Seimei shook a finger at Tora. “That woman is a she-devil. Let it be a lesson to you not to run after every skirt you see. Not all pockmarks are dimples, you know.”

Tora muttered something under his breath and left.

When Hitomaro walked in a little later he was accompanied by a middle-aged female with sharp features and quick eyes. She twitched a silk scarf on her head into place and gave Akitada an ingratiating smile.

“This is Mrs. Omeya, sir.” Hitomaro’s voice was clipped, his face expressionless. “She stopped the maid Kiyo outside the tribunal and engaged her in conversation.” He paused and swallowed. “I happen to know Mrs. Omeya. She runs a house of assignation behind the Fox Shrine.”

Akitada gave him a sharp look, but Hitomaro would not meet his eyes.

The woman raised a protest. “A house of assignation? No! The honorable lieutenant is making a mistake.” She knelt and bowed several times, bobbing up and down before Akitada. “I’m a poor widow,” she said, “and the house, which my late husband left me, is my only source of income. I rent rooms to respectable single women. One of them has, it appears, fallen in love with this handsome officer and somehow caused him to make such a mistake. I assure your Excellency that I was not aware of improprieties between them till recently, and that I will not permit his visits any longer.”

Akitada saw panic on Hitomaro’s face. He bit his lip and asked the woman, “Why did you stop the maid Kiyo on the street?”

“The girl works for an acquaintance of mine. I merely passed the time of day.”

Akitada raised his eyebrows but did not comment. He told Hitomaro to take Mrs.’ Omeya away and make her comfortable and to bring Tora and Kaoru back with him.

Hitomaro saluted.

When he returned with Tora and their new sergeant, Akitada sent Hitomaro to find Judge Hisamatsu and bring him in for questioning. He hoped that the errand would keep him away until nightfall.

“Our trap worked,” Akitada informed the other two when Hitomaro had left. “Hitomaro brought in a Mrs. Omeya who keeps a house of assignation. It’s behind the Fox Shrine and I have no doubt that you will find our elusive widow installed there. Go and arrest her.”

“Sir,” said Tora, “isn’t that where Hito’s ... ?” He faltered unhappily.

Akitada compressed his lips. He said pointedly, “Hitomaro has left for another assignment. Be quick about this. I intend to wrap up the Sato case during this afternoon’s session.”

The reports from Takata were that all was quiet, but Akitada had new worries to add to his fears of another Uesugi attack. When he entered the tribunal hall, he glanced nervously about. The session was well attended, and this time the crowd was respectful and orderly. Again, Hitomaro was absent, but this time Akitada had sent him on an errand because he wanted him out of the way. But Tora stood by and Kaoru awaited his signal. Akitada rapped his baton and started proceedings.

“Bring in the prisoner, Sergeant!” he called out.

An anticipatory hush fell. When Kaoru reappeared, leading the widow Sato by a chain which tied her wrists behind her back, whispers passed through the crowd. Mrs. Sato looked pale and wild, her silk gown torn and her long black hair disheveled, but she was, if anything, more beautiful than before. When she reached the dais, she stumbled and began to weep loudly.

Akitada had decided to handle the woman with the greatest care. He relied heavily, and perhaps unreasonably, on her wish to appear cooperative. “Untie the prisoner!” he ordered.

Kaoru obeyed and announced in a loud voice, “The widow Sato, wanted for questioning in the murder of her husband. She was found hiding in a house of assignation behind the Fox Shrine. The owner of the premises was not home.”

“No, oh, no,” wailed the widow, dropping to her knees and wringing her hands, “I wasn’t hiding. I’m not a fugitive. I was a prisoner held against my will by that evil woman. I have suffered unspeakable things there.”

What now? An excited buzz went through the crowd. Those in front pressed forward to see and hear better. Akitada frowned. “Explain yourself!”

The widow sat back on her feet and dabbed at her face with a torn sleeve. “Forgive this poor, foolish female, sir,” she said, giving him a pitiable glance before lowering her lashes: “I’m ashamed to come before you like this—dishonored, dirty, unclean, foul.” She suddenly slipped her gown off her shoulders, revealing white breasts covered with bloody scratches. “Look!” she cried. The crowd pressed forward.

Though common sense told him that this was another act and the scratches were most likely self-inflicted, Akitada recoiled.

Kaoru stepped forward and smacked her sharply across the face with the back of his hand. She gasped and collapsed sobbing. The crowd muttered.

Akitada, feeling his ears burn with embarrassment, growled, “Make yourself decent. You are in a tribunal. You will either speak calmly and keep your clothes on or be removed for another flogging.”

She sat and pulled up her gown. “Forgive me, your Excellency,” she murmured. “I am not myself. First my poor husband is murdered, and then that demon Omeya let her accomplice torture me. Knowing well that I was alone and without protection, she lured me into her brothel by offering me free music lessons. I thought they would ease my grief and accepted. I studied the lute with her, always in the daytime, until one day a man accosted me as I was leaving.” She looked around the room as if she expected to see him there. “Mrs. Omeya suggested a meeting, but I refused. Then, three days ago, after a lesson, she offered me a cup of wine. I accepted out of courtesy.” She shuddered a little. “The wine must have been drugged because, when I woke up, I was lying naked on the floor, and the man who had accosted me was raping me.” She covered her face with her sleeve and burst into fresh tears.

Akitada saw the avid faces of the crowd and rapped his baton. He knew now that she was blackmailing him, but he was helpless to prevent it.

She raised her head and continued in a trembling voice, “After that night I was locked up. The same man returned again and again and she forced me to submit to him for unspeakable and painful acts. If I refused, they beat me or held a candle to my face or feet till I screamed and submitted. He enjoyed hurting me. Each time he came, the old woman greeted him and took money from him. When I called her a devil, she laughed in my face, saying, ‘Better be polite, or worse things will happen to you.’“ She bowed. “That is my story, your Excellency. I suffered the true torments of hell until your men released me. I ask for justice.”

Akitada did not speak immediately. Whatever he had expected, it was not this. The woman was fiendishly clever. Since her charge must be investigated, another public hearing would have to be called. On that occasion, Akitada had no doubt, she would manage to identify Hitomaro as the man who had raped and tortured her. This would, in turn, cause the maid Kiyo to come forward and bring rape charges against Tora. Thus the two women would effectively discredit not only his staff and administration, but his investigation into her late husband’s murder and, by extension, his authority in this province.