Bill for the Use of a Body

by Dennis Wheatley

  This attitude made it almost impossible to believe that just such people, or their fathers, had, in many cases, behaved with shocking bestiality during the war; but Julian knew that the Japanese troops had shown a bravery in attack unrivalled by any other army, fearlessly dying by the thousand in attempts to storm almost impregnable positions. Allowance, therefore, had to be made for the difference between Western and Eastern mentalities.

  The men of the West, when compelled to fight, did so, in most cases with reservations about not getting killed if they could help it and without feeling any positive hatred against their enemies. Whereas those of the East, once committed, were seised with a demoniac fury that caused them to throw their lives away in battle and regard any prisoners they took as evil beings intent on destroying their country and their homes with a fanaticism equalling their own. One thing at least seemed to Julian beyond dispute: in peacetime the vast majority of the people in every country were by instinct kind, hospitable and peace-loving, and the average Japanese as much so as men of any other country.

  The little train dawdled on through a pleasant countryside, where men and women in broad-brimmed straw hats were working tirelessly in the rice fields, digging deep trenches to irrigate them, ploughing with hump-backed oxen and making protective fences to shelter their plots with the straw of last year’s rice, which would later be laid in the trenches as compost. After frequent stops the train pulled up at Tsu shortly before eleven o’clock and everyone got out.

  There Julian found he had over an hour to wait, but at midday a train that had a comfortable first-class coach took him again on his way. It was not an express, and only Japanese food was to be had in the restaurant car, but he made a good meal of the ubiquitous prawns and a big dish of strawberries.

  Meanwhile the train carried him away from the Gulf, up through well-wooded mountainous country: very different from the industrial scrap-heap that lay between Osaka and Kyoto. Frequently it ran through groves of huge graceful bamboos and now and then clattered through a densely populated township with many waving children, or past a picturesque curved-roof temple. But unlike the villages in many other countries there were no gaily painted buildings, and the predominant colours of the landscape were a monotonous blend of brown, grey and olive-green.

  By two o’clock it was skirting the shore of Lake Biwa, with its resorts from which the population of Kyoto bathed in summer, and by a quarter past it drew in to the fine modern station of the ancient capital. A quarter of an hour later Julian was back in his room at the Miyako.

  Thankfully he got out of his crumpled suit, sent it to be cleaned and pressed, had a hot bath and went to bed. At six o’clock he was roused by his telephone ringing. On answering it, he was told that Mr. Yutaka Urata was down in the foyer asking to see him. For a moment he hesitated; then, tight-lipped, he said tersely, ‘Very well, send him up.’

  That either of the Uratas should have the effrontery to ask him to receive him greatly surprised him, and how they should have known that he was back in Kyoto he could not imagine; but, considerably intrigued to hear what the elder Urata had to say, he got out of bed, sluiced his face, combed his hair and put on his dressing gown. He had only just finished these preparations when there was a knock on the door and, on his calling ‘Come in’, the small, neat, bespectacled ship-owner presented himself.

  He was holding an enormous bunch of chrysanthemums, and bowed not twice but three times, so low that Julian thought he might fall on his face, then diffidently offered the bouquet as he murmured:

  ‘Accept, please. I am abased. For what my son did no excuse possible. I am so angry that I could thrash. I tell him he disgrace us. He act like American gangster. Please understand, yes. When I hear I am fill with shame. In Japan we have ancient code of behaviour towards guest. Mr. Day, before you I submit to be revile. I …’

  It seemed as though he would go on indefinitely, but Julian interrupted curtly. ‘Are you trying to tell me that you knew nothing about my being shanghaied on your ship the Matabura?

  ‘Notting. By all gods I swear, notting,’ the elderly man assured him with a heavy sigh. ‘This morning when I hear I am astound. I face Bill up and he admit. I say you not worthy to be my son. For this our family could disown. Code of all honourable family in Japan made regardless. Shame, shame, shame. To Mr. Day I must now go on knees for you.’

  ‘You say you found out about my having been shipped off to Honolulu this morning,’ Julian said coldly. ‘May I ask how?’

  ‘The Matabura have run into tempest. Her Captain, Kano Dosen, send radio. He say: “Have put into Isewan Channel for shelter, have Englishman Mr. Day on board, have come on board with Mr. Bill Urata at moment of sailing, found locked in cabin, now put ashore at Toba.” I then have face to face with Bill and he tell all.’

  ‘I see. And what reason did Bill give for this most reprehensible act?’

  Urata shrugged unhappily. ‘He say he love this girl Merri Sang very desperate. He say who rescue her from Hayashi get her. You are much to be feared rival. And to you is the Kuan-yin to be delivered. You make bargain with Hayashi and get she free she marry you. His head turned by reading many American gangster books. He decide to act like gangster his self. Get you out of way, get hold of Kuan-yin, make deal with Hayashi, so earn gratitude of girl and she marry him.’

  ‘So that’s the story,’ Julian murmured, temporarily reserving his opinion about its veracity. ‘How did you know that I had got back here?’

  Spreading out his plump hands, Urata replied, ‘No difficulty. You had been landed at Toba. What you do but return to Kyoto quick as possible? From Osaka I telephone hotel two hours and half ago and they say you are here.’

  ‘And you mean to tell me that Bill could have had me carried off in the Matabura without the knowledge of either the Captain or yourself?’

  ‘Yes, please. Why not? Bill have good brain. He think up good story about Matabura bring girl from Hong Kong. All lies. All lies; but easy to make believe. He know time of sailing. All to do get you there that time. Captain on bridge much occupied to get ship out of harbour. All to do get you on board and lock in cabin. Go off in pilot boat. No-one knows. How should? Most fortunately, storm save you from voyage to Honolulu. For inconvenience caused humble regrets. Yes, I abase myself. And Bill, how you say, deep contrite. American education good some ways, bad others. This bad part; very bad. Much condemn by all right aspect of Japanese.’

  Julian had to admit to himself that the account Urata had given of the affair was a very plausible one. But he still felt disinclined to accept it until his plump little visitor said unhappily:

  ‘This girl, Mr. Day. Bill has shown me photographs of her; many photographs. One must make admission that she has great beauty. But what is she? A guide for the tourists. A person of no consequence. No family; no fortune. For Bill I had great hoping. Our family is very old one. I have no other son. I wish for him good alliance. You are English. In Europe and United States marrying is very different. Please understand no offence intended, but in West rich men take for wife actresses, girls who wear dress for model. No background required. Here in Japan iss not so. Good family iss important. I wish for wife of Bill girl who never work and have fine fortune to add to ours. You also wish this girl. I make no disguise. If she made free from Hayashi I do all in my power to prevent that Bill have her for wife. Accept apoligies now, please, and this I promise.’

  Julian gave a faint smile. From what Urata had said it seemed that he could not be aware that Merri was no little working girl scheming to marry into a rich Japanese family, and that on her mother’s death she would herself become a wealthy woman. If that really were so he could not be in league with Hayashi, otherwise he would have known all about the Sangs. Moreover, the little man’s anxiety that his son should not marry Merri seemed entirely genuine; and for him to have thought up such an attitude seemed too far-fetched to be likely. This, taken in conjunction with the fact that there was no proof whatever that Captain Dosen had
been privy to Bill Urata’s plot, decided Julian that it would be unreasonable not to regard his father as innocent.

  ‘Very well,’ he said. ‘I accept your explanation. But where do we go from here?’

  ‘That iss for you to say, Mr. Day. Against Bill you must have great anger. Perhaps you think to bring against him a charge. For all sakes I am hoping not. To prove that he lock you in cabin and you not miss boat through own fault not easy. But my son I punish myself. He pay you from allowance I make two hundred thousand yen—that iss about two hundred pounds—for inconvenience caused. Also I now forbid to leave Osaka; so that if Miss Sang made free you are only horse in field.’

  Julian shook his head. ‘Thanks, Mr. Urata, but I wouldn’t like Bill to go short of money on account of what he did. After all, we’ve a saying in England that “all’s fair in love and war”. I’ll admit to having feared that Merri liked him better than she did me, and it seems that he felt that my chances with her were better than his. So I’ll not hold his gangster act against him. But I can’t afford to risk his making a second attempt to render me incapable of negotiating with Hayashi; so if one way or another you would keep him in Osaka until this affair is settled I’d be grateful.’

  ‘That I will do. And the negotiations you will now perhaps prefer to handle all yourself. I bow myself out. But if there iss still any help I can give, pliss to tell.’

  To gain a minute in which to think, Julian got out his case and lit a cigarette. He had been given to understand that in Japan when two collectors wished to make a private bargain over a valuable antique it was customary for the seller to invite the prospective buyer to a dinner, and that only at the end of the meal was the antique casually produced, then discussed. As Urata was acquainted with Hayashi, it had been agreed that the former should invite the latter to a dinner at his house in Kyoto at which both Julian and Bill would be present. Now, if Urata washed his hands of the affair as he suggested, it would fall to Julian to arrange the dinner. But he knew nothing about such functions and to engage suitable geishas to be in attendance might not prove easy. Moreover, seeing what lay behind the meeting, it had seemed preferable to hold it in a private house rather than in an hotel. His conversation with Urata and, above all, the ship-owner’s readiness to take no further part in the affair had all but convinced Julian of his honesty. Even so, caution dictated that he should not revive the project of the dinner being held at Urata’s house. When he had lit his cigarette he said:

  ‘You could, I am sure, be of great help to me; because to arrange a dinner of the kind we proposed is entirely outside my experience. But I think it would be best to give it in some public place. If you can suggest somewhere suitable, I should also be grateful if you would still issue the invitation on my behalf and attend it, for I feel that everything then would go much more smoothly.’

  Urata bowed. ‘I am honoured, Mr. Day, by renewal of confidence towards me. Let us hold dinner in first-class geisha house. I recommend if you wish; but better you enquire of management here, choose place and telephone me, then I invite Mr. Hayashi. For this I remain in Kyoto for tonight. This iss Tuesday, the Lubeck is due in early Thursday. You will wish no delays; so tomorrow morning I make all arrangements.’

  No suggestion could have been fairer; so Julian at once agreed. With many bows, and finally a handshake, Urata then took his departure.

  When he had gone Julian rang for one of the little bright-eyed creatures in a brown silk uniform to arrange the mass of chrysanthemums. Then he rang down to the office and made two enquiries: first for the name of the best geisha house in the city, and secondly for a good private enquiry agent who could come in to see him after dinner. A geisha house called the Nest of the Phoenix was recommended and the clerk who answered his enquiries promised, if need be, to trace a good private detective to his home and have him report at the Miyako that evening.

  By the time Julian had dressed it was eight o’clock; so as Urata would have got home by then, he put a call through to him. The ship-owner endorsed the commendation of the Phoenix by the hotel and said that he would send a letter by hand right away to Hayashi, inviting him for the Thursday.

  Julian dined quietly in the big restaurant. Half-way through the meal a note was brought to him. The management had been successful in engaging for him the best private detective in Kyoto, a Mr. Hidari Rinzai, and he would call at half past nine.

  It was through no fault of the management, but bad luck for Julian, that the best private detective in Kyoto happened to be in the employ of Mr. Hayashi’s right-hand man Udo Nagi.

  Chapter XIII

  ‘None But the Brave Deserves the Fair’

  Julian’s object in engaging a private detective was to make a final check-up on Urata. The ship-owner’s explanation had been faultless, his distress at his son’s gangster-like act and concern that he should not marry Merri had carried conviction. Captain Dosen’s attitude towards Julian fully supported his employer’s insistence that both of them were innocent and, finally, Urata’s not having sought to influence Julian in his choice of a place to meet Hayashi seemed the clearest possible indication that they were not working together.

  But once bitten twice shy. Having so very narrowly escaped being forced to make a voyage to Honolulu under most unpleasant conditions, Julian did not intend, if he could possibly help it, to expose himself to any more tricks by the Uratas: either father or son. If the father was acting honestly, he reasoned, be had left Bill in Osaka and would take reasonable steps to see that he remained there. If not the odds were that Bill was back in Kyoto and that, together, they were by now planning some fresh attempt to get hold of the Kuan-yin for Hayashi without his either giving up Merri or having to pay for it.

  Julian intended, therefore, that the private detective should first find out if Bill was at the Urata house in Kyoto then, if he was not, employ an associate in Osaka to make certain that Bill was in that city. But while eating his solitary dinner it occurred to him that when in Hong Kong he and Bill had first discussed the kidnapping of Merri, it had been agreed that on arriving in Japan they should employ a detective agency to endeavour to find out if Hayashi was holding her as a prisoner in his house.

  The project had been abandoned only because the elder Urata had, presumably, insisted on going to the police. Since, according to Bill, the police had failed to trace Merri and ruled that there were no grounds on which to obtain a search warrant of Hayashi’s premises, why, thought Julian, should he not put a private detective on the job himself? Whether Hayashi could be tempted into exchanging Merri for the Kuan-yin on the Thursday night remained extremely problematical, and Tilly Sang had been very definitely of the opinion that he would not. Should he refuse, and the private detective find out that he was holding Merri a prisoner, that would provide a second string to Julian’s bow. In consequence he decided to make full use of Mr. Hidari Rinzai.

  At 9.30 to the minute Mr. Rinzai arrived at the desk in the lofty hall, enquired for Julian and was led over to him. The detective was an inconspicuous little man who might have been any age from forty to seventy, for his dark face was as wisened as a walnut, but Julian thought he was probably not over fifty. When he ceased his obsequious bowing Julian took him up to the bar lounge, which at that hour was almost deserted, and offered him a drink; but he would accept only coffee. Seated in armchairs in a dimly lit corner they then got down to business.

  Soon after Merri’s disappearance Julian had seen to it that his offer of ten thousand Hong Kong dollars reward for information about her should appear in leading papers in Singapore, Bangkok, Saigon and other cities as far north as Korea and, such matters being Mr. Rinzai’s business, he recalled seeing the notice in a Japanese paper; but he showed great surprise when told that Mr. Inosuke Hayashi was suspected in the matter; because Hayashi was reputed to be one of the wealthiest citisens in Kyoto and not at all the sort of man to lend himself to any criminal activity.

  However, when Julian had told him as much about the affair as
he thought it necessary for him to know, he expressed his willingness to carry out an investigation, then asked a number of shrewd questions. Favourably impressed by his astuteness, Julian gave him a considerable sum so that he would have ample money to endeavour to bribe one of Hayashi’s servants for information, as well as immediate expenses; then he asked when he could expect a first report.

  Rinzai replied that he should be able to find out by midnight if Bill Urata was in Kyoto; but it would take time to get hold of Hayashi’s servants and pump them discreetly, so it might be two or three days before he could ascertain if a young woman answering Merri’s description had been brought to Hayashi’s house getting on for a fortnight before and was still there.

  On that they parted, and Julian settled down to read a suspense story called Star Raker by Donald Gordon, which had been recommended to him at the hotel book-stall; and as he found it one of the most exciting tales he had read for a long time it kept his mind off his anxieties until, an hour and a half later, Rinzai rang up.

  He reported that Bill Urata was at the apartment in Osaka. This was definite for, using a false name and giving as a pretext a wish to get in touch with his father urgently, Rinzai had actually spoken to him. Well pleased with this first activity of his ‘private eye’, and still more strongly convinced that Urata senior had no intention of double-crossing him, Julian put out the light and went to sleep.

  On the Wednesday morning he awoke early as usual, to realise that somehow he had to get through another day, and now without the lively company of Bill Urata, or any other matter, to distract his thoughts from Merri. Normally he was the sort of man who would have run a mile rather than go on a conducted tour, but to do so would at least provide him with temporary companions, and even to listen to the prattle of a guide seemed better than mooning about for hour after hour on his own; so, after ordering his breakfast, he rang down to the information desk and enquired about sightseeing tours. There were a variety, but mostly in Kyoto, and he wanted to get out of the city; so he booked a seat in a coach that made a day trip to Nara and left at nine o’clock.