"The House of Bamboo Affair" Chapter 3 ~ for PicFic Tuesday

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Links to Chapter 1 and Chapter 2



Napoleon and Illya waited for the girl to leave them before discussing their suspicions, of which they were convinced of Tetsuya’s involvement and now perhaps Shinjiru as well.

“Given Tetsuya’s style of dress when we first met him, it would have worked well with a ninja’s hood and leggings, that and his reaction when he found you holding said ninja accutrements,” Illya pointed to what was left of it laying on the floor.

”His use of a smoke bomb, also a ninja trademark, and his not wanting us to see the clothing…I would say it is safe to assume he was one of the two people I confronted last night.”

“He’s of small enough stature as well,” Napoleon said,”as is our little lady friend, who seemed to recover from the knockout gas awfully fast...

“With seemingly no discernable after effects,” Illya added,"and she seemed to know to have the towels for our eyes, didn't she?"

“Tell me about it,” Solo again rubbed his temples. “I think we have our second suspect, so let’s just go and question her.”

The agents searched the house but couldn’t find Shinjiru at all; convincing them further of her complicity with Tetsuya.

Napoleon finally pulled his communicator from his inside suit pocket, not really wanting to call headquarters. “Open Channel D-overseas relay.”

“You’re late Mr. Solo,” Waverly groused at his CEA.

“We were investigating a possible clue and have now come to the conclusion that Lady Michiko’s brother Tetsuya as well as one of their servants...a girl named Shinjiru, were in cahoots."

“It was most likely they who stole the portrait of Katsumi,” Illya added.” Miss Tokugawa herself brought up the possibility of ransom, so that, we suspect, is what will be happening.”

“A plausible scheme gentlemen. Keep me informed of any further developments. I remind you, we must maintain the loss of the Tokugawa heirloom hush-hush for as long as possible..”

“Yes sir, if you could transfer me to the Intelligence Section,” Napoleon asked. “ I’d like have them do a little digging into Miss Tokugawa's financial background.”

After doing so, Alexander Waverly put down the hand-held microphone on his console until a moment later another light flashed, telling him there was an incoming communication. He flicked the toggle switch with annoyance as there was some reports he wanted to get through.

“Yes?” He picked up the mic again, speaking into it.

“Sir I have the Japanese ambassador on the line sir, Mr. Saito.”

Waverly sighed; he’d have to do some fancy talking here, suspecting word had gotten out about the loss of the portrait of Katsumi Tokugawa.

“Hello Napoleon, ummm, I mean Mista Solo,” Carla Angelico in Intelligence practically purred at him. “When are we going’ out again?” Her voice was a bit nasal, and she spoke with a very distinctive Staten Island accent, but he could overlook that because of her 36-24-36 figure and very willing lips.

“Soon my dear; we’ll talk about it when I get back from Japan.”

“Ewww Japan? I just love Oriental things. Bring me back a souvenir?Maybe one of those geisha dolls?”

“Sure honey, in the mean time down to business. Can you look up the backgrounds on  Michiko Tokugawa and her brother Tetsuya Tokugawa...financial information if you could include that as well.

“Shew-ah,” she said. “Hang on a sec.”

He could hear the mainframe computer whirring in the background followed by a pause and the small ring of a bell signalling the data was ready.

Carla pulled the sheet from the printer, taking a second to look it over.

“Okay, Miss Tokugawa and her brother are the sole legitimate heirs to the family properties but they’re basically broke. The brother Tetsuya works at a factory during the week but is known for his drinking and carousing habits on weekends. Still he does seem to save up from his wages and it looks as though he’s supporting the household. Miss Tokugawa, in spite of her financial situation, is known for a lavish lifestyle as well as a lot of gentlemen friends. Hmmm maybe they’re her shugah daddies? That’s about it.”

“Thanks Carla, I’ll see you when you when I get back.”

“Don’t forget my geisha doll?” She snapped her gum.

“I won’t babe...Solo out.” He smiled, tucking away his communicator in is breast pocket.

“Interesting,” Illya said. “Did not Miss Tokugawa say she had a meeting with her financial advisor?”

“More like a sugar daddy as Carla said,” Napoleon quipped.

“Sugar daddy? I am unfamiliar with that term.”

“It’s basically a rich older man who lavishes gifts upon a younger woman in return for her company or sexual favors. So it’s a good guess that’s what Michiko is up to, one would think.”

“Perhaps it is the so-called sugar daddy who is benefiting from the Tokugawa name as it is prestigious. The Lady Michko does not strike me as the type who would prostitute herself.”

“Hey partner mine, people will do all sorts of things to save face as well as maintain their lifestyle. Now the theft of the portrait of Katsumi, that’s the mystery that needs solving and fast.”

“Perhaps it is Michiko and Tetsuya who are behind it, with the help of Shinjiru. Michiko suggested herself the possibility of the portrait being held for ransom.”

“Yes but there’s no money for the family to pay it out even if...wait, perhaps she’s going to sell it and roll that money over for it over to appear as though it’s the ransom money?” Napoleon scratched his head, realizing how convoluted that sounded.

“Better still,”Illya said,”How much is the Katsumi portrait insured for? What if she sells it, fakes paying the ransom, though never gets her property back and must therefore put in a claim to the insuror. She would stand to gain a substantial sum of money...more than enough to support her lavish, though traditional, tastes.”

“Bingo partner mine,” Napoleon smiled.

Less than a half-hour later the Lady Michiko and her entourage returned, including the mysterious Shinjiru, but Tetsuya was still no where to be found.

“Gentlemen,” Michiko bowed solemnly.” So have you discovered answers as to who took my family’s heirloom?”

“No not exactly,” Napoleon lied. It wasn’t the time to make accusations and this little charade needed to be played out a little longer.

The Lady snapped her fan, perhaps feigning her impatience, when the screen doors opened and a woman, identical in appearance to Shinjiru, entered.

“Oh I see by your surprise you did not know that Shinjiru has a sister. This is Ayame, they are in truth my half-sisters.  My father never married their mother so they are illegitimate, but out of the goodness of my heart, I have permitted them to be my ladies in waiting.”

“Another pair with potential motive for the theft,” Solo thought to himself; casting a glance to Illya who was most likely thinking the same thing. This was beginning to get even more complicated than it was already.

“My Lady, this note just arrived for you,” Ayame offered the folded piece of paper laying on a small silver tray.

As it was read, Michiko gasped, handing the paper over to Napoleon. Not reading Japanese he in turn handed the note to the Russian who translated it, reading it aloud.

“Bring $32,420,000. yen to Tokashiki Island. You have 24 hours or the portrait of Katsumi will be burned and the life of Tetsuya Tokugawa will be forfeited as we now have him. Upon arrival to the island you will be given further instructions.”

“It is signed with the symbol for the Yakuza.” やくざ”

Illya did the math in his head. “Napoleon that is two million dollars, American.”

Solo gave a whistle at that amount, rolling his eyes, all the while thinking that was the same amount for which the portrait had been insured.  It seemed as though their theories were correct.

“Tokashiki Island? I’m not familiar with that...where is it?” Solo asked.

“It is part of the Kerama Islands group in Shmajiri District, Okinawa Prefecture,” the Lady replied.

“It includes ten islands if I recall,” Illya added.”Tokashiki and Maejima are the only ones inhabited. Tokashiki is rather rugged and is about thirty kilometers west of Naha...the capital of Okinawa. It would take about an hour to reach it by boat from there.

“You seem rather knowledgeable regarding it Mr. Kuryakin,” Michiko said.

“I have an eidetic memory and remember most of what I read,” he nodded to her, while glancing at his partner.

“Well I will no longer have need of your services gentlemen,” she suddenly announced.”Since neither of you were able to prevent the theft and have really done nothing to find out who did it; I relieve UNCLE of its responsibility.”

Lady Tokugawa bowed, “My car is at your disposal to take you wherever you need to go. I will be leaving for Tokashiki Island tomorrow morning and I expect neither of you to be here. Sayonara.”  She turned, her servants following her as she abruptly left the agents, who for the sake of the game, looked a bit dumb founded.

“No surprise there,” Napoleon spoke softly to his partner. "I think her brother isn't actually a hostage and it's just the cover for him being MIA. He most likely told her of his little altercation with us."

“Agreed. She obviously does not want us around to expose her little scheme. I have my doubts the Yakuza are involved as well; using their name is just a ploy, though a dangerous one.”

Solo nodded,”If they were to get drift of her using them in her scheme, it might not bode well for the Tokugowa family, prestigious name or not.”

“So we are off to the island I presume?"

“I guess we better make our travel arrangements fast, most likely by boat I’m afraid.” Napoleon spoke with sympathy in his voice; knowing his partner was prone to sea sickness. "Best we get there before the others so we can get the lay of the land."

"But her going there is all for show, is it not?"

"At this point, that's all we can presume, partner mine. There is a remote possiblity this ransom is for real, in which case Tetsuya's life is in danger, and the portrait is as well."

Chapter 4

Comments

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Sorry you're not well. Feel better soon!

Thanks for commenting on this. I hope his is making sense and isn't getting too convoluted, though you calling it whodunit tells me it's working I guess.

Once May is over I should be able to manage more writing. I wrote yesterday's SA first thing in the morning. lol!
I was determined to get back into the swing of things.