Inuyasha poked his head into the hospital cafeteria, looking for Kagome. He found her sitting at a table with a cup of coffee in front of her. He would have joined her, but she rose from the table and came out into the passage, shutting the door behind her. Taking his arm she led him out of the facility and into the parking lot, which was largely empty of population.

"Inuyasha," she said, "What is this about? Was Sango behind the attack on Miroku?"

It was a few hours since Sango had been admitted to the hospital. The contents of her stomach had been pumped out immediately, but she hadn't regained consciousness yet. Kohaku had been informed of Sango's conditon and he was on his way to the city. Mr. Taishou and Izayoi had to be sent home, as they were not feeling well. Madre had to leave on urgent business. Kagome was the only one who had remained behind.

Inuyasha violently scratched his head.

"I really don't know, Kags."

"You don't?"

"Honestly, Kags, have any of the family ever tried to know her, or even talked to her at length, since she started living with us?"

"No, I guess not. Why should we? I, for one, assumed there'd be plenty of time to do it."

"That's the thing – you assume too much…How did Sango meet Miroku? How did they fall in love? Wasn't she an orphan shunted from one house to another?"

"So?"

"I don't like the type of young woman who makes up a hard luck story and marries a very rich man on the strength of it. I've a perfect right not to like that type of young woman, and there is no earthly reason why I should pretend I do. If I were in your position, I'd have paid a lot more attention to what she said or did."

"I wasn't particularly well-off before you married me, Inuyasha," Kagome spoke rather coldly.

"You're okay - I didn't marry you out of pity, I married you for the woman that you are."

"So you resent the fact that your brother married Sango just because he was taken in by her story?"

"He couldn't, of course, have visualized that it would lead to murder..."

Kagome laughed. "Funny that you think it is I who assumes too much."

There was a short silence.

Then Kagome said: "What are murderers like, Inuyasha?"

"Who knows? If you ask me, based on my experience I'd say they're ordinary people like you and me. I'm not speaking of gangster stuff and professional killers – or the high up ones Sesshoumaru has to deal with. No, the everyday murders are committed by people we meet on the streets everyday. They've been in a tight place – blackmail, fiscal troubles, or they've wanted something very badly – a man or a woman, a job – and they've killed to get it. The brake that operates with most of us doesn't operate with them. I'd say they're guided only by instincts."

"Instincts?"

"Consider a child – he is guided only by instincts. He pushes another from the rooftop because the other child has made him angry – or has got something he desires. His blind instincts don't know right from wrong. Later on, of course, he gets to know that it is wrong – that he'll be punished if he does it – usually very early in life. It is imbued so deeply within his psyche that he begins to develop a moral aversion to it. But some people remain morally immature. They continue to be aware that murder is wrong, but they do not feel it. They don't feel remorse…for them murder is necessary – the victim has 'asked for it,' it was 'the only way'."

Kagome looked at Inuyasha in awe. She always admired it when her husband talked so knowledgeably about his profession. But then again, Inuyasha had studied criminal psychology in depth before joining the police. He knew so much about the stuff that often Miroku would come to him for help over a particular chapter of his novel.

Thinking of Miroku again cast a shadow over Kagome's mind. She thoughtfully looked at the ground.

"If that's the sort of person you are looking for, Inuyasha, then I can tell you for sure Sango is not a murderess. She might have been an orphan or in a tight position, but her moral compass isn't warped at all."

"You're saying that because the other option offends your sensibilities. But let's look at the cold, hard facts. If Sango is totally guiltless, why didn't she raise an alarm on not finding Miroku in the terrace last night?"

"On the contrary, I think it shows her lack of guilt. Think for a while, Inuyasha. If I were to go into my room and not find you there, am I likelier to raise an alarm or to wait for you patiently downstairs?"

Inuyasha knitted his brows as he pondered on the question. More than anything, his behavior amused Kagome.

'He's so stubborn, like a hound. Once he's got a blood trail it'll take all the reason in the world to make him change his course.'

The attitude was both a boon and a bane in his career.

"But then why did she take the pills?" he continued...well, doggedly.

"Shock? Grief? Love?"

"And why damage her phone records?"

Kagome shook her head.

"I don't know…I just can't believe someone in our family to be a murderess…it's like a nightmare—so fantastic—I can't believe it's real!"

"Of course, it would've helped if people told me the truth about things more often."

A faint shadow ruffled Kagome's face.

"What do you mean?"

"I asked Miroku if things were fine between him and Sango."

The shadow lifted.

"Oh, that."

"And you."

Kagome's face had gone deathly white. She tried to run her tongue over her dry lips.

"Me? What do you mean?"

Inuyasha's eyes bore down upon her with a relentless intensity.

"You haven't been honest with me either, Kagome. Yesterday, you weren't at home during the party. Where'd you go?"

Kagome tried to laugh, but it seemed that she had lost her voice.

"Me? Go out? You must be mistaken."

"No, I was not mistaken. You weren't in the hall for the most part of the evening."

"Then I must've popped into the kitchen to oversee the preparations or in our room making a call."

"Or in your Bentley, driving out of the premises."

Kagome drew her breath sharply.

"No…I didn't…"

"I saw you myself."

Kagome swallowed. She cast her glance around, trying to think up something. Then, suddenly, her shoulders sagged. Her head hung in resignation.

"Alright…I'm sorry, I should've told you…" her voice was barely a whisper.

Inuyasha knew there was more to come. He waited for her. Presently, Kagome looked up pleadingly.

"I…it all started when Kouga came to me…about a week ago. He said your father was going to throw him out of the business and Ayame was thinking of getting a divorce. He was in a tight spot, he said he'd be finished. He wanted to start a business of his own but he was short of money."

"How short?"

Kagome mentioned a large amount of money. Inuyasha raised his brows.

"Continue."

"I felt bad for him…" Kagome took a quick glance at Inuyasha. Her compassion for Kouga had already caused quite a few nasty rows with her husband. This time Inuyasha looked quite composed, however, so she felt encouraged to go on. "At that time I didn't have the money on me. B-but he needed it urgently…so I gave him the brooch Izayoi gave me for the wedding, and a few other jewellery."

"Brooch? You mean the diamond and sapphire one?"

Kagome nodded, looking at her feet.

"That was a family heirloom, Kagome," Inuyasha commented dryly.

"I know. I didn't give it away completely…I gave it so he could pledge it in order to get the cash. You remember I revamped Lady Urasue's place last spring? She was dallying with the payment for along time…she finally gave the money yesterday…before the party. I...I couldn't wait any longer…trust me, Inuyasha…the whole of last week has been a nightmare for me…the lying, the constant fear…I though Izayoi would ask me to wear the brooch for the party…I had to sneak around, avoid her company as much as possible…oh! It was dreadful!"

The performance – if it was a performance – was of a high standard. But Inuyasha felt that it was not a performance at all – it was exactly as she had said it. He would check with the jeweller, of course, he thought as he took the name and address from Kagome. Then he looked at his wife more kindly.

"Kags, your jewellery is yours to keep or give away. Still, as your husband, I thought I had a right to know."

Tears sprang to Kagome's cerulean eyes.

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha! I know I should've told you. It's just…it's just that you get angry so easily when it comes to Kouga that I thought you'd refuse to help him."

Inuyasha sighed as he pulled Kagome in a tight embrace.

"You should've trusted me a little more. I take it that you have the brooch in your possession?"

"I've kept it in the safe."

"Which leaves me with only one question – what is Kouga doing with such an obscene amount of money on him."

Kagome looked up, surprised.

"I told you…he's going to start his own business."

"That's what he has told you. But you have no proof of it, do you?"

"No…but only because I didn't ask for it. If he didn't need the money to start his business then what is he doing with it?"

"I don't know…but if you hire an assassin to do your dirty business, you'd need to pay him well."