I. Parker - The Crane Pavillion

It appeared that Nakamura had requested her services at the Daikoku-yu a few days earlier.

“He was very generous. He paid me extra. It was all right at first, but he started saying things.” She blushed. “I didn’t understand at first, but then he also touched me when he said them, and I understood.” She lowered her head again. I told Jinzaemon I didn’t want to work for Nakamura-san anymore, but …” She made a helpless gesture with her hands. “I owed Jinzaemon some money. He wanted it back and I didn’t have it. He said he would forget the debt if I took care of Nakamura-san.”

“The swine,” muttered Tora.

“Go on,” said Saburo, who wanted to find out what happened on the day of the murder.

“It was difficult,” she said, bowing her head some more. “Nakamura-san insisted on touching me and he wanted me touch him. I said something about getting some special oil and ran out of the room. I went to Jinzaemon and said I couldn’t do what Nakamura-san wanted, but Jinzaemon sent me back in. He said I had to finish the session, and after that I could leave. So I went back into the room. I think I made some excuse. There was no answer, and there was a smell. I reached for the towel on Nakamura-san’s head, but he had fallen forward.” She gulped and stopped.

“Was he dead?”

Sachi nodded. She murmured, “I felt for him. There was blood. I touched it. A lot of blood. I thought maybe he’d had a nosebleed. Sometimes bathers cannot take the heat and their noses start bleeding. I think I asked him if he needed help. He didn’t answer. Then I put my hand on his shoulder, but he didn’t react, and I got scared. I shouted for help and tried to lift him up. I got a lot of blood on me then.” She shuddered.

“You had just finished shaving him?” Tora asked.

“No. I’d only washed his hair.”

Tora exchanged a glance with Saburo and asked, “You mean you left him there with the towel wrapped around his head?”

She nodded.

“Was anyone outside the room when you left? I take it, there are ways to recognize people without being able to see them.”

“Sometimes. I can smell some of them. Others have a certain way of walking and I can tell by their footfall.”

Saburo had been content to leave the questions to Tora as a gesture of gratitude for his help. But he could not restrain himself any longer. “In that case, do you remember anyone near the room when you stepped outside to fetch the oil? Or did you meet someone in the corridor?”

She frowned, trying to remember. “There was someone, maybe more than one. I recall smelling a scent. Jinzaemon was down the corridor and asked me what I was doing. I have a notion that there was some other man there also. Perhaps he was waiting to be my next customer. Do you think the killer was outside the room, waiting for me to leave? But how could he have known I would go to get some oil? I only did this because Nakamura-san’s attentions were becoming obnoxious.”

“Yes,” said Saburo. “We know, but this person could have been waiting for you to finish.”

“Oh,” she whispered. “How terrible! And yet I wish he had waited.”

“Never mind!” Tora said cheerfully. “We’ll do our best to find out who really killed Nakamura.

“Thank you,” she said, bowing deeply and wiping away her tears.

Akitada was on his way out when Tora and Saburo returned. They met in the courtyard. Akitada, still chafing from the many ways he had been manipulated by his people, his friends, and his own sister, glowered at them.

Saburo shrank back, but Tora, not easily discouraged by his master’s moods, grinned, flashing his fine teeth. “A chilly day, sir. Winter may be early this year. We’re just back from speaking to the superintendent. Seems Saburo here is on the trail of a vicious killer.”

Akitada shot Saburo another resentful look. “I told him to leave it to the police,” he snapped.

Tora chuckled. “I can’t believe my ears, sir. That’s not been our custom in the past. You’ve caught many a killer the police would’ve let get away. We talked to Sachi-with the superintendent’s permission-and it looks like someone pinned the murder on the blind girl, sir. She’s frightened and lost.”

Akitada glanced at the gray sky. He hoped it would not rain again. He was in his best court robe and hat. “I’m on my way to the ministry,” he said. And on more unpalatable visits to regain my income, he thought. “I cannot be bothered with this. Since you’ve talked to Kobe, it seems to me you can now leave it to him. And I’ll remind you not to make remarks about the incompetence of the imperial police. It isn’t true and will lose us Kobe’s friendship.”

With this he brushed by Tora and walked out through the gate.

The halls and streets of the Daidairi greeted him like a soldier returning from frontier service. It felt at once familiar and strange. He saw no familiar faces, and people passed without a greeting. He felt awkward and embarrassed when he walked into the ministry. A young servant was sweeping the corridor and did not recognize him. Akitada had already become a stranger.

To his credit, the youngster leaned the broom against the wall and came to greet Akitada with a bow. “May I announce you, sir?” he asked in a voice that had not quite broken yet.

“I’m Sugawara Akitada. Would you let the minister know that I’m here to see him?”

The youngster shook his head. “I’m sorry, sir. His Excellency is not available. May I take you to someone else?”

The boy had memorized his little speech well, but Kaneie’s method of keeping interruptions to a minimum was causing a problem. Akitada knew the minister was in. If he had not been, the boy would have said so.

“Please just tell him I’m here,” he told the youngster.

“I shall announce you to Senior Secretary Sakanoue. Just a moment.”

He scampered off before Akitada could stop him. Senior Secretary Sakanoue? They had replaced him already. He searched his mind for Sakanoue and failed to remember him. Perhaps he was a provincial official who had been given Akitada’s position.

He decided not to stand about to be further embarrassed and walked quickly toward Kaneie’s office. As he passed the archives someone inside noticed him. He heard him call out but did not stop. Excited chatter followed him to Kaneie’s door, where a senior servant stood guard. This man recognized Akitada.

Before he could speak to the man, someone hurried up behind him.

“A moment, sir,” said a clipped voice.

Akitada turned to see a pale, tall man in elegant silk robes. He was younger than Akitada and had a hard glint in his eyes. “You are Sugawara?” he demanded.

Akitada nodded.

“I did not give it credence. That boy is an idiot. You should not have come here.”

“I beg your pardon,” Akitada said. “Do I know you?”

“Sakanoue. Senior Secretary. Perhaps you’d better come to my office.”

“Why? I came to see the minister.”

“Impossible. He will not see you.”

Akitada stared at the man for a moment, then turned to the servant at the door. “Please announce me, Kunyoshi.

The servant smiled broadly. “Welcome back, sir,” he said, forgetting to bow in his excitement. “We’ve missed you, sir. It hasn’t been the same.” He shot a glance toward Sakanoue. “Oh, this is a very lucky day!”

Sakanoue snapped, “You forget yourself, Kunyoshi!”

The servant’s simple joy moved Akitada greatly after his humbling reception. “It’s very good to see you also, Kunyoshi,” he said. “Do you suppose the minister will see me?”

“Oh, yes. Just a moment.”

Kunyoshi opened the door and put his head inside. “Your Excellency, Lord Sugawara is here.” Then he threw it wide.