People Who Eat Darkness Read Free

time, when a young person “disappears” there is a predictably mundane explanation: a tiff between friends or lovers; drugs, or drunkenness, or sex. But Lucie had telephoned twice during the afternoon to update Louise on her whereabouts. Having called to say that she would be back within an hour, it was hard to imagine that she would not have done so again, even if her plans had changed. Iain Ferguson called Azabu Police Station and told them that the embassy was deeply concerned about Lucie and that they regarded it not as a simple missing-person case but as a probable abduction.
    *   *   *
    Louise left the embassy. In the two nights since Lucie’s disappearance, she had hardly slept. She was in a torment of uncertainty and tension. It was unbearable to be alone, or to spend any time in the room she shared with Lucie. She went to the apartment of a friend, where other people who knew Lucie were also gathering.
    Just before half past five, her mobile rang again, and she snatched it up.
    “Hello?” Louise said.
    —Am I speaking to Louise Phillips? said a voice.
    “Yes, this is Louise. Who’s this?”
    —My name is Akira Takagi. Anyway, I’m ringing on behalf of Lucie Blackman.
    “Lucie! My God, where is she? I’ve been so worried. Is she there?”
    —I am with her. She is here. She is fine.
    “Oh, God, thank God. Let me speak to Lucie. I need to speak to her.”
    It was a man’s voice. He spoke English confidently but with a distinct Japanese accent. He was at all times calm and controlled and matter-of-fact, almost friendly, even when Louise became agitated and upset.
    —She must not be disturbed now, the voice said. —Anyway, she is in our dormitory. She is studying and practicing a new way of life. She has so much to learn this week. She can’t be disturbed.
    To her friends, Louise was frantically mouthing, “It’s him,” and signaling for paper and a pen.
    “Who is this?” she said. “Are you the one she went out with on Saturday?”
    —I met Lucie on Sunday. She met my guru on Saturday, my group’s leader.
    “Your guru?”
    —Yes, my guru. Anyway, they met on a train.
    “But she … when I spoke to her, she was in a car.”
    —The traffic was bad, so bad, and she didn’t want to be late to meet you. So she decided to take the train. Just before she got on the train she met my guru and she made a life-changing decision. Anyway, she decided to join his cult that night.
    “A cult?”
    —Yes.
    “What d’you mean, a cult? What … Where is Lucie? Where is this cult?”
    —It is in Chiba.
    “What? Say that again. Can you spell it?”
    —In Chiba. I spell it: C-H-I-B-A.
    “Chiba. Chiba. And … what is it called?”
    —It’s the Newly Risen Religion.
    “The what? What is…”
    —The Newly Risen Religion.
    The man calmly spelled this phrase out too, letter by letter.
    Louise’s thoughts were churning. “I have to speak to Lucie,” she said. “Let me speak to her.”
    —She’s not feeling too well, said the voice. —Anyway, she doesn’t want to talk to anyone now. Maybe she will talk to you at the end of the week.
    “Please,” said Louise. “Please, please, let me talk to her.”
    The line went dead.
    “Hello? Hello?” said Louise, but there was nobody there. She looked at the small silver telephone in her hands.
    A few heartbeats later, it rang again.
    With trembling fingers, she pressed the pick-up button.
    —I’m so sorry, said the same voice. —The signal must have broken. Anyway, Lucie can’t talk to you now. She’s not feeling well. Maybe she will talk to you at the end of the week. But she has started a new life, and she won’t be coming back. I know that she has a lot of debts, six or seven thousand pounds. But she is paying them off in a better way. Anyway, she just wants to let you and S’kotto know she’s okay. She is planning a better life.
    He said, quite distinctly, “S’kotto,” the characteristic Japanese rendering of the unfamiliar