The ride down to Los Angeles was long, tensely quiet and exceptionally uncomfortable.

I sat in near silence beside Kido reading a Tokyo paper.

I read that paper three times as scenery passed by the window.

Once I had enough of that, I folded the paper into a pillow and slept until I felt the Chief Inspector shake me. When I woke up I found we have arrived in the crowded city. Both of the Kempeitai up front seemed frustrated by the traffic. Not that I could blame them. It looked horrible.

Even the Chief Inspector seemed frustrated.

From beside me, he spoke up for the first time since I remembered getting corralled into the back of the vehicle. "Take us to the hotel. It is up the road. I'll have my housekeeper check in while I walk the rest of the way."

Wasn't that just great?

Already I had been volunteered for things I did not want to do.

Our car came to a stop. Not because the driver and passenger decided to listen right away and stop the vehicle in the middle of the horrific traffic. Oh no. They slammed the brakes on to avoid hitting the car ahead in traffic. Unfortunately the same could not be said for the vehicle behind us.

A loud crunch came from behind, followed by a jerk that had me desperately reaching for anything to anchor myself down.

A eternal hiss of impatience came from across the back bench seat with me.

Kido glared my way. Papers were all but thrown at me. "Go to the hotel. I expect a key to be waiting for me and the sergeants at the desk when I return. Do not leave your room. Is that understood?"

I bit my tongue to censor my response.

Obediently I nodded, lowering my head in understanding before I climbed out of the vehicle. I was quite proud of myself when I did not slam the door. Granted after all our time together, sliding into that subservient role was second nature to me. Eyes cast down I walked across the street which essentially was full of still cars. What caused the backed up traffic was unseen. It must have been up the city street further I could only assume.

The hotel was only a few blocks up, it did not take me long to get there at all and walk through the front doors.

It was a large building. Tall, pristine, soothing pale colors and watercolor paintings from Japan decorated the rather large lobby. I noticed well-dressed men and women in kimono's as I walked to the front desk manned by an impeccably dressed white man with brown hair and sparkling blue eyes. He looked me over appraisingly as if trying to determine if I was someone of importance, or not. Upon approaching the desk I greeted him with a polite bow, he unhappily mirrored my actions.

I unfolded the papers and slid them onto the smooth polished counter. "Good Afternoon kind Sir. I was sent to check into rooms by Chief Inspector Kido Takeshi. The Chief Inspector requested the keys to the three rooms be left up here for when he and the sergeants return. I hope that will not be an inconvenience?"

In an almost bored fashion I looked around the lobby while the man opened his check-in book, then compared it to the official Kempeitai document that he had read, twice.

After a bit he looked to me in the same way the Widow would look at an inferior silk fabric. "Is that all?"

"No," was my answer. "I personally need to check into my own room."

You would have thought I asked him to clean the entire lobby with a paintbrush.

"Name?"

"Suzuki Grace."

You would have thought that I had slapped him. The man's head snapped back almost violently.

My eyebrows rose in pleased understanding.

When the man snapped his fingers and gestured at someone, I glanced in that general direction, a bit more concerned at the sudden change. The man behind the desk then bowed deeply to me. "Ms. Suzuki, it is an honor to have you stay with us. Your father has arranged for our chef to prepare your meals. You'll be on our top floor suite. A room with its own private bathhouse and garden. If there is anything that you require, call down to the front desk here and I'll see to it."

My afternoon had become significantly better.

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It was dark outside when Takeshi eventually came to my room. I heard him knocking incessantly on the door from within the depths of the suite. Had I not spent the afternoon in a state of steam and hot water induced relaxation, or been unconditionally in love with the man against all better judgement, I would not have peeled myself from the plush bed to peer through the peephole on the door to be sure it was Kido.

It was.

Adjusting my floor length silk robe that had been in one of the boxes that had been waiting for me in the room, I flipped open the locks and peered out a sliver of doorway.

Kido's eyes narrowed through that slit of open door. "Your father?"

I opened the door to allow him entrance and locked it once he was inside.

"I have to sleep in a room with a bed that predates the war while you're wallowing in luxury funded by illicit money."

I would not even pretend to be ashamed. "Do you want to borrow my robe to sleep in downstairs? I would not want you to suffer up here with me."

My response was not even rewarded with an answer.

My lover looked around the common area of the spacious room taking in the furniture, wet bar and radio that played a radio program I'd been listening to while I prepared for my final foray into the bathhouse that night. In what must have been perfect timing. "Why aren't you in bed? It is late. You have a task early tomorrow."

Sighing loudly I crossed my arms. Sleeves sliding deliciously over my bare skin. "If you must know…I was about to go soak one last time."

"Soak? It is far too late to leave the hotel. Los Angeles is not San Francisco. Even a woman such as yourself would not be safe out at this house."

I could not even feign outrage. Tiredly I gestured in the direction of the bedroom, "A private bathhouse is part of the top floor suite."

A deep breath fighting for patience came from him, "Of course there is."

"I have spoken with associates of my father here. Fear not, I will be up bright and early tomorrow to do what you have asked of me. I have every intention, however, of making one last visit to the glorious steamy bathhouse. Do not take this from me." Then with a flourish of my hand to the room. "Take what you want down to your room. I will be outside. Lock the door when you leave."

As I expected, he followed me into the large bedroom where the doors into the balcony where the garden and bathhouse waited. I gestured towards a large standing wardrobe. "Another robe is in there if you do not want your suit to get damp."