I. Parker - Death of a Doll Maker

He went out into the main office. Korenori was dictating a letter to a young clerk. He looked up and stopped.

“All done, Sugawara?”

“Yes, sir. Thank you. I’ll head back now and see what I can find out in Hakata.”

The other man nodded. “I take it you found all the paperwork correct?”

“Yes. The answer must lie elsewhere.”

“Good. Please find the man. It is extremely urgent.”

Akitada bowed. “I’ll do my very best, sir.”

He rode homeward almost unaware of the blazing sky as he tried to understand what had happened. Tachibana’s eccentric preoccupation with Chinese art did not suggest anything, but he promised himself a visit to Feng as soon as possible. Perhaps even more interesting was the casual comment by the vice governor general that Tachibana had visited a local prostitute. Such women were often the recipients of secrets their enamored customers poured into their ears.

The image of Fragrant Orchid passed across his memory. To his own shame, he had allowed the woman to distract him at the banquet. If he had weakened enough to accept her invitation, he might well have become seriously compromised.

Then, like a blinding flash, a thought struck him, and he reined in his galloping horse. He had asked her about Tachibana, and she had admitted she had known the governor. More than likely, she had been one of his lovers. He had been the highest-ranking official in the province and would have been acquainted with its most beautiful courtesan. No doubt, they had been introduced early, as had happened to Akitada himself. The note she had sent by the little girl took on a new meaning. She had asked him to come because she had something to tell him.

And he had torn up the note.

He spurred his horse again. In his vanity, he had assumed the note was an invitation to her bed when all she had done was to let him know she had information about the ex-governor.

As soon as he reached the Chikuzen tribunal, he sent for Tora and Saburo. In his private study, he told them about his meeting with the vice governor general.

“I’d be glad to see this Fragrant Orchid for you,” offered Tora. Saburo cast up his eyes.

Akitada said, “Thank you, Tora, but considering that the lady invited me , I’d better be the one to pay her a visit. You can find out for me where she lives.”

“Gladly.” Tora knew his way around willow quarters and looked forward to the excursion.

“Then we will check on shipping departures between the fourteenth and sixteenth days of the second month. I’m interested in any ships carrying passengers bound for the east. Tachibana may have had a secret reason for changing his travel plans. He may have taken passage incognito to an unknown destination. Or he may never have left.”

Saburo frowned. “It’s all rather vague, sir.”

“I know. I’ll see Fragrant Orchid as soon as possible. We may know a lot more then.”

They exchanged glances and looked at him gravely.

Akitada said defensively, “She has information about Governor Tachibana. I have no idea what kind, but since he seems to have had-er-dealings with her, I need to speak to her.”

With a grin, Tora offered again, “I could talk to her for you, sir. It might cause gossip for you to visit her.”

Akitada snapped, “Just for once, keep your lewd thoughts to yourself.”

They left in accusatory silence.

Akitada paced the small room. He was furious. This was what came of such cursed familiarity with servants and retainers. They took an unacceptable interest in one’s private affairs and dared to voice criticism. Tora’s level of familiarity had always been a thorn in his side, and now he was even infecting Saburo with it.

But Akitada’s conscience was by no means good. He had been tempted by the beautiful woman. He had wanted to see her again. He had thought with desire of her during the lonely nights away from home.

He bit his lip and stopped pacing.

Maeda was in the chief’s office when Tora arrived. He looked very much at home in the place previously occupied by Okata.

Tora looked around and admired the neatness with which Maeda had arranged document boxes, writing utensils, loose paper, and assorted weapons. Hanging from one wall were swords, clubs, chains, knives, arrows, daggers, axes, truncheons, and ropes. On shelves rested jars and vials and paper twists. Each item had a small wooden tag attached. Document boxes, paper, and ink and brushes rested on his desk, lined up perfectly with the corners.

“What’s all this?” Tora asked, nodding at the armory and peering at some of the tags. They bore names and dates.

“Murder weapons,” said Maeda with a grin.

“Your cases?”

“No. Things aren’t that bad here in Hakata. I found them in a shed and thought they should play a more prominent role. People like to see them. What do you think?”

“Very impressive! Pity we never found the knife Mitsui used on his wife.” Tora paused. “Some day when I have more time, I’ll ask you about some of those. Today I’m on an errand for my master. He wants to know where a courtesan called Fragrant Orchid lives.”

Maeda’s jaw sagged open. “F-fragrant Orchid? He wants to know about Fragrant Orchid?”

“Don’t look so shocked. It’s not what you think. The beauty has some information about the last governor. The master is looking into problems concerning his administration.”

Maeda still gaped, shaking his head. “I don’t believe it,” he muttered.

“What do you mean?”

“The lady is dead.”

“Dead? You don’t mean she’s been murdered?”

Maeda uttered a humorless laugh. “No. Not that. She killed herself.”

Tora digested this. “When and how?” he asked.

“Nearly three weeks ago. She took poison.”

Tora shook his head, baffled. “That’s strange,” he mused. “It must have been right after the mayor’s banquet.”

“Unlike you, I wasn’t invited. When was the banquet?”

“I wasn’t invited either. The master went. That’s why he’s asking about her. It was the day after you and I talked to Yoko.”

Maeda reflected and nodded. “Yes. That sounds right.”

Tora asked, “How sure are you it was suicide?”

Maeda said unhappily, “It can’t be anything else. There was a letter she left, and the poison was hers. Some of the other women said she’d had a disappointment recently, a love affair … or whatever. Maybe the rich man she’d had her eye on decided against marriage. It certainly looked like suicide.” He paused. “But you’re going to investigate anyway, right?”

Tora sighed and got to his feet. “Where did she kill herself?”

“She shared a house with a young girl she was training. Here, let me draw you a map.” Maeda rubbed some ink and dipped his brush in it. He drew lines for streets and a river, marking the spot with a miniature house.

Tora took the drawing. “Didn’t know you’re an artist, too.”

“Let me know what you find out. I’d hate to look like an incompetent fool so early in my new job.”

Tora took the news of Fragrant Orchid’s suicide straight back to the tribunal. An hour later Akitada arrived at Fragrant Orchid’s house accompanied by Lieutenant Maeda, Tora, Saburo, and a scribe belonging to the police headquarters. Two constables walked ahead.

The courtesan had lived in a quiet residential part of the city not far from the center of town. Her house was small and hidden in the back of a lovely garden. Cherry trees bloomed and birds sang. A small fountain splashed water from a bamboo pipe into a basin and thence into a narrow pebbled stream which lost itself among the shrubbery. The air was cool and scented and birds sang in the trees, but the house lay in a deep silence.