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.”
Akitada sat up. “Really? The master? An old man with a very long white beard and long hair?”
“You’ve met him, sir? Very impressive. Amazing how educated those mountain priests are. He spoke as well as anyone I ever met, sir. And so does Kaoru, now I think of it.”
Akitada raised his brows. “A well-spoken woodcutter? You surprise me. And the yamabushi speaks, doe she? What did he have to say?”
“He thought I was a fugitive looking for sanctuary. It seems he has told the outcasts to take in anyone who’s in trouble with the law. That could account for Uesugi’s hatred of them. They had some toothless deserter hiding there who assaulted one of their women andg ot his arm broken for it. They don’t want him, but the yamabushi protects him.”
Akitada’s brows contracted in an angry scowl. “Things have gone far in this godforsaken province. Not only am I prevented from upholding the law, but there is a conspiracy afoot to harbor criminals right under our nose.” He fell into a gloomy abstraction. “Worse and worse!” he muttered. “The Uesugi govern, the merchants are gangster bosses, and outcasts hide all those criminals who are not already protected by the other two factions. Where does that leave us?”
“Out in the cold,” quipped Tora, opening a shutter and peering up at the sky. A blast of freezing air blew in.
“Close that,” Akitada snapped, “and pay attention!”
“Things may not be as hopeless as they seem, sir,” Hitomaro said. “I think the outcasts are fighting the Uesugi in their own way. And I’ve found them very decent people. They not only took care of me, but they also tend to a madwoman there. Spooky creature. She’s Kaoru’s grandmother and a soothsayer. She kept looking at me and babbling about blood and murder.”
Akitada said grudgingly, “Well,we are in their debt for helping you, in any case.”
“And none of the smalltradesmen will have anything to do with Sunada.”
Akitada sighed. “Yes, that is good. I must be patient.”
“What about Kaoru, sir?”Hitomaro asked.
“When he comes, bring him to me. At least he’s not likely to be working for Uesugi. If he is moderatelyintelligent and does not help our prisoners to escape, you may train him toreplace that rascal Chobei. Now you had both better get on with preparationsfor our first court session.”
“Sir?” Hitomaro avoided Akitada’seyes. “May I have a few hours off this afternoon? It, er, concerns the outcasts.”
Akitada opened his mouth to ask for details but, thinking better of it, he nodded. His lieutenants left.
As soon as they were gone,Seimei came in. He gave Akitada an anxious look and asked, “How about a nicecup of herbal tea, sir? I know you don’t like the taste, but I found some honey.”