(Jo Takao, a teamster)
Dammit! And here I thought I’d really come out ahead! An easy trip with -people-… well the one guy complained the entire time and it was annoying that the old lady just coddled him. And the one in the back just laid there. I thought the had me with a dead body… but she’d moan every so often…
“I can’t believe my back axle just snapped,” I grouse at the woman who runs the way-station at the temple.
“You should make certain to maintain your equipment, sir,” she says. “Breakfast?”
I had wanted to get back to Kyoto and get this sword sold – there’s just some things that cause trouble but the weird complaining guy said he had a better one now. For what? Those things are illegal now!
But now I have to wait around to get the wagon fixed… and it’s noon already. The woman hovers nearby. “Lunch?”
Something here is fishy… maybe this is some scam! She’s probably got an “in” with the wagon repair guild in this area! They drag out getting my wagon fixed and I have to keep buying food!
And then I see, on horseback, a police officer! Great! He’ll sort this out. “Oi!” I call out. Then I remember that damn sword… I pull my canvas over it and… there’s some dried blood where that woman was? I just can’t win today.
It takes us just under an hour to arrive at the temple – but it’s almost noon. A man call out as we get close by and I lean back and pull the horses’ rein in, making it stop.
I see someone is working on the wagon and have the wheel removed. I watch the man and his wagon closely as Misao and I get off – but try not to be too obvious about it. Could it be this man?
“How can I help you sir?” I say with a somewhat amiable smile. “Sorry to see you’re having trouble.”
As I got off I noticed, he still have some sort of cargo under the canvas and I could smell the faint scent of blood. I’m not sensitive to blood but I am very familiar with it having cut down my fair share of scum of the earth. I wonder if that’s what the dark spots are on the back? But I’ll wait and see what this man wants.
(Misao)
I get off of the horse – Saitou knew how to make it fly, even through Kyoto’s streets…
Kawahara-san comes out, and gives me a subtle nod.
“It’s all a big scam they’re running here! They delay the repair of my wagon so they can make us honest teamsters buy another meal here!”
Kawahara-san demurs, “sir, what an idea! And our good food is fairly priced, so there’s no dishonesty here! But with the rain yesterday, the roads were rough on many wagons!” Although I know that despite her protests, the broken axle was all her doing… she was a young kunoichi during Gramps’ early days, and even though she left active duty, she’s one of the many people who still maintains our information connection.
She addresses “Officer! Please! I’m an honest businesswoman here! Please assure my customer that I have no ill intent!”
The wagon driver blusters. “I said no such thing! I’m a man of business too!”
(OOC – if Saitou sees/finds the sword, it is a very “standard” unsigned sword of no special background)
“It’s all a big scam they’re running here! They delay the repair of my wagon so they can make us honest teamsters buy another meal here!”
“sir, what an idea! And our good food is fairly priced, so there’s no dishonesty here! But with the rain yesterday, the roads were rough on many wagons!”
“I see.” I walk around the wagon for a minute, pretending to inspect it. I wanted to see if -that- was indeed blood. I take out my notepad, “Sir, if I can have your name first. Then I’ll start recording your complaint against the establishment. Now since you are the one filing a complaint I’d need you give us more information as to what you were doing yesterday up to today that got you in this situation. Please do not leave out any detail.”
“Officer! Please! I’m an honest businesswoman here! Please assure my customer that I have no ill intent!”
“I’ll take your account next madam.” I say seriously, “Let’s have the gentleman give his account first.”
We’ll have to see if there’s any honest people here. I look at Misao for a moment, hoping she’ll play along. I think I know what’s going on. And if they’re both dishonest or this takes too long? Well we’ll revert to good old Police tactics.
(Misao)
Sir, if I can have your name first. Then I’ll start recording your complaint against the establishment. Now since you are the one filing a complaint I’d need you give us more information as to what you were doing yesterday up to today that got you in this situation. Please do not leave out any detail
I’ll take your account next madam. Let’s have the gentleman give his account first
Saitou gives me a look. “Now, come on sir, the officer is a busy man,” I say.
The man looks pleased to be having his say first. “Jo Takao, sir. I had a nice legit job yesterday, bringing down some people from Kyoto. Old woman, I don’t know if the guy with her was her son or her boyfriend, ain’t for me to judge. I just move things. They had another lady with them, I think she was real sick, her head was wrapped up – again, no judgin’ just movin’. I take them to a landing by the river and I get paid by the man, nice and fair. I’m just makin’ my living, and I sleep in the inn across the street here. I stop here this morning on my way back, and when I go to leave… well, I guess the axle broke in that mud by the river. But she keeps selling me food and it takes a long time to get someone to fix it! I know it’s a scam to sell more food!” He stomps his foot. “I’m a working man and wastin’ my time costs me money!”
Kawahara-san says, “oh, he was a good customer, and we were happy to allow him to wait in the restaurant, even if he wasn’t buying more food – that’s how we take care of our customers,” she says, smiling calmly. “And we’re hardly collaborating with the cartwright – with the mud and rain your rig can’t have been the only one needing tending.”
“So what was so important that you had to go out in the mud anyway?” I ask the man. “It was raining like crazy yesterday!”
“It was a good payin’ job – I guess a lot of other people won’t take them, what with the sick woman and the guy… well, between us, and not disrespectin’ a customer… he tried to hide it but he had a lot of burns, all over his right side – his face, his hand… some people maybe could have thought that it was bad luck to take ’em on,” he muses. “But hey, money is money!” He then motions over to Kawahara-san, “and I ain’t gonna some old woman take it all!”
“oh, he was a good customer, and we were happy to allow him to wait in the restaurant, even if he wasn’t buying more food – that’s how we take care of our customers,” she says, smiling calmly. “And we’re hardly collaborating with the cartwright – with the mud and rain your rig can’t have been the only one needing tending.”
I put my hand up to the older lady. “Thank you madam.”
And then it’s Misao’s turn to ask and I can only listen about the other suspect. Burns on his right side? That would explain the awkward left handed trust used to kill Asato’s husband. But how did he get the burns? I pocket the notepad and reach for my cigarette. Asato’s murder was five years ago, such a long time. Burns… And an unhealthy obsession with the Shinsengumi. It can’t be from the Goryo Eiji, I can account for most of them and the rest? Disgruntled Samurai would not target samurai women, even in the Boshin war or rather after it the women of Samurai lineage fared better than most had they survived and not killed themselves. I can only think of one more person, I discounted last time. There was no body found.
some people maybe could have thought that it was bad luck to take ’em on,” he muses. “But hey, money is money!
“Sir. Thank you for your cooperation.” I decide to show him the flyer. “I am looking for the injured woman, she’s my wife. Do you recognize the older woman in the picture and is the younger man, did he have his hair parted on the left side of his face?” That was the main difference between them, except of course his handling of the sword.
“Madame, can you speak to the cartwright and have this man’s wagon fixed right away. I want to hire him to bring me to where he dropped off his customers yesterday.” Then I turn to the Takao, “And you sir, once you take us there, can you also let me know who arranged for your services and who paid for it?”
Saitou just listens quietly. It has to be them. It -has- to be -her-. Instead, I stay calm and focused and listen as well. It’s a lead… but just that. But something flickers across Saitou’s face as we learn about the male half of the kidnap duo – is it someone he recognizes? I try to remember – have we had any reports of a half-burnt samurai?
Sir. Thank you for your cooperation. I am looking for the injured woman, she’s my wife.
The color drains from Jo’s face. “I – I – I thought she was with them, sir. I don’t go askin’ questions, he had two swords, after all. They weren’t the friendly sort, either, you know?”
Do you recognize the older woman in the picture and is the younger man, did he have his hair parted on the left side of his face?
“Yeah – yeah, that was her, but her hair was splotchy – grey but some black in it?” Sounds like bad hair dye to me…. “and…. yeah. hair on the left. He was a, you know, pretty boy? So he let that side show.” He’s almost gulping for air.
“We just need to know what you know, sir,” I say. If he passes out then he’s -no- use to us!
Saitou speaks of hiring the man, and he shakes his head vehemently. “No, no, sir, it’s what I can do to help.”
can you also let me know who arranged for your services and who paid for it?
“The old woman found me in the market when I was unloading – several people turned her down.” I frown. “I saw that, so I… made a high offer and she took it anyway. They paid me in cash… and a samurai sword.” He walks over to the wagon and pulls back the canvas to reveal a sword. “This here – but the man did the paying, once we all met up.” And I can’t help put see spots of blood on the canvas… Hide-san….
“How was the bandaged woman? Was she quiet? Did she move?”
He shakes his head. “She moaned – she didn’t like being moved.” He looks down. “I didn’t notice the blood, until later – they had a hood or scarf over her head as well.”
A mud-stained man walks up to us. “Wagon’s all fixed, sir,” he tells Jo. “D’you want me to go ahead and hitch up your horse?”
Kawahara-san comes out with three boxes. “I packed lunch – on the house.” In a quiet voice, she adds, “please remember me to your gramps, Okashira.”
He stammers as soon as I show him my cards. So much so that I worried he might pass out. But he manages to confirm most of my questions.
“No, no, sir, it’s what I can do to help.”
I don’t mind paying him but if he wants to help, let him.
“I saw that, so I… made a high offer and she took it anyway. They paid me in cash… and a samurai sword. “This here – but the man did the paying, once we all met up.”
I take the sword and inspect it. It’s not been used recently but it hasn’t been maintained either.
“She moaned – she didn’t like being moved.” He looks down. “I didn’t notice the blood, until later
I pretend not to listen but I’m relieved he confirmed she made -some- movement. Re-sheating the sword, I give it back to the man. “I’m going to need you to hold on to that.”
“Wagon’s all fixed, sir,” he tells Jo. “D’you want me to go ahead and hitch up your horse?”
“We need you to take us to their last known location.” I tell him. “Hitch up both horses.” I tell the man. “We’ll ride together.”
Kawahara-san gives Misao some bento boxes. I’d motion to Misao it’s not needed, I still have the rice ball from earlier but why disappoint an old lady. “Madame, thank you.” She should know what that means.
(OOC: You can close up and just I guess bring them to where they need to be next. Saitou will likely talk to Jo one last time in wherever thread they end up in.)
(Misao)
Madame, thank you
Her and I only exchange a look. She’s stronger than you’d think, to break a big wagon axle, but once a kunoichi…
We load up into the wagons. I sit in the back, and carefully fold up the canvas. It’s -her- blood, after all…
“I think it was about 3, 3 and a half kilometers from here,” he says. “Shouldn’t take too long, not with two good horses, even with some mud.”
I glance over at Saitou. He’s so focused. But now there’s something.
(OOC – close)