Black Arrow sa-4

by I. J. Parker

  When their ghostly visitormaterialized it looked as if one of the grave stones had come to life and startedwalking toward them. The figure became vaguely human when it reached them: anarmed man, holding a sword, and pushing back his helmet.

  Kaibara.

  His eyes were on Oyoshi. “Thegood doctor,” he sneered. “What a surprise! Have you taken to robbing tombsnow? And the tombs of your betters, too. Tsk, tsk! A capital crime. You shouldhave been more careful.”

  Akitada stepped from theshadow.

  Kaibara’s jaw slackened.

  “Let me explain, Kaibara,” saidAkitada, adopting a reasonable manner. They had been caught red-handed, and hewas desperately searching for an adequate reason for their presence. “I wantedto spare the family’s feelings, but there was a suspicion that your late masterwas murdered, and we had to investigate. It would be best if we kept the matterto ourselves.”

  Kaibara’s eyes went fromAkitada to the open tomb and Oyoshi’s instrument case. A slow, crafty smilecame into his face. “Is this so? A blasphemous insult to the late Lord ofTakata. And a highly illegal proceeding, I believe. Loyalty to my masterunfortunately makes it impossible to accede to your Excellency’s request.”

  Oyoshi walked up to Kaibaraangrily. “Listen here, Kaibara,” he cried. “Don’t be an infernal fool and-”

  Kaibara was quick. With theflat side of his sword he dealt the older man a vici6us blow across the face.Blood spurted briefly, and Oyoshi cried out and fell. Placing a foot on Oyoshi’schest, Kaibara raised his sword with both hands to strike down. “Pray to bereborn, pill peddler!” he cried.

  “No!” Akitada leaped andgrabbed for Kaibara’s sword arm. Kaibara was hampered by his armor, but hetwisted away and lashed out with his other arm to punch viciously at Akitada’schest. Akitada gasped for breath but held on, determined to protect Oyoshi. Heshouted, “Drop that sword!” and twisted Kaibara’s arm back. Kaibara grunted andturned. Akitada saw the murderous fury in the other man’s eyes, knew that thenext stroke would be for him, and suddenly the struggle for the sword hadturned into a fight to the death.

  It had not occurred to Akitadathat he was in danger of being killed. He had feared charges of trespass,sacrilege, grave robbery, and other serious offences involving recall andtrial, but not cold-blooded murder. He put all his strength into disarmingKaibara, but as he adjusted his stance to gain leverage, he slipped on a patchof ice and landed on his knees.

  Kaibara laughed out loud. Hestepped back and bared his teeth. “This is much the simplest way,” he snarled. “Beggingon your knees won’t help you now, dog official.” He raised the sword again. Theblade flashed dull silver in the moonlight.

  Oyoshi screamed for help, andthe blade hissed as it cut through the air. Akitada flung himself aside,scrabbling desperately on the muddy ground. Kaibara followed, loomed above himagain. Akitada’s fingers closed around a dead branch. He parried the stroke asit came. The branch slowed the blade but it bit into Akitada’s arm near theshoulder, and the pain, when it came, was paralyzing. Kaibara straddled him,his body monstrous in the heavy armor, the sword raised for the fatal stroke.Akitada thought of how he had failed Tamako and his unborn child and closed hiseyes.

  He felt a crushing blow to hischest. A giant hand compressed his rib cage and he could not breathe. And thenthe night was shot through by flames and stars and a suffocating blanket offog. His last thought was, “So this is what it feels like to die.”

  But death was slow in coming.Sounds penetrated the fog. Someone was shouting and cursing. The crushingweight was lifted from his chest, and he tried a deep, shuddering breath,savoring the cold, fresh air, savoring even the sharp pain. He welcomed it,because it meant he was alive.

  “Here, move him on his side andlet me get a look at that shoulder.”

  Oyoshi sounded strangelytongue-tied. And he was making spitting noises.

  “It’s all my fault. I wish Iwas dead.”

  Akitada opened his eyes. Torawas peering down at him with a stricken expression. “Don’t be an idiot,”Akitada muttered. “You’ll have to close the tomb.”

  Oyoshi snorted. “Good! You’reconscious. Sit up, sir, so I can bandage your wound. Kaibara got you, I’mafraid.”

  With Tora’s help, Akitadastruggled up. He gritted his teeth as Tora and Oyoshi eased the gown from hisshoulder. “Kaibara. Where is he?” Tora stepped out of the way, and Akitada sawthe lifeless form of the steward on the ground nearby. “Did you kill him, Tora?”

  “I got here too late.” Torasounded bitter.

  “But who …” Akitada’s eyeswent to Oyoshi. The doctor’s face was puffy and covered with blood. His eyeswere almost swollen shut.

  “Don’t look at me,” Oyoshimumbled through cut lips. “He collapsed on top of you before he could strikeagain.” He tied the last knot of the bandage and stood up. Tora helped Akitadaput his arm back into his sleeve.

  Wincing with pain and clutchingTora’s arm, Akitada staggered to his feet. Kaibara lay prone, his arms and legsflung out, and his face turned sideways. His helmet had slipped and a darkpuddle of blood was seeping from under his face.

  When he bent closer, Akitadasaw what had killed the man. From the narrow gap between the top of the armorand the helmet guard protruded the long shaft of a black arrow crowned with ablack eagle’s feather. It had hit Kaibara’s neck in one of the few instantlyfatal places on the human body.

  FOURTEEN

  THE FISHMONGER

  Hitomaro walked through the tribunal gate with a light step, returning the guard’s brisksalute and smiling with satisfaction at the trim appearance of the constablessweeping the courtyard. Kaoru was doing a fine job with them.

  After the stormy weather, theskies had cleared and the sun sparkled on many small icicles hanging from theeaves of buildings. Hitomaro glanced toward the far corner of the tribunalcompound where a small wooden house stood. Private yet convenient, it wouldmake a fine home for a tribunal officer and his spouse. Today he would askpermission to live there with Ofumi. The place was humble but in good repair,and in time they would furnish the two rooms to their liking. They would savetheir money and buy some land where they would build a larger house and raise afamily.

  Blinking into the sunlight,Hitomaro stretched, laughed out loud, and ran up the steps to the barracks roomhe shared with Tora. He could hardly wait to see Tora’s face when he told himthe news.

  Whistling happily, he pulledoff his boots and placed them next to Tora’s.

  “Hey, Tora!” he shouted. “Waittill you hear! I’ll take you out tonight and buy you the best meal in town andall the wine-” He walked in and came to an abrupt halt. “What-?”

  Tora was seated cross-legged ona piece of white cloth. His torso was bare, because he had slipped his robe offhis shoulders. In front of him lay a sheet of paper, covered with clumsy brushstrokes, and on this rested his short sword. There was an expression of intenseconcentration on Tora’s face.

  “What are you doing?” Hitomaroasked, his heart skipping in his chest because he guessed at the significanceof these preparations.

  Tora bowed lightly. “I’ve beenwaiting for you,” he said with uncharacteristic calm. “Will you assist me?” Hereached for the other, longer sword beside him and extended it toward Hitomaro.

  Hitomaro did not touch it. “Why?What happened?”

  Tora laid the sword down again.“Last night we went to dig up the body of the old lord,” he said tonelessly. “Kaibarasurprised the master and almost killed him.”

  Comprehension began to dawn. “Wherewere you?”

  For a moment, Tora’s shoulderssagged. “Being sick with fear.”

  “Is the master badly hurt?”

  “A cut near the shoulder.” Toraadded bitterly, “I wish Kaibara had carved out my heart instead.”

  “That’s not too bad,” Hitomarosaid soothingly. “I expect Kaibara waited till you were out of the way.”

  “You don’t understand. I shouldhave hurried back, but I was afraid of the ghost and trembling
like a foolishwoman. The master had no sword. Kaibara would have killed him, if someone elsehadn’t done my job for me and shot the bastard.”

  “Kaibara’s dead? Who did it?”

  “It was dark. We found no one.”

  “Does the master know aboutyour … this?”

  Tora reached for the piece ofpaper and handed it to Hitomaro. “He will when he reads this … if he can makeout the writing. I can’t do anything right.” He touched the short sword andlooked up at Hitomaro with earnest eyes. “Help me do this one thing well, Hito.I am only the son of peasants, but you with your fine upbringing know theproper way for a soldier to die. I’ve bathed, shaved, put on clean clothes andtied up my hair. I’m ready. I thought I would just sort of fall forward on myshort sword, but now that you’re here, I might try shoving it in my belly withboth hands. Then, if I’m losing my strength before I’m done cutting across, youcan cut off my head. That’s the way it’s done, isn’t it?”

  Hitomaro dropped the paper andscowled. “Have you thought what this will do to the master? How do you think he’llfeel? Last night you did not mean to desert him, but now you are. And he’s inmuch greater danger now. This whole province is in turmoil. If you wish to die,at least die fighting against his enemies.”

  Tora stared at him. “But howcan I show my face?” he asked uneasily.

  Hitomaro reached down and toreup Tora’s suicide note. “You will tell the master how you feel and that you owehim two lives instead of one. What did you do with Kaibara’s body?”

  Tora looked blank. “I thoughtthis would make it all right,” he said, looking about the room helplessly.

  “No!” Hitomaro’s voice wassharp. “You can die later. For now the master needs your help.” He waited untilTora nodded slowly. “Where is Kaibara?”

  Tora scrambled up andrearranged his clothing. “We brought the body back. He’s with the others.”

  “Come on then. I want to take alook at him. You can fill me in on the way.”

  “Hito?” Tora asked plaintivelyon the veranda as they put on their boots. “What would you have done in myplace? I mean, if you had failed like I have?”

  Hitomaro scowled at his boots. “Iwould’ve tried harder and complained less,” he snapped. Getting up, he put hishand on Tora’s shoulder and added more gently, “Come on now, brother. We’renone of us perfect. All we can do is try. Now no more talk. We have work to do.”

  Four covered bodies awaitedthem in the icy storeroom, their temporary morgue. Hitomaro shook his head. “Ifthis keeps up, we’ll have to move them to a larger building. Thank heaven it’scold.”

  Tora drew back the reed matfrom the nearest corpse. The dead man lay on his back, and the mat got caughton the tip of the arrow protruding from his neck. Tora untangled it carefully.

  Hitomaro bent closer and peeredat the face. “So that’s Kaibara,” he said. “Funny, I’ve never seen the bastardup close. He’s in full armor. That means whoever got off that shot was eithervery lucky or very good.” His eyes went to the arrow. “Isn’t that one of yours?”he asked, astonished.

  Tora nodded.

  “But I thought you said-”

  “There was another arrow. Itlooked unusual. The master had the doctor take it out and put one of mine in.”Turning away abruptly, Tora cursed and flung the mat violently across the room.“To my shame!” he cried, burying his face in his hands. “His way of telling methat I should have shot the bastard.”

  “You know very well that wasnot why the master did it. He would never shame you. Still, it was a strangething to do. Did he explain?”

  Tora did not answer. He hadgone to pick up the reed mat he had thrown. It had fallen across another body,disarranging the mat covering it. Now he stood bent, staring down at the corpse’sshaven head.

  “Amida!” he muttered. “Hito,come here and look at this. I could swear that’s the same scar on his ear as onthe sick man at the Golden Carp. Remember, I told you about the poor bastardthe widow was going to throw out in the street? I thought it looked like amouse took a bite out of his earlobe. And this is just the same.” He slammedhis fist into his hand. “By the Buddha, I bet it’s a secret sign. A gang mark.They both belonged to some secret society. Come on. We’ve got to tell themaster.” Flinging the reed mat back over Kaibara, he dashed out the door,leaving Hitomaro to lock up.

  WhenTora burst in with his news, Akitada was seated behind his desk. Things had gone from worse to disastrous, and he had not slept. The wound in his shoulder caused a constant searing ache that he had hidden from his wife. Tamako was unaware of his injury and distracted by the fact that Seimei had taken to his bed with chills and a bad cough. She had dosed him with his own concoction and he had finally slept. Akitada, on the other hand, had lain awake, worrying about Seimei, about the danger they were in, about the missing boy Toneo, and about the next day’s hearing. A vicious cycle of separate calamities kept him company until he rose at dawn.

  But now he smiled at Tora. “Good,”he said. “I wondered what had become of you. Matters seem to have reached a critical point. I need all of you to stand by.”

  Tora flushed. Falling to his knees, he bowed his head. “I was going to kill myself this morning, but Hitosaid you needed me.” He did not see Akitada’s astonishment nor his momentary amusement, and continued in a rush, “It’s true you sent me to check the horses before Kaibara came, but I was taking my time because I was afraid to come back. Afraid of the ghost, I mean, not that bastard Kaibara. But it was cowardly and it’s my fault you got hurt. Hito says I now owe you two lives instead of one and that you would need me to die fighting your enemies. So Idecided not to kill myself.” He knocked his head on the floor three times andsat up.

  Akitada said, “I understand,and Hitomaro is right. I do need you.”

  Tora said fervently, “I’ll remember next time, sir.” He paused for a moment. “About that mutilated body. I just happened to look at it with Hito and I saw a mark on his ear. It’s just like one on the dying man at the Golden Carp.”

  Akitada made a sharp move of surprise and gasped, reaching for his wounded shoulder. “Call Hamaya,” he croaked.

  Hamaya came in, followed by Hitomaro. “Hamaya,” Akitada said through gritted teeth, “Send for Dr. Oyoshi.”Three pairs of eyes widened with concern. “No, wait,” he corrected himself. “Tell him it’s about one of the bodies, and to meet us in the storehouse. Hitomaro,you can report on the way. Tora, help me up.”

  He staggered to his feet,holding Tora’s arm to steady himself against a bout of dizziness. “It’s nothing,” he murmured, when he saw Tora’s white face. “Remember, it was the same when I was wounded in the capital? They say losing blood leaves emptinessin the head. In time it will fill again.”

  Tora nodded but looked unhappy.While the three men walked slowly to the storeroom, Hitomaro reported on hisvisit to the judge’s villa. Akitada listened without comment.

  Dr. Oyoshi joined them at the storehouse door. His face was colorfully bruised, but his eyes were bright. “How are you feeling this morning?” he asked Akitada.

  “I shall be better when we get to the bottom of all these mysterious killings. In each case, it seems to me,we lack one crucial piece of information. Now perhaps Tora has found one forus. I want you to listen to what he has to say about the mutilated man, becauseit may jog your memory.”

  Hitomaro unlocked the door, andthey stood around the corpse. Tora lifted the mat and explained about the ear,offering his theory about a secret society.

  At Tora’s first words, Oyoshigrunted and knelt, looking closely at the dead man’s face, chest, and tongue.Straightening up with a sigh, he said, “Of course. I made a terrible mistake,sir. How could I have forgotten, when I saw the man myself just a few daysearlier! Tora is quite right. It is the poor fellow at the inn. He wasdying of lung disease.” He shook his head. “I am getting old and incompetent.Please, forgive my carelessness, sir. I understand that I have caused youembarrassment and that this disqualifies me as coroner.”


  There was an awkward silence.Then Akitada said sharply, “Nonsense. You reminded us repeatedly that you weredissatisfied with the diagnosis.”

  “But how could it be the sameman?” Tora asked, astonished. “The one at the inn was old. He had gray hair.”

  Oyoshi said, “Someone shavedhis head. That can change a man’s appearance amazingly.”

  “It explains why you didn’trecognize him, Doctor,” Hitomaro said. “Besides, his face is pretty muchdestroyed.”

  Oyoshi shook his head. “It iskind of you to make excuses for an old man, but in my profession we do notconsider a patient’s looks but the symptoms of his disease. Those I should haverecognized.”

  “Come,” said Akitada, touchinghis arm. “I have had enough of this … this self-recrimination from all ofyou.” He pointed to the four bodies stretched on the floor, almost filling thesmall room. “Look at them! The nameless guest from the inn. The old servantHideo. The thug Koichi. And now Kaibara. If you add Sato, the innkeeper, wehave five unsolved cases. And a missing child. Why should you blame yourselvesfor minor mistakes, when I have failed so grossly and completely in my duty?”For a moment he swayed on his feet, and Tora put out an arm to steady him.

  “You should not be up, sir,”scolded Oyoshi. “Come, back to your room with you. I insist on bed rest untiltomorrow.”

  Akitada protested in vain. Theywalked him to his office, where Tora and Hitomaro spread some bedding andbrought him tea.

  Akitada drank it meekly andsmiled. “I must be thankful that Seimei is too sick himself to concoct one ofhis vile brews,” he joked feebly.

  “I look forward to meeting him,”said Oyoshi. “I may have just the medicine to make him better.” He sat downnext to Akitada and felt his forehead. “As for you, you’re slightly warm, butthat may be due to exertion. Rest is essential. You must avoid overheatingyourself. By the way, you may be certain now that the man from the inn was notmurdered. He was dying when I saw him. Even if Mrs. Sato threw him into thestreet after my visit, she could not properly be held responsible for hisdeath.”