Black Arrow

Akitada nodded. “Those are very good points.”

Somewhat consoled, Tora concluded, “There’s one more point, and it clinches the matter. After thoset hree fools went to sleep, she slipped back into the kitchen and put the bloody knife in Takagi’s bundle. Who else could’ve done that?”

“Hmm.” Akitada thought, pullinghis earlobe and pursing his lips. “It seems to me you supposed a lot of things.What did she actually say?”

“What I just told you. How she took care of him all those years, and the wife didn’t, and how the wife got everything she wanted and was ungrateful.”

“But that is hardly a murder confession, is it?”

Tora looked confused. “But…you should have been there, sir. It would have turned your stomach, she was so full of hate. It had to be her.” He shuddered. “I slept with a murderess.”

“Well, let it be a lesson to you not to sleep with every girl you run into. You have made an interesting case against that maid, but for the moment we do not have enough evidence toa rrest her. Where is Hitomaro?”

“He hasn’t come in? That’s notlike Hito. I’ll go look for him.”

“No.” Akitada pushed the documents aside irritably. “We don’t have the time. While you and Hitomaro were out, I have been checking the records. We have a bigger problem than that murder. For three generations now, the Uesugi have ruled this province as their personal domain. During that time they resisted every effort by the government to bring Echigo in line with the Taiho and Yoro law codes. No wonder Judge Hisamatsu runs his court to please the lords of Takata and himself. No wonder the three travelers are being made scapegoats. I expect miscarriage of justice has been the order of the day. And no wonder everybody wishes to be rid of me.”

“Let them try!” Tora said belligerently.

Akitada gave him a long look. “Think,Tora. We have no real power. We don’t even have the support of the military guard, and there is no police force. On five separate occasions the imperial government has dispatched trained police officers from the capital with instructions to set up a local force. The Uesugi sent them all back, claimingthat a high constable and a judge were all that is needed. In consequence, thelocal people take their orders from Takata and ignore us.”

“Why didn’t the other governorsobject?”

“Apparently they were bribed or threatened into acquiescence.”

Tora’s mind returned to another matter. He frowned. “Something must’ve happened to Hitomaro.”

“Hitomaro can handle himself.”Akitada reached for a document roll and called, “Hamaya.”

When the clerk came in, Akitadahanded him the documents. “Here, take a look at these. They have been tampered with. Names have been erased and a whole section has been removed. The affair concerns the late lord’s older brother. I want to know what happened.”

The clerk received the rollwith a bow, studied the pertinent sections carefully, and nodded. “Yes, your Excellency is quite right. It was before my time, of course, but I think there was a scandal of sorts. The son in question was repudiated by his father.Changing the documents is quite legal. It is a father’s right to have the son’sname expunged from official family records for serious crimes against family.”

Akitada glowered. “Not on documents in my administration. What happened?”

“I know very little, sir. The family has a history of tragedy. Very brutal times back then. I believe there was a double murder in the women’s quarters. One of the concubines and herc hild were slain. I don’t know whether that has anything to do with the son.”

“Hmm. See what you can find out.”

The clerk bowed and left.

Akitada pulled his earlobe again. “If they have covered up a crime, we may be able to establish some authority.I think I shall request another police chief from the capital and set up aregular force by next spring.”

“That’ll be a relief,” Toragrunted. “Those lazy, ignorant dogs of constables and that bastard Chobei are hardly my idea of efficient law enforcement.”

“You can stop worrying about Chobei,” said a voice from the doorway. Hitomaro, his face swollen and bruised,walked in with a smile. “I’ve found us a replacement.”

“Amida, what happened to you?”Tora gasped.

Hitomaro lowered himsel fcautiously to the floor. “Sunada’s thugs set a trap for me. I just got back.And I missed Genba last night.”

Akitada sat up. “Sunada? The merchant? I met the man at Takata.”

Hitomaro told him about the argument outside the restaurant.

Akitada listened glumly. “More bad news,” he commented. “I was hoping to use him to win the local merchants over, but the situation you describe does not promise well. I won’t countenance gangster tactics.”

“The three of us can easily settle that account and teach the merchant a lesson at the same time,” Torasaid.

“Not yet. An open confrontation will drive Sunada into the Uesugi camp, and so far, if I don’t miss my guess,Uesugi is reluctant to deal with him. Are you well enough to work, Hitomaro?”

“Fit for anything, sir. The soreness will wear off. And you?”

“Much better, I think. That pill seems to be working. A good thing. Tomorrow I have to attend the old lord’sfuneral. And, since the town will be full of people, I plan to hear the case of the innkeeper’s murder the day after.”

Hitomaro said, “We’d better post notices right away. And Tora can drill the constables in their duties. Isuppose we’ll have to use Chobei a while longer, sir?”

“Yes, I’m afraid so. Who is this replacement?”

“One of the outcasts, sir. Hisname is Kaoru. He’s been working as a woodsman or woodcutter, but he saved my life when those thugs jumped me. There were twelve of them .. .”

“Twelve, against one unarmed man?” Tora cried. “The filthy cowards!”

“Yes. They had cudgels and I passed out pretty quickly. I doubt I’d be here, if Kaoru hadn’t stepped in with some first-rate archery and his dog.”

“I look forward to meeting him,”said Akitada, suppressing some qualms. “But first, let’s hear what you found out. What about the three prisoners?”

“I found a couple of witnesses who will swear that Umehara and Okano did precisely what they said they did,but nobody except for a soup vendor remembers the half-wit.”

“That is good enough. Arrange to have them testify. What did Genba have to say?”

“The local people don’t trust the Uesugi, but they submit as long as they can carry on with their business or farms. There’s a lot of concern about Uesugi drafting young men to serve in the border wars, and some think money is being extorted from families to exempt their sons. That seems to be all.”

“It may be useful. I’ll haveHamaya look into it. Did you learn anything from the outcasts?”

Hitomaro smiled. “Yes, sir.After talking to Genba, I managed to get myself invited to the outcast village.They had a yamabushi there who tended to my wounds and scrapes. I spent the night.”

Akitada clapped his hands. “Well done! I was told they normally keep to themselves.”

“Their women are known for their beauty and sexual skills, so I went to the amusement quarter first.” Hitomaro blushed. “The waitress in a wineshop there was hinin and invited me home for dinner.”

Tora burst out laughing. “Only you would go to the amusement quarter and end up with a free dinner, Hito.”

Hitomaro frowned at him. “It was the easiest way to get to know those people,” he said defensively. “And Idid stop at a house of assignation first. It catered to private customers.”

“Please get to the point!”Akitada had a sinking feeling that he was about to be treated to another tale of debauch. “What about the outcasts? Whom do they obey?”

Hitomaro looked relieved. “No one. They are very poor, sir. They grow a few vegetables in their gardens and work the usual dirty jobs in town for a few coppers. But some of the women sell their bodies and bring good earnings home to their families. I got the feeling they are close-knit. The only ones they take instruction from are theyamabushi. I was patched up by the master yamabushi himself.”