Lord Matsudaira weighed the arguments for only an instant before saying, “Chamberlain Sano is absolutely correct that catching the Ghost should have high priority.” Hoshina’s face fell. “But Police Commissioner Hoshina is also correct that we can’t let security lapse in order to chase one of many criminals,” Lord Matsudaira continued. “Take the troops off the search and send them back to their regular duties, Chamberlain Sano. Do the best you can without them. And remember that I’m counting on you.”
Hoshina grinned, recognizing that this decision promised failure for Sano and more advantage for himself. Sano saw that there was no use arguing further with Lord Matsudaira. Only one person could override him now.
“Your Excellency,” Sano said, “this issue is so important that perhaps you would like to settle it instead of leaving it to us. You said you thought it was a good idea to have the troops search for the Ghost. If that’s your opinion, you can make it an order, and it will be done.”
The shogun looked alarmed to be put on the spot, yet gratified by the thought of his own power. Lord Matsudaira and Hoshina glared at Sano. Yoritomo leaned close to the shogun to whisper in his ear.
“A certain person had better keep out of this,” Lord Matsudaira announced in a quiet tone replete with menace. “Or else there may be a fatal accident to a certain other person on a certain distant island.”
Yoritomo sat back and bowed his head at the threat to his exiled father.
“Well? What do you say?” Lord Matsudaira asked the shogun. “Will you follow Chamberlain Sano’s advice or mine?”
Bereft of the support he needed to stand by his opinion, the shogun wilted. “Yours, Cousin,” he murmured, avoiding Sano’s gaze.
Sano accepted defeat with a frustration he could barely conceal. Hoshina relaxed. Lord Matsudaira said, “Before you leave, Honorable Chamberlain, I have one other problem to discuss with you. I hear that you’ve been absent from your office these past few days. Quite a few officials have mentioned that you’re never available to meet with them, you don’t answer your correspondence, and you’re letting your staff handle business they’re not qualified to handle.”
Sano turned on Hoshina. The police commissioner must have put his new friends up to informing Lord Matsudaira. Hoshina shrugged and smirked.
“You seem to think that the duties of second-in-command over the nation are beneath you,” Lord Matsudaira told Sano. “Unless you change your attitude, His Excellency may be forced to replace you, as quite a few of his officials have recommended. Is that understood?”
Stifling his anger, Sano said, “Yes, Lord Matsudaira.” He shot a venomous look at Hoshina, who sat gloating and eager to inherit his post. If he lived, Sano resolved, he would find a way to rid himself of this enemy, no matter how little he liked political warfare.
“It’s time to adjourn this meeting,” Lord Matsudaira told the shogun.
“This meeting is adjourned,” the shogun said.
“What do we do now?” Marume asked Sano as they walked through the palace garden.
“We mobilize the army and go out and hunt down the Ghost,” Sano said.
No matter that Lord Matsudaira had forbidden him to use the troops for the search; Sano reasoned that he was damned no matter what he did. If he neglected his job, disobeyed orders, or failed to catch the Ghost, the result would be the same: He would lose his post, whether to Hoshina or somebody else. He would be banished or executed, leaving Reiko and Masahiro in dire peril. He might as well finish the investigation.
Especially since it could be his last.
Sano and the detectives headed down the passage to fetch their horses at his compound. If he was going to die tomorrow, at least he would spend today doing the work he was meant to do, serving honor in the best way he could. He would deliver Kobori to justice and have his revenge if it was the last thing he did.
“Honorable Chamberlain Sano!”
Sano turned, and saw Captain Nakai hurrying toward him. He groaned inwardly. Although the last person he wanted to see now was Nakai, he resolved to be gracious after what Nakai had suffered on his account.
“Greetings,” Nakai said as he joined Sano and they walked together. His metal helmet and armor tunic gleamed in the sunlight; he looked the picture of a perfect samurai. “I hope all is well with you?
“Quite. And you?” Sano said courteously.
“Not bad,” Nakai replied with determined cheerfulness.
It occurred to Sano that when a man expected to die soon, he should make amends to people he’d hurt. He quickened his pace, leading Nakai ahead of the detectives, so they could talk privately. He said, “Captain Nakai, I want to apologize for suspecting you of the murders. I’m sorry you were accused and humiliated in front of the shogun and Lord Matsudaira. Please forgive me.”
“Oh, that’s all right,” Nakai said. “It’s water under the bridge. No hard feelings.” He smiled and clapped Sano on the shoulder. “Besides, I’ve begun to think it was a blessing in disguise. After all, it gave me the privilege of making your acquaintance.”
Sano saw that Captain Nakai now viewed him as a person who could help further his ambitions. “My acquaintance may not be as much of a blessing as you wish,” Sano said. He might not be around long enough to hand out any promotions, even if he was still alive tomorrow.
Nakai laughed as though Sano had made a joke. “You’re too modest, Honorable Chamberlain.” He obviously didn’t know about Sano’s precarious position. “By the way, how is your investigation going? Have you found out who the Ghost is?”
“Yes,” Sano said, tolerating this chat, but walking faster to end it soon. “His name is Kobori. He was once employed by the former chamberlain. There’s a citywide manhunt going on for him as we speak.”
“Kobori?” Captain Nakai stopped in his tracks. A stupefied look came over his face. “That’s who it was,” he muttered to himself. His strong features had gone slack with amazement.
“What’s the matter?” Sano was so puzzled by this odd reaction that he also halted.
“You said that Kobori is the Ghost? And you’re trying to find him?” Nakai’s tone was breathless; he seemed frantic to verify what he’d heard. When Sano nodded, Nakai whispered, “Merciful gods. I saw him.”
“You did?” It was Sano’s turn to be amazed. He stared at Nakai; so did Detectives Marume and Fukida, who’d caught up with them. “When? Where?”
“This morning,” Nakai said. “On the street, in town.”
Sano thought to wonder if Nakai was making up a story in order to curry favor. Yet his words had the ring of honesty. “How did you recognize Kobori?” Sano demanded even as wild hope surged within his heart.
“I used to know him,” Nakai said. “Remember I told you that I have family connections with Yanagisawa? My cousin was his weapons master. He was killed in the battle. I used to visit him at Yanagisawa’s compound. I thought he might help my career, seeing as he was close to the chamberlain. Sometimes he introduced me to people who happened to be around. One of them was Kobori.”
Captain Nakai smiled with the air of a man who has just solved a mystery that had been puzzling him. “When I saw Kobori today, I couldn’t remember who he was or where I’d seen him before. We’d only met once, years ago. But when you said his name, I suddenly knew.”
This sounded not unreasonable, but Sano had a hard time believing that Kobori, subject of a massive search, was just walking about town, where a passing acquaintance had stumbled onto him. “How did you happen to spot Kobori?”
“I was just riding along, minding my own business,” Nakai said. “I’d heard that Lord Matsudaira planned to go into town this morning, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to talk to him. You see, I knew I’d made a bad impression on him at the meeting the other day, and I wanted to show myself in a better light. So I followed him and his entourage.”