Chapter 8
The Past Unearthed
Patrolman Futaba was intrigued. While it was the little girl who should have been at school that caught his initial attention, something seemed familiar about the young woman with her. He approached the trio out of curiosity.
"Good afternoon, sir," he addressed the doctor in a polite and friendly manner, "are you moving into town?"
"No." The doctor was immediately put on guard. His Ibaraki license plate--hence his local status--was plainly visible. He was concerned about the unusual approach, but figured it had something to do with a school-age child not being in school. "I am Isamu Kitamura, a doctor at the University Hospital. Lin-chan is a patient of mine. She will be staying at this hotel the next day or so."
"Well, I hope it's nothing serious."
Ae added, "There's nothing wrong with her, it's merely a prescribed school physical."
"It's my turn!" Lin added with enthusiasm.
"Oh. Well, have a nice stay." The patrolman smiled and departed, leaving a very relieved group of people. They were unaware, however, that he really came to study Ae's features. He was absolutely certain he had seen that face somewhere before--and the close-up view only served to reinforce that belief.
They continued toward the sign-in desk. "We may have to change our story if the police get too curious about us," suggested Ae. "I don't know who I am, but we need to protect Lin from close scrutiny."
"You have a point, but the reservations have been made--and we'll need to play it out."
Ae and Lin were checked into the hotel with no difficulty. The pair's sponsor was a very famous--and wealthy--sociologist. "Yukiko Natori?" Ae asked incredulously, "The famous professor who makes millions lecturing around the world?"
"Yes. The famous professor at my University who makes millions for us. She was always wealthy and donates all her proceeds to medical research at Tsukuba University."
While the trio was headed up to their room, an inquisitive patrolman was checking with the front desk. "This is police business. The three who just checked in: who are they?"
"Only two checked in, sir: the two sisters, Ae and Lin Sekiguchi. The gentleman is helping them settle into their room. Here is their address information."
"Thank you. You have been very helpful." The patrolman sensed a bogus story. "Sisters? Never happen. Impossible," he thought.
Back at the police station, patrolman Futaba was intent on satisfying his curiosity. He approached the records clerk. "Endo-kun, I need the photo books on missing children over the last year. I think we have one in town."
He went to the shelf in the rear. "What's up, Futaba-kun?"
"There's a pair of children checking into the Hyatt who claim they're sisters. It's easy to tell from their voices that they don't even come from the same part of the country. The elder..." He thought for a moment. "That's it! She sounds just like my cousin from Iwate Prefecture. Get me all the missing children from the Northeast--older children, aged seventeen to nineteen."
He brought over a single sheet of paper with a photograph attached. "There are only a few. How about this girl who went missing eight months ago near Sendai. She was on a company outing."
"Wow, you're good," patrolman Futaba exclaimed. "That's her. Acording to this, she's still nineteen years old--a minor."
Lin was glued to the television and Ae was unpacking when the doorbell went off. Doctor Kitamura had already departed for his clinic. Ae answered the door.
It was a young woman in a police uniform. "Ae Sekiguchi?"
"Yes, ma'am?"
I'm Etsuko Kawano of the Tsukuba precinct station, Ibaraki prefectural Police. We are checking up on the possibility that you are actually Aiko Tanaka, a missing person from Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. Are you this person?"
Hearing her name caused all her memories to return again. She knew she had to tell the truth. "Yes, I am."
"Don't worry, you're not in any trouble. We are merely obliged to report to your family that you have been located. Whatever comes of this is between you and your family. Do you understand?"
"Yes. Thank you."
The policewoman looked at Lin. "The little girl. She's not your sister and she's not a missing child. Who is she?"
"I have been asked to accompany her for a routine physical examination. Please contact Doctor Kitamura of the University Hospital for further details."
"I understand--and we will," the young policewoman replied."She seems to be in good hands and we'll leave it like that for the present. Good day." She bowed and left.
Aiko was in a panic. She knew that any cover story for Lin would be blown instantaneously. She had no human parents, no birth records, no koseki shohon (family history), nothing. She called the doctor's pager number and hoped it was turned on...
The Past Unearthed
Patrolman Futaba was intrigued. While it was the little girl who should have been at school that caught his initial attention, something seemed familiar about the young woman with her. He approached the trio out of curiosity.
"Good afternoon, sir," he addressed the doctor in a polite and friendly manner, "are you moving into town?"
"No." The doctor was immediately put on guard. His Ibaraki license plate--hence his local status--was plainly visible. He was concerned about the unusual approach, but figured it had something to do with a school-age child not being in school. "I am Isamu Kitamura, a doctor at the University Hospital. Lin-chan is a patient of mine. She will be staying at this hotel the next day or so."
"Well, I hope it's nothing serious."
Ae added, "There's nothing wrong with her, it's merely a prescribed school physical."
"It's my turn!" Lin added with enthusiasm.
"Oh. Well, have a nice stay." The patrolman smiled and departed, leaving a very relieved group of people. They were unaware, however, that he really came to study Ae's features. He was absolutely certain he had seen that face somewhere before--and the close-up view only served to reinforce that belief.
They continued toward the sign-in desk. "We may have to change our story if the police get too curious about us," suggested Ae. "I don't know who I am, but we need to protect Lin from close scrutiny."
"You have a point, but the reservations have been made--and we'll need to play it out."
Ae and Lin were checked into the hotel with no difficulty. The pair's sponsor was a very famous--and wealthy--sociologist. "Yukiko Natori?" Ae asked incredulously, "The famous professor who makes millions lecturing around the world?"
"Yes. The famous professor at my University who makes millions for us. She was always wealthy and donates all her proceeds to medical research at Tsukuba University."
While the trio was headed up to their room, an inquisitive patrolman was checking with the front desk. "This is police business. The three who just checked in: who are they?"
"Only two checked in, sir: the two sisters, Ae and Lin Sekiguchi. The gentleman is helping them settle into their room. Here is their address information."
"Thank you. You have been very helpful." The patrolman sensed a bogus story. "Sisters? Never happen. Impossible," he thought.
Back at the police station, patrolman Futaba was intent on satisfying his curiosity. He approached the records clerk. "Endo-kun, I need the photo books on missing children over the last year. I think we have one in town."
He went to the shelf in the rear. "What's up, Futaba-kun?"
"There's a pair of children checking into the Hyatt who claim they're sisters. It's easy to tell from their voices that they don't even come from the same part of the country. The elder..." He thought for a moment. "That's it! She sounds just like my cousin from Iwate Prefecture. Get me all the missing children from the Northeast--older children, aged seventeen to nineteen."
He brought over a single sheet of paper with a photograph attached. "There are only a few. How about this girl who went missing eight months ago near Sendai. She was on a company outing."
"Wow, you're good," patrolman Futaba exclaimed. "That's her. Acording to this, she's still nineteen years old--a minor."
Lin was glued to the television and Ae was unpacking when the doorbell went off. Doctor Kitamura had already departed for his clinic. Ae answered the door.
It was a young woman in a police uniform. "Ae Sekiguchi?"
"Yes, ma'am?"
I'm Etsuko Kawano of the Tsukuba precinct station, Ibaraki prefectural Police. We are checking up on the possibility that you are actually Aiko Tanaka, a missing person from Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. Are you this person?"
Hearing her name caused all her memories to return again. She knew she had to tell the truth. "Yes, I am."
"Don't worry, you're not in any trouble. We are merely obliged to report to your family that you have been located. Whatever comes of this is between you and your family. Do you understand?"
"Yes. Thank you."
The policewoman looked at Lin. "The little girl. She's not your sister and she's not a missing child. Who is she?"
"I have been asked to accompany her for a routine physical examination. Please contact Doctor Kitamura of the University Hospital for further details."
"I understand--and we will," the young policewoman replied."She seems to be in good hands and we'll leave it like that for the present. Good day." She bowed and left.
Aiko was in a panic. She knew that any cover story for Lin would be blown instantaneously. She had no human parents, no birth records, no koseki shohon (family history), nothing. She called the doctor's pager number and hoped it was turned on...