“Mother!” Sano was glad to see her home, but disturbed by her condition. “What’s happened?”
“There was a fire near the jail,” Marume said. “The prisoners were let out.”
The law stated that when fire threatened the jail, the prisoners must be freed, to save their lives. It was a rare instance of mercy toward criminals, due to the Great Fire, when the main neighborhood gate near Kodemmacho was closed to prevent the prisoners from escaping. All the prisoners, and many neighborhood residents-some twenty thousand people-had been trampled and killed in the crush at the gate. Now prisoners were released under strict orders to return when the fire was out. Usually they did, with a few notable exceptions.
“Mother, are you all right?” Sano asked anxiously.
Her eyes welled huge and black. They seemed to look through Sano at horrors visible to her alone. “The fire is coming,” she cried. “We have to go across the river before it’s too late.”
She was reliving the Great Fire, Sano thought. As the detectives carried her down the passage and he accompanied them, he asked, “Was she hurt?”
“No,” Fukida said. “Dr. Ito sent her to the castle with the men you left to guard her. We saw them waiting in the line to get inside. We brought her here.”
“I’m grateful,” Sano said, “but how did you get her past the sentries?”
“I talked them into letting her in,” Marume said.
“Good work.” Sano could imagine the fast talking and intimidation that Marume must have employed.
“It helped that there’s a lot of confusion in the castle,” Fukida said as he and Marume maneuvered the litter around a corner. “Everyone is running around like ants whose hill has been stepped on. What’s the matter?”
“The shogun found out that Lord Matsudaira has been trying to take over,” Hirata said. “Lord Matsudaira is under house arrest.”
The detectives set down the litter in the guest chamber and stared in disbelief. “Well, well, I guess we’ve been away too long,” Fukida said to Marume.
“We didn’t find any witnesses, and we missed all the fun,” Marume lamented. “How did it happen?”
“I’ll fill you in.” Hirata led the men out of the room, leaving Sano to tend to his mother.
The door between the room and the adjacent one slid open. Sano saw Reiko standing on the other side. Behind her, the children sat with Lieutenant Asukai and their old nurse, O-sugi. Everyone beheld Sano and his mother with surprise.
“Grandma’s back,” Masahiro said, rising from the table where he’d been playing chess with Lieutenant Asukai.
He ran over to her, and Akiko followed, leaving her dolls with O-sugi. When Sano’s mother muttered and wailed, the children backed away, puzzled and curious.
Reiko was relieved to see her mother-in-law out of jail, but the old woman’s condition and Sano’s expression made it obvious that all was not exactly well. “What happened?”
Sano explained about the fire, then told her how and why Lord Matsudaira had been arrested.
“I know about Lord Matsudaira,” Reiko said. “Lieutenant Asukai heard and told me.”
Since then, Reiko had not let the children out of her sight. She’d kept Lieutenant Asukai and O-sugi with them for additional protection. They were the only people in the household that she could completely trust.
So far nothing had happened, but of course not enough time had passed for Lord Matsudaira’s plan to be set in action.
“Do you think Lord Matsudaira will fall?” she asked, hopeful that he would before his assassins could strike.
“I’m not going to count on it,” Sano said, “and I’m not off the hook yet.” He told Reiko about how he and Hirata had found the tutor dead. “Not only do I now have two murders to solve, I’m a suspect in this one, even though Lord Arima has been implicated. As long as it’s his word against mine and that of two men who are dead, my name will never be clear.”
The fear that had plagued Reiko since she’d heard of Lord Matsudaira’s plan resurged in the wake of her disappointed hope.
“In the meantime, we’d better make my mother comfortable,” Sano said.
“I’ll fetch a maid to fix her bed,” Masahiro volunteered.
“No!” Reiko said. “Stay here!”
Sano’s and Masahiro’s eyebrows flew up in surprise at her sharp tone. Reiko said, “I’ll make the bed. Masahiro, you can help.”
“All right,” Masahiro said.
While Akiko returned to her nurse and her dolls, he and Reiko hauled the futon out of the cabinet and laid down quilts. Sano loosened the blanket around his mother, lifted her from the litter, and eased her into bed. Reiko drew the quilt over her, noticing how much weight she’d lost in the past few days.
“Can I go now?” Masahiro said. “My friends from Papa’s army are coming to say good night to me, and I want to talk to them before I go to bed.”
He’d made friends among Sano’s younger troops, whose company he preferred to boys his own age. Reiko had never minded before; she and Sano had thought they were good examples for him. Now she feared that Lord Matsudaira’s assassins numbered among them.
“No,” she said.
“Why not?” Masahiro was disappointed.
“Yes,” Sano said.
His word overruled Reiko’s. As Masahiro ran off, Reiko told Lieutenant Asukai, “Go with him. Don’t let him out of your sight.”
When she and Sano were alone with his mother, Sano said, “Why are you keeping Masahiro on such a tight rein?”
Now was the time for Reiko to tell Sano what she’d heard. “He’s in danger.”
“That’s nothing new. I seem to remember that Lord Matsudaira did have him kidnapped.”
“But Lord Matsudaira doesn’t just want to kidnap Masahiro,” Reiko said. “He wants to kill him, and you and me and Akiko.”
“Well, I wouldn’t be surprised,” Sano said. “As far as he’s concerned, we’re all fair game, and with what happened to him today, he must really want our blood.” Sano’s gaze wandered, and Reiko could tell he was thinking of the other problems he needed to solve. “But don’t you think the children are as safe as possible? Why start being extra vigilant?”
“Because Lord Matsudaira has nine assassins planted among your men. They’re under orders to kill us all!”
Sano refocused his gaze sharply on her. “How do you know?”
“Lieutenant Asukai has a friend among Lord Matsudaira’s bodyguards, who overheard Lord Matsudaira talking about his plans.”
Shock opened Sano’s mouth. Then he blew out his breath. “Well, thank the gods for friends in the right places. And thank Lieutenant Asukai for this valuable bit of intelligence.” Then he shook his head, and Reiko saw anguish in his eyes. “So the enemy has spread farther into our midst. Nine more of my men are traitors and assassins.”
Reiko hated to be the messenger of such upsetting news, but at least she’d made Sano aware of the threat. “Now you understand why Masahiro and Akiko are in danger at home. What are we going to do?”
“I’ll find out who those nine traitors are,” Sano said, harsh with determination. “In the meantime, I’ll have Detectives Marume and Fukida guard the children.”
“How do you know you can trust them?”
“How do you know you can trust Lieutenant Asukai?” Sano countered.
“He’s been my bodyguard for years,” Reiko said. “I have no doubt of his loyalty.”
“Marume and Fukida have served me for years,” Sano said. “I’ve never doubted their loyalty, either.”
He and Reiko gazed at each other in dismay that they dared not trust anyone in their household. Sano’s vast army offered no security; it harbored nine assassins, hiding like snakes in a forest. The walls that repelled attacks from outside couldn’t protect Sano and his family from treachery within. Until the traitors were caught, none of them was safe.
“I can’t stay home and watch over the children. I still have to clear my mother’s name, not to mention my own.” Sano sounded torn between conflicting responsibilities. “Or else we’re dead even if Lord Matsudaira’s assassins don’t get us.” He rose. “You’ll have to guard Masahiro and Akiko.”
“With my life,” Reiko vowed. “Where are you going?”
“To take care of some business. Will you be all right?”
Even though consumed by fear for her children and hating to see Sano leave, Reiko nodded. At least their shared trouble had put their quarrel behind them, and they were reunited.