Seizo, the head of the Sawamura family, was unfazed by Genichi’s ranting and raving. “What’s wrong with two people who love each other getting together?” he responded coolly. Quite beside himself with anger, Genichi threw a punch. Things, however, didn’t go as planned. A tough customer with a black belt in judo, Seizo deployed a sweeping leg throw that sent Genichi sprawling.
Genichi was back home getting patched up when another text arrived from Kanae. Short and to the point, it urged him to “try not to behave disgracefully.” Infuriated, Genichi smashed his cell phone to smithereens.
“I disown her,” he bellowed at Shimako and Akifumi. “That girl is no longer my daughter. I don’t want to hear her name in this house again. Never. Got it?”
Kaga seemed to be enjoying Akifumi’s storytelling. At the part about Genichi being knocked down, he laughed out loud.
“The upshot is that we’re not allowed to talk about Kanae anymore. Her name is taboo.”
“But you know that she lives in Ryogoku?”
“Mrs. Terada heard that via the Sawamuras.”
“Your boss could always go and try to bring her home by force.”
“Except that he’s always ranting about how he won’t be the one to go to her. ‘If she wants me to accept her, then she needs to come here and beg my forgiveness. And she’ll have to leave that man.’”
“He’s pretty stubborn, then.”
“Stubborn doesn’t do him justice. He’s the most pigheaded dad in the world. He’s incapable of compromise. That probably explains why he’s so good at his job.”
Akifumi and Kaga went back by the same route they’d come. They walked side by side, with Akifumi holding Donkichi’s lead. They were about halfway home, waiting for the lights to change on Ningyocho Boulevard, when Kaga began staring at something off to the left. He had a grave expression on his face.
They continued on when the light turned green and were almost back at the shop, when they happened to stroll past a taxi waiting at an intersection. A single female passenger was seated in the backseat on the right. “Oh!” exclaimed Akifumi, when he saw her profile. “It’s Mrs. Terada.”
“What?” Kaga turned to look.
The taxi sped off, before coming to a halt forty or fifty meters down the road.
Shimako had only just stepped out of the taxi by the time Akifumi and Kaga reached the shop.
“Hi, Mrs. Terada,” said Akifumi.
“Oh hi, Aki,” she said. “You’ve been walking Donkichi?” She cast a suspicious look at Kaga and made a small bow.
“This is the detective I told you about,” Akifumi said. “He wanted to see where we walk the dog, so I took him along with me.”
“Oh, did you now?”
From the expression on Shimako’s face, it was clear that she was wondering what possible purpose that could serve.
“You went shopping in Ginza?” Kaga was looking at the bag Shimako was holding. It was decorated with the logo of one of the major department stores.
“Yes. I went to order a batch of midyear gifts.”
“By yourself?”
“Yes, by myself. Why?”
“Nothing. Do you normally take a cab back from Ginza?”
“Not always. I normally take the subway, but today I was feeling a bit worn out.” Shimako shot Akifumi a glance. “Don’t tell the old man. He’ll just grouse about me wasting money.”
“Tell me about it,” murmured Akifumi.
“I’d better be off.” Kaga consulted his watch. “It’s already six thirty. Apologies for taking up so much of your time. It was highly informative. Thank you very much.” Kaga bowed to Akifumi.
“What did you tell him that he found so informative?” Shimako asked Akifumi, as soon as Kaga was out of sight.
“Goodness knows. I don’t think I told him anything very significant.” Akifumi cocked his head thoughtfully.
He went around to the back of the store and put Donkichi back in his kennel. When he went into the house, Shimako was on the phone.
“Oh no, did he? Oh, the man’s always putting his foot in it... You’re sure? No one’s angry at him? Well, I’m relieved to hear it, if it’s true... I’m truly sorry... Thanks for letting me know... Yes, goodbye.”
She replaced the receiver with a thoroughly miserable expression on her face. “He went and lost it again.”
“Lost it? You mean the boss? At the memorial service?”
Shimako pulled a face.
“Somebody said something that rubbed him the wrong way. ‘They’re in love, let them do as they please’ or ‘Only a bully would oppose a marriage out of spite,’ something like that.”
“That would set him off, all right.”
“He threw beer on the guy, and next thing anyone knew, they were wrestling on the ground. At his age, for goodness’ sake!”
Plastering a rueful “such is life” smile on his lips, Akifumi hastily started packing up to go home. Genichi would be back soon, and Akifumi wanted to be long gone when he got there.
5
Sure enough, when Akifumi got to the store the next morning, Genichi was in a foul mood.
“How’s the repair of this watch coming along? Didn’t you promise the customer to get it back to them today?” Genichi asked in a threateningly loud voice, picking a watch out of the “Awaiting Repair” box.
“I’m waiting on a component. I called the customer to let them know it wouldn’t be ready till next week.”
“You did? As usual, nobody bothered to tell me.”
Actually, Akifumi had informed Genichi, but there was no point in contradicting him when he was like this. “Sorry,” Akifumi mumbled, with an apologetic tilt of the head.
“Honestly, is there no one I can rely on around here?” Genichi stalked off toward the back of the shop. A moment later, there was a mighty thump. “Ouch! Goddamn it! Why must people always put stuff in such stupid places! I hit my damn knee.”
Akifumi was tempted to go back and point out that it was Genichi himself who had put the “thing” there, but thought better of it in time.
By the time closing time came around, Genichi’s mood seemed to have improved considerably.
“Righty-ho, think I’ll take Donkichi for his walk,” said Genichi, stretching luxuriantly as he came out of the workroom. “Will you take care of things here?”
“No problem, boss. Have a nice walk.”
About ten minutes after Genichi had left, someone pushed open the front door. Akifumi frowned when he saw who it was: it was Kaga — yet again — wearing the same charcoal gray jacket as yesterday.
“Are you here to ask even more questions?”
Kaga waved his hand in front of his face.
“Not tonight. I’ve actually got something to tell you.”
“Really? I’m afraid the boss is out walking the dog.”
“I know. I waited until he’d left. Now, where’s Mrs. Terada?”
“She’s here. Shall I get her for you?”
“Could you?” Kaga smiled.
Shimako was busy making dinner. When Akifumi called her, she came into the shop, an expression of incredulity on her face.
“I’m sorry to be such a pest.” Kaga grinned. “Don’t worry, though. This really is the last time.”
“What on earth is it now?” Shimako asked him.
Kaga turned to Akifumi. “Did you tell Mr. and Mrs. Terada what we discussed in the park yesterday?”
“No, I didn’t. The boss has been in a foul mood all day.”
“You didn’t? That’s good. It’s probably best not to mention it to him.”
“What did you two discuss yesterday?” Shimako looked from one man to the other.
Kaga then repeated to Shimako what he had told Akifumi about no one else seeing Mineko Mitsui in Hamacho Park.