CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY SEVEN - Shadows in Kyoto

A few minutes later, the hotel doors opened, and a middle-aged man walked in. He was dressed casually in jeans and a polo shirt, with kind eyes that crinkled at the corners when he saw Claire. "Hello," he said in accented but clear English. "I'm Hiroshi Tanaka. The hotel manager called me when she realized you needed help. I live nearby and speak English. Can you tell me what's happened?" Relief washed over Claire. Finally, someone who could understand her. She took a deep breath and began to explain her situation, starting with getting lost and stumbling upon the festival, and ending with her narrow escape from the yakuza. As she spoke, Hiroshi's expression grew increasingly grave. When she finished, he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "This is a very serious situation," he said. "The yakuza are not to be trifled with. But don't worry, we'll figure out a way to help you." He turned to the receptionist and spoke to her in Japanese. The woman nodded and hurried off, returning moments l