Genba pulled Ohiro closer and stepped back. “There’s some mistake. That matter’s been cleared up.”

It did no good. The constables wrapped them in chains in a moment.

Genba did not fight them. He pleaded with the sergeant, “I didn’t kill him. And Ohiro wasn’t anywhere near Tokuzo’s place.”

“Ah! But we just got new evidence!” The sergeant grinned and pointed a thumb over his shoulder at the celebrants, who were watching anxiously from the distance. “Seems like you two stole the contracts and handed them around to the other girls.”

“That’s not true.”

The sergeant ignored this. “Search her place,” he commanded. Two of his men went into Ohiro’s room. Genba thanked the Buddha Ohiro had burned the contract. Of course, the other women probably had not. Who had pointed the finger at them?

Ohiro voiced her own suspicion. “Who told you such lies about us?” she demanded.

“We’ll soon find out if they were lies,” the sergeant told her. “We’ve got ways of dealing with scum like you.”

The constable emerged empty-handed. “Not there.”

“Search them!”

What followed was humiliating and painful. The five constables conducted a body search of Genba and Ohiro that was both thorough and rough. In the case of Ohiro, it was also sadistic. They stripped off most of her clothes and groped her, squeezing and joking about a woman’s secret places. Genba writhed helplessly in his chains, turning his wrists and ankles bloody. Ohiro bore it silently, but she wept.

Then they marched them away, past the crowd of silent watchers. Ohiro still half-naked, and Genba bloody and glowering. As they passed the others, the sergeant said, “We’ll come back for you thieving hussies later.”

Saburo Dismissed

“So Minamoto Masaie was in the capital when his daughter died. Good work, Tora.”

Tora sat across from his master and grinned. “Thanks, sir. It was nothing. His cook makes the best fish soup I’ve ever tasted.” He added with a chuckle, “I’m afraid she had plans for me. I had to tell her I was married and a father. That seemed to discourage her a bit, but I’m not sure she’ll keep her hands off me next time.”

Akitada cast up his eyes. “No doubt you’ll manage,” he said dryly. “I think we may need to consult her again. Her fondness for the young woman makes her likely to be helpful. I wish we could tell her of our suspicions. What did you think of her attitude toward the father?”

“Well, being fond of the daughter, she hasn’t much good to say of the father. She blames him for what’s happened. And she really dislikes the brother. Says both were hateful and talked cruelly about Lady Masako after the scandal. Calling her names.”

“Really? I assume the cook thinks her death was suicide.”

“Yes. Says the father’s to blame. Berating his daughter for failing with the emperor is what caused her to jump off the cliff.”

Akitada grimaced. “She has a very loose tongue for a servant.”

“She loved the girl and is very angry.”

“Didn’t she know about the affair?”

“She knew, but she thinks her lady’s unhappiness made her a prey for the prince. She thinks His Majesty and Lord Masaie both are to blame. They didn’t protect her against overeager young men, it seems.” Tora smirked a little.

“The prince is my age,” Akitada said dryly. “Hardly an eager young man any longer.” Sitting here in his study and looking around at his father’s books and his own, and at the few scroll paintings he had gathered on his many journeys, he felt that most of his life was already over. Yes, he had once been eager. But also foolish, he reminded himself. The prince, it appeared had never grown up.

“Let’s call him a man in the prime of his life then.” Tora grinned at his master.

That got a chuckle and a headshake, but Akitada sobered quickly. “The woman isn’t far wrong, though. Lady Masako became a victim when she left her father’s house and entered the imperial apartments. There’s enough blame to go around. The prince is a notorious womanizer, as I know from a past incident. He probably forced his attentions on her. The father, on the other hand, played politics with his daughter. And His Majesty was openly uninterested in her. He is, of course, still very young and cannot be expected to handle such situations diplomatically. And where was the young woman’s mother? Why wasn’t she more supportive under the circumstances?”

“According to the cook, she’s a timid mouse. Come to think of it, it’s surprising that a man like Lord Masaie, who seems to keep his womenfolk in fear, should have spoiled his daughter with so much love and attention.”

Akitada snorted. “Love?”

“Oh, Cook says he doted on her. Preferred her to his son, taught her to ride and shoot like a man, then offered her to the emperor. I bet when he found out about her and the prince, he snapped like the string on a bow.”

“Well, I wouldn’t call that love, but you’re quite right about the probable reaction. But would he have killed his own child?”

Tora made a face. “Maybe. Yes, I think he might have. Thinking she’s dishonored his name or something. Or maybe he had her killed. Yes. What do you think?”

“I don’t know, Tora. I’d like to meet the man. It seems inconceivable that a father could do such a thing.” He thought of his own little girl and shook his head. He definitely did not want her to go to the palace when she grew up. Never. But then he was not Masaie. “But killing her didn’t really prevent the scandal.” He frowned, then added, “It’s very interesting that he has returned to the capital, bringing only soldiers and a cook.”

“Why?”

“I’m not sure. It looks as though he was in a hurry and expected trouble. But it may mean nothing. Much as your cook blames her master, it’s too early to call anyone a killer.”

They did not miss Genba. Everyone assumed he was celebrating by spending the night with Ohiro.

Akitada was discussing the day’s chores with Saburo when he discovered that Genba had not spent the night in his room. Saburo thought he had probably celebrated by staying with Ohiro. Akitada was shaking his head at this when Tora showed in Superintendent Kobe.

Akitada saw at a glance that something unpleasant had occurred but thought of Kosehira. He told Saburo he could leave, but Kobe stopped him.

“It concerns Genba,” he said in a tight voice. “He’s in more trouble, and this time I frankly don’t know if we can extricate him. Saburo may be helpful.”

“Please sit down.” Akitada looked from one to the other. “I take it this concerns the murder of the brothel keeper?”

“Tokuzo. Yes. It appears someone stole the women’s contracts from his house the night after the murder. The thief may also have taken a great deal of gold. Today these contracts were returned to the women, who promptly started a street celebration that alerted the constables. When the police arrived and learned about the reason for the party, they looked for Genba and found him with the young woman he intends to marry. Given the fact that Genba had threatened the man the night before the murder for beating his girlfriend, the theft of the contracts is being laid at his door also. Genba clearly had a better motive than anyone else.”

Akitada noticed that Saburo had paled. The scars on his face stood out sharply. He met Akitada’s eyes and nodded his head slightly.

In view of Saburo’s involvement, Akitada was at a loss for a moment. He could hardly tell the superintendent about this. It would simply suggest that Genba was the instigator.

Kobe noted both his hesitation and Saburo’s guilty reaction. “I see,” he said heavily. “I had hoped you two would clear Genba and the girl.”