"SHOCHI KU PRESENTS" "My name is Teiko Okazaki." "No, it's Teiko Uhara now." "I got married exactly a week ago." "Two for Kanazawa." "One platform ticket." "That'll be 5,930 yen." "Thank you." "I'm going to shop for a few farewell gifts for clients." "I could have done it yesterday if you had asked." "My husband Kenichi is head of a branch of the Hakuho Ad Agency." "He was promoted to the head office in Tokyo." "And is leaving for Kanazawa to hand over charge of that office to his successor, Honda." "In short, this is Kenichi's last trip to Kanazawa." "Take a taxi home." "Take the subway to Shibuya first, then catch a taxi." "I know." "Have your mother stay in the apartment while I'm away." "Don't worry about me." "I'll be home on the 12th." "Have a safe trip." "ZERO FOCUS" "From a Novel by SEICHO MATSUMOTO" "Screenplay by SHINOBU HASHIMOTO, YOJI YAMADA" "Photographed by TAKASHI KAWAMATA" "Production Design by KOJI UNO" "Music by YASUSHI AKUTAGAWA" "FEATURING" "YOSHI KOKUGA HIZURU TAKACHIHO, INEKO ARIMA" "KOJI NANBARA, KO NISHIMURA" "Directed by YOSHITARO NOMURA" "Destiny works in strange ways indeed." "That again?" "You turned down very often what we thought was a good match." "Then you accepted this offer so quickly." "I worried you so much." "It was worthwhile worrying." "Now that you've gotten married, I feel let down." "But a mother seems to have endless worries." "Why did he stay single until 36?" "Stop worrying." "Yes, he may have a lot of experience." "I can't change that." "Of course not." "But what kind of man is Kenichi?" "It's a first-class ad agency in Japan." "It has some 300 employees, including the branches." "That's wonderful." "Here's his picture, Teiko." "Thick eyebrows, a high nose " "Go tend to the shop." "You'll find fault with him." "Well, Teiko, he looks nice." "Branch manager in six years is exceptional." "Will she have to live in Kanazawa?" "I don't think so." "Uhara is in Tokyo about 10 days a month on business." "He wants to move to Tokyo anyway." "But a husband who stays away from home so much " "He's an able young man." "We expect great things from him in the future." "You may think this is a cliché, but hear me out, please." "In the past, we planned to bring him back to Tokyo several times, but each time he asked us to postpone it." "We asked him why." "He said he wanted to come back after closing more deals." "In fact, he expanded our business greatly since he took that position." "He's a diligent worker, and his eagerness is recognized by every member of the board." "So I want the bride and her family to be doubly assured." "What I mean to say, in short, is that I guarantee Mr. Uhara's pay and rank will rise." "What I'm about to say is a business-related matter, but I think all gathered here tonight are concerned about it." "Mr. Uhara is going to wrap up his duties as head of the Kanazawa branch to come back to our Tokyo office." " When is he coming back?" " Day after tomorrow." "I can't read without my glasses." ""I'll return home on the 12th." "All my things may be a nuisance, but leave them for a while."" "I didn't realize it'd take so long to hand over responsibility." "Maybe he has to visit old clients." "Come and stay with us, won't you, dear?" "I can't." "What if we got broken into?" "What is it?" "Is that you, Mrs. Uhara?" "No, no, he hasn't come back." "He's still there." "But he wrote me he'd be home on the 12th." "I'm sorry I bothered you." "The second day passed." "The third day passed." "He hasn't?" "Really?" "I was thinking of sending someone to your place." "He's three days late already." "What does the Kanazawa branch say?" "They say he left on the 11th as scheduled." "Has such a thing ever happened before?" "Has it?" "Well, I don't think so." "He'd been traveling so much that sometimes I didn't even know he'd come back till the next day." "He was quite free and " "You used to envy him, didn't you?" "He didn't need excuses to stay out all night playing mah-jongg." "Don't get Teiko worried." "Kenichi is different from my husband." "I can't believe they're brothers." "So don't you worry, Teiko." "That boomeranged on me, eh?" "I hear Uncle's missing." "Yeah, he is." "What a surprise." "I think he must be busy saying good-bye to lots of people." "He'll come home very soon." "We haven't heard from him in five days, so we're going to send a man to Kanazawa to investigate." "Won't you go with him?" "I don't see any need for it, but we can't be too careful." "Mrs. Uhara." "Telephone." "Thank you." " If it's him, you want to speak with him?" " Yes, please." "Not home yet?" "What in the world is keeping him?" "To Kanazawa?" "His boss is here at my place now." "He's sending a man tonight and asked if I'd like to go along." "Really?" "I should be the one to go, but I'm busy." "The company's overreacting a bit, asking a family member to go." "It's no trouble at all." "I'd rather go than wait here like this." "You must be worried." "A man's mind can really relax when he's on the road." "I know of a fellow who played mah-jongg at a spa hotel for three days straight and came home four days behind schedule." "Of course, not your husband." "Have you ever been there?" "No, this is my first time." "There are lots of hot springs there." "Yamanaka, Awazu, Katayamatsu." "Where did you go on your honeymoon?" "It's not as nice a place as you're imagining, mind you." "But I've always longed to go there." "That's because you're a Tokyo-born girl." "There's nothing there except dark, gray, cloudy sky." "You seldom have a cloudless day." "And out of those dark clouds comes snow in winter" "and a rough sea." "But I want to see scenery like that." "Then I'll take you there." "Say, on a vacation next summer." "Good morning." "Awake already?" "Look, that's the Noto peninsula." "It was the first time I'd ever seen it." "Its landscape was so desolate, so tragically lonely and dreary." "I was almost shocked." "KANAZAWA" "They're business slips mostly, not yet settled." "That means Mr. Uhara wanted to come back." "What are you saying, Honda?" "I took over the office from him by noon on December 11, and he left." "He told me he'd be coming back after a visit to Takaoka City." " Takaoka?" " Yes." "Why didn't you write and say that?" "All you reported was that he'd left." "But he never came back here after all, so I thought he'd gone on to Tokyo via Takaoka." "It's closer to Tokyo, and express trains stop there too." "What does his landlord say?" "Mrs. Uhara may think this odd, but no one knows where he lived for the past 18 months." "What?" "Uhara told me it was Tsubata Town, but an employee who lives there knew nothing about it." "You mean to say since his arrival " "He lived in a boarding house for the first six months." "It's been almost a year and a half since he left here." "Where did Mr. Uhara tell you he was going then?" "He said nothing at all." "I see." "Don't you know where he is now?" "Of course I do." "I'm just curious." "Did a moving company take his things away?" "I don't remember too well, but I think he packed by himself and called a taxicab." "Would that mean his new place was within the city?" "Not necessarily." "He might've taken his baggage to the train station." "Our employees would have seen him if he was living here." "Ayear and a half ago?" "A missing package?" "I just want its destination." " Parcel or baggage?" " I'm not sure." " Date?" " I can't say." "But the sender's name was Kenichi Uhara." "You must be kidding." "No date, no destination, no nothing." "How am I supposed to track it?" "Mr. Uhara left the office for Takaoka City." "Did he have a friend or someone there?" "I don't know." "Maybe he had a friend there." "Maybe he didn't." "How can I know, being married only one week?" "I hate to say this, but we can't be too careful." "Why don't you ask the police to conduct a search?" "I know an officer." "Matter of fact," "I've already told him about your husband." "In the three prefectures of this district, there have been no unidentified bodies since December 1st." "But it's startling to find three suicides in our prefecture, one injury resulting in death, one case of death by fire, one suicide, and two suicide cases in Toyama." "All these were identified by next of kin." "So many deaths since December 1st." "What about other prefectures?" "Her application will trigger a nationwide search." "We'll have word in, say, two weeks." "Will these rain shoes do, ma'am?" "Thank you." "Roads get bad in winter." "Excuse me." "Mr. Honda brought this." "Thank you so much." "Thank you." "Please come in." "You must be tired, so I'll be brief." "I hope it's quiet enough here." "If you need anything, just tell the maids." "I'm authorized to charge your expenses to the company." "Thank you for everything." "Mr. Aoki says he has to leave in the morning." "I'm awfully sorry to trouble you people." "Don't worry." "Orders from the head office." "I'm very sorry." "After all, you're newly married." "Mr. Honda, as you say, we haven't been married long." "I know nothing about his past." "But you must know him after these two years." "But your guess is as good as mine." "After all, I only knew him as my superior here." "I'm sure you must have known him better." "Do you have any idea?" "His overwhelming passion suffocated me." "Someone " "Someone might come." "You have such soft lips." "You have a youthful body." "Don't." "It's like he's comparing me to somebody else..." "I won't be surprised, no matter what I may hear at this point." "So please don't hold anything back." "Be frank with me." "Did he have a sweetheart?" "That's nonsense!" "He was a gentleman." "He didn't have affairs like that." "He didn't drink." "He disliked gambling." "His only hobby was hard work." "I can guarantee that." "Then why on earth " "Don't start imagining things." "Let's take it step by step." "I'll take you to see Mr. Murota first." "Mr. Murota?" "He operates a firebrick factory." "He's a big client of ours, and a close friend of Mr. Uhara's." "He may know something." "That's terrible." "And you're in Kanazawa now?" "So I want you to probe into his past thoroughly." "Yes, until he joined the ad agency." "But don't say anything to his brother." "I don't want him to know." "Mr. Saeki the marriage broker, yes." "I'm at the Hakusan Hotel." "Kanazawa 3-1579." "You got it?" "Stop worrying." "His colleagues are very helpful and kind." "Don't worry." "Good night." "I went to Marukoshi Fire Bricks with Mr. Honda in the morning." "Brick making is this prefecture's great industry." "Murota's place is the largest around here." "The recent rise in our business is attributable to his ads, thanks to Mr. Uhara's efforts." "He enjoyed Murota's trust." "They often invited him to dinner." "Next stop:" "Teramashi 3-chome." "Who is Mr. Murota?" "A man of quiet disposition." "A member of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry." "A big boss around here." "MARUKOSHI FIREBRICKS" "A new face?" "A new girl at the information desk." "Very fluent." "But not very proper English, if I may say so." "She probably picked it up entertaining American soldiers at night." "I'm from the Hakuho Ad Agency." "I phoned yesterday." "I'm afraid Mr. Murota isn't here yet." "Mr. Honda, I presume?" "He phoned to ask you to come to his residence, if you would." "How much is it?" "Mr. Honda told me about it." "I'm sorry, especially since you're a newlywed." "I hope I'm not intruding." "I'm at your service." "Mrs. Murota." "She's young, and a kimono becomes her." "Sachiko, meet Mrs. Uhara." "I hear you were very kind to my husband." "Mr. Murota told me last night what had happened." "So unbelievable!" "Please have a seat." "What have you found out?" "As a matter of fact, we have no clues." " We wondered if you might know anything." " I see." "We became close friends, besides being business contacts." "We invited him here for dinner quite a few times." "He told me about his marriage about two months ago." "He seemed quite excited, if I may say so." "He showed us your picture too." "He seemed awfully proud of you." "But as the days passed, he became sort of gloomy and pensive." "Did you notice that?" "Yes, I think I must have, though I didn't realize it till you mentioned it." "I began to worry, frankly." "You see, he was to return to Tokyo and marry a beauty." "Why should he worry?" "He ought to have been happy instead." "Kenichi was glad when he decided to get married." "Then he became gloomy as the day approached." "Did you notice that, Mr. Honda?" "No, sir." "I didn't." "May I ask when you met Kenichi last?" "Very recently." "A week ago, maybe." "He came to say good-bye with a farewell gift." "He showed me the picture of your wedding party." "A nice picture, too." "Have some tea while it's hot." "But what a rascal he is to worry a beauty like you." "Mr. Honda, your office is calling." "Hello?" "Matsumori?" "What?" "Inspector Kitamura?" "An unidentified suicide." "Found at Togi Beach, in Hakui County." "A man approximately 35 years old." "Dead for 48 hours." "Tall and lean, parted hair, in a brown suit." "No suicide note or personal effects." "That's all." "What kind of suit?" "A brown suit." "His suit was " "He left Tokyo in a gray suit." "If you visit Togi police station, they can tell you more." "They probably haven't buried him yet." "Would you like to go see?" "Where is Togi?" "Here." "Take the Nanao line." "Mr. Honda was busy, so I took a train by myself." "A HOUSEWIFE'S HOBBY" "What a rascal he is to worry a beauty like you." "Isn't Mrs. Murota pretty?" "A Tokyo girl." "Mr. Murota's first wife died, and he came across this woman, who was then a typist in Tokyo." "So she's young." "She's bright and wise, and one of the most famous women in Kanazawa City now." "Forty-five minutes from Kanazawa to Hakui, then transfer at Hakui station to the Noto line." "Fifty minutes to Sanmyo Village, then change to a bus." "TOGI POLICE STATION" "Kanazawa station phoned about you." "Will you see the body now?" "The cliff was 65 feet high, so his face is quite disfigured." "Please." "It's not your" "No, it's not." "Though you came all this way, I'm glad it wasn't your husband." "Please sit down." "It's a hard job, asking next of kin to identify the dead." "There was another suicide recently." "The young wife clung to the dead body and cried." "But let's not talk about that." "This will warm you up." "I hear you came from Tokyo." "Is that right?" "Why don't you take a look at the cliff out there?" "Noto Cliff's the name." "Some maliciously call it an ideal spot for committing suicide, but it's really beautiful." "Noto Cliff?" "The north country." "The dark, dreary sea of Noto." "What I innocently yearned to see in my school days." "Now I stand here on that very spot, a poor wife in search of her missing husband." "You ready?" "He quit Waseda University halfway through and joined a trading company." "Drafted into the army in 1942." "Became a policeman in 1950 and was stationed in Tachikawa." "A policeman?" "He was a cop?" "I was surprised myself." "He didn't look like one." "After a year and a half, he quit and joined Hakuho." "Hello?" "Can you hear me?" "Are you there?" "Yes." "Will you stay much longer?" "As I told you, we've found no clues at all, so I think I'll leave for home in a few days." "That would be good." "Come home soon, and don't catch cold." "And give us a call." "Excuse me." "A visitor for you." "Thank you for coming." "I should've come sooner." "I was in Kyoto on company business." "In Kyoto?" "I left Kyoto on the 11:00 train last night." "I'd have gone to meet you." "I called Mr. Honda from the station and had him bring me here." "That was very kind of him." "On the way I learned all he's done for my brother, and I thanked him." "Kenichi has caused you all such problems." "It's company business, so we're all glad to help." "To be honest, I don't know where to start." "I understand." "Thank you for your help." "You see," "Tokyo telephoned me." "I explained to them all we'd found out." "They advised me to lay off and wait until the police find something tangible." "Of course, I'll continue searching." "I'll be visiting all our clients today." "You must be tired." "Yeah, a night train is tiring." "But you must be tired yourself, Teiko." "Why don't you return to Tokyo and relax for a week or two?" "Stay at my place for a while." "Staying here will wreck your nerves." "My mother phoned and told me to return home." "Do that by all means, if you can get a sleeper car for tonight." "All this is too much for your nerves." "I hear you went to Noto to identify a dead body." "Why would Kenichi commit suicide?" "Do you know of any reason why he would want to die?" "No, of course not." "He's alive." "I'm sure of it." "After returning home, I went to Tachikawa." "TACHIKAWA POLICE STATION" "He was sincere, and a serious thinker." "I was a traffic cop on street patrol." "But we talked a lot together in the dormitory." "What does a cop on street patrol do?" "In those days, this area was infested with streetwalkers." "His section was supposed to clamp down on them." "He used to tell me," ""Streetwalkers are a nuisance." "But I've learned that everyone has a reason for the situation they're in." "They're war orphans, in a way." "I sometimes feel kind of sorry to round them up."" "Maybe that's why he quit the police force." "I'm back." "Where have you been?" "Visiting a friend." "Your sister-in-law has called three times already." "She wants you to go see her." "News from Kanazawa?" "I think so." "I'll go now." "Keep calm no matter what happens." "And call me at once." "Don't forget." "What?" "Sotaro's missing?" "That's right." "The hotel in Kanazawa says he left yesterday afternoon." "His boss phoned this afternoon and asked me why he wasn't there." "I told him Sotaro went to Kyoto on business, and then to Kanazawa." "He said he hadn't sent him to Kyoto at all." "When did you meet him there?" "The morning of the 21st." "He said he had come from Kyoto." "He was never in Kyoto." "He left here on the night of the 19th on that pretext." "He must've reached Kanazawa the next day." "Then what was Sotaro doing in Kanazawa before he came to see me?" "But why did he have to go there on a lie?" "He may have hated to embarrass you about Kenichi, but why did he deceive me?" "After living as man and wife for 20 years." "Mr. Uhara, a telegram." " Uhara residence?" " Thank you." "What's up, sis?" "What's happened?" "SOTARO UHARA DECEASED." "KINDLY COME TO KANAZAWA IMMEDIATELY." "KANAZAWA POLICE HEADQUARTERS." "Please come in." "Sir, the victim's family is here." "Thanks for coming all the way from Tokyo." "Please have a seat." "Mrs. Uhara, I presume?" "And you are?" "Her sister-in-law." "Thank you for coming." "I'm very sorry." "Have you identified the body?" "Yes, we have." "You identified him as your husband?" "Well, let me explain how it happened." "There's a tramway starting from Kanazawa." "Here." "There's a town on the line named Tsuruki Town here." "Seven miles from here." "A 50-minute ride." "A woman came to an inn called the Kanoya Inn at 4:30 p.m. On December 22." "She got here first?" "Yes." "She told us a Mr. Uhara would be coming to see her later." "How old was she?" "I think she was around 30." "She wore a garish plaid coat with a pink neckerchief." "Who showed her to the room?" "I did." "She was dressed as the lady described?" "Mr. Sotaro Uhara arrived 30 minutes later, around 5:00 p.m." "The proprietress greeted him, and a maid took him to that room." "Ten or 15 minutes later, I passed by that room " "Why?" "I had to go to a nearby room." "I overheard them quarreling." "Quarreling?" "He was yelling at the woman." "And that woman left the inn 15 minutes later." "She told me her visitor was resting and would leave later." "How did that woman act?" "Let me see." "She was kind of flustered, I guess." "But the man didn't leave, so the maid went looking for him." "She found Mr. Uhara dead on the floor." "Medical experts determined it was cyanide poisoning." "The teacup left there contained some whiskey, and cyanide was found in it." "It means he drank poisoned whiskey when he was with that woman." "Under the circumstances, we can safely say the culprit is this woman in the loud coat." "Have you any idea who she may be?" "This garishly dressed woman." "Why did your husband come here?" "As a matter of fact " "So that means she's connected with Kenichi Uhara's disappearance." "Or the missing-person case turned into murder?" "Yes, sir, that's a logical conclusion." "We've found a man who saw this woman." "It happened on a train." "I was on my way to Mount Hakusan for skiing." "She was a beaut too, for these parts." "Her clothes are too loud." "Must be from around here." "She doesn't know that's how hookers dress." "Hey, she'll hear us." "Like a streetwalker." "Do you know any woman with taste like that?" "Mrs. Uhara, are you sure your husband wasn't keeping a mistress?" "I'm positive." "We don't believe she was closely connected with Mr. Uhara." "His movements in Kanazawa have been traced, though imprecisely." "He was never seen with this loudly dressed woman." "But circumstantial evidence tells us this is closely connected with the missing-person case, and I'm sure of it." "Kenichi had been a cop in Tachikawa." "He handled streetwalkers." "And this killer was dressed like a" "He was on street patrol, and Sotaro was murdered by a streetwalker." "What's the link connecting these two?" "Mrs. Uhara!" "I read in the papers." "I'm awfully sorry." "Your sister-in-law?" " Mrs. Murota." " Hurry." " Taking a train?" " Yes." " You're staying a while?" " Yes." "Won't you come see us?" "Thank you." "I will." "Please come this way." "Who is that lady?" "Her husband was a good friend of Kenichi's." "That receptionist!" "May I help you?" "May I see the receptionist?" "That's me." "I mean the one who was here on December 19." "You mean Miss Tanuma." "She'll be off for three days." "She's the wife of one of our employees who died recently." "She was married, and her husband died recently." "That's right." "She needed a job, so we hired her." "Is something wrong?" "Where does she live?" "Do you mind telling me her husband's name?" "His name was Sone." "Didn't you know?" "Theirs was a common-law marriage." "What was his first name?" "Masuzaburo." "Masuzaburo Sone." "May I ask when he died?" "December 12." " December 12?" " Yes." "Why?" "Can you tell me where she lives?" "December 12." "The day Kenichi went missing." "What is Miss Tanuma to you?" "She's a friend of mine." "Really?" "We're worried about her." "She hasn't come home for three days." "Since leaving here on December 22?" "That's right." "Masuzaburo Sone, eh?" "He's dead and gone." "Yes, I know that." "I'm anxious to talk to anyone who might have known him." "I'm sorry." "No one here knew him." "He belonged here, but he was a head office man." "Head office?" "But he belonged here, so we made the retirement payout here to his wife." "Do you mind telling me his address?" "Let's see." "He was a Noto man, eh?" "Write it down." "His address is Togi Town, Hakui County." "That very house." "This Masuzaburo Sone might be..." "Hisako is the only daughter of the Tanuma family." "Unfortunately, her parents died of lung problems years ago." "She left for Tokyo soon afterwards, in 1947 or '48, as I remember." "She came home suddenly some five years ago." "She was in a surprisingly modern Western-style dress." "Then she began to till the small farm she owned." "She dropped the loud clothes, working hard and living modestly." "Hisako's husband, eh?" "She married him a year and a half ago." "No wedding party or anything." "I seldom saw Mr. Sone, her husband." "A quiet man who always averted his gaze when passing by." "So of course, we didn't speak to him." "Hisako said he was a salesman for some brick maker." "He'd leave home early and come home by the last bus, she said." "He seemed to stay in Tokyo 10 days out of every month." "So he lived here 20 days a month." "Kenichi's dead, but under the name of Masuzaburo Sone." "Poor fellow." "He committed suicide all of a sudden." "Hisako was crying madly, poor girl." "Suicide!" "She sent in the notice of his death." "I hear he was a salesman, so maybe he spent too much company money?" "His permanent domicile wasn't known to her." "The doc who wrote the certificate may know more." "They took me there in a police car." "The damage was to his head." "He hit the rocks when he fell." "It was instantaneous." "He left a note there, beneath a rock." "He left a hat and coat too." "The note was brief, addressed to his wife Hisako." " Where did it happen?" " On a cliff." "A cliff?" "Overlooking the sea, where many have jumped in the past." "Noto Cliff." "Noto Cliff?" "Where is the spot where Kenichi leapt to his death?" "Is it around where I'm walking now, or...?" "Why did he go without telling me, leaving no word for me, his wife?" "Why?" "Tokyo?" "930 yen." "This is Mrs. Uhara speaking." "I'm leaving for Tokyo now." "Can someone bring my things to the station?" "The police?" "You went to Togi?" "What was your business there?" " I wanted to look for my husband." " And?" "He was found dead, under the name of Masuzaburo Sone." "He had a common-law wife before me." "He asked her to set him free." "In a rage, this woman killed my husband." "His brother Sotaro, who knew about them, came here." "He found her and questioned her about my husband's whereabouts." "To hide Kenichi's murder, she killed him." " Do you know who she is?" " Yes." "Her name is..." "Hisako Tanuma?" "Your case has already been solved." "That's why we asked you to come." "We found Hisako's body in Hakusan Gorge, an apparent suicide." "But what we found out differs greatly from your story." "Your husband committed suicide." "It wasn't murder." "Suicide due to his dilemma over you and Hisako." "Hisako didn't kill him." "As for his brother Sotaro, we retraced his steps and found he was with Hisako in Kanazawa." "Sotaro Uhara had known about their relationship, so he located and questioned her about Kenichi's whereabouts." "Hisako told him Kenichi had committed suicide." "Sotaro, not believing her, accused her of murder." "A quarrel ensued." "Cornered, Hisako killed him." "She left the inn and then committed suicide herself." "Understand?" "I'm afraid the truth is not what you expected." "The Uhara missing-person case and murder case are now solved." "We'll be holding a press conference in half an hour to announce it." "But... my husband committed suicide?" "Here." "Read this." "His suicide note." "We found that in Hisako Tanuma's room." "Judge for yourself whether it's genuine." ""I bear so many troubles in my heart that I wish to die." "I don't want to disturb you with all the details." "I am going away with these troubles in my heart." "With love and best wishes, Hisako." "From Masuzaburo."" "Do you think it's a forgery?" "Or is it his real handwriting?" "I think it's his writing." "Mr. Honda of the ad agency thinks so too." "You have any further doubts about your husband's death?" "After a married life of only a week," "I began to work again." "My late father's pension and Mama's small business." "I had to either go back to work or marry again." "WINTER CAME..." "I received several offers of marriage." "But I couldn't listen to them seriously." "I still had some things on my mind." "I felt I must stand on that high cliff overlooking the north sea." "A trip of three or four days to Noto." "It materialized over the New Year recess a year later." "WAKURA" "Welcome." "Some curio, eh?" "An ancient masterpiece." "Excuse me." "A visitor from Tokyo is here." " Tokyo?" " Who can it be?" "Miss Okazaki, the former Mrs. Uhara, she says." "Must be the former Mrs. Kenichi Uhara." "Please." "Hello." "Welcome." "Come in." "Thank you." "Thank you very much for your hospitality last time." "I learned in Kanazawa that you were here." "I hope I'm not intruding." "Not at all." "We came here to spend the holidays." "We're doing nothing at all." "You've come now " "To visit Kenichi's grave." "That's why you brought flowers." "I brought them from Tokyo." "Actually, I'm thinking of remarrying." "Remarrying?" "Really?" "I wish you all happiness." "Thank you." "It may sound silly, but I wanted to toss some flowers off the cliff, so that I might forget about Kenichi for good." "I know how you feel." "Let's give her a lift." "Yes, it's on our way back to the city." "We'll change in a minute." "Let's go there together." "This may be where he jumped from." "Standing here alone on a dark night, how must he have felt?" "Poor man." "But I don't think he was alone." "Someone else was here." "What?" "Someone else?" "Yes, someone else." "These 12 months I've been thinking hard." "He wasn't alone." "Someone else was here." "You mustn't joke about things like this!" "It was suicide!" "And if it wasn't, it must have been Hisako here with him!" "No, it couldn't have been her." "It was your wife." "You can't break up with Hisako?" "Not by any ordinary means." "She might even commit suicide." "Then you have to forget about moving to Tokyo." "But you could keep two wives." "You're annoyed because I came to you with my problems." "I know." "But I've got no one but you to talk to!" "I know!" "But no one can help you now." "How vain!" "A man with two women " "Two women " "I've got it!" "Don't think of it as one man with two wives." "It's two:" "Sone married to Hisako Tanuma, and Uhara about to marry Teiko." "That's it." "If only Sone could disappear from this world in some convincing way." "That's it!" "Why didn't I think of it sooner?" "You're grasping at straws!" "What would make you think such a thing?" "It's the only thing I can think." "You're just imagining things." "Yes, I was quite familiar with Mr. Uhara, but he was Mr. Murota's friend, after all." "We would never discuss our personal problems with each other." "Really?" "With the discovery of Hisako's body, the case was closed." "But I felt so uneasy that I went to Tachikawa once again." "HISAKO TANUMA COMMITS SUICIDE" "So many years have passed." "I can't say I remember this girl very well." "I see." "But it's very strange." "About two weeks ago, a man came asking the same thing." "Here." "This man." "GISAKU MUROTA" "Then he suggested I go see a Mrs. Osumi of Sunagawa, who seemed to have known all those women very well." "There were so many of them in those days." "This man who came to see you - did he ask about her too?" "Yes, but he brought another picture." "Not a clipping, but a snapshot of Emmy." " Emmy?" " She was a Chiba girl." "She quit after a short time." "A very bright girl." "A college girl too." "I think I had a picture of her myself." "Excuse me." "Was it by any chance this woman?" "That's Emmy, all right!" "My goodness!" "She's moved up in the world, eh?" "Before Kenichi joined that ad agency, he was on street patrol in Tachikawa." "There he first met your wife." "In fact, he was the only man who knew the secret your wife wanted to forget." ""I bear so many troubles in my heart that I wish to die." "I don't want to disturb you with all the details."" "Better not to write anything too concrete." ""I am going away with these troubles in my heart."" "Right here." "People will think your body was washed away." "It's an awful thing to do, but Sone will be wiped out, and only Uhara will remain, free to run to his new wife in Tokyo." "That's ridiculous!" "Thus Masuzaburo Sone committed suicide, and Kenichi Uhara disappeared at the same time." "The one person who stood in your wife's way was eliminated, and she was once again safe." "Why are you silent, Sachiko?" "Why?" "Because it's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!" "You're too suspicious!" "What do you have against my wife?" "Yes, I found out about her past, but it has nothing to do with murder!" "Take back your accusation!" "I'm not finished yet." "Not finished?" "His brother Sotaro was killed too." "You accuse her of that too?" "No." "My brother is alive." "But Hisako's husband committed suicide, the poor man." "It must be either a mistake or a trick." "I'll find out if I see her." "He came here to break up with her." "He left word with me that it might take some time." "Thanks for the drink." "So he couldn't be dead." "And if he's really dead, it must have been murder." "Clearly a murder case." "I'll ask the police to investigate." "She could think up some scheme." "I mean Hisako." "She's a very wicked woman." "So I came here to get information about her past." "I think she may have been a prostitute for GI's." "My brother was once a cop in Tachikawa." "They may have met there." "I see." "Your wife was cornered and arranged for Sotaro to meet Hisako at Tsuruki." "If I may say so," "I've been trying to be lenient." "But my patience won't last if she insists it was suicide." "I may have to go to the police." "In that case, the police may want to question you as an involved party." "I hope you'll back me up." "I'd be glad to." "Here." "I noticed you enjoy drinking very much." "Thanks." "Liquor is my weakness." "I'm sure Hisako has her story about what happened too." "I wish you'd listen to her as you drink that." "Excuse me." "Please enjoy your visit." "I'm Mr. Uhara." "Kenichi Uhara's brother, Sotaro." "That means your husband Sone's brother." "He had no brother." "You may not understand the situation." "I'm going to explain." "And then I hope you'll tell me where he is now." "And then what?" "Sotaro drank the poisoned whiskey and died on the spot." "Alarmed, Hisako runs away and throws herself into the gorge?" "No, she didn't just jump." "You were waiting by the bridge." "Ah, you mean I was there by prior arrangement?" "As Hisako ran to me for an explanation " "You pushed her over, just like you did Kenichi." "In that way, this double murder buried your past and came to its own end." "No, it couldn't have come to an end." "Don't you see?" "Because if what you said were true, there'd be one more person I'd need to kill now!" "Sachiko!" "But I don't need to!" "Because your story is preposterous and far-fetched!" "Sachiko!" "Forgive me!" "When I learned about Uhara and Hisako and found out about Hisako's past," "I grew uneasy." "Why were you so kind to Uhara and Hisako?" "Finally, I began to doubt your past life and went to Tachikawa." "But in doing so I gave rise to Teiko's suspicion!" "I'm sorry!" "I don't care what may be in your past!" "Let's drop this subject, shall we?" "But " "Teiko, your story is too harsh." "But is my version that far from the truth?" "It's entirely distorted." "It's all wrong!" "Teiko... now it's my turn." "A sham suicide." "But will it work?" "I planned it as well as I could." "It's the only way out." "Now do me a favor." "You were kind enough to employ me as Masuzaburo Sone." "What is it?" "Well..." "I, uh..." "Go ahead." "Speak up." "It's about Hisako." "She has no savings." "I have to do something." "But I'm asking too much." "Save your breath." "Money, huh?" "How much?" "You see, I just " "Don't beat about the bush like this!" "I knew we'd come to this." "Name the amount like a man." "You knew me all along." "Putting on airs these 18 months!" "You mean to say... you were at Tachikawa before?" "You mean you didn't know?" "I had no idea." "Letting the cat out of the bag as stupidly as that!" "Don't human beings do stupid things sometimes?" "But it was too late." "It was no use crying over spilt milk." "So I decided to help him in various ways." "Of my own accord." "Is Hisako asleep?" "It'll take 20 minutes to get to the cliff." "We'll get back around 3:00, if we turn back at once." "Kanazawa station?" "They'll think my body was washed away." "Masuzaburo Sone will then have disappeared." "It was then that this feeling came over me." "If only he'd disappear completely." "Now, then... about his brother Sotaro." "Your version was slightly wrong." "I'd never seen Sotaro before." "This way." "Your visitor is here." "How do you do?" "Please enjoy." "Miss Tanuma?" "How do you do?" "I am Hisako Tanuma." "I'm Kenichi's brother." "Will you tell me where my brother is now?" "Mrs. Murota told me about you." "The man you're looking for- my husband - or Kenichi - is dead." "He killed himself the night of December 11." "Suicide?" "You must be kidding!" "If he's dead, it had to be murder!" "You killed him!" "Miss Tanuma," "I'm anxious to settle this case secretly." "This could affect his entire future." "So please tell me the truth." "We'll make sure you're taken care of." "I don't understand what you mean." "You don't?" "He committed suicide and was buried on December 13." "You still insist it was suicide!" "Very well." "I have no choice." "I must contact the police." "Suit yourself." "But I don't think the police will act, since it was called a suicide." "My brother had no reason to kill himself!" "So it had to be murder!" "The police will indeed look into it!" "Why do you doubt my husband committed suicide?" "He left " "A suicide note?" "You could've forged it." "Have it examined, then." "I will." "Its very existence is a joke." "Don't you see?" "Sone left a note, but not Kenichi." "Why is that?" "Masuzaburo Sone left this world, but Kenichi has made no move yet." "It means he's still alive." "There may be complicated reasons that you don't want to mention." "The police will look into them thoroughly." "Including your accomplice." "Accomplice?" "Mrs. Murota." "I found out she was your character reference." "I phoned her for preliminary knowledge about you." "It was strange." "She said she hired you because you were a former employee's widow, but she knew nothing more about you and arranged for me to meet you here in person." "She told you the truth." "Everything." "Nonsense!" "I would have believed her if Masuzaburo Sone were a real employee, but he never existed!" "Why would that firm employ an imaginary man's widow?" "But my husband was worried about me." "Kenichi asked Mrs. Murota, eh?" "Why would she do whatever he asked?" "How should I know?" "Miss Tanuma... let me ask you bluntly." "Were you by any chance at Tachikawa?" "It's easy to find out." "Didn't this case originate at Tachikawa several years ago?" "This is just my hypothesis, but what makes Mrs. Murota feel obliged to listen to what you and Kenichi say?" "Mr. Uhara!" "Just a minute." "I'm sorry." "I told you a lie." "Kenichi is" " He isn't dead." "He's alive." "Really?" "Just as I thought." "And where is he now?" "He's lying low at Yamanaka Spa." "I see." "A spa, eh?" "Forgive me." "There were complicated reasons." "If you had just said that from the start," "I wouldn't have been so nasty." "I'm sorry." "Drink this while you listen to what I say." "I'm sure you have your reasons." "I feel so relieved." "Tell me first how it all started." "Thanks." "I hope you enjoy it." "It's cold tonight." "I really need a drink or two." "Excuse me." "You'll need some water." "I like it straight." "Teiko." "It was awful for Hisako too." " Have you been waiting long?" " About half an hour." "I'm sorry." "You must be frozen stiff." "Put this on." "You'll catch cold." "Well?" "What did you want to talk about?" "It's about time you knew everything." "About Sone's identity." "It seems strange." "No one seems to know about him at all." "Can you tell me why?" "He never was our employee." "He was an advertising man." "His name was Kenichi Uhara." "Uhara?" "You're wondering something else, aren't you?" "Why did he commit suicide?" "That's your question." "Exactly." "I just don't understand." "I really wish I did know why." "Do you know?" "You see, he wanted to break up with you and move to Tokyo." "He wanted to break up with me?" "He married a girl in Tokyo about two weeks ago." "But there was no way he could leave you." "So he killed himself!" "B-But" "I can't believe it." "No, I can't!" "Hisako cried and cried." "I didn't know what to do." "If I was going to kill her anyway, I shouldn't have told her that." "Emmy." "Stop feigning ignorance." "Two days after his death," "I went to your place, and you and I met in your fancy drawing room." "I recognized you then." "But... that doesn't matter now," "because no one will ever see me again." "Don't you see, Emmy?" "There's no point going on now." "He killed himself because he couldn't leave me." "He must be lonely now." "I should join him." "He'd always been a lonely man, a quiet man." "That's what I loved about him." "Listen, Emmy." "Listen to me for old times' sake." "We never had a proper wedding." "We lived a lonely married life, just him and me." " Late for the bus?" " I have no clean shirt." "Let me look." "Hurry." "I found one." "You'll be back on the 14th or 15th, right?" "Good luck, darling." "Welcome back, darling!" "Are you all right?" " Welcome." " Something for you." "Now you'll stay for three weeks." "Hisako told me about their last night together." "Remember what you promised last year?" "You forgot, eh?" "You told me you'd take me there in January." "Oh, a hot spring." "That's right." "Yes, but you need to get over your cold first." "I'll be all right soon." "It's you I'm worried about." "You've been so pale recently." "Did you have a hard time in Tokyo?" "You seem very tired." "No, I'm not tired at all." "But you and I are just human beings." "We can't live forever." "If something should happen to me, go see that Mrs. Murota I told you about." "Why must you talk like that, as if you were leaving forever?" "You know what?" "There's something I want." "Come over here." "You see, I feel so lonely when you're not at home, so I must have one." "Let's have a baby." "Hisako was really already a walking corpse." "It's high enough here." "Emmy, push me as hard as you can." "Why do you say that?" "Why?" "You could, couldn't you?" "If I die now, with him gone, there'll be no one left who knows about your dirty past." "A big company." "Lots of dough." "A nice house." "The only thorn is your past." "If I were in your shoes " "How awful!" "But then..." "I feel sorry for you." "I know how you feel." "You've gone through so many hardships." "You're clever." "But to cover up your past," "I'm sure you've had to work very hard." "Sally!" "Sally!" "You're right!" "It's been so hard!" "I've gone too far already!" "I've done things I can't take back!" "I have to stop or else " "Come with me, Sally." "I must tell my husband." "He'll know what to do!" "Come on!" "Emmy." "I don't understand why you're crying like this." "If you'd told him everything from the very beginning, you wouldn't be crying now." "But then you wouldn't have what you have now." "Isn't life hard?" "I've never had money." "I've worked hard, living hand-to-mouth." "But I may have been happier than you." "Although it only lasted 18 months." "Despair is written" "On my breast" "I've cried my heart out" "Over my past" "Who made me" "Such a woman" "Emmy, I'm gonna take a drink." "Sally!" "Don't drink that!" "Teiko." "I've finished my story." "Sachiko!" "Mrs. Murota's car went over the cliff some 20 minutes after that." "The questions and mysteries that brought me here have all been resolved." "But they've left something larger in my heart:" "An awe for life, with its breadth and depth too vast to comprehend." "Like this northern sea, bottomless and never ending, like the sea of sorrow we carry in our hearts." "THE END"