Just then there was the sound of running feet, and he swung around with a gasp. But it was only some boys. They shouted as they ran past.

Tora frowned. “Something’s happened ahead,” he said. “They’ve sent for the prefect.”

“Must be a murder,” cried the Rat, hopping about excitedly. “We don’t call the prefect for a fight or an accident. Let’s go see!” He disappeared around the next corner, Tora hard on his heels.

Seimei strongly disapproved and followed more slowly. His day had been bad enough already. When he reached the corner, he saw a crowd at the end of the street. Lanterns bobbed, casting shifting shadows. People pressed around a narrow passageway between two old houses with cracked windowless walls, their rotten thatch mottled in the eerie glow from the market beyond. Tora and the Rat were pushing through the chattering crowd and disappeared into the dark passage.

Panic seized Seimei. They had abandoned him among harlots, thieves, and murderers, in a place where people did not bother to call the constables until it was too late. There was a killer loose, perhaps close by, and Seimei had no idea how to get back to the tribunal by himself.

He nervously approached the outer fringes of the crowd. A slatternly-looking young woman with a bawling child was talking to an old crone. “Serves the whore right,” she said with callous satisfaction. “One of her tricks, I bet. Filthy harlots. Women like her go after every man they can grab, even perverts.”

“They say he slit her throat from ear to ear,” said the crone.

Seimei shuddered. A very low crime. But he had no choice. He had to find Tora. He cleared his throat nervously.

The woman with the child turned, saw his blue robe and black hat, and said, “It’s the prefect! Let him pass!” The crowd parted and Seimei walked forward quickly, trying to look as official as possible. He scurried through the dark passageway and came to a torch-lit courtyard.

It was quieter here. More lanterns gleamed and dim lights shone from doors on the upper and lower floors. People were leaning on the railings and sitting on rickety stairs. They gave Seimei curious stares but quickly lost interest. The courtyard was covered with garbage, and ragged clothing dried on the railings. The air was smoky and odorous from cooking fires.

In the middle of the yard, a small group of people was looking up at a door on the second floor. Someone had hung a lantern near it. Its light shone on the red-patterned curtain.

Tora was not in sight, but the Rat stood leaning against a post. Seimei joined him. “What happened?” he asked. “Where is Tora?”

The Rat looked uncharacteristically glum. “Gone up for a look,” he wheezed, nodding toward the red curtain. “Looks like somebody finally did for the poor skirt.”

A fat woman in a dirty black silk dress was sitting on the steps gasping for breath and moaning. Two female friends supported her on either side, fanning her face and taking turns talking earnestly to her.

“Was that woman attacked, too?” Seimei asked.

“No. That’s the landlady. Nosy female came home and noticed the red curtain, so she went to look. Hah! Did she get a surprise, old cat!”

“She found the dead woman?”

“Yeah. She also found out what made the curtain red.”

Seimei looked up at the curtain and gulped. The cloth flapping heavily in a gust of icy wind had left lurid stains on the plaster of the wall.

Tora came down the stairs, his heavy boots echoing hollowly across the courtyard. He walked over to speak to the landlady.

Seimei had had enough of this nightmare assignment. Now Tora was getting them involved in this disgusting crime. Walking across the yard, he seized Tora’s arm and shook it. “Come along, Tora,” he said sharply. “We have no time to waste on sordid murders that don’t concern us. Let us go this instant!”

Tora looked at him blankly. “In a moment,” he said and turned back to the landlady. “On the next major street, you say, but one block over?”

“Tora!” Seimei stamped his foot and raised his voice. “You forget your place. We have no business with these people. No doubt this sort of thing is common around here. Foul-smelling things attract flies, they say. Let’s finish our assignment and return to the tribunal, where our master is waiting. I am worn out with all this walking around slums.”

Tora flung around. Taking Seimei by the shoulders, he lifted him off the ground. Seimei’s eyes grew large with shock at the fury in Tora’s face. “You silly old fool,” Tora hissed. “You worthless official and servant of worthless officials! What do I care if you’re tired or if you’re too good to rub shoulders with low people? That dead woman up there is Hidesato’s girl, Jasmin, and they’ll arrest him for her murder as soon as they talk to the landlady. I’ve got to go warn him. Now do you understand?”

Seimei nodded several times, and Tora dropped him. “Go back to your precious tribunal. I don’t care,” Tora flung over his shoulder and walked out of the courtyard.

Seimei looked around at the hostile eyes watching him. The Rat turned his back. He had chosen to stay. “Wait, I’m coming,” Seimei shouted and ran.

He had to trot to keep up with Tora’s long strides. After a few minutes, he asked timidly, “What happened to the girl?”

Without slowing down, Tora said hoarsely, “Cut up! Her throat slit all the way to the neck bone. The rest of her ...” He glanced at Seimei and said, “Well, she’s been cut all over. The bastard tied her up and stuffed her shift in her mouth first to keep her from screaming while he had his fun. There’s an awful lot of blood. Puddles of it. Smeared all over the walls and soaked into the curtain! She was bleeding to death before he cut her throat.”

“Horrible!” gasped Seimei. “But why are they saying your friend did it?”

“Because the landlady saw Hidesato with Jasmin. They had a fight. She says the last thing she heard when she was leaving was him shouting, ‘Then you’re better off dead!’“

“People say such things without meaning them.”

“Tell that to the constables and the prefect,” growled Tora. “Officials don’t waste time on dead whores and common soldiers.” They had reached a quiet street, and Tora stopped in front of another tenement. “I guess this is the place. The landlady says Hidesato paid up Jasmin’s rent because she was moving in here with him.”

They found Hidesato sweeping the floor of an empty room. Some rolled-up grass mats stood near the door, and his clothes chest, with his armor and sword lying on top, was pushed against a wall. A brand-new roll of bedding lay in a corner.

“Tora!” Hidesato dropped the broom to embrace Tora, giving Seimei a nod and a smile. “Come in. How’d you find me so quick?” He unrolled the mats and spread them out for them to sit on. “Sorry I haven’t got anything to offer you. I’m getting the place ready for Jasmin!” He smiled happily. “Guess what, Tora. Now that I’ve got a sergeant’s pay, she’s finally given in. I’m going to be a married man.”