Found Guilty at Five (20 page)

F
ORTY-
T
WO

L
OIS WAS WORKING IN HER OFFICE WHEN SHE SAW
A
KIKO
and Jeems walking briskly back to the house. She went to the front door, ready to deliver a rocket about leaving the house without telling anyone. Surely Akiko knew by now that she must not be out alone?

“But I had Jeems with me!” she protested. “I had a lovely time and nobody stopped me or tried to molest me.”

“I should think not, indeed. Jeems wouldn’t be much use against a weapon, anyway. She can be fierce, but she’s very small!”

They walked through to the kitchen, and Akiko dried the dog’s paws gently with an old towel. Behind her back, Lois shook her head at Jamie, who looked as if he was about to follow up with a stern lecture.

“Right, well, I’ll say no more,” he said. “But do be sensible, Akiko. We’re not playing games here. Now, it’ll soon be lunchtime. Dad’s out and Gran’s gone to see her friend. But she’s left food in the oven. Why don’t you tell us how you got on?”

“Well, I was glad that there was no sign of Ezekiel Parsons. I have decided that we are wrong about his likely movements, so I did not expect to see him. He is probably very far away now. I shall be happy if I never see him again. I walked through the spinney, and even when Jeems got lost, I did not stray from the footpath. She came back and I put her on the lead again. But I did not meet anyone in the spinney. Not a single person. I am now sure he is not around.”

“We’re not so sure, not by any means!” Jamie said. “I was getting worried about you. You didn’t say you were going. Never mind. You’re safe home now, but
please
don’t venture out on your own without telling me. He may be around tomorrow morning. Probably more likely then, anyway. He’ll be on the run, but may get desperate to find you.”

Lois cleared her throat. “I suppose it is no good my saying again that this plan of yours is dangerous and amateurish?” she said. “Really, Jamie, I am surprised at you being so blockheaded. If Parsons turns up, and we see him, fair enough. We report to Cowgill. But no traps! And I’m sure Akiko thinks the same.”

“I don’t think he is around here anywhere,” Akiko repeated stubbornly. “Anyway, I have not finished telling you about my nice morning. I did not come straight home, but was thirsty, and as I had seen a coffee machine in the chapel shop, I went to get a drink. I tied Jemima to a tree outside, as you do, and went in. Mrs. Norrington was there and greeted me nicely. Then I remembered that I was going to ask her if she knew of a cello I could hire or borrow. I told her that I should be practising and miss my cello very much.”

“So you asked around the people in the shop?” Lois was not sure why, but this seemed a dangerous thing to do.

“Oh, not everybody! Just Mrs. Norrington. But this girl must have heard me, and offered to ask around. She said she knew of a possible source. But this is the strange thing, Mrs. M, and I need your advice. She said she would be in touch and I told her where to come. And then I asked her politely where she lived, and she said at the moment in Waltonby at Last Resort House!”

There was a stunned silence. “Oh dear,” said Lois finally. “Not that place! I have nothing against it except rumour, but I don’t want us mixed up with that lot.”

“But, Mum,” Jamie said, “it would be so nice for Akiko to be able to play. We could do some practising together. I know how much she wants to.”

Blimey, thought Lois, whose only brush with performing had been as a child, when she had three guitar lessons and then gave up. “Oh well,” she said reluctantly. “I suppose there’s no harm in it. She may not turn up.”

“Now I must go quickly down to Stone House to welcome my father,” Akiko said, brushing aside the fact that she had had no lunch. “I am sure Mrs. T-J will have been baking,” she said.

“And I’m coming with you,” said Jamie. “I shall not stay, but you must ring me when you are ready to come home.”

F
ORTY-
T
HREE

M
RS.
T-J
COULD NOT RELAX.
S
HE RAN FROM ROOM TO
room with excitement, and kissed Akiko on the cheek when she arrived. “They will soon be here,” she said. “I telephoned the hospital to make sure, and they are on their way. Oh, I do hope he will like it here, my dear. I know he is used to luxurious living, but I have some good old things, and Robert is ready and willing to go to the convent again to find anything he needs.”

“Did you manage to put the photographs in an album, as you kindly suggested?” said Akiko.

“No, I haven’t done that. I thought it would be nice for him to sort them out. I have an empty album ready for him, and he’ll be able to tell us who all the people are in the photos.”

“How kind,” said Akiko, “he will be so grateful.”

A shadow passed the window, and Mrs. T-J rushed to the door. “There’s the ambulance! He’s here!” she shouted. “Come quickly, Akiko.”

The paramedics opened the rear doors of the ambulance, and a wheelchair was gently lowered down the ramp.

“Papa!”

“Akiko, my darling!”

Mrs. T-J stood back, fumbling for a handkerchief to mop sudden tears. It would be all right. It
would
be all right.

*   *   *

T
HE REST OF THE AFTERNOON WAS SPENT SHOWING
N
AKAMASA
around, especially where Mrs. T-J had converted a ground-floor study into a pleasant bedroom, with all mod cons and a French window leading out into the garden.

Finally they all settled in the drawing room for tea—Japanese green tea thoughtfully provided—and a catch-up conversation between father and daughter. Mrs. T-J listened carefully, and observed the fragile old man’s obvious devotion to his daughter. She made no attempt to join in, realising just how anxious Akiko had been. There was clearly a very strong bond between the two. When they began to talk about the old days and Akiko’s mother, she thought it tactful to withdraw, and said she would be in the kitchen seeing about the evening meal.

“What a very nice woman,” Nakamasa said, after she had disappeared. “She must be very fond of you, my dear, to take so much trouble over a sick old man.”

“But you are not so sick now, Papa. You will be stronger, of course, but with the magic machine inside, you will be a new man. Everyone who has a pacemaker says the same. I agree that Mrs. Tollervey-Jones is a special person. And she is very English, you know. I shall say no more, but perhaps you will reconsider some of your views.”

“We will not talk about that, Akiko,” he said firmly. “I am alive, no thanks to Parsons, and that is enough for the present.”

“Now you know what kind of man Parsons really is! I do have some questions to ask when you are feeling strong enough to look back. Meanwhile, let me give you a surprise.”

She walked over to a small table, where Mrs. T-J had put the photographs and album.

“Look, at these, Papa. Mrs. T-J’s son collected them from the convent. I told him where to look, and he found them. You can sort them out and put them in this album.”

Nakamasa took the packet from her and opened it. He pulled out a faded photograph of a young woman and a proud, upright, middle-aged man. The woman held a small baby, swathed in shawls, the tiny face barely visible.

“Oh, Akiko,” he said, and his face crumpled. “How thoughtful you have been, you and your kind friends,” he whispered, and took her hand. “We will talk about everything, I promise. But later, my dear. Later.”

F
ORTY-
F
OUR

T
HE NEXT DAY PASSED PEACEFULLY, WITH
D
EREK BACK TO
work after lunch, Lois out in the garden weeding, and Jamie and Akiko walking down to Stone House to see Mr. Nakamasa and Mrs. T-J. Akiko had insisted on Jamie going with her, saying if he did not wish to meet her father, he could stay in the kitchen and talk to Mrs. T-J.

“He’s surely not going to lurk in the servants’ quarters, is he?” said Gran, affronted. “Our Jamie’s good enough to meet anybody, and better than most.”

Akiko blushed. “I did not mean that, Mrs. Weedon. It is just that, well, my tather is still weak, and one visitor at a time is enough for him, I think.”

“Don’t worry, Gran. I know what Akiko meant. I shall be glad to talk to Mrs. T-J. I have things to discuss with her.”

“Not going to talk about your plan, I hope,” said Lois, as they made their way down the drive. “Just keep your eyes peeled. You never know, he might be hanging about, but do not approach him on any account! If he is around, we can set the police on to him and forget the whole business.”

Akiko changed the subject tactfully. “If you see the girl from Last Resort House, could you explain to her that I will be back shortly? I know my father will not want to be disturbed for too long. Thank you, Mrs. M.”

“How shall I know it’s her?”

“She is tall, blonde and has a very nice smile. She will probably come to the house.”

“Fine. We’ll keep a watch. Give my regards to your father, and say I hope to meet him very soon.”

Lois watched them walk slowly along the high street, and then returned to her weeds.

*   *   *

A
T
L
AST
R
ESORT
H
OUSE,
F
OSTER AND
P
ARSONS WERE HAVING
an argument. Foster ended by saying he had no intention of spending any more time spotting Japanese girls. “Not my type,” he said.

As to Parsons’s second request, which was an unexplained and sudden need to get as far away as possible, preferably away from this country, he again refused to have anything to do with it.

“If you won’t tell me why you’re on the run, then I’d be a right fool to help you. Accessory after the fact, an’ all that. If it’s all legal and aboveboard, and you just want a holiday break, then I can probably help. But since when did you take a holiday break, Ez? No, nothing doing, I’m afraid.”

Parsons drifted away, down to the summerhouse at the bottom of the garden. This usually had two or three people sitting there, but this morning he had it to himself. He needed to work out just exactly how he could discover the fate of Nakamasa, and once he knew for sure, he could then get out of the country and find a suitable place to retire, never to return. Other famous villains had managed it. Train robbers, bullion thieves, they’d all gone abroad and lived the life of Riley.

But he was not a famous villain. He was an unsuccessful blackmailer, kidnapper and possibly murderer into the bargain. It couldn’t get much worse! He had to do something. The last thing he intended was to be arrested by local cops and sent to prison for life.

“Excuse me? Do you mind if I come and sit here for a bit?” A tall, blonde girl with a lovely smile addressed him, and he nodded. It really didn’t matter much to him one way or the other. Perhaps he should confess all, throw himself on her mercy and beg for help? What rubbish! If she knew what he had done, she would run screaming for Solomon Grundy.

“It is a lovely day,” she said. “Please tell me if you don’t want to talk. I know some of the residents here are very troubled and frightened of strangers. I am good at being quiet.”

“No, dear. I can’t imagine anyone being frightened of you. Talk away, if you like. Are you staying here?”

“Not for long,” she said with a grimace. “Not my kind of holiday resort!”

“Ah, yes. You’re a friend of my friend Foster, aren’t you? He told me a bit about you. I’m sorry about your mum and dad being drowned. That must have been grim.” Perhaps I should drown myself and end it all, he thought glumly. It’d be an easy way out. Nobody would grieve for me.

She nodded. “Thanks. It’s not that long ago, and I’m still a bit confused. It’s like being in a bubble, where you’re inside and everybody else is outside getting on with their lives. Detached, I suppose, would be the word.”

“Time heals, so they say. Anyway, I’ll leave you in peace,” he said, getting up to go. “Best of luck, dearie.”

“Same to you. And thanks. Oh, and just before you go, you don’t know anyone who could lend a cello, do you? I was talking to a girl who needs one to practice on. She’s a professional, and her own instrument was stolen.”

“Ah,” said Parsons. “I might be able to help.”

*   *   *

A
T
S
TONE
H
OUSE, THINGS WERE GOING WELL.
A
KIKO WAS
pleased to see her father looking much better already, and even taking a few steps out into the garden. Then Mrs. Tollervey-Jones appeared with tea, followed by Jamie with a plate of freshly baked scones.

Jamie was holding his breath as he approached Nakamasa. “Good morning, sir,” he said politely.

“Good morning, young man. You must be my daughter’s accompanist. I have heard so much about you. Please come and sit with us. Jamie, isn’t it?”

“We might as well sit out in the sun,” said Mrs. T-J, and she and Jamie fetched chairs and parasols and soon they were chatting amiably about nothing very much.

Then Nakamasa said, “I must apologise, Jamie, for my villainous assistant imprisoning you in the convent. If I had thought calmly, I would have searched every nook and cranny. But I was so sure Akiko would have fled to join you. An old man’s folly, I am afraid. But here you both are, and I am very pleased to see you.”

Akiko could not believe her ears. Was this really her father speaking? She smiled broadly at him, and said, “I am sure we have forgiven you for not looking for us, but we will never forgive Parsons. The police are on his tail, as we say, and I know he will make a mistake and show himself very soon. Now, how are you getting on with the photographs?”

“I’ll fetch the album,” said Mrs. T-J. “You will see how well he is doing! And I have been introduced to all your relations, Akiko.”

Jamie got up to help, and followed her inside. The old thing was quite girlish! Could it possibly be love at first sight? He chuckled. That would put the cat among the Japanese pigeons!

They returned, bearing fresh tea and a large leather-bound photograph album. “Me first!” said Akiko. “I want to show Jamie my family. Come, Jamie, sit by me.”

Jamie began to turn over pages, with Akiko excitedly identifying her mother and grandparents, and then, “Here is Papa, a proud soldier,” she said.

A chilly silence descended on the little group. Jamie felt sick as he looked at the familiar image of a Japanese soldier, helmeted, heavily armed and holding a curved knife.

“Are you all right, Jamie? You look so pale. Does this photograph bother you?” Akiko looked anxiously into his face.

He shook his head dumbly, but Nakamasa answered. “Of course it does, daughter,” he said. “Just as the sight of an English soldier in uniform, bristling with weapons, would bother me. Please close the album, Jamie. We will talk of happier times.”

“Don’t worry, sir,” said Jamie. “You looked so young. Only a boy, I guess?”

“More scones, anyone,” said Mrs. T-J firmly. “Lots more in the kitchen.”