She gazed at the voting slip which lay before her, trying to make up her mind what to do. The regular members had cast their votes and folded the papers with practised speed. Just as she was about to set her pen to the paper, she became aware of the intent gaze of the woman from the Three Spirit Faith, who was staring at her hands as if seeking to hypnotise her. And so it was, perhaps, that she cast a negative vote causing the resolution to fail.
It was already past eight pm, but before they could bring the meeting to a close it was necessary to discuss the latest incident involving the master key. Chairman Tanikawa gazed around the table and addressed the group.
‘I think you will all have shared my disgust at learning that the master key disappeared under the very noses of the receptionists. It was bad enough when it happened the first time—you will all know of the incident last month when it was used to gain entry into Miss Yatabe’s room. It’s not good enough for the receptionists merely to express astonishment—I would like to see them at least display concern that such a thing can happen. One would expect a greater show of responsibility, would one not? But so soon after the first incident had brought home to us all the importance of the master key, it vanished again. I ask you, ladies, what next? How could they have failed to notice that the key had been switched? All the excuse they could find was to say that some supernatural agency was at work! Disgraceful, I call it, quite disgraceful!
‘However, there’s no point in shutting the stable door after the horse has gone. Let us rather resolve to identify and weed out the mischief-maker in our midst. I would like the cooperation of each one of you in finding out where the master key has gone.’
She held up something for everyone to see. ‘This is the key which was exchanged for the master key. If you examine it closely, you will see it is exactly like a typical apartment key from this building. I suggest that we concentrate on identifying the owner—how about it?’
‘Well, it certainly looks like an apartment key, but what do you suggest we do?’ asked one of the committee.
‘We could just ask every person in the building to show us her key. However, a large number of people would be involved, and the whole thing would smack of a police investigation, which would not be nice. So I propose instead that we take it in turns to try this key in every door until we find which lock it fits. When we find out who it belongs to, we’ll ask her for a satisfactory explanation.’
Yoneko sat frozen in her seat. She listened in a daze to the even voice of the representative of the fifth floor as she asked the next question. ‘That’s all very well, but surely it is likely to fit several doors?’
This left Miss Tanikawa nonplussed for a moment or two.
‘Yes, well, um… Yes, maybe. Anyway, let’s just try it and see. Obviously, if we can think of a better method, we’ll switch to that when the time comes.’
And the chairman’s proposal was passed unanimously.
‘Well, let’s get started first thing tomorrow. Let’s start on the top floor and work our way down in order. Representatives are to be responsible for their own floors. Let’s try and avoid attracting attention to what we’re doing—try each door only after checking that the occupant is out. It could be embarrassing otherwise.’
‘Most people are out at work in the daytime, but what shall we say to those who aren’t?’
‘In that case, you’ll just have to play innocent. Say something like “Isn’t this your key?” and put it in the lock to see. Well, that will do for today—same time and place next week.’
Miss Tanikawa brought the meeting to a close as quickly as possible before anyone else could protract the proceedings with further discussion.
As Yoneko filed out of the room, she found the third-floor representative, the delegate for the Three Spirit Faith, awaiting her in the corridor. That lady approached her and addressed her in an unpleasant tone of voice.
‘The spirit of His Reverence descended upon you, and was within you, forcing you even against your own will to vote on our side.’
And then she went on to urge Yoneko to attend at least one of the sect’s meetings to see for herself the power of which the elder was possessed.
‘He will ease all your sufferings, however great they may be. Of course, he can heal illnesses or discover lost objects if you ask him to. At present, he is fixing his mind on something that Miss Yatabe on the first floor has mislaid. Next week, he will hold a special prayer session, and I’ve no doubt he’ll reveal where it is then. Anyway, won’t you just join us once?’
Yoneko turned her away with a non-committal reply and made her way back to her room. She had more to think of than religious meetings; however interesting they might seem. She was far more concerned about the resolution at the meeting which could lead to the discovery of her possession of the master key.
If everything proceeded according to schedule, the search would reach the fourth floor in two days’ time. On which day a senior floor representative, Taeko Nakagawa, would return from a visit to the country. And when she did, Yoneko would have to accompany her from room to room, trying the key in every door until it became clear that it was her lock in which it fitted, making public her guilt.
Now she deeply regretted the light-hearted attitude which had led her to switch the master key for her own. Why had she been so short-sighted? Looking back on her own stupidity, she could not think what had come over her to act as she had.
PART SEVEN
After supper, the corridors echoed for a while with the sound of people walking up and down, the clatter of dishes and the splash of running water in the communal washplace. Then silence fell upon the building, to occupy it, usually, for the rest of the night.
Sometimes, one would hear the sound of a radio or the muffled tones of someone practising on the trumpet. But these noises also subsided after a little while, until it became so quiet that one could hear the switches, one by one, being turned off for the night.
It was at about eight o’clock two evenings after the committee meeting. A shadowy figure crept stealthily towards Yoneko’s door, moving secretively as if not wishing to be discovered.
Yoneko was in her room, composing her third letter to her former pupil, Keiko Kawauchi. She pored over the paper on her desk, writing carefully in the dim light of her standard lamp.
Having explained how she had purloined the master key in order to get into Chikako Ueda’s room, she went on to describe that day’s events.
This afternoon, our floor was searched. There were three of us involved—myself, Miss Nakagawa and Miss Tamura from the front desk. We went from door to door, trying it in every lock. Can you imagine your teacher’s feelings, Keiko, as we got closer to my room? I still had no idea of what I would say or do when the truth came out. I suppose I’d have just tried to feign as much astonishment as everyone else when the door swung open. But fortunately things turned out better than that.
You see, we were taking it in turns to try the key, and the lot fell to me for my section of the corridor. Looking as innocent as I could, I stood in front of my own door and tried to turn the key. I must admit I felt pretty scared, but I put on a good act and, as you can imagine, somehow, however hard I tried, I could not make that key turn! Of course, I was in a cold sweat all the time! Well…