按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Akiko。
She was not Yukio； yet she had Yukio's face。 Why？ Surely she could not have been bom with features so precisely akin to his lost love's。 Nature simply did not repeat its handiwork in such a manner save perhaps between twins。
And if； as he believed now； her face was manmade； then he was led like a dog on a leash back to the one person who could wish him destroyed； one person who could conceive of such emotional torture。
Itami had been quite correct： he was totally evil。 Saigo。 So he had instinctively e here； to his cousin's house； in search of answers to the unanswerable。
〃But there is another reason； Oba； a more urgent one。 I recently came across a woman with Yukio's face。 She wasn't Yukio and she was。 Her name is Akiko。〃
Itami turned away； her face to the dying sun。 〃I knew a woman with such a name； once；〃 she said。 〃I loved her once； she revered me once。 As was proper between mother and daughter…in…law。〃
Nicholas felt his heart constrict。 What Itami was suggesting felt monstrous to him； unclean if not unholy。 〃She was married to Saigo？〃 he managed to get out。
Itami nodded。
〃Was she a student？〃
Itami knew very well what kind of student he meant。 To them there was only one kind。 〃Yes。〃 Her voice was a whisper。 〃They met in Kumamoto。 She was there for two years； studying before she left。〃
〃Where did she go？〃
〃I do not want to talk of it。〃
〃Itami…san…〃
〃It is a shameful thing。〃 Her voice was cold； old and sad for the first time。 〃Do not make me utter it。〃
He moved around in front of her。 〃I must know。 I must！ She is your son's…〃
〃Do not call him that！〃'
〃She is Saigo's last weapon against me； can't you see that？ If you do not help me； I am afraid she may succeed where he did not。〃
Her eyes were clear。 〃Is this truly so？〃
He nodded。 〃Hai； Oba。〃
〃In the alps somewhere to the north lives a sensei。 His name is Kyoki。〃
〃That is no name；〃 Nicholas said； stunned。 〃That is a state of being： madness。〃
〃Nevertheless； that is where Akiko went； that is where she learned to mask her wa； where she learned jaho。〃
Itami made a face and turned away。 〃There； I've said it all now； though it makes me ill。〃
He waited a long time before he spoke again。 There were many reasons for this。 He wanted； first of all； to allow her to recover her posure。 Too； he wanted to drink in this most serene surrounding that gentled his spirit like a mother's caress。 Lastly； he did not want this time between them to end。
But at last he was moved to speech。 〃I must go； Haha。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Will you kiss me good…bye as my father taught Cheong to do？〃
Itami turned。 Her eyes were brimming and so huge they seemed to enpass the world。 Gently her hands held him and； lifting herself lightly on tiptoe； she pressed her lips to his cheek just as she had done it thousands of times before。
〃Happy birthday； Haha；〃 he whispered。
〃Live long； Nicholas；〃 Itami breathed。 But she was already alone in the bower； the birds trilling sweetly overhead with the first onrush of twilight。
To Justine； Tokyo was as bewildering as New York City would be to a teenager from Nebraska。 It was not what she had expected it to be nor what she had wanted it to be。
It throbbed all around her like a neon hive； its atmosphere as chokingly heavy as that of a coal mine。 She entered into it with increasing trepidation and by the time she had been conveyed to the portals of the Okura was prepared to turn right around and go home。 The only thing that prevented her was Nicholas or； more accurately； the thought of him。
Craig Allonge was staying at the Okura。 She knew him slightly and in desperation she scribbled a note for him and asked the concierge to see that he got it the moment he returned to the hotel。
Then she went up to her room and collapsed on the bed。 Her skin felt as if it had been coated with oil and her hair was greasy from the long flight。 Groaning； she got up and drew a bath； using water as hot as she could tolerate。 She felt she would need that to peel all the layers of grime off her。
She had soaped up and was soaking； her knotted muscles slowly unwinding； when the phone rang。 There was an extension within reach and she used it。 It was Allonge。 He had been set up with a temporary office at Sato Petrochemicals and had returned to the hotel to change for lunch。 He was a shirtsleeves man and no one had told him how formal the Japanese could be。
When Justine asked about Nicholas； Allonge did not know what to tell her。 He heard the agitation in her voice and did not want to alarm her unduly by telling her he had no idea where his boss might be。 Instead he said he would find out and would call her right back。 He disconnected and called Sato's office。 No； there was no word as yet from Mr。 Linnear。 Did Allonge…san wish to speak with Nangi…san？
Tanzan Nangi's return from Hong Kong was news to Allonge and he said； 〃Yes； put me through； please。〃 When the connection was made he told Nangi about Justine。
〃Bring her back with you；〃 Nangi said。 〃I'll talk to the young lady。〃
Nangi put down the receiver and swung away from his desk。 Having just an hour ago deplaned at Narita； his thoughts were still partially back in Hong Kong。 He thought of Fortuitous Chiu and his Dragon father。 But even more his thoughts were concentrated on the Green Pang Triad。 Sometime within the month they would raid the Sun Wa Trading pany on Tai Ping Shan Street。 There would be violence； people killed。 One of those people would be Mr。 Liu； perhaps another would be a young woman by the name of Succulent Pien。
Whatever the oute； it would have nothing to do with Nangi； it was； rather； Triad warfare； a territorial dispute。 Or at least that would be how all the newspapers would write it up； how the populace would see it。 That was the accepted way of life in the Crown Colony。 Lo Whan would have to accept it as well。 Karma。 Perhaps he should have consulted a feng shui man before entering into the agreement with Nangi。
In fact； the raid had been agreed upon by Nangi and Fortuitous Chiu before the meeting with Lo Whan at Ocean Park took place。 That had been the reason for all the h'eung yau spread around； the partriotic angle that Nangi had asked Fortuitous Chiu to bring up to Third Cousin Tok。 Nangi had not abrogated his agreement with Lo Whan； and the disinformation connection with Redman would cease to exist within three weeks time。
But his satisfaction was to be shortlived because in a moment a discreet knock was heard at his door and Nangi swiveled around。 He saw Kei Hagura； one of Seiichi's senior vice presidents。
〃Enter； Hagura…san。〃 The man looked decidedly unwell； Nangi thought。 Perhaps he needs some time off with his wife and children。 There is nothing like being with one's family to restore the spirit。
〃Pardon me for intruding； Nangi…san。〃 Hagura was bowing profusely。 His face was white and pinched and over his shoulder Nangi became aware of a stir within the hive of offices on the fifty…second floor。
〃e； e； Hagura…san。〃 Nangi's voice was slightly irritated。 〃What can I do for you？〃
Hagura's head was down； his eyes would not meet Nangi's own。 〃A report has just e over the wire from our Hokkaido office。 There