“Oh, yes.” Irony twisted Fugatami’s mouth. “Some of my colleagues are as credulous as peasants. Besides, I suspect they’ve accepted monetary gifts from Anraku.”
Corruption was rampant, and criminals often bribed officials to sanction their illegal activities, Reiko knew. “What’s to be done?” she asked.
“It is my duty to protect the public from physical and spiritual harm by evil religious frauds.” The cold fire of dedication burned in Minister Fugatami’s eyes. “With your help, maybe I can at last shut down the Black Lotus Temple, dissolve the sect, and punish the leaders. I must definitely see your novice monk.”
“My husband promised to find Pious Truth.” Reiko wondered whether Sano had succeeded.
“Good. Still, an inside witness represents only half the proof I need.” Fugatami stroked his chin thoughtfully, then said, “Many new complaints have come from Shinagawa.” This was a village near Edo. “I plan to investigate them tomorrow. I shall ask the sōsakan-sama to accompany me so I can gain his support for my cause.” He took up a writing brush. “Will you convey my letter of invitation to him?”
“Gladly.” Reiko hoped Minister Fugatami could convince Sano that the Black Lotus was worth investigating, yet she doubted that her husband would agree to spend hours on a trip. “But he may not have time to go.”
“He can send one of his retainers,” Fugatami said, writing characters on paper.
A sudden inspiration quickened Reiko’s heartbeat. She and Lady Keisho-in were going to see High Priest Anraku tomorrow morning, but she had nothing to do afterward, and Shinagawa wasn’t far from the Zōjō district. “I could go as my husband’s representative,” she suggested.
“You?” Surprise lifted Minister Fugatami’s voice; he stopped writing and stared at Reiko with the same disapproval as when they’d first met. “That would be most inappropriate.”
“We wouldn’t have to travel together,” Reiko said, understanding that a woman couldn’t join an official procession. “Nor would I interfere with your business.” That would be an even worse breach of social custom. “I propose simply to watch and report back to my husband.”
The minister hesitated, studying her in the flickering lantern light. Reiko could see him estimating how much influence she had over Sano and weighing his desire for his mission’s success against the impropriety of honoring her request. At last he nodded.
“Very well,” he said reluctantly. He wrote the letter and handed it to Reiko. “If the sōsakan-sama cannot go to Shinagawa, and you happen to be there, I won’t prevent you from observing my investigation.”
15
Though wisdom be hard to fathom,
Be firm in power of will and concentration,
Have neither doubt nor regret,
And you shall perceive the truth.
– FROM THE BLACK LOTUS SUTRA
So the murdered woman was a peasant folk-healer named Chie,” Sano said to Hirata as they walked through the outer courtyard of Sano’s estate. “That was a good idea to post notices around town. I commend your excellent work.”
“Oh, it was just luck,” Hirata said modestly.
In the deepening twilight, lanterns burned outside the barracks; detectives led horses to the stables. Sano said, “A patient at the temple hospital says a nurse named Chie disappeared. Her name and vocation match those of the wife of the carpenter you interviewed.”
“Therefore, the murdered woman was connected with the Black Lotus,” Hirata said, “which contradicts the sect leaders’ claim that nobody is missing from the temple.”
“Apparently.” Consternation filled Sano. Had the many priests and nuns he’d interviewed today, who’d all said they knew nothing about the crimes or the mystery victims, lied to him? Was the peaceful harmony he’d observed at the temple an illusion that hid the activities that a young man purporting to be a novice monk had described to Reiko?
The identification of the woman lent support to Reiko’s theory of a Black Lotus conspiracy designed to sabotage the investigation; yet Sano still couldn’t agree with Reiko that Haru was an innocent victim, after what he’d learned about the girl today.
He and Hirata entered the mansion and found Reiko in the corridor, removing her cloak and talking to Midori and a maid. When Reiko saw Sano, she started nervously. “Oh. Hello,” she said.
“Hello,” Sano said, concerned because she’d obviously stayed out late again and wondering why.
The maid took Reiko’s cloak, bowed, and left. There was an uncomfortable silence as Hirata smiled at Midori, she looked away from him, and tension gathered between Sano and Reiko.
“It seems that we have things to discuss,” Sano said at last. “Let’s go to my office.”
There he sat at his desk on the raised platform. Hirata knelt opposite him to his right, Reiko to his left. Midori, who’d apparently thought his invitation included her, sat beside Reiko. Sano said to his wife, “What have you learned today?”
“This morning I went to see Haru.” Although she feared how Sano would react to what she was going to say, Reiko managed to match his controlled manner. She described how she’d found Priest Kumashiro trying to force Haru into confessing. She explained that Haru had admitted misbehaving at the Black Lotus Temple but had reformed, and been forced into sex with Commander Oyama. “Kumashiro says he has an alibi, but he and Oyama were enemies. He seems more likely a killer than Haru. He actually threatened me. I believe Haru is in danger from him, so I took her to stay at my father’s house.”
“You did what?” Alarm shattered Sano’s calm façade.
“Haru was so afraid of Kumashiro that she wanted to run away,” Reiko said. “You wouldn’t have wanted me to let her go, would you? I had to put her someplace she would feel safe. My father agreed to take her in. What’s wrong with that?”
Hirata frowned; Midori looked baffled. Sano drew and slowly released a deep breath, as though willing self-control. “Today I met Haru’s parents,” he said.
Startled, Reiko said, “What are you talking about?”
“Haru’s parents,” Sano repeated, adding with a touch of reproach, “are alive and well in Kojimachi. Haru isn’t an orphan at all.”
“Oh. I see.” Badly shaken, Reiko said, “You’ve proved that Haru is a liar, but the fact that a person lied about one thing doesn’t mean she couldn’t be telling the truth about others.”
“There’s more.” Sano told how Haru had been a disobedient daughter, married off against her will to an old merchant. “He and his servants died in a fire. Haru’s parents, the neighbors, and the man’s relatives believe Haru set the fire to kill her husband and free herself from the marriage. She took refuge in the Black Lotus Temple because her family disowned her. Whether or not Haru is responsible for the deaths at the temple, I fear you’ve installed a murderess in your father’s house.”
Every sentence drove deeper into Reiko the undeniable knowledge that Haru was as deceitful as her enemies claimed-and possibly as evil. Nonetheless, Reiko glimpsed room for doubt in Sano’s story. “Did anyone actually see Haru setting the fire?” she said.
“No,” Sano admitted.
“Those people could be mistaken about Haru. Maybe everyone’s suspicion forced her to leave home and pretend to be an orphan. This new evidence against Haru is just as questionable as the evidence in the Black Lotus fire.”
The expression on Sano’s face revealed that he’d already thought of this and didn’t appreciate her reminder of the weakness in his argument.
Relief lessened Reiko’s fear that she’d misjudged Haru and endangered her father. “Haru could very well be innocent.”