Chapter 16

"You know... all your're doing is wearing out the carpets and the soles of your shoes."

It was a piece of commonsense that would go unheeded. Chiaki was pacing up and down the hotel lobby out of his mind with worry. The temptation to take up smoking again was ever present. Running on adrenaline and worn down by anxiety, his hair was more dishevelled than usual, his complexion gaunt. Three stiff drinks later, there was still no comfort for the troubled beast within. From time to time he would dig into his right pocket and pull out his phone in anticipation, only to slide it back into his pocket again. For fifteen minutes, Sebastiano Vieira quietly observed his former apprentice with great interest. Morbid as it seemed, it gave him some measure of comfort to know that the boy was experiencing some degree of pain.

"I need to do something... something... anything... All this not knowing is... is..."

"Driving you crazy? Yeah, that's obvious." Vieira sensei made no attempt to hide the grin that was spreading over his face.

"I just wish that there was a way of finding out... if she's okay... If I just knew..."

"That's the hardest part... not knowing..." Vieira nodded sagely.

"No... no... not really. The worst part is... knowing that I'm responsible for putting her in this position."

"Shinichi... don't do this..."

"It's true. If I hadn't made her come to this stupid conference in the first place, none of this would have happened."

"You didn't make her do anything as far as I can tell... she seemed really happy to be here and very proud of your achievements."

"Yeah... my achievements... hell of a lot of good that has been... might be her undoing..."

"We don't know that for certain... and really, let's not go there yet... there could be some other explanation..."

"What other explanation?"

"The truth is... I don't know... but Hans did say that Weiss was quite taken with her, reminded him of an old flame even... I don't think he'll hurt her."

Chiaki seemed to take some comfort in that thought and collapsed into the nearest armchair, utterly worn out by his own exertions.

"I don't know what I'd do if anything happened..."

"I know... I know... She is your life..." The older man observed astutely, armed with an arsenal of insight that only a lifetime of mistakes can bring,

She is my life... How different does that sound now.

Once upon a time... it would've been different.

To think I kept her at arm's length for as long as I did... and now... in a moment of clarity... I see that she is my life... when I could really lose her... again...

Just when I was getting used to the idea that she'd be around... forever... the rug gets pulled from under...

Chiaki's thoughts flew to the grand piano that took prominent position in their living room... his wedding present to her... visions of it collecting dust and cobwebs in their flat in Paris. For her not to be playing it... would be utterly meaningless... no different to an orchestra without a conductor. Worse still... to never hear her play again... the fountain of joy would cease from his life... cantabile capriccioso...

My capricious singer.

The nightmare was happening all over again.


He had been a nervous wreck. His normally reliable hands had been shaking uncontrollably and acting on their own accord. Sleepless nights had plagued him for a whole week. He, Chiaki Shinichi, after hemming and hawing for weeks, had finally settled on the question of marriage to that hentai. Better get it over and done with, he had thought.

Romantic overtures were not his forte but he had procured a ring after months of deliberation which he had believed would serve as ample proof of his... er... intentions.

"We should get married..." He had begun by saying to her as if in rehearsal with the orchestra. "September is a nice time... Don't you think it's time we did?" He hadn't been game enough to look at her directly.

"That question... senpai... is not for me." She had pointed out. "I have been ready a long time."

He had given no immediate response. The truth was far too close for comfort. But he had continued to do what he did best... meander through the issues.

"I think the timing is right... our careers are taking off... You'll be playing at the Tilburn and then we can get married after that." He had rambled on in a business-like manner.

"So senpai is saying that career comes first right... then marriage..." With her eyes wide as saucers and all the innocence of an eight year old , she had made her penetrating remark.

"No... I... meant that now things are... well... clearer between us..."

"Clearer? Nodame has always been clear. Senpai has always been Nodame's husband."

"I just thought... that you wanted to be a pianist... first"

"I did... I do... But Nodame wants to be Chiaki Shinichi's wife too... Anybody can be a pianist but not everybody can be Chiaki Shinichi's wife."

"Er... I guess... but..."

"Senpai... don't you remember? It was you who encouraged Nodame to aim higher... to become a real pianist. Without you... Nodame would have become a kindergarten teacher..."

"So... what are you saying?"

"Love and work are the same... like a good pair of chopsticks, neither one more important than the other... There is no right time. We are the golden pair, right?" She had wrinkled her nose distastefully.

Chiaki had nodded meekly at the time, feeling like a naughty schoolboy that had been properly chastened.

"But Nodame wants to marry senpai because of love not because of right timing... if we are honest with ourselves, there will always be something that can get in the way."

"So the real question is... senpai... do you want to marry Nodame?"

As he recalled those words with a heavy heart, a little Nodame-spun wisdom crept into the recesses of his mind.

"Anybody can be a conductor. But not everyone can be Megumi Noda's husband..."

"You seem a million miles away..." Vieira sensei's voice broke into his train of thought.

"I was just thinking about something... something she said..."

"Thinking about her is good..."

"It's all I have..." He lowered his head and struggled to say the words while trying to maintan composure. "At least for the moment... since the police can't tell us anything helpful."

"I must say Shinichi, I'm relieved... glad almost... to see you like this... utterly wretched and in torment. You look almost human."

Shinichi looked up and glowered at his former mentor, wondering if he had suddenly developed faulty hearing.

"Quite often one has a hard time knowing how you feel. You're so good at hiding your feelings, even as a boy. I've long suspected that you were in love with that pianist of yours but now I'm sure of it."

Chiaki averted his eyes, shamefacedly as if caught redhanded doing something illegal. "Vieira sensei is making fun of me."

"No... seriously... it's good. There's hope for you yet.

"You make it sound like I have some kind of disease."

"As far as metaphors go, that's not a bad one. But does she know?"

"Know? Know what? That I have a disease...?"

"How much you care... how much you really care..."

"I married her..." Shinichi felt like the twelve year old being lectured to by his teacher.

"Well, it's a general step in the right direction but that's not what I asked you."

Shinichi thought a while. "I... I... think so. The incident in Rome made me... us... more appreciative of each other..."

Vieira grinned. "Nothing like a good crisis to make you think about what's important."

"And now, it's happening again." Why?

"I'm sorry Shinichi... it's not fair, I know."

"It's not that... Vieira sensei... I just can't help feeling that all of this is my fault..."

"No one could have known... Surely you can't blame yourself for the kidnapping...?"

"Can't I? The truth is, I've been selfish. It's always been about my career, my work and our relationship has always taken a backseat to it, it seems."

"Has she ever complained about it?"

"Never... not to my face anyway..."

"Has she ever given you cause to think that she's not happy with present arrangements?"

"No..."

"But now you feel guilty because this has come up."

"I suppose..."

"Well, this is something that you need to think long and hard about. I'm not going to lie to you, Shinichi... it doesn't get any easier... especially if you both continue to be working musicians. Also, babies and families have a tendency to complicate matters."

"Families..." Chiaki's eyes fell to the ground.

"Yes, families... definitely... nothing convenient about them." Vieira maintained his scrutiny of Chiaki.

"We've never talked about it."

"If you want to survive this thing called marriage, you're going to have to." I know I've said that the old should never interfere with the doings of the young... but what the heck...

"Because somewhere down the track you're going to have to make some hard decisions. You have to decide what is more important to you: Living a life of solitude littered with fleeting pleasures and encounters or sharing your life with someone and growing old together. And take it from an old, married man... it's not all bad."

"I'm sure." Chiaki managed a smile. "I don't know how you manage to juggle it all."

"It's a lie, you know... that you can have it all. Nobody has it all. There's no such thing. Something has to give.

"Stresemann has made his choices... I've made mine. Frankly, I think he's a fool. He probably thinks I'm one too. But between you and me, I think I've got the better deal.

"I suppose we are the lucky ones. We do what we love and people pay us to do it. But at the end of the day... if there's no one to come home to, we're only half full. Rarer still are those like you and Nodame... able to share your love for music within and outside the confines of marriage. I hope you never take it for granted... what you have... and grow to see the benefits amidst the challenges."

Vieira paused when he saw the stricken look on Shinichi's face.

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Shinichi. Many things are out of our control. That's reality. It's how we respond to these situations that sets us apart from everyone else."

"It all just feel so hard..." Chiaki moaned.

"Welcome to Life... young man... just remember: choices have consequences."

"Don't I know it..."

"We've been digging into his financial affairs for the past twelve months. He has liquidated all his assets and bought into the Wurstelprater."

"The amusement park? Why?"

"We don't know but we think this could be the lead we're looking for."

"You think he's taken her there?"

"That is what I surmised so I made a few calls and apparently he managed to get the whole place to shut down for 48 hours."

"How did he manage that?"

"Said that he was bringing in independent health and safety inspectors to look the place over."

"He could do that?"

"He has controlling shares in the company, said he needed assurances that his investment was being protected."

"No one found it strange?"

"Apparently not."

"So when are you leaving?"

"As soon we as make a few final preparations."

"I'm coming with you." announced Chiaki in a voice that hinted strongly that "no" was not an option.

"Absolutely not, Mr Chiaki... it could be dangerous..."

"It's my wife we're talking about..."

"I know how you feel but..."

"No... you don't... inspector." There was steel in Chiaki's voice. "There are only two options here: Either I come with you or I make my own way there and get in your way. Which would you prefer?"

The inspector sighed and resigned himself to the inevitable. Young, reckless and in love.

"And we're going with him." piped up Streseman with equal determination.

The short journey to the Wurstelprater seemed to take forever. The three conductors were squashed together like sardines in the backseat of the police car. Chiaki spent the time looking up and down a sheet of crumpled paper and out of the window.

"Nervous?" Stresemann inquired.

"Not particularly." Chiaki was a lot calmer but unable to shake off a persistent feeling of dread.

"Why do you keep staring at that piece of paper?"

"It was left in her dressing room... I thought it might be important... A clue or something..."

"Come up with anything yet?"

"No, nothing really... it's just a bunch of malicious rhymes with a single theme. A jarring reminder that she's gone... taken from under my nose and I wasn't there to stop it." If only I'd been there... I would have been there... Then this thing came up... "All calculated to put on me on a guilt trip."

"Is it working?"

Chiaki nodded.

"It's not your fault, you know."

"So everyone keeps telling me."

"Don't let him mess with your head. Whatever happens."

"Huh... do you know something?"

"Just a hunch."

Beresford found himself in a large enclosed space that seemed to go on forever. A carpeted area reeking of fresh paint. He felt as if he had walked through a labyrinth of turns and entrances. Fritz had insisted on the blindfold. Like Tiresias but without the benefit of foresight, he believed that he was walking to his doom.

At the other end of the hall-like area, Nodame was puzzled to see the music director of the London Symphonia. James?

Why is he here? Are they working together?

A booming, hearty voice greeted him at the entrance.

"Beresford! I must admit, I am surprised to see you here. But you do find it hard to stay away from the ladies, don't you? Come to play the hero, have you... and rescue the damsel in distress?" Weiss was suspiciously genial and light-hearted.

Beresford proceeded with extreme caution. Casting a rapid eye around the room, he could see in one corner of the room that the victimized Mrs Chiaki was alive. Paler than he had remembered and watching everything nervously. He heaved a sigh of relief. At least she was... alive.

"Look Weiss, aren't you a bit much... kidnapping the lady... even if you hate the husband and all that? Not very sporting at all."

"I thought you of all people should understand."

"Look old fellow... I've done a lot of things that would make Casanova blush but isn't kidnapping extreme?"

"Extreme circumstances call for extreme measures."

"Extreme? How?"

"You've heard her play... you know she needs protecting from corrupting influences."

"Well, yes... perhaps but it still doesn't explain why you had to kidnap her."

"It's not kidnapping!"

"I think old chap you'll find that the authorities will beg to differ on that."

"They are irrelevant... everyone's irrelevant. Only she and I matter."

Good lord... the man's gone completely off his rocker...

"I suppose that's why you've tied her to the chair... rather original way to show that she matters." The sarcasm however seemed to be lost on Weiss who was fixated with his sandwich. "Weiss, old fella... if I can find you, so can the police. The real life ones aren't quite as incompetent as the books lead us to believe."

"I'm prepared for that eventually and I'll deal with it but not until I get my pound of flesh."

"Are you sure you want to follow through with this."

"Why are so concerned for our little pianist?"

"I... I'm... not."

"Don't tell me you want the girl for yourself?"

"Don't be ridiculous! She's not my type..."

"So why are you here then..."

Good question. Why am I here? Putting myself in harm's way? There's no telling what Weiss is capable of. I must be just as demented.

"To make sure you don't do anything you might regret later."

"I'm touched Beresford... really I am... but forgive me if I don't quite believe you."

"Suit yourself. But don't say I didn't warn you."

"Again... thank you for your concern but I know what I'm doing..."

Beresford's eyes wandered around the room and met the gaze of the young pianist fidgeting nervously as if crying out for help. This sent his emotions into disarray flooding him with a rare sensation of helplessness.

"Why punish the lady for something that the husband did?"

"Ah... so you do care...

"Well, you know me... I hate to see a lady get hurt." Beresford added hastily.

"Don't worry, I have no intention of hurting her." Weiss had a sinister gleam at the corner of his eye. "And remember, Beresford, I took her first... so don't get any bright ideas..."

"Won't dream of it, old chap..."

Beresford had no idea what he should do. He was no man of action, having lived life relying largely on his wits. His idea of extricating himself out of difficult situations was to dish out his famed charisma, which unfortunately on this occasion, was unlikely to have any effect on its object.

In desperation, Beresford wiped his brow and gave the room a once-over for some kind of inspiration. Further down the hall, a series of contraptions lined up against the wall caught his attention. Strolling down the aisle where the collection of musical curios were displayed, his interest was further excited when he realized that they were rare antique player pianos which had been exquisitely preserved. Evidently, the room was in the process of being converted into some thing of an exhibition, a veritable homage to the evolution of the player piano from its earliest incarnations. A replica of Edwin Votey's prototype pnuematic piano was first in line followed by three subsequent versions of the Pianola. Those original push-up players were eventually replaced by the less cumbersome built-in mechanisms such as Melville Clark's Apollo. The pièce du résistance of Weiss' collection was the Bechstein upright that had been fitted with Welte-Mignon player system to become a reproducing piano. Reproducing pianos were so called in their heyday because they were able to reproduce the individual styles and improvisations of the pianists who recorded for them. Beside this grand piece of history, stood a glass cabinet which was home to a number of music rolls containing recordings by Gershwin, Joplin and Rachmaninoff.

"Quite a stunning collection. I didn't know you collected these, Weiss..." Beresford gave a low whistle. He was genuinely amazed and completely engrossed in these technological wonders of years gone by.

"There are a lot of things about me that you don't know."

Well, that's becoming increasingly evident.

"Must've cost a pretty sum..."

"It's taken a lifetime to get them all together. I'm planning to donate it to the park as an attraction."

"Very pretty... Hallo... what's this... this one has an interesting appendage dangling off the pump..." The British conductor ambled toward the Bechstein for a closer look. His fingers automatically reached for the device and pressed lightly against it.

"Don't touch it..."

The warning came too late. A loud hiss, then an earth shattering crack. There and then, Beresford fell backwards onto the ground unconscious.

This commotion brought Fritz flying into the room.

"Everything alright, boss?"

"He got a little bit too close..."

"What are we going to do with him?"

"Tie him up and stick him in the spare room."

Too bad about Beresford. Curiosity killed that cat...


Author's Notes:

My apologies to Ms Ninomiya for turning Sebastiano Vieira and Franz Stresemann into strange bedfellows and many more apologies to the management of the Wurstelprater for abusing their beloved park.

And my thanks to Angeleico and Shin-seirei for their encouraging and helpful reviews. I was beginning to wonder, however, if that last chapter was so very awful that no one would write and tell me so. If so, I hope this one makes up for it.