Nash called Shock and filled him in on Temple’s discovering Nash’s true identity.
“I threatened him with death if he tried to screw me. But I feel like an idiot for letting him find out the truth. You warned me about fingerprints.”
“Ain’t nothing we can do ’bout that now. So what does he want?”
“He wants you to do for him what you did for me,” said Nash. “But you do not have to do this. In fact most of me wants you to tell him to fuck off and leave him to the wolves.”
“But that may not help you,” said Shock.
“You’ve done enough for me, Shock. More than enough.”
“I’ll take the dude on, Walter.”
“Why?”
“Because it’ll help you. That’s good enough reason for me.”
“But what if it’s some kind of setup? I don’t want you in the middle of it.”
“I’ll know pretty early on if the dude ain’t legit and he’s got another agenda. And I ain’t gonna let no rich prick take me down.”
“What will you do if he does have another agenda?”
“Ain’t no need for you to know that, Walter. That will make you an accessorybeforethe fact.”
Nash gave him Temple’s contact information and clicked off, just as he got a message from Masuyo that she wanted to go out. Now. But just with him.
He texted Thura, telling him this. He also instructed Thura to tell the rest of the security team to be especially attentive to their duties. He then headed to Masuyo’s suite of rooms.
She was waiting for him and already had her coat on.
Nash walked her out to one of the vehicles and got her settled inside. She told him the address she wanted to travel to and they set off.
As he drove along, Nash said, “I have seen nothing of Hirokosan of late. Her room is empty. Do you know anything?”
“I told you before that I do not answer ridiculous queries from my security people,” she snapped.
“Sorry.”
“What does my daughter say about her?” asked Masuyo.
“I have not asked her.”
“If youaskme it is good riddance. The old, foolish woman was not a good influence on my precious daughter.”
“I’m not sure she would see it that way.”
“Then she is as foolish as the old woman.”
The old woman who you murdered, thought Nash.
He drove to the address and parked in front of the office building. When he started to follow her inside, Masuyo told him to wait with the car.
“You’re sure?” he said.
“If I were not I would not have said so,” she replied brusquely and then walked inside.
Peering through the glass doors Nash waited until she was in the elevator before he slipped inside. He watched as the elevator rose to the eighth floor. Then he hurried over to the office directory and looked at the places on the eighth floor.
