Non-challenge: A Policeman's Tale (Day 33)
Title: A Policeman's Tale (Day 33)
Author: ytak
Word count: 1122
Rating (chapter): T (PG-13) (very conservative for this chapter for language)
Rating (whole story): T (PG-13)
Comments: Nearly didn't finish this chapter 'cause I decided to kick back and relax on my birthday.
Other chapters can be read through here or here.
Day 33
“This is the correct address?” Takagi asked dubiously, as he gazed up at the dilapidated apartment.
“Yep,” Chiba said, “He said it was all he could afford.” He straightened his coat as they walked away from the car. “Thanks for coming out with me. Shiratori-san had to attend a meeting.”
“It's not a problem. Anything to escape all the paperwork,” Takagi said.
Chiba grinned, “You don't mind the paperwork it will create?”
Takagi grimaced, “It shouldn't be too bad. You're doing all the work.”
Chiba snorted but did not say anything as they stepped under the dubious awing for the complex.
Takagi shook his head as he opened the door to the lobby of the run down apartment complex. It made a bad noise and the top hinge came undone. Takagi laughed sheepishly as he tried to screw it back in place.
A voice floated out from behind the counter. “Don't bother with the door. It's been messed up for ages.”
Takagi still tried to screw it back in place with his fingers (with partial success) before he gave up. The detectives looked around the lobby for the source of the voice. Takagi walked over to the counter and looked over the edge. A boy who looked to be in grade school looked up from the little TV that was tucked under the counter. “Can I help you?”
Chiba frowned as he looked at the child, “Shouldn't you be in school?”
The child gazed at him like he said something stupid. “School got out a TV show ago. Don't you know what time school gets out?”
Takagi sighed. He could see that this 'conversation' might rapidly degrade until Chiba would be acting the same age as the child.
“Excuse me,” Takagi interrupted, “You look like you know everyone here. Maybe you can help us find someone. He told us he lives here but not the address. His name is Sugimoto Kenichi.”
The child gazed at Takagi suspiciously. “Why do you want to see 'im?”
Takagi took out his badge and showed it to the child, “He was a witness but couldn't give a statement at the time. He told up this was a better time and place to give a statement.”
The child looked at the badge a moment and his shoulders drooped. “Damn, I was hoping to see someone arrested.”
Chiba muttered under his breath just barely loud enough for Takagi to hear, “I'm sure that wouldn't be a problem in a place like this.”
Takagi felt like sighing. Instead, he asked the boy, “Can you tell us what room Sugimoto-san lives in?”
The boy thought about it a moment and frowned, as if he could not recall anyone by that name. Then he perked up. “Oh! You're talking about Ol' Stagger. Yeah, I know where he lives. Third floor, room on the end of the hall. He paid more for a corner room with access to the fire escape. Said he likes to know he can get out quick if he needs to.” The boy smirked in a knowing way.
Takagi and Chiba shared a look. Why don't I like the comment of 'get out quick'? Takagi wondered as he thanked the boy, taking a moment to catch his name just in case they needed it.
The two detectives walked over to the elevator only to notice that it was taking a very long time to descend. “The stairs?” Takagi asked Chiba. Chiba shrugged in response.
A little while later, Takagi and a very red-faced Chiba took a minute to catch their breath after climbing the stairs. Takagi felt like he was more winded than Chiba looked. I didn't think I was in that bad of shape. I need to take up jogging again. Or walking, at least.
Chiba wheezed, “We should have taken the elevator up and the stairs down.” He looked at Takagi and frowned, “You don't look so good.”
Takagi sniffed to clear up his nose, “I'll be fine in a minute or two.”
Over their respective wheezing, the sound of very off key singing could heard echoing down the hallway. In fact, it seemed to be coming from the room at the end of the hallway by the emergency exit.
As they walked closer, they could tell that singing was coming from the room the child had directed them to. Takagi knocked on the door. “Sugimoto-san? We're here to collect your statement.”
The singing stopped and the sound of rather unsteady footsteps came closer and closer to the door until they stopped when there was 'thud' as the the walker connected with the door. There was some muted cussing and a slurred question, “Where did the door come from?”
Takagi glanced back at Chiba and could see his friend was trying to school his expression away from amusement (though his expression of suppressed amusement was pretty similar).
After some fumbling, the door opened. The wave of alcohol fumes nearly knocked the two detectives over they were so strong. In fact, they were too strong. The only way for Sugimoto to smell that strongly was if he was practically bathing in spirits. Or if he were brewing them.
“Yesh, wadda ya want?” he asked as he leaned against the door for support in a way that indicated he needed help standing.
Chiba said, “You weren't able to give us a statement yesterday and told us that coming to your... home (this was added as he rolled his eyes around to indicate the whole complex) for the statement. Would it be a problem if we came in?”
Sugimoto blinked wearily at them. “Waitta minute... yer cops?” It seemed to take a minute for this thought to sink in. “Aw, shit. Um, my place is, um, too messy,” he said, sounding a whole lot sober. But he stumbled back and fell flat on his rear, throwing the door open revealing a homemade still that was the source of the smell.
“Dammit,” Sugimoto said before he passed out and hit the floor with an impressive 'thud.'
As one, Chiba and Takagi sighed. Arresting a witness was bad enough but the paperwork that would come with the illicit still would be a whole new experience.
Chiba sounded disgruntled, “What are you so down about? You have tomorrow off.”
Takagi brightened, “That's right. I had forgotten that.” He gave Chiba a sly grin, “But think of the paperwork Shiratori will have to do? After all, he is the supervisor in this case.”
Chiba chuckled, “I'd forgotten that. Maybe tomorrow won't be so bad.”
Takagi nodded. He wanted to make a set of plans for future dates with Miwako. He had a feeling he was going to need it.
Author: ytak
Word count: 1122
Rating (chapter): T (PG-13) (very conservative for this chapter for language)
Rating (whole story): T (PG-13)
Comments: Nearly didn't finish this chapter 'cause I decided to kick back and relax on my birthday.
Other chapters can be read through here or here.
Day 33
“This is the correct address?” Takagi asked dubiously, as he gazed up at the dilapidated apartment.
“Yep,” Chiba said, “He said it was all he could afford.” He straightened his coat as they walked away from the car. “Thanks for coming out with me. Shiratori-san had to attend a meeting.”
“It's not a problem. Anything to escape all the paperwork,” Takagi said.
Chiba grinned, “You don't mind the paperwork it will create?”
Takagi grimaced, “It shouldn't be too bad. You're doing all the work.”
Chiba snorted but did not say anything as they stepped under the dubious awing for the complex.
Takagi shook his head as he opened the door to the lobby of the run down apartment complex. It made a bad noise and the top hinge came undone. Takagi laughed sheepishly as he tried to screw it back in place.
A voice floated out from behind the counter. “Don't bother with the door. It's been messed up for ages.”
Takagi still tried to screw it back in place with his fingers (with partial success) before he gave up. The detectives looked around the lobby for the source of the voice. Takagi walked over to the counter and looked over the edge. A boy who looked to be in grade school looked up from the little TV that was tucked under the counter. “Can I help you?”
Chiba frowned as he looked at the child, “Shouldn't you be in school?”
The child gazed at him like he said something stupid. “School got out a TV show ago. Don't you know what time school gets out?”
Takagi sighed. He could see that this 'conversation' might rapidly degrade until Chiba would be acting the same age as the child.
“Excuse me,” Takagi interrupted, “You look like you know everyone here. Maybe you can help us find someone. He told us he lives here but not the address. His name is Sugimoto Kenichi.”
The child gazed at Takagi suspiciously. “Why do you want to see 'im?”
Takagi took out his badge and showed it to the child, “He was a witness but couldn't give a statement at the time. He told up this was a better time and place to give a statement.”
The child looked at the badge a moment and his shoulders drooped. “Damn, I was hoping to see someone arrested.”
Chiba muttered under his breath just barely loud enough for Takagi to hear, “I'm sure that wouldn't be a problem in a place like this.”
Takagi felt like sighing. Instead, he asked the boy, “Can you tell us what room Sugimoto-san lives in?”
The boy thought about it a moment and frowned, as if he could not recall anyone by that name. Then he perked up. “Oh! You're talking about Ol' Stagger. Yeah, I know where he lives. Third floor, room on the end of the hall. He paid more for a corner room with access to the fire escape. Said he likes to know he can get out quick if he needs to.” The boy smirked in a knowing way.
Takagi and Chiba shared a look. Why don't I like the comment of 'get out quick'? Takagi wondered as he thanked the boy, taking a moment to catch his name just in case they needed it.
The two detectives walked over to the elevator only to notice that it was taking a very long time to descend. “The stairs?” Takagi asked Chiba. Chiba shrugged in response.
A little while later, Takagi and a very red-faced Chiba took a minute to catch their breath after climbing the stairs. Takagi felt like he was more winded than Chiba looked. I didn't think I was in that bad of shape. I need to take up jogging again. Or walking, at least.
Chiba wheezed, “We should have taken the elevator up and the stairs down.” He looked at Takagi and frowned, “You don't look so good.”
Takagi sniffed to clear up his nose, “I'll be fine in a minute or two.”
Over their respective wheezing, the sound of very off key singing could heard echoing down the hallway. In fact, it seemed to be coming from the room at the end of the hallway by the emergency exit.
As they walked closer, they could tell that singing was coming from the room the child had directed them to. Takagi knocked on the door. “Sugimoto-san? We're here to collect your statement.”
The singing stopped and the sound of rather unsteady footsteps came closer and closer to the door until they stopped when there was 'thud' as the the walker connected with the door. There was some muted cussing and a slurred question, “Where did the door come from?”
Takagi glanced back at Chiba and could see his friend was trying to school his expression away from amusement (though his expression of suppressed amusement was pretty similar).
After some fumbling, the door opened. The wave of alcohol fumes nearly knocked the two detectives over they were so strong. In fact, they were too strong. The only way for Sugimoto to smell that strongly was if he was practically bathing in spirits. Or if he were brewing them.
“Yesh, wadda ya want?” he asked as he leaned against the door for support in a way that indicated he needed help standing.
Chiba said, “You weren't able to give us a statement yesterday and told us that coming to your... home (this was added as he rolled his eyes around to indicate the whole complex) for the statement. Would it be a problem if we came in?”
Sugimoto blinked wearily at them. “Waitta minute... yer cops?” It seemed to take a minute for this thought to sink in. “Aw, shit. Um, my place is, um, too messy,” he said, sounding a whole lot sober. But he stumbled back and fell flat on his rear, throwing the door open revealing a homemade still that was the source of the smell.
“Dammit,” Sugimoto said before he passed out and hit the floor with an impressive 'thud.'
As one, Chiba and Takagi sighed. Arresting a witness was bad enough but the paperwork that would come with the illicit still would be a whole new experience.
Chiba sounded disgruntled, “What are you so down about? You have tomorrow off.”
Takagi brightened, “That's right. I had forgotten that.” He gave Chiba a sly grin, “But think of the paperwork Shiratori will have to do? After all, he is the supervisor in this case.”
Chiba chuckled, “I'd forgotten that. Maybe tomorrow won't be so bad.”
Takagi nodded. He wanted to make a set of plans for future dates with Miwako. He had a feeling he was going to need it.