Gale Force by Owen Laukkanen

Author:Owen Laukkanen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2018-05-08T04:00:00+00:00

53

YOKOHAMA

The man standing on the opposite side of Katsuo Nakadate’s desk was, by every account, highly regarded in his industry, and extremely well accomplished. He was a man accustomed to receiving respect, a man not used to deferring to others. But as Nakadate studied the master of the Pacific Lion, he didn’t see an alpha male in command of his situation. Rather, he saw a frightened little boy.

“You know who I am,” Nakadate said, and the captain swallowed and nodded. “Good. Then we can dispense with the formalities. Did you have a pleasant flight home?”

The captain nodded again. Stole a glance around Nakadate’s office, at the two young men standing wordless by the only exit. “Y-yes,” he said, stammering a little, his voice dry. “It was fine.”

“I’m sorry to bring you here so unexpectedly,” Nakadate told him, “but there’s an urgent matter that I believe you can assist me with.” He gestured to a chair. “Please, sit.”

The captain sat. He had reason to be frightened, of course. Confused, at the very least. The two young men standing behind the captain had intercepted him on his regular early-morning jog, spirited him away in a waiting Mercedes-Benz, and driven him here, to a skyscraper in downtown Yokohama, a lavish corner office amid the clouds—and an audience with Katsuo Nakadate himself. The captain had been angry when he’d been brought into the office. That anger had changed to fear when he’d seen Nakadate, recognizing him from the newspapers, placing his face.

“What do you want from me?” the captain asked. “I’ve done nothing wrong. I’m a good man. I’m not a—not a gangster.”

Nakadate smiled inwardly. He didn’t consider himself cruel by nature, but there was always some humor in observing the contortions people put themselves through to avoid causing him offense—as if the head of the Inagawa-kai syndicate would be so petty as to kill a man over an ill-chosen word. Regardless . . .

He opened a folder on the desk in front of him. Flipped through until he’d found the photograph he was looking for. Removed it, and slid it across the desk.

“Your family, Captain Ise,” he said. “Your beautiful wife, and two little boys.”

The captain went pale as he studied the picture. It was recent: taken the previous morning, in front of the boys’ school. A crude gesture, yes, but a point to be made.

The captain pushed the picture away. “This isn’t necessary,” he said. “Whatever you want to know, I’ll tell you as much as I can. Please—tell me what this is about?”

“Very well.” Nakadate found another photograph, a single man this time, removed it. “Have you seen this man before?”

The captain looked. Squinted. “No, I haven’t. Who—”

“That man is named Tomio Ishimaru. Until recently, he was a valued member of my staff of accountants. Until shortly before your ship sailed, in fact.”

Ise started to respond. Nakadate cut him off with the wave of his hand.

“The day of your departure, Captain Ise, Tomio Ishimaru murdered three of his colleagues and escaped with something very valuable to me.

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