been. Glossy black hair hung in a plait over her shoulder. She had pretty features sharpened by cunning. She wore a modest but expensive gray satin kimono.
“Of course. A thousand apologies for my poor manners,” said the son, bowing to Sano. “My name is Ejima Jozan.”
Lady Ejima also bowed. Her tilted black eyes sparked with wariness as they regarded Sano.
“Please come in.” Apparently mystified as to the reason for this visit from the shogun’s second-in-command, Jozan backed into the room to let Sano and his men enter.
The room’s shutters were closed against the sunshine. The sealed oblong wooden coffin lay on a dais. Smoking incense burners adorned a table that also held a vase of Chinese anise branches, offerings of food, and a sword to avert evil spirits. Jozan and Lady Ejima had been quarreling over Ejima’s estate while holding a vigil over his corpse, like scavengers fighting over carrion.
“My condolences on your loss,” Sano said.
Jozan thanked him. Lady Ejima said, “May I offer you some refreshments?”
Her manner was more forward than usual for a high-ranking woman. Sano recalled hearing that Ejima had married a courtesan from the Yoshiwara pleasure quarter. After Sano had politely declined her offer, he said, “Are there any family members in this house besides the two of you?”
“No,” Jozan said. “The others live away from Edo.”
“I’m sorry to say that I have bad news,” Sano said. “Ejima- san ’s death was murder.”
A gasp of surprise issued from Lady Ejima. “But I thought he was killed in an accident during a horse race.”
Jozan shook his head, dazed. “What happened?”
“He was a killed by a death-touch. Someone has apparently mastered the ancient martial arts technique and used it on your father.” Sano watched the widow and adopted son. Lady Ejima’s pretty face took on a frozen, opaque look. Jozan blinked. Sano wondered if they were upset or thinking how the murder would affect them.
“Who was it?” Jozan said. “Who killed my father?”
“That’s yet to be determined,” Sano said. “I’m investigating Ejima- san ’s murder and I need your cooperation.”
“I’m at your service.” Jozan made an expansive gesture, as though glad to give Sano anything he asked.
“I, too, will do whatever I can to help find my husband’s murderer,” said Lady Ejima.
Jozan’s features crumpled. He averted his face, hiding it behind his sleeve. “Please forgive me,” he said as a sob choked him. “My poor father’s death was enough of a shock, but now this! It’s a terrible tragedy.”
Lady Ejima seized Jozan’s arm and yanked it away from his face. “You hypocrite! What do you care how he died, as long as you inherit his money?”
“Shut up! Get away from me!” Jozan flung the woman off him and turned to Sano, obviously aghast that the chamberlain of Japan should hear him accused of such lack of filial devotion. “Please pay no attention to her. She’s hysterical.”
Sano observed that Jozan’s eyes were devoid of tears and black with fury at Lady Ejima.
“My dearest, darling husband, gone forever!” she wailed. “I loved him so much. How shall I live without him?”
Jozan scowled at her. “You’re the hypocrite. You pretended to love my father, but you only married him because of his rank and wealth.”
“That’s not true!” Lady Ejima shouted. “You were always jealous because I came between you and him. Now you’re trying to slander me!”
Sano reflected that the culprit in a murder case was often to be found within the victim’s family. Jozan and Lady Ejima seemed unlikely to know the technique of dim-mak , but a past case involving a murder in the imperial capital had taught Sano that martial arts skills came in unexpected-looking packages.
“That’s enough out of you,” Jozan said, his patience snapped. “Leave the room.”
“You don’t give the orders around here,” Lady Ejima huffed. “I’ll stay. Any
“Of course. A thousand apologies for my poor manners,” said the son, bowing to Sano. “My name is Ejima Jozan.”
Lady Ejima also bowed. Her tilted black eyes sparked with wariness as they regarded Sano.
“Please come in.” Apparently mystified as to the reason for this visit from the shogun’s second-in-command, Jozan backed into the room to let Sano and his men enter.
The room’s shutters were closed against the sunshine. The sealed oblong wooden coffin lay on a dais. Smoking incense burners adorned a table that also held a vase of Chinese anise branches, offerings of food, and a sword to avert evil spirits. Jozan and Lady Ejima had been quarreling over Ejima’s estate while holding a vigil over his corpse, like scavengers fighting over carrion.
“My condolences on your loss,” Sano said.
Jozan thanked him. Lady Ejima said, “May I offer you some refreshments?”
Her manner was more forward than usual for a high-ranking woman. Sano recalled hearing that Ejima had married a courtesan from the Yoshiwara pleasure quarter. After Sano had politely declined her offer, he said, “Are there any family members in this house besides the two of you?”
“No,” Jozan said. “The others live away from Edo.”
“I’m sorry to say that I have bad news,” Sano said. “Ejima- san ’s death was murder.”
A gasp of surprise issued from Lady Ejima. “But I thought he was killed in an accident during a horse race.”
Jozan shook his head, dazed. “What happened?”
“He was a killed by a death-touch. Someone has apparently mastered the ancient martial arts technique and used it on your father.” Sano watched the widow and adopted son. Lady Ejima’s pretty face took on a frozen, opaque look. Jozan blinked. Sano wondered if they were upset or thinking how the murder would affect them.
“Who was it?” Jozan said. “Who killed my father?”
“That’s yet to be determined,” Sano said. “I’m investigating Ejima- san ’s murder and I need your cooperation.”
“I’m at your service.” Jozan made an expansive gesture, as though glad to give Sano anything he asked.
“I, too, will do whatever I can to help find my husband’s murderer,” said Lady Ejima.
Jozan’s features crumpled. He averted his face, hiding it behind his sleeve. “Please forgive me,” he said as a sob choked him. “My poor father’s death was enough of a shock, but now this! It’s a terrible tragedy.”
Lady Ejima seized Jozan’s arm and yanked it away from his face. “You hypocrite! What do you care how he died, as long as you inherit his money?”
“Shut up! Get away from me!” Jozan flung the woman off him and turned to Sano, obviously aghast that the chamberlain of Japan should hear him accused of such lack of filial devotion. “Please pay no attention to her. She’s hysterical.”
Sano observed that Jozan’s eyes were devoid of tears and black with fury at Lady Ejima.
“My dearest, darling husband, gone forever!” she wailed. “I loved him so much. How shall I live without him?”
Jozan scowled at her. “You’re the hypocrite. You pretended to love my father, but you only married him because of his rank and wealth.”
“That’s not true!” Lady Ejima shouted. “You were always jealous because I came between you and him. Now you’re trying to slander me!”
Sano reflected that the culprit in a murder case was often to be found within the victim’s family. Jozan and Lady Ejima seemed unlikely to know the technique of dim-mak , but a past case involving a murder in the imperial capital had taught Sano that martial arts skills came in unexpected-looking packages.
“That’s enough out of you,” Jozan said, his patience snapped. “Leave the room.”
“You don’t give the orders around here,” Lady Ejima huffed. “I’ll stay. Any
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