Rules of the Hunt

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Book: Rules of the Hunt by Victor O'Reilly Read Free Book Online
Authors: Victor O'Reilly
Tags: Fiction, Thrillers, Espionage
been some
developments."
    "The case
is solved?" said Adachi with a smile.
    "Not
exactly, boss," said Fujiwara with a grin.   "I think on this one we are going to earn our pay."
    Adachi became
serious.   Fujiwara continued.   "We now have several reports of two
black limousines in the area around seven in the morning — within the time
window, anyway.   The models were
current-year Toyota Crown Royal Saloons.   They were noticed because the two cars were in convoy and there was some
speculation as to what dignitary was inside.   Otherwise there was nothing suspicious.   The windows were tinted, so the witnesses have no idea how many people
were inside or who they were.   Still, we
now have sufficient evidence to indicate that the killers came in went in those
cars."
    Tokyo
was wall to wall
with shiny black executive limousines, thought Adachi, and tens of thousands of
them would be current-model Toyotas.   It
did not seem a promising line of inquiry.   It was a pity the killers had not favored Cadillacs or Mercedeses.   Both makes were comparatively uncommon and
were favored by the yakuza .   At least he would have a pointer as to where
to look.   Also, the good thing about
leaning on the yakuza was that you
normally got a result.   To get rid of police
harassment, the yakuza had the useful
custom of giving up a suspect.   The suspect
might well not be the guilty party, but he would plead guilty and confess and
the police could mark the case closed.   In return, the nominated perpetrator would receive a light sentence and
when he came out would be greeted by the gang and feted.   It was a common way for a gang member to
establish himself with his gang.   It was,
so to speak, part of the apprenticeship system.
    Adachi had
once described the custom to a visiting police group from the West, and they
had been horrified.   Personally, Adachi
thought the custom had a lot to recommend it.   No yakuza operated on his own initiative anyway; actions were always dictated from
the top, so the idea of a specific guilt or innocence was somewhat
academic.   Second, the custom
incorporated a built-in check on the crime rate.   A yakuza gang did not mind giving up a member now and then for a few years, but it did
not help practical operations or morale if half the gang was behind bars.   Finally, it made the job of both the police
and courts a lot easier, which was good not just for them but for the
taxpayer.   Everyone gained.
    "Nothing
helpful like a license plate?" said Adachi helpfully.
    "And a
signed confession," replied Fujiwara.   "Nothing so convenient at the scene.   However, a policeman in a koban several blocks away saw a Toyota
Crown Royal Saloon of the right year and color parked, and took its number as a
matter of routine.   The driver was
fiddling in the trunk.   When questioned,
he said he had had a puncture and had just finished changing the tire.   The beat cop expressed his sympathy and let
the man go, and apart from making a record in his log, thought no more of it.   But when he was questioned again, he said one
thing struck him afterward — the driver's hands were clean and his uniform was
immaculate.   Of course, he could have
been wearing gloves when he was changing the wheel."
    "Did he
look at the driver's ID?" asked Adachi.   The thought occurred to him that the drive would certainly have had
gloves.   Even the cabdrivers wore gloves
in
Japan
,
and a conscientious chauffeur would certainly come prepared for such an
eventuality as a puncture.
    "No,"
said the inspector.   "There was no
apparent cause.   It did not seem polite
to question someone who had just had a puncture who was obviously in a
hurry."
    Adachi
grunted.   Treating the citizenry politely
was all very well, but like most policemen he believed that an extra question
or two seldom went amiss.   The innocent
should have nothing to hide.   Of course,
everybody really had something they would rather not be known.   He

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