The Last Assassin

wearing and emerge from beneath it.
    “Maybe he’s reticent because he knows he can never completely get out,” Delilah said, looking at Midori intently. “And if he tries to live like a civilian, with a civilian, he’ll always be a danger to that person. And she’ll always be a danger to him.”
    Midori shook her head slightly as though to clear it. “What?”
    “You know, a man like Rain has a lot of enemies.”
    Midori looked at her. A long, silent moment spun out.
    “And even if he could get out of the life,” Delilah went on, “his enemies won’t.”
    “I’m sorry. You…know him?”
    Delilah nodded. “I know him well.”
    “You…oh, my God.”
    “Listen. If you do care about him, if you care about yourself and your son, you’ll know to stay the hell away from him.”
    Midori’s eyes narrowed and some of the color drained from her face. “Listen to me, you bitch. I don’t know who you are. But if you ever threaten my child again, I will hunt you down and I will fucking kill you.”
    Delilah held up her hands, realizing she had dangerously misspoken. “I’m not threatening anyone. I want you and your son safe. My point is just that Rain can be a danger to the people around him. Haven’t you noticed that?”
    There was a long pause. Midori said, “So you’re part of his world, is that right?”
    “Yes.”
    “And…you’re involved, in some way?”
    Delilah shrugged.
    “So…Jun must have told you about the baby, told you he was coming to see us. And you came here, you met me tonight with this bullshit story, because you were jealous. Is that about right?”
    “I came here tonight because I don’t want to see anyone get hurt. You and Rain together is an accident waiting to happen. I saw you on the way over here, and forgive me, but you don’t have a clue. You never once checked your surroundings, you didn’t look at the vehicles around us, nothing. I told you I’m no threat, but what if I had been? What would you have done? You’re going to live like that with Rain? And if he starts living that way, how long do you think he’s going to last?”
    Midori said nothing. Delilah knew that right now, the woman’s thoughts would be swirling around inside her head like a whiteout blizzard. This was the moment.
    “Besides,” Delilah said, “what kind of future can you have with him after what he did to your father?”
    Midori flinched as though she’d been slapped. She stared at Delilah for a moment, and the shock and hurt in her eyes were palpable. Then her expression hardened and she stood up.
    “I’m sure there’s nothing else we have to say to each other,” she said. She turned and walked out.
    Delilah watched her go. She felt suddenly off balance. Maybe it had been the abruptness of the woman’s departure. Maybe its dignity.
    But that was it, then. Rain had killed Midori’s father, and Midori knew it. The look in the woman’s eyes when Delilah spoke had confirmed it as definitively as a signed affidavit.
    That was exactly what Delilah had come here to learn. It suggested that Rain’s attachment to the woman had something to do with guilt, which could be managed. And it suggested that no matter what else might attract Rain and Midori to each other, there was one fundamental thing that would always keep them apart.
    All of which was good news. She finished her wine and signaled for the check.
    Good news, she told herself again.
    So why did she feel so horrible?

    MIDORI PACED back and forth in her living room. Digne had left. Koichiro was sleeping peacefully.
    She felt violated. How could the woman have known about her father? Had she been involved in his murder? No, that didn’t seem right, a blonde like her would stand out in Tokyo, and besides, Midori had a feeling the woman’s acquaintance with Rain was more recent. But how, then? The only way she could think of was that Rain must have told her. My God, was that his idea of sharing intimacies? Was that their pillow talk?
    She sat down and breathed deeply, in and out, trying to quell a rising feeling of nausea. The thought that she had been half-consciously looking for some way to forgive Rain suddenly shamed her. And here he was discussing the source of her shame with some new lover. How could he? How could he?
    She tried to focus on her breathing, but she couldn’t calm down. Why had the woman come here? To warn Midori off, that was clear. To tell her Rain would always be a danger to her and Koichiro. Tell her,