Ice Blue - Anne Stuart [87]
“Our contact in the Japanese government has informed me that they’ve decided not to have anything to do with the entire Hayashi affair. Things are too volatile with the new religions, and there’s been a lot of criticism about recent crackdowns. They’ve decided that the threat is exaggerated, and that the followers of the Shirosama are just harmless fanatics.”
“And how many people will have to die on the Tokyo subways this time for them to change their minds, Uncle?”
The old man shook his head. “They and I both know that no one will die. You and the people you work for will see to it, and our government need never get involved. For that matter, the Japanese people will never know how close they came to a major disaster.”
“Not just the Japanese people this time, Uncle. The Shirosama is planning attacks on all the major transportations systems in world.”
“Then your friends will have to stop him, won’t they? I know they can—I am one of the few people who know how close we came to disaster last year with Van Dorn. You were able to foil his plans, so you can the Shirosama’s, as well.”
“You give me too much credit, Uncle. I had nothing to do with stopping him.”
“There is no shame in being tricked by an evil man, Nephew. I am only happy you survived.”
What the hell was going on? Evil men, employers, saving the world? Beside her, Taka said nothing.
“Have you not explained to your friend? She seems confused.”
“I’ve told her what she needs to know.”
“I would suspect, Nephew, that she needs to know more. Particularly when I see how you look at her.”
Taka gave another sudden start, but didn’t turn. What did his uncle see when he looked at her? Murderous tendencies? Vast annoyance? Or something else?
“And she looks at you the same way,” the old man added, and it was Summer’s turn to jump. Definitely vast annoyance, then. And something else.
“You’ll need to take the urn to the site itself,” he continued, as if he hadn’t veered into private territory. “The government refuses to accept responsibility for it, and our people can’t get involved.”
“I don’t know where the site of the temple is, Uncle.”
The old man’s lizardlike eyes moved to Summer. “She will tell you.”
Summer frowned. “Me? I don’t know where the site is, either. Trust me, if I did I would have told him long ago.”
“Nevertheless, you will be the one to tell him. I feel this.”
Taka turned to gaze at her, enigmatic as always. “My honored uncle has been known to see things that others don’t. If he says it will be that way, it will.”
“But I don’t know where it is!” she cried in frustration. “Why won’t you believe me? What are you going to do—try to torture it out of me?”
“There’s no need,” Taka said. “You will tell me, as you did before.”
She could feel the heat rush through her body. If his uncle did indeed “see” things, then he’d know exactly what Taka was referring to. How could anyone not? She turned her face away, staring at the Tokyo suburbs as they sped by.
“She isn’t lying to you, Taka-san,” the old man said gently.
“I know that,” Taka said.
Small comfort, Summer thought bitterly.
“I’ll drop you both by your apartment. Reno will take the golf case and repack the treasures, and you can make arrangements to pick them up.”
Summer expected Taka to protest, but he merely nodded. Everyone fell silent, and it wasn’t until the car stopped that the old man spoke once more.
“I hope we meet again, Dr. Hawthorne, next time under more auspicious circumstances. I am certain we will.”
Instinctively, Summer bowed her head, ignoring Reno’s laugh. His grandfather’s sharp reprimand stopped him, and she could just imagine the glare from behind those mirrored sunglasses.
Taka slid out of the car, holding a hand for her, and a moment later they were standing on a busy Tokyo sidewalk as the car slid away.