Rain pounds against the windshield and the heavy air lands hard in his lungs. Rain-drenched and aching inside, Iruka rests against his steering wheel. He realizes that Suzume is probably watching him through the windows of her home.
Iruka starts the car. He has a brief moment of satisfaction as he puts the car into reverse, stomps on the gas, and the force shoots him backwards to the road. Then the sound of shattering glass and metal fill the car. His neck feels as if someone just tried to wring it.
He puts the car into park and glance at the clock on the dashboard, maybe Daikoku has decided to bring the boys home early.
He's fumbling with his door handle when jean clad legs appear in his window and a voice demands. "What do you think you're doing?"
Thinking back Iruka is sure if his brain was working properly, he'd register the voice not being Daikoku's, but he shrugged it off. He opens the door, misjudged the distance, and rams it into the legs in front. Iruka groans, shuts it again and rolls the window down instead. "I'm sorry, but don't wig out. I didn't see you there."
"How could you see me, Mr. Umino. You didn't even look."
Iruka freezes up and the half bottle of beer Iruka had in Suzume's kitchen churns in his stomach. He cranes his neck to look out the rear window to see he'd just bashed into a Durango(1) belonging to one very unhappy police officer.
These are not ideal circumstances, no matter who you are. The thought of putting his car in gear and making a run for it crosses Iruka's mind, but it might be difficult with Hatake's Dodge attached to his bumper.
Upstairs, one of the blinds in the kids' room moved. That means at least one of Suzume's young impressionable daughters are watching, so Iruka gathers the rest of his dignity and hauls himself back out into the rain. "There's no need to get nasty, Hatake. I didn't hit you on purpose."
"I hope not, for your sake. You mind telling me where you're going in such a hurry?"
"I was going home." Iruka tries his best not to breath on Hatake. "I'm cold, wet, and tired. It's been a long day. You want to tell me what you're doing here?"
"Not especially." He said as he strolls to the back of Iruka's car to inspect the damage. "Have you ever thought of looking behind you as you pull out?"
A voice tells Iruka not to antagonize him, but Iruka has never really been influenced by that voice before. "I'll have to try it one of these days."
The look Hatake gives Iruka could carve stone. "You better have insurance."
Rain plasters Iruka's hair to his head and water soaks Iruka's clothes. "Of course, I do," Iruka snaps. "I'm not completely irresponsible." Iruka jerks his head toward the house where Suzume has appeared in the open way now. "You mind if I get out of the rain, or is keeping me out here part of the punishment?"
Hatake waves Iruka off.
Iruka starts to turn away but then guilt for causing the accident gets to him. "You might as well come with me." Iruka turns back toward him. "There's nothing you can do out here except get yourself sick."
Hatake doesn't even look at him. "I'll be fine."
"Suit yourself. Did you want me to call somebody?"
"Your insurance agent?"
"First thing. Don't worry, Hatake. Your Durango will be new in no time."
Iruka sloshes toward the home, toes off his shoes, and slips past Suzume for the second time. She ushers him down the hall not the guest bathroom and disappears for a moment to come back with one of Daikoku's clean t-shirts. Gratefully, Iruka changes and unties his hair to towel it dry. Iruka's pants are soaked through but he's not about to lose those with Hatake lurking around.
Tired and freezing, Iruka tosses the towel over the side of the tub.
Back in the kitchen, Suzume has made a fresh pot of coffee, and a waterlogged Hatake sits at the table. None of them spoke, and Iruka wonders if they got quiet when they heard him coming or if they're pretending that Hatake wasn't there to dig into Suzume's secret.
Iruka doesn't want to sit next to Hatake, but he doesn't want to spend the day standing either. Pretending to be nonchalant, Iruka pops himself into a seat.
Hatake slides a glance in Iruka's direction. "Don't think about going anywhere. The sheriff's department is sending someone to investigate."
"It was a fender bender."
"It's an accident, and I'm a member of the police department. We go by the book."
"Fine." Iruka accepts a cup of coffee from Suzume. When he sees that the beer bottles have mysteriously disappeared, he sends a silent thank-you to his friend. Then realizes he might still have alcohol on his breath and lunges for the bag of tortilla chips at the center of the table. Half a beer might not register but he's not going to take the chance.
Besides, it's late now, and Iruka was starving. He tends to stress eat and it's probably why he carries a little extra around his stomach. "How long do you think we'll be here?"
Hatake falls silent and Iruka decides its best not to push him into conversation. The dark look Hatake sends him in more than enough. Suzume excuses herself to check on the girls. Iruka watches the digital clock above the stove, he lasts ten minutes because he cracks under the silence.
"I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't mean to hit you."
Hatake drags his gaze to Iruka with the excitement of a child who's been given a plate of steamed Brussel sprouts.
"It was an accident." Iruka continues. "By definition, that's an unfortunate incident that happens unintentionally."
"Mr. Umino—"
"Would you please call me Iruka? Mr. Umino is too formal at this point."
Hatake doesn't make any promises.
"I was upset." Iruka admits.
"Did it occur to you that it might not be good to be behind the wheel?"
"I didn't think. I just wanted to go home and get back to the store."
"The store?" Hatake is skeptical. "You have a candy emergency?"
"No." Iruka mutters sullenly.
"You're still trying to protect your friend?"
"My friend doesn't need protecting."
"Ah, you still don't think they're involved."
"No, I don't."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Umino, but the evidence is piling up."
"Evidence that Suzume or Daikoku murdered Midori?"
Hatake tilts his head with a shrug.
"I don't believe it."
Hatake shrugs again, "As long as the DА and jury believe it, that's all I need."
Iruka has the irresistible urge to hit him, but it wouldn't do anyone any good. Iruka balls his hands into fist so hard Iruka wouldn't be surprised if he draws blood. "Do you care about finding the truth or are you on a witch-hunt?"
"Of course, I'm after the truth. I'm hot on its trail."
"I bet you are. What evidence do you have?"
"Enough. It doesn't help that Daikoku refuses to talk."
"You haven't talked to him yet?"
"Not from a lack of trying. I came here because I had reason to believe he'd be here at eight." He shoots the clock a pointed look then shoots Iruka the same one. "Obviously, he's changed his mind."
"The only evidence you could have is circumstantial. You could probably find just as much evidence on anyone else in this town if you looked hard enough."
"I doubt that."
"Have you tried? What happen to Midori setting the fire himself?"
"You told me yourself that it was impossible."
"You stopped pursuing that because I said so?"
Hatake actually laughed — almost. It's more like a lip curl, but it makes him look almost human. "Now you want Midori to be the one who set the fire?"
"It isn't either of them. Daikoku isn't a murderer, and Midori isn't facing some kind of ruin that drove him to arson. You have to at least consider the possibility that someone else is guilty."
He curves his lip again. "For the record, Mr. Umino, you really don't know what I'm considering. I understand that you believe someone else is responsible for the fire and the death, but what you believe doesn't do a whole lot. Unless you can prove your theories."
"Proving that somebody didn't do a thing, isn't exactly easy." Iruka points out. "I mean Midori is — he is dead." Iruka forces his emotions aside and tries focus on the logic. Getting emotional won't accomplish anything. "There was a fire and we know that somebody set it. I don't know how to prove that Suzume or Daikoku didn't do it without proving that someone else did."
Hatake inclines his head an inch or two.
"What about his dog?" Suzume asks from the doorway.
Iruka jumps at the sound of her voice but Hatake doesn't look fazed in the least. "You think the dog set the fire?" he asks.
Suzume rolls her eyes. "Of course not. But don't you think it's strange that he wasn't with Midori at the time?"
Lost in everything is Reef. Midori never gone anywhere without Reef. It had never occurred to Iruka that he might've not been with Midori that night. "If he wasn't with Midori, then where was he?"
"Across town with Hayase Hamasaki."(2)
It takes a moment for it to sink in. Iruka shoots a glance at Hatake, but he's no help. "He was what?" Iruka demands.
"At Hayase Hamasaki's apartment." Suzume finds some salsa dip in the refrigerator and pushes it toward Iruka. "I talked to him this morning, and he told me she has him."
Iruka drags the container closer and plunges it in. Iruka doesn't ask why Suzume was chatting with Hayase. "Did he say how he got him?"
"Only that Midori asked him to watch him."
"Not possible. When Midori went biking, Reef ran beside him. When he dated, Reef chaperoned. I never knew Midori to leave Reef with someone else. Not for any reason. If Hayase has him—" Iruka's brain goes into overdrive. Hayase was Midori's friend, and his right-hand man at the store. Even so, he's never been in charge of Reef.
Why does Hayase have Reef? Is he capable of arson? Or murder? Does he even have a motive?
The doorbell rings at the announcement of the deputy's arrival, placing everything else on hold. They wander onto the porch, answer questions, and fill out the paperwork while the rain slows to a drizzle, then eventually stops. It takes so long that it's dark by the time deputy write out a ticket, which Iruka accepts with as much dignity as he can.
But all he can think about is Hayase Hamasaki and Reef.
(1)-I was going to go with a Dodge Charger because that's a cop car, at least here it is. But also wanted it to be his personal car. I stayed with Dodge.
(2)-Hamasaki: hama meaning "beach, seashore" and saki meaning "cape, peninsula"
Fun fact: I love Brussel sprouts. I love broccoli and once I got over Code Name Kids Next Door, I tried Brussel sprouts again, and they taste similar.