The Devotion of Suspect X - Keigo Higashino [66]
Without hesitating, Ishigami followed. It might look suspicious, but he couldn’t turn back after having almost lost him once.
When the next light changed, Kudo made his turn with Ishigami right behind him. Passing through the hotel gates, the Mercedes headed down a sloping ramp into an underground parking area. Ishigami followed.
When he reached out to take a ticket for the parking lot, Kudo glanced behind him, and Ishigami had to hunch down in his seat. He couldn’t tell whether the businessman had seen anything or not.
The parking lot was mostly empty. The Mercedes pulled into a spot close to the hotel entrance. Ishigami stopped some distance away. He turned the key and lifted his camera.
Kudo got out of the Mercedes. Click. Kudo was looking in his direction. He suspects something! Ishigami shrunk down even farther.
But Kudo turned and went into the hotel. Once he was out of sight, Ishigami started up his car again and drove out.
I suppose two pictures will have to do for now.
He had been in the parking lot for such a short time that he didn’t owe anything when he left. He turned the wheel carefully as the car climbed back up the narrow ramp.
Ishigami contemplated the note he would include with the two pictures. In his head, it went something like:
As you can tell by the enclosed pictures, I have discovered the identity of a man you see frequently.
I must ask, what is this man to you?
If you are having a relationship, that would be a serious betrayal.
Don’t you understand what I’ve done for you?
I believe I have the right to tell you what to do in this matter. You must stop seeing this man immediately.
If you do not, my anger will be directed at him.
It would be a simple thing for me to lead this man toward the same fate Togashi suffered. I have both the resolve and the means to do this.
Let me repeat, if you are engaged in a relationship with this man, that is a betrayal I cannot forgive, and I will have my revenge.
Ishigami repeated the words of his statement to himself, considering whether it was too threatening, or perhaps not threatening enough.
Then the light changed, and he was about to drive out through the hotel gate when he saw something that made his eyes go wide.
It was Yasuko Hanaoka stepping off the sidewalk, into the hotel.
TWELVE
Yasuko walked into the hotel tea lounge, and a man wearing a dark green jacket beckoned to her from the back. It was Kudo.
About a third of the tables in the place were filled. There were some couples, but most of the patrons were businessmen in expensive suits, leaning toward each other as they discussed their deals. Yasuko made her way across the room, her face slightly downcast.
“Sorry to call you out here so suddenly,” Kudo said. He was smiling. “Would you like something to drink?”
The waitress came over, and Yasuko ordered a milk tea.
“Is something wrong?” she asked.
“No, nothing so serious,” he replied, lifting his coffee cup to his lips, but before drinking he said, “A detective came to my place yesterday.”
Yasuko’s eyes opened wide. “They found you…”
“Did you tell them about me?”
“I’m sorry. They came right after I had dinner with you the other day, and they kept asking me questions about where I’d been and with whom. I thought they’d be even more suspicious if I didn’t say anything—”
Kudo waved a hand dismissively. “No need to apologize. I don’t blame you at all. If we’re ever going to meet like normal people, the police should know about us. In fact, I think it’s a good thing you told them.”
“Really?” Yasuko looked up at him.
He nodded. “Just know that they’ll be keeping a close watch on us, so be ready for that. You know, I was followed on my way here.”
“Followed?”
“I didn’t notice it at first, but it became pretty obvious the more I drove. There was a car behind me the whole way from Hikari. They even followed me into the parking lot of