Laura Rowland - The Assassin's Touch

“Welcome.” Sano spoke in a terse tone that indicated this visit would be short. “What brings you here?”

Hoshina gave a perfunctory bow. As he knelt before Sano, he gazed around the room. Sano saw bitter nostalgia color his expression and knew that Hoshina was recalling the days when he’d been the lover and chief retainer of its former occupant. “Oh, I just thought I’d pop in and see how you’re doing.”

“Somehow I don’t think you came for the pleasure of an idle chat,” Sano said.

Hoshina smirked, ignoring Sano’s hint to state his business. “It’s awfully quiet around here. Isn’t it amazing that a few words dropped in casual conversation can have such a dramatic effect?”

Sano’s stomach took a downward fall as he perceived a connection between his deserted office and Hoshina. “What are you talking about?”

“I happened to run into a few mutual acquaintances today.” Hoshina drawled the words, taking his time, enjoying Sano’s discomposure. “I happened to mention to them that you’re having trouble solving this murder case, and Colonel Ibe’s death hasn’t helped. They were very interested to hear that Lord Matsudaira is most dissatisfied with you and it’s jeopardized your good standing with him.” Hoshina shook his head in false sympathy. Mischief glittered in his eyes. “Rats are famous for deserting ships that are sinking.”

Sano realized what had happened. Hoshina, who had spies everywhere, had been following his investigation, warning people that Sano would likely fail to solve the case and they’d better limit their contact with him or share his punishment. Should Hoshina’s plot succeed as well as it seemed to be doing, Sano would lose his influence with the high Tokugawa officials and the feudal lords. His fear of becoming isolated and losing control over the government and nation assumed a new, dire reality. Sano should have foreseen that his enemy would attack him in this devious fashion, when he was most vulnerable. He glared at Hoshina, who sat grinning and waiting for his response.

“I’m not exactly surprised by your news,” Sano said with disciplined calm. “Your past behavior has shown that you’ll never stop trying to destroy me no matter how hard I try to make peace between us. What does surprise me is the method you’ve chosen this time.”

“Why is that?” Hoshina said, proud of his own cleverness.

“Interfering with my business will sabotage the functioning of Lord Matsudaira’s new regime,” Sano said. “Your game could prove to be more dangerous to you than me. And telling me about it gives me a chance to retaliate.”

Hoshina laughed. “I’ll take my chances.” Sano supposed Hoshina was so self-confident that he’d risked warning Sano just to see his reaction. Hoshina wasn’t the smartest man in the bakufu, but he was certainly among the most reckless, and he would rather be dead than give up hope of clawing his way to the top. Now he ambled around the room. “I’ve always fancied this office,” he said, appraising its generous proportions, high coffered ceiling, the walls lined with books and maps, the elaborate metal lanterns. “When you’re out of it, the shogun will need a new chamberlain. And I’ll be ready.” He gloated at Sano. “I should mention that many officials and daimyo have promised to support me with Lord Matsudaira in exchange for favors when your post is mine.”

Sano sensed that Hoshina had other, more personal reasons for mounting this coup against him than mere ambition. With Yanagisawa gone, Hoshina needed a target for his ire toward his onetime lover. By attacking Sano and winning the post that had belonged to Yanagisawa, he could satisfy his lust for revenge.

“Now that you’ve served me your notice, I’ll serve you mine,” Sano said. “If you expect to get away with this, you’re sadly mistaken.” He was gratified to see his foe’s expression turn uncertain. “As for this office, it won’t be yours any time soon.”

He looked pointedly at the door. Hoshina took the hint and moved toward it, but he said, “Enjoy it while it’s still yours,” and bowed with exaggerated courtesy. He paused, and cunning sparkled in his eyes. “Oh, I forgot to tell you-I’ve heard some interesting news. It was about Lady Reiko.”

“My wife?” Sano felt a pang of surprise that Hoshina should mention Reiko.

“None other,” Hoshina said. “She’s been seen gadding around the hinin settlement and the Ryōgoku Hirokoji entertainment district. My sources at Magistrate Ueda’s court tell me she’s investigating an outcast woman accused of murder. They say she’s digging up evidence to acquit the woman even though she’s obviously guilty. Not only is Lady Reiko interfering with justice, she’s doing it on your orders because you think the law should be more lenient toward criminals.”

It was all Sano could do to hide his consternation. That Reiko’s exploits had come to the attention of his enemy! But he said in an even tone, “You should be careful about picking your sources. Don’t believe everything you hear.”

Hoshina gave him a look that scorned his words as an attempt to deny the undeniable. “Smoke is a sure sign of fire, as my new friends agreed when I mentioned Lady Reiko’s dubious activities to them. They also agreed that a chamberlain who bends the law at his own whim, and sends his woman out to do his dirty business, doesn’t deserve his post. This was a key factor that persuaded them to cut their ties to you.”

Before Sano could think of a reply, Hoshina said, “Lady Reiko did me a favor. Please convey my thanks to her-and my best wishes to your son.”

Sano sat motionless until he heard Hoshina speak to the men he’d brought with him and Kozawa usher them all out of the mansion. Then he leaned his elbows on his desk and dropped his head into his hands. It seemed that things couldn’t get worse.

A door concealed by a painted mural slid open with a faint, surreptitious sound. Sano looked up to see Reiko standing in the passage that led to their private quarters. Her expression was solemn, her footsteps cautious as she approached Sano.

“I heard what Police Commissioner Hoshina said.” As she stood before Sano, she clasped her hands in penitence. “I’m sorry I’ve caused you so much trouble.”

Sano couldn’t help regretting that he’d allowed her to investigate the crime in the hinin settlement, but he couldn’t blame her for unwittingly playing into Hoshina’s scheme. She looked so devastated that he didn’t have the heart to be angry with her. Furthermore, he’d given his full consent to her investigation. “Never mind.” He rose and took her hands in his. “It’s not your fault.”

“But you warned me that what I do could reflect badly on you,” Reiko said, still upset. “I didn’t believe you, and I should have. I wish I’d never heard of Yugao.”

So did Sano, but he said, “Your behavior was only one factor in my problems. Without you, Hoshina would have found some other weapon to use against me.”

“He mentioned Masahiro. It sounded like a threat. Would he really hurt our son?” Fright marked Reiko’s face.

“Not while I’m around,” Sano assured her.

He didn’t say what could happen if he were ousted. The family of a defeated samurai was considered a danger to his vanquisher. Reiko would probably survive because Hoshina wouldn’t consider a woman important enough to attack; but a son could grow up to avenge wrongs done to his father. Hoshina would never let Masahiro live that long. Yet death wasn’t the only fate that Sano feared for Masahiro. Boys without a protector were used and mistreated, sexually and otherwise, by men in power. Yanagisawa’s son Yoritomo had been lucky that he’d become the exclusive property of the shogun after he’d lost his father. Sano couldn’t bear to think, let alone tell Reiko, of what suffering Hoshina would cause Masahiro. He could only do his best to come out on top and hope that she wouldn’t give Hoshina any more ammunition.