Laura Rowland: The Dragon King's Palace

Observing the other men’s skepticism, Sano wished he had more faith in his own argument. He said, “Whatever price the kidnappers ask should be a small price to pay for the return of the Honorable Lady Keisho-in.”

Antipathy narrowed Yanagisawa’s and Hoshina’s eyes, but the shogun knelt; his resolve visibly waned. “Indeed,” he said.

“We can hunt down and punish the kidnappers after the women are safe,” Sano said, then addressed the elders. “That the procession was ambushed, the troops slain, and the women taken has already shown that the regime is vulnerable. Denying it now would be senseless. The news will spread across the country before we can stop it. A hasty, blind rescue attempt is likely to fail, and if it does, the bakufu will look even worse.”

Makino nodded grudgingly; the other elders followed suit. Chamberlain Yanagisawa conceded with a faint grimace, and the shogun set his weak jaw. “Sano-san is right,” he declared. “We shall wait for the, ahh, ransom demand.”

“And in the meantime, do nothing,” Hoshina said, glowering at Sano, obviously hating to lose his big chance to be a hero.

Sano gleaned no triumph from this victory, because his real enemies were the kidnappers, against whom he felt helpless. “On the contrary,” he said. “We must work together to figure out who’s behind the crime, so we can locate and capture him when the time is right.”

Crisis demanded unity. Tokugawa Tsunayoshi nodded his approval, calmer now that argument had ceased and Sano had reduced the disaster to a solvable problem. An uneasy concord settled upon the other men. The atmosphere in the chamber was hot and stuffy, acrid with smoke and the stink of nerves.

“I propose that we begin the investigation by identifying potential suspects,” Sano said.

“The leader of the kidnappers must be someone who has enough troops to massacre an armed procession, or enough money to hire them.” Hirata, though clearly opposed to Sano’s strategy, was duty-bound to support his master.

“He had to have known in advance that the women were going on the trip, so he could position troops to lie in wait for them,” Hoshina said. Sano noted how quickly the police commissioner had turned the investigation into an opportunity to display his detective talent. “Since the trip was a sudden impulse of Lady Keisho-in’s, and the news didn’t have time to spread far, he must live in or near Edo.”

Sano had an unfounded but powerful sense that the crime wasn’t as straightforward as it seemed. “I wonder who is the real target of the kidnapping plot,” he said.

Surprise lifted eyebrows on the faces around him. The shogun said, “How can there be, ahh, any doubt that I am the target, and the kidnapping is an act of war against me?”

“The kidnapper must be an enemy of the regime, who seeks to humble His Excellency and extort ransom money from the treasury,” said Senior Elder Makino.

Candidates included citizens who chafed under the bakufu’s strict laws, and daimyo-feudal lords-oppressed by the Tokugawa. Disgruntled rōnin-masterless samurai-were a continuing source of trouble. Yet Sano saw other possibilities.

“Maybe the kidnappers want more than just to strike at the regime, or money for freeing the hostages,” Chamberlain Yanagisawa said; his expression turned speculative as he voiced Sano’s thought.

“That they didn’t bother to loot the baggage and steal the gold indicates that lucre isn’t their main concern,” Hoshina said.

“Maybe there’s a more personal motive behind the crime.” Yanagisawa’s gaze moved from Sano to Hirata, then to the shogun. “Your Excellency is not the only one of us with enemies who might attack us through our women.”

Sano knew that few people alive had as many enemies as did Yanagisawa. A long list included men he’d ousted from power, the kin of rivals he’d demoted, executed, or assassinated, and lovers used then spurned by him.

Ominous intent darkened Yanagisawa’s eyes. “I can think of a few people who bear checking into,” he said.

Hirata sat openmouthed and frozen, as if thunderstruck by inspiration. His voice emerged bitter with hatred: “Lord Niu.”

“Your father-in-law, the daimyo of Satsuma Province,” Hoshina clarified. “The two of you have been at odds since you married Lady Midori.” Proudly showing off his knowledge, the police commissioner added, “Perhaps the kidnapping is his method of reclaiming his daughter.”

“If he’s behind this, I’ll kill him!” Hirata exclaimed.

Sano wasn’t ready to focus the investigation on Lord Niu, or Yanagisawa’s political enemies. “Let’s not forget the Black Lotus,” he said.

The name tainted the air like poison. The elders averted their eyes and compressed their lips in distasteful memory; Hirata nodded grimly. Wary interest tensed Yanagisawa and Hoshina, while the shogun looked confused as to what a defunct Buddhist sect could have to do with the crime.

“The sect has been banned since its uprising eight months ago,” Sano said, “but although most of the priests, nuns, and followers have been captured and executed for their attempt to destroy Japan, some remain at large, and they’ve recruited new members. They hate me for my part in crushing the sect, and my wife for killing their leader. They’ve sworn revenge.”

During the past decade, the Black Lotus had tortured and murdered countless people who’d crossed it. The fanatical members, responsible for a conflagration with a death toll of over seven hundred, were capable of slaughtering a procession while sacrificing their own lives. The thought of Reiko caught by them panicked Sano. The sect might have a fate worse than death in store for her.

“It seems we have an abundance of suspects to investigate,” Chamberlain Yanagisawa said.

“Well, I, ahh, order you to begin work at once, get my mother back, and execute whoever kidnapped her as soon as possible.” The shogun waved his hand at everyone. “Dismissed.”

Sano and Hirata left the palace. Hirata brooded in silence until they entered the walled courtyard of Sano’s estate. Then he blurted, “Forgive me for speaking boldly, but I don’t think we’re doing enough to save the women. Limiting our attention to Edo and investigating our enemies may or may not prove worthwhile. Besides, any evidence the kidnappers left is far away on the Tōkaidō.”

“You’re right,” Sano said. “That’s why I’m giving you a secret assignment.”

Hirata’s features, illuminated by the torches that flared in the courtyard, sharpened with eager hope.

“Go to the site of the abduction,” Sano said. “Take along Detectives Marume and Fukida. Wear disguises, travel under aliases. No one must know you’re investigating the crime because we don’t want the kidnappers to find out we’re pursuing them and disobeying their orders. Examine the crime scene, look for witnesses, and try to pick up the kidnappers’ trail.”

“Yes, Sōsakan-sama!” Hirata said with ardent gratitude.

“Bring me word of any clues you find,” Sano said. “But promise me that you won’t approach the kidnappers or do anything else that might endanger the women.”

“I promise.” The mantle of fear and helplessness dropped from Hirata; he glowed with confidence. “We’ll be ready to go by dawn. And I promise we’ll find the kidnappers.”

Hirata rushed off toward the barracks. Sano stood alone in the courtyard, listening to the sounds of cicadas humming, dogs barking, and mounted soldiers patrolling in the night that spread dark and wide around him. His mind yearned across the distance toward Reiko.

Where was she? As anguish gripped him, Sano hoped she was unharmed. He prayed that she and the other women would come home safely and soon, and that fortune combined with hard work would negate the premonition of calamity that chilled him.