The Assassin's Touch

by Laura Joh Rowland

  “I want to see Tama,” Reiko said, so urgently that her voice trembled.

  “You mean the kitchen maid?” Curiosity sharpened the woman’s gaze. “Who are you?” After Reiko introduced herself, the woman said, “Tama isn’t here.”

  Reiko almost wept with disappointment. If Sano was doomed to die soon, finding Yugao might be the last thing she could do for him. “Where is Tama?”

  “The cook sent her to the fish market. I’m the housekeeper. Can I help you?”

  “I don’t think so. When will Tama be back?” As she realized that she would never be able to find the girl in the huge, crowded fish market, Reiko tried to stay calm. Falling apart wouldn’t help Sano.

  “Oh, she’ll probably be gone for hours,” the housekeeper said, studying Reiko with avid interest. “Why are you so eager to see her? What’s she done?”

  “Maybe nothing,” Reiko said. Her hunch that Tama had withheld important information from her yesterday might be mere wishful thinking. Yet Reiko couldn’t give up; Tama was her only lead to Yugao. “On second thought, maybe you can help me. Have you noticed anything strange about Tama recently?”

  The housekeeper frowned in thought, then said, “As a matter of fact I have. The day before yesterday, she left the house without permission. The mistress scolded her and beat her. That’s not like Tama. Usually she’s such a meek, obedient little thing, never breaks any rules.”

  Reiko cautioned herself against hoping too much. “Why did Tama leave?”

  “It was because of that girl who came to see her.”

  “What girl?” Reiko held her breath as her hope ran wild and her heart began to race.

  “She said her name was Yugao.”

  Such glad relief overwhelmed Reiko that the breath rushed out of her; she clutched the gatepost for support.

  ’Tell me everything that happened when Yugao came! It’s very important!”

  “Well, she showed up at the back gate,” the housekeeper said, clearly enjoying Reiko’s attention and wanting to draw out her story. “She asked for Tama. When I asked who she was, she wouldn’t tell me anything except her name and that she was an old friend of Tama’s. The servants aren’t supposed to have visitors, but I feel sorry for Tama because she’s alone in the world, and I thought it wouldn’t hurt to let her see a friend just once. So I fetched Tama.

  “At first she was so happy to see Yugao. She hugged her and cried and said how much she’d missed her. But then they started talking. Tama started to look worried.”

  “What did they say?” Reiko clenched her fingernails into her palms.

  “I don’t know what Yugao said. She was whispering. Tama said, ’No. I can’t. I’ll get in trouble.’”

  Now Reiko understood why Tama had acted so upset when Reiko had told her that her childhood friend was a murderess and fugitive. Yugao must have invented some other story to explain why she’d turned up needing help from Tama.

  “But Yugao kept talking,” the housekeeper said, “and she wore Tama down. Finally Tama said, ’All right. Come with me.’ They ran off together.”

  “Was there a man with them?” Reiko asked eagerly.

  “Not that I saw”

  Yet Reiko felt certain that the Ghost had been lurking somewhere in their vicinity. When he and Yugao had left the Jade Pavilion, they’d needed another place to hide. She must have thought of Tama, the one person who might be persuaded to do her a favor. And Reiko was just as certain that Yugao wouldn’t have abandoned the man she’d loved so obsessively.

  The housekeeper leaned close to Reiko and whispered, “I didn’t tell the mistress that Tama stole a basket of food from the pantry before they left.”

  “Where did they go?” Reiko demanded.

  “I don’t know. When Tama got home, I asked her, but she wouldn’t tell me.” “How long was she gone?”

  “Let me think.” The housekeeper tapped her finger against her withered cheek. “It was near dark when she left. She barely made it back before the neighborhood gates closed.”

  Reiko’s hopes plunged; Tama could have covered a considerable distance, even on foot and weighed down with provisions, between early evening and late night. That left an appallingly wide area to search for the place where Tama had hidden Yugao and the Ghost.

  “Thank you for your help,” Reiko said, turning to leave.

  “Shall I tell Tama you were here?” the housekeeper said. “Shall I tell her you’ll come back?”

  Need begot inspiration. Reiko thought of the food Tama had stolen, and a new strategy kindled her hopes. “No,” she called as she hurried toward her palanquin and guards, “please don’t tell Tama.”

  But she would be back. And then she would discover exactly where Yugao and the Ghost were hiding.

  Sano stopped at metsuke headquarters for the dossier on Kobori; it included his approximate height and weight and a poorly drawn sketch of his face. After visiting General Isogai, from whom he commandeered army troops to serve as search teams, Sano rushed to the palace.

  The instant he walked into the audience chamber, he knew he was in even more trouble than he’d expected. Lord Matsudaira, seated in his customary place, wore such a fierce scowl that he resembled a carved demon in a temple. Above him on the dais, the shogun cowered, frightened and baffled. Yoritomo, who sat beside the shogun, aimed a warning glance at Sano. The guards stationed along the walls stood perfectly still, gazing straight ahead, as though afraid to move. The elders were absent. In their place on the raised floor sat Police Commissioner Hoshina, who regarded Sano with cool, half-smiling composure.

  Sano’s steps faltered at the sight of his enemy. As he knelt below the dais at the shogun’s left and bowed, Lord Matsudaira demanded, “What in hell took you so long?”

  “I had urgent business to attend to,” Sano said even though he knew that no excuse was good enough for Lord Matsudaira. What had happened in less than two days to sink him in Lord Matsudaira’s esteem and raise Hoshina? Sano doubted that it was only because Lord Matsudaira had heard about his failed attempt to capture the Ghost last night; after all, Hoshina hadn’t done any better. “A thousand apologies.”

  “It’ll take more than a thousand to excuse you,” Lord Matsudaira said, his fury mounting. “Do I understand correctly that you assigned hundreds of army troops to escort duty?”

  “Yes,” Sano admitted. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hoshina enjoying his discomfiture. “With an assassin at large and the officials afraid to leave home, it seemed the only way to keep the government running.”

  The shogun nodded in timid agreement, but Lord Matsudaira ignored him and said, “Well, it’s obvious that you didn’t stop to think that security would be drastically reduced after you pulled those men from their regular posts. While they were playing nursemaid to a bunch of cowards, who was supposed to keep order in the city?” His complexion was so livid with rage that he looked ready to burst a blood vessel. “Do you think we have an unlimited supply of troops?”

  “I’ve sent for more from the provinces,” Sano said in a futile attempt to defend himself. Yoritomo wrung his hands. “I’ve ordered the daimyo to lend their retainers to patrol the streets.”

  “Oh, you did, did you? And do you know what’s happened in the meantime?” Lord Matsudaira surged to his feet, unable to contain his temper. “While I was riding through town this morning, I was ambushed by a band of rebel outlaws. My bodyguards were outnumbered. There wasn’t a soldier in sight.”

  Sano stared, speechless with alarm that he’d inadvertently endangered Lord Matsudaira.

  “Fortunately, Police Commissioner Hoshina and his men happened to come along, and they fought off the rebels,” Lord Matsudaira said. “If they hadn’t, I would be dead now.”

  Sano turned his astonished gaze on Hoshina, who flashed him a grin of triumph.

  “How convenient for you,” Sano said. He wouldn’t be surprised if Hoshina himself had arranged the attack, with the aim of rescuing Lord Matsudaira and making him
so grateful that he was willing to forgive Hoshina any errors.

  “Yes, it was convenient.” Hoshina’s eyes sparkled with malicious amusement. “All the outlaws were killed in the fight, in case you were wondering.”

  Which meant that they couldn’t reveal whether Hoshina had hired them, Sano realized. Hoshina was safe. He’d taken advantage of all the misfortune that Sano had suffered during this investigation.

  “I heard that this morning you commandeered more troops, Chamberlain Sano,” Lord Matsudaira said, ignoring the exchange between Sano and Hoshina. “What in hell do you need them for? Why would you worsen your stupid, dangerous mistake?”

  “I need them to search for the assassin you ordered me to capture.” Growing angry at Lord Matsudaira’s insulting treatment, Sano heard the edge in his own voice. How else could he have protected the officials? “I know who he is now. His name is Kobori. He belonged to my predecessor’s elite squadron. To run him to ground, I need more manpower besides my own personal troops.”

  The news that Sano had identified the Ghost startled Lord Matsudaira into silence and wiped the scowl off his face. Yoritomo gave Sano a relieved, delighted smile.

  “So you’ve, ahh, solved the mystery.” The shogun beamed at Sano. He cast a smug glance at Lord Matsudaira, clearly gratified that Sano had scored a point against his cousin, even if he didn’t understand what was going on. “My congratulations to you.”

  “Don’t believe him, Your Excellency,” Hoshina said quickly. “It may not be true that this man Kobori is the assassin. Remember that Chamberlain Sano thought it was Captain Nakai, who proved to be innocent. He could be wrong again.” Hoshina appealed to Lord Matsudaira. “I think he’s so desperate to please you that he’s trying to pin the murders on someone who’s probably dead.”

  “Kobori’s alive,” Sano countered. “I can place him in Edo as recently as two days ago. Last night I raided the inn where he’s been hiding. I only just missed him. He’d skipped out the day before.”

  “What proof do you have that he’s the assassin?” Lord Matsudaira looked torn between skepticism and his wish to believe that the capture of the Ghost was imminent.

  Sano described the events at the Jade Pavilion.

  “Well, even if Kobori is the assassin, you let him get away,” Hoshina said, anxious to discredit Sano. “He could have left Edo by now. Honorable Lord Matsudaira, why send troops to search the stable after the horse is already out? We need them to maintain security and hunt down rebel outlaws.”

  “We can’t assume that Kobori is gone just because you want to believe it,” Sano said. “And he’s a more important target than the other rebel outlaws.”

  Hoshina laughed in scorn. “They’ve killed a lot more people than he has.”

  “But he’s aiming at the regime’s top echelon,” Sano said. “Let me remind you that he’s already assassinated five high-ranking officials. Unless we concentrate on catching him, he’ll chip away at us until morale is so weak that the regime falls. We need to catch him before he kills again.”

  He felt the mark of death upon himself. Involuntary flinches twitched his body, as if telltale bruises were cropping up all over his skin. His head ached, and he wondered if his brain had started bleeding. The uncertainty and waiting were so difficult to bear, he almost wished he knew for sure that Kobori had touched him. But if he should die tomorrow, who would protect the regime from men like Hoshina, so driven by their own ambitions that they would let a deadly force like Kobori run free?

  “Someone in this room could be his next victim.” Sano appealed to Lord Matsudaira’s and the shogun’s self-interest. “Let me borrow the troops for two more days. That should be enough time to catch Kobori.”

  “I think that sounds like a, ahh, good compromise,” the shogun said, eager to end the quarreling.

  Lord Matsudaira weighed the arguments for only an instant before saying, “Chamberlain Sano is absolutely correct that catching the Ghost should have high priority.” Hoshina’s face fell. “But Police Commissioner Hoshina is also correct that we can’t let security lapse in order to chase one of many criminals,” Lord Matsudaira continued. “Take the troops off the search and send them back to their regular duties, Chamberlain Sano. Do the best you can without them. And remember that I’m counting on you.”

  Hoshina grinned, recognizing that this decision promised failure for Sano and more advantage for himself. Sano saw that there was no use arguing further with Lord Matsudaira. Only one person could override him now.

  “Your Excellency,” Sano said, “this issue is so important that perhaps you would like to settle it instead of leaving it to us. You said you thought it was a good idea to have the troops search for the Ghost. If that’s your opinion, you can make it an order, and it will be done.”

  The shogun looked alarmed to be put on the spot, yet gratified by the thought of his own power. Lord Matsudaira and Hoshina glared at Sano. Yoritomo leaned close to the shogun to whisper in his ear.

  “A certain person had better keep out of this,” Lord Matsudaira announced in a quiet tone replete with menace. “Or else there may be a fatal accident to a certain other person on a certain distant island.”

  Yoritomo sat back and bowed his head at the threat to his exiled father.

  “Well? What do you say?” Lord Matsudaira asked the shogun. “Will you follow Chamberlain Sano’s advice or mine?”

  Bereft of the support he needed to stand by his opinion, the shogun wilted. “Yours, Cousin,” he murmured, avoiding Sano’s gaze.

  Sano accepted defeat with a frustration he could barely conceal. Hoshina relaxed. Lord Matsudaira said, “Before you leave, Honorable Chamberlain, I have one other problem to discuss with you. I hear that you’ve been absent from your office these past few days. Quite a few officials have mentioned that you’re never available to meet with them, you don’t answer your correspondence, and you’re letting your staff handle business they’re not qualified to handle.”

  Sano turned on Hoshina. The police commissioner must have put his new friends up to informing Lord Matsudaira. Hoshina shrugged and smirked.

  “You seem to think that the duties of second-in-command over the nation are beneath you,” Lord Matsudaira told Sano. “Unless you change your attitude, His Excellency may be forced to replace you, as quite a few of his officials have recommended. Is that understood?”

  Stifling his anger, Sano said, “Yes, Lord Matsudaira.” He shot a venomous look at Hoshina, who sat gloating and eager to inherit his post. If he lived, Sano resolved, he would find a way to rid himself of this enemy, no matter how little he liked political warfare.

  “It’s time to adjourn this meeting,” Lord Matsudaira told the shogun.

  “This meeting is adjourned,” the shogun said.

  What do we do now?” Marume asked Sano as they walked through the palace garden. “We mobilize the army and go out and hunt down the Ghost,” Sano said.

  No matter that Lord Matsudaira had forbidden him to use the troops for the search; Sano reasoned that he was damned no matter what he did. If he neglected his job, disobeyed orders, or failed to catch the Ghost, the result would be the same: He would lose his post, whether to Hoshina or somebody else. He would be banished or executed, leaving Reiko and Masahiro in dire peril. He might as well finish the investigation.

  Especially since it could be his last.

  Sano and the detectives headed down the passage to fetch their horses at his compound. If he was going to die tomorrow, at least he would spend today doing the work he was meant to do, serving honor in the best way he could. He would deliver Kobori to justice and have his revenge if it was the last thing he did.

  “Honorable Chamberlain Sano!”

  Sano turned, and saw Captain Nakai hurrying toward him. He groaned inwardly. Although the last person he wanted to see now was Nakai, he resolved to be gracious after what Nakai had suffered on his account.

  “Greetings,” Nakai said as he joined Sano and they walked toget
her. His metal helmet and armor tunic gleamed in the sunlight; he looked the picture of a perfect samurai. “I hope all is well with you?”

  “Quite. And you?” Sano said courteously.

  “Not bad,” Nakai replied with determined cheerfulness.

  It occurred to Sano that when a man expected to die soon, he should make amends to people he’d hurt. He quickened his pace, leading Nakai ahead of the detectives, so they could talk privately. He said, “Captain Nakai, I want to apologize for suspecting you of the murders. I’m sorry you were accused and humiliated in front of the shogun and Lord Matsudaira. Please forgive me.”

  “Oh, that’s all right,” Nakai said. “It’s water under the bridge. No hard feelings.” He smiled and clapped Sano on the shoulder. “Besides, I’ve begun to think it was a blessing in disguise. After all, it gave me the privilege of making your acquaintance.”

  Sano saw that Captain Nakai now viewed him as a person who could help further his ambitions. “My acquaintance may not be as much of a blessing as you wish,” Sano said. He might not be around long enough to hand out any promotions, even if he was still alive tomorrow.

  Nakai laughed as though Sano had made a joke. “You’re too modest, Honorable Chamberlain.” He obviously didn’t know about Sano’s precarious position. “By the way, how is your investigation going? Have you found out who the Ghost is?”

  “Yes,” Sano said, tolerating this chat, but walking faster to end it soon. “His name is Kobori. He was once employed by the former chamberlain. There’s a citywide manhunt going on for him as we speak.”

  “Kobori?” Captain Nakai stopped in his tracks. A stupefied look came over his face. “That’s who it was,” he muttered to himself. His strong features had gone slack with amazement.

  “What’s the matter?” Sano was so puzzled by this odd reaction that he also halted.

  “You said that Kobori is the Ghost? And you’re trying to find him?” Nakai’s tone was breathless; he seemed frantic to verify what he’d heard. When Sano nodded, Nakai whispered, “Merciful gods. I saw him.”

  “You did?” It was Sano’s turn to be amazed. He stared at Nakai; so did Detectives Marume and Fukida, who’d caught up with them. “When? Where?”