Redback. Lindy Cameron

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      'Did you see who killed him?'

      She shrugged. 'Possibly, but after - you know, and before I found him. Hiro said a gaijin with no hair and blades killed him.'

      A gaijin with no hair! And blades! Scott raised an eyebrow. Okay, now entering serious B-movie territory.

      'What do you mean by 'after'?' he asked.

      'Our room is in the Wild Lotus. Many westerners also have regular girls there. When I returned I saw maybe three not-much-haired gaijin, among the many men departing.'

      'Is it your place? Do you live there?' Scott asked.

      'No. It is a living-in hotel, but our place is for meeting only. Normally I would not go again until lunch tomorrow. But today I went back to get my iPod.' She patted the pocket of her overcoat.

      'So you saw a bunch of men leaving the hotel, and then you found Hiroyuki? Um, Kaisha?' Scott waited until she was looking directly at him. 'Why are you here?'

      She looked puzzled. 'Hiro sent me.'

      'He sent you?' Scott squinted at her. 'I don't get it. Your lover just died…'

      'Yes Mr Dreher,' she frowned, 'I was there.'

      Scott frowned back at her. 'Hiroyuki Kaga, according to you, has just been murdered and yet here you are with me, and not the cops.'

      Kaisha nodded then shook her head. 'Yes. Is that the wrong thing?'

      'Um, you tell me,' Scott said.

      'I don't understand, Mr Dreher.'

      'It's a bit suss, Kaisha. You know, suspicious.'

      'I understand suss-picious, Mr Dreher. But Hiro sent me to warn you. With his last words, he sent me to you.' She touched his elbow. 'And we should go now.' She stood to leave.

      'Warn me about what? And where should we go?'

      'Away from here,' Kaisha stressed. 'In case someone followed.'

      Resisting the urge to copy her earlier behaviour and do his own histrionic scan of the street for potential killers, Scott smiled politely instead. 'Look Kaisha, I don't mean to be rude, but I have only your story that Hiroyuki is dead. Why would I go anywhere with you?'

      Kaisha waved her hands all around her. 'Is he here? The man you were to meet?' She began crying and propped herself back on the stool. 'No, he is not. And I called the police, Mr Dreher. But I was Hiro's mistress, not his wife. It is not for me to be seen to be the first to know of his death.'

      'Well now, that's stupid. He died in your love nest. And in your arms, if what you say is true.'

      'If it is true?' Kaisha stamped her foot and glared at Scott. She undid her coat buttons and offered him a flash of what she wore underneath: long black boots; strangely-patterned green slacks and a red and white shirt.

      'Oh man.' Scott exclaimed.

       Blood-stained green slacks, and a bloody white shirt.

      'Okay,' Scott lifted his hands in surrender. 'I'm sorry.'

      'Hiro made me promise to meet you. I was to give you a message and you were to protect me if I needed, which I don't, by the way.' Kaisha's tears were now laced with anger, but she began counting points off on her fingers as she spoke.

      'I was to tell you, "The game has been altered. Check source". He said you were to take me to his brother's - but you can forget that Mr Dreher - and convince, um,' she squinted and then took a breath, 'convince "Harry Carter, dead stalks, and he will explain everything".'

      'What?' Scott frowned. The only thing that made any sense was 'the game has been altered' and he knew that already.

      Kaisha shrugged. 'Hiro, um,' she swallowed, 'Hiro said to make sure he - you, I mean - "understands the danger, and also the deception in the next acts".'

      'Deception in the next acts?' Scott rolled his eyes.

      'Ah no,' Kaisha shook her head. 'It was, "the deception in their next actions".'

      Like that makes it clearer! 'Is that all?'

      'No, he also said, "It has started". But I do not know whether that was meant for you, or that he knew he was nearly gone.'

      Kaisha wiped her eyes again. 'Me, I didn't understand anything; especially the birds.'

      'Birds? What birds?'

      'The dead storks.'

      Scott controlled an inappropriate smile. 'I kinda doubt he was talking about birds; or even deceased plants, which could be another interpretation.'

      Kaisha made a face like she didn't care either way.

      'He probably meant 'stalks' as in stalking, or stalker. You know, someone who's following you,' Scott said. 'Not that that makes any more sense. Unless he said death stalks, which it literally was at the time. But as a message it's just as stupid. Are you sure he…?'

      'You have Hiro's warning,' Kaisha interrupted. 'I am going now. And you should not stay here.'

      'Wait. Are you sure he wasn't just thanking you?'

      'What?'

      'You know 'Harry Carter' - arigato,' Scott suggested.

      Kaisha's expression told him, in no uncertain terms, that she found that to be quite absurd.

      'Well I'm sorry, Kaisha,' Scott said, 'but who the hell is Harry Carter?'

      'You don't know?' Kaisha asked.

      'No idea, obviously.'

      'Well me, I don't care,' Kaisha shrugged. 'Goodbye then Mr Dreher.'

      In the moment it took for Scott to register that their meeting was over, Kaisha had taken three steps into the street. She then, apparently, changed her mind and span around to face him.

      'We both should go,' she said urgently, 'through the back.'

      'What? Why?' Scott demanded.

      'Gaijin, no hair,' Kaisha stated, lifting her chin to indicate Scott should look behind her.

       Oh, a hairless gaijin indeed! How convenient.

      But there he was: a westerner, conveniently very big and bald, walking with a group of other tourists; and all, no doubt, innocently soaking up the nightlife.

      'Is it him? Have you seen him before?' Scott asked.

      'Maybe, maybe not. Not staying to find out.' Kaisha headed inside.

      Scott stood, as if to go after her, then hesitated. Oh man! Is this a set up or what? Sit Scott.

      He glanced at the tour group, which was still half a block away on the other side СКАЧАТЬ