Hiroshima Boy by Naomi Hirahara

Author:Naomi Hirahara
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781945551093
Publisher: Prospect Park Books
Published: 2017-11-29T00:00:00+00:00

When Mas returned to the nursing home, the older detective with the hedgehog hair was sitting in the lobby by himself. Mas considered staying outside and hiding in the trees in the back, but what purpose would that serve? It was getting hotter than hell out there, and if the detective wanted to skin his hide, he’d get it sooner or later.

Making sure to leave Rei’s umbrella outside, he entered the building, causing the detective to immediately rise. Sonofagun, Mas said to himself. I was right. This guy’s coming for me.

“Hello, Arai-san, I need a moment of your time.”

Mas swallowed the spit that had accumulated in the back of his throat. They both took a seat in the lobby. Nobody was visible in the office, and Mas was glad to have at least some degree of privacy.

“We heard you were at a game and manga shop in Hondori. And you were asking questions about Tani Sora.”

Mas nodded, his heart racing. “He had a friend there. At least that’s what I heard.”

“Why did you feel that you had to interfere in our investigation? I know that you are a gaijin, but that is highly irregular here in Japan.”

Mas’s hands began to shake; he sat on them so that his nervousness wouldn’t be so obvious. The tone of the detective’s voice reminded him of the military police who had hounded him and his childhood friends like him: Kibei Nisei, born in America but raised in Japan. “I didn’t know you were still looking into Sora’s death.”

“The case is not yet closed, Arai-san. In fact, it’s very much open.”

Mas lowered his head as if to apologize.

“And the director of Senbazuru, Ikeda Toshi. How well do you know him?”

Mas considered the detective’s question. Why was he asking about Toshi? “I don’t know him,” he said. “I mean, I met him when the body was found.”

“Do you remember his response?”

“Well, he didn’t know the dead boy.”

“Don’t you think that’s strange, since he’s the son of one of his closest friends?”

That had bothered Mas, of course, but he didn’t express it.

“Do you have any more information to share with me, then?”

Mas got up. “Please come with me.”

The detective followed Mas down the corridor, past the open doors of the residents. A few pulled themselves up from their beds, curious about the presence of the detective who walked with such confidence and brashness. Walking with him, Mas almost felt like he was a delinquent boy awaiting his punishment. When they passed Ayako’s door, Mas made sure that his eyes were focused on what was ahead of him. He didn’t need to be interrogated by her, too.

They entered his room and Mas was glad that he had made sure to fold the futons and put them to the side. And Rei’s note was safely out of sight in the depths of his suitcase.

The detective sat on his legs on the tatami floor. It was judo-style, and even though he was probably in his fifties, his body was still supple.

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