Read Online The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji - Free Book Online

sitting in the rattan chair with one elbow on his crossed legs and looking at him with amusement, for some reason.
    ‘By the way,’ Kawaminami said as he returned the letter to Kōjirō, ‘did you know that some members of the Mystery Club are on Tsunojima right now?’
    ‘No,’ replied Kōjirō, uninterested. ‘I inherited the island and the mansion after my brother’s death, but I sold it to a real estate agent in S—Town last month. He beat down the price a lot, but I had no intention of ever going to that place again anyway. Don’t know what they did with it after that.’
     
     
    3
     
    Kawaminami was obliged to leave because Kōjirō still had work to do that day.
    Just before he left the room, Kawaminami asked about the full bookcases in the back that had caught his attention. Kōjirō explained that, beside his work as social studies teacher at a nearby high school, he was also doing research on Buddhism. With a shy smile, he explained he was researching the “emptiness of the heart” in early Mahayana Buddhism.
    ‘“Emptiness of the heart”?’ Puzzled, Kawaminami looked askance.
    Shimada got up from the rocking chair to explain.
    ‘You’ve heard of the Heart Sūtra, no doubt? The one that goes “Form is Emptiness and Emptiness is Form”? Kō here is researching the meaning of that “emptiness.”’ He approached Kawaminami with a bouncy step and handed back the letter he had been scrutinising.
    ‘How do you write your family name, Kawaminami [vii] ?’ he asked.
    ‘The character for “river,” as when you write “The Yellow River,” combined with the character for “south.”’
    ‘Aha, so kawa and minami —that’s a wonderful name. Kō, I’m going to leave you alone, too. Let’s leave together, Kawaminami.’
     
    *
     
    The two left Kōjirō’s house and walked down the empty street. Shimada clasped his fingers together and stretched his arms. His already lean body looked even taller and slimmer in the black sweater.
    ‘ Conan . Yes, that is really a wonderful name,’ Shimada said as he raised his arms behind his head. He was using the alternative readings for the characters kawa and minami to read the name Kawaminami as Conan [viii] .
    ‘Why did you quit the Mystery Club? At a guess, I’d say the culture  didn’t suit you.’
    ‘You’re right. Good guess.’
    ‘I could read it from your face.’ Shimada grinned. ‘So it wasn’t because you lost interest in mystery fiction, then?’
    ‘I still enjoy reading detective novels.’
    ‘That’s good. I, too, enjoy mystery fiction more than Buddhist texts. Nothing as clear-cut as a detective story. Well, Conan, what about having have a drink with me somewhere?’
    ‘Alright,’ replied Kawaminami, and laughed.
    The road sloped gently downwards. The gentle breeze blowing from the front was filled with the spirit of spring.
    ‘You’re an interesting man, Conan.’
    ‘I am?’
    ‘You came all the way here just because of a letter that might well have been nothing more than a prank.’
    ‘It wasn’t that far.’
    ‘Hm. Actually, I would have done the same if I’d been in your shoes. I have a lot of spare time, you see.’
    Shimada put both hands in the pockets of his black jeans and grinned.
    ‘And you? Do you think it’s all just an elaborate joke?’
    ‘Mr. Kōjirō seems to think it is, but it doesn’t add up,’ Kawaminami replied. ‘Of course, I’m not saying that a ghost wrote those letters. Someone is using the name of the dead man. But there’s been just too much effort put into all of this for it to be a simple prank.’
    ‘Like,  for example?’
    ‘For example, all the letters were typed on a word processor. Getting hold of a word processor just for a prank seems a bit—.’
    ‘But the writer might simply be used to using a word processor. Word processors have become popular in the last couple of years. Kō also has one at his place. He only bought the machine this year, but he’s become quite