Obsessed 26

Light stopped in front of Hayami's building, he and L jumping out as soon the car was stopped. Light grabbed his phone as they ran into the building and to the elevator.

"Mr. Hayami we're in the building and should be up in just a few minutes," he said into the phone.

"Excellent, I'm sure you'll be much more interesting than the two behemoths outside my door," Hayami answered with a chuckle.

"Those are trained officers Mr. Hayami, they are there to protect you I'd appreciate it if you'd keep the name calling down." Light told him before closing the call.

"What's the matter aren't the officers man enough for him?" L asked with a smirk and Light narrowed his eyes and shook his head.

"Don't you start," he warned and that only made L chuckle. By that time the elevator opened and they walked out to Hayami's door where two uniformed officers were standing. Light reached for his badge and ID.

"Detective Yagami NPA," he said holding up the badge and then gestured to L, "Ryuzaki Rue Consulting Detective," he added and the officers nodded, just as the door flew open and Hayami stuck out his head.

"Detective!" he said happily when he saw Light, "Please hurry in the message is ready for you," he then noticed L behind him and at first his face fell then he smiled, "Oh and you brought your..." he stopped as he seemed to be lost for the proper description.

"Ryuzaki Rue, he's a Consulting Detective, he works with the NPA quite often and is very adept at dealing with computer enhanced messages," Light answered quickly ushering L in as he walked in and closed the door behind him.

"Well how nice, " Hayami answered eyeing Ryuzaki up and down, "I was going to say Watch Dog but Consulting Detective sounds better."

L stood still in the middle of the room as he stared at the opulence of Hayami's apartment.

"This is a most...amazing apartment," he said as he continued to look around, "It certainly represents your obvious tastes."

"Thank you," Hayami answered, "I always try to have the best money can buy. It has proven to be quite perfect for entertaining, something I do quite a lot of."

" Oh, I'm sure you do," L agreed as he walked around the garish furnishings, "

You must have been relieved when penicillin became so easy to get," he remarked without looking at him, "I imagine you must keep it in large supply." He turned and gazed at Hayami, a small smile on his face as he stared at him.

"Well at least I have the experiences to remember," Hayami answered looking back at him with distaste, "I'm sure that if this beautiful detective hadn't taken pity on you your cherry would still be well in place, as well as a little moldy

L's eyes narrowed dangerously and he began to move towards Hayami making Light move quickly to stand between them.

"You said you had the message?" he asked breaking off their staring contest.

"Yes," Hayami answered moving his eyes slowly from L to Light and smiling, "Yes I do, it's here." he walked to a table and picked up his phone and played the message. Light listened and then turned to L.

"Sounds like the kind of voice enhancements I've heard L use," he said and L nodded.

"Definitely sounds similar, but not quite as good. I would never be able to uncode L's enhancements; it will be quite easy to clear this one up. We'll know in a few moments exactly who this truly is." L placed his laptop on the table and turned it on. "If you would give me your phone..." he said holding his hand out to Hayami.

"I should say not," he answered pulling his phone away, "This is quite an expensive phone, how do I know you won't destroy it to get back at me for what could have happened last evening?"

"Mr. Hayami..." Light began as the front door opened and Matsuda ran in. "I'll be right back and Mr. Hayami, give him the phone." he said as he walked to meet Matsuda.

"Sorry it took me so long, I wasn't expecting to have to work today and Suki and I..." he stopped long enough to realize what was happening. L and Hayami were once again staring down each other and Light was rubbing his forehead.

"It's okay Matsuda, neither was I..." he said.

"Why's Ryuzaki here? Oh...wait I can guess...he knows about Hayami..." Matsuda said nodding his head.

"He's here to help with the case, I need his expertise on cleaning up a message," Light answered not really wanting to get into the other reason he was here. "The threat I told you about was left on his phone and Ryuzaki, as you know, is quite experienced in computer distorted voices so I asked him to come and decode it." Matsuda chuckled enjoying being in on exactly what Light meant.

"Great idea," he said and then looked in their direction when L began to talk rather loudly.

"You need to give me that ridiculously expensive phone so I can decode that message, that is the reason I am here." he said, his hand still held out to receive it. Hayami chuckled.

"Don't play games Ryuzaki, we both know why you're really here. You felt threatened, and so you should. Had you not walked in when you did last night who knows what may have occurred."

"Oh no..." Light groaned and moved quickly across the room as Matsuda blinked trying to understand what he just heard.

"Last night?" he began following Light across the room.

"I know exactly what would have occurred, exactly what did occur, absolutely nothing," L snapped back, "Now hand me that phone. Believe me if it wasn't for the fact that it's Light's case I would simply let them get you."

Light snatched the phone from Hayami's hand and gave it to L. "I don't want any further mention of last evening, do you both understand?" he snapped, staring at them both.

L took the phone and attached it to his laptop and replayed the message. His fingers danced on the keyboard as he pulled up a program and replayed the message. The voice was clearer this time, but still distorted. He typed again then replayed the message and this time the voice was almost completely clear. Hayami and the two detectives looked at each other.

"It's that wretched boy," he nearly spat, "That disgusting, untalented, ridiculous child killed Makota?"

"I'm not sure if he actually killed him or if he's working for or with someone else," Light answered.

"We need to arrest him," Matsuda said reaching for his phone, "I'll call for the warrant.".

"Wait!," L and Light said at the same time. L smiled and nodded, deferring to Light, it was his case after all.

"Not until we figure out everything," Light told him, "If we just bring him in as a suspect, his mother will most likely create a commotion and lawyer up, making the investigation even more difficult. I'm quite sure she's in on it as well. We've got to draw them out somehow." Matsuda nodded and then thought for a moment.

"Why don't you call them over Mr. Hayami," he suggested, "Tell them that you've changed your mind, that it was really your partner that turned them down and you've seen the error of his ways. We'll stay here, hidden of course, and let the detail outside go so we don't tip him off. When they get here, you take the mother into another room ostensibly to talk business and we'll keep an eye on the kid from where we'll be hiding." Light nodded.

"Good idea," he said with a smile and looked at L, "I know you've got a million listening devices in your office and tiny cameras," he pulled the keys out of his pocket and tossed them to him, "Why don't you go get them and come right back, we'll set up the meeting after you come back." L nodded and then narrowed his eyes when he saw the grin on Hayami's face. He walked over to him until they were nose to nose.

"I'll be back within 20 minutes," he warned him, "So don't get any ideas." Hayami laughed merrily.

"You'd be surprised what can be accomplished in 20 minutes," he answered and L chuckled.

"Somehow I didn't imagine you'd last that long," he said as he turned away, he said then turned to Light. "I have an idea that will require your laptop so I'll be bringing it as well." Light nodded grateful the two were being separated if only for a few minutes.

"Okay, you can explain it when you get back," he said, "Make it fast." L smiled at him then turned to Matsuda as he moved towards the door. "Matusda if he even gets too close to Light shoot him." he said making the detective chuckle, "I'll make it look like you had no choice."

"Ryuzaki! Go!" Light shouted pointing to the door as L laughed and walked out. He turned to Hayami with a sigh.

"I apologize for his unprofessional behavior," he said and Hayami shook his head.

"That isn't necessary Detective, I understand his dilemma, his fear. As a matter of fact I find it quite...laudatory as he obviously finds me a threat," he smiled seductively as he moved towards Light. "So what do I get for performing this little charade for you?" he asked.

"You get to live another day," Matsuda answered quickly, "And hopefully without any further worries for the future, what else did you want?"

"Don't ask," Light muttered under his breath then looked at Hayami, "Detective Matsuda is correct. If this works the way we want, we'll catch them both and have enough evidence to put them both away for quite a while. You'll have the satisfaction of knowing that not only were your suspicions correct about your friend's death, but that you helped capture the murderers. I would think that would be more than enough for your time." Hayami sighed and walked towards his bar.

"Yes, well when you put it that way," he said and began to make a drink, "Can I offer either one of you something?"

"Afraid not, we're working," Matsuda answered, "But thank you anyway."

"That's a shame," Hayami said as he poured for himself and sat down, "What are you hoping they'll do when I get them over here? Attempt to kill me?" he asked.

"Exactly," Light answered, "When Ryuzaki returns we'll send the uniforms away and set up the scenario. Matsuda and I will get out of sight and be able to watch and hear everything that goes on from where we are. Ryuzaki's devices are easily hidden and work perfectly."

"Right now we don't know which one did what, or if one did both without the other knowing, or if either one didn't know what the other was doing. This is the best way to corner them into letting their guards down." Matsuda told him. Hayami nodded with a smile.

"That would bring me great joy to know Makota's murderers don't get away with it," he said quietly, "He was many things but he didn't deserve what happened to him."

"No, I'm sure he didn't," Light said kindly and looked at his watch, "Ryuzaki should be here soon and we can get this started." Hayami wrinkled his nose.

"Yes, he should be back soon," he said dryly and finished his drink. "And once we've managed to catch them…red handed shall we say…what happens then?"

"We arrest them, you come to headquarters and give your statement, they're booked and held until their trial. Shouldn't be too much of a problem putting them away." Matsuda answered with a smile.

"I see," he said then looked at Light, "I will be eternally grateful to you for helping me find Makota's killers Detective," he said and Light nodded.

"Don't thank me yet, Matsuda and I still have to get the evidence before we can arrest them," he said and looked at his watch, "And he should have been back by..." before he could finish the door was opened by one of the officers and L walked in carrying Light's laptop and a bag. Light sighed in relief and walked to him. "I was beginning to get worried, you don't drive often." he said taking his laptop from him.

"Perhaps not but it isn't difficult Light," he said, "Your faith in my driving is duly noted," he added lifting his nose into the air in annoyance. "Now, before I set these up, I want to suggest we add something to this scenario we're trying to create."

"Such as?" Light asked..

"As we've discussed, Hayami comes up with some excuse to take the mother into another room, to discuss business perhaps. We will have set up one of these cameras in that room and linked it to Light's laptop," he explained, "Which we will leave right here on the desk so the son can see what's going on. Hayami you will have to make some conversation about having security cameras set up in your apartment, but you're not even sure how to turn them on, so he won't be suspicious when he sees the feed on the computer. What I wish to add is that Hayami will come on to the mother, make some kind of advances and suggest that her going through with it is part of the deal of signing her son. If I'm right about what I feel their relationship is like, it will enrage the son enough to attack Hayami. The only variable is what the mother will do when that happens, so we will have to be ready for anything. The three of us will be watching on my laptop in another room and be ready to move at a second's notice."

'You think the son is unstable enough to snap that quickly?" Light asked and L nodded.

"We'll prod him a bit before they actually separate," he answered and turned to Hayami, "This all depends on you and just how lecherous you can behave. Somehow I don't think that's going to be a problem for you, with your obvious talents." Light sighed and shook his head.

"Somehow I don't believe that's a compliment coming from you," Hayami replied, his eyes narrowing.

"Sometimes it's hard to tell with Ryuzaki," Matsuda jumped in trying to diffuse the tension he could feel was growing, "But I'm sure that's how he meant it."

"Alright let's get these things installed quickly," Light said reaching into the bag, "We'll discuss the details while we do. " L smiled at him and nodded, he was enjoying working with him even more than he thought he was going to; and the smile he got back told him Light felt the same. Matsuda grinned himself as he watched them, then glanced at Hayami who was obviously not enjoying that moment between them and that made him grin even wider.