Chapter 126

• At fifteen minutes to eight, Sakamo was looking at the main gate of the Hangaku manor. It took him about one hour and thirty minutes to arrive by car, even with his driver taking all sorts of shortcuts to avoid traffic. Sakamo opened the darkened window at the back of the car for the security guy assigned to the gate to see him. He took a good look at the smiling young man and went to his cubicle to open the gate.
• As the car drove along the paved road that led to the manor, Sakamo looked around, admiring the well-treated grass and bush sculptures depicting cranes and pandas.
• As the car approached the manor, a huge blue marble fountain could be seen in front of it. As the car circumnavigated it to stop near the stairs that led to the front door where a butler was waiting, Sakamo saw a group of beautifully carved rock baby angels on a pedestal inside the fountain, spitting water from their mouths into the pound at the bottom. The driver opened the door for him, and Sakamo exited, going towards the serious butler as the driver rode the car to a parking spot on the right side of the manor, where other cars were parked. Sakamo glanced in that direction and saw a few expensive cars parked next to the dark limousine that Hangaku went to when she left School that day.