Urashima Book 5 End Game

CHAPTER 1

IT WAS MONDAY April 24th. Captain James Jimmy Miller woke bright and early but when he pulled back the drapes, the day was a disappointment. A flat gray sky greeted him and below it the city looked old and tired. He knew just how it felt. 

One week to the day- May Day to be precise- the Imperial Plaza would be overflowing with protesting people, all joining hands with the actor Ko Iwasaki to rail against Prime Minister Yoshida's government, telling the old man the people had had enough. 

Miller hadn't paid much attention to it in the days following the union meeting he'd attended with the actor Ko Iwasaki, but that had been in the distant past. With the reality of it now closing in, it seemed the GHQ brass was running scared. The way his old friend Colonel Buck Buchanan told it, there might be a lockdown, and a lockdown would only serve to get in Miller's way, deny him precious time as his own Red Rose deadline began to run out. 

Sometime next week, the phone would ring, summoning him to a meeting with Supreme Commander General Douglas MacArthur. Would he have anything of substance to tell him? It seemed increasingly unlikely.

Miller sighed, got dressed and made his way over to the CID building where the team was just assembling for breakfast. He grabbed a cup of coffee, called them to order then noticed a big sign that Pete had erected over the chalkboards. D-Day Minus Seven, the sign intoned. Pete said it was to encourage the boys but Miller thought it might have the opposite effect. 

OK, listen up! Assignments for this week. We'll keep a slimmed-down watch on the teahouse. It looks as if our friend Osamu Nagai is home and dry but he may get careless. 

Then he told them everything he'd gleaned from the street girl Eri Shibata during their tryst in the Palace Hotel; about Nagai’s little heroin operation and how Kazuyoshi Ueda has been in charge of ferrying the stuff back from the docks. 

Next, there's this guy-.  Miller held up the Press Club copy of Newsweek that had the picture of General William Draper on its cover.  He's flying in this week as a guest of General MacArthur's. There's to be a reception for him on Friday at the Imperial. Ronnie, I want you there as a bell boy, waiter, whatever. Pete will set it up.

Sergeant Ronald Kaneko gave a disdainful little nod, as if acting the part of a bell boy was somehow beneath his dignity. 

Who's the mark? 

Draper, himself. He may be mixed up in a fund-raising organization run by a journalist called Harry Kern. Kern is Newsweek's Foreign Editor but the guy has a lot of other irons in the fire.

But what's the connection with these guys? Pete asked. To the Red Rose, I mean? 

That's for us to find out. Miller held up another photo. This is the man Kern. He's also in town. Eddie, take a couple of boys and sit on him for the rest of this week. I want to know who he meets.

Where's he stayin', boss? Sergeant Edson Watanabe asked.

The Park Hotel. Oh, and Eddie, take this, He handed the ATIS man his prized Minox camera. It might come in useful.

Just as the meeting broke up, Top Sergeant Dean Henderson from the Military Police detail appeared in the doorway.

Captain Miller, sir. You know an old guy named Ogawa?

Sure. He's an informant of mine. 

Well, he called a few minutes ago, in a kind of panic. 

What did he want?

Said to come straight away. There's been a murder.

§

Miller took Ronnie and Eddie, the three of them careering through the streets in the olive green Oldsmobile, siren wailing. By the time they made Yurakucho Bridge, Henderson's MPs had already sealed off the scene. There was a ragtag group of street dwellers huddling by the food carts. One of them was the noodle man, Ogawa. 

See what you can get out of those guys, Miller said to the others. I'm going over to check on the victim. 

The dead body was lying under one of the brick ramparts, on the far side of the street. As Miller trudged towards it, he had strangest feeling he knew who it was. He could see Henderson's men burrowing away in the gloom; their white helmets winking like semaphore. 

Looks like a whore, a sergeant said. Or what's left of her. 

One of his men was holding a cardboard box. Miller peered inside and his stomach knotted up. It was just a bunch of personal effects. Some chewing gum, a pair of sunglasses, a red hair ribbon. They were the bits and pieces of someone's life. Nothing less, nothing more. 

The fatigue came at him like a great big wave. When it hit, he staggered once, his legs turning to jelly. His arm blindly clutched at the air but found the sergeant's shoulder instead. 

You all right, sir?

I- I think I know her-. 

In that case, why don't you have a few minutes to yourself? You can sit in the jeep.

No, I'll be OK. Miller steadied himself and took a lungful of air. C- can I see her? I might be able to ID her for you-. 

The MP looked at him, saw his distress, and shook his head. 

I wouldn't if I was you. It's her head, ya see. It's been hacked clean off!

§

They aint sayin' much, Ronnie grunted when Miller plodded up. This old man wants a word.

Ogawa was sitting by his cart drinking tea. Around him, a cluster of surly-looking street people had gathered and two policemen were trying to calm everyone down. 

Miller pulled up one of the stools and slumped onto it. He searched his pockets for his hip flask and took a great big slug of scotch. He felt the liquor race through his body, searing him, putting back the strength where, a few moments before, there'd been none. Inside though, deep inside, it was different. There was nothing there now. No pain, no remorse. Just a deep, ice-cold numbness. 

It's Eri, he mumbled.

You know the girl? Ronnie said.

Miller gave a tired nod.

Ueda did it! Ogawa babbled. I- I seen it all! Last night-!

Last night? Miller’s head jerked up. Then why didn't you call me, for Crissakes?

I- I was scared! I ran off! Then when I came back with Blackface, here-, he nodded at an old man standing close by, well, we didn't know what to do. Then these others- they all live here- they came over and we had a chat about it.

A chat?

There was a small commotion and the man called Blackface stepped forwards. 

We don't like police 'round here! he said gruffly, his narrow eyes settling on Miller. An' we don't like no military, neither. But the girl- she was special to us.

A murmur of agreement rumbled around the little group. Ogawa signaled for quiet. 

I told 'em about you, he went on. They'd seen you comin' round before. I said we should call you and they finally agreed but I couldn't find your telephone number-.

An' by that time, they'd shown up-! Blackface cast a scornful glance at the beat officers who were still standing watch over them, an' they don't listen to no one!

Miller sighed in frustration. So where is he now? Ueda?

I dunno. Ogawa shook his old gray head. About Eri, Lord. I did my best for her. Honest, I did. I said to her, come n' stay with me if you're in trouble; got no place to sleep. She coulda bedded down there under the cart-. 

But what the hell was she doing out on the streets? Miller's numbness was turning to anger. I told her to stay at the hotel, goddamit!

She had no money, Ogawa mumbled. She spent what you gave her on clothes.

Clothes? But why, in Heaven's name-!

An awkward silence inserted itself. Then the man called Blackface spoke up. 

This Ueda. I know where he lives, he said.

You do? Miller jumped to his feet. You'll show us?

Don't! someone grunted. "It'll just mean trouble for us. With the Sumidakai!"

The hell with them! Blackface was jutting his chin now. We can't go on like this! That girl, she was one of our family. They took her away from us!

He's right! someone else said. 

Very well. Miller pointed at Blackface. You and Ogawa, come with us. The rest of you, go about your business. We're grateful for your help. He turned to Ronnie. Go with the body to Yotsuya and pick up the forensic. I'll meet you back at CID.

§

Ueda’s place was a fifteen-minute trek through the back streets of Yurakucho. It was a dilapidated second floor walk-up and they were about to clamber up there when they heard a squeaky voice from across the alleyway.

He aint in there! It was a thin ferret-faced man who offered the information. 

What do you know about it? Miller snapped.

"I own this 'ere shoe shop. And I know the kid. He runs with those yakuza up by the bathhouse. The key's on top of the door if you wanna look round."

They let themselves in, Eddie leading the way.

Nothin' much here, boss. Just this.  His hand settled on a battered photo frame.  Ueda’s old man, you reckon?

He'll be back for it, Miller grunted. We’ll need someone on the place.

I'll radio Mori.

While Eddie jogged back to the car, Miller turned his attention to the clogman. 

You say the punk's gone out?

"One of them yakuza showed up. The fat man what calls hisself Saburo. He weren't happy, neither; told the kid to get lost 'till next week. Said they had work at the plaza."

The Imperial Plaza?

I guess. Then this Saburo, he clipped the kid 'round the ear and sent 'im packin'! 

You know where?

Sure. Tsukiji. You won't find 'im down there, though. That place is a maze!

§

By the time they got back, the Bridge was returning to normal. The ambulance had come and gone and Dean Henderson's men were wrapping up their investigation. Miller was about to go himself when Ogawa tugged excitedly at his arm. 

That's 'im! he hissed. Over there! The Rabbit!¹

Miller followed the old man's gaze to where a pocket of onlookers was still hovering near the murder scene. The moneylender was easy to recognize; he was tiny with the weather-beaten face and sparse frame of a street-dweller. He had a smile like a mahjong hand, his yellowish teeth all curiously tile-shaped and regular except that the two front ones were twice as big as the others. Beat this, the smile seemed to say. Miller needed no second invitation. 

He darted across the road, Eddie tight on his shoulder and before the man knew what had happened, they had the cuffs on him. 

You! What's your name? 

The Rabbit was still reeling with surprise. S- Sakurai, Your Worship. B- but I aint done nuthin wrong!

That's for us to decide! 

They bundled him into the Oldsmobile and headed back to CID. A few seconds after he was hustled through the Detail Office door, the loan shark found himself in the interrogation room with Eddie and Miller bearing down on him. 

You were involved in the kidnapping and murder of a USA Army officer, Miller bellowed. July of last year. Yurakucho Bridge.

The Rabbit looked scared to death. He had a pendulous but undernourished lower lip that lived its life in the perpetual shadow of his teeth. There was a slick of drool covering it now as he issued his first stuttering denial. 

It w- weren't me, Your Honor! You g-got the wrong m-man!

The victim was tall with red hair. Think about it! 

Don't know him! Definitely not!

Well, I got half a dozen street people say you do. Saw you with him the night he disappeared. Which makes you the last person to see him alive, if you know what that means-.

Apparently The Rabbit did.  All right, I was there but I never harmed the man!

You knew him, though? Lent money to him?

We'd met a few times but it was just a job. Somethin' I got paid for. The kidnappin'; that weren't nuthin to do with me-.

Who was it to do with?

The Rabbit's eyes opened wide with fright. But if I t- tell you, I'll b- be a dead man!

Miller grabbed him by the neck and shook him violently. And if you don't you'll be dead anyway! I'll kill you myself!

The Rabbit gulped. "V- very well-. It was them what runs the Bridge. The Sumidakai. They told me if I wanted to work their patch, I had to pay. They didn't want money; just the gaijin. Said I was to get to know him, offer him cash if he asked for it." 

But how did you know where to find him?

They knew all that. There was a bar in Ochanomizu he went to Friday nights, after his regular card game. He always lost, see? Was always on the lookout for someone to spot him a few thousand. I found him in there one time, drownin' his sorrows. He spoke a bit of Japanese, I know a word or two of English-. We become friends, kind of. Then when he finds out I’m in the lendin' business, he starts pesterin' me-.

So you set up at a rendezvous under the Bridge?

"The Sumidakai told me when and where. They was waitin' for us in a car. Soon as he showed, the gaijin got bundled into the back and that's the last I seen of 'im. Honest!"

They put The Rabbit in the cells by which time Ronnie was back from the hospital. 

They did a prelim while I was there. The head was sawn off with a blade, probably a knife. They found some semen, too, and some prints on her bag. They're not hers.

Miller sank into a chair. That Ueda's a fucking psycho! he mumbled. We've gotta get him off the streets!

CHARACTERS

MAP

GLOSSARIES

WEB

FOOTNOTES

¹The Rabbit was an itinerant loan shark who was the last person to see Miller's predecessor Major Todd Hayman alive. Miller has been trying to track him down

CHAPTER 2

THE REST OF the day was hard to get through. Eri's death had left Miller reeling. He felt emotionally and physically exhausted. The others told him to take some time off but he hung around the Detail Office, convincing himself he was doing some good. 

When six o'clock arrived, Pete shoved his fedora in his hand and told him to beat it. He was almost out of the door when Jack called to tell him Colonel Joseph Cullen craved an audience and was coming over to CID at eight. 

Something about a big meeting that's comin' up, he explained. They'll probably want you there.

It wasn't worth going back to the Press Club so Miller sat around some more, watching the boys chowing down, the surveillance teams switching shifts. Pete left at seven and when Inspector Mori and a few of his boys disappeared down to the local bathhouse, the atmosphere in the Detail Office turned positively funereal. 

It was a little later when he heard the commotion in the outer lobby. At first, he thought it was the colonel, early for his appointment. He was wrong. It was his old China colleague, Don Packard.

Jimmy! Thought I'd find ya here! The ursine major was out of uniform and out of breath.  I'm in town on a little private business. Gotta get back to Yokohama tonight, though; my cab's waitin' out front-.

You been out for a beer?

You can smell it, huh? Packard started to chuckle and the windows rattled. Actually that's what I wanted to talk to you about. Remember that derailment you guys stopped?²  Well, I just been drinkin' with a guy at the Officers Club, a colonel from CIE.³ The guy can't hold his liquor for shit but he did tell me somethin' interestin'. That train you guys saved was full of VIPs!

What kind of VIPs?

"Take your pick; the top guys from the Far East Commission, most of our brass. They were all headin' over to Kofu to