “Why, ahh, I hardly know what to do,” he said. Looking around for help, he caught sight of Sano. “Ahh!” he exclaimed, beckoning. “Here is the man who can restore matters to normal. Sosakan Sano, please tell us you’ve identified Lady Harume’s killer!”
Accompanied by Hirata, Sano reluctantly approached the dais. They knelt before the upper floor level, bowing to the assembly. “I regret to say that the murder investigation is not yet complete, Your Excellency, ” Sano said. He glanced uncomfortably at Chamberlain Yanagisawa, who would surely seize this opportunity to denigrate him. However, Yanagisawa seemed preoccupied, his dark gaze turned inward. Feeling more confident, Sano began relating the progress of the case.
Senior Elder Makino assumed Chamberlain Yanagisawa’s usual role of detractor. “So you haven’t traced the poison yet. Lieutenant Kushida is under arrest for attacking you and trying to steal evidence, but you’re not convinced he’s the killer. That strikes me as extremely indecisive. What about Lady Ichiteru?”
