Non-challenge: A Policeman's Tale (Day 50)
Title: A Policeman's Tale (Day 50)
Author: ytak
Word count: 1137
Rating (chapter): K+ (PG)
Rating (whole story): T (PG-13)
Comments: After two or three false starts (and scrapping those attempts), I finally managed to get out a chapter I'm satisfied with. Oh yeah, 10 chapters left. I'm going to try to pick up the pace and get two out a week.
Other chapters can be read through here or here.
Day 50
Takagi knew he was not the only person the furtively watch the inspector as he walked back into the room. He could see many of his coworkers take quick glances at the portly man or eying him out of the corner of their eyes.
Word had gone around about him being in a closed meeting with other inspectors and higher ranked officers all the way to the superintendent. Only the longest serving, most trusted secretary had gone into the meeting to take notes.
And not a word of what it was about passed through the rumor mill. There was no whisper or hint. Only the grim faces of the men and women were the only indication that there was something serious going on.
Expectantly, they all looked at Megure as he stood behind his desk and looked out over the room with a measuring look. Then, to the collective disappointment, he sat down and took a file out of one of the drawers.
“I wonder what that was all about?” Sato said, from over Takagi's shoulder. He looked up at her and saw that she was frowning.
“Who knows?” Takagi said. He winced at buffet she gave shoulder.
“You're a detective, you should show more interest,” she said, her frown now directed at him.
Takagi held up one of their case files, “I'm thinking more about this. If he's going to tell us, he will when it's time.”
Sato stared at Takagi like he had grown a second head. “You're awfully focused today,” she said.
Takagi shrugged, “Not really. I'm just worried about the case. I don't like it. It doesn't feel right.”
“Well, if it's bothering you so much, go down to the lab to see how the processing of the evidence is going,” she said. Her tone indicated that she was mildly irritated with him for not being curious enough for a detective.
It would be faster to call down, Takagi thought. He looked around the room, But it would be nice to get away from the tension and unsatisfied curiosity.
“Okay,” he said, neatly closing the file and putting it on his desk. “I'll let you know how it's going in a bit.” Sato blinked and nodded.
“Do you mind if I look through your notes again?” she asked. Takagi shook his head and dug around for the notes. It took him a minute (he was not sure how they got under the coaster for his coffee mug) but he found them and handed them to her.
He headed for the door. “Takagi!” he heard behind him. He stopped and turned. Chiba was threading his way through the desks and chairs that should have been pushed in. “Mind if I come with you, if you are heading down?” the portly man asked.
Takagi smiled, “I don't mind.”
They walked to the elevator together. “Where are you headed?” Chiba asked.
“Down to the lab,” Takagi said, absently, “I need to check on the status of some evidence.” Then, he asked, “Where are you going for lunch?”
Chiba blinked, “How'd you know?” Takagi chuckled at the chagrin on Chiba's face as his stomach let out a very audible grumble. “I was going to run down that burger place, the one with those curly fries.” Takagi nodded. He knew the place. The food was a little greasier than he cared for but once in a while it hit the spot.
The elevator slowly approached their floor. It appeared to be stopping every other floor, at least. Jokingly, Takagi suggested, “Maybe it would be faster to take the stairs?”
Chiba snickered. “For you, maybe. The only way I'd get down that fast would be to tumble.”
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Takagi looked around the room. No one was at the main desk but there were plenty of people milling around in the back in one of the on-site labs. Patiently, Takagi waited. Eventually, someone would see him and come to help. Eventually. In the mean time, he sat down on one of the chairs set aside for visitors and thought about the case.
His thoughts were interrupted a minute later. “You were down here a couple of days ago with the best looking division one detective, weren't you?” asked an unfamiliar voice. Takagi looked up and saw a tech that looked vaguely familiar.
Takagi simply nodded as he stood up. He could not disagree with the statement of being with 'the best looking division one detective.'
“How can I help you today?” the tech asked, picking absently at a fingernail.
“We were wondering the progress on the evidence we brought down,” Takagi said. He pulled out his notebook for the evidence number.
The tech waved him off. “Don't worry about it. I know what you're talking about. Gimme a minute to see how the processing is going,” he said, trotting around the corner.
He was about to sit down again when the tech came back (Takagi was glad he had the name written down from the day before because he could not remember the man's name). A frown stretched across the other man's face. “I can't find it right now. I'm going to back and do a little more checking. Could I have the name and evidence number to make sure I simply didn't overlook it?”
“No problenm,” Takagi said, accepting the notepad he was offered. He wrote down the evidence number and checked the kanji to make sure he was writing the man's name correctly. With a name like Imai, he wanted to make sure it did not use some obscure kanji that happened to sound like common ones.
“Thanks,” said the tech, trotting back off around the corner. The minutes stretched onward as Takagi waited and worried. It is sure taking a while to locate the information. I wonder if the organization back there is as confusing as it is upstairs? No, he would know his way around. The worry increased when he saw the tech head back into what he knew were the labs. Through one of the windows, he could catch a glimpse of a conversion. The tech was followed a minute later by another man and they went back to where Takagi assumed the file room was.
Takagi looked at his watch. He had been down there nearly half an hour when the two men came out. “We're sorry but we can't seem to find the information right now. Would it be a problem if we called you later today after we do a better job looking?” asked the unfamiliar tech.
He nodded and gave them his deck and cell numbers, “Please call anytime today. If you don't know until after I'm off shift, you may call my cell number.”
They nodded and apologized for the inconvenience before Takagi headed back up to let Sato know.