The Hell Screen by I. J. Parker

Treasury?”
     
    Toshikage shook his head. “I doubt even Mononobe would. He just started working in the bureau.”
     
    “Very well,” said Akitada. “We are making progress. More than likely either Kose or Katsuragi, or both, recognized the lute. They may have pointed it out to Mononobe, and one or all of them later passed the story around your office. From that point on, someone, perhaps one of the three, perhaps someone else in the bureau, decided to make use of the incident to blacken your reputation. You will have to find out who that man is and put a stop to it.”
     
    “How can I do that?” cried Toshikage. “I cannot very well accuse them.”
     
    “Do you want me to pay your colleagues a visit and ask questions?”
     
    Toshikage looked horrified. “Good heavens, no! I would really be in trouble.”
     
    Akitada looked grim. “Then I do not know how I can serve you in this matter.”
     
    “I thought you might find the missing items. Then we could return them quietly and the whole matter would die down.”
     
    Akitada stared at his brother-in-law. “What items? You said you returned the repaired lute. Do you mean that other instrument? What was it called? Nameless?”
     
    “No. Everybody knows Nameless has been missing for a long time. The other things started disappearing later, after the gossip about my having taken the lute.”
     
    Akitada sat up straight. “What else is missing?” he asked, fearing the worst.
     
    Toshikage closed his eyes and recited tonelessly, “A lacquer box with a design of wheels, given to the eighth emperor by a Korean ambassador; two amulet covers, gilded silver, once the property of Empress Jimmu; a painted jar, said to have contained the true toenail of the Buddha; a small carved statue of a fairy; a gilded censer; and the golden seal given by the Chinese emperor to one of our embassies to Changan.”
     
    Akitada breathed, “Good heavens!” Such a loss was a scandal of the first magnitude. “How many people know?”
     
    Toshikage began to look frightened. “Only I know of all of them. I think Katsuragi has been checking the inventory, and he and Kose know about the jar and the box. Maybe the statue also.”
     
    “Have they reported the losses to you?”
     
    “No.”
     
    “Didn’t that puzzle you?”
     
    “I supposed it was because they thought I had been taking the things.”
     
    Oh, Toshikage! “Have you mentioned the theft to anyone?”
     
    “No, I was afraid to. I think we should try to find everything and put it back.”
     
    “Easier said than done. Shouldn’t you have reported to your superior? Who is he, by the way?”
     
    “The director is Otomo Yasutada. And no, I did not.”
     
    “I think you had better. It does not look good for you to keep this matter to yourself... unless there is something you are not telling me?”
     
    Toshikage waved his hands. “No, no. I have no secrets from you, Akitada. Where do you think the items are?”
     
    “That depends. If they were taken for resale, they could be in a shop or in someone’s home.” Toshikage looked shocked. “But if they were taken purely to get you in trouble, they may be hidden someplace.”
     
    “Oh. Well, you must find them.” Toshikage bit his lip. “But why get me in trouble? I have not done anything to them.”
     
    “Since you cannot remember having made any enemies, there must be another reason. Who would get your position if you were dismissed?”
     
    Akitada watched his brother-in-law digest this new thought. He was beginning to look distinctly uneasy and said, “Kose would be promoted in my place. But I cannot believe it of him. The thief must have sold the objects. Even that is terrible to consider. How can I clear myself ?”
     
    “It may be difficult. Well, I shall ask around in the shops. Cautiously, for it would not do for anyone to find out that we are looking for imperial treasures.” Akitada found a sheet of paper and some writing utensils.