The Ninja's Daughter (27 page)

“But how did Yuji figure it out?” Father Mateo asked. “He didn't even know the mask was missing. And what about Satsu? How much do you think he knew?”

“Satsu lied to us from the beginning,” Hiro said. “He already knows who killed his daughter. He may or may not have realized that Yoriki Hosokawa is the one who bribed the Yutoku-za, but he knew the coin—and Emi—were connected to the missing mask. He never wanted us to find the killer. He asked us to investigate because he hoped that we would find the mask.”

“Why not tell us that's what he wanted?” Father Mateo asked. “Unless . . . he is involved?”

“That is for Satsu to explain.” Hiro turned to Basho. “Do you still have the mask?”

“It's in the warehouse,” Jiro said. “I'll get it.”

“Just a minute.” Basho raised a hand. “The loan was not repaid. The mask is mine.”

Hiro withdrew the coin from his sleeve. “I suspect this pays the debt in full.”

Basho drew back in surprise, but accepted the coin. He examined it. “This is the same golden coin I gave the girl. I recognize this mark in the side.” He looked at Hiro. “But it does not pay the debt in full. I also gave her a handful of silver.”

“For that, you must look to Jiro,” Hiro said. “I suspect he spent it in Pontochō.”

Basho looked appalled. “You kept the silver?”

“She gave it to me,” Jiro said. “For helping arrange the loan to buy her freedom.”

Hiro decided not to tell Basho the rest of the truth—that Emi had not been an entertainer after all. He saw no point in causing Jiro any further trouble.

Basho's expression wavered between anger and confusion. “Why would you do this? The guild will expel us—
both of us
—for knowingly making a loan on a stolen item.”

“I didn't know it was stolen.” Jiro's eyes filled with tears. “She said it belonged to her. We planned to sell it and use the money to repay the loan and go to Edo. I'm sorry, Uncle. I never meant for any of this to happen.”

“Did you kill her?” Basho asked.

“No!” A tear spilled over Jiro's eyelid and traced a damp line down his cheek. “I loved her. When someone killed her, I panicked. I didn't know what to do.”

“That's why you came to see us the morning she died,” Father Mateo said.

Jiro nodded and wiped his eyes. “Nobody knew about our plan to run away together. When she died, I panicked. At first, I thought I might have killed her while I was drunk, and just forgotten, but later—after I talked to you—I realized I would not forget a thing like that. Then I was afraid the killer would come for me as well.”

“Give us the mask,” Hiro said. “We will return it to its owners. After that, I promise you will be safe.”

Jiro looked at Basho for permission.

The merchant nodded. “Fine. But you're working off the silver you spent, and quite a bit more besides.”

An hour later, Hiro and Father Mateo knocked at the entrance to the Yutoku-za. The Jesuit carried an oblong package wrapped to look like a bag of rice.

“No matter what happens,” Hiro whispered, “do not reveal the mask until I tell you.”

“Didn't we come to return it?”

“We will,” Hiro said, “but only after the killer confesses.”

“Satsu killed her, didn't he? He figured out she stole—”

The door swung open. To Hiro's surprise, Haru stood in the entrance.

The child bowed. “Good morning. I wasn't expecting you today.”

“Is your father at home?” Hiro asked. “We would like to see him.”

Before the boy could answer, Satsu appeared behind his son.

Father Mateo reached into his purse and removed a silver coin. “Haru, would you like a bowl of udon?”

The little boy's eyes lit up as he saw the coin.

“What's going on here?” Satsu asked.

Hiro noted the inappropriate tone, but did not object. Their visit endangered the theater troupe, and no one stood nearby to overhear the actor speaking rudely to visitors of samurai rank.

“We have come with important information,” Hiro said. “I suggest you let your son have udon while we talk inside.”

Haru gave his father a hopeful look. When Satsu nodded, Haru accepted the coin from the priest with a grin and a bow. Halfway out the door, he paused. “You are not coming with me?”

“We have already eaten,” Hiro said, to save the Jesuit the lie. “Go and enjoy it.”

“I will—and thank you.” Haru raced away.

Satsu stepped away from the door. “Please come inside.”

He led them through the entry and into the common room. To Hiro's surprise, the room was empty.

“Haru wakes up early,” Satsu said, “but adult actors normally do not.”

Chou and Nori entered the room from the other side. Each woman carried a tray with a teapot, cups, and bowls of steaming soup and rice.

At the sight of Hiro and Father Mateo, the women lowered their trays and bowed.

Satsu gestured to the door behind them. “Take the food away. We will eat later.”

“Actually,” Hiro said, “I would prefer if the women stayed. They have a right to hear what we've discovered.”

Father Mateo raised a hand as if to run it through his hair, but paused and returned the hand to his side. Hiro noted the priest's restraint. At last, his friend was learning.

Satsu gestured to the hearth. “Would you like to sit down? May we offer you tea?”

Father Mateo knelt by the hearth, but Hiro remained by the door that led to the entrance and the street. He pondered a subtle way to request Yuji's presence. Then he remembered Satsu's lies and decided he didn't care. “Get Yuji.”

Satsu began to object, but Hiro raised a hand. “I want him here. Go fetch him. Send a woman, if you wish.”

Chou seemed confused. Nori's eyes flew wide, on the edge of panic.

Satsu looked at his daughter. “Go find Yuji.”

Chou bowed and left the room. A short time later, she returned without her tray. Yuji and his mother, Rika, followed the girl into the room. Both appeared recently woken and quickly dressed.

Yuji frowned at the sight of the visitors.

Hiro gestured toward the hearth. “Sit down.”

Satsu took the host's position, next to Father Mateo and facing the door. Nori set her tray at the side of the room and knelt behind her husband, with Chou at her side, while Yuji knelt in front of Chou.

Rika knelt beside her son—the only woman who approached the hearth.

Satsu turned to Hiro, who remained in his position near the door. “I assume you called us here because you know the name of Emi's killer.”

“Indeed,” Hiro said, “but first, please tell me: when did you realize Emi stole the mask from the Yutoku-za?”

CHAPTER 51

Nori gasped in horror. “No! Emi would never steal from her family!”

“And yet, she did,” Hiro said. “If you don't believe me, Yuji can confirm it.”

Chou's mouth fell open. Her lower lip trembled.

Satsu gave Yuji a look of disgust. “You knew all along? And said nothing?”

“I don't know what you're talking about.” Yuji brushed a lock of hair from his face.

“Please, my daughter was not a thief.” Nori bowed her head to the floor. “I beg you, sir, believe me—she would not steal.”

“All prostitutes steal,” Rika said.

Nori pushed herself to a kneeling position. “Emi was not a prostitute, and she is dead. How can you say such things?” Her eyes turned red and filled with tears.

“She met with men by the river,” Rika said, though her voice had softened. “Your denial does not change the truth.”

Chou bit her lip and lowered her gaze to the floor. Beside her, Nori raised her hands to hide her face, presumably to cover her emotion.

“Enough.” Hiro looked at Satsu. “When did you learn the truth?”

Nori shook her head. Her shoulders trembled, but she made no sound.

Satsu drew a breath and held it, pondering his response. “I did not know for certain,” he said at last. “I suspected, but I couldn't prove it. I hoped your investigation would reveal the truth.”

“Why not tell us that from the beginning?” Father Mateo asked.

“I gave you the coin,” Satsu replied. “I thought it would lead you to the mask.”

Hiro heard the ring of truth in Satsu's words, but knew—with frustration—he could not trust the actor's honesty.

“Please understand,” Satsu continued, “Emi couldn't have stolen the mask alone. Botan kept it hidden away in his personal chamber. No woman could have entered there and taken a mask without someone noticing. Someone had to help—” He looked at Yuji.

“I didn't help her steal it.” Yuji sounded offended. “Someday, the mask will be mine. Why would I steal from the troupe I plan to lead?”

“Because you loved her,” Hiro said, “or so you told me yesterday, when you attempted to recover your golden token.”

Nori raised her head from her hands and shook it slowly, in disbelief.

Rika glared at her son, dismay and fury written on her face.

“I did not love her,” Yuji said emphatically. “She meant nothing to me.”

Chou gazed at her hands, as if ignoring the conversation.

“Why did you give her a golden coin if you did not care about her?” Hiro asked.

Chou raised her head. “
You
gave her the coin? You swore you didn't. Why did you lie to me?”

“I didn't lie to you,” Yuji protested. “I lied to the samurai and the priest.”

“That much is true,” Hiro confirmed, “though you went to great lengths to persuade us otherwise.”

“You were supposed to love me,” Chou insisted. “Not Emi.”

“I didn't love her,” Yuji said. “It wasn't my fault . . .” He trailed off as if he realized the words were not convincing Chou.

She turned her face away, and her eyes grew red.

Nori's tears began to flow at her daughter's anguish. She turned to Rika. “You call my daughter names, but your son disgraces himself and shames our family by association.”

Rika pressed her lips together. For once, she didn't argue.

“I did not have an affair with Emi,” Yuji declared. “I didn't love her. This I swear.”

“Then why did you confess to all of it yesterday?” Hiro asked.

Chou let out a choking sob and covered her mouth with her hands. Nori laid a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder.

Satsu rose to his feet. “Did you come to speak the truth or just to throw more kindling on a fire? I no longer care who killed my daughter. She is gone, as is the mask. Neither will return to me. Please go.”

Father Mateo stood up and walked to the common room door, but instead of leaving he turned to face the room. “Like Hiro, I regret your distress, but no one is leaving until we have shared the information we came to deliver.”

The Jesuit had positioned himself directly in front of the door, blocking the exit.

“I lied.” Yuji looked nervous. “I lied about the affair and the coin. I simply wanted the gold.”

Chou shook her head, sending a tear down her cheek. “You lied to
me
. Emi told me you gave her the coin.”

“That's impossible.” Yuji shook his head. “I didn't . . . When did she say that?'”

“The night she died.” Chou no longer tried to stop her tears. Her nose turned red. “She said she had the coin because of you. That you helped her so she could leave Kyoto. She said you did it because you wanted her instead of me.”

Nori's tears increased. She shook her head as if unable to believe what she was hearing.

“I have no money,” Yuji said, “and if I did, I wouldn't waste it on Emi. You must believe me. It's the truth. You are the woman I intend to marry.”

Chou sniffled and wiped her tears. “I do believe you. And I forgive you. Emi cannot cause us trouble anymore.”

“Because you killed her,” Hiro said.

Nori gasped. Yuji's eyes flew open in shock, and Rika's mouth fell open.

CHAPTER 52

Only Satsu did not react to Hiro's words.

“Satsu,” Nori pleaded, “tell him this cannot be so.”

The actor shook his head. “I'm sorry. That, I cannot say.”

“But . . . she's your daughter also. Please . . .” Nori reached for her husband, but her hands fell short.

Satsu sighed heavily. “Please proceed with the explanation.”

Nori shook her head in protest. She turned pleading eyes on Chou, but her daughter simply looked away.

“Satsu knows Chou killed her sister,” Hiro said.

“How?” Rika asked. The others seemed too shocked to say a word.

Satsu nodded. “She is the only killer who would leave the coin behind.”

“I came to the same conclusion,” Hiro said. “She could not bear to see Emi with a prize that Yuji gave her, but she could not take it off the body, either. Yuji might see it and know what she had done.”