“You don’t seem surprised.”
“No.”
“Then you already knew that we would find two bodies this morning?”
Akitada’s head jerked up. “Two bodies?” he gasped.
“Yes. Your cousin and his mistress are both dead. Any idea what killed them?”
Akitada tried to grasp what had happened. Yoshiko dead? Perhaps there had been an accident, but the icy fear of what he had caused twisted inside him already. Dazedly, he asked, “Poison?”
Kobe’s voice was cold. “I know you have a reputation for solving crimes that the police are too stupid for, but, pray, enlighten me in this instance: How could you know?”
Akitada sensed anger and knew he deserved it. “I guessed. Was it incense? Koremori dabbled in the stuff.”
Kobe let a long silence fall, watching Akitada’s growing agitation. “You paid several visits to your cousin recently,” Kobe finally said. “What was the occasion?”
Akitada bit his lip. He would have to explain his part in Koremori’s suicide. “I delivered a greeting from my mother. A mere courtesy visit.”
“Three times? Did you take him a present each time?”
“No. Only the first time. Why?”
Kobe ignored the question. He drew a red card from his sleeve and held it up. “Is this yours?”
Akitada nodded. “Yes, I wrote it and attached it to the fan.”
“Really? We found it attached to a package containing poisoned sweets.”
“What?”
“Apparently your cousin shared your present with his mistress. They died together. But you already knew that.”
Akitada held his head. “No. How can this be? Koremori I can understand. But why Yoshiko? And why my card—Oh!” He shuddered when he realized the magnitude of his error and the horror of what Koremori had done.
“I really regret this,” Kobe said after a long pause. “But you of all men will understand that I have my duty. I came myself to spare you and your family as much indignity as possible.”
Akitada woke from his stupor. “What? You’re arresting me? No, you’ve got it wrong, Kobe. My cousin committed suicide. Well, murder and suicide. This is Koremori’s revenge.” Akitada took a deep breath. “I’m afraid I made my cousin a foolish and very improper promise last night. I let him take his own life instead of facing a murder charge. You see, Koremori poisoned the incense that killed his late wife’s nurse. She blackmailed him. He admitted it to me. His new mistress was having an affair with a younger man, and the nurse knew. After killing the woman, Koremori planned to use me to pin this murder on the lovers.”
Kobe raised his brows. “Nonsense. You cannot kill people with incense. The old woman had a heart attack.”
“Perhaps, but it was brought on by poisoned incense. She got hold of some that Koremori had prepared. He knew she would use it in that tiny closed room. Once she was out of the way, he claimed the poison had been intended for him by Sakanoue and Yoshiko, and that the maid got hold of it by accident.” The story sounded crazy even to Akitada.
Kobe snapped, “You cannot expect me to believe such nonsense. Granted you have on occasion guessed correctly, but that doesn’t mean you’ll get away with murder now.”
A man like Kobe would not understand Koremori’s convoluted reasoning, but Akitada tried again, more despairingly.
“Captain, you don’t know my cousin’s mind. His reputation was everything to him. When I confronted him, he admitted what he had done. He begged to be allowed to commit suicide, and I agreed. But he wanted revenge. He decided to take Yoshiko’s life and make it look as though I had murdered both of them.” Akitada grimaced. “I should have expected this trick. It’s the way Koremori’s mind worked.”
Kobe said coldly, “No. It’s the way your mind works. It’s absurd. Nobody but you could think up such a tale on the spur of the moment.”
Akitada swallowed. “Captain, you cannot seriously suspect me of such a heinous crime. You know me. I’ve always been on the side of justice. Besides, what would be my motive?” But even as he said it, he already knew and despaired.
“According to Koremori’s will, you were his favorite cousin. He left you his fortune, which is considerable. I believe, his precise words were, ‘in the hope that it may repay him for his kindness to me.’”
Akitada stared at Kobe. “I won’t touch it. Give it to the families of the dead women.”
Kobe shook his head. He looked unhappy but determined.
“I bet Koremori wrote the new will before he killed himself.” Akitada felt the perspiration turn icy on his back and face. “It is his revenge, Kobe. Because I knew what he had done and might yet expose him.”
“This is not getting us anywhere.” Kobe rose. “Let’s go,” he said wearily.
Akitada looked around the room. What would become of them all? His sisters were mere children. What would his mother do? “Wait,” he said. “My mother selected the fan I took to Koremori. She will tell you so.” He already quailed at the thought of that interview.
Kobe shook his head. “Not worthy of you. We know about the fan. I think you brought the sweets on your third and last visit. Come, it’s time.”
How quickly a man’s fortune changed! By not going to the police, Akitada had caused Yoshiko’s death and his own arrest. Your actions will return to you, said the proverb. He had erred out of weakness, and now he was lost.
As he stumbled to his feet, his eyes fell on the red card and he saw again a young boy holding a black and white kitten and removing the red card from its teeth. He snatched it up.
“The card,” he said, holding it out to Kobe. “Look at it. It’s proof that I am innocent. Do you see the marks? Yoshiko’s kitten made those. When I went back the second time, that kitten was already dead. Poisoned.” He took a shuddering breath. “I have a witness. If you don’t believe me, ask for Jiro, one of the servants. He is only a boy but very bright and observant. He came to catch the kitten while I was with Koremori on my first visit. The kitten was playing with this card.”
Kobe took the card and looked at it. Akitada saw determination slowly giving way to doubt. Kobe said grudgingly, “Very well. If the boy remembers, I’ll reopen the investigation. If not, I shall be back for you.”
When Kobe had left, Akitada’s knees gave way and he sank on his cushion. But he was no longer afraid. Kobe, for all his coldness and lack of imagination, was a fair man and a good officer, and Jiro would remember. They would talk to Sakanoue and to Kenzo and to the other servants. Of course, Koremori’s will would be declared invalid, but blood money would not console Yoshiko’s family for her death. Akitada would always bear the guilt for that.
And there was still his mother.
But then Akitada thought of the boy Jiro and of the kitten and smiled. In the end the gods were always just.