Summary

Chapter 59 opens on the morning of December 11, 2002, the day before the commissioner’s visit. At the station, Suwa told Mikami that Criminal Investigations had heard that Administrative Affairs was “in cahoots with Tokyo, conspiring to take over the director’s job” (395). This information had begun to circulate around the prefecture’s police stations.

Mikami called Amamiya to confirm their plans for the next day, but there was no answer. He tried once more to no avail. Akama then phoned Mikami to tell him to immediately come to his office. Akama and Ishii were both inside. Mikami noted that the air was “still” (396). Criminal Investigations had called Ishii at home, giving threatening messages. Akama then questioned Mikami about his visit to the captain’s office; he demanded that Mikami make his “allegiances crystal clear” (397). He saw two different sides to Mikami: Press Director Mikami...