The Case of the Sharaku Murders (24 page)

“How can you be so…” Yosuke's voice trailed off. “Oh, I give up,” he muttered, refilling Ryohei's glass. Then, his expression indicating he'd reached some sort of decision, he at last he continued, “Well, it's clear you've decided to throw in the towel. But I won't stand idly by and let the professor get away with this. Once your theory's been accepted and all the excitement's died down, I'll find a way of exposing him for what he really is. To be perfectly honest, this isn't the first time the professor's done something like this. Only this time, I'm not going to stand for it. If he get can away with this it defeats the whole point of research. I won't allow that.”

“But what will you…” Ryohei stammered nervously, taken aback by Yosuke's angry tone.

“I've got a plan,” replied Yosuke, a smile rising to his lips.

“Don't worry,” he added, seeing the worried look on Ryohei's face. “I won't make trouble for you.” He gave his friend a pat on the shoulder. “It's out of your hands now. This is between me and the professor. You just do whatever you have to. Anyway, it's all up to the professor now. If he keeps his word and gives you equal credit on his book, I won't lift a finger. But if there's any funny business from him or Yoshimura, they're finished. I swear I'll bury them…”

Staring into his glass, Yosuke chuckled.

Ryohei felt a chill run down his spine.

December 15

ALMOST A MONTH had passed since Ryohei's conversation with Yosuke at
More
.

Ryohei had been idle during that time. His research paper was out of his hands. Yoshimura had moved on to phase two of his plan, shutting out Ryohei completely. Even though Yoshimura had explained beforehand that until the meeting was over they would have to proceed as though the professor was acting alone, Ryohei couldn't help feeling left out. But since he had given the plan his blessing, he was in no position to complain. He tried to accept the situation, telling himself he should have foreseen from the beginning this was what would happen.

Ryohei had seen Yosuke and Saeko several times since then, but something had changed. The laughter had gone out of their conversations. He tried to put the whole episode behind him, telling himself he had simply been outgunned, but he could not shake the feeling he had been a coward.

On the other hand
,
thought Ryohei,
if he had rejected Yoshimura's offer he would have been run out of academia
.

I can't turn my back on ukiyo-e the way Yosuke has. If I could, I'd never have spent all those years as the professor's research assistant. I won't give up on ukiyo-e and my research. But I'll do things my way, not the professor's
.

That was why compromise had been unavoidable he told himself.

Meanwhile, preparations for unveiling the Shoei hypothesis were proceeding smoothly. Yoshimura had gone abroad with the English translation of Ryohei's paper and, with just a week left before the Edo Art Association's annual meeting, four foreign scholars—all internationally recognized Sharaku experts—had agreed to attend. Iwakoshi and the professor's other present and former students were busy round the clock booking hotel rooms and preparing lecture slides.

Ryohei alone remained behind at the university, teaching the professor's classes for him whenever he was absent, as he often was.

For his part, Professor Nishijima spent most of his time in meetings discussing preparations for the meeting and lobbying other members of the EAA's executive committee. His students also began meeting more and more frequently to discuss the upcoming event, but Ryohei was never invited. This was all Yoshimura's doing. The other students never doubted for a moment that the Shoei hypothesis was the professor's own work. If they had known it was actually Ryohei's, the mood of excitement swelling around the announcement would have fizzled. Not even Iwakoshi, whom Ryohei saw practically every day, had any inkling the paper propounding the Shoei hypothesis had been written not by Professor Nishijima but Ryohei.

“Look out world, here we come!” exclaimed Iwakoshi gleefully, walking into Ryohei's office one day. “Geichosha's going to devote the entire February issue of
Art Currents
to the Shoei hypothesis.”

“Are you serious?” Ryohei's heart leapt. As removed as he was from events, he couldn't help feeling happy.

“Last night Yamashita dropped by
Sakamoto
to give the professor the good news. He was going on about how this is the biggest discovery to hit the art world in decades.”

Art Currents
was a general arts magazine, not a coterie journal for ukiyo-e enthusiasts. The fact that it had decided to do a special issue on the new theory meant that its acceptance was virtually guaranteed.

“The professor was ecstatic,” continued Iwakoshi. “His own publisher, Shugakusha, now plans to publish a special volume on the Shoei hypothesis as the centerpiece of their forthcoming anthology of the professor's work. Plus, word has it he's going to be nominated as the Edo Art Association's next executive director at the general meeting. He'll take over from the current director, who'll become chairman, and Yoshimura will assume the professor's current seat on the executive board. So there you have it. In both name and reality, Professor Nishijima will be the most powerful figure in the ukiyo-e world.”

Iwakoshi laughed loudly.

“We're going to be
really
busy from now on,” he added. “After the meeting the professor's going abroad. Lecture invitations are already flooding in. And I'll be going to Akita with Yamashita.”

“Akita?” said Ryohei in surprise.

“Yoshimura's already been up there once it seems. This time Yamashita's going to take photographs for the magazine and I've been chosen to go with him.

“Yoshimura went to Akita, you say?”

“Well, who do you
think
the professor sent to do the research for his paper?” replied Iwakoshi, astonished at Ryohei's ignorance.

“I'm afraid it just turned out that way,” said Yoshimura apologetically. He had telephoned Ryohei within a few hours of Iwakoshi's departure. Iwakoshi must have reported back to him on his conversation with Ryohei.

“It was unavoidable,” he continued. “The professor hasn't been out of Tokyo for weeks, so he can't claim to have gone to Akita. That's why we have to say I did the research.”

Ryohei remained silent.

Yoshimura continued: “The question came up unexpectedly when the professor and I were meeting with the EAA's executive director—the answer just popped out of my mouth. I apologize. Anyway, do us a favor and let's just leave it at that. The story's already got legs. At this point it would be awkward to turn around and say you did the research.”

“But that's not what we agreed,” protested Ryohei.

“I'm aware of that. But if we change our story now everything will be ruined. I'm sorry, I really am. But please understand, for the professor's sake.”

Though Yoshimura's words were conciliatory, his tone was forceful and left no room for argument.

Ryohei gave up. Ultimately, it was his fault for being so naïve not to have seen this coming. If he kicked up a fuss now he'd not only jeopardize the Shoei hypothesis but create trouble for everyone. There was no telling how the meeting would play out. It was a long time since Professor Nishijima had come out with a new theory and the eyes of the media would be riveted on him.

As soon as it gets around that Yoshimura has taken credit for my research, there will be no question of my name appearing on the professor's book
.

Once someone is forced on the defensive there's no turning back. Ryohei realized Yoshimura had set an ingenious trap. Had he really had no choice but to accept it all “for the sake of the theory?”

I've been a coward
.

For the first time, Ryohei was wracked with remorse. Deep down he felt the stirrings of an ambition he had hardly been aware of. The memory of the three days in Akita with Saeko came back to him like a long-forgotten dream.

I not only betrayed myself, I betrayed Saeko
.

In the gathering darkness of the professor's office, Ryohei felt utterly alone.

December 21

RYOHEI ARRIVED at the Kudan Kaikan hotel shortly before one o'clock in the afternoon.

The Edo Art Association's general meeting started at two and he had come to help everyone set up. Not that his assistance was really needed. However, the previous evening Yoshimura had called and made him promise to come one hour early. Even Yoshimura seemed to think it would look bad to shut Ryohei out of the preparations completely.

When he entered the building, Ryohei found that Iwakoshi and the professor's other students were already busy setting up.

“Ah, Ryohei. You're here.”

From across the room, Uchida Yumi, wearing a frilly white blouse and a dark blue suit, spotted Ryohei and came running over. She was a junior at Musashino University and the only woman in the professor's seminar. Ryohei, used to seeing Yumi in jeans, recoiled slightly at the sight of the undergraduate dressed to the nines. Noticing his reaction, Yumi giggled.

“You've been assigned to the welcome desk too, right?”

“Yeah, um, I got a call from Yoshimura…” Ryohei mumbled in reply.

Why do I feel so awkward all of a sudden?

In his mind, Ryohei played back the previous evening's conversation with Yoshimura.

“I know it's a bit late to mention this now, but the professor's been saying he'd feel more comfortable if you weren't in the room when he gave his lecture. I have to say, I understand how he feels. He'll be reading
your
paper, after all.”

Ryohei could not see Yoshimura's face, but the voice on the other end of the line sounded grave.

“You're saying you don't want me to come to the meeting?”

Personally, Ryohei had not been all that eager to go in the first place, so it actually came as something of a relief.

“On the contrary, the others might think it odd if you weren't there. As it is, you already seem to have made Iwakoshi suspicious.”

Of all the nerve!
What have I done to make anyone suspicious?

The casualness of Yoshimura's tone made Ryohei furious.

“In fact, if you don't go to the meeting at all,” Yoshimura went on, “it might create problems.”

“So what should I do?” Ryohei asked irritably. “The professor says he doesn't want me there.”

“Now don't get all huffy. This is my problem too. I'm sorry to ask you to do this, but do you think you could be in charge of the check-in table tomorrow?”

“The welcome desk!” said Ryohei sullenly.

“Just so the professor doesn't see you until
after
he's given his talk. I understand how you feel, but that's the best plan I could come up with on the spot. Please. Everything's riding on tomorrow.”

“Has something happened between you and the professor?” Yumi quietly asked Ryohei.

“What do you mean?”

“Just that I heard Iwakoshi saying you'd been excluded from this event.”

“Not at all. I'm here now, aren't I?”

“True. I guess it was silly of me to be worried,” said Yumi, smiling cheerfully. “Anyway, isn't this amazing? I hear there are going to be TV cameras! I wonder if we'll be on TV too.”

“TV, huh?”

“There are reporters from several networks here already—and lots of journalists, of course. I didn't realize the professor was
this
famous!”

Ryohei had mixed feelings about it all.

A bundle of programs arrived at the check-in table.

On the front was printed the name of the Edo Art Association and the words,
Annual General Meeting
.
Below was written:
To Be Preceded by a Special Lecture by Professor Nishijima Shunsaku to Announce His Latest Research
.
Yoshimura was going to give a supplemental lecture entitled, “Western Painting in Japan and the Akita Clan.” There followed the names of four foreign scholars. Though the subject of their talks had been left blank, they undoubtedly would be speaking in support of the Shoei hypothesis.

Of course, the theory would not be put to any sort of up or down vote by the entire assembly. But during the general meeting that followed the lectures, Professor Nishijima's name would be put forward as the next executive director and, if approved, it would amount to an official endorsement by the EAA of his new theory. While the participants might not see the two as being connected in any way, the rest of the world would not make such subtle distinctions.

It's nothing short of brilliant
.

The sheer brazenness of the professor's plan left Ryohei speechless.

“Hello.” Yamashita approached the check-in table. “Not much longer now,” he said. “Our photographer should be here by now—seen him?”