2
The woman at the front door was not at all like the person Kawaminami had vaguely imagined. Yoshikawa Masako appeared to be a reserved but friendly woman, dressed in a komon kimono. With the preconception he was going to meet the wife of a man who had killed four people because of some sort of distorted love, Kawaminami had actually expected an unsociable woman.
She was in her early forties at the most, but because of her worries, her face looked much older and more tired.
‘My name is Shimada, I called you this morning. I apologise for calling you out of the blue,’ said Shimada. The gardener’s wife bowed her head.
‘You said you were a friend of Mr. Kōjirō. You must have come a long way.’
‘You seem to know Kō, I mean, Nakamura Kōjirō.’
‘Yes. I’m in much debt to him. As you probably know, I was working in the mansion on Tsunojima before I married my husband. I had been there ever since Mr. Seiji moved to the island. It was Mr. Kōjirō who recommended me for that position.’
‘Ah, now I understand. So that’s where you first met your husband?’
‘Yes. My husband was also working at the mansion at the time.’
‘Is this his family home?’
‘Yes. We lived in O—City for a while after our marriage, but we moved here because of his parents’ health.’
‘So he had to travel quite a distance to work?’
‘When we moved here, he quit all his jobs except for the ones at the mansion on Tsunojima and Mr. Kōjirō’s home in Beppu.’
‘Oh, so your husband was also responsible for Kōjirō’s garden?’
‘Yes.’
‘The reason why we came here today is this letter—it was sent to my friend Kawaminami here,’ said Shimada, showing her the letter Kawaminami had given him earlier.
‘What is this?’
‘It’s a letter from someone using the name of the deceased Nakamura Seiji. A similar letter was sent to Kōjirō.’
‘How awful.’
‘We thought the letter might have something to do with what happened on Tsunojima. And we hoped you might tell us something that could help us.’
Masako seemed perplexed, but eventually looked up at the two men.
‘Come inside. And would you be so kind as to burn some incense for my husband.…’
✦ ✦ ✦
Shimada and Kawaminami were led to a badly-lit tatami room.
Through the open sliding paper door they could see a small family altar behind Masako, who had sat down opposite them in a traditional seiza position.
The new memorial tablet appeared to float in the dark.
‘As you know, my husband was never found. Last month, with the new year, I finally gave up on him and we held a ceremony in private.’
She fought back tears as she was talking.
‘But isn’t there a possibility your husband is still alive?’
‘If he were still alive, he would have contacted me.’
‘But—.’
‘I will tell you this: my husband was absolutely incapable of doing something that atrocious. I know the rumours, but I don’t believe any of it. Everybody who knew him says the same.’
Masako’s tone was defiant. Shimada nodded quietly.
‘I heard that your husband left for the island three days before the mansion burned down. When exactly was that?’
‘He left here in the early morning of September 17th.’
‘And he didn’t happen to make any calls to you between then and the morning of the 20th, when the fire broke out?’
‘He did once, in the afternoon of the day he left.’
‘By phone?’
‘Yes. He told me he’d arrived safely.’
‘Did he act any differently from usual?’
‘He was the same as ever. But he did say that the madam had been ill.’
‘Mrs. Kazue?’
‘My husband didn’t see her around, so when he asked Mr. Seiji, he said the madam had been taken ill and was in bed.’
‘Aha.’
Shimada pouted his lips slightly and scratched the bridge of his nose.
‘I ask you this, knowing it to be very rude, but is there anything to the rumours of your husband having feelings for Mrs. Kazue…?’
Masako went pale. ‘Both my husband and I were very devoted to the madam,’ she replied, ‘but as I said before, my husband would never do the evil things some people suggest. The accusation that my husband was in love with the madam is just nonsense. And what’s more….’
‘Yes?’
‘The rumours my husband wanted to steal Mr. Seiji’s fortune are also nothing but baseless accusations. There wasn’t anything left.’
‘Nothing left? There was nothing to steal there anymore?’
‘I shouldn’t have spoken.’
‘No, please. I understand that you are upset.’
Shimada’s deep-sunk eyes gleamed.
‘So there was nothing left of Seiji’s fortune?’ he muttered. Then, as if he’d just remembered something, he added:
‘I heard that Seiji and Kōjirō didn’t get along as brothers. What are your views on that?’
‘Hmm,’ Masako murmured vaguely, ‘Mr. Seiji could be a bit peculiar.’
‘Did Kōjirō ever visit the island?’
‘He occasionally visited when I was still working there, but I heard he hardly went there after I left the job.’
‘During the time you were working there… I see.’
‘Excuse me.’
Kawaminami, who had been listening in silence up to that point, interrupted.
‘Do you know what happened to Nakamura Chiori? I knew her from university. That’s why I got the letter Mr. Shimada showed you.’
‘Miss Chiori?’
Masako looked down at the dark tatami mats.
‘I still remember her from when she was a little girl. My husband occasionally told me about her after I’d left the island—the poor girl. She was still so young when it happened.’
‘Up to what age did Chiori live on the island?’ queried Shimada.
‘I think she moved to her grandfather’s place when she started kindergarten. My husband said that she only returned sporadically to the island and it was her mother who usually went out to O—City to meet her. The madam really loved her daughter.’
‘And Seiji?’
Shimada leaned slightly forward.
‘How did Seiji treat his daughter?’
‘He….’
Masako had trouble voicing her thoughts.
‘I think Mr. Seiji was probably not very fond of children.’