Flask of the Drunken Master by Susan Spann Read Free Book Online

mother,” Hiro said.
    “Who are you?” Kaoru repeated. “Why have you disturbed a house of mourning?”
    Hiro gestured to the Jesuit. “Father Mateo introduced himself already. I am his translator, Matsui Hiro.” After a pause just long enough to allow the youth to absorb the information, Hiro added, “The Jesuit carries the rank of samurai.”
    Kaoru should have bowed. He didn’t.
    “May I ask your name?” Father Mateo asked in a quiet voice.
    Hiro recognized the Jesuit’s attempt to ease the tension.
    “I am Kaoru,” the young man said.
    “We hoped your mother would grant us a favor,” Father Mateo said.
    Hiro considered the overture ill-advised. He didn’t know Kaoru well, but the young man’s appearance and reputation didn’t suggest a helpful nature. The Jesuit should have waited for the widow.
    Kaoru squinted at Father Mateo and then at Hiro. “I can’t understand the foreigner. He needs to speak Japanese.”
    “I am speaking Japanese,” Father Mateo said.
    Kaoru raised a hand to his forehead. “I have a headache. What is he trying to say?”
    Hiro didn’t expect most people to bow and scrape because of his samurai status, but Kaoru’s arrogance went too far in the other direction. This came as no surprise. Kaoru had acted just as rudely the few times Hiro saw him at Ginjiro’s.
    It was time to make Chikao’s son behave.
    Hiro straightened his shoulders and laid a hand on the hilt of his sword. “I know you, Kaoru, though clearly you do not remember me.”
    Kaoru rubbed his eyes and squinted, lips apart and breathing through his mouth. At last he said, “Ginjiro’s. I saw you there.”
    Hiro nodded. Since they had never spoken, he had not expected Kaoru to remember.
    “What are you doing here?” Kaoru demanded. “I said I would pay the bill.”
    Before Hiro could follow up on this revealing comment, Father Mateo said, “We haven’t come about your debt, but if you grant our favor I am sure Ginjiro will show leniency.”
    “I don’t need a murderer’s leniency,” Kaoru snapped.
    “But Ginjiro and his family do need yours,” the Jesuit said.
    Kaoru looked at Hiro. “What did he say? I don’t understand his foreign talk.”
    Hiro’s frustration rose. “You understood him fine just now.”
    “I didn’t.” Kaoru rubbed his temple. “I cannot understand a word he says.”
    Hiro stifled a sigh and repeated Father Mateo’s words. Arguments only wasted precious time.
    Kaoru considered the offer. “Ginjiro will cancel my debt if I agree to your request?”
    “I said he would show leniency,” Father Mateo said, “I cannot promise cancellation.”
    Kaoru looked at Hiro until the shinobi translated the words.
    “What help do you need?” Kaoru asked.
    Father Mateo continued, with Hiro “translating” each sentence as he finished.
    “Ginjiro didn’t kill your father. We need the time to prove it. We wish you to ask the magistrate to delay Ginjiro’s trial so that we can find your father’s real killer.”
    “You are mistaken.” Kaoru scowled. “Ginjiro is guilty. Ren told me so when he brought the news—not that I needed his opinion. Just last night, Ginjiro made a threat to kill my father.”
    Kaoru stared at Hiro as if trying to force a memory through the fog of his sake headache. “That’s why I know you.” He pointed at Hiro. “You were there. You heard the threat!”

 
    Chapter 10
    Father Mateo gave Hiro a look of alarm.
    “You were there,” Kaoru repeated, jabbing his finger at Hiro. “You heard everything.”
    Hiro ignored the young man’s pointing finger. Such an insult gave a samurai the right to kill a commoner, but Hiro didn’t think Chikao’s wife should lose her husband and her son in a single day.
    “I did not hear Ginjiro threaten anyone.” Hiro spoke in a tone he reserved for disobedient animals and fools. “If you continue this disrespect, you’ll learn what happens when brewers forget their station.”
    Kaoru lowered his hand. “I