Character List:

Kataoka Isamu – Client

Adachi Niou – Missing Person

Katakoka Naomi – Client's Wife

Orio Rena – Female Person of Interest

Ueki Basho – Male Person of Interest

Kubota Taikan – Police Inspector


Orio Rena frequented a karaoke bar nearby and had invited Mitsuhiko to meet her there. The place was called "The Jade Palace" and it wasn't a bad spot. After dark, though, it was certain that some dealings went on in the private rooms. He told this all to Ayumi as they drove. Ayumi was familiar with the area but had never been inside.

As they pulled up to the front door, they noticed a park police cruiser.

"Hm? Wonder why they're here?" Mitsuhiko said. Ayumi clenched her fists. She recognized the cruiser number.

"That's Kubota." She growled. "That despicable assistant inspector that's always counting on Shinichi to solve his cases for him."

"I've heard the name." Mitsuhiko said "It's come across my desk a few times while I was trying some criminal cases. I never met the man his reputation among the lawyers is that he's a good source for backdoor information."

"It's a much better reputation than he has among the officers." She said. They stepped from the cab and slipped the driver his payment. As they approached the door of the club, a small grey-faced man approached them. He was dressed in a long dark overcoat with a cloth cap pulled low over this head. As he approached, the smell of cheap cologne and greasy body odor preceded him. He pushed the cap up and looked directly at Ayumi, not acknowledging Mitsuhiko.

"Ayumi-Chan!" He said to her. Ayumi scowled at the childish title.

"Kubota-keibo-ho." She replied coldly.

"It's actually Kubota-Keibu. I'm a full inspector now that you've left the force." He grinned. His teeth were yellowed and badly cared for.

"What? I didn't recommend you as my replacement." She fumed. He chuckled and shrugged condescendingly.

"Anyway, I'm not here to celebrate my promotion. I hear you had a meeting with Ueki Basho this morning." He said. Ayumi nodded but didn't offer any more information. He went on "Well, he's ended up dead and the evidence points to you and I'm here to take you in for questioning."

"What evidence?" She demanded.

"The hotel manager said you went in, he heard an argument and then a gunshot. Now the bum is dead and you look like the murderer." The man took pleasure in revealing his information. He picked rudely at his teeth with his pinky nail.

"That's barely evidence. Did you check the cameras? Dust the room for fingerprints? Did you-" He cut her off.

"Listen, you're not in charge now! Either you can get in the car politely or I can arrest you!" He raised his voice.

"You have no grounds for arrest!" Mitsuhiko said. "You try it and I'll have you on charged before you can get to the station!"

"Hm? And who's this? Your accomplice? Your boyfriend?" Kubota seemed to have just noticed Mitsuhiko. Mitsuhiko blushed.

"That's enough," Ayumi said "I'll go quietly, Kubota-Keibu. Mitsuhiko-san, you and Genta-san finish up this case without me."

"Okay." Was all he answered. Ayumi allowed herself to be placed in the back of the police cruiser and driven away. Mitsuhiko watched, anger rising in his chest. If Ueki Basho was indeed shot dead, this case was more than about a bad dream. It was most likely a case of this Adachi Niou trying to keep himself hidden at any cost. He tracked the cruiser as it drove down the street and then turned to enter the bar.

Mitsuhiko walked in the room, brightly lit with colorful signs. All around, the tables were packed with eager drinkers. He took a seat at the bar and ordered clear water. A woman was on stage singing. She had red hair. She wore a dress held up by one strap and prayer. She sang low and smooth. Men were listening more than politely to her crooning. Mitsuhiko clapped when she finished. She giggled cattishly and descended the stage. She approached Mitsuhiko who, in his pressed suit and clean manners, stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Are you the man who wanted me?" She asked, sliding onto the stool next to his.

"You're Orio-san?" He asked.

"Yeah. What's on your mind handsome?" She leaned toward him. He could smell her perfume, heavy and musky in the air. She touched his arm flirtatiously. He felt a blush creep over his cheeks but continued evenly.

"My name is Mitsuhiko, I want to know about Adachi Niou." He said. Anger flashed over her face and was gone as quickly as it appeared.

"What do you want to know about him?" She asked dangerously.

"Where is he?" Mitsuhiko said. Orio laughed, fanning her long slender fingers over her painted lips.

"Are you a cop or are you willing to pay for the answers?" She asked.

"I'm neither." He answered "I think he murdered Ueki Basho today."

"Humph. Someone should have a long time ago." She pulled a silver cigarette box. She stuck a cigarette in her mouth and lit it. Her hands didn't shake and her face didn't pale. She wasn't surprised to hear that Ueki was dead. Mitsuhiko watched her carefully as she added. "You're betting on the wrong horse though."

"You say that like you know Adachi-san." Mitsuhiko said. Orio nodded.

"That's right. He's my boyfriend. But I haven't seen him lately." She said this casually but Mitsuhiko saw her shoulders tense, saw her grip on her cigarette tighten.

"When was the last time you saw him?"

"Hm. I'll have to check my diary." She grinned. Mitsuhiko scowled.

"Listen here, I'm not here to play games. My friend is being put up for this murder and I don't like it one bit." He said. She shrugged.

"Doesn't sound like my problem." She said.

"If you don't tell me what you know, I can make it your problem. If you know where a suspected murder is, I can have the police haul you in right now or you can tell and I let you go on your way." She sighed and took another drag on her cigarette. Mitsuhiko was bluffing but she didn't seem to notice.

"What I know isn't much. I used to be Adachi's girlfriend but he skipped out on me a few months ago. I heard he was in town and I started looking for him. So did Ueki."

"Why did Ueki-san want him?"

"They had a business deal. Adachi owed Ueki some money, far as I understand."

"What kind of business?"

"I don't remember." She stubbed her cigarette out in the glass ashtray between them.
"All of a sudden you don't remember?" Mitsuhiko accused.

"I'm shy." She smiled "Let's just say that Adachi disappeared right after."

"Who are you covering for? Adachi-san, Ueki-san or yourself?"

"Look, I love Adachi. I don't want to see anything happen to him. If Ueki took a bullet he deserved it and it wasn't Adachi who pulled the trigger." This was probably the first true thing she had said to him.

"Do you keep a photo of Adachi?"

"Sure I do," She dug her phone out of her purse and tapped it a few times. She handed the screen to Mitsuhiko who inspected the image of a tall handsome man. "Do you know him?"

"No." He handed the phone back.

"I want him back. He's a good man." She tucked the phone away, the façade falling away for just a moment. She did love him, truly. Mitsuhiko continued his questions coldly.

"Your boyfriend is causing nightmares for my client. Does the Kataoka Isamu mean anything to you?"

"No, but you tell him that if he finds Adachi to give me a call." She slipped her business card into Mitsuhiko's breast pocket. She stood from the stool and smoothed her dress over her thighs. "Until then, I've got more important things to do." And walked away, leaving Mitsuhiko sitting alone at the bar.