The Devotion of Suspect X - Keigo Higashino [5]
“Why?” she asked with a glare.
Togashi’s mouth softened. “You’re sure in a hurry.”
“I’ve got a lot to do, so if you really have a good reason for coming here, out with it.”
“Yasuko—” Togashi reached out for her hand where it lay on the table. She drew it back quickly. His lip curled. “You’re in a bad mood.”
“Why shouldn’t I be? You better have a good reason for stalking me like this.”
“So antagonistic! I know I might not look it, but I’m serious about this.”
“Serious about what?”
The waitress brought her cocoa. Yasuko picked it up and took a scalding sip. She wanted to drink it as fast as she could and get out of there.
“You’re living by yourself, right?” Togashi asked, staring at her from under lowered brows.
“So? What business is it of yours?”
“Hard for a woman living by herself to raise a kid. She’s just going to cost more and more, you know. What do they pay you at that lunch shop, anyway? You can’t guarantee her future on that. Look, I want you to reconsider. Reconsider us. I’ve changed. I’m not like I was before.”
“What’s changed? You working?”
“I will. I’ve already found a job.”
“But you’re not working yet, are you.”
“I said I got a job. I’m supposed to start next month. It’s a new company, but once things get rolling, hey, you and your daughter could live the easy life.”
“Thanks, but no thanks. If you’re making all that money, I’m sure you won’t have any problem finding someone else to share it with. Just, please, leave us be.”
“Yasuko, I need you.”
Togashi reached out again, trying to touch her hand where she held the cup. “Don’t touch me!” She recoiled from his grasp; a little bit of the cocoa spilled as she moved, dripping on Togashi’s fingers. “Ow!” He jerked back his hand. When next he looked at her there was malice in his eyes.
Yasuko glared back. “You can’t just come here and give me the same old lines, not after what’s happened. How do you expect me to believe you? Like I said before, I haven’t the slightest desire ever to be with you again, not the slightest. So just give it up. Okay?”
Yasuko stood. Togashi watched her in silence. Ignoring his gaze, she put the money for her cocoa down on the table and headed for the door.
As soon as she was outside the restaurant, she retrieved her bicycle from its parking spot and began to pedal away. She pictured Togashi running after her, sniveling, and it made her pedal faster. She went straight down Kiyosubashi Road, turning left after Kiyosu Bridge.
She had said everything there was to say, but she was sure she hadn’t seen the last of him. He would show up at the shop again before long. He would stalk her, become a nuisance, maybe even make a scene. He might even show up at Misato’s school. He would wait for Yasuko to give in, figuring that when she did, she would give him money.
Back at her apartment, Yasuko began making dinner. Dinner wasn’t much more than warmed-up leftovers she had brought back from the shop, but even so, tonight cooking seemed like a difficult chore; every few moments her hands fell still as some horrible thought occurred to her, some scene played out in her mind.
Misato would be home soon. She was in the badminton club at school and usually spent time after practice talking with the other girls. She usually made it back around seven o’clock.
The doorbell rang. Yasuko frowned and went to the door. It wouldn’t be Misato. She had her own key.
“Yes?” Yasuko called without opening the door. “Who is it?”
There was a brief pause, and then, “It’s me.”
Yasuko didn’t answer. Her vision dimmed. A terrible feeling crept up inside her. Togashi had already found their apartment. He had probably followed her from Benten-tei one night.
Togashi began knocking on the door. “Oi!”
She shook her head and undid the lock, leaving the door chain fastened.
The door opened about four inches, revealing Togashi’s face right on the other side. He grinned. His teeth were yellow.
“Why are you here? Go away.”
“I wasn’t finished talking. Boy, short-tempered as always,