Neuro looked surprised, then innocently apologetic. "Oh," he said, "I didn't realize I was standing in the way."
With that, he stepped to the side. For a moment, Yako felt her finger was going to follow the demon around the room, but she stayed pointing in the same direction. It took her a moment longer, but she finally realized what Neuro had already known.
"The butler?" Daichi sounded amused, while Yoshi's mirroring response showed heavy shock.
Yako kept her mouth shut, because she still wasn't sure that her first indicated subject wasn't still the most correct. Under the continued accusation of her finger, however, the diminutive man who had answered the door very primly folded his hands behind his back and gave her a look of absolute cultured boredom.
"I dare say, what prompts you into issuing such a ridiculous statement?" The man, about Yako's height, managed to look down his nose at her. Before she could even muster some sort of statement, Neuro opted to take his usual role in events.
"Teacher told me all about it, and after being shown the entirety of Utagawa's apartment, her theories have all been proved true." Neuro smiled winningly, returning to Yako's side for the moment. "Mr. Utagawa lives in a veritable modern fortress, yet the Doorman did not notice anyone entering or leaving the building who he did not recognize. A review of his log reveals only four individuals entered the complex who were not already residents."
Neuro stepped toward the butler, continuing his little revelation schpiel. "Two of these four were plumbers, working on a second floor apartment suffering draining issues in the kitchen sink. Another was the complex owner, who had a meeting pre-arranged with the on sight manager. The last," he said, half-smiling, "Was a delivery man, who came to this very floor."
"Then the delivery man was involved?" Yoshi looked both outraged and confused. Yako noted that Daichi was far more laid back, receiving this information, though his hand had snaked out to rest on Yoshi's shoulder.
"Not willingly, no. In fact, he never ended up being used at all, which was your butler's intent in the first place. Mizuki Floral has a long-standing tradition of delivering goods in boxes built to protect the flowers inside. They also have an extensive customer list, including yourself, Mr. Utagawa. Your butler knew both of these facts, but he was lamentable unaware of a third, plan-altering reality."
Neuro turned, smiling pleasantly at the man in question. "Mizuki Floral has taken to using perforated metal containers for on-site deliveries, making your plan of exchanging Charles Lugmuffin for flowers a no-go, even as you had already started moving down the hallway, intent on the switch. Having worked for Mr. Utagawa as long as you have, and being an intelligent man yourself, you knew that the entirety of the building in under surveillance watch twenty-four seven, except for one minor oversight by the building planners." The butler looked as if he were about to interrupt, but Daichi was first.
"The garbage chute."
Yoshi stiffened into a look of horror, and Neuro nodded obligingly. "To the incinerator, yes. You wanted to be rid of Charles, over all the rest of the felines present, and while you had not intended murder at first, you had little hesitation in changing these plans. By some defect in the chute's manufacturing, the box containing Charles first lodged at the opening to the incinerator, and then fell out to the side when further garbage came down."
The butler finally managed to speak. "Preposterous! I did leave the apartment for a while the day you mention, and I faintly recall seeing such a person as you have mentioned, but I had several packages for mailing with me, not a single box!"
"Certainly, you had left with packages, but the security tapes show a most interesting inconsistency." Neuro reached into his jacket, pulling out a DVD. Yako wondered when he'd had the time to find such, and whatever had happened to the good old video cassettes. "May I use your player?"
Yoshi seemed unable to form words, his eyes going glossy with unshed tears. Anger caused him to lock his hands into white-knuckled fists, and he shook as he contained his mingled rage and sorrow. "How could you-"
"Please do, Detective." Daichi squeezed Yoshi's shoulder, leaving the shorter man in order to reveal the small DVD player hidden beneath a fairly small flat-screen television.
"Thank you," Yako said politely, as Neuro didn't seem inclined to say a word outside of what had happened. Daichi nodded to her, giving her a strained smile. Apparently the emotions wracking through Yoshi were having their effect on the other man. They're pretty close, aren't they?
The DVD was playing in a matter of moments, the butler lecturing on how ridiculous this was. Only as Neuro fastforwarded to the hour in question, the butler proceeded to get more and more antsy.
"Here," Neuro said at last, "Do you notice anything odd? You certainly are leaving, and with packages under your arm. Only when we next see you, in this hall, what is that in your arms? The packages, but a rather large one there on the bottom. Not incriminating," Neuro finished, "Until this." He paused the DVD, a frame depicting the butler walking across the open expanse of floor by the ground level elevators. The large package was missing.
Yoshi breathed in deeply. "You're missing the box. Oh, Guy, how could you? Why would you want to hurt Charles that much? You've known him since he was a kitten! He loves you! I trust you!"
Neuro licked his lips, and Yako knew she was about to witness some of the theatrics involved in a revelation of a puzzle. The butler, apparently named Guy, looked down at the floor for a moment, collecting himself. When he looked up again, despite his short stature, Yako had the distinct impression he was looking down his nose at her. "Well, Ms. Detective, you and your assistant have really given me the what for? But I'm afraid, Mr. Utagawa, they could not tell you that I felt no hesitation whatsoever in shoving your precious Charlie to what should have been his doom. That's what Teacher says!"
Yako didn't know what she was supposed to be seeing, but she was struck with an overwhelming feeling that Guy was slowly transforming into a very humanized rooster. The impression solidified as the underside of his neck reddened as his repressed anger at being a servant to a cat came tumbling out.
"--For the last time! I am not a slave to the whims of a cat! Especially not one as ugly and scantily haired as that – that – that thing!" Guy dissolved into maniacal laughter, while Yoshi too a step forward, then turned his back on Guy.
"You are a disgrace to your family and a betrayer of my trust."
"And I couldn't be happier--"
Guy's statement was cut off, transformed into a scream as Neuro, unseen to Daichi and Yoshi, took on his more true form. His large, toucan's beak sported serrated teeth, drool falling in thick threads between them. "I humbly receive this meal."
The politeness of a societal tradition made Neuro's clamping down over the head of his victims all the more ridiculous. Yako watched with a certain impassivity perfected over time as the energy behind Guy seemed to drain, and he was left sinking to his knees with a lost expression.
Daichi watched this change in posture, confused. Yako took note, understanding, as it was hard to understand what made people change responses as quickly as Neuro made them change.
"...I just-"
"You're fired." Yoshi refused to look back at Guy after his announcement. "I expect you and your belongings to be removed from my home by eight tonight. I will inform the Doorman of your recent change in position." With that, the breeder left the room, leaving Daichi and his cold cup of coffee to handle the other three.
Daichi half turned, following Yoshi's retreat with his eyes. "I want to thank you, Ms. Detective, as well as your assistant. Yoshi is a kind hearted man, but he does not take betrayal lightly." Daichi looked at the figure of Guy, a somewhat pathetic heap of man on the ground. "Are there any fees that need addressing?"
Yako cleared her throat. "No. Mr. Utagawa has already taken care of any fees for our services." She looked toward Guy, her moment of understanding stolen in the downplayed fashion that all these cases had taken her moral fashionings and thrown them out the window. "I hope in the future, Guy, you can understand it was never Charles you were assisting. It was Mr. Utagawa, and he held you in much higher esteem then perhaps you deserve. You're doing a job, sir. If this one makes you so unhappy, then you should find one which doesn't turn you into what you are right now."
Guy made no response, listless. Daichi sighed, then offered Yako a smile. "Wise advice for someone your age. I don't wish to be rude, but it seems we have a few private matters to attend to. Thank you both for your services."
Neuro practically bled happiness, and Yako was more than glad to be excused while her "assistant" looked so moronically pleased with himself. "Thank you, Daichi. We are glad to have been able to help, even if the news we brought caused pain." About to continue and say she was sorry, Yako was surprised when Daichi interrupted.
"No, please. We're just happy Charles is fine. Guy," he said, before he frowned. "Guy will be taken care of. Far better to know the faithless than to think the faithless faithful."
Surprisingly deep for a guy with a cold mug full of coffee. "Yes," Yako said, before feeling Neuro's fingers creep through her hair. Uncanny, how sometimes it almost felt like a scalp massage – right before it turned into a scalping.
"Teacher and I are glad to have been of service. We will remove ourselves now, even though Teacher so obviously wants to stay. So shameless, she is!" With that, Yako managed to mumble some sort of farewell as Neuro pushed her out of the room, his grip never changing.
When they were out of ear-shot of the room behind them, Neuro frowned. "Ridiculously unfulfilling," he said, his eyes lighting up again. "But not for long."
Yako looked out the corner of her eyes, trying to scrutinize Neuro. "It's fermenting in your stomach?"
"No, dust mite," he said, thrusting her sideways so that she slammed into the wall. "But something else is beginning to catch my attention." He smiled, and left Yako to rub her shoulder as he strode down the hallway and disappeared.
Yako followed, if slowly. "Something about this just doesn't feel right." First off, even though Guy had apparently ditched the cat outside, she didn't know how Neuro was astute enough to be in the area when it happened. Did that mean something else in the complex had been attracting his attention? She made a mental note to check around once they got back to the office.
After a short time, Yako found herself in the front entrance again.
"Ms. Detective?" Yoshi, looking more vibrant than he had when he left the room, even if he still seemed sad, stood near the door. "I wanted to thank you. I," he said, trailing off. "I would like it if you would stop by again, some other time? It's always nice to know people who appreciate the Cornish Rex like I do, and," he said, turning around, looking back down the hall, "I'm sure Charles would appreciate it too. Afterall, you found him. That forms some kind of bond, right?"
Yoshi's eyes were borderline tearful, which struck Yako as odd only as she realized Yoshi was one of the few middle-aged men she'd seen cry recently. If she'd doubted how much this man felt before, she would have re-evaluated now.
"It does, Mr. Utagawa. I look forward to stopping by and hearing more from a first hand account of a cat shower." She winked, then let herself out through the door.
Neuro wasn't waiting outside the door, but he was on the sidewalk, talking with Godai. When Yako joined them, he looked up, his eyes losing all pretenses of humanity.
"Slave Number Two and I have business to attend to. You best get back to the Agency, in case an interesting mystery starts to develop."
"More lost cats?" Godai asked, looking displeased.
"No words; only immediate motions," Neuro said, using a well-placed kick to send Godai stumbling backward. He looked down at Yako, his teeth prominent and sharp. "Hurry back home. I'll know if you're late, ring-worm."
Ah, a visible parasite now. It was always pleasing to be something alive. "Fine, fine, let me just call Akane." She pulled out her cell phone, dialing as she heard Neuro start walking away. "Hello, Akane? I know you're there. Could you just get me a number for a cab company servicing the part of town near Crossing Tails?"
Neuro waved, catching Yako's attention. There was something oddly familiar in his hand, but she couldn't quite make it out. Then, with sudden clarity, she sighed. "Akane, nevermind that. Just text me with the fastest way to get me back to the office. Neuro stole my wallet again."
--
"What do you make of this one?"
"There's certainly potential. A bit on the thin side, but with that build and the natural blonde..."
"Those are both major selling points. It could work out, if we find the right match."
"Isn't that the point? The possibilities, my friends, we are here for the possibilities!"
"And standards," a new voice stated, brooking no argument. "Possibilities are nothing without standards."
"Well of course we know that." The first speaker sighed. "And we all know just how exacting your standards can be."
"Quiet, both of you. I'm beginning to have a sort of epiphany here." There was a brief moment of silence. "Yes... Yes, I believe if the opportunity arrives, we should take it. By all means, we should add her to the program. If nothing else, she is a rather intelligent little cat, isn't she?"
A low chorus of laughter met the statement, and those gathered moved on to other topics of conversation.
"We have a buyer interested in..."
--
Yako had managed to arrive at the office in time, but three weeks later, she was still dealing with the blisters it had left on the backs of her ankles. The kicker of the situation was that she'd though her shoes were fairly worn in, before learning that apparently they were just new enough to be an issue. Neuro had offered to break them in for her, but when he'd pulled out a whip while offering, Yako had been far too wise to accept.
Still, her heels hurt, and it didn't help that Neuro kept her running around on meaningly errands while he forced Godai to take breaks from his company to drive him around.
"Cephalopod!" Was Neuro actually paying her a compliment? "Go use your connections with the Police to ask them about our dear old friend Utagawa Yoshi." Neuro was reading something on his computer, looking particularly busy.
"What? They're not my contacts, Neuro, and Mr. Utagawa hasn't talked with us since we showed up with Charles."
Neuro looked up, irritated. "Don't argue. I'm allowing that you might have a brain, but I guess that again, I have overestimated your capabilities. Bivalve, you will have a far easier time speaking with the Police than I will, with what the tall one knows of me. Or has that slipped your memory?" His eyes took on their dangerous, soon to be pleased look. "What have I told you about forgetting things?"
The sickly sweet tone Neuro used didn't help. "I haven't forgotten that! I was just curious, that's all."
Neuro started to move, and Yako made herself move faster. "Fine, I'll see what help I can get at the station. Does this have anything more to do with cats, or have we officially moved beyond being pet rescuers?"
Before Neuro could answer, Yako fled the room. His suspicious, blank-faced sadism was starting to emerge, and she fancied to be home at a decent hour for dinner. Her mother was back in town again, done with the last journalism assignment from the publishers. If Yako wasn't on time, her mother would attempt to cook.
Yako actually enjoyed eating at the end of the day.
Resigned to working on her blisters yet again, Yako aimed to take as much time as she needed getting to the station. Neuro would complain, and doubtlessly, she would suffer pain for not jumping when Neuro asked, but she also planned on saving her feet.
Gods, perhaps she just needed to do the unthinkable and push the heels of the shoe inward, in an effort to save her own. Using a windowsill to a cafe as her anchor, Yako started pulling her shoe off when a familiar voice broke in.
"Ms. Detective?"
She turned around, seeing Yuuya Higuchi giving her a very curious look. She wasn't certain why he decided, of all the things she was called, to go with detective in that moment, but perhaps it simply amused him.
"Ah, Mr. Higuchi. What are you doing here?" Yako continued to keep a hold on her shoe, her currently free foot resting on the back of her calf.
"Walking," he replied with a shrug, "Presumably to the Police Station. What are you doing there?"
Yako looked down at her shoe, frowning. "Trying to fix a problem of mine."
"By taking your shoes off?"
"Not quite, but yes, that's part of it." Yako dropped her shoe to the ground, tenderly trying to stomp down the heel. The shoe refused to bend.
"By taking off your shoes and stomping on them, then?" He was smiling, in such a way as to remind her of Neuro in his moments of almost-but-not-quite superior amusement.
"In an effort to keep my feet from hurting. I've had the worst blisters the last few weeks."
Higuchi laughed, though Yako chose not to interpret why. "Is your immune system feeling alright? You should have been able to heal something that simple far before now."
"I seem to keep rubbing the skin off of them. It's this shoes, I know it, but," she sighed, "Money's tight."
"Hopefully not as tight as last time."
She looked at him, taking a moment to remember. "Oh no, nothing like that. You're not still playing the stock market like that, are you?" The heel finally caved, and Yako's foot slid home. Victory!
Managing to look a bit abashed, Higuchi shrugged. "No. There aren't any real equations or models that can accurately predict the market, all of the time. I can't constantly be watching to see what will happen or not, even if construction has been making a killing after recent events."
Yako repressed a shudder at his reminder, for many reasons. "I know. Traffic hasn't gotten much better, either." Pulling off her other shoe, Yako began the whole flattening attempt once more. "Oh! Mr. Higuchi, I was heading toward the Station myself, but maybe you can help me. I helped a man by the name of Yoshi Utagawa out not quite a month ago, and I've been curious about him since. He's a somewhat famous cat breeder and shower, but that's about what I know."
Higuchi scratched at the back of his head, laughing. "I guess I could, but I'm also guessing you don't much mind if the means to finding anything is legal or not." He glanced around, spotting no one of consequence, and shrugged. "I'm not particularly bothered, and I still do owe you something after that, ah, interesting predicament with the stocks."
Interesting predicament wasn't the half of it. "Thank you!" Her other foot slammed home. "It'll save me time, and I really appreciate you doing this for me." Particularly since both of them well know what Naohiro Usui's reaction to her request would bring: hours of stalling.
"No problem. It might even be vaguely interesting!" Patting the messenger bag at his side, Yuuya moved toward one of the small, outdoor tables at the nearby tea shop. "You're just in luck most of this area has some sort of serviceable wi-fi I can use."
Yako nodded, seating herself. She waited for some sort of answer from the other teenager, glad to be off her feet.
For a long time Yuuya didn't speak, and when he looked up, pushing his glasses back onto his forehead, he shrugged. "Clean record. Outside of having poor tastes in felines, and a fairly extensive list of awards and ribbons, there's only a mention of detention in his middle school records for being inappropriately disruptive during class. Pays his bills on time, shakes the hands he needs to shake, kisses babies if he needs to – are you planning on asking him to run for City Council?"
Yako considered this news, her head resting on her knuckles. "Not particularly. I'm not even sure what I'm looking at him for."
Yuuya's eyebrow rose. "Didn't you just say you wanted to know more about him?"
"Yes," Yako said, "But I don't feel I know much more now." She sighed, knowing Neuro was both going to be pleased and dissatisfied, according to his whim. Whatever had been brewing since they left the Utagawa apartment three weeks prior had been making him more unpredictable since. She hoped he was going to find his breakthrough soon, because by now she felt he was playing a harpsichord strung with her nerves. "Thank you, anyway, Mr. Higuchi."
"Higuchi, or Yuuya, would be fine, Yako." He smiled. "After all, if anyone can stand to be less informal, you can."
Not quite sure if that was a compliment, Yako smiled. "Then Higuchi it is," she said, standing. "I'm sorry to be off again so soon, but I've got to keep moving. Thanks again, Higuchi!"
He gave her a half-wave as he shut down the computer. Yako was glad they'd managed to meet up – it helped immensely cut down on her travel time. Or at least it had, since she figured that now might be the time she took to visit Mr. Utagawa herself. Afterall, he had asked her to come by and chat sometime. If Higuchi hadn't been able to dig anything up, perhaps Yako would be able to figure out whatever interested Neuro about the man after a decent conversation.
This time, however, she was definitely taking a cab.
--
The Doorman eyed Yako apprehensively, before finally believing her when she said that she had indeed been here less than a month before. It was her fame that finally convinced him. "Miss Katsuragi, I trust that as a professional, you will conduct yourself in a reasonable manner befitting your status in the world. You may pass."
Yako had the distinct feeling she had passed some sort of test, though she wasn't entirely sure why.
She managed to find Utagawa's apartment again without difficulty. She knocked, waiting politely for the door to be answered. She shouldn't have been too surprised when it took some time, nor when Guy's face didn't meet her when it did open. Instead, she was staring up at Daichi, who with about three day's worth of beard, looked like he'd simply rolled out of bed.
"Ms. Detective," he said, sounding bleary. "What can I do for you?"
"I'm sorry," she said quickly. "Mr. Utagawa had just asked that I stop by when I had the chance, and I was in this part of town with some free time, so I stopped by. He doesn't happen to be home?"
Daichi blinked, not answering for the moment.
"Did I wake you up?" Yako really hoped she hadn't, if mostly because sleep was one of those activities most people didn't enjoy being startled out of into company.
"No, no, I was just taking it easy. It's a Sunday, and I've been keeping a low profile anyway." He cleared his throat, opening the door wide. "Yoshi's not home right now, but if you don't mind waiting the parlor, I expect him back in the next half-hour."
Yako considered. "If that doesn't make you go out of your way, I would greatly appreciate waiting in the parlor."
Daichi chuckled. "Such a fan." He winked, which was more of a sleepy half-closing of his eye. "Come on in."
Stepping across the threshold, Yako started to feel something was off. Daichi closed the door behind her, shuffling off down the hall in a pair of fuzzy animal slippers. When she thought about it, maybe such a blatant sign of rest was making her uneasy. When was the last time she had gotten to laze around in ridiculous looking slippers?
"Would you like tea, Ms. Detective? I've got some water boiling."
"That would be very nice," she answered, following him down the hall.
He nodded, then opened a door in the second hall. "The parlor's just in here. Please, make yourself comfortable. I'll be right back with some tea to warm you up. Maybe it'll even pull me out of this perpetual groggy state, eh?" He laughed, leaving the door open as he went.
Yako surveyed the room, with its exceedingly Victorian furniture, and settled upon sitting at one of the two rigid chairs around a small table. There was a large painting decorating the far wall, a still life that she thought she'd seen before in a text book. Probably a print of a famous artist, but not famous enough for her to recognize entirely.
A picture window afforded the room a decent view out over the surrounding buildings. Most of the other complexes ended at around the third floor in this part of town, with those about a block away rising back into the sky. The entire scene afforded Yako a moment of introspection, broken by the tinkering of china and the shuffle of Daichi's feet.
"I hope you're not opposed to green tea. Sugar with that?"
Yako shook her head, offering him a smile. "Just the tea, thank you. I'm sure it will be fine."
Daichi looked uncomfortable. "Oh dear. I just assumed, with the way young women seem to love their sweet things -"
"You already put some sugar in?"
"I'm sorry, just a cube. I tend to get laid back about bringing all the extras out for tea, particularly with just Yoshi and myself around anymore." He sat down, looking embarrassed. "I hope you can forgive me."
"There's nothing to worry about. I like sugar! It's nothing, really." And really it wasn't. Her caloric intake would at least be satisfactory.
Daichi smiled in relief, settling back in his equally stiff chair. "Yoshi has a particular love of the Victorian era, but only in furniture. His taste in artwork predates the Victorians, I'm afraid." He indicated the painting Yako had admired earlier. "One of his many quirks that keeps me on my toes."
"You're fond of him," she stated, smiling. "He must be an important person to you."
The older man tilted his head to the side, allowing his cup to settle in his saucer. "You're astute for a young woman. Then again, you are a Detective. At your age, I don't think I'd have been able to solve a word-search, let alone the cases you have."
Yako didn't know what to say, as she wasn't exactly the person solving everything. On her own, she probably wouldn't have had the initiative to pick up a word-search, so she felt she was closer to Daichi than he realized. "Ah-heh, yeah, strange how these things work out." She picked up her cup, blowing lightly on the surface of the hot tea and stirring it with a little silver spoon. Everything had a very strange, "English" feel to it, from the parlor to the tea-cups themselves. Yako took a small sip, then ventured another. The water wasn't so hot as to scald her tongue, and she was thirsty.
"Strange indeed," Daichi echoed, his fingers drumming on the small table. "First Charles, then you, then Guy, and then here you are again. How has your agency been doing?"
Yako found herself stifling a yawn. "I'm sorry! I guess it's been a bit busier than I realized. Someone always needs something solved." She shook her head in an effort to shake off impending lethargy, well aware she was being rude. She took another sip of her tea, hoping the caffeine would give her a much needed jolt of energy.
"Please, don't apologize. I was the one who was practically yawning when I opened the door!"
True, Yako supposed, Though you certainly look more awake now. Or perhaps she just felt more tired. "I knew I woke you up. I'm sorry," she said, trying to find the next word she wanted. "Waiting," she continued, "For Yoshi." Her eyes started to close, and Yako jerked them open again, violently. This was ridiculous! Daichi was going to think she was bored by his very company.
She tried to focus on Daichi, and found him sliding around. He didn't look offended. He didn't look like much of anything at all.
"If you'd like, Ms. Detective, you can rest on the sette until Yoshi is in." He stood up, coming around to lay a well-meaning hand on her shoulder. "Here, let me help you there. Poor Detective, working herself too hard. You're only a teenager!"
Yako tended to think this afforded her better license to operate on less sleep, but couldn't bring herself to do more than nod agreeably as she allowed him to help her to the sofa. It was a sofa, right? Not that it mattered. As soon as Daichi helped her sit down, her eyes fell shut and stubbornly refused to open. Fighting against oblivion, the last words Yako heard seemed a bit odd, considering the situation.
"A rather intelligent little cat indeed."
--
A/N: I would like to express my sincere gratitude to those of you who have left me feedback for this story. Your comments are well appreciated. ) Sadly, this chapter has not been very informative as to what Neuro is up to directly, but being from a more Yako-centered point of view, that is perhaps inevitable. Kudos to anyone who guessed the additional culprit in the "cat-napping!"