Part 15 (1/2)

oEnough gold to make our families agree to our marriage? Junko had asked eagerly.

oEnough to make all things possible.

Now Junko tried to remind Kiyos.h.i.+ of the fortune tellers advice. oThe mysterious lights ”

oI said, forget them! Kiyos.h.i.+ shouted, eyes blazing.

He'd never before raised his voice to her in anger. Silently Junko turned away, blinking back tears.

oI'm sorry, Kiyos.h.i.+ said. The anger had left his voice, and he sounded weary. oI didn't mean to hurt you. But this is what's best, you have to believe me.

The cold draft from the window made Junko s.h.i.+ver. Sniffling, she said, oBut what about the money? Our plans?

Kiyos.h.i.+ hovered beside her, his hand clasping her shoulder. With a forced laugh, he said, oThat old fortune teller was just repeating town gossip and saying what we wanted to hear. There's no ghosts or treasure. We were fools to believe it.

Disturbed by the forlorn note in Kiyos.h.i.+'s voice, Junko glanced sideways at him. He was watching her with concern, but a part of him remained separate, preoccupied.

oIf the lights aren't Dutch ghosts, then what are they? Junko asked, loath to relinquish their dream.

Kiyos.h.i.+'s hand dropped from her shoulder, leaving behind a fleeting warmth. oI can't tell you.

His recalcitrance destroyed Junko's fragile dignity. She whirled to face him. oPlease, tell me what's wrong, she pleaded, clutching his sleeve. oI want to help!

Holding her, Kiyos.h.i.+ stroked her hair. She felt his hand tremble, his ragged breath on her forehead, his warm strength. But his body stayed rigid. oThere's nothing you can do, he said hopelessly. oI have to handle it alone. After a long pause, he continued, though more to himself than her, oI have to decide whether to do what's right, even if it hurts... someone.

Then he released her. He swallowed hard, then said, oI don't want to say this, Junko. But... I think we should stop seeing each other.

oStop seeing each other? Why? Junko could no longer hide her insecurity. oDon't you love me anymore? she cried. oIs there someone else?

oThat's not what I mean! Kiyos.h.i.+ seized her hands, crus.h.i.+ng them to his chest. oI love you. There will never be anyone else for me. But this is for the best. Please, believe me.

oNo!

A sound paralyzed them both: footsteps on the stairs.

oIt's the lieutenant, Kiyos.h.i.+ said. He pushed Junko toward the window, where a ladder extended to the ground. oGo! Before he sees you.

oWait, Kiyos.h.i.+, Junko pleaded. They couldn't part like this, with matters left unresolved.

The footsteps grew louder, closer. Much as Junko wanted to stay, she couldn't endanger Kiyos.h.i.+'s career. She let him help her out the window. Her hands and feet found the ladder's rungs. As she descended, she peered upward through the rapidly fading daylight for one last glimpse of Kiyos.h.i.+.

After a quick wave and a brief, strained smile, he turned away from the window and vanished from sight.

oh.e.l.lO! IS ANYONE up there? Sano called, ascending the stairs inside the watchtower.

Enc.u.mbered by his horse, he'd lost track of Junko in the forest. Still, the tower seemed the only place where she might have gone. He called out his name and t.i.tle so the guard on duty wouldn't mistake him for an attacking enemy. Emerging through the opening in the floor of the room at the top of the tower, he faced a young man who stared at him in speechless dismay.

oIt's Kiyos.h.i.+, isn't it? Sano asked, remembering him from the beach yesterday. oChief Ohira's son?

Kiyos.h.i.+ gulped. oI... was expecting the lieutenant, he said, then bowed hastily. oMy apologies for this rude greeting, ssakan-sama. Please allow me to be of service.

oI'm looking for a young lady named Junko, Sano said, wondering why Kiyos.h.i.+ was so nervous. oShe's the daughter of the merchant Urabe. Have you seen her?

oNo! Kiyos.h.i.+ backed toward the window and picked up a spygla.s.s from the floor. He clutched the long metal tube as if eager for something to hold. oI mean, I haven't seen anyone.

oI heard voices up here, Sano said.

oThat was me, talking to myself. I'm learning the Dutch language. Kiyos.h.i.+ gestured to a book that lay on the floor. oI was just practicing.

From below came a m.u.f.fled thump. Seeing the boy's worried glance out the window, Sano joined him there. He looked down and saw the ladder. A brief, fluttering movement disturbed the forest beneath.

oDo you know Junko? Sano asked.

oNo! That is, I may have seen her in town. But I'm not actually acquainted with her, no.

He lied bravely, looking straight into Sano's eyes, yet Sano easily pieced together the truth. Kiyos.h.i.+ and Junko were illicit lovers who'd just stolen some time together here. Feeling the loss of Aoi, Sano pitied the young couple. He said, oI wanted to ask Junko what she knows about the mysterious lights in the harbor. Seeing panic flare in Kiyos.h.i.+'s eyes, he thought he might learn something after all. oDo you ever work the night watch?

oSometimes. Kiyos.h.i.+'s long-fingered hands toyed with the spygla.s.s. oNot often. I usually work in the harbor patrol then.

oPerhaps you've seen the lights, Sano suggested. oDo you know what causes them?

Kiyos.h.i.+ stole a glance out the window. oNo. I mean, I've never seen the lights. Actually, I don't believe there are any. I think a drunk must have imagined he saw something, then told his friends. Now everyone in Nagasaki thinks he's personally seen the lights, and has ideas about what they mean. His laugh was a sickly croak. oYou know how it is.

Sano knew how gossip could spread and turn fantasy into apparent reality, but he couldn't see why Kiyos.h.i.+ was so eager to deny that the lights existed, or discourage his interest in them. Looking out the window, he saw that the tower was a perfect place from which to monitor the vast panorama of sky, city, and sea.

oMay I look through your spygla.s.s? Sano asked Kiyos.h.i.+.

oYes, of course, ssakan-sama.

Obviously glad for a change of subject, Kiyos.h.i.+ handed over the instrument and explained how to operate it. Sano aimed the long tube out the window, peering through the lens while scanning the landscape. He turned the focusing ring, and blurred scenes leapt into brilliant clarity. In a sky of cool, glowing azure that shaded to gold in the west, clouds drifted, every whorl and puff distinct. Birds soared over trees down the hillside; palanquins and tiny figures filed through the streets. s.h.i.+ps in the harbor appeared so close that Sano instinctively raised his hand to touch them. On open sea floated the Dutch vessel, masts and sails clearly defined. Sano experienced a pang of foreboding even as he admired the technology that had produced the spygla.s.s. The s.h.i.+p's captain and crew must have received his message by now. What would be their response?

Sano trained the spygla.s.s on Des.h.i.+ma. He saw guards patrolling the perimeter and main street. He could almost read the warning signs on the poles around the island.

oYou have a wonderful view, he remarked, handing the spygla.s.s back to Kiyos.h.i.+. oTell me ”were you on duty the night Director Spaen disappeared?

The young man fumbled and almost dropped the instrument. Holding it across his chest like a s.h.i.+eld, he said, oYes. I guess I was.

oDid you notice anything unusual on Des.h.i.+ma then?

Eyes wide and alarmed, Kiyos.h.i.+ shook his head. His Adam's apple jerked.

oAny suspicious activity; any strange comings or goings? Any boats around the island?

More negative responses. Then Kiyos.h.i.+ blurted, oPlease forgive me, but the harbor is very dark at night. It's hard to see what's going on from here, especially when there's a storm, like there was then. And I ”I might have fallen asleep. Or gotten too interested in my studies. I'm sorry I can't help you.

Unconvinced, Sano probed harder for information, but met with more disclaimers. Finally he took his leave of Kiyos.h.i.+. The youth definitely knew something, his denials notwithstanding. Sano recalled how upset he'd seemed while viewing the corpse on the beach. He was beginning to believe that the lights were somehow linked to the murder, if only because the mention of either provoked similar reactions from Kiyos.h.i.+.