The Way of the Fox Read Free Page A

Jizō, to protect travellers?”
    The m onk nodded, his shaven head bowed. The man’s sturdy shoulders were hunched with grief and mourning.
    “ Good day to you, honoured samurai.” The monk made certain that offerings of rice and flowers were properly in their place before the statue. “We have just placed this Jizō, to revere the eminent bodhisattva. We are in great need of his protection.
    “ We place this statue here in memory of a dead girl. We hope that passers-by will offer a prayer and help her soul find peace.”
    Ton bo stirred. He looked carefully at the weed-strewn fields of the village. “She died here?” He grounded his immense tetsubo. “How?”
    The old w oman did not look up. She kept her hands clasped to the Jizō statue. And her eyes fixed upon the ground.
    “ Samurai – my grand daughter was murdered three days ago. Slain on the night of her betrothal!”
    Kuno straightened – quite chilled. He looked along the roadway – suddenly deeply alert.
    Tonbo knelt down and drew out a sheet of coloured paper from his pack. He quietly folded it as he knelt beside the old woman. Kuno cleared his throat and quietly took the monk aside. He spoke with a polished, sympathetic discretion.
    “ Bonze san – has this been the only murder?”
    “ It is the only one that we know of, samurai. But the road – it is deserted! This was only ever a minor path, but still – there would be peddlers, couriers, even entertainers. And the outlying farms are deserted.”
    “And the bride?”
    “It was terrible, samurai san. On her betrothal day, she put on her best robes and stood by the road to watch for her groom’s arrival. But a sound was heard by the innkeeper. When he came running to the road, he found the poor girl’s body in the grass.”
Kuno kept his voice low – speaking in absolute sympathy and discretion.
“Please forgive me, bonze san. The body… How was it found?
The m onk hung his head, quite sickened.
    “ It was horrible, Samurai. Horrible. It was as if some beast had half consumed her. There were no clothes, no skin. Merely raw red flesh.” The monk looked away. “She was so young…”
    Kuno considered.
    “Did the village men try to seek out the murderer?”
    “ Yes, samurai. Five men in a group walked the length of the road, but they saw no sign. It is an utter mystery.”
    Tonbo had overheard. He rose up, shouldering his weapons.
    “We will search the road.”
    He placed an offering before the Jizō: a tiny, perfectly folded paper fox. Tonbo bowed towards the statue, then walked out onto the road. Kuno joined him. They stood for a moment, considering the woods, then walked slowly on towards the swamp. The monk and the old woman anxiously watched them go. The old woman placed a hand against her heart.
    Tonbo and Kuno continued down the road – down towards distant marshes, where birds croaked dully in the trees. Tonbo walked until he reached a tangle of fallen timber, then sat to re-tie his sandals. Kuno stood and regarded the road, one hand caressing the hilt of his sword.
    “Your intuitions were correct, Tonbo san. Something terrible lurks on the road.” Kuno creased his brows. “This is deeply disturbing. Why would bandits flay one of their victims?” Kuno looked back at the empty village. “That is an act of terror. Is someone trying to force these people away from their land?”
    A pointed fox nose emerged from the weeds at his side. Sura blinked her expressive green eyes.
    “ Hey, maybe they were going to cook the victim? You take the skin off something before you cook it! Well – some people do. You probably do.”
    Ku no shot a glare of disdain down at the fox.
    “I hardly think so.”
    “Hey – just using logic! Unlike some.” The fox gave a sigh. “Poor people. But really – sixteen trillion manifestations? Where did they pull that figure from?”
    The samurai replied with a deep hauteur. “It is a measure of the Buddha within all men.”
    “Sixteen trillion?”