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連続小説 MIA(13) | Memories in Australia
「この部屋に移り住んだのは2か月前くらい。それまではゲストハウスにいたんだ。長く住むなら家賃を払うほうが割安になるからね。それに、ここはシェアハウスだし」竜崎はいう。「じゃあ、ルームメイトが?」「うん、居るよ。ちょうど君が座っているそのベッドが彼の場所だ。しばらく顔を見ていなかったけれど、どうやら僕が出かけている間に戻ってきてたみたいだね。ほら、床に洗濯物が積んである」そう言って笑う。僕はそれを聞いて納得した。この部屋から、ちぐはぐな印象を受けたのはそういう理由だった。今、話の流れが来ている。テオが襲撃された一件について聞き出すチャンスだ。「その、彼は日本人なの?」
「そうだよ。ゴールドコーストで出会ったんだ。彼も僕と同じ仕事をしている」
「是非とも会ってみたいな」
「もちろん、いいとも。どこに居るのか訊いてみよう」竜崎はそう言って電話を掛けた。
10分ほど経つと、玄関ドアが開き、大男が現れた。「よう、君が斉藤晶馬か」彼は高橋だと名乗った。彼の身長は180㎝以上ありそうである。よろしくと、言うと彼はそそくさとテレビをつけた。バラエティー番組でクイズをやっている。高橋は、司会者のコメントにクックックと声を出して笑っていた。「彼は無類のクイズ番組好きでね」竜崎が言う。「それで、あんたも運び屋をやるのか?」高橋は、テレビから目を離さずに言った。僕はそれには答えずに、こう言った。「実は、聞いてほしいことがあるんだ。あるブラジル人兄弟のことだ」
僕はミゲルのパスポートを取り出した。「この男を見たことはあるか?じつは、彼に金を貸しているけれど返ってきていない」僕は話をでっち上げた。「なぜ、あんたがそれを持っている?」高橋が言う。「僕はゲストハウスの同居人なんだよ。たまたまだけどね。この兄弟は数日後にはブラジルへ帰るらしい。貸した金もあるし、彼らが帰ってしまう前になんとかしたい。このパスポートは、彼らが荷造り中のところをこっそり持ち出してきた」実際は、ミゲルと話し合っていて、芝居の小道具のために借りて来ていた。竜崎に鎌をかけて情報を引っ張り出すためだった。竜崎が口を開く。「ああ、ミゲルじゃないか。奇遇だな、僕も彼に金を貸している。それで、どうしたいのかな?」まんまと乗ってきた。僕はすかさず言った。「まずはこの男を懲らしめたい。なにか方法はないか?金の回収はその後で考えよう」高橋が拳をさすりながらニヤリとした。実は、ゲストハウスのフロント係も組織につながっていた。以前、テオが襲われた晩に、早めに玄関を施錠したのは彼だったのだ。今回もその方法を使って、ミゲルを襲う。というのが彼らの作戦だった。僕は、同居人であることを利用してテオを連れ出し、ミゲルを一人にさせる役回りだ。作戦の実行は明日の夜となった。
つづく(※平日の正午ごろに連載を更新します)
" I moved into this room about two months ago. Before that, I was in a guesthouse. If you live here for a long time, it's cheaper to pay rent. Besides, this is a shared house," Ryuzaki said. " So you have a roommate? " " Yes, I'm here. That bed you are just sitting on is his place. I haven't seen him for a while, but it looks like he came back while I was out. Look, there's a pile of laundry on the floor," he said, laughing. I was convinced by that. That was the reason why I had the impression that this room was out of place. Now the story is coming to me. This is my chance to find out about Theo's attack. "Is he Japanese? "
" Yes," he said. "We met on the Gold Coast. He's in the same business as me. "
" I'd love to meet him. "
" Of course. Let's ask him where he is," Ryuzaki said and made a phone call.
After about 10 minutes, the front door opened and a large man appeared. He introduced himself as Takahashi and he looked to be over 180 cm tall. After saying hello, he quickly turned on the TV. A variety show was playing a quiz. Takahashi was laughing aloud at the host's comments. " He loves quiz shows," Ryuzaki said. " So you're going to be his courier, too?" Takahashi said without taking his eyes off the TV. I didn't answer him. " Actually, there's something I want you to hear. It's about a certain Brazilian brother. "
I took out Miguel's passport. 'Have you seen this man? " I made up a story. " Why do you have it? " Takahashi says. " I'm a roommate at the guesthouse. It just so happens. The brothers are going back to Brazil in a few days. I have some money I lent them, and I want to do something before they leave. I smuggled these passports out when they were packing." In fact, he had been talking with Miguel and had borrowed them for props for a play. The purpose was to scythe Ryuzaki and pull information out of him. Ryuzaki opens his mouth. " Ah, it's Miguel, isn't it? What a coincidence, I owe him money too. So, what do you want to do?" I was right on board. I quickly said, "I'm not a good person. First of all, I want to punish this man. Is there any way to do that? We'll figure out how to recover the money after that," Takahashi grinned as he rubbed his knuckles. In fact, the front desk clerk at the guesthouse was also connected to the organization. It was he who had locked the front door early the night Theo was attacked. This time, he would use the same method to attack Miguel. That was their plan. I was in charge of taking Theo out and leaving Miguel alone, taking advantage of the fact that I was his roommate. The plan was to be carried out tomorrow night.
To be continued (*The series will be updated around noon on weekdays.
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