When they had gathered around, Akitada said, “Hamaya, Seimei, and I have drawn up the documents appointing me high constable. Notices will be posted all over the city. This step will allow me to assume command over the garrison and declare a state of emergency if necessary. It may also convince the people that Uesugi power can be broken. I checked the law carefully and studied similar cases and believe the action is unusual but perfectly legal. The circumstances certainly make it necessary. We are trying to foil a conspiracy against imperial authority in this province.”

Hitomaro grunted. “That’s where that judge fits in, sir. Remember his talk about a new ruler? And Chobei is up to his neck in the plot of the mutilated corpse. I saw his face when we found the body at the gate. He’s working for Hisamatsu now, a man who has a whole library of Chinese texts and could have written the note that was pinned to the dead man. And that reminds me.” He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a piece of paper. “I helped myself to a sample when I was in Hisamatsu’s house.”

Akitada took it and nodded. “It looks like the same paper. Have Hamaya compare it later. From what you told me about Hisamatsu it seems likely he wrote this, but he does not strike me as the sort of man who could organize a conspiracy of the complexity and seriousness of this one. There is more than a touch of madness here.”

The possibility of an uprising against the emperor was frightening. Without military support, they, were helpless to avert it. One thing seemed certain to Akitada: When he failed in his duties, he did so spectacularly. Freshly assigned to a post which had seemed an open door to rapid promotion, he was about to lose the province to the enemy. Unless they fled, they would also lose their lives, of course, but there was no point in dwelling on that detail.

Hiding his fears, he said, “Much depends on Captain Takesuke, of course, and on Uesugi himself. And let’s not forget Sunada. I wonder what that rascal’s part is in all of this, and what a small-time crook like Koichi wanted from him. A pity Kaibara is dead. He would have had answers. Who shot him? And why? His killer may have saved my life, but what if that was not his real purpose?” He frowned. “I wish there weren’t so many pieces missing. Do you know what this situation reminds me of? The shell matching game my sisters used to play. I feel that it’s my play and I don’t know which piece to turn over.”

Tora and Hitomaro looked blank, but Oyoshi nodded. “A very good comparison, sir.” He explained, “The shells are plain on the outside but hide pictures on the inside. For each picture there is a matching one in only one other shell. The object is to find the match. Well, sir, we have just matched our first shell by identifying the mutilated corpse. Will you let the other players know?”

“Yes, perhaps that is the logical next move. There will be a court hearing later. Tora, go tell Hamaya to make the arrangements.”

“But you are wounded,” protested Hitomaro.

Akitada refrained from pointing out that his shoulder was a small matter compared to their all being slaughtered by the Uesugi. “Never mind,” he said. “I shall rest till then. I’m perfectly capable of conducting a brief hearing. Tell Kaoru to have Mrs. Sato brought in.”

Oyoshi poured some tea and added one of his powders. Stirring, he said, “This should dull the pain a little and let you rest.”

Akitada smiled his thanks, swallowed the draft, and closed his eyes as the others stole from the room.

♦

The crowd in the hall was smaller and more subdued than last time, and they watched him intently. Akitada saw them through a haze. What Oyoshi had given him for the pain unfortunately made him see and hear everyone as if from a great distance. He also felt flushed and uncomfortably warm.

He began the session by announcing his new status. When the crowd began to buzz, he rapped his baton sharply, calling for the prisoners and the witnesses in the Sato case.

Kaoru knelt and reported that Mrs. Sato had claimed to be too ill to appear.

Akitada shifted irritably and winced. “Arrest her,” he said. The crowd whispered like wind rustling through dry grasses. He pulled himself together. “We will start with the fishmonger’s case.”

When two constables dragged in Goto, a new wave of excitement rippled through the onlookers. Goto was in chains but drew courage from them.

“This person,” he cried when he faced Akitada, “wishes to complain about the cruel treatment he’s received. I’m an honest citizen and pay my taxes, but I was beaten and chained, and then thrown in jail like a criminal. Me, a poor shopkeeper who’s never been in trouble with the law! Meanwhile my brother’s body lies someplace, cut to pieces, without a proper burial, and his killer is smiling while I suffer. Is that justice?”

The crowd buzzed their support. One of the constables kicked Goto in the back of the legs, shouting, “Kneel!”

Goto fell to his knees with a loud wail. The crowd became noisy.

“Silence!” Akitada shouted, rapping his baton again. He felt unaccountably weak and languid. He looked for Kaoru and saw that constables moved among the people to control them. Gradually it became quiet. Akitada turned his attention back to the fishmonger. “State the case against this man, Sergeant.”

Kaoro announced, “This man is called Goto and is a fishmonger in this city. He stands accused of having lied to this tribunal and of having falsely accused one Kimura of murder.”

“What? I never lied ...” Goto’s outraged protest died with a kick from his guard.

Kaoru continued impassively, “He identified a body found outside the tribunal gate three days ago as that of his brother Ogai, a soldier absent without leave from the local garrison.”

Akitada asked the prisoner, “Do you persist in your identification?”

Goto cried, “It’s my brother, I swear it.”

“Have the maid brought in!” Akitada commanded.

The maid of the Golden Carp marched past the crowd with a smile of self-assurance. Akitada saw that she was a sturdy, plain woman with a knowing look on her face. Near the dais she passed Tora and stopped with a gasp. Tora kept his eyes carefully fixed on a corner of the hall. The maid looked outraged. Putting her hands on her hips, she cried, “So this is where you’ve been hiding out, you lying dog! If I’d known that you were a stinking spy for the tribunal, I’d have made you wish you were bedding a rabid monkey instead.”

There was a moment of stunned silence, then a ripple of laughter started and crude jokes flew back and forth. Akitada bit his lip and rapped his baton on the boards while Kaoru started for the girl.

Tora was crimson. Satisfied with the scene she had created, the maid spat on his boots and walked to the dais.

There she knelt, bowed deeply, and said, “This humble person is called Kiyo. She works as a maid at the Golden Carp. She apologizes for having lost her temper with a lying dog.”