DELUSION [ CHAPTER 13 ]
THE PHONE
“I’m surprised it’s cold here....”
“Well there’s central air conditioning here remember? I’m glad though, otherwise I can’t imagine surviving here, even for those interior designers...”
“Any idea why they left HIkaru?”
“No, how would I know?”
“You and Inoo came here first...”
“Told you it was barred...pass me a juice box Daichan...”
Yuto stared at the boys. “I miss work...”
Yuri smiled. He was lying down flat, staring at the ceiling. “I miss Ryo...”
“Yeah...”
“I wonder if Yamada’s in prison....”
“Oh yeah! Inoo this equipment you got is pretty cool you know? Where’d you get this?” Yuto smiled at Inoo who looked up with his mouth swollen. It was filled with a partially chewed red bean bun that Yuri had bought from the 24 hours grocery store outside.
“Oh...fum...fom....foys shore...”
“Urr....Inoo....I didn’t get that....with all that food...”
They chuckled as Inoo hastily swallowed the whole bun and smiled. “Sorry...the toys store...”
The boys stared in silence; they were rethinking the scenario of themselves staking the police out with toys.
Daiki blinked at Hikaru.
“Now I feel like an idiot...”
“INOOOO!!”
“What!?? You said whatever is good!”
“I actually felt cool for a moment...” Keito muttered blankly as Yuto and Yuri both aimed their blankets at Inoo.
“Hey Yabu,come here would you.....”
Yabu came towards Takaki who was sitting against the wall with his computer.
“Missing college student?.What about her?”
“Well apparently this was today’s news...but I also found this on some random blogs...read carefully...”
Yabu scanned the article cautiously.
“It mentions...wait....blood stains on a bench? Suspect in custody...you don’t think...” Yabu said, keeping his voice low so that the others wouldn’t hear this conversation.
“Yeah....in custody of the Special Investigation Bureau...”
“But...”
“Remember what Keito said? The bench with blood stains...it was in Yamada’s neighbourhood...or nearby...” Takaki whispered going through the blog.
“So the suspect witnessed the crime...he’s not in prison...”
“I figure the police suspect Yamada remembers the face of the criminal...”
“Oh thank god....at least he’s not a criminal suspect or something...”
“But...they won’t let him out until the criminal is caught?”
“Dunno....maybe we should call the police station...to talk with him...”
“Yeah....give me your phone...”
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“What do you mean you lost your phone? You sure your friends don’t have it?” Rei asked as Yamada scanned his bag again, even though he knew it wasn’t there. He was always on his phone, and without it he felt so empty.
“Gomen Rei, making you search with me...”
“I’m not searching...”
“Okay Fine...for attempting to help me...”
“I’m not helping, I’m watching over you ...”
“Like a guardian angel? So sweet. Thanks...”
“LIKE A COP WATCHING OVER A SUSPECT....”
“Yeah sure...”
Rei frowned. She and Yamada had scanned the Investigation Room and the lounge, but to his dismay, the phone was still not there.
“By the way Ryo, Kazama san came to see you...”
Yamada looked up. “Honto? Can I see him?”
“Negative....” Rei said sternly. Yamada stared. “Why?”
“Well, you can’t have any communication with external sources...I made that article up, who knows you did kill Yumi, and you want your buddies to hide her while we keep you in here..”
Yamada sighed looking helpless. “Why...would I kill her....I’m not a murderer Rei...” he flopped on a chair and put his face on the table. “Why...would I....”
Rei stared. “I don’t think you killed her...”
Yamada looked up and smiled. “Yes...I know...so far you’re the only that believed in me...”
“But I don’t trust anyone so easily...I’ve made mistakes before...so forgive me if you really ARE innocent...”
She moved to the seat opposite to him and sat down.
Yamada looked at her. “How old are you exactly?”
“You are not supposed to ask a woman her age...”
“Who says you’re a woman...joking joking!” he smiled as Rei’s hands moved towards her gun.
“I’m your age...a few months older...”
“How come you’re a detective...you’re quite young?”
“I studied earlier, took the bar exam, passed and came here. I studied in a Police Academy, in Hokkaido. It’s a boarding house. I was the youngest in my batch.”
“Why criminal studies? I mean why not something less...related to the police?”
Rei smiled. “My dad...was a detective, he was an amazing detective, I've always wanted to be like him...”
“I am sorry....”
Rei blinked. “For what?”
Yamada stared at her. “I mean...I am sorry your dad passed away...”
“When did I say that?” Rei glared at Yamada who moved away from her in defence.
“Oh...you said was...WAS the greatest...WAS a detective...”
“HE”S RETIRED BAKA!”
“Sorry....”
“Rei! Good news! What is going on?” Tomo stared at the scene, where Yamada was crouching beneath the investigation table, and Rei had her shoe in one hand and a gun in the other.
“Nothing...nothing...” Rei said putting her shoe back on, and standing up straight with that usual pride she carried around.
Yamada weakly moved out from under the table against the wall.
Tomo smirked. “Getting along?”
“URusai!” They both yelled at him angrily. “What is it? The good news?” Rei snapped.
“The map... Ren managed to redraw it on the paper you gave us..”
“That’s some cheap quality paper Detective Rei....”
“It’s tracing paper RYOSUKE....”
“Oh.....”
Yamada grinned apologetically at Rei who ignored him. Tomo chuckled “Ren remembered the map well ne, he redrew it on this tracing paper because he used some of the pictures he took of your scars for support.”
Rei examined the map.
“The lines are very roughly drawn...found anything on the boy’s body to confirm the item used for the scars...”
“Yes, I found brass and nickel in the blood sample...and very slight percentage was still there in the scars..” Ren walked through the door with some papers in hand.
“What? Am I going to die?” Yamada asked Ren who smiled. “I cleaned your wounds, and all that body pain must’ve been due to an infection. I’ll give you some meds to take..you’ll be fine..”
“Awww thats sad...”
“Stop it Rei...” Ren said as Yamada glared at Rei from behind.
“So...he did that...with a key?” Rei asked . Tomo smiled. “Yup...Yamada scarred himself with a key...or somebody else did and wrote his name at the bottom...”
“No no I’m sure it was me...”
“But...oh...the phone’s ringing...I’ll go get it...” Rei walked to the edge of the office and answered the phone. Yamada sat down on the chair and stared at the map.
“It looks familiar....”
Ren looked at him. “You think? Any idea...”
“Yeah....it really looks very familiar....I mean....I know this route....”
Tomo placed the paper in front of Yamada so that he could have a better look. “Is it your neighbourhood?”
“No...These lines...I mean the map...it doesn’t look like it’s a residential area ...”
“Is it nearby a grocery store perhaps?” Ren asked again at Yamada who was reading the map with utmost concentration.
“No...this...is...oh...no way...”
“What?” Tomo and Ren both looked at him anxiously.
“This is a staircase...at the back of Jimusho...”
“What? Why did you draw that? Were you there that day?”
“I’m there everyday...only I rarely take the staircase, it’s basically a fire escape, This isn’t a map at all. It’s the building itself. These lines, I think they are levels...”
Tomo nodded. “Yes...that actually makes so much more sense...”
“Maybe we should get the blueprints of your company building eh Ryo?”
“That sounds like a good idea....”
Ren stared at the drawing.
“The X mark....it looks like it’s on one of the floors....”
“I’ll get the blueprints...Ren...” Tomo moved towards the computer. “I think it’s in the database here...”
“Ren...” Rei came towards them silently.
“What is it?” Ren looked up at her.
“I think you should listen to this....”
“Whats wrong? Did you record it? Who was it...” Tomo moved towards the machine beside the phone and replayed the call. Rei stood very still.
Hello? Police headquarters, Special Investigation’s department. Wh....”
“Yumi....”
“I’m sorry ?”
“Yumi....Yumi......Yumi.......YUMI...YUMI!”
Yamada covered his ears as the person on the other side began to yell again and again, Rei didn’t do it, but it was obvious she wanted to.
“Stop Yelling!.......”
“leave .....leave......leave me alone....LEAVE....LEAVE! LEAVE! AND GO HOME!!!”
The line got cut. Tomo stared at Ren who was looking at the receiver of the phone. Yamada looked at Rei who was standing away from the rest.
“Did you get the number?”
“The staircase....”
“What?” Rei stared at Yamada who was still looking at her.
“The map....that staircase.....it’s...”
“Yamada....”
Ren looked at him before he could finish. “This number is registered in your name...”
Rei grabbed Yamada’s arm. “Your phone!”