Non-challenge fic: A Policeman's Tale Day (Day 6)
Title: A Policeman's Tale Day 6
Author: Ytak
Genre: General/Mystery
Word count: 1151
Rating: K (PG)
Comments: *on hands and knees in exagerated begging* Tell me what you think!
Summary: 60 days in the personal and professional life of Detective Takagi.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5
Day 6
There are days, Takagi told himself, that is it hard to get out of bed and going. Yesterday had been a long day without a whole lot to show for it (or nothing he wanted to share). Still, he knew today was not the first day he had like this and he knew it would not be his last. A few co-workers snickered as he stumbled to his desk, yawning. He figured they were snickering at how he nearly tripped on every desk on the way to his own. And it seemed like he was knocking papers off every desk he hit.
He really hoped Sato did not notice the mess he made of her desk. As he had picked up the papers he knocked off her desk, he had noticed a photo that was not part of any open case. The heat in his cheeks reminded him that he was taking too long to put the papers back on her desk.
Carefully, he tucked the photo into his pocket with the promise to give it back to her later. He was a little embarrassed to admit that he wanted the photo of Sato throwing him.
Takagi would not lie to himself. Sato had looked lovely in that wedding dress. Even when she was throwing him.
Still, he wished that he had been informed of the set up in the wedding hall instead of being left in the dressing room.
The little voice in the back of his head that said he was never going to hook up with Sato said that would be the only time they looked like they were getting married. That the next time he saw her in a wedding dress, it would be when she was marrying another man.
That was a thought that constantly haunted him. It was hard to dispel under normal circumstances and the photo was something that was not normal and brought forth all the doubts.
At his desk, having managed to only run into one more desk on the way there, he found himself struggling with those thoughts.
He tore his attention away from those thoughts by pulling out the daycare attack case. The stark presentation of the information cooled those self deprecating thoughts and focused his mind.
Takagi looked through the information they had collected yesterday at the koban*. It had taken most of the day but they had narrowed down the list of people in the neighborhood. The fact that the daycare worker remembered the shoes helped a lot more than they thought. Those shoes were popular within her age group but not with any other group.
No teenage girl would be caught in a pair and older women preferred footwear that was more supportive and less trendy.
That meant the attacker was in the same age group. There were only so many women in the area that age.
Some women they could rule out right away. A few had been out of town and a few more were office workers and would not be out at that time.
They had each taken a section of the area and would later go door to door interviewing. It was too much to hope they would find the culprit right away but there was no harm in hoping.
With his list, Takagi set off for the part of the neighborhood he was given. Some of the women he was able to rule out right away. Too short, too tall, too fat or the hair color was wrong. After some questioning, he was able to rule out a few more.
Some homes he would have to go back to later because no one was home.
Takagi sat down after a couple of hours to give his feet a chance to rest. His stomach reminded him of the time. Locating a convince store, he bought himself another bento. It was chilly out and the sky was overcast.
Halfway through the meal, his cell phone rang. It was Terada. “Takagi, there's been another attack. A couple of kids in the hospital. You need to get over here.”
Takagi was stunned to learn that the attack was miles away. Did that mean the culprit did not live in the area? A roaming attacker would be a lot harder to track and locate.
He dropped the partially eaten bento into a trashcan and went to find his car.
The attack this time was at the exit of an elementary school. There was blood splattered on the concrete.
Terada saw what Takagi was looking at, “The attack wasn't as bad as it might look. A number of teachers moved in and the culprit ran off. There are no life threatening injuries.”
He put his hands in his pockets to warm them up. The sun was setting and the temperature dropping. Takagi asked, “Do we have a description.”
Terada shook his head, “Its no better than what we knew before. The culprit does move fast. Apparently, she can run even when hurt.”
“One of the teachers got a hit in,” Takagi asked, making the jump in reasoning.
Terada nodded, “A karate teacher. Whoever she is, she might have to seek medical attention. A possible broken arm. Yes, the hospitals have already been contacted and some of the nearby clinics.”
“What would you like me to do, sir?” Takagi asked. It seemed like Terada already had all the bases covered.
Terada scratched his head and looked a chagrined, “Well, I'd like you to talk to the children again. Your good at getting information from children. There's that little detective kids' groups you get to work and you did good a couple of days ago.” His chagrin grew even more, “Whenever Tsutsumi and I try to talk to the kids, they start to cry all over again.”
Takagi laughed a little to himself as he went to look for the children who witnessed the attack. Terada was still feeling put off by the children providing better information than the adults the last time. Takagi only hoped that they could provide more information. By all reports, the attack happened even faster than the one at the daycare and it happened in an area that was high traffic, even more so no that school was getting out for the day.
Matters were hindered by the growing chill. It was now winter with a vengeance and everyone was bundling up. No one would think twice about a person bundling up to keep warm, especially now that snow was in the forecast.
Takagi was disappointed but not surprised that the children were unable to provide any information. Nor was he surprised that that was one of the day's many disappointments in the search for the woman.
She was like a phantom, there one moment and gone the next. With any hope, she would go to get help and they could catch her then.
-----------------
*koban: police box (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_system_of_Japan#Police_Boxes)
Author: Ytak
Genre: General/Mystery
Word count: 1151
Rating: K (PG)
Comments: *on hands and knees in exagerated begging* Tell me what you think!
Summary: 60 days in the personal and professional life of Detective Takagi.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5
Day 6
There are days, Takagi told himself, that is it hard to get out of bed and going. Yesterday had been a long day without a whole lot to show for it (or nothing he wanted to share). Still, he knew today was not the first day he had like this and he knew it would not be his last. A few co-workers snickered as he stumbled to his desk, yawning. He figured they were snickering at how he nearly tripped on every desk on the way to his own. And it seemed like he was knocking papers off every desk he hit.
He really hoped Sato did not notice the mess he made of her desk. As he had picked up the papers he knocked off her desk, he had noticed a photo that was not part of any open case. The heat in his cheeks reminded him that he was taking too long to put the papers back on her desk.
Carefully, he tucked the photo into his pocket with the promise to give it back to her later. He was a little embarrassed to admit that he wanted the photo of Sato throwing him.
Takagi would not lie to himself. Sato had looked lovely in that wedding dress. Even when she was throwing him.
Still, he wished that he had been informed of the set up in the wedding hall instead of being left in the dressing room.
The little voice in the back of his head that said he was never going to hook up with Sato said that would be the only time they looked like they were getting married. That the next time he saw her in a wedding dress, it would be when she was marrying another man.
That was a thought that constantly haunted him. It was hard to dispel under normal circumstances and the photo was something that was not normal and brought forth all the doubts.
At his desk, having managed to only run into one more desk on the way there, he found himself struggling with those thoughts.
He tore his attention away from those thoughts by pulling out the daycare attack case. The stark presentation of the information cooled those self deprecating thoughts and focused his mind.
Takagi looked through the information they had collected yesterday at the koban*. It had taken most of the day but they had narrowed down the list of people in the neighborhood. The fact that the daycare worker remembered the shoes helped a lot more than they thought. Those shoes were popular within her age group but not with any other group.
No teenage girl would be caught in a pair and older women preferred footwear that was more supportive and less trendy.
That meant the attacker was in the same age group. There were only so many women in the area that age.
Some women they could rule out right away. A few had been out of town and a few more were office workers and would not be out at that time.
They had each taken a section of the area and would later go door to door interviewing. It was too much to hope they would find the culprit right away but there was no harm in hoping.
With his list, Takagi set off for the part of the neighborhood he was given. Some of the women he was able to rule out right away. Too short, too tall, too fat or the hair color was wrong. After some questioning, he was able to rule out a few more.
Some homes he would have to go back to later because no one was home.
Takagi sat down after a couple of hours to give his feet a chance to rest. His stomach reminded him of the time. Locating a convince store, he bought himself another bento. It was chilly out and the sky was overcast.
Halfway through the meal, his cell phone rang. It was Terada. “Takagi, there's been another attack. A couple of kids in the hospital. You need to get over here.”
Takagi was stunned to learn that the attack was miles away. Did that mean the culprit did not live in the area? A roaming attacker would be a lot harder to track and locate.
He dropped the partially eaten bento into a trashcan and went to find his car.
The attack this time was at the exit of an elementary school. There was blood splattered on the concrete.
Terada saw what Takagi was looking at, “The attack wasn't as bad as it might look. A number of teachers moved in and the culprit ran off. There are no life threatening injuries.”
He put his hands in his pockets to warm them up. The sun was setting and the temperature dropping. Takagi asked, “Do we have a description.”
Terada shook his head, “Its no better than what we knew before. The culprit does move fast. Apparently, she can run even when hurt.”
“One of the teachers got a hit in,” Takagi asked, making the jump in reasoning.
Terada nodded, “A karate teacher. Whoever she is, she might have to seek medical attention. A possible broken arm. Yes, the hospitals have already been contacted and some of the nearby clinics.”
“What would you like me to do, sir?” Takagi asked. It seemed like Terada already had all the bases covered.
Terada scratched his head and looked a chagrined, “Well, I'd like you to talk to the children again. Your good at getting information from children. There's that little detective kids' groups you get to work and you did good a couple of days ago.” His chagrin grew even more, “Whenever Tsutsumi and I try to talk to the kids, they start to cry all over again.”
Takagi laughed a little to himself as he went to look for the children who witnessed the attack. Terada was still feeling put off by the children providing better information than the adults the last time. Takagi only hoped that they could provide more information. By all reports, the attack happened even faster than the one at the daycare and it happened in an area that was high traffic, even more so no that school was getting out for the day.
Matters were hindered by the growing chill. It was now winter with a vengeance and everyone was bundling up. No one would think twice about a person bundling up to keep warm, especially now that snow was in the forecast.
Takagi was disappointed but not surprised that the children were unable to provide any information. Nor was he surprised that that was one of the day's many disappointments in the search for the woman.
She was like a phantom, there one moment and gone the next. With any hope, she would go to get help and they could catch her then.
-----------------
*koban: police box (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_system_of_Japan#Police_Boxes)