Hidden Nexus Read Online Free PDF

attempted to push this depressing thought to the back of his mind and focus on matters at hand. ‘And her work? Did she work?’ he asked.
     
    ‘She works for a company in Yokohama. ‘Niigata Kyubin' – you know, the logistics company - in the admin department, contracts, company law, that sort of thing…' He trailed off quite rapidly, obviously lost in some deeper thought or recollection.
     
    ‘I see, so did she deal with any sensitive information, you know, commercially sensitive?'
     
    'Not that I know of. I don't think so.'
     
    'Hmm... Do you know anything of her colleagues? Did she talk about them at all?’
     
    ‘Not really. Well, you know – the usual.' Once more Yamada appeared non-committal. He was most likely still in shock Mori reminded himself. 'Did she enjoy her work?' he asked.
     
    'So, so. She’d been doing quite well recently and over the last few months has been involved in some merger talks or something. That much I know. She doesn’t like her boss very much. I think he’s called Takeda. He’s a bit of a creep by all accounts, works them hard and gives nothing back in return. She doesn’t have much time for him, but nothing out of the ordinary. I could say the same about my place of work and my boss.’ Yamada took another slug of whiskey.
     
    ‘I know what you mean.’ Mori smiled and risked a glance in Sakamoto’s direction. Sakamoto grunted in response.
     
    ‘Did she have any particular colleagues that she talked about, anyone that she may have confided in?’
     
    ‘I don’t know. I never really asked her. To be honest we didn’t really talk about each other’s work. We spend enough time there without bringing it home as well.’
     
    Once again Mori sank into deep thought. The questioning was hardly revealing any startling information or uncovering any obvious lines of enquiry. ‘Just a few more questions, sir, if you don’t mind?’
     
    ‘Fine,’ replied Yamada as if the talking was therapeutically helping. Not that he was saying that much.
     
    ‘You mentioned about a merger. Do you know who the other company was?’
     
    ‘No, no I don’t.’
     
    ‘And were these talks going smoothly – there weren’t any problems or anything?’
     
    ‘Look, I told you,’ Yamada suddenly spat back angrily. ‘I don’t know anything about her work. I just don’t…’ he broke down unexpectedly into a series of unending sobs.
     
    The two policemen sat in silence as they watched Yamada, head now in his hands, slump onto the kotatsu , knocking his whiskey tumbler onto the floor as he did so. Mori bent down to pick it up. Luckily Yamada had already drained the glass. He topped it up for good measure and offered it back to Yamada who downed it in one. ‘ Gomenasai ,’ he apologised, his voice becoming more slurred. The drink and the emotion were finally hitting home. ‘ Gomen- I…’
     
    ‘We understand, sir - just a few more questions, if you don’t mind, and then we’ll leave you in peace. We apologise for the trouble. Believe me we understand that this can’t be easy for you, but anything you can tell us might just help us catch the killer of your wife sooner rather than later. Do you understand?’
     
    Yamada nodded in pitiful agreement.
     
    ‘You said about her brother. Did she have any other family?’
     
    ‘Her mother and father live in Kawasaki, but aside from them there's no-one else.’
     
    ‘No cousins or anything like that?’
     
    ‘None that I ever met.’
     
    ‘Okay, sir, and your neighbours. How would you describe them?’
     
    ‘We don’t have much to do with them. It’s a quiet street.’
     
    Once again Mori was disappointed at the lack of any clear lead. ‘No disputes or problems?’
     
    ‘No, not really?’
     
    Mori gave Sakamoto a despairing look, simultaneously wondering why it was he, Mori, who was asking all the questions.
     
    ‘One more, sir and then we’ll be going.’ He looked briefly at his hands before he asked the