Fallen Angel (9781101578810)
Page 29
Kenji and Suzuki pushed through the crowds of predators and prey still prowling the entertainment district’s busy streets. Past the Hello Titty touch pub, around the corner at the sign for the capsule hotel, left at the Pikabu No-Panties coffee shop.
In the Hotel Marquis lobby, they found a door with a sign that read “Employees Only” and surprised a man in his midthirties with his stocking feet up on a counter, slurping Cup Noodles in front of a bank of video monitors that flicked between views of hallways and elevator interiors. The man stuck his chopsticks in his unfinished noodles and pushed up his glasses to squint at their badges. Kenji quickly explained their requirements.
“I don’t need that kind of trouble,” he said, returning his attention to the monitors. “Take your police games somewhere else.”
“Too late. The operation is already underway.” Kenji paused, then pulled out his phone and bluffed, “Shall I call my colleagues at Shinjuku Station to let them know you don’t believe in cooperation?”
The man scowled, reluctantly rummaging in his desk drawer for a ring of keys. Kenji and Suzuki followed him to the lobby and into the closest semiprivate cubicle where pictures of the available rooms were displayed. Eight were still lit up.
“I hope the police are going to pay me for the room,” he grumbled. “I’m sure I could rent the one with the peephole in the closet door at least one more time tonight.” After pushing the button to indicate that room 205 was now unavailable, he handed Kenji the key.
“I’m going to leave this here for my colleagues,” Kenji explained, replacing it in the receptacle, “and ask you to let us in upstairs.”
As the elevator ascended, he texted Yumi.
Room 205, key is in lobby cubicle farthest from front door.
Chapter 75
Thursday, November 21
1:30 A.M.
Yumi
Shortly after entering the room selection cubicle Kenji had described, Yumi and Hoshi exchanged glances as they heard the front door open and a single set of footsteps cross the lobby and enter the one next door.
“Damn, I’m out of smokes,” Hoshi said loudly for Miho’s benefit. “Do you mind if I run across to the Family Mart first?”
“Go ahead, I’ll wait for you upstairs,” Yumi replied. “Room 205. Just knock.”
“Good luck,” he whispered in her ear, then strode to the door without a backward glance.
Yumi scooped up the key and got in a waiting elevator. As the doors closed, a hand thrust between them, bouncing them back.
“Oh. Excuse me,” Miho said with mock surprise. “What a coincidence, running into you twice in one night. I see you didn’t let our little brandy mishap spoil your fun.” She pushed the button for the second floor. “What’s a nice girl who’s engaged to Junichiro Mitsuyama’s son doing in a place like this?”
“The same thing as Shoichi Yamaguchi’s daughter.”
“I’m surprised your fiancé doesn’t mind that you’re so friendly with a host.”
“I’m surprised your father doesn’t mind that you are.”
“I wonder what Mitsuyama-san will say when your Club Nova tab starts coming out of his household budget?”
“I’m sure he won’t mind any more than your board members, when they discover yours goes on your expense account.”
The elevator pinged and the doors slid open. Miho stepped out and rounded on Yumi.
“What are you playing at?”
“I might ask you the same thing. What are you doing here?”
Miho’s lips twisted into a superior smile. “I’m meeting Hoshi, of course. After I call your fiancé and mention I saw you going into a love hotel in Kabuki-chō. It’s up to you whether I tell him you’re waiting for him in room 210, or whether he ought to join you and Hoshi in 205.”
She dangled the key to 210 in Yumi’s face. “Shall we trade?”
“Why don’t you come into 205 and we’ll talk about it?”
“And let Hoshi discover us both when he comes back? No thanks.”
Miho strode down the hall. Yumi hesitated, then followed. This wasn’t going as planned. She had to lure her back to the room where Kenji was hiding.
Flinging the door open, Miho stopped short. Clearly she hadn’t been to the Marquis before. The room she’d chosen had its own jail cell. Next to it, a collection of belts, chains, and more-sinister items hung on the wall. She threw back her head and laughed. “I never guessed Hoshi had such unusual tastes. Tonight is going to be more fun than I thought. Have a seat.”
Yumi perched on the bed, scooting away from the rings bolted to the headboard.
“Look at these!” Miho plucked a chain with handcuffs at both ends from the wall display. “I think your fiancé would be very surprised to hear you intended to play these kind of games without him,” she said, hooking one manacle through the headboard ring and clicking it shut.
Yumi retorted, “And what would your family say if they knew you were here? Instead of finding someone suitable before it’s too late to have children, you’re chasing a relationship with no future whatsoever.”
“What do you mean, ‘no future’?”
“You can’t be serious.”
Miho stared at her.
“You’re kidding, right? You think he’s in love with you? That he’s going to marry you? You must be ten years older than him, at least.”
“Hoshi doesn’t care about that. He loves me. He needs me. He’ll never leave me. I’m going to help him open his own club. We’re going to be partners.”
“The only thing Hoshi loves about you is your money. That’s what he told me, anyway.”
Miho’s face clouded with anger. “Liar!”
She grabbed Yumi’s arm and snapped the other handcuff around her wrist.
“Hey!” Yumi jumped to her feet, but found herself chained to the bed on a short leash. Miho snatched up Yumi’s purse and retreated to the far side of the room.
“You’re the one he was lying to,” Miho said. She took the key to room 205 from Yumi’s purse. “He has to, for his work. But I’m going to save him from all that. Once we’re partners, he’ll be free of having to love anybody but me.” She pocketed the key and dove into Yumi’s bag again.
“I’ll be sure to give Hoshi your regrets,” she said, pulling out Yumi’s phone. “But first I’ll let Mitsuyama Junior know you’re here.”
She read aloud as she keyed in a text to Ichiro. “Waiting…for…you…in…room…210…at…the…Hotel…Marquis…in…Kabuki-chō…and…I…have…a…surprise…for…you!”
She smiled. “That should do it.”
She pushed Send.
Then she frowned at the bling-y bear ornament dangling from Yumi’s phone. Unthreading it, she said, “You won’t be needing this anymore,” and tucked it in her pocket.
Chapter 76
Thursday, November 21
2:00 A.M.
Hoshi
Hoshi crept down the second-floor corridor, trying not to hear the sounds coming from 201 and 204. He put his ear against the door of 205.
Silence.
He didn’t want to interrupt Yumi if she hadn’t tricked Miho into incriminating herself yet, but it didn’t sound like they were still talking. Should he knock? He checked his phone again. No texts or messages. He told himself not to worry. Detective Nakamura was in there with her, right?
The door opened suddenly and he found himself face to face with Miho Yamaguchi, dressed in black thigh-high boots with the tip of a miniature riding crop peeking out the top, lace gloves, and a French maid costume into which she’d zipped herself like a sausage.
“Took you long enough to get those cigarettes,” she said coquettishly, stepping back. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
He stepped past her and scanned the room. Coils of rope hung from hooks in the ceiling, rumpled costume wrappers with room service tags littered the floor, a bottle of champagne cooled on ice. No Yumi.
“Where is she?” he demanded.
&nb
sp; “That girl you came with? She got a call from her fiancé and had to leave. Good thing I was passing by so I could give you the message. And…” She stepped up to unbutton his shirt. “…to keep you from being too lonely tonight.”
Hoshi pulled away and searched the bathroom, then turned to confront her. “Her fiancé is at the Sugar Club tonight, entertaining the Mitsuyama buyers. Where’s Yumi?”
“What’s the matter with you?” Miho pouted. “You’re hurting my feelings. Maybe I’ll reconsider becoming your investor.”
Hoshi didn’t flinch.
“You shouldn’t be treating me like this, you know. I’m the only one left you can count on.”
“You’re the only one left because you killed Cherry,” Hoshi blurted. “You went to her place that night and tried to buy her off, and when she said, ‘Hoshi o uranai!’ you pushed her down the stairs!”
“That’s not what happened. It was an accident.” She stared at him. “How did you know? I thought you’d left! Were you…?”
“I saw everything,” he lied.
“Well, then you saw it was an accident! She completely misinterpreted my generous offer. I was trying to do her a favor. She wasn’t listening. I had to slap some sense into her. If she hadn’t started pushing me, I wouldn’t have had to defend myself and she wouldn’t have lost her balance and…” Miho stopped, breathing hard. “It was an accident!”
“And was Coco an accident, too?”
“What do you mean?”
“I was there,” Hoshi said. “You tried to hit her with your car.”
“Not on purpose! You saw how dark it was on that street!” Her voice took on a peevish tone. “I should make her pay for the damage. Because of her, I had to do without my car for a whole week.”
“Why didn’t you stop to see if she was all right?”
“Because you poured me too many drinks that night at Nova—what if the cops came and they took away my license? You know I can’t use public transportation because of that horrible man I used to be engaged to!”
Kenji emerged from the closet, holding his badge so she could see it. “Miho Yamaguchi, you’re under arrest for the death of Cherry Endo and the attempted murder of Coco Kawaguchi.”
“What?” Stunned. Then Miho realized what she’d just admitted. She looked from Kenji to Hoshi and back again like a cornered animal. Then betrayal twisted her face. She lunged at Hoshi, slapping him hard across the face, and began pummeling him with her fists. Kenji grabbed her arms and pulled her back.
She struggled against his grip, redirecting her fury. “Were you in that closet the whole time? You…you pervert! You were watching me change, weren’t you? I’ll file a complaint. I’ll—”
“Sit,” Kenji said, shoving her down onto the strange chair and cuffing her wrists behind her. “Where’s Yumi?”
“That little bitch is part of this, too?”
Relief. She’d used the present tense.
Noting his reaction, Miho said, “I’ll tell you where she is if we just forget the last five minutes ever happened.”
Kenji shook his head. “Hoshi, go ask the manager to check the CCTV record. Find out which room she’s in.”
Hoshi bowed and strode out the door.
Chapter 77
Thursday, November 21
2:30 A.M.
Hoshi
“Room 210,” the manager said, stopping at a CCTV frame showing the door closing behind Miho and Yumi. “I saw the other lady come out, but unless your girlfriend jumped out the window, she’s still in there.”
“We need to make sure she’s all right,” Hoshi insisted.
The manager sighed and punched 8210 on a house phone. After it rang for a full minute he frowned and hung up. Hoisting himself out of his chair, he grabbed his keys.
Upstairs, they knocked on the door.
“Yumi-san? Are you in there?” Hoshi called.
A muffled response came from behind the door. The manager used his passkey. Yumi was propped up against the headboard, chained.
“Are you all right?” Hoshi cried, running to her side.
“Yeah. Except for this.” Yumi stood and held up her manacled wrist. “What happened?”
“Miho admitted killing Cherry and trying to run over Coco. Detective Nakamura is with her now. Where’s the key?” he asked, nodding toward her handcuffs.
“She took it.”
The manager sighed noisily and searched his ring. “If you lost it, you pay for a new one,” he grouched, clicking the lock open. He glared at Hoshi. “I gotta get back, or the owner’ll have my head.”
“Arigatō,” Yumi said, rubbing her wrist as the manager stalked out, pulling the door shut behind him. She stared at Hoshi. “What happened to you?”
He’d forgotten about the slap, but now his cheek began to throb. Probing his face, he winced, hoping she hadn’t given him a black eye. He’d already missed too much work. “Miho wasn’t too happy when she found out I was helping Detective Nakamura. We should go tell him you’re okay.”
“Just a minute.” Yumi crossed the room and snatched up her phone. “Oh no. That was Ichiro.” She returned the call.
“Hi, it’s Yumi. You aren’t already on your way, are you?” She listened, her face filling with alarm. “You’re in the Marquis lobby? Oh no. The thing is, I’m not there. I was out with friends singing karaoke and they sent that text as a prank when I went to the ladies’ room.”
As she apologized to her fiancé, Hoshi called Saki, who was waiting at home, anxious to hear if their plan had succeeded. Her phone rang, then went to voicemail. Why wasn’t she picking up? Even if she’d fallen asleep, she’d have the phone next to her. She’d wake up. What if something was wrong? What if she’d started bleeding again? What if she was unconscious?
“Okay, bye, I’ll call you tomorrow.” Yumi hung up and sighed with relief.
“I’ve got to go check on Saki,” Hoshi said. “She’s not answering her phone. If the police need to talk to me…”
“I’ll tell them where to find you.”
He bowed. “Thank you, Yumi-san. For everything.”
He sprinted for the elevator.
A few minutes later, as his taxi sped thorough the dark streets toward Koenji, the elation of having Miho Yamaguchi off his back began to fade. He’d lost four patrons this week. He wouldn’t be opening his own club anytime soon. He’d drop out of the top five at Club Nova. Would he ever climb back? He was an old man in the mizu shōbai world; nobody started over and made it back to the top at twenty-seven.
Then something worse occurred to him. What if Miho got off? Rich women always got what they wanted. Her family would keep it out of the papers. They’d hire a fancy lawyer. She’d come back and take her revenge, unless…
He pulled out his phone. A few calls later, reporters and photographers were speeding toward the Hotel Marquis, tipped off that someone rich and famous was about to be marched out of the S&M hotel in handcuffs.
Chapter 78
Thursday, November 21
2:30 A.M.
Kenji
“Let’s see, intentionally causing Cherry’s death, and attempting to run over Coco—if you confess and save everyone the trouble of a trial, you could get out in five.” Kenji crossed room 205’s faux-stone floor and turned up the lights, which revealed scuffs and scrapes he didn’t want to think too much about.
“I thought you were listening, Detective Nakamura. Those were accidents.”
“Once the techs go over every inch of your car with cotton swabs and tweezers, there won’t be any doubt you used it to try and run over the woman who was about to become Hoshi’s partner instead of you. The evidence at the scene showed there was no hesitation.”
“Just because my car was there doesn’t mean I was driving. What if I told you Hoshi was driving it that night?”
“Nice try. But Coco says the car Hoshi gave her a ride home in had fake-fur seat covers and a dry-cleaning bag full of Club Nova suits in the back.”
“I wonder what’s taking them so long,” Miho said, as if reading his mind. “You sure you don’t need my help?”
“We’ll find her.”
“Maybe. But it might be too late.”
“What?”
“See that rope?” She nodded toward a length of thick red cord hanging on a hook above his head. “There are techniques for tying people up safely, but if you leave someone tied up too long, in some positions they choke to death. Sadly, a few accidents like that occur every year, usually at hotels just like this.”
Oh no. Not that.
“Suzuki-san!” he cried. “Go find out what’s taking them so long!”
“Yes, sir!” Suzuki emerged from the closet and dashed to the elevator.
Surprise turned to anger as Miho sputtered, “How many more Peeping Toms have you got in there?”
“Where’s Yumi?” Kenji demanded.
She sat back in the chair, her mouth clamped shut.
“All right. I’ll let you go if you show me where she is,” Kenji lied, hauling her to her feet.
“Take off the handcuffs.”
“After.”
“Get me my coat. I’m not going out into the hall dressed like this.”
Kenji snatched her coat from the pile of clothes on the bed and draped it around her.
“Doesn’t cover enough. Take off the handcuffs so I can put it on properly.”
“We’re wasting time!”
“I’m not going out like this.”
Yumi could be unconscious already. What if she’d stopped breathing? Releasing the cuffs, he kept an iron grasp on Miho’s upper arm.
She shook her wrists as though the circulation had been cruelly cut off. Smoothing the front of her maid costume, suddenly her hand darted down into her boot and whipped out the toy riding crop. She slashed it across Kenji’s face.
He cried out, shocked and hurt, dropping her arm as his hands automatically flew up to protect himself. She kicked him in the nuts.