Death of a Doll Maker Read online

  DEATH

  OF A

  DOLL MAKER

  An Akitada Novel

  By

  I. J. Parker

  Published by I. J. Parker

  Visit I. J. Parker’s official website at

  www.ijparker.com

  for the latest news, book details, and other information

  Copyright © I. J. Parker, 2013

  Cover design by I. J. Parker; Cover image from a screen painting. Unknown artist.

  e-book formatting by Guido Henkel

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Acknowledgments

  I am indebted to Jacqueline Falkenhan and John Rosenman for reading and commenting on this novel as it evolved. They have been generous with their time, expertise, and insight, and I’m deeply grateful. My thanks also to the brilliant Bob Stein who helps with the covers and who watches over my web site.

  Praise for I. J. Parker and the Akitada Series

  “Elegant and entertaining … Parker has created a wonderful protagonist in Akitada… . She puts us at ease in a Japan of one thousand years ago.”

  The Boston Globe

  “You couldn’t ask for a more gracious introduction to the exotic world of Imperial Japan than the stately historical novels of I. J. Parker.”

  The New York Times

  “Akitada is as rich a character as Robert Van Gulik’s intriguing detective, Judge Dee.”

  The Dallas Morning News

  “Readers will be enchanted by Akitada.”

  Publishers Weekly Starred Review

  “Terrifically imaginative”

  The Wall Street Journal

  “A brisk and well-plotted mystery with a cast of regulars who become more fully developed with every episode.”

  Kirkus

  “More than just a mystery novel, (THE CONVICT’S SWORD) is a superb piece of literature set against the backdrop of 11th-cntury Kyoto.”

  The Japan Times

  “Parker’s research is extensive and she makes great use of the complex manners and relationships of feudal Japan.”

  Globe and Mail

  “The fast-moving, surprising plot and colorful writing will enthrall even those unfamiliar with the exotic setting.”

  Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

  “…the author possesses both intimate knowledge of the time period and a fertile imagination as well. Combine that with an intriguing mystery and a fast-moving plot, and you’ve got a historical crime novel that anyone can love.”

  Chicago Sun-Times

  “Parker’s series deserves a wide readership.”

  Historical Novel Society

  “The historical research is impressive, the prose crisp, and Parker’s ability to universalize the human condition makes for a satisfying tale.”

  Booklist

  “Parker masterfully blends action and detection while making the attitudes and customs of the period accessible.”

  Publishers Weekly (starred review)

  “Readers looking for historical mystery with a twist will find what they’re after in Parker’s latest Sugawara Akitada mystery … An intriguing glimpse into an ancient culture.”

  Booklist

  Also By I.J.Parker

  The Akitada series in chronological order

  The Dragon Scroll

  Rashomon Gate

  Black Arrow

  Island of Exiles

  The Hell Screen

  The Convict’s Sword

  The Masuda Affair

  The Fires of the Gods

  Death on an Autumn River

  The Emperor’s Woman

  Death of a Doll Maker

  The collected stories

  Akitada and the Way of Justice (11 stories)

  Love and Murder (3 stories)

  Akitada’s Holiday (3 stories)

  The Historical Novels

  The Hollow Reed I: Dream of a Spring Night

  The Hollow Reed II: Dust before the Wind

  The Sword Master

  About the Author

  I.J. Parker was born and educated in Europe and turned to mystery writing after an academic career in the United States. She published her Akitada stories in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, winning the Shamus award in 2000. Several stories have also appeared in collections (Fifty Years of Crime and Suspense and Shaken). The award-winning “Akitada’s First Case” is available as a podcast. Many of the stories have been collected in Akitada and the Way of Justice.

  The Akitada series of crime novels features the same protagonist, an eleventh-century Japanese nobleman/detective. It now consists of eleven titles, with the early ones published by Penguin. Death of a Doll Maker is the latest. Most of the books are available in audio format and have been translated into twelve languages.

  Her historical novels are set in twelfth-century Japan during the Heike Wars. The two-volume The Hollow Reed tells the story of Toshiko and Sadahira. The Sword Master follows the adventures of the swordsman Hachiro.

  Pronunciation of Japanese Words

  Unlike English, Japanese is pronounced phonetically. Therefore vowel sounds are approximately as follows:

  “a” as in “father”

  “e” as in “let”

  “i” as in “kin”

  “o” as in “more”

  “u” as in “would.”

  Double consonants (”ai” or “ei”) are pronounced separately, and ō or ū are doubled or lengthened.

  As for the consonants:

  “g” as in “game”

  “j” as in “join”

  “ch” as in “chat”.

  Contents

  Characters

  The Parting Gift

  The Promotion

  An Empty Tribunal

  The Doll Makers

  Dazaifu

  Flute Play

  The Unfilial Child

  Father and Son

  Akitada Goes Sightseeing

  Tora and the Loose Woman

  A Child’s Cry in the Night

  The Mayor’s Banquet

  Disappearances

  Spring Rain

  A Closed Case

  The Abandoned Well

  A Missing Governor

  Fragrant Orchid

  The Chinese Merchant

  The Carter

  The Trap

  The Hidden Bundle

  Deadly Passage

  Regrets

  Kill or Be Killed

  The Late Governor

  The Island

  Conspiracy

  The Skein Unravels

  Yesterday’s Cherry Blossoms

  Historical Note

  Characters

  Sugawara Akitada — governor of Chikuzen province

  Tamako — his wife back in the capital

  Yasuko and Yoshitada — his daughter and son, also in the capital

  Tora (full name Sashima Kamatari) — his senior retainer and provincial inspector

  Saburo — his other retainer and major domo

  Persons involved in administrative matters:

  Fujiwara Korenori — Assistant Governor General of the Nine Provinces of Kyushu

  Tachibana Moroe — previous governor of Chikuzen

  Captain Okata — police chief of Hakata city
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  Lieutenant Maeda — his successor

  Mori Kiyomi — tribunal secretary

  Koji — tribunal servant

  Persons Connected With the Murders in Hakata:

  Nakamura — mayor of Hakata

  Hayashi — Chief of the merchant’s guild

  Feng — Chinese merchant, chief of the Chinese settlement

  Kuroda — shrine priest

  Mitsui — doll maker

  Mei — his Chinese wife, also a doll maker

  Atsuko — their daughter, the shrine priest’s wife

  Hiroshi — their son, a laborer

  Kuroki — a scribe

  Yoko — his wife

  Mrs. Kimura — a widow who grows bonsai

  Naoko and Kichiro — two homeless children

  Fragrant Orchid — a ranking courtesan

  Umeko — a small girl; her attendant and trainee

  Shigeno — a convict

  Ling — a Chinese servant of Feng

  Masashi — Feng’s store clerk

  The winds of spring

  Scattered the blossoms

  As I dreamed of you.

  Now I waken

  To a broken heart.

  (Saigyo)

  1

  THE PARTING GIFT

  “What a hell hole!” Oil lamp held high, he surveyed the nearly empty room one last time. “May the next governor choke on it!”

  His art collection was gone, and so were his carved and lacquered desk and the jade writing set. He had packed up all his treasures. Now the room contained little but a few mats and cushions and the ordinary desk that had been in storage. Let his successor gather his own wealth.

  Outside, a horse whinnied, anxious to be gone. He, too, was eager to end it. Nearly three years of having to contend with fools and men he despised. Never mind. It had been profitable, so profitable the government in the capital had taken notice and issued the recall.

  As if they weren’t greedy bastards all.

  But they knew that he knew their venal sins, and that would protect him and get him another good assignment. He smiled. The hard work had paid off. Life was finally beginning for him. With a contented sigh, he blew out the flame, set the lamp on the floor, and walked out.

  He was surprised to see only two riders waiting with his horse. He recognized them and asked, “Where are the others?”

  “Gone ahead. You took your time.”

  He swung himself into the saddle. “Just bidding farewell to this pest hole. Well, let’s go. The ship’s captain is eager to leave before dawn.”

  “One more brief stop,” said the smaller of the two men. “You’ll give me the pleasure to accept a farewell cup and a gift at my house, I hope?”

  It was the least the fellow could do after all he’d done for him, he thought, but his resentment melted a little. “How very kind of you but not at all necessary.”

  The other man laughed softly. “You have been generous to my family. We do not forget our friends.”

  His house was on the way. Why not spare a little time for a last cup of wine and a gift? Surely the present would be well worth it. Yes, the fellow had become very rich through him. At least as rich as he. A man like that owed acknowledgment to his betters. “Just a brief stop then,” he replied.

  They veered off the main road, passed through some deserted streets, and entered a dark compound. The smell of cooking hung in the air, and he wrinkled his nose. “Why is it so dark?” he asked looking around.

  “I’ve sent everyone away to make sure we’re undisturbed. Your Excellency cannot be too careful. It wouldn’t do to be seen in my house before your departure.”

  “You may be right. Very considerate of you, but it’s unnecessary. They know or suspect already, but they cannot hurt me. Well, let’s go inside.”

  They dismounted.

  He followed the owner of the house. The large man, a servant, walked softly behind. But his host did not lead the way to the main house. He turned off to the side and took him to a service yard.

  “What’s this? Are we going to the stables or the kitchen?”

  His host chuckled. So did the servant behind him. “To the stables,” said his host.

  He must be giving me a horse. Most likely a magnificent animal, but there was the inconvenience of transporting the animal all the way back. He slowed down. “Look,” he started, but they were already at the stables, and his host swung wide the door. The warm smell of horse flesh met his nose. He had guessed correctly.

  “Come in and see,” said his host, taking his arm. “Your surprise is waiting. And such a surprise! I can’t wait to see your face.”

  The servant pressed him forward as his master tugged. He gave a little laugh and submitted.

  It was an ordinary stable and contained only three horses. By the uncertain light of the lantern near the door, they looked common. He had seen better looking post horses. He stopped again.

  “Come,” he said, irritated, “if this is a joke, I’m getting very tired of it.”

  Behind him the stable door slammed shut, and he heard the sound of the bar being shoved across.

  Surprised, he turned. The servant, ugly brute that he was, stood there, his arms folded across his chest and a nasty grin in his face. He felt a twinge of uneasiness, then anger. Swinging back to his host, he demanded, “Open this door immediately. I’m leaving.”

  “No, you’re not,” said the servant and chuckled.

  His host was not smiling. He looked at him coldly. “Unfortunately,” he said in his soft voice, “I cannot let you go. You should have realized you know far too much about my business.”

  An icy fear gripped him. This could not be happening. Where were his people? What could he do? Bluster? Threaten? Plead? Offer the man a deal?

  He blustered. “How dare you? I’m an imperial official. You cannot restrain me. My people are waiting for me at the dock.”

  “We’re restraining him?” The servant laughed again. “That’s one way of putting it.”

  His master smiled a little at this. “They have gone on board. Someone sent them a message that you’d found a faster boat and would travel ahead. As for being missed in the capital … I doubt you’ll truly be missed.”

  “You fear I will tell our secrets? Why should I inform on you? You have nothing to fear from me. We’ve always got along well together.”

  The servant laughed again.

  He decided to buy his way out of this unpleasantness. “Look,” he said more calmly, “You and I have always worked well together. I have no interest in talking about our business. We’ve both done well by it. And I can still do much for you in the future. I’m grateful and I’d be willing to share some of my future profits to prove my good will.”

  The other man’s mouth twitched a little. “Tempting, but I’m a simple man. I like to make sure. Promises are like the wind. You can’t rely on them. On the other hand, I know you’ve hidden part of your gold somewhere to collect later. That I’d like to have. Where is it?”

  His fury rose again. How did this common creature threaten him? “You heard wrong,” he snapped.

  “Ling!”

  The servant stepped in front of him. To his horror, he saw a thin sharp blade in the man’s hand. “No!” he gasped.

  Too late. The blade had struck and taken off his topknot. The servant held it up and sniggered before tossing it under a horse’s hooves.

  He backed away until he was hard against the barred gate. His right hand fumbled for the bar.

  The servant was quicker. Again the blade flashed before he could twist away. A sharp pain stabbed his face, and then hot blood poured into his mouth as he screamed.

  “Where?” asked the other man again. This time his voice was harsher. “Speak or he’ll slice you up alive like a pig.”

  “No, wait!” he screamed again, his hands pressed to the place where his nose had been. “I’ll talk.”

  The servant moved back a little, but he still held the bloody knife.


  He told them. He told the truth because he was much too desperate to think of a good lie. And maybe also because a small part of him still hoped he would get away alive and come back for his revenge.

  The other man nodded when he was done. “Good. Very well, Ling won’t have to make a mess of my stable after all, and we can go to bed at a decent hour. Ling?”

  The servant came to open the gate, and for a moment, he thought it had worked and sighed with relief.

  But the brute stopped before him, so close he saw his widening grin as the blow came. He felt a sharp pain in his chest, then a numbness followed by a great cold. And then he was face down in the dirt and couldn’t catch his breath. Something inside his chest contracted violently.

  And on that agonizing spasm, all went dark.

  2

  THE PROMOTION

  “I’ve been wondering, sir. Why you?” Tora was leaning on the ship’s rail, watching the approaching shore.

  There had been little to do on board ship. Akitada had spent the weeks pacing the deck, searching like Tora for meaning in the past events.

  Ironically, the first news about this assignment had been cause for joy in the Sugawara family. It had arrived via Kosehira’s New Year’s letter. They exchanged family news around this time. Akitada had informed Kosehira he would be a father again in the coming year and wished Kosehira an equal amount of happiness and a long life.

  Kosehira had responded with the somewhat puzzling joke about good news being a certainty for Akitada while a long life might require his special talents. Akitada had meant to ask for an explanation, but by then the New Year had arrived, and the house was in a frenzy of decoration and preparation of special dishes. The women were sewing new clothes and the children begged for toys. Akitada went shopping for silk for Tamako and balls, dolls, and games for all the children in his household. There were four of them now. His own two were a girl and a boy, Yasuko and Yoshitada; Tora and Hanae had a son, Yuki; and Genba had a baby girl. His thriving household gave Akitada a deep happiness. The venerable Sugawara residence, though plagued by roof leaks and sagging timbers, was filled with the laughter of children and he was surrounded by people he loved. And now they had also the promise of another child when he and Tamako had nearly given up hope for it. Tamako had thought herself too old, though she seemed to glow with youth and beauty.