“Please,” she said, trying to pull away.
He ignored her, turning the man over, ignoring the blood. “Shit,” he said.
“Shit what? Do you know him?”
He took the gun from the holster under the dead man’s arm and handed it to her. “Don’t use that on me,” he warned her.
He looked at the man for a moment longer, then finally moved away, and she allowed herself to breathe again. “He’s Hideto Nakamura. He’s never been part of the Japanese branch of my grandfather’s family—he’s always lived here—but he has a connection. One that’s impossible.”
“You want to explain it to me?”
“He’s dead,” Reno said, his voice flat. “This doesn’t make sense. You need to do exactly what I tell you—”
“How many times have I heard that?” she said.
He frowned at her. “I’m going to get you out of here before I get rid of the body. We don’t want anyone asking questions that you aren’t going to want to answer.” He dragged her through the kitchen, ignoring her struggles.
She tried holding back, but it was useless. He was too strong. “I don’t mind talking to the police. Why don’t we call them?”
“The phone lines are cut, and the cell-phone signal’s been jammed. Nakamura was always good with electronics. The question is, who hired him?”
“And who killed him? And where is he?”
“I am here, Lovitz-san.”
Reno swore, spinning around. Kobayashi had loomed out of the shadows, calm and gentle as always. Even splattered with blood.
“I thought you died with my grandfather, Kobayashi-san,” Reno said in a calm voice. He’d finally released her, and she knew what he wanted her to do. He wanted her to run. She didn’t move.
“I wanted to, Hiromasa-san. It would have been my great honor. But I knew I had to avenge him before he died.”
“Why would you need to avenge him? Hitomi and his men died in the explosion.”
“The girl,” Kobayashi said, his voice mournful. “If she had not come, this never would have happened. I hoped my nephew would take care of her, make certain the blood price had been paid, that my master would be avenged, but he failed me. Not once, not twice, but three times.”
“What do you mean?” Jilly said, still in shock as she looked up at the gentle giant with blood on his hands.
“He was to push you in front of traffic. When that failed, he tried to drive you off the road, but instead you were rescued. And he let you escape today. He has dishonored me. Such carelessness had to be punished. But it is my fault, as well—the task should have been mine to complete.”
Reno stood very still. “Are you going to kill me, as well, Kobayashi-san? You know my grandfather loved me—he would never have wanted you to hurt me. And you heard what he said to Ji-chan before he died. Are you forgetting that?”
Kobayashi’s broad forehead wrinkled for a moment, and Jilly realized at that moment that Ojiisan’s bodyguard was bat-shit insane. “She is supposed to die. Someone must pay for the master’s death.”
“But why her? She had nothing to do with it.”
Kobayashi blinked. “Everything was good until she came. The oyabun knew what Hitomisan was trying to do, and he had it well under control. Until she came into things and destroyed everything. She must die.”
“You know you have to kill me first,” Reno said, his voice soft, implacable.
“I will do what I have to do.”
Reno moved away from her, toward Kobayashi, and his eyes glittered in the shadowy hallway. “You can try.”
Kobayashi stood still, his massive body blocking the exit. “It won’t do you any good, young master,” he said. He was holding something in one meaty hand, something small and delicate. It was the digital tape recorder her supposed interviewer was going to use. He clicked it, and Jilly closed her eyes, expecting a thundering explosion. Nothing happened. Until she heard the crackling.
“My nephew already set the charges. He thought we were going to leave before the house burned, but that was never my intent. We will all die here, and join my master….”
“Ji-chan, run!” Reno shouted as he leapt toward Kobayashi.