I was a horrible, terrible, cruel human being and deserved to be punished severely for what I had done. Still, I could not help but be somewhat pleased with myself. For several hours I had the entire house to myself to finish all of the mending, prepare a late dinner and put on the television while I quilted in peace and silence. Well, somewhat, the neighbors were fighting again. Plus there was a new report on the Madman on the Nazi Party Station.

When I heard the kitchen door open and close, followed by the sound of men speaking in Japanese, I paused only for a moment before turning my attention back to my work. It was for me. One of the very few things I'd quilted for myself. A blue so dark it could have been black quilted with white thread.

It was not long before Kido appeared in the doorway. Face a mask of confusion, "Has my mother gone to bed?"

Pausing only when I had pulled the needle up through layers of batting and fabric. Yet I didn't look up. Instead I picked at some thread lint. "At your brother's house. She wanted to spy on the Nazi's."

"What?"

I did glance up at Sergeant Yoshida's surprised voice.

Both men stood in the doorway genuinely surprised. Prompting me to elaborate with a wave of my hand, "Hidetoshi lives beside that odd Nazi Cathedral. Daddy sent over a pair of binoculars and some crab. So I dropped her off and will pick her up in the morning. It should keep her busy…" was that a knot? "…especially with that new sunroom Hidetoshi added on."

No, thank goodness it wasn't a knot.

Upon looking back up a mix of bewilderment and approval were etched on his face. Yoshida was extremely concerned, "Did you send the crab over?"

"No. It's on the stove," a small smile curled over my lips. Before I could get up to feed him, the sergeant was off. His feelings about seafood were quite strong. Kido watched him go and then he looked back my way, "You didn't walk to my brother's house?"

No I did not.

Very carefully I folded the quilt and slid the needle into a safe spot. Once I set the folded bedding up onto the back of the couch I told him the unfortunate truth. "One of Daddy's associates drove me to drop your mother off then brought me back here." As expected he did not handle the news well.

Those eyes of his narrowed.

"There is a madman out there that knows where we live," I reminded him which also did not help.

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"Has your father heard anything about the madman? Did he say anything when you saw him today," Sergeant Yoshida asked me without any hesitation after his second bowl of stew. His tone was questioning. Much like in the way a dear friend or family member would address one. There was no thinly veiled disgust I normally encountered upon moving into the inspectors house as was the case with the neighbors.

The inspector did not protest.

He did however glance up from the tea he had almost finished. Though he had not eaten dinner he was on his third cup of tea.

I suspected he was not in the mood to eat. It was far from unusual.

Shrugging I debated on if I wanted more tea myself. In my normal spot, I found myself glancing at Yoshida where the widow normally sat at the low table. One of the items the widow had brought with her from Japan from the family home.

"I asked that myself. Daddy does not know but he is actively seeking the fiend. It would thrill him to no end if he were to catch this person. To have caught a man the Reich has been unable to capture." Smiles grew on both men's faces at my remark. "Daddy has even sent out his most loyal men for this purpose. Raiden, Shin and Lucky are combing the streets."

At mention of my father's three most notorious and loyal followers both men seemed interested.

Kido however picked up on a tell in my voice. "What else?"

I hesitated as I had no answers only speculation.

So I shrugged and looked down into the depths of my porcelain glass. "Daddy has a theory."

Shall we say I had both their full and complete attention.

"Well…this afternoon he told me there was a similar event that happened in England a while ago. A madman ran around killing women in a most deplorable fashion. He hunted them like animals. I cannot remember the man's name…John perhaps? Obviously he is long since dead. But our madman may have the same illness or defect that the psychopath from England possessed."

Yoshida was fascinated. Kido was not at all surprised.

"This man then sought out women like the madman here? What type of an illness?"

"Jack. Jack the Ripper was his name, sergeant. He was indeed a madman suffering from bloodlust." A look of confusion was sent the Inspectors way causing him to elaborate. "Or rabid like an animal. These men cannot be reasoned with nor will they stop until put down."

When it was put like that it sounded less like a distant event from history and more like something that could happen next door.

"Was this man in England captured?"

Kido shook his head then looked around for the teapot which was nearest to me. "No. He simply vanished. Now he is nothing more than a mystery belonging to the past." When I finished pouring him tea the inspector gave me a warm look that could not be mistaken for anything short of intimacy. If his mentee noticed nothing was said, not even a look of surprise.

A mental note was made to ask about our secret.

When Yoshida spoke up it took me by compete surprise, Kido too. "If we're going to catch this man we can't look at him as a madman. It is why the Nazi's have failed. This killer is a deranged hunter with purpose."

Wasn't that just great?

Judging from the mood that overcame the dining room I came to realize, I would need to have a hot bath with a glass or two of sake to smooth out that jagged edge. My smuggled champagne from France would not do the job.