AN: A few curious google searches recently brought to my attention the existence of a crime-thriller that recently came out, about a homeless man and a young woman who volunteers at a shelter in Burlington, Vermont. It's titled The Double Bind, and I hadn't heard of it until I was nearly 10,000 words into this story. I'll read it when I've finished Miranda Rights, because it sounds good (Great Gatsby characters make cameos! :-) ). It kind of blows my mind that someone set a crime story in Burlington, of all places. It's the biggest city in Vermont, but it only barely qualifies as metropolitan.
88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
The usual noises of the office provided a comforting background to take the chill off of a decidedly eerie case. The hum of copy machines, people talking…Her friend Sango's justifiably crabby voice could be heard shouting "Miroku! I'm a lawyer, and this is harassment! I'll bring a lawsuit down on your ass if this doesn't stop NOW!"
As Kagome sipped at her morning coffee and looked through the folder, she found herself getting steadily more and more depressed. The defendant seemed sympathetic until you read about the murder. Orphaned at nine, a half-brother fifteen years his senior who'd resigned custody to the state, a series of foster homes, and finally dropping out of high school at sixteen. He'd been a senior; a fluke from switching from Arkansas school systems to Florida had actually put him a year ahead of his age group, and despite a few notes on his record for vandalism, he'd been on the honor roll. Shortly after he dropped out there was a multiple conviction of petty theft and vandalism, followed by a brief period in a home for juvenile delinquents. Since turning eighteen he'd been on the streets, wandering his way up the coast, living off of soup kitchens and odd jobs. Over the last decade he'd picked up one fine for loitering, and a two day stint in jail for trespassing. Finally, three months ago in Burlington, Vermont, at age twenty nine, Inuyasha Maru had met twenty one year old Kikyou Takani.
The bright, idealistic theology student at the University of Vermont had a record like a shooting star. Mediocre academics were more than balanced by persistent, almost obsessive volunteer work. She was a member of the University of Vermont Pan-Christian Coalition, the Faith Without Borders non-denominational religious organization, the Living Wage and Social Justice Alliance, the Thursday Bible Study club, and (Kagome choked on her coffee when she saw it )the Womyn of Vermont Feminist Society. Her career aspiration was quoted as "to serve God through an institution in which women have equal rights". She volunteered regularly at the nursing home closest to campus, and at the Salvation Army soup kitchen, which was where she'd met Maru.
The two had more in common than first glance would reveal; Kikyou had lost her parents when she was eleven. She and her younger sister Kaede had been raised by an "Aunt Carrie" who apparently worked as a barrista at a Starluck coffee house. She had been accepted to Middleview College, but had been unable to attend due to insufficient financial aid.
Kikyou and Maru hit it off at first meeting; Kikyou's coworkers described their relationship as "flirtatious", and said that Inuyasha had "worshiped the ground she walked on." Their relationship hadn't been romantic, but they'd met outside of the kitchen repeatedly for "bible studies". Kikyou had been trying to convert him, which met with dubious success, but she had gotten him to take the GRE. Surprisingly, he'd passed easily. Or not so surprisingly; his wallet contained library cards for public libraries in no less than six different cities.
Then two days ago, Maru came into the soup kitchen during Kikyou's shift, left again apparently upset, and returned to commit an act of senseless violence. The only piece of evidence supporting his innocence was that he'd somehow managed to avoid getting any blood on him, but his finger prints were all over the place. Kagome grimaced at the photos provided. Who killed a woman they supposedly loved, and then literally chewed her throat open? A sociopath, a schizophrenic, or both? She wasn't looking forward to meeting her newest client, but as a public defender she had never turned down a case.
88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
The man curled up on a cot in the jail cell looked far more pathetic than the smooth sociopath Kagome had expected. His silvery gray hair was restrained by a rubber band into a rats' nest of a ponytail, and his face was turned toward the wall.
"Mr. Maru", Kagome began. "Mr. Maru, my name is Kagome Higurashi. I'm the attorney the state has appointed for you. You can choose whether or not to accept my services, and if you insist, the state will substitute me with one of my colleagues. However, I strongly advise you to work with me."
The bedraggled head slowly turned in her direction. His eyes had dark rings around them, and were red as though he'd been crying. His expression changed to one of shock and horror, and he sat up abruptly and pressed himself against the wall. "Kikyou…" he gasped.
"No, Mr. Maru, my name is Kagome Higurashi. I'm the public defender that's been appointed to your case."
He relaxed, and then slumped. "Of course…" He collapsed back into a modified, upright fetal position.
"Mr. Maru, I need to discuss the details of your case with you…"
"Don't call me that."
"I beg your pardon, Mr. Maru?"
"DON'T call me that!" His eyes wide, he looked up at her, and Kagome took an involuntary step back.
"What would you prefer I call you?"
"Inuyasha. It's just Inuyasha."
"Okay then, Inuyasha. We need to talk about your plea. With a room full of witnesses, you don't have much of a shot pretending to be innocent…"
"I DIDN'T KILL HER!"
Kagome took another step backwards. "You know what, I'm going to leave for now. We'll talk again tomorrow."
