‘No such luck. He got back last night. But he hasn’t talked to the master yet, so maybe that’ll buy you some time.’
‘Genzo!’
They turned. Sadanori stood at the veranda railing of the nearest building.
Genzo knelt and bowed. ‘Yes, Master?’
Tora remained standing and stared up at his arch enemy. The lord’s fleshy face was nearly round, and its features, a pair of small eyes, a button nose, and small pink lips under a tiny black mustache, struck him as ridiculous. He reached up to stroke his own handsome mustache.
Sadanori’s eyes flicked over him. ‘Who is that person?’ he demanded.
‘He assists the building supervisor, Master.’
‘Oh.’ Sadanori dismissed it. ‘Is Ishikawa back?’
‘Yes, Master.’
‘I want to see him. Now. At the new pavilion.’ Sadanori turned and went back inside.
Tora and the servant waved to each other and took off in opposite directions. Tora trotted towards the pavilion.
It looked almost complete and very pretty with its dark wood, white plaster, and shiny blue roof tiles. A bright red balustrade wrapped around the veranda. The building supervisor stood at the foot of the stairs talking to two men. This time, Tora walked up openly.
‘Morning,’ he said cheerfully. ‘Almost done, eh? Looks nice.’
The supervisor stared. ‘Who’re you?’
‘Oh, I’m from His Lordship’s mother’s household. On a visit to the capital. Thought I’d take a look and see how things are coming along here. Did you know that His Lordship is coming?’
‘What? Now?’
Tora enjoyed the other man’s consternation. ‘Oh, yes. With Ishikawa.’
The supervisor cursed and charged up the steps, while the two workers melted away. Tora grinned and strolled around the building to the back where it overlooked the lake. The piles of lumber had disappeared, as had the stacks of tiles. The tiles covered the roof now and glinted in the sun. Another staircase led to the veranda here, and Tora went up and into the building. He looked for a hiding place, but found only bare rooms. They were quite elegant, beyond anything in the Sugawara household, their columns lacquered red like the balustrade outside, their ceilings decorated with stylized blossoms and birds, and brand-new shutters stood wide open to the gardens and the lake. The smell of fresh paint hung in the air. Tora could hear the supervisor in one of the rooms, shouting, ‘I don’t care if the paint is wet. Cover it up and work somewhere else. Hurry up. Here he comes.’
Tora peered out and saw Sadanori approaching from the main house. The tall Ishikawa walked beside him, and several servants followed. Tora ran down the stairs and ducked under the rear veranda. He wished he could hear Ishikawa’s report, but that was hoping for too much.
He waited patiently and watched the ducks and swans on the lake. Above him, muffled footsteps and voices marked the progress of the inspection. Would they notice whatever the supervisor was covering up? Apparently not. He heard no angry shouts, just some calm muttering. Eventually, the footsteps reached the veranda above his head.
‘The view is charming.’ That was Ishikawa. ‘It will be very pleasant for Your Lordship on moonlit summer evenings.’
Sadanori’s high voice replied, ‘Nothing pleases me any longer.’
The supervisor offered, ‘Perhaps some chrysanthemums can be planted along the lake’s shore, and iris for next spring. It’s perfect as a gentleman’s retreat and also suitable for moon-viewing parties. Your Lordship will spend many happy years here.’
Sadanori said coldly, ‘You may return to your work now.’
‘I hope Your Lordship is pleased with our progress,’ the supervisor pressed.
‘Yes, yes. Run along now.’ Sadanori sounded impatient. Somewhere, a crow cawed.
Ishikawa said, ‘A good place for shooting practice. Having too many birds around destroys the peace.’
Under the veranda, Tora held his breath. Would they have their private talk now?
No. Apparently, they had already exchanged the information Tora was interested in – that is, what Ishikawa had been doing in Otsu. Sadanori now wanted to know what Ishikawa thought of the supervisor.
‘I don’t like the fellow,’ Ishikawa said. ‘I think he takes a cut on every order and pads the workers’ hourly wage list.’
‘Then you should stop him. What do I pay you for?’
Ishikawa laughed softly. ‘Unlike your other servants, I’m a man you can trust. That’s worth a great deal, I should think.’
‘You have gone too far this time.’
‘Your safety was my only concern.’
Silence.
‘That reminds me, how is your lovely daughter?’
‘ No!’
Tora jumped a little. Sadanori had practically shouted the word. What was going on?
Above him, Ishikawa laughed again. ‘And to think of the risks I took for you. Sugawara was back in Otsu with that servant of his.’
‘So what?’
‘Don’t forget, there is still another witness.’
‘Your mother?’ There was panic in Sadanori’s voice.
‘Of course not. No, this one is here.’
‘Then you have been careless.’
‘Not at all. I just found out that Sugawara is asking questions about the case.’
‘He won’t find anything.’
‘I disagree.’ Ishikawa moved above Tora’s head. ‘You forget that I know how Sugawara works. He doesn’t give up easily once he catches a scent.’
Silence again. Tora strained his ears. Sadanori grunted, ‘I can stop him.’
‘So can I. There is a woman at Fushimi. She knows how to find her.’
‘I don’t like it. It goes on and on. You take too much on yourself, and things get worse. See if you can manage it another way. We’ll discuss your… fee when all is safe.’
One man’s footsteps receded; Sadanori’s, probably. What was Ishikawa doing? What witness had he been talking about? Tora felt a hollow in the pit of his stomach. What if it was Hanae? But Hanae was safe at the Sugawara house.
Ishikawa finally moved. He went to the stairs and came down. Tora shrank behind one of the supports and watched him walk to the water’s edge. There Ishikawa stopped and looked up into a tree. Suddenly, he scooped up a stone and flung it into the branches. With a loud squawk, a black crow flew up and disappeared. Ishikawa cursed after it and walked away, his face a mask of fury.
More confused than ever, Tora crept from his hiding place and followed. Ishikawa left by the open back gate and turned north.
The Fushimi market adjoined a fox shrine outside the city. Tora was convinced that Ishikawa had killed the doctor in Otsu and planned to kill someone else. Perhaps he should return to Otsu to report, but there was a certain urgency about Ishikawa’s errand that made Tora nervous.
He stayed as far back as he could, mingling with other travelers on the road. Ishikawa was easy to see and not, in any case, suspicious of being followed. He never once bothered to look back.
The shrine attracted many people from the capital, and a village had sprung up around the conical wooded hill sacred to the grain deity. The market stretched along the main street, and at this time, near sunset, it was crowded. Vendors sold food and wine. Ballad singers, monks, and dancers competed for the pilgrims’ coppers and added to the cacophony of the sellers crying out their wares. From the market, a line of red-lacquered torii snaked up the hill towards the shrine to the abode of the three grain deities.
But Ishikawa was not making a spiritual journey. After surveying the crowd, he made his way purposefully along the stands. Tora followed much more closely now. Though Ishikawa was tall, it would be easy to lose him here.
Near the entrance to the shrine grounds, Ishikawa stopped at a stall where a woman was selling combs and fans. The conversation between them was brief. Even at this distance, Tora saw that the woman was nervous. She kept bowing and speaking quickly. After a few sentences, Ishikawa nodded and walked away without buying anything.