Chapter XXV – The Mistaken Turnabout
The case for the murder of a student from Saint Lucia Private School never reached a conclusion. The true culprit could not be found and apprehended. This incident was therefore treated as an accident and, as if a miracle occurred, the school's name was kept untainted.
"I heard they paid that boy's parents tonnes of money to keep their mouths shut. How barbaric." Lana glared at the newspaper she was reading and crossed her arms.
"There's nothing else they could do, is there?" Mia sighed and pushed her lunch away, her appetite lost immediately after being reminded of that incident.
"It's uncanny to know that they found no clues of the culprit ever even being there."
"Yeah. What were they, some sort of assassin's guild or something."
Ryu stiffened and suddenly stood up from his seat.
"I…need to get some air. I'll see you two after lunch."
"Wait, Ryu? What's wrong?" Mia was confused and tried to catch the sleeve of his retreating arm.
"It must be the case. There's been something odd about him ever since it happened." Lana proposed and ran a hand through her chestnut hair.
"He's probably just shaken up from it, everyone is." Mia said defensively and stood up also.
"Where are you going?"
"To find him. I need to talk about something with him." Mia replied, and left Lana to finish her lunch alone.
"Good riddance." Lana growled and bit her fingernail. "He's going to distract her from her goal."
"Do you still remember that case?" Xekuto asked Ryu. He was walking along the pathway that headed towards Grossberg's office, not exactly sure why.
"Yeah. How could I forget? I was in your body at the time."
"Good point. I wonder if it's tied to any of the cases happening in the present."
"Everything has to do with Midnight Tigress." Ryu said scathingly. "She's the reason we're in this predicament."
"True. And we both know she was the real culprit behind the murder of that boy. The only problem is, that there is no way of proving that."
Ryu shook his head. "Wasn't one back then, isn't one now."
"Do you reckon Mia would be alright there in Kurain with Diego?" Xekuto changed the subject, seeing that it was aggravating Ryu to continue talking about it.
"Yeah. I don't think anything bad's happened in any of the previous worlds whilst she was there."
Hearing Ryu's confident tone comforted Xekuto greatly. He walked into his own office and the date on the calendar caught his eye.
"This time period is fixed in every world, so I'm not sure how long has passed exactly."
"I have been keeping track like you promised. It's been exactly two years."
"Exactly? Ah, yes. That's right. It was this day that it happened."
Ryu dipped his head solemnly.
"Chihiro-chan's accident."
"I thought I told you not to appear before me anymore."
"Relax, I come bearing good news."
"Oh?" The red haired girl faced the newcomer with interest.
"You are to commit another sin in this world. And I think you will enjoy the task that I am about to give you greatly."
"That does sound fun." She giggled. "Tell me what I need to do."
"Oh, it's simple really." The being handed the girl a note.
"What's this? A note telling someone to head over to the courtyard of the district court? Why is that?"
Shinume chose that moment to laugh with mirth before replying.
"Why that's because it is the precise location where Dahlia Hawthorne will have the pleasure of putting a bullet into Xekuto Zoren."
"The trial for that case wasn't very long. They couldn't find any leads and the judge pounded the gavel to annul the case on the second day." Xekuto leafed through the files he had retrieved from the lockers in the crime and investigations department.
"Why are you looking up the case anyway? Did you think of a way to prove Midnight Tigress guilty?"
"No. But I am trying to." Xekuto ran a hand through his silver hair and closed the locker door. "This would have been a lot simpler if I had someone else's help. Someone who knew the case well."
"Well, I remember Damon Gant being in charge of the case. Maybe we should talk to him?"
"Hmm. He hasn't proven to be helpful at all in the past worlds. So I am a bit hesitant."
"Hey, you still in here, pal?" It was Detective Gumshoe. He poked his head in through the open door and gave Xekuto a friendly wave.
"Yes. Terribly sorry to take your time. I will be leaving now." Xekuto packed up the notes he wanted and placed the files back into the locker.
"No problem, pal! I only came in because I was told to give this to you." Gumshoe scratched the back of his head and revealed in his hand what appeared to be a folded card.
"Hmm? A note for me?"
"Seems like it."
"Thank you, detective. I best be going."
"Alright, come again, Mr. Zoren!" Gumshoe waved him goodbye and returned to his post.
"We'll go over the case notes that I have taken in a lot more detail when we get back."
"Alright. I'm all for it. But what does that note say?" Ryu asked with interest.
"Hmm. It reads: "Meet me by the courtyard in district court. 8pm. Don't be late."
"Strange. Is there a name on the thing?"
"Nope."
"You might want to go now, it's already 7:45 and it sounds pretty urgent to me."
"Yeah, alright. Judging from the way it's written, I'd say it's from Lana. I can recognise the stationery."
Misguided, Xekuto and Ryu head over to the written location.
Shinjiko watched this happen as she wrote those exact words down.
Shinume chuckled.