Hidden Nexus Read Online Free PDF Page A

Super’s office, an office and position he coveted very much indeed. Mori pushed these thoughts to the back of his mind and had a quick glance through the bag, picking out a purse and examining the cards within. ‘Still plenty of money in here,’ he said quietly, counting out at least eighty thousand yen and there don’t appear to be any cards missing. The deceased’s called Yamada Eri and according to this she lives just up the hill.’ He passed over an address card which had also been tucked into her purse.
     
    ‘Phone?’
     
    Mori looked again back inside the bag and picked out a mobile – again he noted a fairly up-to-date model.
     
    ‘Any messages?’
     
    ‘I don’t know, sir. I’m not very good with phones. Do you know how to work these?’ He passed it over to Sakamoto who obviously did know a thing or two. He gave Mori a techno-sneer as he pressed a few buttons, checking her e-mail and calendar. There was nothing of interest and Sakamoto tossed the phone back to Mori, who dropped it. ‘Careful, Mori, careful,’ he said as he turned away. ‘Time to talk to the family then, assuming there is one.’
     
    Mori bent down to pick up the phone and wondered how it was that in the space of a few seconds Sakamoto had reduced him to nothing more than an incompetent, bumbling school boy.
     
    Before he set off after his superior he ensured that the posse of Junsas had their instructions to check out the surrounding houses for any witnesses and of course any signs of the perpetrator.
     
    If Mori was honest he never relished talking to relatives of the deceased so soon after they had received the bad news. It went without saying that they were in no condition to answer penetrating questions, although people invariably reacted differently to a death. Some went into a shell and never got beyond the shock of their loss while others moved on surprisingly swiftly and wanted retribution and justice. Some just merely lied, hiding whatever truth there was. And so Mori never looked forward to these occasions. He wasn't particularly good with his own emotions never mind other people's.
     
    It was soon apparent that there was only a husband. On entering the poor man’s house Mori immediately sensed the lack of heat. Curiously it appeared to be colder inside than it was outside and it was with a great reluctance that he removed his overcoat. He shivered quite openly and once again felt that his body was about to succumb to the control of a heavy cold.
     
    ‘Our condolences,' he began, 'Are you okay to talk?’ It was his usual opening gambit.
     
    Hideki Yamada was non-committal and merely nodded in reply. He played with a tumbler of whiskey in his hand. Mori noted a newly opened bottle on the sideboard. Nothing wrong in that, he thought.
     
    ‘We can come back another time if you’d prefer.’
     
    ‘No, it’s fine. I just… I can’t believe it… I…’ He took a sip of whiskey and then sank into a period of silence as if he was striving to discover a deeper resilience, one that Mori suspected he might not have. As he drank Mori also noticed his face wince as if he wasn't used to the bite of the whiskey.
     
    'Not your usual?' Mori nodded at the glass. Yamada simply bowed his head. His face was also beginning to redden. It was abundantly clear that the man was unused to drinking.
     
    ‘Is there any obvious reason why anybody would do this? Did your wife have any enemies?’
     
    ‘Not that I know of.’
     
    ‘Any relatives with whom she was not on good terms?’
     
    ‘Well, there is her brother. They don’t really get on, but I hardly think-’
     
    ‘Anything you can tell us, anything at all will be a great help,’ interrupted Sakamoto.
     
    But Yamada had nothing much more to say, at least as far as the brother was concerned. Mori placed his chin on the tips of his fingers and thought deeply. He could feel a nagging tickle in his throat - a full cold was definitely on its way. He knew it. He