The Devotion of Suspect X - Keigo Higashino [41]
“I understand.”
“Did … anything else happen?”
“What?” Yasuko asked, flustered. “No, nothing. I just said nothing happened.”
“Right … all right. Sorry. I’ll talk to you again tomorrow.” Ishigami hung up.
Yasuko put down her cell phone, wondering what that was all about. She had never heard Ishigami sound so uncertain before. Then it dawned on her that it must have been because he had seen Kudo. He had to have wondered who the man was who was talking to her so familiarly. No doubt that was why he had pressed her at the end—he wanted to know about Kudo.
Yasuko knew why Ishigami was going so far out of his way to help her and her daughter. Like Sayoko had said, he had a thing for her.
Suddenly she wondered what would happen if she got close to another man. Would Ishigami keep helping her like he had? Would he keep solving all their problems? Yasuko decided that it might be best not to have dinner with Kudo. And if they did meet, not to let Ishigami know about it. But as soon as the thought came, a strange feeling of anxiety seized her. How long would this last? How long would she have to avoid Ishigami’s watchful eyes?
Would she be barred from seeing another man until the statute of limitations on Togashi’s death ran out?
EIGHT
From outside the gym door, Kusanagi could hear the squeaking of sneakers on polished hardwood, punctuated by what sounded like tiny percussive explosions. Familiar sounds.
He stopped in the doorway and looked inside. On the nearest tennis court he saw Yukawa poised on the near half of the court, racquet held at the ready, prepared for the next serve. The muscles in his thighs weren’t as toned as they had been back when the two of them were in school, but his form was as good as ever.
His opponent was a student. He was apparently very skilled, and he had deftly countered Yukawa’s usual devious attacks and answered his every move.
In one smooth motion, the younger man tossed the ball in the air and then smashed it into the corner. The game was over, and Yukawa sat down on the spot. He chuckled and said something to his victorious opponent. Then his eyes caught sight of Kusanagi. He called a thanks to the student, waved good-bye, pulled himself shakily to his feet, and, racquet in hand, headed over to the waiting detective.
“What is it now?”
Kusanagi took a half step back. “Hey, that’s my line. It was you who called me.”
There had been a call from Yukawa on the calls-received list on Kusanagi’s cell phone.
“Oh, that’s right. When I tried to get ahold of you my call went direct to voice mail, but it wasn’t important enough to leave a message. I figured you must be busy.”
“Actually, I had my phone turned off because I was watching a movie.”
“During business hours? You’re really letting your hair down.”
“I wish. I was checking into the mother and daughter’s alibi. Figured I might as well see what kind of movie the ladies went to see. After all, I can’t really tell if the suspect is telling the truth if I don’t know my facts.”
“Still, it’s hard to beat getting paid to watch movies.”
“That’s the irony of it. It’s no fun at all when you’re doing it for work. Anyway, I’m sorry I came all the way down here if it wasn’t important. I tried to find you at the lab, but they told me you were here.”
“Well, since you’re here anyway, how about getting something to eat? I do have to ask you something, after all.” Yukawa walked over to the door, where he slipped out of his gym sneakers and into his regular shoes.
“And what might that be?”
“It has to do with where you were this afternoon,” Yukawa said, walking.
“Where I was?”
Yukawa stopped and leveled his racquet at Kusanagi. “The movie theater.”
* * *
They stopped in at a bar near campus. It was a newer place, one that hadn’t been there when Kusanagi was at school. They sat down at a table at the back.
“The suspect says she went to the movies on the tenth of this month—the day Togashi was murdered. Now, the daughter told one of her friends at school about it on the twelfth,” Kusanagi