The Quest for the Fuji Cipher (A Richard Halliburton Adventure Book 4)

by Garrett Drake

  “One day soon, I hope,” she said. “He’s made me plenty of promises before, but I can never be sure if he’s going to keep his word.”

  “Well, he’d be a fool if he passed up a kind-hearted soul like yourself.”

  Hisako's face reddened before she put her head down, hiding behind her cup.

  “I didn't mean to embarrass you,” he said.

  “It’s all right,” she said. “It’s not the sort of thing I’m used to talking about with strangers.”

  Once Richard finished his tea, Hisako instructed him to lie down on his back. Upon following her instructions, Richard felt at ease for the first time since he’d set foot on the ship. He closed his eyes. And in a matter of seconds, he was sound asleep.

  * * *

  THE POUNDING on the door awoke Richard from his slumber. With no portal to view the sea, he had no idea what time it was. And initially, he’d forgotten where he was or what he was doing there. Then everything came back to him. He was in Hisako’s room getting a massage and . . .

  The picture is gone. And so are her dresses.

  “Please open up,” a man said tersely. “It’s past time to exit.”

  Richard sat up and rubbed his face. Then he glanced at his watch.

  Two o’clock. How on Earth did I—

  Richard scrambled to his feet and shot down the hallway to his room, brushing up against the porter as he went. The door was wide open, and his belongings were piled in the middle of the floor.

  “Where is everyone?” Richard shouted.

  “They’ve left, like they’re supposed to,” the porter said.

  “But I—”

  “That wasn’t your room, was it?”

  “No, this is my room,” Richard said as he staggered back out into the hallway, his head aching. “I don’t know what happened. The last thing I remember, I was drinking some tea and then—”

  The porter shook his head. “I wasn’t there, lad. I have no idea what happened to you. But I know what better happen if you don’t want to return to Vladivostok and pay a handsome price when we arrive.”

  “Okay, okay,” Richard said. “I’m going.”

  He ran back into his room as he considered the possibilities. Then his heart started pounding.

  The cipher!

  He dug his hand into the mail pouch where he’d hidden it—but the device was gone.

  Chapter 5

  January 3, 1923

  Tsuruga, Japan

  RICHARD SLUNG THE TWO postal sacks and his bag over his shoulder before hustling through The Ardent in search of anyone who could help him. Most of the ship’s staff had already begun cleaning the interior in preparation for the next voyagers set to board later that afternoon. And everyone Richard stopped seemed either disinterested in helping or unable to speak English. He stomped his foot and cursed under his breath.

  “Is there something I can help you with?” a porter asked Richard.

  “Finally, yes! As a matter of fact, there is.”

  “Out with it, young man.”

  “I’m looking for a Japanese woman about this tall with straight, dark hair. She was wearing a red dress with a colorful flower print,” Richard said.

  The man chuckled and put his arm around Richard’s shoulder. “Look around you. You’ve just landed in Japan. This entire island is literally full of women who look just like the one you described. Good luck.”

  Richard dropped everything at his feet as he scanned the docks and walkways surrounding the boat. Against the backdrop of the frosted Ryōhaku mountains, scores of women shuffled along wearing coats to combat the frigid temperatures, their faces shrouded by fur-lined hoods.

  “I’ll never be able to find her now,” he said aloud.

  The man smiled and then whistled as he walked away.

  Richard picked up his bags and trudged down the ramp of the ship to a customs line. Most of the passengers had long since departed, but a few stragglers remained, haggling with agents over what they could bring into the country.

  As he approached an official for processing, Richard held up the mail pouches, displaying the U.S. Mail stamp on the side. The man’s eyes widened as he gestured for one of the guards to attend to Richard. Seconds later, security personnel swarmed around him, barking orders in broken English.

  Confused by the scene, Richard set down the bags and lifted his hands in the air in a gesture of surrender. “I’m just making a delivery.”

  “Come with us,” one guard ordered.

  Richard followed the men into a wooden office constructed on the docks. Inside, an elderly man sat behind a desk and stroked his long white beard that tickled the paper in front of him. He puffed on a pipe and eyed Richard closely.

  “What is your name?” the apparent man in charged asked.

  “Richard Halliburton, sir. I don’t mean any harm, honest. I’m just here to—”

  “Silence,” the man said, raising his flattened right palm in the air. “I only want you to answer my questions. Understand?”

  Richard nodded. He found the situation more and more unsettling with the introduction of each new authority figure, keeping him from enjoying the majestic scenery outside. This wasn’t how he imagined entering Japan, or any other country for that matter. He wanted to revel in the intoxicating moment of venturing into a new land where an intriguing culture collided with a storied history. But instead, he wondered if this experience was going to be Gibraltar all over again where he spent a few nights in prison. Based on the stern expression on the faces of the men huddled together around their boss, Richard thought a few nights in jail might make him feel as if he’d escaped a harsher punishment.

  “What brings you to Tsuruga?” the man asked.

  "I want to see Japan, sir," Richard said. "And some gentlemen at the U.S. consulate in Vladivostok asked me to deliver these mailbags to the consulate in Tokyo. Nothing more, nothing less."

  “We’ll need to inspect your mail.”

  “I understand,” Richard said. “I’m confident you’ll find everything in lawful order.”

  “That’s for me to decide, not you.”

  “Of course,” Richard said as he gestured toward the bags. “Feel free to search everything.”

  “We will.”

  A pair of guards who were standing against the wall rushed over to Richard and escorted him to an adjacent room. He sat down on a bench and stared out the window at The Ardent. The steamship appeared undisturbed, the waves lapping against the docks as workers continued to prepare the vessel. He saw a woman hustling up the ramp to enter the boat who looked like Hisako. Richard stood and attempted to get a closer look through the window when he was met with a firm fist to his chest.

  “Sit,” the man said.

  “But I think that woman—”

  “Sit,” he said, pointing back at the seat.

  Richard sighed and sat down, unsure if he’d seen Hisako or not. He was far enough away that he couldn’t determine anything definitively. But if it was, he had plenty of questions for her.

  A half-hour later, the official overseeing the customs entered the room.

  “Am I free to go now?” Richard asked.

  “We received a telegram yesterday informing us of your arrival and the request to grant you passage to Tokyo,” the man said. “We’re going to permit you to travel to Tokyo, but not alone.”

  “Pardon me, but I thought—”

  The man held up his hand before a rotund man with his dark hair arranged in a bun on the top of his head strode into the room. “This is Hideki Yutaka. He will be accompanying you on your journey. Where you go, he goes. Understood?”

  Richard nodded and then sighed. He didn’t find the prospect appealing, but there didn’t appear much else he could do about it.

  “Can I have my bags back?” Richard asked.

  Yutaka dropped them at Richard’s feet, along with his luggage. “Lead the way.”

  * * *

  RICHARD LUGGED the mail sacks into the train b
ound for Tokyo. He glanced over his shoulder to watch Yutaka climbing the steps right behind.

  It’s going to be a long two days.

  While Yutaka seemed fluent in English, his conversational skills left Richard wondering if the Japanese agent had ever talked with a native speaker in the language. After Richard settled into the bench in their compartment, he attempted to be more cordial with his assigned companion.

  “Have you traveled much outside of Japan?” Richard asked.

  Yutaka shook his head before opening a newspaper and reading it.

  “I guess we’re just going to do this as enemies instead of friends,” Richard said. “I’d much rather have an escort who isn’t afraid to speak to me.”

  “We’ll get along fine if you stop talking,” Yutaka said, punctuating his statement with a grunt.

  Richard ignored Yutaka's jab. "I'm really interested in experiencing some of the local cuisines. What would you recommend? I've heard something about a dish called sushi."

  Yutaka shot a glance at Richard over the top of the newspaper before returning to reading.

  “What about any festivals? Are there any celebrations that will be taking place over the next week?”

  Yutaka put his paper down and leaned forward. “If you don’t want me to throw you and your mail out of that window, be quiet.”

  “Not here to be my friend,” Richard said. “Got it.”

  The train lurched forward, catching Richard by surprise. He steadied himself and then stared out the window.

  For the next couple hours, Richard took in the awe-inspiring Ryōhaku mountain range and the rural Japanese countryside. He quickly forgot about his yearning to return home, instead appreciating the opportunity to visit Japan with each passing moment. Drinking in the shifting landscape, he wondered how so much beauty could be contained on such a small island. Then he wondered why Japan wasn’t prioritized any higher on his list of places to visit.

  Feeling parched, he announced that he was going to the dining car to get something to drink. Yutaka folded up his paper and fell in line behind Richard.

  “I can bring you back something,” Richard said. “It’s not like there’s anywhere for me to escape from you.”

  “Where you go, I go.”

  “Fair enough, but if you’re going to always be with me, you’re going to have to talk to me. I can’t have this silence nonsense.”

  Yutaka said nothing.

  “Are you married? Do you have any children?”

  “No.”

  “Now we’re getting somewhere,” Richard said. “What city were you born in?”

  “Nagasaki.”

  “And what brought you to the main island?”

  “Work,” Yutaka said. “There’s more criminal activity here.”

  “Well, I can assure you that there’s nothing criminal going on here,” Richard said. “Trust me, I’m just a young man delivering some mail.”

  “I don’t trust anyone.”

  Richard sighed. “Would you like a drink?”

  “I’ll buy my own.”

  Before attempting more torturous conversation with Yutaka, Richard looked across the car and gasped.

  No, it can’t be.

  But before he could get another look at the woman he thought looked like Hisako, a commotion across the room arrested almost everyone’s attention. Richard didn’t understand the woman’s rantings and instead craned his neck to see if he could get another look at Hisako. She seemed to disappear in the sea of people milling around the bar. He glanced at Yutaka, who was captivated by the woman waving her arms around as she related a story.

  Seconds later, everyone was rushing in the direction she pointed.

  Yutaka grabbed Richard’s arm, pulling him toward the exit.

  “What are you doing?” Richard asked. “I haven’t even got my drink.”

  “It can wait,” Yutaka said. “There’s been a murder.”

  Chapter 6

  Maibara, Japan

  WHEN THE TRAIN came to a stop at the Maibara station, police flooded the cars in a matter of minutes. Richard watched from his cabin as the conductor paced back and forth outside, ensuring that all passengers remained on board for the duration of the investigation. Yutaka shut the door and ordered Richard to stay put in an effort to contain him before hustling off to assist the other officers. An hour passed before Richard got up and eased the window down. He stuck his head in the fresh air and drew in a deep breath.

  The conductor scowled and shouted something in Japanese at Richard.

  “What?” Richard asked.

  “Stay inside,” the man said.

  “I just needed some fresh air.”

  Richard ignored the directions and watched snow fall fast, coating the exposed portion of the platform in a matter of minutes.

  The conductor drew nearer to Richard. “Get inside now.”

  “Okay, okay,” Richard said. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ve never been to Japan, so I’m trying to enjoy as much of it as I can.”

  “Inside now,” the man repeated.

  This time, Richard complied, easing back into his compartment and then raising the window. Once he finished, he heard someone rapping on the opaque glass. He spun around to see the outline of a dark figure.

  “Can I help you?” Richard asked after sliding open the door.

  “Officer Yutaka asked me to come speak with you,” the man said. He wore a long trench coat and a bowler hat.

  "Did he?" Richard asked, his eyes widening. "Up until a few minutes ago, the officer has been with me everywhere except when I used the restroom. He's a little obsessive if you know what I mean."

  The man didn’t even crack a smile.

  “Where were you in the minutes before the body was discovered?” the man asked, twirling his pen as he did, awaiting a response he could record.

  “I was with Yutaka in this cabin,” Richard said. “Didn’t he vouch for me already?”

  “He only told me that he suspected you in some way.”

  “That’s absurd,” Richard said. “How on Earth could I get close enough to him to kill the victim anyway?”

  “I never underestimate my enemies.”

  Richard cocked his head to one side and furrowed his brow. “You believe that I’m your enemy?”

  The man nodded.

  Richard chuckled. “Not even close. I don’t know your name, inspector, but that’s quite an assumption to make without considering the facts.”

  “Inspector Niko,” the man said. “And I’m trying to figure out what happened here. The facts are that you have been deemed a suspicious person since you set foot in our country. So, what are you hiding, Mr.—”

  “Halliburton. Richard Halliburton. And if you think I’m hiding something, you’d be mistaken. And as far as being a murder suspect, I’ve been tethered to Yutaka’s hip for the past day. Or did he not tell you?”

  “He mentioned it.”

  “Then how could I have done it without him noticing?”

  The man scribbled down a note on his pad. “Officer Yutaka mentioned that you did go to the bathroom a half-hour before the murder victim was found.”

  “Yes, but the officer was in the bathroom with me. I couldn’t have slipped past him without being noticed.”

  “Did you know the victim?”

  Halliburton shrugged. “I don’t even know if it’s a man or a woman, though I am curious about how the victim died.”

  “Knife wound. Do you have such a weapon stashed in your belongings somewhere?”

  Richard grabbed his bag and then tossed it at the inspector’s feet. “Be my guest. Have a look.”

  The man knelt to unzip the luggage. He rifled through the contents before growling. After sliding the bag toward the corner, he rose and surveyed the room.

  “See,” Richard said. “I told you.”

  “What about those mail pouches?”

  “I would allow you to look through those, but I’m afraid I can’t do that. I don�
��t want you rummaging through personal correspondence.”

  The man fell back to the ground and scooped up both bags.

  “Sir, perhaps you didn’t hear me,” Richard said.

  The inspector looked up at Richard and glared. “Are you going to stop me?”

  “Please, sir. I’m begging you.”

  Ignoring his pleas, the inspector sifted through the pouches. After a couple minutes, he cinched the sacks and tossed them aside before proceeding to search beneath the benches and rummaging through the closet.

  Satisfied that the room was devoid of the murder weapon, the man exited without saying a word. A half-hour later, Yutaka returned to the compartment and settled into the seat across from Richard.

  “Well,” Richard said. “Did you catch who did it?”

  Yutaka nodded. “The killer was caught.”

  The train’s brakes hissed as steam filled the platform.

  “Wow,” Richard said before his mouth fell agape. “The speed at which Japanese law enforcement works is most impressive. Where I’m from, this train would’ve remained here for days along with all the passengers as everyone was thoroughly interrogated and the murder weapon was in hand.”

  “Japan is not like America.”

  “Not when it comes to solving crime. I mean, we have some incredible detectives, but that kind of speed was unprecedented. So, where did you find the murder weapon?”

  “We didn’t.”

  Richard leaned forward and carefully eyed Yutaka. “So you’re convinced you caught the murderer without finding the man in possession of the weapon?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Maybe your standard for convicting a person is lower here.”

  “It’s easy when the man confesses.”

  “He confessed?” Richard asked.

  “Admitted to everything. Once we cornered him, he had no other choice but to tell the truth or bring further shame upon his family.”

  “And you’re confident you have the right man?”

  Yutaka remained silent as he stared out the window.

  “All right, sir. I’ll take your word for it. Just not how I would’ve done things.”

  “No one asked for your opinion.”