“You don’t remember me, do you?”
“I get forgetful, sorry.”
“From Abiko Junior High School?”
“Oh.”
“It’s not surprising you don’t remember, you were hardly ever at school. But I knew you. You were the strange foreign girl. Remember what the girls used to call you…?”
“No?”
“…Little Shitpants.”
“I don’t remember.”
“Oh, you must.”
“I don’t.”
“But I remember all about you. The girls were jealous of you, and the boys were scared of you. You stopped coming to school when your Mama…you know, but I often thought about what became of Little Shitpants, and I see that you’ve really grown. And you’re even more beautiful. I’m sure the girls are even more jealous, but you know what? I’m not scared now. I’m not a little boy anymore. I can do what I want.”
He was staring at me now. I toyed with the door handle. Child-locked.
“Are we going to see your boss now?”
“My boss? Tachibana? Hah. In his dreams. I do odd jobs for him, but he’s not my boss. I answer to the real boss around here: Shachou the president. He’s my Dad. This Mercedes is his car. And, you know what? One day soon, I’ll be the president.”
“President of what?”
“President of the family business.”
“Do you sell second-hand cars?”
“We could be on the same side here. Me and you could make a great couple. Quit playing the dumb, innocent kid.”
“I don’t understand you.”
“I don’t understand you. How about you drop the act a little and give me what’s mine? I’ve been waiting a long time for this.
The phone in my hip pocket rang.
“I’ve got to answer this. I can’t miss this…”
“Sure you can.”
“No you don’t understand, I really can’t miss this…”
“I know all about your phone call. It can wait. I can’t.”
I reached into my hip bag, but before I could grab the phone, he had my right hand. He grunted as he squeezed himself through the gap between the front seats. I backed up against the passenger door. I yanked the door handle. It flapped about helplessly. He was next to me now, sweat dripping down his chin onto my arm.
“I’m going to sample the merchandise before the boss.”
“You are scaring me. Please don’t talk to me like that.”
I pulled my legs up to my chest and put my hands around my knees.
“Why do you act all willing for Tachibana but not for me, huh? What’s the difference? Open up and this won’t hurt a bit. Lie back and think of England, bitch.”
He grabbed my bare ankles and yanked them apart.
“Come on you hafu, I’ll show you how it feels to be whole.”
My arms flew out. I tried to scratch his eyes. I tried to kick, but he rammed himself onto me. Then he had my hands and was on top of me. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t breathe. He had me pinned to the back seat. He was on top, my head was jammed against the door. He loosened his tie and held it in his right hand, a cowboy with a lasso. Or a noose.
Then he knelt on my chest, one hand around my neck, the other unzipping himself.
“Stop,” I spluttered. “Stop hurting me…”
“Beg.”
“What?”
“Beg.”
“Please. Stop hurting me.”
“Again.”
“Please, please, please!”
He took his hand from around my neck. I tried to remember what Aunt Tanaka had told me.
“I’ll give you what you want.”
I tried to smile and pushed myself up on my elbows.
“Let me move to the middle of the seat. Drop your trousers.”
He did what I said and threw his necktie over the automatic gear stick. He fiddled with his belt.
“Let me take my top off,” I said, and he got off me. I had just enough room to sit up and reach round for my bra strap. His eyes were on me. If I could just slip my left hand through the gap between the front seats… my fingers felt a piece of polyester… his necktie.
I grabbed hold of it and pulled down with every last piece of strength. It was all I could do. The gear stick slipped down and then back up.
The car lurched forward.
I collapsed back to the seat and looked into Ono’s eyes. He looked around, and then his mouth opened wide. The car was building up speed. In a few moments we’d be out of grassy slope.
“Can you swim?” I said.
“The car is locked! We’ll both drown!” he squealed.
“I don’t think so.”
“But this is Shachou’s car!”
“Do you want me to call him?”
“Stop the car! I can’t reach the keys.”
“Get off me then.”
“No way!”
“Then we’re stuck.”
01:03
The car jerked up and down as it rolled toward the lake.
Ono held on to the ceiling straps. With his weight off me I slipped through the gap into the driver’s seat. Maybe I should have slammed on the brakes, hit the accelerator, pulled a hand-brake turn or something.
But I can’t drive.
I just sat watching the car go faster. Ono was squealing. My head was throbbing and my chest felt dead.
There was no stopping the car now. We were going to hit the lake. I flipped up the door lock, threw the driver’s door open, and jumped.
I hit the ground feet first, but lost my balance. I rolled to the edge of the lake, flailing my arms and legs around to stop myself before I hit the water.
I leaned my head over and spat small stones and dirt out of my mouth.
The Mercedes was drifting toward the middle of the lake. But it was taking on water through the driver’s side. I didn’t know cars could float.
“The car! Shachou’s going to kill me! Hana, you bitch!”
I’ve been called names all my life so that didn’t bother me much, but it didn’t make me want to help him. Anyway, he’d be fine. Teganuma is only two meters deep, I remembered that much from Abiko Junior High School.
The phone call.
I brushed myself off and checked my phone. One voicemail. I couldn’t hear it very well from all Ono’s shouting, so I jogged back to the main road.
I hit playback.
“Yes, hi. This is Joe, Joe Blackmore, just off the delayed flight from Seattle. I was told to call this number any time and there would be an English speaker to help me. Well, I’m here now at some Narita Airport business hotel. Hopefully I’ll see you at 9 a.m., as arranged. I just needed to check in, and I wondered if you had any news of my Emi. I can cash the traveller’s checks for you tomorrow, but only when I see you. OK? Much obliged.”
I played the message again. Then once more. He spoke English like Tachibana-san. Mr. Blackmore must be the American man. This was the call I had been waiting for. I should have called the Japanese man I was supposed to call immediately. But something was bothering me. I knew Aunt Tanaka said I shouldn’t ask too many questions but she didn’t say I couldn’t think them.
So I thought these ones: Was it his first time in Japan? Who was Emi? His wife? Girlfriend? Daughter? How did Ono know about the phone call? Was he the man I was supposed to call? Or Ono’s Papa? Was it Tachibana-san? Was this my lucky moment?
Aunt Tanaka was right, stuff does get confusing when you ask too many questions. But I had my phone. Maybe Google-sensei had heard of Emi.
@EmiBlackinJapan
EmiBlackinJapan
Hello world. Not sure what this is about, but I’m on Twitter. Can’t say much in 140 characters. That’s OK. I don’t have much to say.
23 days ago
EmiBlackinJapan
Mom would freak if she knew I was writing like this. I mean I couldn’t even tell my friends I was leaving. We just packed up.
3 days ago
EmiBlackinJapan
She said Dad dumped us. That he was a bad man, he didn’t care about us. Maybe he doesn’t know where I am?
3 days ago
EmiBlackinJapan
I’m not supposed to mention my Dad EVER. I mean, it’s like he doesn’t exist. We’re not allowed to speak English at home.
3 days ago
EmiBlackinJapan
The teachers told me my Japanese was defective and that was because learning English was confusing my brain.
3 days ago
Satoshi8959
@EmiBlackinJapan You will never learn Japanese if your brain is English! You will be nothing in both languages.
3 days ago
EmiBlackinJapan
@Satoshi8959 The teachers asked a government inspector in. He tested my kanji. He said my brain was not Japanese, so I had to work twice as hard to speak Japanese.
3 days ago
EmiBlackinJapan
But if I forget English, what would I say to Dad?
3 days ago
EmiBlackinJapan
Do you miss me Dad? Will you come and find me out here? If I lose my English, will you still love me?
3 days ago
EmiBlackinJapan
The only chance I had to speak English was with Luc-sensei. But I don’t even think he speaks English. He’s French-Comedian.
2 days ago
EmiBlackinJapan
I don’t want to talk about HIM.
2 days ago
k_takahashi3
@EmiBlackinJapan Please! I’m interested!
2 days ago
EmiBlackinJapan
@k_takahashi3 OK, but Mom found out about me and Luc. That’s when we had to move again. Now I live with my grandparents, but I can’t say where.
2 days ago
EmiBlackinJapan
We had to take an overnight bus from Tokyo. It’s a pretty big city I guess.
2 days ago
EmiBlackinJapan
They keep going on about their fresh fish, but I just want a good pizza. Is that wrong of me? I like all Japanese food though.
2 days ago
k_takahashi3
@EmiBlackinJapan All Japanese food? Even natto?
2 days ago
EmiBlackinJapan
@k_takahashi3 Natto is not food.
2 days ago
k_takahashi3
@EmiBlackinJapan Yes, fermented soy bean is not easy for foreigners!
2 days ago
k_nakanisha3
@EmiBlackinJapan And in Japan we have four seasons. Nature is very important to Japanese.
2 days ago
EmiBlackinJapan
@k_takahashi3 We have four seasons in America too. And we like nature too.
2 days ago
k_takahashi3
@EmiBlackinJapan Ha! You are very funny Emi.
2 days ago
EmiBlackinJapan
I’m the only American in this city. I want to go home.
1 day ago
EmiBlackinJapan
But I have to go to juku for two hours after school. Every Friday. I do math and Japanese. To catch up. It sucks.
18 hours ago
EmiBlackinJapan
I asked Mom if I could do English at juku and she was like YOU DON’T NEED TO! THIS IS JAPAN. But everyone wants to talk here. Sucks.
18 hours ago
EmiBlackinJapan
I like walking on the beach here, and you can walk to school here because it’s so safe. But I know Grandma follows me to the gates. I’m 14! Embarrassing!
18 hours ago
EmiBlackinJapan
I can talk to store clerks and my teachers in Japanese.
16 hours ago
EmiBlackinJapan
Now when I speak to people in Japanese they say: Jouzu! Excellent!
16 hours ago
NihonJim
@EmiBlackinJapan They only say that to people who can’t speak Japanese. When you actually can speak, you never hear it again. Just saying.
16 hours ago
EmiBlackinJapan
I hate moving schools. When I started in January, everybody kept telling me: Speak English! Speak English!
12 hours ago
EmiBlackinJapan
Now I’ve moved 200 miles away, they say, “Look, it’s a movie star!” I guess that’s an improvement. But sometimes I just want to be Emi.
12 hours ago
EmiBlackinJapan
But you know what? Everybody notices me here. In America nobody did—I was just Emi. I was Japanese-American. But everybody said Korean.
11 hours ago
EmiBlackinJapan
But in Japan, I’m American. Everybody tells me.
11 hours ago
Chosenname (retweeted by NihonJim)
People see differences first. Similarities are last. It’s human nature, sadly.
11 hours ago
EmiBlackinJapan
I don’t know what I am, but I know what I’m not. I’m not Japanese.
11 hours ago
EmiBlackinJapan
My teacher calls me Blackmore. Everyone else is called by their first names, but not me.
4 hours ago
k_takahashi3
@EmiBlackinJapan That’s because it’s very confusing. Middle names? First names? Last names?
4 hours ago
k_takahashi3
@EmiBlackinJapan In Japan we have a saying… the nail that sticks out gets hammered down. Have you ever heard that before?
4 hours ago
EmiBlackJapan
Where are you Dad? I miss you.
33 minutes ago
EmiBlackinJapan
She says Dad really hates the Japanese. I don’t know what she means. But then she gets mad. So I drop it.
25 minutes ago
EmiBlackinJapan
And now we don’t ever speak English. It’s like your dirty shoes or something. Got to take them off before you get in the house.
20 minutes ago
EmiBlackinJapan
Where are you dad? Wish you were on Twitter.
1 minute ago
02:14
I checked the time on my phone world clock. 5:14 p.m. in London, 9:14 a.m. in LA, 2:14 a.m. in Abiko.
Perfect.
I hit call back and cleared my throat.
“Hello?”
“Mr. Blackmore? I’m Hana Walker. I’m sorry I missed your call, there was something I couldn’t get out of…”
“That’s all right.”
“Could we just meet now instead of waiting until later this morning? It’s a little crazy but I have a lot of questions.”
“Now? I’m wide awake anyway. It’s not crazy at all, Miss Walker. I’m here to find my daughter. Any news about her?”
“Daughter. I had a look on Twitter and her name’s Emi Blackmore, right? She’s 14. And she’s in Japan?”
“That’s the hundred-thousand-dollar question, miss.”
“A hundred thousand dollars?”
“That’s what we agreed, right, that I will be paying you? $100,000 for Emi.”
“Oh, OK. Let’s meet in person to talk more. Can you call a taxi?”
“My Japanese doesn’t stretch that far, miss. But there’s a Japanese guy at the front desk with nothing better to do.”
“Great. Tell him to order a taxi to Abiko. Grande Palace Abiko, off Route 356.”
“Sounds fancy.”
“Yes, it is.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
03:09
Room 212 was stencilled in gold in flowery handwriting on the Plexiglas door. The room was small but there was just enough space for a plastic sofa, table and TV screen. But no window.
Welcome to the Grande Palace Abiko.
A knock at the door. The waiter was not much older than me, in red coat and tails. “Excuse me… here’s the man you were waiting for,” he said, bowed and backed away. A foreigner filled the
door frame.
He was wearing a black cowboy hat.
“You didn’t tell me the Grande Palace was a karaoke joint,” he said. He smiled and stepped in. He had to turn to fit his shoulders into the room.
“You’re Mr. Blackmore?”
“That’s me.”
“Nice cowboy hat. But it looks kind of out of place.”
He took his hat off and held it in front of his belly, running his fingers around the brim. He looked me over, then he smiled.
“If you don’t mind me saying, miss, you look kind of out of place yourself.”
“Aunt Tanaka says hot pants are good to bring in customers, but I…”
“It’s not that. You remind me of my daughter, is all.”
I fiddled with the karaoke remote control.
“Please, don’t make me sing, Miss Walker.”
He laughed.
“Is that what I should call you? Miss Walker?”
“Most people call me Hana-chan. My Dad called me Scoop. You’re the first person to call me Miss Walker.”
“Then Miss Walker it is. I guess they didn’t tell you much about me at your company, huh?” he said.
“I’m just supposed to pass on messages. Tell the Japanese man at the end of the phone what the American man said.”
He laughed again.
“OK, message girl. Tell the Japanese man this: I need to be on the JAL flight to Seattle this Sunday at 6:30 p.m., with my daughter by my side, or there is no deal.”
“OK. I’m sorry, what’s the deal?”
He turned the hat brim round in his fingers.
“I’ve got to be in Arizona State family court by Monday at 9 a.m. or I lose custody of Emi.”
“Could you tell me the whole story, Mr. Blackmore? I can get a bit confused.”
“No problem,” he said. He sat back and ran a hand through his hair, scraping his knuckles on the wall.
“It was all my fault. I met Tomoko. She was over on a month’s home stay with some neighbours. It was August 1996. She needed help with her English, and I was happy to oblige. Well, truth be told, I’d never seen a girl as cute as her. And I can’t resist a damsel in distress.”
He smiled at me.
“When it was time for her to go home, I just couldn’t stand to see her leave. So I proposed to her right there at the airport. It was a crazy thing to do, but she said yes. She went back home to get her parents’ blessing, but they never gave it. Weren’t too keen on their only daughter marrying a foreigner. One month later she showed up on my doorstep. She’d run away.
Half Life: A Hana Walker Mystery (The Hana Walker Mysteries Book 1) Page 2
