“You don’t believe Ginjiro killed Chikao?” Hiro asked.
“I think he was involved,” Ren said, “however, I don’t think he did the killing.”
“How could he be involved but not responsible?” Father Mateo asked.
“Do you know what debt collectors do to debtors who refuse to pay?” Ren asked. “I wouldn’t want one catching me in an alley late at night.”
“You think Ginjiro hired someone to harass the money from Chikao?” Hiro asked.
“Perhaps,” Ren said, “or possibly a guard to protect his brewery. Kaoru has vandalized some buildings in the past.”
“The yoriki claims that when Chikao returned, he fought with Ginjiro personally,” Hiro said.
Ren shook his head. “Chikao knew how to fight. He wouldn’t let Ginjiro beat him. No, Ginjiro must have hired someone else to watch the alley. When Chikao returned, that person killed him.”
“Why wouldn’t Ginjiro mention a guard to the yoriki?” Hiro asked.
“It makes no difference to his liability,” Ren said. “The law considers Ginjiro responsible either way. But as long as he doesn’t tell the truth, both he and the guard have a chance of escaping justice. Ginjiro blames an unknown bandit. The guard disappears entirely.”
“Maybe it was a bandit,” Father Mateo said.
“Not even a desperate gambler would take those odds,” Ren told the priest. “Kaoru owed Ginjiro money. They argued yesterday evening, and the argument ended in threats. A reasonable man in Ginjiro’s position would make arrangements to protect his family.”
“I’m confused,” Father Mateo said. “Do you believe the yoriki arrested Ginjiro properly or not?”
“The yoriki made the right decision. I think Ginjiro hired someone who killed Chikao, which makes Ginjiro responsible for my partner’s death.”
“Even if the death was accidental?” the Jesuit asked.
“The law does not distinguish between accidents and murder in these situations,” Ren replied. “A man must answer for his hirelings’ actions, as a father must pay the debts of dependent sons. Perhaps in your country the law is different, but this is the law in Japan.”
“Speaking of debts,” Hiro said, “why did Chikao continue paying Kaoru’s debts without complaint?”
“Who said he didn’t complain?” Ren asked. “Every father objects to a spendthrift son. But Chikao’s other children died in infancy. Kaoru alone survived. For that reason, Chikao refused him nothing. Not until recently, anyway.
“Chikao and I wanted more than an unlicensed brewery hidden away in a low-class alley. We wanted to join the brewers’ guild and move to a new location. A few months back, we started saving money toward that goal.”
“Until Kaoru ran up a debt,” Hiro said.
Ren shook his head. “He didn’t want to sacrifice. He wanted women, new kimonos, gambling, and sake. I should not criticize the dead, but Chikao’s indulgence ruined his son completely.”
“If Kaoru killed his father, he will forfeit his inheritance,” Hiro said. “The Lucky Monkey will belong to you, and you alone.”
“Forgive my lack of tact,” Ren said, “but I could not hope for such good fortune. Kaoru is a worthless dog, but not a killer.”
Hiro couldn’t verify Ren’s claim of sleeping through the murder, but the idea of a guard in Ginjiro’s alley fit the facts and made some sense. Ginjiro didn’t take risks with his family’s safety.
“May we speak with you again, if we need more information?” Father Mateo asked.
“Of course,” Ren said, “though, I admit, I consider investigations a waste of time. The dōshin already arrested the man who should bear the blame for my partner’s death, whether or not he actually killed Chikao.”
* * *
Tears filled Tomiko’s eyes when Hiro and Father Mateo explained that Chikao’s family agreed to petition the magistrate.
“Four days is so much time,” she said. “I know that you will find the real killer.”
Hiro knew the time would pass more quickly than she thought but saw no reason to destroy her slender hope.
“If we don’t, the magistrate could still conduct his own investigation,” Father Mateo said.
Hiro’s stomach sank. So much for hope.
“Please—no,” Tomiko’s eyes widened with sudden fear. “My father won’t survive interrogation.”
“Interrogation?” Father Mateo asked. “What do you mean?”
Hiro avoided looking at Tomiko as he answered. “The law allows the magistrate to obtain a confession by any effective means.”
“You mean he can torture Ginjiro until the brewer says what the yoriki wants to hear.” Father Mateo raised his hand but stopped just short of running it through his hair.
“My father will not lie, and won’t confess to a crime he did not commit,” Tomiko said. “They’ll torture him until he dies because he will not break.”
Her hands began to tremble. “Please, Matsui-san, I beg you. You must find the killer. It’s the only way to save my father’s life.”
* * *
As they left Ginjiro’s, Father Mateo asked, “Where do we go from here?”
“To the prison.” Hiro glanced at the priest. “We need to hear Ginjiro’s side of the story.”
“Could Ren be right about the guard?” the Jesuit asked. “We should have asked Tomiko what she knew.”
“She would lie to protect her father,” Hiro said, “and I don’t blame her. It’s Ginjiro’s place to tell us what he’s done.”
“Or hasn’t done,” Father Mateo said.
Hiro nodded. “Trust me, I don’t want to learn Ginjiro hired a guard who killed Chikao. If he hired the killer, even just to guard the brewery, Ginjiro’s life will answer for the crime.”