The Devotion of Suspect X - Keigo Higashino [104]
“Fine. I promise.”
EIGHTEEN
Yasuko passed a fried chicken meal across the counter to the last customer in line and glanced up at the clock. Only a few minutes until six. She sighed and took off her white cap.
Kudo had called her on her cell phone at lunchtime. He wanted to meet her after work—“To celebrate,” he’d said, his voice full of energy.
She’d asked what they were celebrating.
“Isn’t it obvious?” he answered. “They caught the murderer! No more investigations. No more being watched. Surely that rates a toast?”
Kudo had sounded so chipper and full of life over the phone. It made sense; he didn’t know what had really happened. Still, Yasuko had been unable to put herself in a celebratory mood. She had told him as much.
“Why?” Kudo had wanted to know. When she didn’t answer, he had mumbled something about understanding. “Oh … I wasn’t thinking about the victim. It’s surprising how deep the connections between people can run, even when they’re apart. I’m sorry. It was wrong of me to suggest a celebration.”
He was completely off the mark, but Yasuko hadn’t enlightened him.
“Actually, though…” he’d continued after a pause. “There was something else I wanted to talk with you about, something very important. I’d very much like to see you tonight. Do you think that would be possible?”
Yasuko had considered refusing. She just wasn’t in the mood. She felt stained by guilt, knowing Ishigami had turned himself in to save her. But she’d been at a loss for a way to turn Kudo down, and she had wondered—was still wondering—what the important thing he had to discuss might be.
In the end, they’d agreed that he would come pick her up at six thirty. Kudo had said something about wanting Misato to join them, but Yasuko had gently objected, and that was that. She didn’t want Kudo seeing her daughter the way she was these days.
Yasuko had left a message on the machine at her apartment, saying she’d be home a little late that evening. It made her heart heavy just imagining what Misato would think about that.
At the stroke of six, Yasuko took off her apron. She poked her head into the kitchen. “Looks like we’re done for the day,” she called to Sayoko.
“My, that time already?” Sayoko looked up from her plate. She was eating an early dinner. “Thanks, then. Don’t worry about closing up, I’ll take care of it.”
“Thanks,” Yasuko replied, folding her apron.
“You’re going to meet Mr. Kudo tonight, aren’t you?” Sayoko asked in a quiet voice.
“What?”
“I noticed you got a phone call at lunch. He’s asked you on a date, didn’t he!”
Flustered, Yasuko said nothing. Sayoko took her silence for shyness. “I’m happy for you,” she said with a suggestive wink. “That whole unpleasant business with Togashi’s murder is cleared up now, and look, there’s a nice man like Mr. Kudo just waiting for you in the wings. You know, I think your luck has turned.”
“Maybe…”
“Oh it has, I’m sure of it! You’ve paid your dues, now it’s time for you to find a little happiness for yourself. And for Misato.”
Sayoko’s words triggered an avalanche of conflicting emotions inside Yasuko. Would Sayoko be wishing her happiness if she knew she was a killer?
Yasuko took her leave and slipped out of the kitchen. She couldn’t look Sayoko in the eyes.
She left Benten-tei and walked in the direction opposite her usual route home after work. She was supposed to meet Kudo at the family restaurant on the corner. Until now, she had avoided the place since that day she’d met Togashi there. But Kudo had selected it as an easy place where they could meet. She’d been unable to think of an appropriate excuse to get him to change his mind.
An expressway overpass crossed above the road to the restaurant. She was just making her way beneath it when a man’s voice called out from behind her, “Ms. Hanaoka?”
She stopped and turned to see two familiar men walking toward her. One was Yukawa—the professor who was an old friend of Ishigami’s. The