Non-challenge fic: A Policeman's Tale Day 4
Title: A Policeman's Tale Day 4
Author: Ytak
Genre: General/Mystery
Word count: 1000
Rating: K (PG)
Summary: 60 days in the personal and professional life of Detective Takagi.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3
Day 4
Takagi straightened out the papers on his desk. By the time he finished, there were three piles of organized files left on the desk. One was miscellaneous crimes that could be investigated at leisure (hypothetically) and forms to be filled out and filed away. The other two piles were the cases that were actively under investigation.
The first pile was the daycare attack case. The second was the business rival case. Takagi began looking at the first pile. While the comments of the adults matched, some of the children had a different tale to tell.
Takagi did not want to discount what the children told him. He knew children see things differently than adults. He felt that there was something in their comments.
“Takagi-san,” said a voice, causing Takagi to jump. Tsutsumi, for that was who it was, sounded apologetic, “Ah, sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.”
“It's fine,” Takagi said, hastily straightening the papers he scattered when he jumped. “Is there something you need?”
“I might have a lead on the daycare case but Inspector Megure wanted me to remind you that you still need to interview the members of the Hiruma family. You might be able to catch them after the funeral if you hurry.” He added, “The inspector doesn't want you to spend too much time on it. The daycare case is too important to put off.”
“Thank you,” Takagi said, switching to the other case, “I'll let him know when I go.”
“We'll talk afterward,” Tsutsumi said, “Terada and I are going to check out the lead.”
Takagi opened the Hiruma file and began to review the details. With any luck, a few more questions would clear up the matter. Takagi looked around for his partner in the investigation, Kimura, and eventually found him in the break room getting some coffee.
Waving him down, Takagi asked, “Do you know what time the Hiruma funeral is?”
“Just a moment,” Kimura said, digging out his notes. “It starts in an hour. Why?”
“Inspector Megure thinks that after the funeral would be a good time to talk to our suspects.”
Kimura looked panicked for a second. “Then we'd better go now if we want to be in place when it's over.” He reluctantly dumped the coffee down the sink. The two officers headed to the garage and climbed into Takagi's car.
On the way there, Kimura briefed Takagi on what he learned yesterday at the wake. “I think I know who is responsible but it wasn't practical to take him in for questioning yesterday.” He flipped through his notes and outlined what he learned and who he suspected of the crime.
“How well does the evidence point to him?” Takagi asked.
Kimura winced a little, “Not as well as I'd like. A really good lawyer could, no, would make an argument for it to fit a few other people.”
“Hmmm,” Takagi said, thinking about the problem. Out loud, he added, “And he is too powerful to simply confront with the information to get him to confess. Is there anything that ties him specifically to the crime? It doesn't matter if it is small. We can use that to build on the evidence.”
Now it was Kimura's time to think. They rode in silence for a few minutes. When Takagi was about to suggest and alternative strategy, Kimura said, “I've got it!” He reached back into his jacket and brought something out. “His alibi doesn't quite match up.”
The rest of the way to the funeral, they spent discussing how they wanted to trap the suspect. With any luck they would have their guy.
A couple of hours later, Takagi found himself driving back to the station. Kimura was at one of the local stations, getting an official confession before heading back with the suspect to the jail. The trap they laid worked better than they thought. One of the own son's of the suspect actually confronted his father and handed over more evidence. Evidence that could not be refuted.
Now that this case was wrapped up, Takagi's mind drifted back to the daycare attack.
Girly grunt. Sand colored hair. Slight form. For a moment, it felt like he could feel the pieces fall into place.
And if Takagi were not driving, he would have smacked himself. The attacker was not a teenager, but a woman! They had been so caught up on the assumptions of the daycare workers that the attacker was a man that they had disregarded the possibility of it being a woman.
He recalled the case where there were three suspects that each fit one of the descriptions given by witnesses and the assumptions made then. It was similar in some ways. He would not rule out a teenager but the possible base of suspects had just increased.
At a stop light, Takagi pulled out his cell phone and called Terada to share his epiphany. Terada was quiet a moment before letting out a colorful word and telling Tsutsumi that they were going to change their line of questioning.
Terada gruffly said, “Thanks for calling us. All of the teens we were told to look into are out of town on a field trip to Okinawa or on some other school field trips. That would explain all the dead ends we've had this morning.”
“I'm sorry, sir, but the thought just occurred to me,” Takagi apologized.
Terada grunted, “Not your fault. Tsutsumi and I are both more experienced and it didn't occur to us, either.” There was a pause as Takagi heard Tsutsumi say something to Terada. “We'll see you back at the station, Takagi, in an hour.”
“Yes, sir,” Takagi said, knowing that he needed to finish up with the Hiruma paperwork in that time. Now he felt like he could properly focus on the daycare case. He made a note to call the hospital to see how the daycare worker was doing and if they could go in for an interview tomorrow.
Author: Ytak
Genre: General/Mystery
Word count: 1000
Rating: K (PG)
Summary: 60 days in the personal and professional life of Detective Takagi.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3
Day 4
Takagi straightened out the papers on his desk. By the time he finished, there were three piles of organized files left on the desk. One was miscellaneous crimes that could be investigated at leisure (hypothetically) and forms to be filled out and filed away. The other two piles were the cases that were actively under investigation.
The first pile was the daycare attack case. The second was the business rival case. Takagi began looking at the first pile. While the comments of the adults matched, some of the children had a different tale to tell.
Takagi did not want to discount what the children told him. He knew children see things differently than adults. He felt that there was something in their comments.
“Takagi-san,” said a voice, causing Takagi to jump. Tsutsumi, for that was who it was, sounded apologetic, “Ah, sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.”
“It's fine,” Takagi said, hastily straightening the papers he scattered when he jumped. “Is there something you need?”
“I might have a lead on the daycare case but Inspector Megure wanted me to remind you that you still need to interview the members of the Hiruma family. You might be able to catch them after the funeral if you hurry.” He added, “The inspector doesn't want you to spend too much time on it. The daycare case is too important to put off.”
“Thank you,” Takagi said, switching to the other case, “I'll let him know when I go.”
“We'll talk afterward,” Tsutsumi said, “Terada and I are going to check out the lead.”
Takagi opened the Hiruma file and began to review the details. With any luck, a few more questions would clear up the matter. Takagi looked around for his partner in the investigation, Kimura, and eventually found him in the break room getting some coffee.
Waving him down, Takagi asked, “Do you know what time the Hiruma funeral is?”
“Just a moment,” Kimura said, digging out his notes. “It starts in an hour. Why?”
“Inspector Megure thinks that after the funeral would be a good time to talk to our suspects.”
Kimura looked panicked for a second. “Then we'd better go now if we want to be in place when it's over.” He reluctantly dumped the coffee down the sink. The two officers headed to the garage and climbed into Takagi's car.
On the way there, Kimura briefed Takagi on what he learned yesterday at the wake. “I think I know who is responsible but it wasn't practical to take him in for questioning yesterday.” He flipped through his notes and outlined what he learned and who he suspected of the crime.
“How well does the evidence point to him?” Takagi asked.
Kimura winced a little, “Not as well as I'd like. A really good lawyer could, no, would make an argument for it to fit a few other people.”
“Hmmm,” Takagi said, thinking about the problem. Out loud, he added, “And he is too powerful to simply confront with the information to get him to confess. Is there anything that ties him specifically to the crime? It doesn't matter if it is small. We can use that to build on the evidence.”
Now it was Kimura's time to think. They rode in silence for a few minutes. When Takagi was about to suggest and alternative strategy, Kimura said, “I've got it!” He reached back into his jacket and brought something out. “His alibi doesn't quite match up.”
The rest of the way to the funeral, they spent discussing how they wanted to trap the suspect. With any luck they would have their guy.
A couple of hours later, Takagi found himself driving back to the station. Kimura was at one of the local stations, getting an official confession before heading back with the suspect to the jail. The trap they laid worked better than they thought. One of the own son's of the suspect actually confronted his father and handed over more evidence. Evidence that could not be refuted.
Now that this case was wrapped up, Takagi's mind drifted back to the daycare attack.
Girly grunt. Sand colored hair. Slight form. For a moment, it felt like he could feel the pieces fall into place.
And if Takagi were not driving, he would have smacked himself. The attacker was not a teenager, but a woman! They had been so caught up on the assumptions of the daycare workers that the attacker was a man that they had disregarded the possibility of it being a woman.
He recalled the case where there were three suspects that each fit one of the descriptions given by witnesses and the assumptions made then. It was similar in some ways. He would not rule out a teenager but the possible base of suspects had just increased.
At a stop light, Takagi pulled out his cell phone and called Terada to share his epiphany. Terada was quiet a moment before letting out a colorful word and telling Tsutsumi that they were going to change their line of questioning.
Terada gruffly said, “Thanks for calling us. All of the teens we were told to look into are out of town on a field trip to Okinawa or on some other school field trips. That would explain all the dead ends we've had this morning.”
“I'm sorry, sir, but the thought just occurred to me,” Takagi apologized.
Terada grunted, “Not your fault. Tsutsumi and I are both more experienced and it didn't occur to us, either.” There was a pause as Takagi heard Tsutsumi say something to Terada. “We'll see you back at the station, Takagi, in an hour.”
“Yes, sir,” Takagi said, knowing that he needed to finish up with the Hiruma paperwork in that time. Now he felt like he could properly focus on the daycare case. He made a note to call the hospital to see how the daycare worker was doing and if they could go in for an interview tomorrow.