Chapter 25: The interrogation
Yosufu Bagman´s office wasn´t really decorated in a welcoming style. Only an old working table full of documents, an old fauteuil on one side of said table and a small wooden chair on the other side were placed in the rather large room.
So it was no wonder that Akihiko Sanada stopped dead in his tracks to look around in confusion when he entered the room after Mr. Bagman had admitted him inside.
"Whatever can I do for you, my dear?", Mr. Bagman finally asked and looked up from his documents when Akihiko made no movement whatsoever.
"... Oh, I just need to ask you a few obligatory questions that every professor has to answer.", Akihiko finally said and sat down on the uncomfortable wooden chair that was so small that Mr. Bagman who sat on the huge fauteuil seemed like a giant; a formidable tactic to scare the students that had to come to the old professor´s office.
"Well, then do start asking, my precious.", Mr. Bagman said, lay aside his pencil, documents and reading glasses, folded his arms on the table and lay his chin on them.
"As you sure know, something horrible has happened this morning.", Akihiko started to speak, not in the least impressed by Mr. Bagman´s obvious methode to scare him.
"Yes, one really couldn´t miss that.", Mr. Bagman agreed. "Such loud noise! How dare they disturb the students´ sleep like that!"
Akihiko stared at the old man, one eyebrow raised; a whole hall had been destroyed in a few seconds and he was worrying about trivial things like waking up others because of the loud noise. The police officer´s gaze hardened.
"A corpse has been found beneath the ruins.", he finally said.
"Was it a student of this University?", Mr. Bagman asked, rather uninterested.
"We assume as much.", Akihiko said.
"Oh, then all is well.", Mr. Bagman said. Again, Akihiko raised one of his eyebrows. "Oh come on, my dear! This institution if full of bastards, whores and perverts that only care about getting layed! Probably even without using condoms, thus the bitch suing the idiot who made the child for the rest of his life and living off of our country´s resources! Good gracious! Just what has become of our world!" The old man inhaled and exhaled deeply and tried to calm himself down.
"It seems our opinions differ in that aspect... they differ greatly.", Akihiko replied.
"Oh? How unexpected.", Mr. Bagman said.
"Hm? Why?"
"Oh, nothing, my dear, nothing.", Mr. Bagman said and looked at his wrist watch. "Excuse me, my precious, but the next seminar is about to start. I think you wanted to ask me certain questions?"
"Oh! Yes, of course!", Akihiko said. "Did you notice something or someone suspicious yesterday night or this morning?"
"Ooooh yes, of course I noticed something!", Mr. Bagman said and nodded. "Rotten litte students lingering around the crime scene, just waiting for an announcement that todays seminars will be canceled! But I won´t stand for it! Oh no!"
"... Something else?", Akihiko asked.
"Hm... Let me think about it...", Mr. Bagman said, seeming to be lost in thought. "Yes, there is something else."
"And what would that be?"
"I heard something most upsetting, my dear. Is it true that one of this University´s students is helping the police in solving the case?"
"Yes. Why do you ask?", Akihiko asked, puzzled.
"Oh, just mere curiosity.", Mr. Bagman answered. "But it really is questionable how low the police´s quality must have sunken if they have to ask a little brat for help."
Akihiko had to restrain himself from shouting or using his fists for physical damage. The more he had to stay in this man´s presence, the more angry he got. "I am sorry if this sounds rude to you, but the police´s affairs are of no business to you, professor Bagman."
"Oh, of course not.", Mr. Bagman agreed and laughed. "I was just stating my surprise in regards to that."
"In any case, you still haven´t really answered my question about whether you´ve seen something or someone suspicious.", Akihiko said. "So I can assume you didn´t see nor hear anything. Is that correct?"
"Oh, but I did.", Mr. Bagman disagreed.
"I am sorry, professor Bagman, but the daily goings-on of the students are of no concern for the police if it doesn´t involve violence or vandalism.", Akihiko said.
"Oh, no, no, no, my dear.", Mr. Bagman said. "I was just about to tell you about that brat that seems to be helping the police."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes, my precious. Really.", Mr. Bagman said. "It seems she and some other students are having constant meetings at the cafeteria and in their lounges."
"That´s not really something suspicious."
"Oh, but it is, my dear, it is!", Mr. Bagman protested. "One of them is an innocent boy who is always tempted by them to break the rules! Such a good boy, still sleeping with his teddy bear at night." A vein began pulsating rather strongly above Akihiko´s eye. He was about to snap. "And I don´t really know what I means, but they´re always taking about... hm, what was it again?" Mr. Bagman wrinkled his forehead in concentration. "I am sorry, but my memory seems rather hazy these days... What was it again...? ... Oh, yes! They´re always talking about `that other world´ and `Shadows´!"
Akihiko´s eyes widened a bit. "Are you sure they´re talking about that?", he asked the old professor.
"Oooh yes, I´m certain of it.", Mr. Bagman said and nodded. "And they´re always discussing the murder case. And this brat, that´s helping the police: Let me tell you that she´s the worst of them! She´s always threatening the others! Oh dear! Such a naughty child!" He looked at his wrist watch again. "Oh my! It´s about time to go to the next seminar! Was there something else you wanted to ask."
"Yes, there is something else.", Akihiko said and stood up.
"Well, then please go ahead and ask, my dear."
"... Where exactly have you been this morning when the explosion happened?", Akihiko asked, gaze lingering on Mr. Bagman´s grey eyes, as if he could see in them whether the old professor would lie to him or not.
"This morning?", Mr. Bagman asked, seemingly puzzled. "My boy, I have read many thrillers in my lifetime and even saw some of them on TV, and this question really sounds like you´re suspecting me!"
"Please answer the question.", Akihiko said, ignoring Mr. Bagman´s protest.
"May I ask what you are trying to accomplish, my dear?", Mr. Bagman continued to ask.
Akihiko sighed, then said: "Several students who returned from a party this morning reported they had seen you near the PC."
"Oh, really?", Mr. Bagman asked, interested. "Would you be so kind as to tell me their names, my dear? It´s not allowed to leave this building after a certain hour, you know."
"I´m aware of that.", Akihiko said. "Said students have already gotten a reprimand by me."
"How assiduous of you!", Mr. Bagman praised him.
"So, would you please tell me where you´ve been this morning?", Akihiko asked again.
"I had night-watch this night.", Mr. Bagman explained. "Of course, I also have to check on the PC to make sure that nobody has hidden in there.
"Oh, I see..."
"Then you believe me?"
Suddenly and without warning, Akihiko leaned other the table, his face and the old professor´s face only millimetres apart. "Not in the least.", Akihiko answered.
"Oh?", Mr. Bagman didn´t seem to be impressed at all.
"You know, I have seen many actors in my lifetime. Many on TV, others at the theatre with a good friend of mine, and last year I even had to protect an actress.", Akihiko said. "There are actors that are so good in what they do that they can really make you believe that what they´re acting is actually the truth. But you know..." He leaned even closer to the old man, their grey eyes drilling into each others. "... If an actor plays his role tooperfect he becomes rather fake and thus becomes like an open book for the attentive observer."
"Oh, really? How very interesting, my dear?", Mr. Bagman said and smiled in a fatherly way. "Is that all you wanted to ask me?"
Akihiko leaned back again. "I have only one question left.", Akihiko and pointed at a photo that he had spotted amidst the old professor´s documents while leaning over the table. "Who is that?"
"Oh, just the cute little daughter of my younger sister.", Mr. Bagman answered.
"Very well.", Akihiko said and bowed shortly. "If you´ll excuse me..." He left the office.
Mr. Bagman stared at the door for a few minutes, then stood up. He shoved the photo back beneath the documents where it had fallen out and left the office as well.
An eleven years old girl was shown on the photo, sitting on her father´s shoulders and holding a grinning puppet that looked like a snowman.
Mr. Bagman smiled maliciously while wandering through the hallways, hobbling on his right leg.
Author´s note: I guess it should be obvious who that little girl is...