Chapter 90

Tuesday, December 31

8:00 P.M.

Kenji

By the time the full moon showed its face in a corner of the window, Yumi was sleeping like an angel, her hair fanned on the pillow. Kenji kissed her gently on the cheek and got up to fetch some water. Pulling on his bath yukata as he made his way to the kitchen, he kicked something lying on the floor and sent it skittering.

His phone.

Squinting as he turned on the light, he got down on his hands and knees and discovered it under the kitchen table.

Someone had called. His father. Wishing him a happy new year?

Kenji filled a glass with water and drank deeply, then returned the call, knowing a belated new year’s greeting would be welcomed even in the wee hours of the morning, as Sergeant Nakamura kept the koban lights burning until First Sunrise.

His father picked up.

“Happy New Year, Dad,” Kenji said.

“Happy . . . New Year.” His father’s voice was strange.

“Are you okay? Dad?”

Silence.

“Dad, what happened?”

“You know that accident your mother had when you were in high school?”

How could he forget? It had killed her.

“Yes,” Kenji answered, a bad feeling blooming as the silence stretched.

“Tonight I found out . . . it wasn’t an accident.”