Inspector Imanishi Investigates

Yoshimura stood shivering slightly, his hands in his pockets and his eyes watching the passageway.

“It’s been a long investigation.” Imanishi let out a sigh. “Hey,” he continued, “you show him the arrest warrant. Grab his arm forcefully.”

“Imanishi-san…” Yoshimura protested.

“Don’t mind me. From now on, it’s the era of you young people.”

The passengers came walking down the passageway in a line. First came a large American couple. People were going through exit procedures: baggage check, passport control, and currency exchange. Those who were finished entered the waiting room.

The lounge was not large. The first passengers entered and sat down.

Imanishi pointed with his chin at a young Japanese man standing in the middle of the line.

A tense Yoshimura approached Waga. “Waga-san.”

Turning to the man who had spoken to him, Waga gave a start when he saw his face. It was the detective in the raincoat who had been among those at his house the previous day.

“Excuse me.” Yoshimura called Waga aside. “I’m sorry to disturb you. Please pardon me.” He led Waga over to where Imanishi stood.

Taking an envelope from his pocket, Yoshimura pulled out the document inside and handed it to the composer. With trembling hands, Waga took the piece of paper and ran his eyes over its contents. It was a warrant for his arrest on suspicion of murder. The blood drained from Waga’s face. His eyes stared vacantly off into space.

“We won’t handcuff you. There’s a police car waiting out front. You are to come with us.” Yoshimura put his arm around Waga as though he were a close friend.

Imanishi stepped to Waga’s other side. He did not say a word. His expression did not change, but his eyes watered slightly.

The other passengers watched with puzzled looks as the three men retraced their steps along the passageway.

On the observation deck, those who had come to send Waga off stood looking down at the large airliner. Lights illuminated the walkway with the intensity of high noon.

The first passenger left the building. The well-wishers all turned toward that person. It was a tall American military officer. Next followed the large American couple, then a short Japanese, a foreign woman with a child, a young Japanese woman in a kimono with a young man, and another foreigner.

Waga was nowhere in sight. One of the first passengers reached the top of the steps and turned around to wave at his friends. The boarding continued. The last person left the building, a fat, elderly foreigner. Sachiko’s face clouded with puzzlement.

Everyone looked bewildered. The Tadokoro family’s expressions became anxious.

At this moment, an announcement was broadcast.

“This announcement is for those seeing off Waga Eiryo who was scheduled to depart on the ten p.m. Pan American flight to San Francisco. Waga-san has been detained by urgent business and will not be boarding this flight. Waga-san will not be boarding this flight…”

The voice was modulated, the cadence of the words was slow. It sounded as lovely as music.

Seicho Matsumoto

Seicho Matsumoto was born in 1909 in Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyushu. Now Japan's foremost master of mystery, Matsumoto was forty years old before he launched his literary career. His first work appeared in the influential Weekly Asahi in 1950. Two years later, he received the coveted Akutagawa Literary Prize for his Aru kokura nikki den. He also received the Japan Detective Story Writers' Prize for his short story Kao (The Face). Ten to sen, the Japanese version of Points and Lines, became a best seller and created a Matsumoto boom. Several of his short stories have been translated into English. A prolific writer, his work includes novels and essays, as well as detective stories.

***