Non-challenge: A Policeman's Tale (Day 29)
Title: A Policeman's Tale (Day 29)
Author: ytak
Word count: 1249
Rating (chapter): K+ (PG)
Rating (whole story): T (PG-13)
Comments: This chapter fell together a lot faster than the last one. I aim to get another out this week.
Other chapters can be read through here or here
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Day 29
The toxicology reports were clear. Saitou-san, the deceased from the bar, had consumed enough alcohol to put the average man into a coma. There was a note that stated he should not have been able to consume that much alcohol to begin with. The deceased suffered from advanced liver disease.
A quick glance at his notes told Takagi showed that Saitou-san reportedly had been having health issues of late but had refused to see a doctor. Takagi felt some relief that he could confidently mark this death down as an accidental death. That did not negate the fact that someone had died but he was glad that the man had not been murdered or committed suicide.
Still, he had to be frustrated with the stubbornness of people when it came to their health. He looked around the office and almost laughed. More people had returned to work but there were a few there wearing masks and a few who should have stayed home. Not that we are encouraged to take time off when sick. Having one person away can throw off the flow of everything.
“Hey, Takagi!” said Chiba, pulling a chair up to Takagi's desk, “What do you think of yesterday's case?”
“I think that is was an accidental death...,” and under his breath, he muttered, “Thank goodness,” then he continued, “and we can mark it is such.”
“Oh, good, I was thinking the same thing,” Chiba said, pulling a donut out of somewhere (Takagi had to wonder if his friend had taken up slight of hand as a hobby), “Guess we can close this instead of passing the information on to our 'backup.'” He took a bite of the donut, “Who, conveniently, happens to be out sick.”
Takagi looked at him, “You're kidding!”
Chiba shook his head and chuckled at Takagi's expression. “He left at lunch break looking like death warmed over. The inspector nearly threw him into the car himself!”
“Inspector Megure does look frustrated,” Takagi observed, looking over at their inspector's desk. There seemed to be an invisible barrier around the inspector that everyone stayed clear of unless they had no choice but to approach him. The pile of papers on his desk were higher than normal and of a greater variety of colors due to the natural of duplicates and triplicates being different colors. Chiba snorted. Takagi flushed, “Okay, that was an understatement.”
Chiba just snickered some more. “That's one way of putting it,” he said. “Let's get this report done and turned in. Flip a coin to see who has to take it to Inspector Megure?”
“Sure,” Takagi said, digging around for his wallet. He pulled it out and took out a coin. “You flip it,” he said.
“You call it,” Chiba said, flipping the coin. Takagi called it. Together, they looked at the coin. “Damn,” Chiba said, “Looks like I lose.”
--
“I'll see you later,” Takagi said, waving to Chiba as he hopped into his car. Chiba was wearing a nearly identical smile to every other officer leaving for the day, Takagi included. Takagi knew he really should not be that happy but word circulating through the office said that the plan to basically have a backup officer to every case might be scrapped.
I thought Inspector Megure looked unhappy today until I saw the people above him! Takagi thought. They looked like they were ready to start a bonfire with all the extra paperwork that has come in. But then his mood picked up later, about the time that rumor began to circulate. Please let it end soon!
As he climbed into his car, a piece of paper on the passenger seat caught his eye. As he picked it up to look at it, he remembered that it was a note he left for himself that morning.
I forgot that I have a suit to replace, he thought. A sign escaped. “I hate shopping for new suits. That one wasn't even that old,” he muttered. “I wonder if I still might be able to save the old one?” After a moment's thought, he shook the idea off. After having it dry cleaned and putting it on, he still could detect a smell from it. Whether or not it was psychological did not matter, he knew he was always going to be able to smell it. But, until he could replace it, he had to wear it.
With his good mood deflated some, Takagi pulled out of the parking garage and headed for the shop that carried suits he could actually afford. He sighed, Buying a new suit is going to put a cramp on my wallet this month. Quick mental calculations told him before that he could afford a new suit, barring any other problems that might require money.
Despite it being rush hour, he made it there with a minimal amount of stopping or slowing down. Parking did not take him long and he soon found himself inside the building. Some very gaudy suits just off the entrance nearly caused him to laugh. They were on the racks, waiting for their buyers to come pick them up. Those have to be special ordered. There is no way that they'd carry suits in that color and style. He thought about what they might be for when he recalled one of Chiba's figures and nearly groaned. Cosplay. They are someone's cosplay. That would explain the fuchsia color.
Shaking his head slightly, he continued walking in. “How can I help you, sir?” asked a salesman, stepping from behind the counter.
“I need to order a new suit,” Takagi said, not quite able to keep out his annoyance at the fact.
“Have you ordered from us before?” the salesman asked. Takagi gave him an affirmative and gave his name. The salesman hopped onto a nearby terminal and pulled up Takagi's information. “I see that you bought a new suit last year, were there any problems with it?”
Takagi shook his head, “No, not with the suit. Just my job. It, ah, picked up a smell and I waited too long to get it dry-cleaned.”
The salesman glanced up and asked, “What is you job? We do have other fabrics that a less likely to pick up environmental odors.”
Takagi gave a mental shrug. It might help but he had a feeling that it would cost more. “I'm a police detective. I will say that crime scenes are not the neatest or best smelling places.”
“I see,” the salesman said, typing in some information, “If you like the style of your last suit, I can have a new one ordered for you made from fabric that ought to better suited, so to speak, that the last suit.”
Takagi blinked. They make stuff like that? Can I even afford it?
The salesman looked up from the screen, “And it doesn't cost much extra. Then downside is that you will have to wait longer for the suit to be made because we don't have any in stock at the moment.” He gave a slight chuckle, “The upside is that you get to chose whatever color you want for no extra charge because we are going to have to order it all anyway.”
“Yeah, that sounds good,” Takagi said, feeling relieved. If this new suit worked out, it might be worth replacing the rest. Buying a new suit might be putting a dent in his finances but at least he was getting something for it.