I. Parker: Death on an Autumn River

“None of your business,” snapped Tora. “Where’s your daughter? If that’s what she is.”

The man scowled. “The wife left me and took her. Good riddance. And it’s none of your business.”

Akitada interrupted and ordered baths to be prepared. A skinny youth showed them to a room and then brought Akitada’s and Tora’s bags from the storage room where they had left them. They looked forward to taking off their blood-soaked clothes. Saburo had nothing to wear, but they managed to find him a pair of trousers and a shirt.

The prefect’s physician arrived right after their baths. He seemed capable, cleaned their wounds, and bandaged them. Akitada needed a plaster on the cut on his back, but he refused to have his hands bandaged. Tora’s face had only cuts, but Saburo’s arrow wound worried the doctor . The arrow had gone through the fleshy part of Saburo’s lower arm, and he had trouble moving his hand.

Afterward, they slept. Akitada was in no hurry to face Munata.

*

When Akitada woke, it was afternoon and Tora was gone. Saburo meditated in the lotus position again.

Akitada sat up gingerly, and found that the wound on his back felt better. His palms, though, were stiff and sore. He got up.

Saburo opened his eyes. “How are you?”

“I feel better. And you?”

Saburo grimaced a smile. “I’ve had much worse.”

“Yes. Where’s Tora?”

“He said he’d check on the little girl and would be back soon.”

Akitada nodded. He put on his best robe and trousers. “I’m going to the prefecture and won’t need either of you for some hours. Here.” He gave Saburo several pieces of silver. “Buy yourself a decent robe and trousers like those Tora normally wears. And a small black cap. A shave and haircut would also be nice. If you’re working for me, you’ll have to look the part.”

Saburo bowed. “I’m sorry to point out, sir, that new clothes and a shave and haircut will not make me as handsome as Tora. Are you sure you want to be seen with me?”

“I’m sure.”

*

This time, the guards and attendants at the prefecture greeted Akitada with nervous respect. Clothes, especially when they bore court rank insignia, had this effect. Munata met him in the reception hall of the prefecture. He had not bothered to change into better clothes, looked pale and distraught, and bowed deeply. He led Akitada with great courtesy to a set of cushions on the raised dais.

When Akitada refused an offer of wine and refreshments, Munata did not persist.

“What about Watamaro and his men,” Akitada demanded.

The prefect looked at him dully. “Alas, the merchant has disappeared. His ship has gone, too. And my men are still interviewing people to see who was involved in the disturbance last night.”

“Disturbance?” Akitada glared. “It was an assassination attempt that cost one man his life and wounded two of us. Watamaro intended to burn us to death. I shall report the matter as an attack on an imperial official.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

Akitada took the imperial orders from his sleeve. “As I told you, I have authority to investigate the illegal activities in this province, and more precisely, in your prefecture. Normally, I would present these documents to the governor, but he also seems to have disappeared.” He extended the papers.

Munata touched his head to the floor, then received them with both hands, raising them briefly to his forehead. He unrolled the documents, read quickly, and returned them with another bow. “I’m completely at your service, Excellency. As for the governor . . . I imagine you haven’t heard. He is in seclusion in the capital. He mourns the death of his only son.”

Astonishment and dismay washed over Akitada. “What?”

“You met Yoshiyo at my house. It was a terrible shock and grief to me to hear of his death. I loved that boy. Everyone loved him.” Munata looked away and raised a sleeve to his eyes. “Forgive me. I’m not myself.”

The man did look terrible. Was he to be foiled again from prosecuting charges against the governor, Munata, and perhaps Otomo? The professor, too, had claimed affection for his pupil.

“What happened?”

“Yoshiyo was deeply upset because his father had forbidden him to buy out a courtesan he had met. He made up his mind to defy his father, but the girl killed herself. Alas, when he found out, he decided to follow her on that dark path.” Munata sighed deeply. “Even in the midst of their robust lives, the young are close to death.”

Yes, so it had been with his own small son, Yori. Akitada did not know what to say. A deep sadness seized him, and with it pity for those who had loved the two young people. Then he gave himself a mental shake. There had been no one to love Akogi except that unfortunate boy who had brought her death. It strengthened Akitada’s conviction that she had been murdered, and his heart hardened against the governor.

What to do about Munata and the other culprits was another matter. On one hand, Munata had finally acknowledged imperial authority and was cooperating. On the other, it was likely that he had allowed Watamaro to escape. Of this, however, there was no proof.

“What do you know about Nakahara’s and Otomo’s involvement in the piracy matter?” Akitada asked him.

Munata straightened and made an effort to attend to his own problems. “Nothing, Excellency. I swear by Amida. I realize that the burden of guilt rests most heavily on me because I should have known what was going on in my prefecture. Nakahara is my friend and an honest man, if perhaps not a very efficient administrator. Professor Otomo I don’t know as well, but he’s respected and trusted by the governor. I should think that piracy is not really his area of interest. He’s a scholar.”

“He’s a descendant of Korean immigrants. And the recent piracies involve goods shipped through Korean merchants.”

Munata sighed. “Even so, I don’t know of anything that would link either man to the pirates, Excellency.”

Akitada pondered this. If Nakahara was innocent, the most obvious suspects were his clerks. “You mentioned Nakahara’s carelessness in his duties. He has two clerks. Both were in a position to gain information and pass it to Watamaro.”

“Yes, that could be the answer. Those two!” Munata paused and thought. “Nariyuki comes from the capital. Nakahara brought him along when he first came here. I think he’s a nephew or cousin. Nakahara’s much too lenient with him. I rarely see that young man do anything but have a good time in town. That kind of life costs money and brings him in contact with undesirable elements.”

Akitada raised his brows. “If you suspected him, you should have mentioned it to me from the start.”

“I had no proof. Still don’t. How can I accuse a man of a heinous crime without more than a vague suspicion? Or disapproval of his life style.”

“Hmm. What about Tameaki?”

“He’s the opposite of Nariyuki. Tameaki works hard even though Nakahara doesn’t like him and treats him badly. He belongs to a local family. His father was a clerk, too. They were poor but saved and scraped to send him to good schools. It was I who recommended him to Nakahara.” Munata shook his head. “I may not have done either a favor. Tameaki is very ambitious. Given that and the poor treatment he has received, one has to wonder why he stayed.”

“Yes, precisely.” Akitada’s opinion of Munata rose. The man was a shrewd observer of human nature. Tameaki’s efficiency and his subservient manner had indeed been unnatural. “You say his family used to be poor? What has changed?”

“They have come into some land recently. If you like, I’ll have the police check on both young men.”