Inspector Imanishi Investigates by Seicho Matsumoto

Author:Seicho Matsumoto [Matsumoto, Seicho]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Mystery & Detective, General
ISBN: 9781569470190
Google: ZaUEAQAAQBAJ
Amazon: 1569470197
Publisher: Soho Press
Published: 1989-01-01T11:00:00+00:00

* * *

TEN

Emiko

« ^ »

In the back streets of Ginza was a coffee shop that stayed open until two a.m. After eleven-thirty at night, its customers were mainly hostesses from the nearby cabarets and bars who, after they finished work, would stop by for coffee and pastries before making their way home, relaxing after a tiring night. Some people waited in this coffee shop until after midnight, when the rush to hail taxis after the bars closed subsided. Others came here to meet hostesses with whom they had private arrangements.

Pushing the door open, Emiko entered; she was wearing a kimono. She looked around the shop until she spied Sekigawa, who was sitting in one of the last booths with his back to the entrance.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.” Slipping off her black lace shawl, Emiko smiled happily at him. “Did you wait long?”

Sekigawa glanced briefly at Emiko and looked away. In the dim light his face seemed morose.

“I’ve been waiting for twenty minutes.”

His coffee cup was nearly empty.

“I’m so sorry,” she said and bowed her head as if to a stranger. “I was impatient to get away, but there was a customer who just wouldn’t leave, so I couldn’t escape. I’m sorry.”

A waitress came to take her order.

“I’d like a lemon tea.”

When the waitress left, Emiko continued. “I hope I haven’t caused you any trouble asking you to come and meet me like this.”

“I’m busy, you know,” Sekigawa said gruffly. “I wish you wouldn’t do this sort of thing.”

“I’m sorry,” Emiko apologized again. “But I really need to talk to you.”

“What about?”

“I’ll tell you later.”

“Can’t you tell me now?”

“No. I’ll tell you later… Oh, yes, there’s something I’ve been meaning to mention to you. I met someone who said he saw you in Akita Prefecture. It must have been about a month ago…” This was a topic that she did not consider to be very important.

“In Akita?” Sekigawa suddenly raised his eyes. They showed more concern than Emiko had anticipated. “Who was that?”

“Remember, a while ago you went to Akita with Waga-san?”

“Oh, yes, we went to see the rocket research center.”

“Yes, that was the time. This person says he saw you at a train station there.”

“Is it someone I know?” Sekigawa asked.

“No, you don’t know him. It’s someone you have no connection with.”

“Why did this topic come up?”

“Apparently he read your piece in the newspaper. He saw your name and photo and said he remembered seeing you there.”

“Is he a customer at your bar?”

“No, that’s not it. He’s my landlady’s brother.”

“Why did such a person mention that to you?”

“We started out talking about ‘musique concrete.’ So I happened to say that I knew you, and we began talking.”

“You told him you knew me?”

“Don’t worry,” she said. “I told him that you were just a customer who comes to the bar.”

“He doesn’t suspect anything between us?” Sekigawa said with a serious expression.

“No, no.” She smiled to placate him. “How could he know?”

“Don’t talk about me to anyone at all.” Sekigawa’s voice thickened with displeasure.

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