I Parker - The Convict's sword

He was only twelve, but Tora did not doubt him. He thought of Haseo’s sword and wondered if his son would put it to the test the moment they found the killer. He asked, “Do you know how to use a sword?”

“No, but I shall learn.” Nobunari pointed to a small farmhouse some distance from the main road. “That’s where we live. Mother paid them to keep us.”

It was a poor sort of farm. When they dismounted, a young girl came flying out of the door. “Nobunari,” she yelled, “what’s happened?”

This time Tora let the boy do the talking.

Akitada found Sakae in his own office. The clerk was clearing his personal papers and books from Akitada’s shelves.

“I see you have settled in,” Akitada remarked.

“I was just getting the office ready for you, sir.” Sakae gave him an ingratiating smirk. “Allow me to express my condolences.”

“Thank you.” Akitada was idly picking up Sakae’s books. “I expect you heard what happened to Nakatoshi.”

Sakae made a face. “Yes. It was a shock. I would never have believed it of him.”

“Hmm.” Akitada had found what he had been looking for. He slowly turned the pages, skimming the text. “I agree,” he said. “Though perhaps it was not altogether surprising for you.”

Sakae stared at the book in Akitada’s hands. His ears were turning red. “I b-beg your pardon?”

“It was you who framed Nakatoshi, wasn’t it?”

“Me? Certainly not.”

“I wonder, Sakae, can you have any idea what will happen to him because of the letter?”

“He shouldn’t have written it. I suppose he’ll be dismissed.”

“He’s in prison now, awaiting trial for treason. Treason is a capital offense. I expect he will be executed.”

Sakae gaped at him. “For writing a letter?”

Akitada nodded and watched beads of sweat pop up on Sakae’s brow. “Really, Sakae,” he said mildly, “for a law clerk you’re dismally uninformed. I think you must go and confess to the trick you played on your rival. You weren’t very clever about it. I could see that the letter was not in Nakatoshi’s hand. Furthermore, you miswrote the recipient’s name.”

Sakae flushed deeply. His eyes gave away his panic. “It wasn’t me. You can’t prove it was me. Maybe somebody else…”

“No. I recall that you’re very proud of an essay you once wrote on the subject of Chang Lu’s rebellion. In fact, you couldn’t resist quoting a line from the Chinese source in your letter. And I see you marked the passage.” Akitada held up the book. “Not much point in denying it. I have already informed Lord Fujiwara and Police Superintendent Kobe of your trick.”

Sakae wilted. He shrank into himself and wiped the perspiration from his face. “What will happen to me?”

“Oh, no charge of treason. If you admit it, you’ll be dismissed. .. which is what you had planned for Nakatoshi. I suppose when your hopes of taking my place were dashed by Soga’s death, you decided to take Nakatoshi’s. It was as foolish as it was dangerous. I doubt that you can hope for future government service. Of course, if you insist on your innocence, we have no choice but to have you arrested.”

Akitada left the sagging figure of Sakae to contemplate his punishment and went to Kosehira’s office. Kosehira was reading his correspondence and muttering under his breath.

“What’s the matter?” Akitada asked.

“Sakae can’t write. I won’t put my name and seal to this.” He tossed an official letter toward Akitada, who glanced at it and put it down.

“I told you. Tomorrow Nakatoshi will be back. He writes the best hand in the city.”

Kosehira raised his brows. “You mean that treasonable letter really was Sakae’s work? Why, the sly toad! Wait till I prepare my report. He will certainly never work for the government again.”

“That’s what I told him. But I need your help with a more important matter. It concerns the heirs of a man who was also falsely accused and died in exile. Shall I tell you about it?”

Kosehira listened to Haseo’s story with shock and pity. His suffering and that of his family brought tears to his eyes.

“We cannot charge Yasugi,” Akitada ended, “but I think the nation owes it to Haseo to return his family name and property to his children.”

“Yes, yes,” cried Kosehira. “I shall put it to His Majesty myself. No, better. You shall come and tell him what you just told me. He’s a very softhearted young man, even if he’s the emperor. And that reminds me. Do you remember his uncle? That priestly fellow who watched us pray for His Majesty?”

Akitada did and made a face. “I hope he doesn’t remember me!”

Kosehira laughed. “On the contrary! He hasn’t forgotten. He thinks you saved His Majesty’s life when you made the Buddha nod and has proposed a very nice reward for you.”

“That is kind of him,” said Akitada weakly. The irony that he should be rewarded for an act of impudence and blasphemy struck him as a perfect example of the futility of all human hopes.

The children had been quiet on the journey to the capital, and Tora was both thankful and worried. He kept glancing at them. Each had wept briefly and then accepted the inevitable without questions. Nobunari sat his horse well and held his sister’s slight figure with protective care.

When they passed the market, it occurred to Tora that they might be hungry. “Shall we stop for some noodle soup?” he asked. “The restaurant just inside the market gate makes a very tasty broth with buckwheat noodles.”

Nobunari glanced toward the market tower. “I would like to see where my mother worked, but we have no money.”

“My treat.” Tora paid an urchin to watch their horses and took the children to the drum tower. The market was still thin of shoppers and vendors, but people looked hopeful again. The fortune-teller sat in his old spot on the platform and greeted them. Tora introduced the children.

The fortune-teller looked at them and smiled. He said, “You must be very proud of her. She was a good person and strong for a woman, but candles are consumed as they give light.”

Nobunari looked around the market and announced in a fierce, loud voice, “I’m going to find her killer and cut off his head.”

People stopped to stare. Tora asked quickly, “Any news of Kata?”

The fortune-teller nodded. “The police raided his school and found a body. People say it was the beggar who used to hang around here. Nobody liked him, but to dismember a person while he’s still alive is the work of demons.” He shuddered.

Tora thought of his escape from the hut. Apparently Kata’s gang had taken their fury out on the beggar. He suddenly felt sick.

Nobunari had listened. “That must be the beggar my mother mentioned. I’m glad he’s dead.”

Seized by a sudden suspicion, Tora asked, “What did your mother say about him?”

“That he was always hanging around, making rude suggestions, and scooping up her coppers because she couldn’t see. Mother could see a little, though. She could tell it was him bending down and she could hear the coppers clinking and his nails scraping the floor.”

Tora thought about this and something else. Tomoe had mentioned her stalker’s stench. Tora’s nose was not as fine as hers, but he remembered that the beggar had been filthy and foul-smelling. Then he remembered the day he had stumbled over the beggar and the half-healed scratches on the man’s face and neck. And a piece of silver Kata had given Tomoe the day she died. When the gang had searched Tora and the beggar and found Matsue’s document on Tora, they had also had found a silver coin on the beggar. Coins were not always uniform. It seemed to Tora now that Kata had looked strangely at that coin and the beggar. What if the slimy creature had seen Kata pass the coin to Tomoe and had followed her home to rob her? And to rape her in the bargain. Tora growled under his breath.