Okawa Reizo, the chemist, was irritated.
The thin, grey haired and aging chemist was irritated, because his courier had failed to show at the regular time. This was most unusual and for someone like Okawa Reizo, it set off alarm bells suggesting perhaps something had gone wrong. The couriers were never late. It was the rule.
He had paced the floor of his villa, out in the affluent Ipanema area of the south zone of Rio. In the distance he could make out the sandy curve of Ipanema beach and see the tanned bodies carousing along the shoreline. He"d looked at the pool, thought about having a swim and instantly dismissed the idea. What if he missed the courier at the front door? So he"d paced some more, made some tea and sat. Sat and waited for hours… more hours than was sensible. The courier
