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Authors: Robert Goddard
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than the people I know.’
‘Do you know Count Tomura?’
‘I have met him.’
‘What d’you think of him?’
‘A bad choice of enemy.’
‘It wasn’t exactly a choice.’
The secretary returned. There were further exchanges in Japanese. He withdrew again.
‘The police confirm the arrests last night,’ Yamanaka announced. ‘One in Tokyo, two in Yokohama. Two fugitives are sought, one male, one female. All are accused of involvement in the murder of an Englishman named Farngold. The three men arrested were taken by the Kempeitai because they believe the murder was part of a plot against the government.’
‘There’s no plot against the government, sir,’ said Sam. ‘I swear it on my mother’s life.’
‘Not necessary, Mr Twentyman. Once again I believe you. But that does not help you and your friends. What will help is action.’
‘You’ve got something in mind?’
‘I have a question in mind. When did you first see an aeroplane fly?’
‘Me? Why?’
‘Because I would like to know.’
‘Well, that would have been … Hold on.’ Sam snapped his fingers. ‘I told your brother this, when we were trapped in Schools’ apartment in Paris. Thought it’d take our minds off the stew we were in.’
‘And what did you tell him?’
‘Summer of ’09 it was. Walthamstow Marshes. Aviator by the name of Vernon-Roe. There was a big crowd.’
‘Eisaku did not remember his name. But date and place, yes, those are as he said in his letter.’
‘You’re checking up on me, Mr Yamanaka?’
‘Eisaku said I should. Though I do not think anyone could pretend to be you successfully, Mr Twentyman.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
The telephone rang at that moment, sparing Yamanaka the need to reply. He picked up the receiver and spoke for some minutes to someone he seemed to know well. There were many uses of hai and arigato gozaimasu – yes and thank you . Eventually the call ended.
‘What—’ Sam began. But Yamanaka cut him off with a gesture. He seized a sheet of notepaper, dipped his pen in the inkwell and began writing at a furious pace.
‘The man he spoke to is an old friend,’ whispered Chiyoko. ‘He has asked him if he will allow you and Miss Hollander to stay in his house for a few days. The old friend agreed.’
‘What’s he writing now, then?’
‘A letter for Shimizu-san to take to Commissioner Fujisaki at Police Headquarters,’ said Yamanaka, without looking up. ‘He was trained by Commissioner Kuroda, so he will help us as much as he can, I think.’
Yamanaka finished the letter, then wrote another, briefer note, clipped the two together and handed them to Chiyoko. ‘You are willing to do this, Shimizu-san?’
‘Yes. I am.’
‘What are you asking this Fujisaki to do for us, sir?’ asked Sam.
‘As much as he can. Now, the friend I spoke to? He is Professor Nishikawa Hideoto. We were students together. He teaches at Tokyo University. At least, he teaches there when he does not have something better to do. He is … fugawari na hito . He does not … play the game.’
‘Is that good?’
‘It is good for you, Mr Twentyman. And for your friend, Miss Hollander. Nishikawa-sensei is the only man I know who will enjoy keeping a secret such as this. If he believed you were plotting against the government, probably he would congratulate you. His house is in Sendagi, north of the university. You will be safe with him for a while. I will order a car to drive you there now, Mr Twentyman. We will collect Miss Hollander tonight, when it is dark.’ Yamanaka said something to Chiyoko in Japanese, to which she nodded her assent. ‘It is settled, then.’
‘All this is very kind of you, I’m sure, Mr Yamanaka,’ said Sam, ‘but we can’t just hide in your friend’s house.’
‘For the present, you must.’
‘What about Schools and the other two?’
‘I hope Commissioner Fujisaki can do something. But they will not be set free. It has gone too far. A man is
‘Do you know Count Tomura?’
‘I have met him.’
‘What d’you think of him?’
‘A bad choice of enemy.’
‘It wasn’t exactly a choice.’
The secretary returned. There were further exchanges in Japanese. He withdrew again.
‘The police confirm the arrests last night,’ Yamanaka announced. ‘One in Tokyo, two in Yokohama. Two fugitives are sought, one male, one female. All are accused of involvement in the murder of an Englishman named Farngold. The three men arrested were taken by the Kempeitai because they believe the murder was part of a plot against the government.’
‘There’s no plot against the government, sir,’ said Sam. ‘I swear it on my mother’s life.’
‘Not necessary, Mr Twentyman. Once again I believe you. But that does not help you and your friends. What will help is action.’
‘You’ve got something in mind?’
‘I have a question in mind. When did you first see an aeroplane fly?’
‘Me? Why?’
‘Because I would like to know.’
‘Well, that would have been … Hold on.’ Sam snapped his fingers. ‘I told your brother this, when we were trapped in Schools’ apartment in Paris. Thought it’d take our minds off the stew we were in.’
‘And what did you tell him?’
‘Summer of ’09 it was. Walthamstow Marshes. Aviator by the name of Vernon-Roe. There was a big crowd.’
‘Eisaku did not remember his name. But date and place, yes, those are as he said in his letter.’
‘You’re checking up on me, Mr Yamanaka?’
‘Eisaku said I should. Though I do not think anyone could pretend to be you successfully, Mr Twentyman.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
The telephone rang at that moment, sparing Yamanaka the need to reply. He picked up the receiver and spoke for some minutes to someone he seemed to know well. There were many uses of hai and arigato gozaimasu – yes and thank you . Eventually the call ended.
‘What—’ Sam began. But Yamanaka cut him off with a gesture. He seized a sheet of notepaper, dipped his pen in the inkwell and began writing at a furious pace.
‘The man he spoke to is an old friend,’ whispered Chiyoko. ‘He has asked him if he will allow you and Miss Hollander to stay in his house for a few days. The old friend agreed.’
‘What’s he writing now, then?’
‘A letter for Shimizu-san to take to Commissioner Fujisaki at Police Headquarters,’ said Yamanaka, without looking up. ‘He was trained by Commissioner Kuroda, so he will help us as much as he can, I think.’
Yamanaka finished the letter, then wrote another, briefer note, clipped the two together and handed them to Chiyoko. ‘You are willing to do this, Shimizu-san?’
‘Yes. I am.’
‘What are you asking this Fujisaki to do for us, sir?’ asked Sam.
‘As much as he can. Now, the friend I spoke to? He is Professor Nishikawa Hideoto. We were students together. He teaches at Tokyo University. At least, he teaches there when he does not have something better to do. He is … fugawari na hito . He does not … play the game.’
‘Is that good?’
‘It is good for you, Mr Twentyman. And for your friend, Miss Hollander. Nishikawa-sensei is the only man I know who will enjoy keeping a secret such as this. If he believed you were plotting against the government, probably he would congratulate you. His house is in Sendagi, north of the university. You will be safe with him for a while. I will order a car to drive you there now, Mr Twentyman. We will collect Miss Hollander tonight, when it is dark.’ Yamanaka said something to Chiyoko in Japanese, to which she nodded her assent. ‘It is settled, then.’
‘All this is very kind of you, I’m sure, Mr Yamanaka,’ said Sam, ‘but we can’t just hide in your friend’s house.’
‘For the present, you must.’
‘What about Schools and the other two?’
‘I hope Commissioner Fujisaki can do something. But they will not be set free. It has gone too far. A man is
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