Once back in the street, he breathed easier. He could not resist the urge to check on Michiko at her place. Somewhat to his surprise, he found her there waiting for him.
"So," he snarled, scowling ferociously, "are you finally done pleasuring that bastard from the silk shop?"
"What? Kurata? Are you mad? I was engaged to play for a party of rice dealers."
"I saw him touching you. He wanted you all right. And you went with him to his room."
"I did not. I went along only as far as the back door. There's a shortcut to the restaurant behind the Willow. The rice dealers were waiting there. But I admit Kurata was acting a bit strange tonight. He's never paid any attention to me before. Anyway, I don't like him. He's not a nice man."
"Then you should've told him off!" Tora grumbled, eyeing her doubtfully.
Michiko opened her mouth to defend herself, then began to giggle. "Oh, Tora! You're jealous!" Her voice became husky with emotion. "My big tiger! Don't you know I shall never want another man as long as you want me?" she said and slipped into his arms.
Thirteen. The Princely Monk
As Kobe had predicted, Hirata's strength seemed to return as soon as the captain left them. He rejected Akitada's offer to take him home, claiming that he had some work to do. "Do not worry," he said, bustling around his office, "I have these bouts of cramping every time something irritating happens. My stomach cannot take aggravation any longer. Fortunately it never lasts very long. Please do not mention the matter to Tamako."
There was little chance of that! Akitada had no intention of making a nuisance of himself by playing the heartbroken suitor before her. But he watched his old friend worriedly, saying, "I don't like your color. You need a long rest. These foolish tricks of Kobe will continue. Why not go home and stay there for a few days? I can easily meet your students and set them some essay topics."
But Hirata was adamant. There was nothing wrong with him but a little occasional discomfort, and Kobe had surely done his worst already. Since he knew he was innocent, he would not concern himself further with Oe's murder. That was much the best way.
So Akitada acquiesced.
The following day Akitada still stewed about Kobe 's outrageous accusations. But he reminded himself that the police captain was not as stupid as he pretended to be. He had found out much more quickly than had Akitada that the examination results had been tainted, and he had linked the matter immediately to Oe's murder. Left to himself, he would surely uncover the rest of the mystery. No doubt his accusations had been tossed about indiscriminately in an effort to gain more information. The method had worked quite well.
Akitada ate his morning rice and then paid the customary visit to his mother, whose manner showed that he had not been forgiven yet. After the usual polite inquiries, he returned to his room where he found Tora chatting with Seimei, who was laying out Akitada's formal gown and cap.
"Good heavens, man," said Akitada when he saw Tora's tired, bloodshot eyes. "I don't believe you slept last night either. Must you celebrate quite so enthusiastically?"
"Sorry, sir."Tora grinned. "I'll try to catch a nap today. It was all in a good cause. I hear you got another gruesome murder to solve. There must be a demon loose at the university."
"Captain Kobe is handling the matter, and I have been discouraged from meddling. I am working on Nagai's case. What did you find out?"
Tora reported first on the kite-flying adventure. "He's a bright little kid and very quick to learn," he said in a surprised tone. "I'd never have believed one of those pampered nobles can run like the wind."
Akitada smiled. "Boys of his class have a good deal of training in sports. They are taught to ride, shoot arrows, use a sword and play football. What about the girl Omaki?"
Tora gave a detailed account of his conversations with the little maidservant and with the umbrella maker's wife. His description of the latter's lifestyle and dubious charms was so lurid that Seimei looked scandalized and Akitada snapped, "Enough! Stick to the facts! It seems to me that she is not likely to be guilty herself, because she could have killed her stepdaughter more conveniently at home. And her single-minded interest in getting paid makes her an unreliable witness. Try to speak to her husband instead."
Tora looked relieved. "Phew! Thank heaven; she's not my type. Well, afterwards I went on to the Big Willow and talked to the auntie there. She knew Omaki had been seeing Rabbit and also that she'd been taking lessons from that lute teacher. She told me the child was Sato's, but just then one of the entertainers, a Madame Sakaki, walked in and got all upset. Come to think of it, the same woman was acting kind of strange the night before when I was asking questions about Omaki and Sato."
"Really? What does this Madame Sakaki look like?"
"Oh, she's a good looker for all she's not that young any more. In her thirties, I'd say. Kind of slim, but not too slim, if you know what I mean. Nice hair, in a bun. Michiko says she's a fine musician, and the auntie seems to like her. Keeps her on because she's married with children and some aged parents to support. After that I had to leave because that swine of a silk merchant came, and all the women rushed to greet him like he was the emperor himself. He has money to spend and so they all made up to him, especially since he'd stayed away a few days. Rumor is he's so henpecked at home that his wife beats him when she catches him chasing skirts. I hope so. Serves the coward right!"
Akitada was getting impatient. "Could we just have the pertinent facts about the murdered girl without your description of the life of prostitution?"
Seimei snorted.
"Well,"Tora reminded him, "you sent me there yourself. I was just trying to find out stuff for you. Maybe you should go there yourself and get the whole picture. Anyway, I went back to the umbrella maker's. They'd all gone to bed and I climbed into the dead girl's room." Tora described what he had found and produced the brocade card case with a flourish.
Akitada was pleased. "This looks like the same brocade as the sash she was strangled with," he said. "Too fine and expensive a fabric to be anything but a gift from a wealthy man."
"I know," nodded Tora. "That bastard Kurata threw me out of his shop when I tried to buy some for a friend of mine. Seems riffraff like myself can't touch stuff like that."
Akitada raised his brows. "The man was rude. Ignore him." He opened the case and shook out the crimson cards. "Quite good writing," he muttered.
"I couldn't read it," said Tora, who was watching him eagerly. "They look like some of those fancy visiting cards you carry about. I thought they might be her lover's. Can you make out the name?"
Akitada chuckled and, passing the cards to Seimei, said, "I am sorry to disappoint you. I expect you thought you had found the murderer's cards. Actually the girl Omaki used these to advertise her skills as a lute player. She refers to herself as the 'Willow Tree Warbler' and says that she can be reached in the wine house by that name."