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kill him. I don’t know who did.” Ginjiro shifted position as if trying to find a more comfortable one. It didn’t seem to work.
    “Tell us about the argument,” Hiro said.
    Ginjiro coughed, likely due to the acrid fumes rising off the puddle in which he stood. “Chikao’s son, Kaoru, owes me a debt. He promised his father would pay, but the debt has gone so long, and grown so large, that I demanded payment.”
    “Did you ask Chikao before you extended credit to his son?” Father Mateo asked.
    “No.” Ginjiro shook his head. “Why would I? Sons don’t use their fathers’ credit without permission.”
    “Kaoru did,” Hiro said.
    Ginjiro nodded. “So I discovered. At first, Kaoru denied the debt and accused me of cheating his father, but his attitude changed as soon as I showed my ledger. Chikao requested a chance to pay the debt down over time. I agreed, but told him I wouldn’t support his application to join the brewers’ guild until he paid the debt in full.”
    “This happened last night?” Hiro asked.
    “No.” Ginjiro scratched his ear. “That happened about a week ago. After that, I considered the matter closed. Then yesterday, around midday, Kaoru tried to buy a cask of my sake for the Lucky Monkey.”
    “Kaoru alone?” Hiro asked. “His father wasn’t with him?”
    “Not the first time,” Ginjiro said. “Kaoru explained that his father wanted a better grade of sake, to serve along with the one they brew. I refused to sell, because of the debt, and Kaoru started making threats. He said I’d lose my daughter, my shop, and everything else I owned.”
    “That’s a serious threat,” Father Mateo said. “Did you call the police?”
    Ginjiro raised his hands. “If I reported every drunk who threatened my business, the magistrate would need to post a d ō shin outside my shop on a permanent basis. Kaoru is rude and obnoxious, but matters like this are better resolved in private.
    “After Kaoru’s visit, I sent a message to the Lucky Monkey, warning Chikao that he needed to keep his son away from my brewery.” Ginjiro paused. “Chikao sent a message back, begging me not to involve the guild. He promised to make a payment toward the debt that very night. I didn’t believe him, but yesterday evening he showed up as promised, along with Kaoru.
    “Chikao started to make a payment, but Kaoru objected. Once again, he claimed that I inflated the bill unfairly. When I produced the ledger, he tried to snatch it from my hands. That’s when Chikao pulled Kaoru back and asked me to speak with them privately.”
    “That’s not what I heard,” Hiro said. “You told Chikao to go into the alley, not the other way around.”
    “I named the place,” Ginjiro said, “but only after Chikao asked to speak with me in private.”
    “Why did you wait to report the debt and the threats to the brewers’ guild?” Hiro asked.
    “The za will not admit a man whose sons or apprentices act in a shameful manner,” Ginjiro said. “Chikao is a hardworking man with a spoiled son. It seemed unfair to punish him—and also Ren—for Kaoru’s indiscretions.”
    “What happened in the alley?” Hiro asked.
    “Chikao pulled out his purse, but Kaoru snatched it from him.” Ginjiro looked at the ground. “At that point, I lost my temper.”
    After a pause so long that Hiro doubted the brewer would finish the story, Ginjiro said, “The argument escalated. Kaoru wouldn’t return the purse, no matter what his father said. Eventually, he left the alley, taking the money with him. Chikao pursued him down the street. I followed only as far as the mouth of the alley.”
    Ginjiro looked at the ground as if ashamed.
    Hiro said, “You yelled something after them.”
    Ginjiro nodded. “Yes. I said, ‘You will regret this foolishness. I’ll get my money, no matter what I have to do.’”

 
    Chapter 14
    Ginjiro turned pleading eyes on Father Mateo. “You must believe me, I didn’t intend the words as a threat to