I Parker: The Fires of the Gods

‘No. Never.’ He had doubted her in the past, but he had been wrong. It had been he who had been disloyal to her. Ashamed, he took her hand and held it to his heart. ‘I shall try to be a better husband,’ he said, then left quickly.

He went to see Nakatoshi first. Nakatoshi had been his clerk when he had run the Ministry of Justice for the absent Soga. Meanwhile, the able Nakatoshi had been promoted and transferred. He was the only man he knew who would help him in this undertaking and be discreet about it.

He found the young man in an office in the Ministry of Ceremonial. He sat behind a very neat desk, dictating a letter to a scribe. His fortunes had changed quickly: he was now a junior-grade secretary in the Bureau of Ranks.

Dismissing the scribe, Nakatoshi rose and greeted Akitada with effusive pleasure.

‘I’m impressed,’ said Akitada, when seated, looking around the fine room. ‘You’ve done well for yourself. But no one deserves it more, and I expect you’ll rise quickly now.’

Nakatoshi made a face. ‘The fact is that I miss working in the Ministry of Justice. This is all pretty dull stuff. But one must consider the welfare of one’s family. I’m married now, and we’re looking forward to a child.’ He blushed a little with pride. ‘It’s wonderful that you stopped by and I could share my news with you.’

Akitada felt guilty that he had not looked in on Nakatoshi before, all the more so because he now wanted a favor. He said, ‘My heartiest congratulations. We also – my wife and I – are expecting. Any day, in fact.’

Nakatoshi’s face broke into a huge smile. ‘Oh, excellent news, sir. I’m so very glad. I’m sure you’re particularly looking forward to this child. After the tragedy of last year, you’ll finally enjoy the happiness of being a father again.’

Happiness? Akitada was acutely aware of not being happy. The impending birth had raised all his fears of death again – Tamako’s and the child’s this time. And if Tamako survived the birth, children were so frail. Most did not grow to adulthood. The joys of raising another small son like Yori were doubly cruel if that son was also taken away.

‘Is anything wrong, sir?’ Nakatoshi asked, eyeing him nervously.

Akitada did not want to speak of his private terror and plunged instead into the murder of Kiyowara Kane and of his having become a suspect in the case.

Nakatoshi barely let him finish. ‘But that’s absurd,’ he burst out. ‘Anyone who knows you, knows that. Besides, you had never met the man, had you?’

‘No, but I was very angry that he, a stranger, should speak against me. I’m still angry, only now I can see that I must not let my enemies use their tricks against me again. I’ve been warned away from the case by Superintendent Kobe, but I think doing nothing is worse. I’ve come to you for some information about Kiyowara’s family and his friends and associates. Someone must have had a strong motive for the murder.’

Nakatoshi nodded eagerly. ‘The accusation is ridiculous, but you see, already my life becomes exciting again.’ He had such a look of fervor on his face that Akitada felt uncomfortable. ‘Thank you for your trust, sir,’ he said. ‘I shall not disappoint you. Allow me to take a part in the investigation – however small.’

Akitada was dismayed. Any active participation was likely to ruin Nakatoshi’s promising career because he would be working against a powerful Fujiwara faction. Akitada’s enemies – and Akitada now counted the chancellor among them – would not think twice before destroying Nakatoshi, who, though talented and hard-working, did not have the advantage of Akitada’s old and noble name and would be much easier to remove.

‘Thank you for your friendship,’ Akitada said. ‘I shall not forget it, but at the moment all I need is some information. This being the Bureau of Ranks, I thought you might know something about the man.’

Nakatoshi clapped his hands. When his scribe rushed in, he requested the documents pertaining to Kiyowara Kane. The man bowed and disappeared. Nakatoshi said, ‘Kiyowara is – was provincial gentry. His family is said to be quite wealthy, with holdings in Bingo and Izumo provinces.’

‘Yes. He bought Soga’s villa and has spent a great deal of money on it,’ said Akitada.

Nakatoshi smiled. ‘I bet you hated going there.’

‘I did.’

The scribe returned with a box and left again. Nakatoshi started sifting through the papers inside. ‘His father served as governor of Izumo and made a number of very generous gifts to the emperors at the time. No doubt because of that, some of the women of the family were invited to serve at court.’ He held up a document and looked at Akitada. ‘That would explain Kiyowara’s marriage to a daughter of the Minamoto chieftain. His mother was lady-in-waiting at the time and arranged the match. It turned out to be a brilliant move. The following year her sister married Fujiwara Yorimichi, our current chancellor.’ He returned to the rest of the papers in the box. ‘Kiyowara quickly received appointments. The latest one made him a junior controller.’ Nakatoshi closed the box. ‘That is all we have. I’m afraid I know nothing of any enemies, but a man who rises so quickly may count on opposition.’

Akitada nodded. ‘True, but envy rarely leads to murder. I think there must have been greater provocation. What of his reputation?’

‘People say that he was a hard worker. Mind you, since this is the Ranks Office, there was some gossip about what honors he might be striving for next, but it was just gossip. Still, he seems to have been an ambitious man.’

‘Yes, I think we can take that for granted. What of his personal life?’

Nakatoshi frowned. ‘I seem to recall someone mentioning that he was too fond of women.’

Akitada smiled. This sort of gossip attached itself to many men, and some positively cultivated such rumors. ‘You think that perhaps his wife lost her temper?’

Nakatoshi looked doubtful. ‘Why didn’t she object earlier? I have a feeling that she enjoys being the wife of a man who is rising in the government. You know, of course, that Yorimichi will be making more appointments soon?’

‘There have been rumors.’

‘Yes. Since Michinaga finally retired to his new palace at Uji, there have been many changes in the government. Now four of his sons hold the highest offices, and Yorimichi, the eldest, is regent and chancellor. Michinaga rules from retirement.’

Akitada remembered the rumors about the fires. ‘The people are still very unhappy about his choice of Crown Prince. Do you think he will listen?’

Nakatoshi shook his head. ‘He’s never listened before. Last year they blamed the smallpox epidemic on this, and now it’s the fires. Still, he must be worried. The court astrologer has done a reading, and he says the gods are indeed angry.’

They were getting away from the murder case. ‘What about Kiyowara’s children?’

‘His son by his first lady is the heir, I believe. He’s the only one old enough.’

‘If he was a womanizer, it could mean jealous husbands or lovers.’

Nakatoshi spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness. ‘I can try to find out more.’

‘No, better not stir up suspicions. At least, not yet. Besides, there’s another suspect. Prince Atsunori went in to speak to Kiyowara before me. He may be the man who quarreled with him.’

Nakatoshi reacted much as Kobe had. ‘Atsunori? He’s an imperial and outranks Kiyowara. If they quarreled, Kiyowara would be the loser.’ He thought. ‘Could it have been suicide?’

‘No. Apparently Kiyowara’s head was bashed in. I did wonder what a man of Atsunori’s rank was doing there.’

‘Yes, it’s strange.’