The early morning gathering in Akitada’s icy private office was subdued. Day wasbreaking outside, but the shutters were closed against the cold and a candleflickered in the drafts. Akitada himself sat white-faced with fatigue, hisshoulders hunched against the chill, his shaking hands tucked into his widesleeves. Tora had been nodding off and jerking himself awake earlier but wasstaring at Hitomaro now, who had just finished his report and was waiting withthe rigid face of a man expecting a reprimand.
When Akitada said nothing, Toracould not restrain himself. “You mean you let that bastard walk away from acold-blooded murder? Committed in broad daylight in front of a large crowd? Bythe same man who sent his thugs after you once before? I can’t believe you’d beafraid to teach him a lesson when you caught him in the act!”
Hitomaro, who was seatedstiffly next to him, compressed his lips but did not take his eyes from Akitada’stired face. “If I have acted improperly, sir,” he said, “I offer myresignation.”
Outside the wind splattered wetsleet against the shutters like fistfuls of small pebbles.
Akitada shivered again andblinked. “No, no. Pay no attention to Tora. He is half asleep with exhaustion.You did quite right. A confrontation would have availed nothing and innocentpeople would have been hurt. Sunada is not going to abscond.” He gesturedtoward some documents on the desk. “I’ll have a look at the depositions later.”He sighed. “At the moment we have a more urgent problem. The Uesugi servant’sgrandson has disappeared. Tora and I spent the night turning Takata manor andthe surrounding country upside down.” In a weary voice he told Hitomaro oftheir investigation.
Hitomaro relaxed a little. “Theboy must be dead or you would have picked up some trail.”
Akitada clenched a hand. “Irefuse to believe that. It’s what they want us to think. Sooner or later therewill be a clue.”
“In that case,” grumbled Tora, “Iwish you’d gone home when the doctor did, instead of wasting a whole nightsearching that accursed foxes’ den.”
Hitomaro frowned hisdisapproval of such insolence, but Akitada said quite calmly, “It served itspurpose. After we talked to everyone and searched everywhere, neither Uesuginor his steward will dare punish the maid for reporting the disappearance. Andit may have gained us some goodwill from the servants. They seemed genuinelyfond of Toneo.”
“Well,” muttered Tora after ahuge yawn, “I don’t care what you two do next. I’m going to bed. Send for melater if you have any orders.” He got up and stretched, yawning again.
“Tora!” hissed Hitomaro.
“Sit down, Tora. Hitomaro isnot finished.” Akitada’s voice was flat with exhaustion. “Go ahead, Hitomaro.You met Genba later, after you had taken the depositions?”
“Yes, sir. Genba stayed in thecrowd to watch and listen.” Hitomaro smiled a little. “If there had been aconfrontation, Sunada’s thugs would’ve had their second surprise. You would notrecognize Genba. He’s huge and can toss a grown man farther than I can jump. Hewill win that match, I’m sure of it. After he saw that I was letting Sunada andhis goons go, Genba went to Flying Goose village. The fisherman Rikio”-Hitomarotapped the depositions on the desk-”is one of Sunada’s men. He got in debt andSunada helped him out. Now he’s working off the debt in Sunada’s warehouseswhen he’s not fishing. A lot of fishermen are in the same … er … boat.”
Nobody chuckled. Akitada wasrummaging among the papers on his desk. “Yes, I thought so,” he muttered,shivering. “No doubt the sake merchant is equally obligated to Sunada. Where isSeimei? Is there any hot tea? Wine will put me to sleep and there is too muchwork to be done.”
Hitomaro rose to call for Seimei.The old man arrived quickly, bowing to Akitada, and placing the tea utensils onthe desk. Coughing, he muttered something about hot water and left again.
“I wish there were even thesmallest sign of support for imperial authority,” Akitada said peevishly. “Idislike the idea of serving as high constable, although there is both precedentand cause for it. If I could count on just a small faction to oppose Uesugi, Iwould gladly forgo that dubious honor.”
Seimei reappeared with asteaming pot and prepared the tea.
“Well, there’s the doctor,”Tora offered.
Akitada said, “Yes. Thank youfor reminding me, Tora. Oyoshi is a good man and a loyal friend, I think.”
Seimei poured water and offeredAkitada a steaming cup. “Friendship is a rare jewel,” he said, suppressinganother cough. “It may take more than a year to make a friend, but only amoment to offend him. Remember that, Tora.”
“Thank you, Seimei.” Akitadadrank, then warmed his stiff fingers on the cup. “Tell me about the victim,Hito.”
“His name is Koichi. He was aporter when he could get work, but he had a bad reputation and severalconvictions for theft and robbery.”
Akitada clapped his hands andshouted, “Hamaya!” When the senior clerk bustled in and knelt, he asked, “Doyou remember a defendant by the name of Koichi?”
“Koichi the porter? Oh, yes.Theft, robbery, intimidation, assault, and rape. A familiar face in thecourtroom and a man who does not seem to feel the pain of the bamboo. Ahardened case, sir. Is he in trouble again?”
“He is the murdered man broughtin yesterday. I suppose Sunada will claim to have performed a civic duty.”
Hamaya looked astonished. “Koichiis the man Mr. Sunada killed? That is strange!”
“How so?”
“Mr. Sunada employed Koichiafter his last jail term. I thought it most generous because Koichi’sreputation is well known. And now he attacked his benefactor!” Hamaya shook hishead in amazement.
“Thank you, Hamaya.”
When the clerk had left,Akitada remarked sourly, “The reports of Sunada’s good deeds multiply likeflies on a dead rat.”
Seimei, on his way out, pausedat the door. “This Sunada sounds very suspicious to me. Best watch out for him.He is the kind they call a devil chanting prayers.” He coughed again and left.
Silence fell. Akitada hunchedmore deeply into his robe and stared into space. Tora snored, began to topplesideways, and came awake. “Wha … ?”
“Tora,” said Akitada, “go getsome sleep. We’re done for now.”
Tora nodded groggily andstaggered from the room.
“Sir, I am unworthy of yourgreat trust,” Hitomaro said, as soon as they were alone. He shifted to hisknees and touched his forehead to the floor. “I have let a personal matterinterfere with my duty.”
Akitada smiled a little. “Donot look so worried. I have no doubt that you will rectify whatever troublesyou.”
“Thank you, sir. I shall tryharder in the future.” Hitomaro paused, then said, “What Seimei said aboutfriendship, sir? I shall not forget it again.”
“He meant it for Tora,” Akitadasaid, surprised.
“I know, sir. But I almost hitGenba yesterday, and he was very kind …” Hitomaro broke off, overcome withthe memory of his friend’s generosity.
Akitada got up and touched hisshoulder. “Never mind, Hito. These are difficult times for all of us.” Hesighed deeply. “That little boy asked my help. I cannot forget his eyes.”
Hitomaro stood. “What can I doto help, sir?”
Akitada pulled his earlobe andfrowned. “I wish I knew. There is Judge Hisamatsu. I am not sure he is mad-hestruck me more as a fool-but what you told me about his association with Chobeiis very strange. He is close to Uesugi and his home is on the road to Takata.You might see if you can find out anything.”
Hitomaro nodded.
“But first there is the matterof the fishmonger and his missing brother. It is time that case was settled.Arrest the fishmonger, and ask Captain Takesuke for more information about thebrother.”
¦
Hitomaroglanced at the sky. The clouds were as low and thick as ever, and gusts of winddrove painfully sharp grains of sleet into his face and the backs of his hands.His armor was covered with a straw rain cape, and instead of a helmet he wore astraw hat which the wind would have torn off if he had not tied it on firmly.As it was, icy blasts pulled at the bow and quiver he had slung over hisshoulder and blew wisps of straw into his eyes.