Кэйго Хигасино - The Name of the Game is a Kidnapping

Maybe it was because I rattled on like a machine gun or because she didn’t really understand, but Juri fell silent with her head bowed. I heaved a sigh.

“There’s stuff in the world that’s worth more than money. I think that’s people’s hearts and time. You can’t move someone’s heart with money, and lost time can’t be bought back with money. So if it’ll help even a little with either of those things, I try not to be stingy.” I pulled a page from my notebook and handed it to her. “Well, so much for our chat, we have to continue with our plan. Like I said, time is more valuable than money.”

“What is this?”

“If you read it you’ll know.”

After Juri finished reading the note, she slowly raised her head. Her cheeks had stiffened. “We’re making a call from here? I’m making it?”

“That’s right. They want to make sure you’re safe, and if they got a call from you, they’d be satisfied.”

“Why from here?”

“Two reasons. One is in case they trace it. The other is those ships. I don’t know what kind of recorder they’ve planted, but if it picks up that sound, we’re in luck. The police will probably try to analyze it. If they figure out it’s a ship’s whistle, they’re bound to presume that the hideout is located near the sea. They might even identify the whistles as being from Yokosuka’s naval port.”

“Basically, you’re trying to mess up the investigation.”

“You got it.”

I pressed several buttons on the phone next to the bed. Soon my cell started ringing. After looking at its screen, I hung up the hotel phone.

“What are you doing?”

“I checked whether there’s caller ID. It’s okay, we can call as is.” I pushed the phone toward Juri.

She folded her arms and stared at it, then licked her lips and lifted her face. “It might not be Papa who answers.”

“I think it’ll definitely be him, but if it’s someone else, just ask them to get Mr. Katsuragi. Even in that situation, only wait for ten seconds. Tell them that, too. When ten seconds pass, you hang up.”

“I’m sure Papa will have a lot of questions.”

“Probably. But there’s no time for small talk. Say you can’t answer questions and only say what’s written on there.”

“I got it.” Juri slowly closed her eyes once. “I’ll try,” she said, opening her eyes again.

I indicated the phone with my hand. Juri swallowed. She took a deep breath and reached for the receiver.

Her shaking fingertips pressed the buttons. As expected, my heart started beating faster. I kept asking myself if I’d missed anything.

The sound of the ringing escaped from between the receiver and Juri’s ear. There were three rings. Then it connected. Someone’s voice. But I couldn’t tell whether it was Katsutoshi Katsuragi’s.

“Oh, Papa? It’s me. Can you tell from my voice? It’s Juri,” she said, looking at the note I’d written.

Even I could hear the person on the other end unleashing a storm of words. Juri sucked in a breath with a look of consternation.

“I’m sorry. We don’t have the time to talk. You understand, right? Because I’m not alone... I can’t answer that. Please just listen. We’re running out of time.”

I was staring at the clock’s hand. It was already past fifteen seconds.

“I’m safe. So don’t worry. They’re saying they’ll let me go home if they just get the money... Ah, I’m sorry. It looks like my time is up.”

I rested my finger on the call button. Just as I thought I’d hang up in two seconds, I heard a distant whistle. I cut off the call immediately.

“Done!” I shook my fist and stood up. After closing the window, I turned to Juri. “Luck’s on our side. That whistle went off at the perfect moment.”

But Juri seemed off. Her back was hunched as though she felt cold.

“What’s wrong?” I asked her, sitting next to her.

Her whole body was trembling. Just as I was about to ask her if she was okay, she clung to me.

“I’ve done it now, there’s no going back,” she murmured, pressing her cheek against my chest.

“Are you scared?”

Juri didn’t answer. As I stayed still, I felt her trembling against my arm.

“It’s natural,” I said. “What we’re doing isn’t normal. It’s something normal people are unable to do. But what we’re getting in return isn’t insignificant.”

Juri nodded slightly and looked up at me. Her eyes were moist.

Unexpected feelings swelled inside of me. A certain impulse, you could say. Something that I hadn’t noticed — or rather, that I’d noticed but had chosen to ignore — shook my heart.

I hugged Juri tighter. She looked at me with startled eyes.

Various thoughts crossed my head. Among them were a good number of self-serving takes. Sleeping with this girl here wouldn’t be such a big deal. In fact, deepening our relationship might be conducive to advancing the plan — I thought that, too.

But I loosened my arms and moved away from her. What I wanted to do wasn’t this. Right now, I was contending in the game of a lifetime.

“For now, let’s leave. I don’t think they traced the call, but nothing good will come from staying here for long.”

Juri silently nodded.

We went back to the car, and I turned on the engine. When I was about to promptly depart, Juri said, “One sec.” I stepped on the brake.

“I have a request,” she continued.

“What is it?”

“There’s a place nearby that I want to go to.”

“Do you have something else you need to do?”

“It’s not that, it’s a place I like. Somewhere my mother who passed away took me once. Because I want to calm myself down... Please.”

I saw Juri put her hands together and was taken aback a little. I didn’t think the girl had it in her.

“Is it far?”

“I don’t think it’s that far.”

“But I’d prefer to get as far away from this place as possible.”

“Then it should be fine. It’s not that close. I just meant it’s not far by car.”

“Hmm.” I took my foot off the brake pedal. The car slowly moved. “Do you know the way?”

“Yeah, I think.”

I let out a sigh. “Then I’ll leave the navigation to you.”

“Got it. First, go back to the original road.”

“Okay.” I made a wide circle on the steering wheel and stepped on the accelerator.

I followed Juri’s directions and continued down the highway. Soon, we got to a coastal road. On the left was the ocean, on the right were a chain of tall hills. After some time, Juri instructed me to turn right. As I turned the wheel and continued on, the road became steeper.

“We’re going pretty high. Are you sure this is the way?”

“Yup,” Juri answered confidently.

As I drove, the houses thinned out again. Nothing obstructed our view all around, and it was as though we could see the horizon. Apparently we’d gotten up the hill and what followed was flat road.

“Stop around here.”

Since Juri said so, I stepped on the brake. The place was pitch dark. It didn’t seem like there were cars coming from either direction, but I parked on the roadside at least.

“Hey.” Juri looked at me. “Could you open this?” She pointed to the roof.

“Here?”

“Because we’re here.”

I hesitated for a moment but eventually pressed the open switch for the hood. It quietly retracted. A chilly wind brushed my cheek. It was mixed with the smell of grass and soil.

“See? It’s amazing.” Juri looked up and pointed with her index finger.

Ohh , I let out a dumb gasp. The night sky was that beautiful. On the infinitely large, nearly jet-black display shone countless lights. Their positions were flawless. My heart was getting sucked in just from looking. “It’s cliché but—”