Cajun Justice(60)

“Great!” Tanaka raised his wooden sake cup into the air.

Cain did the same. “Here’s to turning Japanese in twenty-five years.”

“Kanpai!” Tanaka said. “And to tonight—a night we will never forget.”





Chapter 49



Above the solid-wood door was a sign that said ANGEL CLOUD. Below that: WHERE DREAMS TAKE FLIGHT. Tanaka pushed open the door and held it for Cain.

“The party is upstairs,” Tanaka said.

They ascended the twenty or so steps, which led to a large open-bay room filled with couches, tables, a bar, and an area for singing karaoke. The place was crowded, but the manager immediately escorted Cain and Tanaka to a large kidney-shaped booth in the far corner. They were seated for only a few seconds before an older Japanese woman in a traditional black cherry blossom kimono came over to their table.

“Welcome,” she said with a slow and methodical bow. “We are very pleased you are here tonight.”

Cain smiled and returned the bow. “Thank you for the welcome, and for the royal treatment. I don’t know what we did to deserve one of your best tables on such a crowded night.”

“Our manager recognized you from the Japan Times.”

Cain turned to Tanaka. “I guess my fifteen minutes of fame is going to last a lot longer here.”

“I would like to send over two of our most beautiful women to entertain you this evening,” the woman said.

Cain opened his mouth to protest, but the petite lady had already bowed and shuffled away toward a group of women standing next to the bar.

“I realize she was speaking English, but I hope I misunderstood. What does ‘entertain you this evening’ mean?”

“This is a kyabakura,” Tanaka said. “It’s a hostess bar. She is a mama-san.”

“You mean a madam?”

“No,” Tanaka replied quickly. “More like a manager of the hostesses. It’s not what you think, Cain-san. This is very popular in Japan. It’s just fun conversation and drinking.”

“Good. I’m down for good convo and drinking.”

“Especially after this week, right?” Tanaka asked.

Cain smiled. “I’m down for it any day of the week, actually.” His smile widened and he began laughing.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Tanaka-san, do you know what irony is?”

“I think so.”

“Too much media attention here got me a ‘lady of the evening,’” Cain said with air quotes. “But not so long ago, a lady of the evening got me too much media attention.”

“Sounds like one of your stories for another time, as you often say.”

Both laughed.

“I’m sorry,” Cain said. “I can’t help it. I grew up in a storytelling family.”

“I know,” Tanaka said. “When I worked with Bonnie, she used to tell marvelous stories, too.”

“She and I get it from our pops. I’ll introduce you if I can talk ’em into making the long flight out here.”

“I would like that very much,” Tanaka said. “My father is not a storyteller. He is very typical Japanese. Very serious and quiet.”

“He must be very proud of you for saving our bacon during the attack.”

“He’s not proud. The van had two flat tires, and I could not protect Sato-san.”

“That’s simply not true. If you were not there to contact the police and give them our vehicle info and direction of travel, I’m not sure how much longer our car was gonna hold up. It was taking a real beating.”

The mama-san returned with two stunning young Eastern European women who looked as though they should be on the cover of a fashion magazine. “May I introduce Sabrina and Natasha?”

“Hello,” the girls said, smiling naturally.

Cain and Tanaka sprang from the booth, allowing the hostesses to take the center seats.

“Please enjoy your evening, gentlemen.” The mama-san bowed and disappeared into the crowd, which seemed to be growing.

“Thank you.” Sabrina smiled as she tossed her long, dark locks of hair off her shoulder. Her blue eyes sparkled against the stark contrast of her black hair.

“Where are you from?” Cain asked.

“Where do you think I’m from?” she asked with a flirtatious tone.

“Eastern Europe.”

“You’re getting warmer.” She smiled.

“Romania,” Cain blurted out.

“Yes!” She seemed genuinely surprised. “How did you guess that?”

“I recognized your accent. I’ve been to Romania a few times.”

“Really? I never meet anybody in here who has been to my country before.”

“Well, I’m not just anybody.” The sake Cain had had at Hakugei made it even easier for him to banter back and forth with her.

Sabrina laughed. “True. You are somebody.”

Cain and Sabrina laughed together and she touched his shoulder.

“Why were you in Romania?”

“I was on a mission,” Cain said, lowering his voice.

Sabrina leaned in. “What kind of mission?”

Cain leaned in closer. “If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”