The child looked up as Fumio spoke, glanced from him to Milton and then, dismissing them both, concentrated on his play once more. Milton took out his phone.

“I need to take a video,” he said.

Fumio shrugged that he didn’t care. Milton opened the camera app, slid his finger across the screen until he had selected video, and then started to shoot. He focused on the child, crouching down a little so that he could record the boy’s face and then, nodding that he was finished, he stood up.

Fumio led the way back through the flat. Milton had not ended the recording and, with the phone clasped in his hand, he made sure that he had a visual record of the layout. Fumio opened the door and took Milton to the restricted elevator. He pressed his card to the reader, pressed the button, and waited for the car to arrive and the door to open. He indicated that Milton should get inside, then unlocked the control panel and pressed the button for the ground floor.

As they descended, Milton turned his thoughts to what he had learned. Takashi wielded power and influence, but he was an old man and not imposing in any physical sense. Fumio was old, too, and neither would pose him any sort of challenge if it came to a confrontation. The guards were younger, but they did not strike him as particularly thorough or effective. He didn’t want to have to return in anger but, if that was necessary, he could see a way to get in and collect the boy. He held out hope that things could be remedied peacefully, but he knew there was a good possibility that he would have to call on his demons. That did not concern him and, in that sense, his visit had been profitable; he felt more prepared for the eventuality now than he had before.

88

Sakura jumped to her feet as the door to the hotel suite opened and Milton walked inside. She had been anxiously waiting for him to return all day.

“I told you to keep the sign on the door,” Milton said.

“I forgot,” she apologised.

“The more people who see you, the more danger you’re in. That includes the maid.”

“I’m sorry. I had some clothes I wanted to launder—I took the sign off so that they knew I was here when they wanted to return them.”

Milton’s face softened. “I just want you to be safe,” he said. “That’s all.”

He drew her into a hug and she nuzzled into him, enjoying the firmness of his body and his scent, quickly becoming familiar.

“Where have you been all day?”

He gently pulled away from her. “I saw your father.”

“And?”

“He’s going to help.”

She frowned. “Are you sure it won’t be dangerous? He’s old, John.”