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his throat； and he hurried up the steep flight of stairs to the front door of the private dwelling。
It opened immediately at his knock as if the woman inside had been waiting for him。 She was heavyset a plain…looking woman in her late twenties with a thick mane of black hair； frizzy as the fibers in rice paper。
The interior of the house was Western and elegant； a small oval foyer flowering open to a grand central staircase。 Sparkling light from a crystal chandelier burnished the warm tones of the rooms； and a marble console held a crystal bowl of flowers he knew were cut fresh every day。
He was led down a hall tastefully paneled in cherrywood and was shown into the library。 A very old and expensive Persian carpet covered the floor on which stood a velvet…covered sofa and a pair of high…backed upholstered chairs。 Books on every conceivable subject lined one wall。 Opposite was a glass cabinet displaying a full set of samurai armor dating from the seventeenth century that surely belonged in a museum。 Next to it was a burlwood French secretary at which sat a woman who turned and rose as he was ushered into the room。
This was her sanctuary； and Chosa was at all times respectful of it。 The woman； who must have been in her seventies； looked perhaps two decades younger than that。 She had the kind of patrician face that spoke of pure samurai blood。 Her skin was the color and smoothness of porcelain； but in her fiery black eyes was contained an entire world of emotion and intellect。 This was no woman to trifle with； Chosa knew。 She was the sister of Mikio Okami； and that alone placed her on a different level； but the force of her personality almost made her family connection irrelevant。 Chosa； who had learned from his steel…willed mother to respect the quiet strength of a female； would not make the fatal mistake of thinking this woman to be an inferior being。
〃Good evening； Kisoko…san；〃 Chosa said deferentially。 〃I hope I haven't disturbed you at this late hour。〃
Kisoko regarded him levelly； 〃Time is irrelevant to me；〃 she replied in her well…modulated voice。 〃As is sleep。〃 It was an exceptional voice； one that could be used as a weapon as well as a promise； In other words； this was a woman well used to the pany of men。 〃Would you care for a brandy？〃
〃A brandy would be perfect。〃
Kisoko poured from a cut…crystal decanter。 She wore a magnificent kimono of brocaded silk； black on indigo； in a water pattern。 As tradition warranted； an underkimono of soft black silk peeked out at cuff and collar； but her hair and makeup were strictly Western and as voguish as any model's。
She handed Chosa his drink and sat in her gilt Louis XV desk chair。 Chosa went over to admire the suit of samurai armor。
〃Magnificent；〃 he said。 〃I'm envious of you。〃
〃Oh； that isn't mine。 It belongs to my son； Ken。 He's fascinated by the weapons of Japan's past。〃 Her eyes swept past Chosa to the armor。 〃His sense of honor is； how shall I put it； preternaturally heightened。〃 She gave a little laugh。 〃Perhaps he wishes he were back in the seventeenth century。 At least then everything had its place。 I sometimes suspect he's pletely baffled by the plexities and subtleties of the modern world。〃
It was a brave thing to say of a child who was permanently crippled。 Or perhaps； like all mothers of impaired children； she could not see her son's disabilities for what they were。 Even the most rational of people； Chosa knew； could be blinded by their love and desperate hope for their offspring。
She smiled benevolently。 〃But I must apologize。 You did not e here to listen to me talk of my son。〃
Chosa turned and took some brandy on his tongue。 He had never developed a taste for the liquor； but he could appreciate its medicinal properties。 It was often this way with the many things required of him during his days and nights of business。
〃I'd like to speak to you of Colonel Linnear and your brother。〃
Kisoko turned her head as will a bird at the sound of a potential threat。 〃Go on。〃
〃I do not wish to offend you。〃
〃Chosa…san； we go back a long way。 I dandled you on my knee； took you for walks in Ueno Park； freed your kite from the branches of a cherry tree。〃
〃I remember； yes。 It was a tiger。〃
Kisoko nodded。 〃A very fierce creature； who nevertheless needed all your love to survive。〃
〃My brother tried to steal him and I beat him badly。〃
〃He went to hospital； I recall。 A fractured collarbone。〃
〃To this day that side of his shoulder is lower than the other。 But when he came home； he never tried to steal anything of mine again。〃
〃He also never told anyone what had really happened。〃
Chosa was silent for some time； working on the riddle。 He knew he dismissed these childhood reminiscences at his peril。 Kisoko was famous for speaking in epigrams and oblique lessons that pertained to the subject of the moment。 What was she telling him here？
At length； he said； 〃I suppose you know that Tomoo Kozo tried to murder Nicholas Linnear。〃
〃Yes。 The news media had nothing on it； of course。 The police saw to that。〃
〃Kozo believed that the Colonel and your brother were responsible for his father's death in 1947。〃
〃Yes。 I recall the day he was discovered floating in the Sumida。〃
〃Was Tomoo correct？ Were they responsible for the elder Kozo's death？〃
〃Of course not；〃 she said without hesitation。 〃Tomoo was mad； everyone knew that。 How you tolerated him at council is anyone's guess。〃
〃But they were good friends； Colonel Linnear and your brother。〃
〃Friends？〃 She cocked her head。 〃That's a rather odd way to put it。 The Colonel was a Westerner； how could they have been friends？〃
〃Inside he was Japanese。〃
〃Was he？ What an extraordinary notion。〃
Chosa put down his glass。 〃Are you refuting the evidence？〃
〃What evidence？ You're mistaking popular myth for fact。〃
〃But surely it's a documented fact that Colonel Linnear actively worked within the Occupation machine to restore an equilibrium to the Japanese economic and political landscape。〃
〃That is without question。〃 Kisoko downed her brandy in one shot。 〃But he also strove diligently to ensure that any trace of the prewar industrial…military plex was eradicated。〃
Chosa stood stock…still； fascinated and appalled。 〃I don't think I understand you。〃
〃It's simple once you understand that there were certain elements within the Occupation machine who felt strongly that keeping a core of the best Japanese military minds would provide the kind of bulwark America required in those days against munist aggression in the Pacific。 Because this was our role in the postwar world： to be America's fortress in the Far East against the Soviet Union and mainland China。 It was odd； don't you think？ The Americans disarmed us and then told us to patrol their perimeter。〃
〃We're speaking now of war criminals。〃 Chosa wanted to make certain he got this right。 〃Some Americans at SCAP headquarters wanted to keep Japanese war criminals out of the trials and use them for their own purpose。〃
〃They did keep a group out of the war trials。 History tells us these generals were never found； but I know where they went。 Underground。 They became spies for the Americans。〃
〃And your brother an