The Crane Pavillion Page 18

  Akitada made his return journey in such a temper that he no longer saw the beauty of the mountains around him, or the vast view of the capital, spread before him in the golden haze of the evening sun.

  23

  A Good Name is Forever

  It was nearly dark by the time he entered the capital. As soon as he reached First Avenue, he headed east, turned down one of the smaller streets and arrived at his sister’s home.

  His brother-in-law, Toshikage, held a modest rank similar to his own, but unlike Akitada he had inherited vast provincial estates so that his income was only affected by an occasional poor harvest. The ready supply of funds allowed him to settle for posts that did not strain his energy while allowing his wife to enjoy the company of the highest-ranking ladies in the nation.

  It was the latter fact that made her a very useful ally in the present case, and Akitada was eager to share with her the information he had gleaned from Genshin. It was little enough, but with her own knowledge of society gossip it might be enough.

  Toshikage’s servants knew him well and took his horse, directing him to their master’s study. Toshikage, it seemed, was home early. This was not unusual, and Akitada was happy enough to see him. He liked Toshikage.

  He found his brother-in-law dusting and rearranging his collection of small figurines and lacquer boxes. They had, in fact, met over Toshikage’s love and care for small works of art, though in that case it had been a figurine belonging to the emperor which had mysteriously disappeared while in Toshikage’s possession. Akitada had just returned from service in the far north and found his older sister married to a man suspected of having stolen imperial treasures, and his younger sister’s lover in jail on a murder charge. Those had been tumultuous months in his life, also marked by the death of his step-mother. Both men had proved to be innocent, and both had won Akitada’s respect and gratitude as he theirs.

  Now Toshikage greeted him with a cry of joy and a long embrace. “My dear Akitada,” he kept repeating while squeezing him quite hard. “My very dear Akitada. It gives me such pleasure to see you.” He released Akitada long enough to study his face anxiously. “How are you, brother? Holding up all right? Must be strong for the children, you know. She would have wished it.”

  Akitada smiled a little bleakly as he freed himself. “I know,” he said. “I try. But enough sad talk. I’m parched from a ride into the mountains. Any chance of some of your good wine?”

  Toshikage bustled off to fetch two cups and a flask of wine, carried these to his veranda and placed two pillows. Akitada sat down gratefully. He had become stiff in all the weeks he had kept to his room without any exercise. Now he was tired, and his back and weak leg pained him.

  “So you had a pleasant ride?” Toshikage asked, smiling at him. “Good, good. Can’t sit still all day. Bad for the constitution. You’ll soon be your old self again, you’ll see.”

  Akitada smiled back and nodded. He would never be his old self again, he knew, but Toshikage was such a naturally cheerful fellow that talk of death and loss made him quite miserable.

  “I went to speak to an old acquaintance of mine, Abbot Genshin.”

  “Oh, him! He’s got quite a reputation I hear. I didn’t know he was a friend of yours.”

  “Not a friend.” Akitada grimaced at the memory of that very unpleasant meeting. “Or at least not any longer. I knew him as a student when he was Takashina Tasuku.”

  “I see. He no longer pleases you? He’s supposed to be a very learned and holy man.”

  “Learned perhaps. Tasuku was always a very good student. Holy, I doubt. He still flatters the powerful and seeks their company.”

  Toshikage chuckled. “Akiko would remind you that you should learn from him.”

  Akitada managed another smile. “Yes. I actually came to speak to her also. She knows a little about a case I’m interested in.”

  Toshikage clapped his hands. “Oh, good! You’re working again. That’s great news. I don’t mind telling you, we were very worried about you. Yes, very worried. Akiko couldn’t sleep at night for thinking about you and the children.”

  This surprised Akitada, but his sister had surprised him once or twice before. He promised himself to be more patient with her irritating habits in the future. He said, “I’m sorry to hear it. It’s been very difficult, and still is. She may have told you that I lost my position in the ministry and, unless the grand minister relents, I am without income for the foreseeable future. It seems I shouldn’t have left my post in Kyushu to come home.”

  Toshikage’s face fell. “She did say something, but surely, brother, such a thing will not be allowed to happen. No, I think you both take a much too negative view of things.” His face brightened. “Come, take another cup of wine and cheer up.”

  Toshikage was notorious for not worrying about imminent disasters. But he might be right in this case. There was no point in assuming the worst would come to pass. Akitada drank another cup of wine and felt grateful for Toshikage’s cheerful outlook.

  They were interrupted at this point by Akiko, who sailed in, her face flushed and her silk robes fluttering behind her. When she saw her brother, she stopped. “Akitada!” she cried. “Why didn’t someone tell me? Is anything wrong? Did you get news from court?”

  Her worries about his career and livelihood were foremost in her mind, and for Akitada this cancelled out the more positive mood her husband’s optimism had produced.

  He shook his head. “No, Akiko. At least … I haven’t been home yet. I just returned from a visit to the Daiun-ji temple.”

  “Oh?”

  Toshikage smiled at his wife. “On your way to see the empress? My dear, your costume is exquisite! And so are you!” He turned to Akitada, “Isn’t she breathtaking? No woman can carry off those colors with such grace and elegance.”

  Akiko brightened and paraded her finery. “It did turn out well,” she said smugly.

  Akitada knew little about courtly color schemes. But he saw she wore traditional fall colors ranging from darkest green to glowing reds. Toshikage was right. The colors suited her much better than the gentler tones Tamako had favored. Akiko was forceful and spirited to a degree that was surely unsuitable in a woman of her rank, but possibly this very flaw made her a favorite among ladies of the highest rank. Akitada got a sudden inkling that women might wish to be more like her. In any case, she was blessed in having found a husband who so doted on her that she could do no wrong in his eyes.

  He looked at both with affectionate tolerance. They were his family, he thought, and felt grateful.

  Having shown off her costume, Akiko sat down and returned to her other current interest. “So you went to talk to the much-revered abbot, Akitada? And what did he have to say?”

  Akitada made a face. “Very little, as it turned out. It wasn’t a pleasant visit. I don’t like the man.”

  Akiko frowned. “Honestly, Akitada, I sometimes despair of you. I expect you let him know that.”

  “Perhaps.”

  “No wonder he would not give you any information. Why should he? And have you forgotten how much influence he has with the emperor and the Fujiwaras? He could have helped you.”

  Akitada was disgusted at the thought of being obligated to Genshin for any favors and said so.

  Akiko heaved an impatient sigh. “Well, did you find out anything at all, or was it a wasted trip? And possibly a big mistake.”

  Akitada snapped, “I will not, at my age, beg for favors from men like him. I ought not to have to beg in any case. It’s undignified.”

  To his surprise, Akiko smiled. “Then you should act like it. Demand the recognition you deserve.”

  “Yes, brother,” cried Toshikage. “Akiko has it right. Why should you kneel and bow and beg. They owe you. Listen to your sister. She’s brilliant, as always.”

  Akiko gave her husband an impatient glance. “Akitada doesn’t listen to my advice. Never mind. Now tell me already what Genshin said.”

  “He claims
Lady Ogata was stranger to him, that someone told him of her homeless plight—she was living in a shack beside the Kamo River, he says—and that he offered her a home and a small amount of money from the temple.”

  Akiko gasped. “She lived in a shack?”

  “It may be a lie.”

  “Oh, I don’t know. If she’s Masakane’s widow, it’s likely enough. I’m on my way to find out.”

  “Wait. Masakane is dead?”

  “Yes. They say he died in exile. Apparently it was an accident.”

  This could explain why Genshin had believed Lady Ogata’s suicide. Akitada said, “But we cannot be certain it is the same woman, can we?”

  Akiko got up as gracefully as she had sat down. “That is precisely why I’m on my way to pay a courtesy visit to Her Majesty.” She gave Akitada a triumphant smile.

  “How did you wrangle that?”

  Akiko gathered her train and headed for the door. “Oh, I have my ways,” she threw back over her shoulder and left.

  Toshikage’s eyes were on the door as it closed behind his wife. “Isn’t she magnificent?” he breathed.

  Akitada chuckled, then sobered quickly. Toshikage’s doting on his wife reminded him of his own loss. “Well,” he said. “I’d better be on my way also. I’ll look in on Kobe tomorrow to tell him what we’ve learned so far.”

  *

  Kobe greeted him eagerly and dismissed his staff. When they were alone, he asked with a searching look, “My dear Akitada, how are you? I’ve been expecting you.”

  Akitada seated himself and brushed a hand over his face. “Since you ask, I don’t know how I am. I’ve put grieving aside to take care of urgent business and look some more into the death of Lady Ogata.” He was suddenly struck by something. “You’ve been expecting me? Why?”

  Kobe looked uneasy. “I thought you’d come about Saburo.”

  “Oh! Have you found him? Tora was out looking for him.”

  “We’ve found both of them,” Kobe said heavily. “They are under arrest.”

  In Akitada’s family this was not an unusual state of affairs. Both Tora and Saburo, singly or together, got caught from time to time in some questionable activities while they pursued investigations. He said therefore, “What have they done this time?”

  “The charge is murder.”

  Still not greatly disturbed, Akitada raised his brows. “Whom did they kill?”

  “A man called Hankei. Apparently a crooked gambler. Saburo confronted him with using false dice, and the man ran. The next day, the warden sent constables to a house in the quarter where neighbors observed suspicious activities. They found Tora and Saburo trying to get rid of Hankei’s body.”

  “Yesterday Tora returned home alone after their night of gambling—which they engaged in as part of an investigation into the murder of a moneylender. He told me they got separated. When Saburo didn’t return, I sent Tora to look for him. Neither would kill a smalltime gambler over a crooked game.”

  Kobe nodded. “Probably not, but it looks bad for them.”

  Akitada shook his head in disbelief. “Oh, come! What do they say?”

  “That they found him already dead.”

  “That’s it then. You’d better let them go.”

  “I can’t.” Kobe shuffled about among the papers on his desk and handed Akitada a letter. It bore the seal of the Ministry of Justice and was signed by Senior Secretary Sakanoue. The text was short and to the point: “You are hereby advised that Sugawara Akitada is under investigation for various infractions and that any collaboration between the imperial police and Sugawara will force the government to institute a separate investigation of your office for improprieties in procedure.”

  Akitada swallowed. He was deeply shocked by this news. It meant that Kobe was suspected of having perverted justice as a favor to him. For an awful moment, he wondered if Kobe’s political problems stemmed from this. Then he realized that the letter had not been signed by the minister, Fujiwara Kaneie. It must all be Sakanoue’s doing. The man feared for his job and wanted to make as much trouble as possible for him. But there might still be someone else behind this.

  He returned the letter. “Kaneie didn’t sign,” he said.

  Kobe nodded. “Who is this Sakanoue? He has your old position, doesn’t he?”

  “Yes. I only met him briefly and didn’t like him, and not just because I have been supplanted by him. I take it this isn’t about Tora and Saburo?”

  Kobe sighed. “I don’t know. If it is, I have spies about me. But it doesn’t really matter. You can see I cannot let them go.”

  “Yes. We must endeavor to clear them before you release them.” He wanted to add that Tora had spent the night in question at home, but he did not know when the man had died, and Tora and Saburo had both gambled with him and had probably been seen running after him.

  Kobe looked miserable. “I’m sorry, Akitada. There is another complication. They were involved in a murder case that is about to go to trial. I think someone is making very sure they don’t interfere again.”

  Akitada sat up, suddenly alert. Could Genshin have taken this step to foil him and protect himself? “Which case?”

  “A blind woman allegedly killed a man because he made sexual advances to her. Saburo has been looking into this, and Tora joined him. That’s why they were gambling. They suspected a man called Kanemoto of having had a hand in the murder. Kanemoto is a gangster chief. And Saburo claims Kanemoto killed the gambler.”

  Akitada tried to take all this in. “Yes,” he said, “I knew something about it. I’d told Saburo to leave the matter alone. But it troubled him enough to disobey me. Tora offered his help. It makes me think the blind woman is indeed innocent.”

  Kobe was grave. “Perhaps so, but the trial is tomorrow, and she’ll be found guilty. There’s nothing I can do about it. Later, when talk has died down, it may be possible to clear Tora and Saburo. It’s all happening at a very bad time. You should not become involved while you are under investigation. And I …” He let his voice trail off.

  Akitada’s spirits sank. Kobe was right. He, too, was in trouble. Somehow his unauthorized return from Kyushu had affected all of them in this impossible situation. And the blind girl would die for it, because those who could help her were in no condition to do so.

  He said quietly, “Yes, I understand. I’m very sorry that I should have made things worse for you. Don’t become involved any further. Tora and Saburo are my responsibility. If you think it won’t cause more trouble, I’d like to see them.”

  “Of course.” Kobe gave him a searching look. “You’ll leave it alone, won’t you? Until some time has passed?”

  Akitada smiled at him. “Don’t worry,” he said.

  But he would not leave it alone. A man’s good name is forever, and honor demands that he protect his people and clear his reputation.

  *

  The conversation with Kobe set Akitada on a different path. The fact that his life had changed from bad to worse and now affected his people, his friends, and total strangers angered him so deeply that he decided to do everything in his power to clear the blind woman and then to find the killer of Lady Ogata.

  The urgency of the blind woman’s situation made her case his priority.

  Kobe did not accompany him to the jail. Instead, he sent a young police recruit with him. They would from now on keep a distance from each other.

  Tora and Saburo were in separate cells, a fact that made speaking to them awkward. Akitada asked to see Saburo first.

  Saburo prostrated himself and started a long string of abject apologies for having disobeyed. Akitada cut these short.

  “Never mind,” he said bluntly. “That can wait until later. Tell me how you came to be arrested.”

  Saburo explained and told what he had overheard while under Kanemoto’s house.

  “So there is a witness to the gambler’s murder,” said Akitada. “This woman. The man’s lover. Who is she?”

  “I don’t
know, but it was clear he doted on her. I think she works in the quarter. She asked him for a house of her own, away from the quarter, so they could meet there without interruptions from Kanemoto’s unsavory gang.”

  “Good. That helps. We’ll find her. Now what about the blind woman?”

  Saburo hung his head. “They’ll try Sachi tomorrow, sir. By then it will be too late. It was all for nothing.”

  “It isn’t over yet. Did you find out who killed the moneylender?”

  Saburo shook his head miserably. “No.”

  “Any suspects?”

  “Well, we suspected the moneylenders. Nakamura’s son and his brother Saito. They had the most to gain. But they weren’t at the bathhouse. Then we tried to find out if any of the more desperate debtors might have done it. That’s how I came across the poor schoolmaster.” Saburo gave Akitada a glance and sighed. “I didn’t have much taste for pinning it on any other poor soul after that, but two names cropped up as having been in the bathhouse that morning, two men called Matsuoka and Ozaki.”

  Akitada frowned. “You mustn’t let your pity blind you to the fact that people will kill out of desperation.”

  “I know, but by then Saito had received the threat from Kanemoto, warning him and his nephew to leave things alone. Nakamura’s son was afraid and didn’t want us to know but his uncle showed us the letter. That’s how we got involved with Kanemoto.”

  Akitada had listened with growing astonishment and some respect. “I see,” he said noncommittally. “Well, you have certainly provided some groundwork for me.”

  Saburo raised his head. “You mean you’ll look into it yourself, sir?”

  “Don’t get up your hopes. I think there is someone at work who wants to make sure the blind woman is found guilty. And that person is also behind your arrests.”

  “I thought there was something strange about the way the constables arrived so quickly. But what can you do, sir?”

  “I’ll have a closer look at this Kanemoto and his mistress. It will be easier for me. The trouble is we must find the killer without involving Kobe. Otherwise, it would be very simple indeed. Be patient. I’ll go have a word with Tora now.”