“I know my boss’s phone number,” said Jack. “Do you think you could memorize it and phone her for me?”

“I got my degree in computer software engineering,” replied Mike. “Believe me, I’m good with numbers.”

“Perhaps this would be of assistance,” said Akiyo, slipping her hand inside the sleeve of her kimono.

Jack gave her the biggest smile he believed he had ever given anyone in his life. Akiyo was an exceptionally beautiful woman, but that was not the reason her image would remain etched in his memory forever. It was the sweet look of genuine concern on her face as she held her arms outstretched with her palms up. In her upturned hands she was offering a cellphone.

Moments later, with Mike’s assistance, Jack dialled the numbers necessary to make a long-distance call and connect with Rose.

“Yes, we’re still above ground,” said Jack, as soon as she answered, “but we won’t be for long if you don’t let me explain.”

Jack spoke rapidly, pointing out the urgent necessity to have backup immediately. “Rose, the couple who are helping me, Mike and Akiyo, their room faces ours. Perhaps the police could use it for an observation post?”

Mike nodded in agreement.

“If the police hold off on rescuing us until a van from the catering company shows up with a hostage,” said Jack, “it should provide good evidence to convict Fukushima. At the moment, all we have is my word against his.”

“What if something goes wrong before then?” asked Rose.

“We’re dead if the police aren’t here,” replied Jack. “But if they are, tell them to hang a towel outside Mike and Akiyo’s window to let us know. If something is going wrong, I’ll make an excuse to go back to our room and do likewise as a sign we need help. Other than that, if they hear the sound of breaking glass or see someone flying out a window, take it as a sign we need help.”

“You can keep the phone,” said Mike.

“I heard that,” said Rose, “but it still sounds damned risky to me!”

“The police should be here by seven,” said Jack. “That gives us two hours before the van with the hostage arrives. We need more evidence and the hostage should provide that. As far as risk goes, we’re operators. That’s what we do. We’re already in hot water, so to speak, we should be able to handle another couple of hours.”

Rose reluctantly agreed and said she would immediately contact the RCMP Liaison Officer in Tokyo.

“Has Natasha been alerted that we’re missing?” asked Jack. “Or Laura’s —”

“No.”

Jack breathed a sigh of relief and replied, “Good. Tomorrow is Sunday. She’s expecting me to call. If somehow I can’t, uh, you know, get to a phone, please tell her I love her.”

Rose sighed and said, “You damn well better make sure you call her yourself. Right now I have something more urgent I need to know. Exactly where the hell are you?”

Jack handed the phone to Mike to explain.

Minutes later, Jack made it back to where Laura was waiting and carrying on a one-sided conversation. He glanced over his shoulder as he entered and saw Mike and Akiyo walking into the resort below.

“So anyway,” said Laura, “you sit there ignoring me like you haven’t heard a word I said. Don’t you have anything to say?”

Jack grinned and held the cellphone in his hand, before using the face cloth to conceal it. “I guess I can say I love you,” he said.

“Oh, baby,” replied Laura, “I love you, too.”

It was quarter to seven when Jack and Laura once more entered their bedroom washroom and used the noise of the shower and the toilet to cover the sound as Jack turned on the cellphone and called Rose.

“The LO in Tokyo says Fukushima heads one of the biggest yakuza families in Japan,” said Rose. “He has over fifteen thousand guys working for him. The Japanese police are ecstatic. They can’t believe a foreigner could penetrate Fukushima to this level.”

“Being a foreigner is probably why we did,” said Jack.

“They’ve got a team who should be in the observation post any minute. They’ve also spotted the catering van coming in your direction and are doing a loose surveillance of it. Still about two hours away. If you can, they would like you both to make an excuse and go to your room around eight-thirty. They’ll rush the place ten minutes later. I can give you a direct number.”

“I feel safer going through you. You’re on redial and I know it works. English is your native tongue. If I call, I may have to speak in code.”

It was five minutes to seven and Jack and Laura knew they had to go downstairs for dinner. They were turning from their window when another window opened on the resort below and a towel was draped over the windowsill.

Jack and Laura smiled at each other. Help has arrived! We’re going to be okay!

The next fifteen minutes would prove them dead wrong.

38

Jack and Laura met Fukushima, Da Khlot, Sayomi, and Lee as they entered the banquet room. Everyone bowed toward each other before taking the same seating arrangement they had previously, with Lee, Laura, and Jack on one side and Da Khlot, Sayomi, and Fukushima on the other. The only difference, Jack noted, was that while all the rest were dressed in kimonos, Da Khlot wore an expensive tailored suit.

Same as before, two attendants stood by the door while servants brought in the first course, a soup consisting of chicken broth, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, celery, and parsley.

Considering that someone was to be murdered in two hours, Jack thought Fukushima seemed rather cheery, making light conversation about the weather in Canada and the quantity of available golf courses.

Fukushima’s behaviour abruptly changed after he set his porcelain soup spoon down and answered his cellphone. He only uttered one or two words as he listened.

“Excuse me,” he said, looking at Jack and Laura when he hung up. “Lee-san, Khlot-san, come with me. A business matter needs to be addressed. It will only take a minute. Please, continue to enjoy your soup.”

Fukushima uttered a command in Japanese and the two attendants followed the trio out the door. Jack could see the men’s shadows on the rice-paper doors as they stood whispering in the hallway. The shadow of an attendant quickly disappeared down the hall, only to return moments later, in the company of others.

Jack smiled politely at Sayomi while nudging Laura with his knee under the table. He felt her nudge back. Something was wrong and they both knew it.

If they had any doubts that it involved the two of them, they were were quashed when the doors slid open again. The trio returned with six attendants. Fukushima barked an order at the servants and they quickly disappeared from sight.

“I am afraid that dinner must be interrupted,” said Fukushima, briskly walking to the far end of the room and removing a samurai sword from the scabbard.

Da Khlot’s face held his usual impassive look as he bent over and whispered in Sayomi’s ear. She looked startled, quickly glancing at Jack and Laura as she scrambled to her feet. Lee stood to one side, his head bowed toward the floor as his body trembled.

“That is most unfortunate,” said Jack. “The soup is excellent. Is there a problem?”

“No problem,” replied Fukushima. “Simply an alteration in plans. Your task that you were to perform at nine o’clock will be performed now.”

“The, uh, person from Osaka is here already?” asked Jack.

“No,” replied Fukushima. “I have selected someone else.”

“I see,” replied Jack. “Then if you will excuse me for a moment, I need to go back to my room and use the washroom. I shall return in a moment,” he said, getting to his feet.

“You will not be going anywhere!” said Fukushima, allowing his rage to show.