Chapter 2: Fears Confirmed

Harumi-cho.

Raidou walked around the quiet neighborhood near the ports of Harumi-cho, known for its stable financial flow, the ports and the church where he had visited multiple times in the past for many cases.

With his faithful Gouto at his side, Raidou examined the area of Miss Hokuto's house. Nothing suspicious or questionable could be detected. They stopped and Raidou looked at the cat.

Although the cat meowed a lot, it is because to the feline can talk. Only the Devil Summoners, demons and few people with a high spiritual level can hear the cat's speeches. Normal people can't hear the cat like Raidou can.

''I don't know if that woman sent us on the wrong track or she was just bluffing.'' Gouto spoke truthfully. The cat would only talk when Raidou needed his help or when he had to make a comment on something.

''However, she sounded like she was speaking the truth. Anyway, we need to know where her husband goes after work.'' Raidou nodded at the cat's reminder and started walking towards the nearest port.

They arrived after thirty minutes of walking; it confirmed the sayings of Kizami when she said her husband was working near their house. The smell of fish and other underwater smells came out of the surface with the working fishermen. Raidou easily identified the husband among the ten men working together and pulling the catches of the day. Naked to the belt, it was easy to find a frog tattoo on the man.

Patiently Raidou and Gouto waited for the man to finish his shift. After he gave his goodbyes to his co-workers, the identified Oto walked away and headed to the train station.

''Let's not lose him.'' Gouto instructed to the apprentice detective.

The disciple and cat followed the fisherman to the station, took the same train and stopped at Fukugawa-cho. Tailing the man was rather easy and it seemed the man didn't even notice Raidou's presence. Twenty minutes passed and they arrived at a house where a woman awaited the man at the door. From afar, Raidou could make out their exchange.

''Feeee, Oto you smell like fish! I know just what you need... Come with me fishy, fishy.'' She teased him and caught him by the pants' belt to pull him into the house.

Aside of the fact the woman was drunk, she didn't seemed menacing or dangerous.

When the man went inside the residence, Raidou and Gouto decided the suspicions Kizami were true.

''Looks like we have to deliver the bad news to Kizami,'' Gouto concluded.

The novice apprentice didn't even have to say or signal his approval. Both individuals returned to the agency on foot.


Tsukudo-cho, Narumi Detective Agency

''I knew it.''

The following day, Kizami arrived in the early hours. It was Narumi who resumed the investigation of Raidou and a bit of his own. However, to protect Oto's mistress they kept the name and address out of the resume. Plus, Kizami didn't wish to know who was sleeping with her husband.

''I told you to do it fast and you did, I'm impressed Narumi.'' She complimented. ''I'll talk with him in due time. For your payment...''

She opened her purse and put a large amount of paper yen on the desk, near double the normal price of the agency's service. Narumi was about to protest, but he was interrupted by the client.

''Take it, I hear you are having financial problems from a friend of mine and it's a little payback to my husband.''

''Wait a moment! You stole your husband's money?'' Narumi had to ask with a serious look on his face.

''Is that a problem? I can always take it back, but I know you won't even let me touch it.''

There was a moment of silence between Narumi and Kazami. The woman was completely intolerable. She gave a look to Raidou, before getting up.

''On this, Narumi and...'' She took a moment of deadly silence when looking at Raidou. ''Raidou. I wish you good luck on the rest of your career.''

It was the last time Raidou and Narumi saw the woman for the rest of the day. Narumi was clearly disturbed. Invisible to anyone else except Raidou, he saw the distress in Narumi's eyes. Accepting stolen money was something he would never accept under normal circumstances. However, the situation was different from 'normal'. Finally, he spoke.

''Raidou, take the money and put it in the safe.''

The youngster followed his instructions. He rotated the lock, unlocked the safe and began to put the money in it.

''I have to tell you, Raidou. This Kizami is something, she acts like she's a man or an aristocrat, but did you see her clothes and hair? I mean, I'm...''

Narumi began to empty his bag and rant on about the most meaningless details on the woman's appearance. It was his way to pass away the stress.

As Narumi continued to rant and rant, Raidou kept putting the stolen money in the black safe. He didn't add to Narumi's nagging; his mind was already occupied on something else.


Harumi-cho

Glass shattered in a beautiful apartment in Harumi-cho. Fueled by hatred and anger, Kizami broke her husband's gifts one after the other as the thoughts of her husband being in the arms of another woman corrupted her mind.

''Oto... you son of a bitch!'' She threw a vase at the wall, breaking it into hundreds of pieces.

She stopped in her revolting rage and began to cry. Her hair was a mess; she removed the knot holding the hair together, giving her a wild look. She lost her strong composure and serenity in a single second. As she continued to lament, she heard a knock on the door.

It couldn't have been her husband, he had the keys. She didn't have time to clean up the chaos she created and headed to her door. Maybe a friend, she thought. As she opened the door, she wiped away her tears.

''Miss Kizami?''

She looked surprised and recognized the man. Like an angel descending from the sky, the figure was illuminated by the sun's rays passing through the window of the apartment's main stairs. A few tears flowed down from the corners of her eyes and she fell to her knees before being caught by the young man.

''Mister...'' She began to cry. ''Mister Raidou, help me.''

The young man smiled at the woman he was holding in his firm arms and calmly went inside with the broken woman.


Special thanks to Bonnia for the beta-reading.