Alice-Miranda in Japan 9 Read online

  Dolly now had a splendid laboratory in the cellars at Highton Hall.

  The creation of Just Add Water, or JAW as it was more commonly known, had been a labour of love over many years after the tragic death of her husband. An explorer of great renown, Dougal Oliver had perished during a blizzard when he had run out of food. Dolly had thought that a lightweight, compact product that transformed into nutritious food would not only benefit those undertaking outdoor pursuits but could also help reduce world hunger. And she had been right.

  Hugh Kennington-Jones was so impressed with the product’s potential that he had immediately had a manufacturing plant built adjacent to the Kennington’s supermarket headquarters.

  And now with JAW contracts signed in more than twenty-eight countries, the invention was being rolled out around the globe.

  Dolly smiled to herself. She couldn’t believe that her years of dabbling had brought her all the way to Japan to speak in front of eminent scientists from all over the world. She finished reading through her notes and turned her attention to the small pill case at the side of the desk. She opened it to reveal three compartments of white pills. Each group bore its own stamp: a rising sun, the Eiffel Tower and a bull. She’d been pleased with her whimsical thinking, and it would be impossible to get them mixed up.

  Dolly decided that she should take one before she made her way down to breakfast. At home she’d run several trials, but only when she was alone in the laboratory practising her language skills. The pills had worked almost perfectly but there was still room for improvement. Even she found it hard to explain the science behind her new invention, but it had the potential to change lives if she could get it right.

  She stood up and took a small bottle of water from the bar fridge beside the desk. ‘Let’s see how this goes,’ she said and swallowed one of the pills marked with a rising sun.

  An hour later, the young girl at the entrance to the hotel restaurant smiled and bowed at the old woman with the perfectly coiffed curls.

  ‘Good morning, Mrs Oliver,’ she said with a nod.

  Dolly read the girl’s name tag and said, in Japanese, ‘Good morning, Umi-san. What a pleasant morning it is.’

  The girl looked a little startled, and then smiled and replied in Japanese, ‘Yes, it is. May I compliment your command of Japanese. It is perfect, ma’am, unlike my attempts at English.’

  ‘I’m sure we’ll all find it much easier to speak one another’s native tongues one of these days,’ Dolly replied. She smiled and bowed. Oh, how pleased she was with the first test!

  ‘This way.’ The girl held out her arm and asked Mrs Oliver to follow her.

  Alice-Miranda reached out to hold Jacinta’s hand. ‘Are you all right?’

  ‘Yes, it was just a bit of a shock. I mean, seriously, I could have given that little tub of lard a run for his money if I’d wanted to. But I had no idea what he and his father were saying to one another or if they were serious about calling the police. I don’t think I’d like to go to prison in a foreign country.’

  ‘As opposed to going to prison at home?’ Millie said. ‘I can see how that would be so much nicer.’

  Jacinta sighed. ‘You know what I mean.’

  Millie gave Jacinta a grin and patted her on the shoulder.

  ‘Hello Daddy,’ called Alice-Miranda as she spotted her father coming out of a store near the end of the row.

  Hugh swivelled around to face the girls. ‘Hello darling, did you have any luck with your shopping?’

  Alice-Miranda nodded and held up her bags. ‘I got some lovely presents and so did Millie.’

  ‘What about you, Jacinta?’ Hugh asked. He noticed that her eyes were red and she didn’t look her usual perky self.

  ‘There was a bit of trouble,’ Millie piped up. ‘The owner of the shop accused Jacinta of stealing.’

  ‘He did what!’

  ‘It’s all right, Daddy. It was just a misunderstanding and we sorted it out,’ Alice-Miranda explained.

  ‘Alice-Miranda sorted him out, that’s for sure.’ Millie shot an admiring look at her friend.

  Hugh listened to the girls’ tale. He was keen to go back and give the man and the boy a piece of his mind, but Alice-Miranda said that there was nothing to gain. At least the boy had been caught red-handed.

  ‘I don’t think that’s quite the point,’ Hugh said. ‘I’ve heard about things like this happening in tourist areas.’

  ‘I think they were trying to be clever,’ Alice-Miranda said. ‘And the father did apologise and said that they were just having a bit of a joke.’

  ‘It wasn’t funny,’ Millie said.

  Jacinta pouted and nodded.

  Hugh reluctantly agreed not to pursue the matter. He didn’t want to get into a row and it sounded as if Alice-Miranda had handled herself perfectly.

  Hugh glanced at his watch. It was after one. ‘Well, what about some lunch? Cecelia and Ambrosia have been caught up and won’t be able to join us, so they said they’d meet us in the city about half past two. What are we going to eat? There are plenty of restaurants along here.’ Hugh looked at the row of shops. ‘I spotted some tasty-looking eels and a couple of blowfish in one of the live tanks.’

  Jacinta and Millie pulled faces at one another.

  Hugh grinned mischievously.

  ‘Daddy, please stop teasing. What about teppanyaki?’ Alice-Miranda asked. ‘I feel like some beef.’

  Jacinta immediately perked up. ‘Oh, yes please.’

  ‘I’m happy with that,’ Millie agreed.

  Hugh led the girls to a restaurant he’d noticed earlier. They entered and were instantly surrounded by the tantalising smell of sizzling beef. A smiling chef in a crisp white uniform greeted the group with a bow as they took their seats around a giant barbecue plate in the centre of the room. The chef sliced some perfectly cooked meat at lightning speed and served three plates to some patrons on the other side of the counter.

  ‘Are you happy for me to order?’ Hugh asked. ‘I was thinking some chicken and beef.’

  The girls agreed.

  ‘Unless of course you’d like to try the blowfish?’

  Millie and Jacinta screwed up their noses.

  Alice-Miranda laughed. ‘I think that’s definitely a no.’

  Hugh placed the order then chatted with the girls about their purchases.

  ‘Did you buy anything, Daddy?’ Alice-Miranda asked.

  ‘Yes, but don’t tell your mother,’ he said and winked.

  Her eyes lit up. ‘Is it a present?’

  ‘No, but I’m sure she’ll get a surprise when she sees it in my study.’ Hugh couldn’t hide his grin as he told the girls about his find: a handsomely preserved suit of sixteenth-century samurai armour, which he had arranged to have shipped home.

  ‘Poor Shilly, can you imagine her shock when she opens it?’ Alice-Miranda giggled.

  ‘No worse than when I found that antique taxidermy polar bear in the cellar and had it brought up until we could find it a new home at the museum,’ her father replied.

  ‘I remember that. It was horrible. Poor creature. I’m sure that Great-Grandpa Highton only had him in the house because it was fashionable. I’m glad that these days sensible people prefer to admire animals in their natural habitat rather than shooting them and putting them in the sitting room.’

  ‘Yes, darling, I couldn’t agree more,’ her father nodded. ‘Now, I did buy some other bits and pieces and I was going to keep them until later, but . . .’

  ‘But you’re hopeless at keeping secrets,’ Alice-Miranda chimed in.

  ‘You know me far too well.’ Hugh hung his head in mock shame. Then he reached down and produced a dainty bag from which he pulled three exquisitely wrapped boxes. They were covered in the most beautiful shiny paper with scenes of cherry blossoms and castles, and tied with perfect gold bows.

  ‘One for you.’ Hugh passed Jacinta a box. ‘And one for you.’ He reached across and gave Millie another. ‘And this is for you, swee
theart.’ He dropped a third box into Alice-Miranda’s hand and planted a kiss on the top of her head.

  ‘Daddy, you didn’t have to buy us presents,’ said Alice-Miranda.

  ‘I know, but when I saw these I thought they’d be the perfect memento of our trip – and I knew your mother would love them too,’ Hugh said.

  The girls each examined their gifts.

  ‘I’m dying to know what’s inside,’ said Jacinta. She studied the box closely then gave it a shake next to her ear.

  ‘I don’t want to touch it,’ Millie said. ‘I’ve never seen anything so perfectly presented. My gifts always look like they were wrapped by a spider wearing boxing gloves – I can never get the paper straight when I cut it and I always end up using half the sticky tape roll to keep it together.’

  ‘Go on, girls, I want you to open them,’ said Hugh with a sparkle in his eyes. ‘What do you say we take a photograph and then you can dive in.’

  Millie pulled her camera from her blue backpack and lined the trio of boxes up on the counter in front of them. She snapped away, then Hugh took some pictures of the girls holding them and finally a waitress offered to take another couple of shots of Hugh and the girls together.

  After they’d covered just about every photographic scenario, all three girls began to unwrap their presents.

  ‘Turn the other way,’ Millie said, ‘so we can’t see what each other got until we’ve all unwrapped them. But Alice-Miranda, don’t take forever or we’ll show you.’

  ‘Aha! You’re assuming that you’ve all got the same,’ Hugh said.

  ‘Are they different?’ Alice-Miranda asked.

  ‘You’ll just have to hurry up and see.’

  Jacinta was first to gasp. ‘Oh my goodness, it’s lovely!’ She beamed at Hugh while carefully concealing her treasure.

  Millie was just as enthusiastic. ‘It’s beautiful. Is it real gold?’

  ‘Daddy!’ Alice-Miranda’s voice dropped. ‘You’ll have to take mine back.’

  Millie and Jacinta wondered why she sounded so disappointed. Hugh frowned. There was an awkward silence.

  ‘I’m kidding! It’s gorgeous.’ Alice-Miranda turned back to her father and gave him a tight squeeze.

  ‘Oh, you little monster,’ Hugh sighed.

  The girls helped one another put their gifts on before properly examining each necklace.

  Jacinta was wearing a pretty gold chain with a dainty charm in the shape of a paper crane.

  ‘It’s lovely,’ said Millie and Alice-Miranda as they admired the intricate detail.

  Millie’s charm was a tiny gold branch of cherry blossoms, while Alice-Miranda wore a small circular pendant.

  ‘What is that?’ Jacinta asked.

  ‘It’s a chrysanthemum,’ Hugh replied. ‘It’s a symbol of the Japanese royal family. The Emperor sits on the Chrysanthemum throne.’

  ‘Ooh, uncomfortable,’ Jacinta said, squirming in her seat.

  Millie shook her head. ‘You’re ridiculous.’

  ‘What?’ Jacinta said, grinning. ‘Chrysanthemums are spiky. And I’m not ridiculous, thank you very much.’

  ‘Maybe, maybe not,’ Millie said and then turned to Hugh. ‘Thanks, Hugh.’ She slid down from her seat and gave him a hug. Jacinta did the same, followed by Alice-Miranda.

  ‘So, I did okay?’ he asked.

  ‘Yes, Daddy – perfect!’ Alice-Miranda smiled as she admired her pendant. ‘I’m going to wear it every day. Well, at least until we go back to school. Miss Grimm isn’t fond of jewellery with our uniforms.’

  Millie and Jacinta agreed that they would do the same.

  Kiko listened at the top of the basement stairs. She had stayed in the laundry as long as she dared. At least the clothes were clean and, as far as she could tell in the poor light, not pink. She’d hung everything on the taut cables that spanned the room, hoping that was how the laundry was normally dried. She didn’t mind having to do the jobs at all – in fact, she was quite enjoying doing something for others instead of studying from dawn to dusk. But she had to uncover a way out and ask for help to find the house she was seeking. She couldn’t stay with Obaasan and her squirrels forever.

  Kiko pulled her cap lower and went to tuck her hair back inside. She felt for her plait but of course it was no longer there. It was hidden inside her t-shirt. She had thought it would be more difficult – her hair had always been long – but in a couple of sharp chops it was done. She’d tidied it up as best she could and wondered what she looked like now. It was strange; she felt so much lighter.

  The house was silent. Kiko tiptoed along the hallway to her room. Once inside, she found her backpack, opened the zip and stuffed the plait in. She wondered if she might be able to sell it. Surely there were wigmakers who would pay for good quality hair. Kiko pulled out her jacket. She dug her hand into the pocket and froze. Her fingers searched every corner – then the other pocket too. But nothing.

  She up-ended the bag, wondering if it had fallen out when she’d put her jacket inside the previous evening. The diary fell to the floor and her plait tumbled on top of it but nothing else. She unzipped the front pouch. It was empty too. Kiko shook the futon, hoping desperately that her necklace had slipped out and fallen among the bedding.

  ‘Are you in there, boy?’ Obaasan called from somewhere down the hall.

  Kiko hurriedly fixed her bed and stuffed her jacket and hair inside the backpack. She placed the diary carefully down the side and zipped the bag up. Her heart beat even faster than when she’d been caught at the turnstile in the subway. She gasped for breath.

  That boy – Taro – he must have been snooping in her room. He could have taken it, or his father, Tatsu. Kiko had felt the necklace in her pocket before she’d dozed off outside the door last night. It was right there and now it was gone. What if it had fallen out while she was sleeping on the doorstep? Kiko couldn’t think.

  She wanted to get out of the house. Her head was spinning. She ran to the hallway and looked towards the back door – but the padlocks were still in place.

  ‘Yoshi, you come here now,’ Obaasan yelled.

  Kiko turned and saw the old woman shuffling towards her. She felt as if she might throw up.

  ‘What are you staring at the door for? Never mind those locks. They are to keep the old people in. I can’t have them wandering off. Are you hungry, boy?’

  Kiko’s stomach was in knots. Food was the last thing she felt like.

  ‘I called you for lunch but you were still doing the laundry. Did you do the ironing too?’ Obaasan asked. ‘If that’s the case, I will keep you forever.’

  The clothes weren’t even dry and Kiko hadn’t the first clue about ironing.

  ‘Well, I have left you some noodles and chicken and rice,’ Obaasan said. ‘You did a good job with the sorting. Better than fat boy. He is my grandson and the stupidest boy I have ever known. Maybe I will get rid of him and keep you instead.’

  ‘Does Taro do other jobs?’ Kiko asked quietly. She was hoping he had some chores outside the house.

  ‘What did you say, boy? Speak up! My hearing is not as good since my last birthday. Eighty-two and suddenly you are on the downhill slide, though I am still a baby compared with that lot in there.’ Obaasan pointed her thumb over her shoulder towards the sitting room.

  ‘I could go to the market for you,’ Kiko said a little louder. Kiko had seen grocery bags in the kitchen the day before and wondered who was responsible for the shopping.

  ‘Mmm. Taro is always messing up my order. If you like, you can go to the market tomorrow. I have a very looooong list.’

  ‘Do you need me to go today?’ Kiko asked. She was desperate to get outside and search the alley for her necklace.

  Obaasan shook her head. ‘No.’

  The old woman shuffled past Kiko into the bedroom.

  She reached under the covers and pulled out Kiko’s backpack.

  ‘I will look after this for you.’

  Kiko’s heart froze. ‘Wh
y?’ she whispered.

  ‘This is my insurance. I don’t want you to take my shopping money and run off, boy.’ Obaasan grinned. Flecks of noodles sat between her yellow teeth. ‘Whatever is in this bag must be important to you. I’m sure you would have run away last night if it hadn’t been sitting under my foot. I will give it back once I am sure I can trust you.’ The old woman unzipped the top and pulled out the change of clothes Kiko had brought with her. ‘But you can keep these. I don’t want you to smell bad.’ Obaasan held them out. She squinted through her glasses. ‘Mmm . . . maybe you are not so good at washing – have you turned your own underpants pink?’

  Kiko quickly snatched the underpants and white t-shirt. She felt sick. Her necklace was already gone. There was no way she could lose her mother’s diary too.

  Hatsuko stared at the screen. A bald man beside her was fiddling with a piece of electronic equipment on the desk. Her two black-suited assistants stood watching too. A map of Tokyo appeared and within a few seconds the image zoomed in on a red blip. It was moving along a street in the area called Asakusa.

  ‘Aha!’ Hatsuko exclaimed. ‘Am I not a genius?’ The woman leaned closer to the screen. ‘But what is she doing there?’

  Yuki and Yamato shrugged.

  Hatsuko turned to the technician. ‘How quickly will the car be ready?’

  ‘It will take another day,’ he replied, his eyes downcast.

  ‘Work faster. I need her to be in the safe house as soon as possible,’ Hatsuko hissed.

  ‘I could take another car,’ Yuki suggested. ‘And Yamato could guide me from here.’

  Hatsuko thought for a moment then shook her head. ‘You cannot take her off the street in broad daylight. Anyway, I’m sure it is just a coincidence she is in that part of the city. She won’t find what she’s looking for.’

  ‘But isn’t it dangerous for her to be outside? What if someone realises?’ said Yamato.

  ‘Perhaps you should have thought of that before you lost her! She has run away, numbskull. She doesn’t want to be found. She will be lying low and realising just how hard life can be. But I’m certain that the last thing she wants is to come back here,’ Hatsuko said, arching an eyebrow.