It’s mid-afternoon by the time I got to speak to Chief Kanemoto. He was detained apparently by several high profile meetings. I sat there trying hard to remain calm, telling myself that whatever will happen will happen tomorrow not today. But that was just a hunch and it doesn’t mean nothing else was happening to Hide. Finally I’m called to his office and I lay my case…
“Fujita-kun, I can’t have you making accusations of our locals here in Osaka.”
“Chief, I’ve not made public my accusation but I do need unlimited access to your files and that of the local business bureau who deals with Kato Hayato.”
He shakes his head, “No way. Do you understand how influential that man is, he basically runs Osaka harbor and the metal works here in Osaka. The very lifeblood of Osaka!”
“And so you want to protect this man?” I raise my eyebrow at him. Osaka has become prosperous true, but it can’t only be because of Kato. It’s because of the people who live here and he knows it. But people are afraid of being wrong and would delude themselves to be right, in the high ranks of the police.
“We’re already doing you a huge -favor- in monitoring all the ports here in Osaka and -my- resources, the man hours spent on this! For your personal relations! If the public ever finds out.” He shakes his head.
So he knew that Hide isn’t my wife or even if she was, of course it would be taken in the same light. “Don’t get me wrong Chief, I’m looking for Yagi Hide not because she is -related- to me, but because she too is a person worthy of our protection and assistance.”
“Tell that to the journalist who’s enamored with Kato-san.” He slams his fist on the table. “Didn’t you see just the other day, they almost fell at his feet claiming he is the gateway to the west.”
I can only shrug at that, “I think we both know why they’d be “enamored”.” And the truth was, why is Japan allowing itself to be invaded, almost losing it’s own identity and culture?
“It’s all about the publicity with him.”
“The Japanese Police do not care about that.” I stand up, “Kato Hayato is suspected of graft and corruption and -will- be investigated.”
I show him the information I got from Kyoto from Saya who did get me the information I needed, some of which was independently collaborated by the weasel and her brother Tamesaburou. That there was suspicions on the factory west of the Nijo castle. That it was initially investigated several years ago by the Kyoto Police but the Department of Interior made them drop the investigation due to the political lobbying of Miyagawa. The same Miyagawa who according to Saya’s report was receiving contribution and donations from the Kato and the Kobashigawa Group.
But it’s the end of the report that has Chief Kanemoto shaking his head, that the women from the Tanaka trafficking ring had identified Miyagawa as a regular patron whenever he visited Osaka and Kyoto. That Miyagawa had blabbed that he can make these “relief” trips because an Kyoto born, businessman from Osaka generously pays for all his excursions. It’s uncollaborated information, that’s true but I have always trusted Saya’s information.
He shakes his head. “This is too much. Such leaps and coincidences!”
“There was also an “accident” in Osaka port just the other night. The people who worked there said it’s a boat owned by Kobashigawa. I’d hardly consider that a leap knowing what we know now. And a bunch of coincidences, make for the truth Chief.”
“No. No. This can’t be happening, all right under my nose.” He mutters.
“The Central Police, needs your full cooperation in this matter. The Superintendent General would expect it Kanemoto-san.” Finally I pull out my identification as one Superintendent Fujita working directly for the third most powerful man in Japan, Kawaji. It’s very rare that I pull rank but it’s in this instance that I find centralization, bureacracy and autocracy of institutions in Imperial Japan useful.
“You don’t understand what you’re doing. The locals.” He stammers, “They’ll lose jobs. We’ll lose income.”
“Dirty money is dirty money Kanemoto. Better to swiftly kill evil before it corrupts the rest.”
He turns red but then lets out what could only be a sign of resignation. “Fine what do you need?”
“Just access to his business and family records, people and locations. All of which should be in your archives.”
I don’t add that I expect to find suspicious reports related to the Kato-group that was filed by others or even by the police themselves, but that should be obvious. The truth was however, unlike others I never wait for perfect information and I don’t need complete evidence to exercise my justice. Only fools and cowards, would hide behind those, lacking conviction in their judgment and ultimately themselves.
Spending the next few hours, I diligently comb all of the information I can of the Kato Group and of his mothers. So he’s built an empire of businesses in Osaka and local partnerships but his personal footprint is small. Only his home and office, that I’ve alredy been to and his mother’s estate in Suita. Looking at the location of Suita in the map, it’s not too far from the city and is upstream the Yodo river – but inland. It’s mostly farm country, quiet with not much people. One can go relatively unnoticed.
It must be where they’ve kept her.
But what if you’re wrong wolf?
I swallow and stick a cigarette in my mouth. Before I worry about that, I decide I need to give instructions to the Kyoto Police. This time Toshio-san needs to lead the raid in that factory. I just hope Saya can convince him but he is a -good- man. All this information should be good enough.