Act One
Lenalee Lee, still wearing her crimson plaid rain-coat boots (which did nothing to compliment the navy and forest-green pants that were her current attire) steadied her wits about her as the two men approached. The shorter one tipped his burgundy hat at the frowning lass, and with a wry smile on his lips, shook her trembling and delicate hand.
"Lenalee Lee, I presume." He said, his soft, yet deeply accented voice ironically pleasing to her ears and though intended to sooth, had quite the opposite effect. His words did nothing to calm her suspicions , the worries and fears once again stirring in the pit of her petite stomach.
"Yes, I am she." Lenalee stated in a slightly wobbly voice, wringing her mitten clad hands together as she stared at the worn cobblestone ground beneath her. "And, you are Mr. Kanda?" She asked, once again making eye contact with the smiling fellow, light hair peeking out from beneath his cap. A chuckle escaped from the pale lips, and the grin widened a considerable amount.
"Heavens no. Quite the opposite actually. I am Dr. Walker, partner of the highly esteemed Kanda Yuu!" This was said with good humor and a bit of taunting as the light-haired lad jovially gestured towards his stoic and uncharacteristically (from what she had heard) silent companion.
The quiet man had on a top hat, showcasing a lowly clasped ponytail of wavy black hair cascading down his lean back. He wore a navy coat with chestnut buttons, sharp black trousers, and those quaint western heeled boots covered his feet. Simply put, he seemed a fine specimen. But at the moment, Lenalee had no interest in the appearance of these two men; she had a duty to fulfill before anything else.
"Do you happen to recall why I have summoned you?" She nervously asked, her voice uncomfortably cracking at the end of her softly stated sentence.
"Yes." The word, simply put sent shivers down her spine as the taller man spoke for the first time in her presence. His rich, baritone voice had a slight Japanese accent, only distinguishable by those who shared a similar ethnicity. "Name, Lavi Bookman. Male, missing for two days, described as a red-haired young adult with one bandaged eye and a height of 185 cm. Estimated weight put at 64 kg, last seen wearing a black coat with silver buttons and a green top hat." Lenalee nodded, not trusting her voice to stay steady. He continued, "If I am hypothesizing correctly, you and the missing were in a relationship." Lenalee once again nodded, her ebony eyes widening up and her hands unconsciously wringing in oh-so obvious sign of nervousness. "From what I can gather, you and Mr. Bookman had a quarrel the same day, which I believe may have led to his disappearance. I also surmise it concerns your family members, perhaps a father or maybe an overprotective older brother. He was last seen during the later hours, on a street which holds several choice bars, so he may have been getting a drink to calm his nerves. Where were you, Miss Lenalee, on that very same night?"
Lenalee gaped like a fish, and then shook her head to clear her rambling mind. "I was at home, and to be honest, I was crying. I was also on the phone with my older brother from around eight o' clock to ten o' clock, right after our argument." Lenalee sadly looked at her hands. "My older brother never did approve of our relationship, so I could never reveal the truth-"
"-that Mr. Bookman was your fiancé." Dr. Walker jumped in with a knowing look.
"How do you figure that?" The dark haired male asked, a bit of spite seeping into his words. But the doctor simply shrugged it off and with a confident smirk cracked his knuckles.
"Simple. What else would there be, really? Her brother was already aware of the relationship, and besides a pregnancy, what else could be that monumental?"
"And you saw the slight bulge on her ring finger under the gloves." Kanda responded dryly causing the shorter of the two to sheepishly chuckle while scratching the back of his head.
"That too." With an impatient sigh, the detective lightly shoved Dr. Walker and frowned at Lenalee.
"The phone number of your brother as verification, please." He commanded sharply, and Lenalee fumbled in her purse for a second before finding an old business card and a half dead ink pen. She scribbled the number she knew so well, and handed it over, gulping loudly. "Walker, I am going to the car. Give Miss Lee a time to meet up once again, then hurry and join me. I could use a cup of tea at the moment." The tall man strutted off, Lenalee nervously watching him go.
"Miss Lee." His partner said, handing her a yellow paper with neat letters spelling out a date and time less than three days later. "We should know where your fiancée is by then!" He smiled reassuringly. "Just remember to pray for his safety!"
Act Two
"I think she did it." Kanda commented as he hovered over the newspaper clippings covering the mahogany table.
"Doubtful." Allen responded with an air of confidence. "She lacks the proper motive. And did you see how her hands were shaking? She looked scared, nervous and absolutely heartbroken."
Kanda scoffed. "I am telling you, Walker, she did it. I can tell a guilty person when I see one."
Allen looked over at his partner, a glint in his bright silver eyes. "But what exactly did she do, Kanda? Was it murder or a mere kidnapping? Are we looking for a dead man, or a live one?"
Kanda looked at the ceiling with an almost thoughtful look. "It depends. How much did she supposedly love him?" The sound of the ringing telly snapped Allen out of his musing, and with a sigh (for Kanda was obviously not going to pick it up) he brought the black device to his ear, the cord barely touching the floor below.
"Ello?" Allen spoke into the receiver and a soft crackling answered him, unperceivable from Kanda's vantage point. "Really? Okay, could you give me a sec to find a paper and a pen?" Allen shuffled through the junk on the table, finding a small paper, but no pen.
"Kanda! Is there a bloody pen anywhere in this house?" Kanda replied by chucking the ballpoint pen at his head, though to his disappointment the smaller man easily snatched it out of the air.
"Okay, could you tell me the address a bit more slowly?" He scribbled something on the paper and said his thanks, hanging up the phone. "We have a location for the brother!" he announced. Kanda quickly grabbed his coat.
….
"Okay." Allen mouthed as Kanda, pressed up against the other side of the doorframe, slowly jiggled the knob. The two leaned up against the door, suddenly and vigorously encouraging the lock to give.
With a flurry of action the two tumbled into the room in a heap of coats and hats, having expected resistance rather than the unlocked door. Kanda, using the shorter male as a spring board, got to his feet and Allen followed suit. They crept quietly through the first room, a small Victorian styled kitchen, bronze pots and pans hanging from a creamy white plaque of knobs above the dark flame stove. The counters were neat and clean, obviously showcasing a feminine touch, perhaps the work of Miss Lee. The two detectives peeked through the off-white decorative arch into the next room, using extra caution to be quiet.
To their surprise, the brother was in the room. The only issue present was the fact that he was passed out on the light green loveseat, a bottle of whiskey tucked into the crook of his left arm, the other wrapped around a decorative pillow. Drool seeped out of the corner of his mouth, and his foggy glasses were perched precariously on his sharp angled nose.
He definitely resembled his sister in the Chinese sense, the dark hair mostly hidden by an askew white beret propped on his head. Allen held a small finger to his lips, and gestured for Kanda to continue on. It was best the premises' were explored their own way.
The living area led to a hall, three white doors filling the light yellow walls. Decorating said walls were various photographs, most consisting of the brother and their client, Miss Lenalee. One or two had a red haired male thrown in, and a spikey haired girl linked arms with Lenalee beneath a rose covered arch. Simply put, it seemed like a normal family setting.
The bedrooms were virtually clean of all evidence and suspicion, one had a queen sized bed, and the other had a cluttered desk filled with the ramblings of a scientist. The third room was a quaint bathroom with blue towels and bunny slippers hidden under the countertop.
A small flight of stairs led down to the presumed basement, and Kanda and Allen slowly scaled the squeaky wooden steps. A light was still on down there, and a sort of eerie glow crept up the stairs. On reflex, the shorter boy grasped Kanda's shirt, but a glare soon sent the hand scurrying away.
What was at the bottom of the steps, though, was something that had even Kanda unsettled.
Act Three
The police officer, sitting on the couch where the previous Mr. Lee had been (before he had been led away with handcuffs retraining his figurative bloodstained hands) looked grimly at Mr. Kanda.
"Let me get this straight." The scrawny cop, eyes hidden by a large pair of tinted glasses, stated, his hands slightly shaking, offsetting the cool and collected look he was attempting to pursue. "You just happened to be in Mr. Lee's basement? And you just happened upon the body?" Allen opened his mouth to talk, but was silence by a pointed look from his partner.
"Not quite." Kanda rumbled, and the officer directed his gaze to the marble detective.
"And you are?" He asked rather rudely, and Allen flinched. This wasn't a usual response. Hopefully Kanda wouldn't blow a gasket. Kanda sighed loudly and sent a small glare in the direction of the young officer.
"Detective Kanda Yuu." He stated in a bored tone, not at all affected when the boy's mouth dropped open in shock.
"The Kanda Yuu?" he asked breathlessly and Allen nodded on behalf of his grumpy employer.
"I am Dr. Allen Walker." He said sweetly (not to mention the bit of eyelash fluttering), and wasn't surprised to see a light blush flutter across the boy's face. This was proving to be a current waste of time though, and it was going to require a bit of speeding up.
"Well, officer," Allen purred, ignoring the drop-dead glare Kanda was directing at him. "My dear friend Miss Lenalee gave me permission to check up on her brother for her! Imagine my shock and surprise when… well." Allen looked down at his hands, his eyes slightly watering. "I just can't believe it. My poor Lenalee! Her own brother a murderer and her fiancé dead!" Allen blinked back the tears, by now coming naturally (years of practice), and reverted back to his coy façade. "But I don't need to trouble you with my whims. Anything else you need? I should probably go and comfort her."
"Uh." The poor young cop was speechless. "Uh, no-nothing else... You can go Miss-uh-Mister Walker." Allen smiled again and jumped to his feet, pulling Kanda behind him as he fled the scene. Kanda soon outpaced him, and they stopped for breath outside the apartment building.
"You are such a woman." Kanda stated coldly, and Allen pouted but then frowned seriously.
"Look. They were only going to ask more questions. If you don't recall, we aren't above the law." With a sigh the British boy folded his arms against his chest.
Kanda merely stared at him for a few seconds. "Let's go." He said gruffly, and Allen obeyed. A wry smile covered his pale pink lips, and he let a chuckle escape.
What would I do without you, Kanda?
"Hurry your arse up!" Kanda growled, and Allen skipped ahead, his open dark-navy coat streaming behind him like a cape of shimmering fabric, the buttons catching the sunlight and a kaleidoscope of colors hitting the brick building beside him. Almost, just almost, creating the mirage of a dove, bathed in golden light and a pelt like the sunrise, taking flight with a birch of green olives in its pale yellow beak. But that was silly, as much as he wished it; he could no more take flight that the colors around him could dull and disappear.
….
"I still think it was the girl." Kanda mused out loud, Allen groaning as he reclined next to the Jap in the cranberry loveseat (the only recreational furniture they currently could afford).
"Give it up you sexist pig!" He lightly kicked Kanda in the shin before crossing his small legs beneath him. "I think we need to consider it really was the brother."
Kanda shook his head, his loose hair pooling around his lean shoulders. "Wrong." He looked Allen in the eyes. "First of all, Komui Lee is right handed, due to the location of the whiskey bottle. It was in the left arm to steady it, and then the right hand was used drink. The victim, Mr. Bookman, was choked with the finger imprints on the right side of his neck. If the victim was facing Mr. Lee, then the fingers would on our left. The victim was also tied to a wooden seat with a back two inches higher than Mr. Bookman's neck. Therefore, because the bonds were obviously worn, meaning he had been restrained in the same position the whole time, the attacker would have had to choke him directly, facing the now deceased." Allen bit his lip, still amazed at the intelligence the normally silent detective displayed at times like these.
"That's all?" he asked, tucking his almost white blonde hair behind his ears.
"No." Kanda stated, yawning. "Mr. Lee had larger hands. The whiskey bottle, being about half the width of Mr. Bookman's neck, was overlapped one and half times by Mr. Lee's palm. The handprint on the neck, on the contrary, reached about half way around the victim's neck. If it had indeed been Mr. Lee, the hand would have stretched right over two thirds his throat. Also, the floor was covered in sawdust, which had obviously been knocked over right before the murderer left. Perhaps he, or she, realized the extend of what they had done and backed up into the table holding the sawdust, knocking the bag over."
"What does that prove? That they felt guilt, and the brother wouldn't have?" Allen sarcastically sneered and Kanda once again shook his head.
"No, there were obvious footprints in the dust. They looked to be about a size four, meaning either a woman, a male midget, or you. They also only led out to the stairs from the chairs position, and there were only one set besides the ones we left. This means the imprints were made after Lavi was restrained, by one person, and Komui's feet are about a size twelve, so he couldn't be the culprit. They also seemed to be in heels, and Komui's house is filled with slippers so it would have been more of a trail had it been Mr. Lee." Allen rubbed his head with one hand.
"Now my brain hurts." He griped and Kanda smirked, but a serious undertone crept through. It all depends on Lenalee now. "So now, there is one thing left to do." He stated, and Kanda shook his head no.
"Allen, by now you should know. Things are never that simple."
Act Four
"Two days." Allen said as he pushed Kanda off the couch, the previously asleep man shouting profanities at the floor below him. "Shut up. We have two days to figure out who killed Mr. Bookman, prove Komui innocent and meet back up with Miss Lee to collect payment."
"Why two days?" Kanda groaned, rubbing his sleep-crusted eyes with one hand, the other running through his long ebony hair.
"Because Komui's trial is in two days, we are supposed to meet Miss Lee in two days, and the killer could kill again!"
"I doubt it." Kanda sighed. "The killer obviously had personal motive when it came to Lavi's death, why else would the brother be framed? They also must have known Mr. Lee personally to have anticipated the drinking and work schedule. I also suspect some kind of tranquilizer was slipped into the whiskey."
"Still!" Allen fumed, turning his back to Kanda and stalking into the small apartment kitchen. "The trial is our deadline. We need to get going!"
Now dressed, the two locked up and set off, Allen whistling and disregarding the death glares Kanda was sending in abundance. He fiddled with the collar of his ruffled white shirt, a red bow dangling in front of the black vest, his dark gray trousers tucked fashionably into black heeled boots. His white hair, slightly shaggy, was pulled into a small ponytail at the top of his neck, secured by a midnight ribbon.
Kanda was faring no worse in the clothes department, a gray, form fitting long sleeved tee showcasing his toned body and dark navy pants pulled over gray western styled boots. His hair was up high, a red ribbon weaved through the waterfall of ebony tresses as the locks slightly waved with each step taken. A coat rested on his lean shoulders and ended mid-thigh, a black trench with blue buttons and large pockets.
Both prepared for the daunting task ahead, following Miss Lee.
It was actually relatively easy, the delicate woman leaving her apartment a few minutes after the two arrived, waiting on a chestnut and iron bench situated with a perfect view of her door. She slipped out, a large handbag on one arm and her bangs covering her eyes, her skin slightly red and pale, evidence she had been crying. Her clothes also portrayed her sorrow, as her long black dress and khaki coat were in a more than wrinkled state, and she had one blue shoe on and the other foot black.
She strolled over to the side of the street, hailing a cab, and Kanda and Allen did the same. With a few extra pounds, the driver asked no questions, and merely followed their order of "after that cab" (Allen wanting to add a bit more drama).
The black taxi stopped in front of a nice building complex, overlooking a street full of colorful vendors. Flowers crept up the buildings faded brick walls, flower pots filling most of the balconies overlooking the street and a sign covered in Ivy hung from above the entrance. Miss Lee, purse clutched to her well-endowed chest, made her way into the building. Kanda, paying the driver the rest of his fee, stepped out as well, the two detectives slipping into the lobby just in time to see Lenalee disappearing up the gray spiral staircase.
"Now we wait." Kanda said sternly, sitting down at one of the small metal and glass tables. The lobby also dubbed as a small café, the menus situated between two flowerpots in the center of the table. Allen picked one up, and with a sigh, flipped through the contents.
"This is probably going to take a while." He remarked, and Kanda nodded his agreement.
But to their surprise, less than fifteen minutes past, Miss Lenalee once again showed up, followed by a smaller man in a dark green suit. He had slightly spiky blonde hair, almost a gold tint, and wore a blue top hat. In one hand was a black cane, the handle intricately detailed. Kanda, hidden behind the lotus flower centerpiece, watched their actions with suspicious eyes.
"Oh this is too obvious." Allen murmured and Kanda looked inquisitively at the Brit. "I know you're an idiot when it comes to affairs of the heart and all, Kanda, but come on now. That man is obviously in love with Miss Lee!"
"How do you figure that?!" Kanda spat, his eyes widening a considerable amount and a frown gracing his thin lips.
"Kanda. You are so oblivious." Allen sighed both inside and out. He knew from personal experience. "Look. The way he leans closer when they talk, the way he keeps constant eye contact. And that "comforting hand" on her shoulder, it is slightly shaking, probably from being so close. Oh, and look at his forehead. He's breaking out in hives and his cheeks are bright red." Kanda smirked.
"Oh." Kanda stated. The man seemed to mutter something to Lenalee, and then took off up the stairs. "So it could have been him?"
Allen looked at the table thoughtfully. "Maybe, but I doubt it. The hand on Lenalee's shoulder was his left. So he was right-handed, his stronger hand holding the cane steady-"
"-On the contrary, did you see how small his hands were? His feet were rather petite as well. He could easily be our killer." Kanda butted in, his fingers impatiently tapping against the glass table top.
"I think you are wrong~" Allen flaunted, but kept watch on Lenalee, who now was making her way to the front door. But before she could reach the entrance, a small woman barreled in. Lenalee, a look of surprise, waved to the petite lass and embraced her.
The woman had hair the color of a sunset, a deep orange pulled into an elegant up-do. She wore a purple dress that ended right above her small knees, a light green handbag hanging loosely off her small wrist. Though, when her face was facing away from Lenalee, a look of almost malice filled the amber eyes. They parted ways, after a second, and the woman took the route up the stairs (Miss Lee leaving the establishment).
Allen rose to his feet and gestured Kanda to follow, dashing up the black iron spiral staircase. Just as he thought, the woman was in the hall, talking with Miss Lee's previous companion. The girl, before seemingly unhappy, was now a sight to behold. Her eyes were lit up, a smile across her small face.
"Obviously in love." Allen murmured quietly to himself, Kanda looking sharply at the smaller boy, but Allen merely waved him off. "Follow my lead."
Allen stepped out into the hall, and with a flourish pulled open his wallet. He walked up to the two, and with a smile (and Kanda trailing behind) he opened it to reveal a carefully constructed false police badge. "Hello, I am Station Therapist Allen Walker, and this is my partner Kanda Yuu. We were sent over here by the police."
"For what?" The man in question spoke, adjusting his top hat nervously with one hand.
"Grief counseling." Allen said, no tone of humor in his voice.
"Oh, well that isn't necessary," the woman, biting her lip, murmured and inwardly Allen smiled.
"On the contrary, my dear Miss, it is required, you being so close to the deceased and all." The man's eyes widened, genuine sadness could be seen.
"Oh, yes. Of course, come on it. Fo, officers, would you like something to drink?" Allen shook his head, Kanda also declining, both sitting on the black leather loveseat on one side of the coffee table filling the living area.
"I apologize; I seem to have forgotten your names." Allen spoke after the two were seated across from him."
"I am Bak Chan, and this is my close friend, Miss Fo." The man, Bak, spoke up.
"Ah, and how exactly did you know the deceased?" Allen watched as the woman's eyes filled with guilt, anger and what seemed to be desperation. Though it was hidden well, he had a knack for seeing through facades.
As the discussion wore on, the woman became even more unsettled, her eyes darting from side to side. When asked where she was, on the day Mr. Bookman went missing, she replied "at home ill".
Finally, Allen smiled widely at the two and stood up. "If you could give me and Mr. Kanda a second it would be gladly appreciated." Bak Chan nodded, and Miss Fo also stood.
"Actually, I should be going," she said her farewells and left in a rush, Bak Chan going into the kitchen.
"It was her." Allen stated, Kanda narrowing his eyes at the light haired Brit.
"How can you be certain?" Allen paced in front of the couch. "Well, I am sure of it. Perfect motive, she was in love with Bak Chan, who is in love with Lenalee Lee. Therefore, she kills Lavi to hurt Lenalee because Lenalee has taken away the one she loves. It makes sense in her mind." Kanda smirked.
"On the contrary, that would make Mr. Chan an obvious suspect as well." Allen shook his head.
"He is too sympathetic; I doubt he could do anything to harm Miss Lee emotionally or physically." Both continued their conversation, unaware of the man lingering at the kitchen door, hearing every spoken word.
Act Five
"Well, this is an unforeseen development." Kanda stated rather grimly as he examined the two bodies on the floor. One of the officers, standing next to him, nodded his agreement.
"Shame." Allen sighed, running one hand through his hair, hazardly sticking up due to the rushed morning after the gruesome news was conveyed. "So Kanda, what exactly happened here?" Allen asked his partner, the man already having the confident and knowing look that was associated with the infamous detective.
"Easy. For some reason, Bak Chan decided to confront Fo. Perhaps he had suspicions, or maybe he just knew something was amiss. Anyway, she shot him out of desperation, then realizing what she had done, shot herself. Easy as that. Also, officers, you will find the restrains that are similar to the ones used on Mr. Bookman found underneath her bed, and her nails will match the marks left on his neck. In her bathroom or kitchen there is probably a vial of the same drug that with a simple blood test, can be found lingering in Komui Lee's bloodstream. Mr. Bak was just another victim to a mentally unstable woman. This proves Mr. Komui Lee innocent, so one of you officers should probably take the evidence to the trail that is taking place-" Kanda checked his silver watch, "-right now actually." The officer murmured his thanks, and hurried off.
"So, tell me the truth. Why did Bak Chan confront Fo?" Allen frowned.
"Easy. He overheard us." Allen sighed and clutched his shirt with his hands.
"Oh. Another death, our fault-"
"-no. It would have probably come to this eventually." Kanda butted in, grabbing Allen by the elbow and pulling him out of the taped off apartment. "Now, we have a trial to attend. And our meeting with Miss Lee is in less than an hour."
….
Ms. Lee, one hand holding her brothers, the other slightly shaking, held out the white envelope.
"Your payment." She murmured, squeezing her siblings hand tight. Allen accepted the envelope with a solemn smile.
"I apologize." He said, lowering his cap. "I would have never guessed it had come to this."
"No. Don't apologize." The small Chinese woman looked up at him, her eyes conveying the silent message. "You proved my brother innocent. Now my husband and my two dear friends can rest in peace." Kanda put a large hand on her head, patting it lightly. Allen, smiling at the display of affection, took her delicate hand in his.
"If you ever need is again, I do hope not though, give us a call." He lowered his lips to her palm, and released the small appendage, noting the small blush that flittered across her pale cheeks. She was rather pretty, but the warning look from her brother wasn't necessary. He wasn't a fool.
He tipped his hat again, and Kanda followed suit. With a scowl at Allen's obvious actions, Kanda stalked to the street and hailed a cab for the trip home, back to apartment 221B.
Allen walked to the waiting taxi, smiling lightly as he slid into the back, next to his partner.
Really? What would I do without you?
"What's with that look?" Kanda asked skeptically, but Allen shrugged it off.
"Nothing." He said. "Nothing of importance."
"Really?" Kanda asked, narrowing his eyes as the cab took a bumpy turn. "I think you are hiding something, again."
Allen once again shook his head, his light blonde hair catching the sunlight streaming into the cabs worn interior. "Don't worry about it. It's merely rudimentary, my dear Kanda."
"Oh shut up!"
Done :)
