The Devouring God Read Online Free Page B

caller’s mother tongue. Now I see that I made this a statement instead of a question because I wanted to convince him of the answer. But really, I knew the whole time that he meant what he said. I didn’t give him time to answer, and I told him there were many men quite happy to have this desire.”
    â€œWhat did he say to that?”
    â€œNot a word. I told him that in Fukuoka, there was a show club called Tomato Tomato, but I didn’t even know if it was open anymore. This isn’t Tokyo, and I don’t think there’s a big gay neighborhood like Shinjuku Ni-­chomé, maybe just a few isolated clubs. I told him he could ask around at the baths in Futsukaichi, or go ask in town. And I told him his Japanese was so good he could probably meet men online . . .”
    â€œBut he wasn’t interested in men, was he?”
    Yoshida sat back in her chair. “Just that student.”
    â€œWas he angry that you thought he was a homosexual? I certainly would be.”
    â€œI can only imagine, Detective. No, he was very calm, and he talked to me very politely, as if I were a stranger’s child. His Japanese really is good, and he understands sarcasm. He told me that his desire is not sexual, that it is actually something quite pure and reverent. Just saying that he wants to lick the student’s bones does not explain the devotional aspect.”
    â€œ ‘Devotional aspect,’ he said?”
    â€œThose were his words. I just told you. He also said he is very curious about the texture of the bones, how they will feel on his tongue. He imagines that the cranium, the jaw, and the cheekbones will probably be smooth, like polished ivory, but that the long bones, like the humerus and femur, may have some subtle grain like fine wood.”
    â€œUnbelievable.”
    â€œHe said he has licked various surfaces around his house, trying to imagine how different bones would feel. He asked me if it sounded silly, walking around in the dark, licking countertops and cabinets and doorsills. I asked if he had hurt anyone or acted on these desires, and he seemed not to hear me. He said it was ridiculous to think about the texture because all the bones would be smooth when he had licked them clean.”
    â€œA man this disturbed can’t stay hidden long. This isn’t his first threat, and we’ll be able to catch him easily.”
    After a moment of silence, Yoshida spoke quietly and deliberately. “You can’t even trace the call. How can you catch him?”
    The detective smiled. “You know, when I worked in Tokyo, we had a system where we could track a cell phone to within one hundred to five hundred meters. We could receive the location circled on a map at any fax machine anywhere in the country.”
    â€œAnd why doesn’t that work here?”
    The detective just smiled.
    â€œThis is an old trunk exchange,” Takuda said. They both turned to look at him. “Not only is there no stored information available about incoming calls, there’s no way to trace incoming calls without advance preparation and active switching. Even though we have the destination, there’s no way to trace to the origin until we can isolate the transfers for that particular call. It will take luck, but we will do our best.”
    The detective said, “Security Guard, when you say ‘we,’ you mean . . .”
    â€œOta Southern Protection Ser­vices. We offer a wide range of ser­vices, as I’m sure President Ota will tell you.”
    â€œI’m sure. Tell me,” he said as he turned back to Yoshida. “How did the conversation end?”
    â€œHe said that because I thought this was some sort of sexual act, his offering should include a woman’s bones as well.”
    â€œ ‘Offering’?”
    â€œHis words. He said his ex-­girlfriend would be perfect, but she is a little short, and her teeth are crooked. These