I couldn't read Komatori's silence. Maybe I'd insulted him. Or maybe he was just considering his answer.

After a long moment, he replied, "Perhaps I can understand how Sifu Hong might have received that impression. There's no tradition of personal communication between masters. Schools such as ours have always kept to themselves.

"But I can tell you plainly, Brew-san, that Sifu Hong is mistaken about this. Like his school, ours once occupied another location in Garner.

My master didn't want to move. We'd been there for several years, and he felt a loyalty to the owner. When the time came to renew our lease, however, we learned that his loyalty wasn't reciprocated. The owner raised our rent considerably, more than we could afford, and we needed to find a new location rather quickly. Mr. Lacone offered us favorable terms and immediate availability.

"In retrospect," Komatori admitted, "it seems unfortunate that we moved in before Traditional Wing Chun." Then he added, "But I assure you and you can assure Sifu Hong that my master's decision was entirely pragmatic. It had nothing to do with a desire for precedence. We didn't learn that Sifu Hong had signed the first lease until both schools were in place."

"You mean Mr. Sternway didn't mention it?" I asked more sharply than I intended. I would've expected Sternway to use every argument he could muster on Lacone's behalf, including school loyalty and national pride.

But Hideo didn't hesitate.

"Indeed not," he stated firmly.

"That would have been indelicate."

And Sternway knew how much Nakahatchi valued delicacy? Maybe he did.

"Then how did you find out?" I pursued.

"Since there's no 'tradition of personal communication."

" Now Komatori paused.

"I'm not sure," he said slowly.

"I believe Ms. Rasmussen mentioned it. We consult often. But" his tone conveyed a smile "I'm not confident of my memory."

Good oP Sue Rasmussen. That gave me another reason to talk to her. I mean, aside from the fact that she hated me.

"What do you consult about?"

Komatori had his answer ready.

"Insurance and liability. Leases. Publicity. Tournaments and seminars. She and I talk to each other at least twice a month."

Which made sense. The same was probably true for T'ang Wen. Still another reason to give her a call. Someone must've planted the idea that I'd been hired because Lacone and Watchdog didn't trust Hong.

"All right," I sighed.

"I'll deal with that when I talk to Sifu Hong. But I think you've given me what I need. Thanks."

"I hope I've been of service." Hideo sounded sincere.

"My master desires to relieve the tensions between our schools."

"Well " I thought for a moment.

"Assuming I can talk Sifu Hong into this, does eleven suit you? Since we're all concerned about face, I don't know who should get precedence, Mr. Swilley or Sifu Hong. I'd rather deliver them together."

"That will be fine." Komatori's tone conveyed confidence.

So now all I had to do was convince Hong, and my fall would be complete. I didn't understand that either.

Where was the danger? My guts churned with an almost metaphysical alarm, as if I'd put someone at risk, someone I ought to protect. But who?

"Brew-san?" the phone asked my silence. Apparently I'd been distracted longer than I realized.

"Sorry again," I murmured while I dredged my attention back to the present.

"Another bad driver?"

"Unfortunately no," I admitted.

"The back of my brain has been trying to tell me something, but I can't seem to hear it."

"Do you meditate?" Komatori inquired.

"Perhaps your receptiveness is cluttered in some way. To still your mind is to hear yourself more clearly."

I made an effort to dismiss the notion without sounding dismissive.

"I'm sure you're right." I already knew my receptiveness was cluttered.

"But until I have time to still my mind, there's another question you might be able to answer for me."

"Certainly."

I checked my bearings quickly, then asked, "Have you, or Na-kahatchi sensei, or Essential Shotokan ever had any kind of contact with the security guard who was killed on Saturday?"

"Contact," Brew-san?" Komatori countered.

"What do you mean? My master and I have been introduced to him at the tournaments. Perhaps some of our students also knew him by name. Is that what you wish to know?"

"Not really. I was thinking more of contact outside the hotel. Was he ever a student of yours? Did he ever do any security work for you on the side? Arrange loans or help pay them off? For you or any of your students?"

Komatori fell silent long enough to make me think that my cell phone had lost the connection. Then he said quietly, "You bewilder me, Brew-san. I don't understand why you ask these questions." Then he added more firmly, "However, I'm sure that your reasons are excellent.

"Naturally I can't speak for the private lives of our students. But to the best of my knowledge, none of us has had any contact with the unfortunate Mr. Appelwait outside the hotel. Certainly my master and I haven't."

And that was the truth, at least as far as I was concerned. Nothing about him set off any alarms in my head. If I needed to, I was prepared to gamble on his honesty.

In any case, I'd already given up on the far-fetched notion that Bernie's death had anything to do with Bernie himself. He hadn't brought it on himself through past indiscretions or unfortunate connections. He was dead, purely and simply, because he'd caught someone in that men's room who considered his identity worth murder to protect.

So I told Komatori again, "I'm sorry. I don't mean to confuse you.

There's just something about Bernie's death that doesn't make sense.