Non-challenge: A Policeman's Tale (Day 57)
Title: A Policeman's Tale (Day 57)
Author: ytak
Word count: 1317
Rating (chapter): K+ (PG)
Rating (whole story): T (PG-13)
Comments: Rated for dirty old women. *cackles* There might not be any updates next week. I'm taking a much needed vacation and don't know what my internet connection will be like.
Other chapters can be read through here or here.
Day 57
Despite the urge to sigh, Takagi refrained from doing so despite the probability of the witness actually hearing it.
"Hasegawa-san!" Takagi all but yelled, "Could you please give me a description of the person that attacked your landlord?"
"What'd he say, Arisu?" Hasegawa yelled to her next door neighbor who had invited herself over.
"The cute, young police detective wants to know what he looked like! The guy who beat up your thieving landlord!" she yelled back at her neighbor.
Hasegawa squinted through her coke-bottle thick lenses. "Oh, you're right. He is cute. Think he has a girlfriend?" she yelled right back at her friend.
Behind Takagi, Chiba was red-faced. He shook with suppressed laughter. Takagi shot him a sore look and tried to get the conversation back on track. "Can you tell me what the attacker looked like?" Takagi yelled this time (it seemed like that the only volume Hasegawa could hear at).
"Not as good looking as you!" she grinned. Arisu cackled at her comment. Takagi made a concerted effort not to sigh. He was not sure if it was his imagination or not but it sure looked like the two old women were… leering at him. He suddenly felt very young and defenseless under their squinty-eyed looks.
Then Arisu noticed Chiba standing a bit behind Takagi. She did give him a lecherous look. He gulped so hard that Takagi found it was his turn to not laugh. "I get the one back there," she told her friend in what she thought was a whisper. "Finally, a man with meat on his bones!" A snort escaped Takagi this time. He could feel Chiba drilling holes into the back of his head with a glare.
He could not help but wonder if this case was some bad joke or prank they were sent out on. Shiratori is the one who had us take the call. Didn't he say something over not having any luck interviewing Hasegawa?
Takagi mulled over this as they finally were able to get Hasegawa to answer a few questions. On the ride back to the station, Chiba said, "Shiratori-san will have better luck talking to the landlord. I hope so. I don't want to go back there and you know he'd have us go back."
"Hey," Takagi said, "Wasn't Shiratori the one who originally tried to interview them. Didn't he say he wasn't able to get a good interview."
It seemed to get quieter in the car for a minute. Abruptly, Chiba said, "Damn, we've been had."
"So it would seem," Takagi said, flatly. Another minute of silence passed when he began to chuckle. "But can you imagine his encounter with them?" Chiba began to chuckle and a minute later was nearly crying from laughing so hard. Takagi and Chiba shared a good laugh at their superior's expense.
"Still," Chiba said, "He's probably enjoying a laugh at our expense."
Takagi considered what they could do about it. He knew Chiba was correct. A sneaky grin stretched across his face, "How about we don't any different than normal? Keep everything in the report straightforward. Don't act like anything bothered you when we give the verbal report."
"Hm, It's going to be hard keeping a straight face," Chiba said, "But it'll be fun."
--
Takagi chuckled quietly as he dropped a copy of the interview notes into the case file. Shiratori had been so confused at Takagi and Chiba's composure. Their apparent unconcern for the witness's behavior (and her friend's) baffled him even further. As soon as they were out of his earshot, they had a good laugh.
He thumbed through the file and snapped it shut. For now, the case was all Shiratori's again. And he's welcome to it! Dirty old women are not something I want to deal with again anytime soon.
Despite orders, he reached into his desk and pulled out his file on the Imai case. In his 'in' box, he had a new list of people who called in with tips. The officers who took them had taken the liberty of scribbling comments under each name, number and what the person said. They basically listed what the officer thought of the caller. One comment was 'crazy' and another was a 'habitual tip giver.' Still, Takagi knew he or Sato would have to call each person.
Sometimes the crazies are not so crazy after all.
He looked through the tips and scribbled his own comments on a sticky note, putting it on top when he was done. I don't want to forget what I want to tell Sato-san.
Even with a few days away from the case, he still felt like it was sitting stagnant, festering in a pond that could not be cleared. Unless one of the tips was an actual lead, he knew that it was not going to get any better. Nor, did it help seeing the other detectives clear through their cases.
The day before, Terada had told him that he was still young, that he sometimes a person had to be patient with a case. "A breakthrough may come when you least expect it," Terada said. "You have to be more patient."
Takagi sniffed but closed the file, deciding that he would try to be more patient. Not like beating my head against it is working.
He debated leaving the tips with his comments on her desk but decided that would be a good way for it to get lost. Instead, he placed the numbers in the file and put it back in a desk drawer.
He pulled out one of the minor cases. He wanted to reread the files before he finished the paperwork. It would not be good to fill them out without refreshing my memory. He was so focused with the task at hand that when a hand came down on his shoulder, he actually fell out of his chair.
“Sorry about that, Takagi-kun!” Megure exclaimed.
Takagi picked himself up quickly and dusted off, “It's okay, inspector. I was just a little focused.”
Megure looked at the reports on the desk. “Come by me desk when you finish up with those,” he said.
“Yes, sir!” Takagi said before he returned to the reports.
By the time Takagi finished up with the reports, Megure had left his desk. About to go looking for the inspector, he found him talking another inspector he could not recall the name of from another department.
Takagi politely stood off to the side and waited for them to finish their conversation. About half a minute passed before Megure noticed Takagi. He went through the motions Takagi recognized as ones Megure liked to use to wrap up a conversation.
“Sorry for the wait,Takagi-kun,” Megure said, leading Takagi down the hall back to the office. He cleared his throat, “I know tomorrow is a day off for you but I'd like you to attend a meeting. Sato-kun will also be there. We'll be discussing one of your cases.” He let that hang in the air a moment. “Ah, I'd also like you to keep quiet about this. You two won't be the only ones there but we'd, I'd rather you not discuss the meeting with anyone.”
“When is the meeting?” Takagi asked, realizing that he needed that information.
“Two in the afternoon. Don't be late,” he said, walking back to his desk. “We'll have plenty to talk about tomorrow at the meeting.”
“Understood, sir,” Takagi said. But I don't understand. But this isn't the time or place to ask questions. He refrained from sighing and walked back to his own desk. The workday would be over soon enough. Takagi had a gut feeling that he needed to clear all the cases and paperwork as soon as possible. It feels like something big is going to happen and fairly soon.
Author: ytak
Word count: 1317
Rating (chapter): K+ (PG)
Rating (whole story): T (PG-13)
Comments: Rated for dirty old women. *cackles* There might not be any updates next week. I'm taking a much needed vacation and don't know what my internet connection will be like.
Other chapters can be read through here or here.
Day 57
Despite the urge to sigh, Takagi refrained from doing so despite the probability of the witness actually hearing it.
"Hasegawa-san!" Takagi all but yelled, "Could you please give me a description of the person that attacked your landlord?"
"What'd he say, Arisu?" Hasegawa yelled to her next door neighbor who had invited herself over.
"The cute, young police detective wants to know what he looked like! The guy who beat up your thieving landlord!" she yelled back at her neighbor.
Hasegawa squinted through her coke-bottle thick lenses. "Oh, you're right. He is cute. Think he has a girlfriend?" she yelled right back at her friend.
Behind Takagi, Chiba was red-faced. He shook with suppressed laughter. Takagi shot him a sore look and tried to get the conversation back on track. "Can you tell me what the attacker looked like?" Takagi yelled this time (it seemed like that the only volume Hasegawa could hear at).
"Not as good looking as you!" she grinned. Arisu cackled at her comment. Takagi made a concerted effort not to sigh. He was not sure if it was his imagination or not but it sure looked like the two old women were… leering at him. He suddenly felt very young and defenseless under their squinty-eyed looks.
Then Arisu noticed Chiba standing a bit behind Takagi. She did give him a lecherous look. He gulped so hard that Takagi found it was his turn to not laugh. "I get the one back there," she told her friend in what she thought was a whisper. "Finally, a man with meat on his bones!" A snort escaped Takagi this time. He could feel Chiba drilling holes into the back of his head with a glare.
He could not help but wonder if this case was some bad joke or prank they were sent out on. Shiratori is the one who had us take the call. Didn't he say something over not having any luck interviewing Hasegawa?
Takagi mulled over this as they finally were able to get Hasegawa to answer a few questions. On the ride back to the station, Chiba said, "Shiratori-san will have better luck talking to the landlord. I hope so. I don't want to go back there and you know he'd have us go back."
"Hey," Takagi said, "Wasn't Shiratori the one who originally tried to interview them. Didn't he say he wasn't able to get a good interview."
It seemed to get quieter in the car for a minute. Abruptly, Chiba said, "Damn, we've been had."
"So it would seem," Takagi said, flatly. Another minute of silence passed when he began to chuckle. "But can you imagine his encounter with them?" Chiba began to chuckle and a minute later was nearly crying from laughing so hard. Takagi and Chiba shared a good laugh at their superior's expense.
"Still," Chiba said, "He's probably enjoying a laugh at our expense."
Takagi considered what they could do about it. He knew Chiba was correct. A sneaky grin stretched across his face, "How about we don't any different than normal? Keep everything in the report straightforward. Don't act like anything bothered you when we give the verbal report."
"Hm, It's going to be hard keeping a straight face," Chiba said, "But it'll be fun."
--
Takagi chuckled quietly as he dropped a copy of the interview notes into the case file. Shiratori had been so confused at Takagi and Chiba's composure. Their apparent unconcern for the witness's behavior (and her friend's) baffled him even further. As soon as they were out of his earshot, they had a good laugh.
He thumbed through the file and snapped it shut. For now, the case was all Shiratori's again. And he's welcome to it! Dirty old women are not something I want to deal with again anytime soon.
Despite orders, he reached into his desk and pulled out his file on the Imai case. In his 'in' box, he had a new list of people who called in with tips. The officers who took them had taken the liberty of scribbling comments under each name, number and what the person said. They basically listed what the officer thought of the caller. One comment was 'crazy' and another was a 'habitual tip giver.' Still, Takagi knew he or Sato would have to call each person.
Sometimes the crazies are not so crazy after all.
He looked through the tips and scribbled his own comments on a sticky note, putting it on top when he was done. I don't want to forget what I want to tell Sato-san.
Even with a few days away from the case, he still felt like it was sitting stagnant, festering in a pond that could not be cleared. Unless one of the tips was an actual lead, he knew that it was not going to get any better. Nor, did it help seeing the other detectives clear through their cases.
The day before, Terada had told him that he was still young, that he sometimes a person had to be patient with a case. "A breakthrough may come when you least expect it," Terada said. "You have to be more patient."
Takagi sniffed but closed the file, deciding that he would try to be more patient. Not like beating my head against it is working.
He debated leaving the tips with his comments on her desk but decided that would be a good way for it to get lost. Instead, he placed the numbers in the file and put it back in a desk drawer.
He pulled out one of the minor cases. He wanted to reread the files before he finished the paperwork. It would not be good to fill them out without refreshing my memory. He was so focused with the task at hand that when a hand came down on his shoulder, he actually fell out of his chair.
“Sorry about that, Takagi-kun!” Megure exclaimed.
Takagi picked himself up quickly and dusted off, “It's okay, inspector. I was just a little focused.”
Megure looked at the reports on the desk. “Come by me desk when you finish up with those,” he said.
“Yes, sir!” Takagi said before he returned to the reports.
By the time Takagi finished up with the reports, Megure had left his desk. About to go looking for the inspector, he found him talking another inspector he could not recall the name of from another department.
Takagi politely stood off to the side and waited for them to finish their conversation. About half a minute passed before Megure noticed Takagi. He went through the motions Takagi recognized as ones Megure liked to use to wrap up a conversation.
“Sorry for the wait,Takagi-kun,” Megure said, leading Takagi down the hall back to the office. He cleared his throat, “I know tomorrow is a day off for you but I'd like you to attend a meeting. Sato-kun will also be there. We'll be discussing one of your cases.” He let that hang in the air a moment. “Ah, I'd also like you to keep quiet about this. You two won't be the only ones there but we'd, I'd rather you not discuss the meeting with anyone.”
“When is the meeting?” Takagi asked, realizing that he needed that information.
“Two in the afternoon. Don't be late,” he said, walking back to his desk. “We'll have plenty to talk about tomorrow at the meeting.”
“Understood, sir,” Takagi said. But I don't understand. But this isn't the time or place to ask questions. He refrained from sighing and walked back to his own desk. The workday would be over soon enough. Takagi had a gut feeling that he needed to clear all the cases and paperwork as soon as possible. It feels like something big is going to happen and fairly soon.