If Juri had done her work without a hitch, then Katsutoshi Katsuragi’s Mercedes should already be heading this way. I was a little anxious. I needed Juri to be here soon, or I would be in trouble.
When I tried looking at my wristwatch, someone tapped my shoulder. Juri took a seat to my left. She was wearing an aqua dress.
“Mr. Katsuragi is…?” I asked in a whisper.
“Just now, he got on the expressway,” Juri replied curtly.
I held up the binoculars. Although the lens had pretty high magnification, picking out Katsuragi’s Mercedes from among the traffic was difficult.
“Call him. Confirm his location.”
Juri did as she was told. It seemed the call went through right away.
“Hello, it’s me. Where are you now?” she asked in a low voice. “What? You just got on the Mukojima segment?”
I adjusted the binoculars. With any luck, he’d be arriving from Hakozaki in just a few minutes.
“They’re saying to keep driving….I’m sorry, I don’t know where the destination is, either.”
Juri didn’t hang up. It was a burner, so she didn’t have to, but once this game ended, it needed to be disposed of immediately.
A silver-gray Mercedes entered my visual field. It was driving in the slow lane. I was sure it was the right car. I couldn’t actually see the driver’s face, but my intuition was telling me that it was Katsuragi.
After counting in my head, I opened my mouth. “Tell him to get off at Mukojima after he passes Komagata. You know the rest of the instructions.”
Confirming Juri’s silent nod out of the corners of my eyes, I took out my own phone. I made a call to a number that I’d recorded in the phone’s memory.
“Yes, this is the Nissei Automobile Mukojima store,” a young woman’s voice answered.
“Excuse me, this is Tadokoro of the Nissei Automobile board of directors office. Is the manager present?”
As expected, the words “board of directors office” made her gasp.
“Ah, yes, please wait a moment.”
Next to me, Juri gave her father instructions. “Papa, get off at Mukojima….Anyway, get off.”
From my phone, I got a response: “Hello, this is the shop manager Nakamura.”
“This is Tadokoro from the board of directors office. Excuse me for contacting you out of the blue. Actually, I have an urgent request to make.”
“What would that be?” Nakamura’s voice sounded strained.
“The executive vice president was driving in his own car in that area, but it broke down.”
“The executive vice president’s car…” Nakamura was speechless. It was probably a situation he’d never expected.
“We called the Japan Automobile Federation, so I believe it should be fine, but we have a certain issue.”
“You got off at Mukojima? Then, go south down Bokutei Street….No, south. Double back.”
With a sharp, low voice, Juri issued the instructions. Even as I listened to her, I continued with my own part.
“We would like you to quickly transport the luggage from his car to a certain location. When we checked the map, it seemed that your place was the closest, so we called.”
“That, um, if that is the situation, I think I can do something, but, um, where should I go?”
“I’ll call you later with a detailed address. For now, could you wait at the expressway entrance? For you, the Mukojima Interchange would be close.”
“Yes, it is.”
“All right, I’ll contact you again, but um, who will be going?”
“Ah, I will, personally.”
“In that case, Mr. Nakamura, may I please have your cellphone number?”
After getting his number, I told him mine. Of course, it wasn’t my own number, but the one with the fictitious name Juri was currently using.
I hung up, and drinking beer, I listened to Juri’s conversation.
“Yes, go on the expressway again from the Mukojima Interchange….I don’t know why, either. I’m just saying what I’m being told to say.”
I put the binoculars to my eyes. I couldn’t see the Mercedes yet.
There still had to be a police tail on it. Exiting at Mukojima Interchange, then backtracking to get on the expressway again—if they tailed such an unnatural route, the police presence might be revealed to the culprit, but in a situation where there was no transmitter or bug, all they could do was to keep at it. While they were concerned for the hostage, I judged that the police would have the obstinacy to push forward.
Shaking them off was the final step.
I saw the Mercedes. I put out my hand to Juri. She gave the phone she had to me.
I put it to my ear. I took one deep breath. Then I opened my mouth.
“Hello, Mister Katsuragi,” I said in English.
A male voice all of a sudden, speaking in a different language to boot—there was no response.
I kept speaking. All of it was in English.
“From here on I will speak in English. That should not be a problem, right? If the policemen tapping into this phone are proficient in English, then I’m an unlucky bastard, and I give up. Well, first, stop at the next parking area. It’s the one that’s coming up in three hundred meters. Stop at the very back of the merging lanes. If you understand, say yes.”
“Yes,” Katsuragi answered using the English word.
“Excellent.”
With the binoculars, I looked at the Komagata parking area. The Mercedes put on its blinker and went in. However, no car followed after it. There wasn’t even a car that entered prior to the Mercedes. It seemed that the tailing cars couldn’t respond immediately. Just as planned.
“Turn off the engine and leave the car without locking it. There’s a rest stop area, so get in there.”
I heard the sound of a door opening and closing. Then Katsuragi said in Japanese, “There’s no point in any of this. There were never any police with me to begin with.”
“Don’t chatter. Do as you’re told.”
“As long as Juri comes home, fine. I’m ready to pay the ransom.”
“I told you not to chatter. Instead, count. Count backwards from one thousand. In English.”
“You don’t have to do this, I won’t contact the police.”
“Do as I say.”
I heard Katsuragi sigh, then: “One thousand. Nine hundred ninety-nine, nine hundred ninety-eight.”
“Go on.”
Using the other phone, I called Nakamura.
“Hello, this is Tadokoro. Where are you right now?”
“Ah, um, I’m right next to Mukojima Interchange. I can get going at any time.”
“What type of vehicle are you in?”
“A white minivan.”
“Please get going immediately. The EVP’s car is parked at Komagata PA. I don’t think he’s there, but his silver-gray Mercedes shouldn’t be locked. Please take the cardboard box in there that was being transported.”
“Where should I bring it?”
“There’s a place called New Terminal Hotel near Kiyosubashi. There’s a woman named Matsumoto waiting there so please give it to her.”
“New Terminal Hotel at Kiyosubashi, then.”
“I appreciate it. The EVP said he’d like to thank you personally at a later date.”
“Thank me? No—”
“It’s only natural. You saved us.”
After hanging up, I winked at Juri. She handed over the phone, on which Katsutoshi Katsuragi was endlessly counting down in English. Then, she stood up and left the beer hall.
I ran the binoculars down the expressway. Eventually, I saw a white minivan heading in.
It entered the Komagata PA. Katsutoshi Katsuragi’s countdown continued. I couldn’t tell if he realized that he was about to be robbed of his money.
If the police were still on the ball by any chance, they would have to rush out now. However, as far as I could see, there was no sign of them.
Th
e minivan left the parking area. Seeing that through, I stood up. I hung up the call with Katsutoshi Katsuragi.
I hailed a taxi and went back to my condo. I got into the MR-S and set out again.
I parked near New Terminal Hotel and approached slowly on foot.
It seemed Juri had seen me; the automatic door opened and she came out. Her arms were folded.
“The cargo?”
“Delivered.” She grinned.
14
I checked to make sure there were no transmitters or bugs and transferred the bills into a different bag in my car. Throwing away the cardboard box, we went back to my condo. My pulse, as expected, had gone up a notch. I took many deep breaths to calm my heart. Juri was also silent in the car.
When we got back, she hugged me. “We did it. It was a huge success!” She was panting, and no wonder—she’d pulled off a major part.
I removed her arms from my neck. I looked into her eyes. They were bloodshot. “You did well. But let’s hold off a bit on actually celebrating. The last finishing touches are still left.”
“What are we doing?”
“For now, I’m going back to work. You can rest for a while.”
“Can I count the money?”
“No, don’t touch it for now. If you can’t help it, put on gloves.”
“Gloves?”
“I’ll tell you the reason after I get home.”
I kissed Juri on her lips and promptly took off.
I went back to the office, and with an innocent face, sat at my desk. No one seemed to care. It seemed the guys at Nissei Automobile hadn’t returned yet.
I booted my computer and, after thinking for a while, started writing.
Mr. Katsutoshi Katsuragi,
We certainly received the cargo. We have not verified the contents yet. As soon as that work is done, we will return Juri Katsuragi. However, if we perceive any police action, that will not be possible. We will contact you again regarding our method of returning her to you.
I checked that there were no typos and, using an account with a fictitious identity, sent the email. I checked that it was sent safely and deleted the text from my computer. I would probably never use the account again.
A little past closing time, Kozuka and the others came back. Seeing my face, he approached my seat.
“Sorry about today.”
“Not at all. Actually, how did the meeting go?”
“Well, we somehow decided on the direction. Starting tomorrow, we’ll be busy with a lot of things.”
“But don’t you have to wait for Mr. Katsuragi’s input? Because he left in the middle.”
“No, he was able to return.”
“Uh, he was?” I said in a falsetto.
“Yeah. He finished whatever he needed to do, so he was able to come back near the end of the meeting. So then, well, at that point we got their approval. It’s good we didn’t go there for nothing.”
“I see…”
I couldn’t believe it. That meant after handing over the ransom, Katsutoshi Katsuragi had gone straight back to work. How? Normally, having to talk to the police and dealing with the aftermath would have prevented him.
“Is something wrong?” Kozuka peered at my face curiously.
“No, nothing. I’m glad it went well,” I said with a fake smile.
I left the office and headed home, but doubts were swirling in my head. I just couldn’t find a satisfying explanation.
Katsutoshi Katsuragi’s voice from that afternoon kept sounding in my ears.
There’s no point in any of this. There were never any police with me to begin with.
As long as Juri comes home, fine. I’m ready to pay the ransom.
You don’t have to do this, I won’t contact the police.
Katsuragi had asserted multiple times that the police weren’t involved. I hadn’t believed those words and didn’t believe them now. However, there were too many inconsistencies. When I had tried to use Hakozaki Junction to read my opponents’ movements, it had been the same.
When I got home, Juri was sitting on the sofa watching TV. The banknotes were neatly piled on top of the center table. Three hundred million yen really was a spectacular sight.
“You didn’t touch it with your bare hands, did you?”
“I put these on.” Juri picked up rubber gloves. “But why can’t I touch it with my bare hands?”
“Because we don’t know what trick there might be. For instance, there might be stuff on it that changes color when you touch it with your hands. And then, that won’t come off unless you use special solvents.”
“Is there such a thing?” Juri looked at the notes with a spooked look.
“I’ve heard rumors. Other tricks are to use chemicals that change color after some time has passed. If we use this money without knowing about it, after some time, the party who took the money would find it suspicious and contact the police.”
“There’s a lot, isn’t there.”
“So it’s best not to touch it for two or three days. If we wait just that long and nothing strange happens, then we can assume it’s okay.”
“You’re really amazing,” Juri said.
She actually sounded impressed, rather than teasing, so, feeling surprised, I looked at her face. “Why, that’s sudden.”
“You know everything and you’re always two steps ahead. Even picking up the ransom money went that well. We have three hundred million yen in our hands almost without doing anything, using just cellphones.”
“You don’t need to flatter me to keep me from lowering your cut,” I said laughing. “Two hundred seventy million yen. Suddenly you’re rich.”
“Are you sure I can take that much?”
“Compared to what you’d actually inherit, it’s probably a paltry sum. I’m fine with thirty million yen. It’s a good earning on top of playing a fun game.”
“And you got Katsutoshi Katsuragi by his nose, too?”
“That’s right.” Even as I laughed, apprehension wafted through my heart. Was that right? Had I really won against Katsutoshi Katsuragi?
“Is something wrong?” Juri asked. She seemed to have noticed the change in my expression.
“I remembered that the game still isn’t over. There’s one last important part left.” I put up my index finger. “Returning the hostage. We have to set you up as the pitiful victim. She was not only confined by heartless kidnappers but also coerced into helping extort the ransom. We need to get you back to the papa you love so dearly.”
“I’ll have to stay an actress for just a while longer, then.” Juri puffed out her chest.
“This next act will be tough. I won’t be by your side. No matter what happens, you’ll have to get through it yourself. This act won’t be for just a short time, either. Your whole life, you’ll have to play the part of a kidnapping victim.” I sat next to her, put my arm around her back, and pulled her towards me. “Are you ready for it?”
Juri blinked twice and stared at me. “Who do you think I am? I’m Katsutoshi Katsuragi’s daughter.”
“Right, of course,” I nodded.
Returning Juri home wasn’t hard. After putting her to sleep in a secluded place, I’d simply contact her father. Of course, I didn’t really have to put her to sleep. If she just pretended, that would be enough.
The issue was after that. A rigorous performance would be required of her.
“First the police will ask you about the conditions under which you were abducted.” I looked at her. “We went over those circumstances. Do you remember them? They’ll ask why you snuck out of the house so late at night. Well, how will you respond?”
“That night…” As though she were remembering, she continued, “Chiharu and I had a little argument over cosmetic cream. I felt irritated, so I thought of going to this bar where I’m a regular. I snuck away because I didn’t want my parents to get on my case.”
Okay, she remembered it well. As expected.
“Please tell us in det
ail what happened when you were kidnapped,” I said, shoving an imaginary mic in her face.
“Just a little while after I left home, a car stopped next to me. When I wondered why and looked over, someone grabbed me from behind. I tried to scream, but something like a handkerchief had been placed over my mouth. I don’t really remember what happened next.” After thinking and speaking up to that point, she made a face as though to say, How’s that?
“What’s next is key, though. When you came to, you were at the culprits’ hideout. They’ll probably ask you what kind of place it was. How will you respond then?”
This bit was worth thinking out carefully. If it seemed unnatural, the police would start to have doubts. Those guys were at least aware that a kidnapping might have been staged. If we did the production on the fly, some contradiction might emerge.
“A blindfold,” I said.
“What?”
“When you came to, you were blindfolded and couldn’t see anything. That’s how you’ll answer. What’s more, your hands are tied behind your back. In that state, you’ve been laid atop something like a bed.”
“And my feet?”
“Aren’t tied.”
“Why not?”
“Because there’s no need. Most people won’t be able to move around at all if they can’t see anything or use their hands. Tying your legs would be a bother to the kidnappers. Because they’d have to undo it and retie it every time you have to go to the bathroom.”
Juri nodded. “Got it.”
“When you tried to move, you heard a woman’s voice—that’s how you’ll respond. The woman said, ‘Don’t get up from the bed. If you’re obedient, we won’t do anything to you.’”
“She’s cool.”
“That’s right, she’s a cool woman. When you think of a cool woman, whom do you visualize?”
Juri tilted her head a bit. “Makiko Esumi,” she said. A little different from mine, but that was all right.
“Well, let’s go with that. The police will ask you: Were there any special characteristics to her voice? How old do you think she is? Did she have an accent? At that time, you think of Makiko Esumi. You answer the police’s questions like it was her voice you heard.”