Kakashi had been halfway out the door to the precinct when he'd gotten the call. If it had been a normal day, sometime in the past when he wasn't acting captain, he would have ignored it entirely. It was an unforeseen and damnable circumstance that he would no longer be able to shirk phone calls. He just knew that this good mood he found himself in would change completely once he answered it.
The more details he gleaned, the stronger the charge of anxiety within him grew. It wasn't unusual in itself for a hit and run to occur on that isolated stretch of road, and it certainly wasn't unusual for the outgoing homicide unit to take the call before cover was officially assigned. But Kakashi's teeth clenched a little harder with every sentence spoken by the officer on the other end of the line. It was murder. The victim had been shot three times and left to bleed to death on the concrete. Sakura had made the right decision in responding to the call immediately... but then she had done something so monumentally stupid it was all Kakashi could do not to snap the phone in his trembling hand.
Instead, he hung up without another word, rummaged in his pocket for the keys to Tsunade's car, and left the vicinity with sirens blaring. Using the captain's vehicle was something he had vehemently refused to do until now. He was just a placeholder captain until she got better, someone who just happened to possess the necessary piece of paper and was able to keep things operating. Call it superstitious, but driving the captain's car felt like he was resigning himself to the role on a more permanent basis. Driving this car was like admitting Tsunade wasn't coming back to claim it, and that didn't sit well with Kakashi.
He had always been the one to make fun of the cops with fears of black cats and walking under ladders. Now suddenly here he was barreling towards an unknown situation with an all too familiar feeling of unease. None of this felt right.
His partner had taken off and chased a witness through the woods in the middle of the night-without backup. It didn't matter that he trusted her ability and judgement. It was the unknown variables that she had completely disregarded that was maddening to perp could have had a concealed weapon- the vic was shot after all - she was just too tired to think properly. She needed to be taken off the case and sent home before she got herself hurt, or worse. Suddenly the use of Tsunade's car was not as troubling to him.
For a modern vehicle there was a terrifying lack of buttons on the dash; everything was a shiny touch screen and he had no idea how to operate the thing. It was luck and luck alone that got him to that crime scene without incident, the realization that Tsunade would kill him if anything happened to her car a sickening afterthought.
It was the first crime scene he'd been on while in the Captain's shoes. There was a marked difference in the way the officers treated his entry. Not so long ago he'd have been shrugged off or begrudgingly acknowledged, but now the tape was being lifted for him without so much as a word. A sudden and intrusive thought occurred to him in Obito's timbre, and belatedly Kakashi realized that he only seemed to speak now when Sakura wasn't at his side or in his ear.
Could get used to this, Bakashi...
"Don't count on it..."
"Did you say something, sir?"
Kakashi hadn't noticed the nondescript officer falling into step behind him.
"No, it's nothing. Where's Haruno?"
The officer indicated towards the conclave of vehicles that were surrounding the site of the crime. Through the headlights and flashing red and blue he spied her, and it was not what he was expecting. As he marched towards her he slowed as he took in the vision that she was.
Commanding everything and everyone around her with military precision, Sakura had it all under control. Kakashi was equal parts shocked and displaced.
"I don't care if it's the middle of the night-you will get me the next of kin contact details, Officer. We owe it to the dead man's family and there are procedures in place for a reason. Even if you have to wake up a few people to get me the numbers, you will get me the numbers.
"Right, where are forensics? I want this whole van taken back to the precinct-this is evidence, don't you even think about complaining or I'll have you on the slab next. Take the photos, call in the tow team, don't fucking touch anything-"
He had to blink a few times to reconcile what he was seeing with what he had just heard. Sakura was a pro and Kakashi wasn't exactly certain when it had happened. If he were a more egotistical man he'd claim it as his own success... but he had never been able to conduct a crime scene like the symphony he was bearing witness to. What had he been so worried about?
Before his mind could come up with an answer to his own question Sakura had spotted him, she waved off the officer's surrounding her and beckoned him closer.
"Kakashi, I was just about to call you..."
When she grabbed his arm and started to pull him towards the sedan, his train of thought was lost. He'd intended to tell her off and take her off the case but those intentions were also lost.
"What have we got?"
"Victim is Zabuza Momochi, aged 41, suffered three gunshot wounds to the chest. I have suspicions he was lured to the side of the road. Tire iron was recovered in front of the vic's van, which is parked here." She nodded to the vehicle as they passed it. "Robbery doesn't appear to be the motive, wallet was recovered, and this..."
She paused, pulling an evidence bag from her jacket containing a pistol. Kakashi raised his brows as he took it from her slowly. Was there anything she didn't know?
"Hasn't been..."
"Fired recently? No. Which means this wasn't self defense either. Also found this in the victim's wallet." Sakura handed a flier to Kakashi. "Seems Mr. Momochi was the owner of the Kiri Circus that's in town. Why does a circus owner need to be armed for starters, and how did he get the weapon across the border?"
Kakashi pretended to be interested in what she'd handed him, but what was actually captivating him and holding his attention was Sakura. Watching the way her mind worked, the way she would answer her own questions, without one single shred of doubt. And that was the moment that Kakashi knew for certain that he had underestimated her ability, and it was a mistake that he would never make again.
"What did the witness have to say?" Before he'd even finished the question he could see the sparkle in her eye and the items were snatched from his hands.
"Well, this is the thing." She spoke quietly, digging into his arm again as she dragged him with her. "The guy agreed to talk with me, but only at his cabin. He doesn't want to be kept on the scene. So, I figured I'd wait..."
"Why wait now? You chased him down by yourself, you've got this under control, why would-"
"Kakashi." It was that same no-nonsense tone that silenced everyone around her. "Just wait until you see who it is."
Kakashi had never been a fan of surprises. Or, at least, he wasn't a fan of being on the receiving end of them. Not being in the loop was just a pain. Why she wasn't just coming out with it he didn't know, it was just lucky that he trusted her enough not to be too pissed off. At first, as they got closer to the sedan, he was only surprised that there was enough room in the back seat to hold anyone. When they came to a stop, Sakura shone her flashlight directly through the rear window and Kakashi got a good look of the disgruntled man inside. It took a lot longer than he would care to admit to figure out who the guy was.
His hair might have been orange if it wasn't so covered in dirt. His shoulders were broad, his expression was fixed in resigned disdain. It must have been something about that look that sparked recognition.
"Wait, isn't he..."
"Sasuke Uchiha's bodyguard. Jugo Sakaguchi. Former bodyguard I should say. According to Jugo, right after we questioned him, Sasuke fired all the staff in his employ and went into private practice."
"That's..."
"Shady as fuck? Yeah."
"You believe what he says?" Kakashi asked the question while turning his head slightly so that Jugo wouldn't be able to see.
"I've got no reason not to, but I'll still look into it further, see if I can find something to corroborate his story." Sakura's nose wrinkled and her head jerked to the side, indicating that she wanted a private word. Kakashi felt very much like he was along for the ride here and he was surprised to find himself enjoying it. She was either about to apologize or ask for something. The look on her face was a dead giveaway even in the light of the high beams, he liked to think he knew her well enough now to gauge that at least. "I know why you're here, I know I broke protocol... I know it was dangerous to chase him on my own without clear vision or backup. And I am sorry, I'm fully ready to accept responsibility for my actions. But as your partner, I ask respectfully that you allow me to continue to work the case... I know it's late and that you need to assign it to someone on the night shift—"
"That's fine."
"—I'm not just a token girl in your department, I can take care of myself and I feel like I've earned the right to… Wait, what did you say?"
"It's fine, really. You were first investigator on the scene, you've got good instincts and have managed to contain the scene all by yourself. You take the lead on this one, Haruno. You have my full support."
Kakashi Hatake could claim few real joys in life. A lot of the conventional pleasures had been denied to him for so long that when he did manage to arrive at them it wasn't all that it was made out to be. So it was the little things that kept him going. And more recently, specifically, it was the look on Sakura Haruno's face when he managed to break that firm and prickly exterior. When she was shocked just enough for her bottom lip to twitch slightly and her brows ascended past that trim of neat pink hair. He would never get tired of this look on her face and it was only topped by the crimson cheeks that had appeared after the few times they had kissed.
"Oh, alright then. I guess I'll just..."
"You had a whole speech prepared, didn't you?"
"Well... I mean, I had a little something I was hoping to say..."
Kakashi chuckled at the blatant pout of disappointment.
"Well you can run through it in the car. I'll just get Kotetsu to take Tsunade's back to the precinct..."
"You sure that's a good idea?"
"I'm sure she would prefer him driving it rather than yours truly. Besides, if I'm going to be secondary on this one I need to be there when you question him. Let's go."
It didn't take a lot of convincing for Kotetsu to take the car back to the precinct; it was probably one of the best perks about being Acting Captain. Jugo didn't say a word when Kakashi climbed into the passenger's seat of the sedan. It felt oddly calming to be back in the vehicle again even if he wasn't the one doing the driving. It was that familiar scent, the texture of the seats, the same sounds he'd grown accustomed to over the years of stake outs...
The feeling only lasted until Sakura turned the key in the ignition. The wall of sound that hit his hears caused an immediate reaction.
"You fixed the goddamn CD player..." Kakashi didn't need an answer because he could see the smug look on her face. "I broke that for a reason, Haruno."
"Obito had great taste. Did he make this mix for you?"
"Shut it off, Haruno."
She slapped his hand away before he could hit the button.
"Why? Jugo doesn't mind, do you Jugo?"
"I don't really—"
Kakashi cut off the gruff but timid voice before the sentence was finished.
"Don't answer that, Jugo. That's entrapment, Detective, and I won't stand for it in my own rust bucket."
"The fact that you're calling it a rust bucket just makes your whole point moot, Hatake. Why don't you just shut up, for once, and enjoy the ride."
Kakashi was preparing a retort but his mind failed him in this instance. Maybe it was that wretched music leaching into his brain but all of a sudden he couldn't think straight. Memories of Obito singing this very song loudly (and with remarkably no skill) began to flash before his eyes. He'd intentionally broken that player for this very reason. The uninvited mass recall of memories usually had pain and sadness to accompany them. Not so long ago he would have begged for the ability to feel that pain to be stricken from him, but today it wasn't so bad.
"Whatever you say, Haruno."
Sakura seemed to know where they were going at least, turning down the nearest side road.
"Are you two always so chipper when someone has been murdered?" Jugo muttered almost under his breath.
"Not especially, but we can always take you all the way to the precinct for a better look at how we operate..." Kakashi smirked to himself as he made the proposition.
"No, thank you, sorry. Just take me to my cabin, please. I don't want any trouble."
"What are you doing living all the way out here in the woods by yourself, Jugo?" Sakura questioned while taking a quick glance in the rear vision mirror.
"I like it out here, it's... quiet. Usually, anyway. No one to bother me or barge in. I only worked in the city as a favor to Sasuke…."
It was hard not to notice the way Jugo's whole expression dropped at the mention of his former employer. Kakashi knew the golden rule of investigations and it was one of the first lessons he had taught Sakura. There are no coincidences when it comes to murder investigations. This was something that needed to be looked into carefully.
"I'm sure you've been asked this already, but what were you doing in the woods near the crime scene?" Kakashi wanted to hear the story from the horse's mouth first.
"I was taking my dogs for a walk. They like to go to a particular row of trees to relieve themselves—"
"How many dogs you got?"
"Four..."
"Nice."
"Uh, thanks..." Jugo's shoulders began to relax as they came into view of a small cabin. The lights were on inside, shining through the windows and onto the small porch where all four dogs were waiting for their master. "I heard shouting while I was standing there waiting for... y'know..."
"I do know." Kakashi murmured while mentally picturing Pakkun at the street corner at 2 a.m. "What were they shouting?"
The sedan came to a stop.
"Well, it was a man and all I heard properly was: 'You bitch'."
"Then what happened?"
Kakashi turned his head as he asked the question and could see Jugo becoming more and more uncomfortable by the second.
"Well, then I heard the shots. Do we have to do this in here? Sorry, I'm just a little..."
"Claustrophobic?" Sakura answered coolly.
"Yeah, is it that obvious?"
"Only to me. You can get out of the car, you just need to tell us how many shots you heard first." Sakura had a glint in her eye and it was one that Kakashi recognized immediately. Something between a smirk and scoff that meant she already knew the answer to the question and was enjoying dangling it over Kakashi's head.
"Four... four shots definitely. It scared the dogs so badly I brought them back here. By the time I got back to see what had happened... well..."
"We had a little run together, right?" Sakura smiled and unlocked the doors.
Upon exiting the sedan and following him towards the haphazard cabin, it became blatantly obvious that Jugo was a bit of a hermit. As far as remote cabins went it was relatively tidy; however, it did appear as if the animals were the ones in charge of the place. Kakashi hadn't remembered just how tall and broad-shouldered Jugo was during that brief sighting at the precinct. But now as the man bounded up to four happy dogs Kakashi was a little impressed that Sakura had been able to chase him down single handedly. His gaze drifted to his partner and they exchanged a nod before they continued.
"So why did you run, Jugo?"
"I just didn't want any trouble."
"Why would you think you were in trouble?"
Sakura was asking the questions in a casual tone, though it appeared Jugo was infinitely more comfortable with his animals around him.
"I was in the army for a time, front lines, held prisoner in Otogakure for a year... The light hit my eyes and the instinct to run kicked in. Sorry for the trouble, Detective Haruno."
"Don't mention it. You were wounded in the line of duty, correct?"
"Yeah, how did you—" Jugo shuffled uncomfortably but was cut off mid sentence.
"The way you hold your shoulder when you stand and run. You're holding it stiff out of habit like someone would after a corrective cast or sling is removed. My guess is you were shot in the left trapezius or deltoid muscles."
Show off.
Kakashi had to agree with the sudden quip from his inner Obito but didn't have the chance to make a retort of his own.
"Yeah." Jugo stood straight with a hand rubbing the muscle to the left of his collar bone. "That's right. That's actually how I met Sasuke. He was the attending physician for the muscle reattachment surgery. I wasn't cleared to go back to the army after... everything. Sasuke suggested I go into the private protection sector and gave me a job straight away."
Kakashi exchanged another look with Sakura. It was a story they would need to prove or disprove, but Kakashi had a gut feeling that the guy was telling the truth about this evening's events and that was a feeling he trusted.
"Do you have any contact with your former employer?"
"No. I've tried to find him but he changed all his numbers after he let the staff go." Jugo paused as a large mixed breed dog began to lick his hand. "Last time I saw him he made us all sign a confidentiality agreement, stated specifically that I shouldn't talk to you... Detective Hatake."
"Good to know." Kakashi almost smiled at the thought. Clearly Sasuke had something to hide and now they had proof of that much at least, even though Jugo hadn't said directly what that was. It was enough. "Detective Haruno, I assume you've tested the suspect for gunshot residue?"
"Wait, suspect? You can't be ser—"
"I have, Dete—sorry, Captain Hatake."
"Good. We'll be in touch, Jugo." With a nod to his partner Kakashi turned back to the sedan before calling out behind him. "Don't leave town now."
It was a thinly veiled threat, and one without any particular malice or intent behind it. A hermit like Jugo wasn't likely to stray too far from that cabin. ...Unless Sasuke asked him to. When they were back safely in the quiet of the sedan, Kakashi turned to Sakura to intimate that very thought to her. Except she already had her phone to her ear and her other palm up to silence him. She wasn't sharing what the conversation was about, which was fine. Kakashi was quite content in examining their surroundings a little more closely. This cabin was hidden so well amongst the trees that it was likely the perp didn't even know it was here. That indicated perhaps it wasn't a local who had committed the crime, and considering Zabuza was originally from Kiri, it followed that his murderer might also be from the same place.
"That was Officer Tenten with the next of kin details for a wife slash business partner. Registered address is to a caravan park not too far from here. Look, I know it's late. Did you want me to drop you back at your apartment before I talk to her?"
"You're going to the residence tonight?" Kakashi couldn't hide the tone of surprise. "Alone?"
"Well, yeah. I know if it was my husband I would appreciate being told whatever time of day."
Kakashi noticed that she successfully glossed over the 'alone' comment and he didn't care. She was able to handle herself, but Sakura had also never been the sole person in charge of telling someone that their loved one had been taken from them.
"It's fine. I'll come with you." Kakashi caught the glare she shot back at him. "Not because I don't think you're capable; that's not what I meant. It's just your first time handling the next of kin and you might need the back up."
"You think I can't handle it?" she asked while turning the ignition and not breaking her eviscerating eye contact with Kakashi. "You seem to be forgetting that I was a doctor for years. It's not my first time giving bad news to the family, Hatake."
He wasn't sure how to phrase it so that she would understand what he really meant. He'd never been particularly good with that sort of thing. Thinking back to his own time as a rookie detective, Kakashi tried to remember the exact way Captain Minato had put it. He always had a way of making sense of the more subjective things and helping Kakashi to see that too. Obito had been a natural and never needed that kind of assistance, and maybe Sakura was too, but there was no way he would let her go in there unprepared.
"Sakura, this isn't the same as being a doctor. When it's surgery there's hope, there's warning, the family know where their loved one is... What you're doing here, is arriving unannounced in the middle of the night to deliver the worst news these people will ever hear. You're about to break their whole world in an instant, and right now they don't know that it's coming."
Her face was set in firm resolve. Once Sakura Haruno got it in her head to do something, there was usually no way to change her mind. Kakashi just hoped that some of his words had gotten through to her, but even if they had she would also be careful not to show it.
She's pretty smart though, Bakashi.
When her expression softened a little as they drove into the darkness Kakashi considered himself off the hook for the moment. If she were angry at him then she would surely make it known; it was a habit she had inherited directly from her aunt. He still waited until it appeared as though Sakura's anger had subsided almost fully.
"You going to bring Sasuke in for questioning?"
He'd posed the question out of morbid curiosity more than anything. Any excuse to annoy the Uchiha was preferable in his books, even if he wasn't directly connected to the current case.
"No... I don't think he's involved at all. Besides, I promised Itachi that I'd stay away from him, remember?"
"You made that promise, but I didn't, Haruno."
Sakura took her eyes off the road for just a second and rolled them in his direction. It was clear that she wasn't entirely amused so Kakashi decided to drop it, though it was interesting that the renowned surgeon had suddenly gone to ground. Interesting and concerning... It would have to wait for now, as the trailer park sign was coming into view of the sedan headlights.
"Alright, we're here. Just let me do the talking."
"Whatever you say, Haruno. You're the lead on this one."
What transpired next was like a scene out of a dramatic novel and it was something Kakashi would never be used to. The idea that everything is normal one second for this family, and the next is grief and turmoil. Perhaps Kakashi was only acutely aware of it after being on the receiving end of the bad news so many times. His father, his mentor, Rin...
"This is my partner, Detective Hatake..."
It was only at the sound of his name as Sakura introduced him that Kakashi managed to snap out of the fugue he'd fallen into by accident. Without a word he nodded into the confused stares of a woman and teen. They seemed to be a perfectly normal family from the outset, and they would soon learn that one of them would never come home again. The day that this part of the job became easy was the day he would retire, but that would not be today. It was Sakura's turn to take the lead now.
"Are you Mrs. Mei Terumi, ma'am?"
"Yes, that's me, just drop the ma'am part if you don't mind. I'm not quite so old yet." She tucked long auburn hair behind her ears as she stood at the door. "What's this about? Has there been some kind of trouble?"
Without missing a beat, Sakura stepped up to the plate.
"Mind if we come in?"
Kakashi knew that this was a terrible situation for this family. No matter what their relationship was like with Zabuza, they had still lost someone. While he knew this it was still reaffirming to be back in the shoes of a detective. It was much more comfortable than being acting captain. While Sakura made sure that Mei and her son were comfortable, Kakashi was able to use the time to take in all the details around him. They were things that could become helpful later on in the investigation.
The first thing he noticed was the photos on the wall. The mobile home was large, probably larger than his apartment if he were honest, but every conceivable space was taken by was a home.
"Mrs. Terumi—"
"Please, call me Mei."
"Mei... What I have to tell you is some pretty devastating news, are you sure you want your son to hear it? We can refer him to the trauma team if necessary—"
"What is it? Anything you have to say to me you can say in front of Haku."
The boy had long black hair shielding his eyes but when his mother lovingly tucked it aside there was a jerk. The boy moved away from her touch and wide, frightened eyes were revealed.
"It's about Father, isn't it? Something's happened..." His voice was cracked out of fear rather than adolescence. Mother and son now turned to Sakura with petrified faces and clung to each other.
"Unfortunately, yes. This evening, officers were called to an incident by the entrance to Kuro Forest..."
Sakura did well—remarkably well—Kakashi watched her speak to the family with the care and ease of a seasoned professional. And it wasn't without a small show of emotion from herself as well, which reassured Kakashi that he had made the right decision in letting her take the lead. She was ready. She had always exceeded expectations, just like Obito had, a born detective...
But just like Obito, she was also astoundingly naive at times.
"I promise you, I will find whoever is responsible for this, you have my word..."
The statement ignited fury within Kakashi. It was a rookie mistake, the biggest mistake a rookie could make and it was potentially disastrous for all involved. She had just fucked up royally right under his nose and now there was nothing he could do about it. The family had reacted to the news just as he would expect them to, with tears and exclamations of grief that tore at his chest. But the rage was overriding the surge of other emotions.
"I'll give you a moment alone, Mei, Haku, and then I'll be right back to walk you through the rest."
Sakura stood and tried to meet Kakashi's eye but he was already halfway to the door. He'd hoped the cool night air would also cool some of his anger but it was an inferno by the time Sakura got outside and had caught up to him. By then he was practically pacing beside the sedan. Had the caravan door not have been open, he would have let loose some choice words. The grief-stricken didn't need to hear the lead detective being berated on their front lawn.
"What the hell were you thinking?"
"What do you—"
"Don't play dumb, Haruno." Kakashi tried to calm himself before he stepped closer to Sakura and met her eyes. "You just made a huge mistake, you know that right? Never ever make promises to the victim's families—"
"I am not playing dumb, and I know exactly what I'm doing, thank you very much. I knew what they needed to hear so that we can get started with the investigation. It was the right thing to do—"
"No." Kakashi raised a finger in front of her face. "No, Sakura. The right thing to do would be to console them, offer assistance, hug them for fuck's sake. Don't go making promises that you don't even know you can keep."
"There you go, doubting me again. Just admit it, you're pissed off because I don't need you to hold my hand anymore. It's just like the goddamn hospital all over again. What is it with men who think a woman is only worthy when she has a man beside her—"
"No." It was the first time Kakashi had ever raised his voice so loudly in anger towards his partner in disagreement. Maybe it was because he'd been thinking of Rin earlier, but the comment she'd made stung more than he could bare. "No. You're not just some token girl in the department, Haruno. You're here on your own merits, and you will do well. But what you just did in there—" He pointed back to the house. "—What you just did is open yourself up to a whole new world of hurt that I personally know all too well. I won't watch you make the same mistakes. I can't."
"What are you saying?"
Kakashi swallowed thickly as he took in Sakura's scrunched expression, he couldn't decide if it was anger or fear.
"You wanted to be on your own with this one. Well, congratulations, you're on your own." He would hate himself later for the bitterness in his tone but right now he couldn't help it. "I'm taking a walk, let me know when you're done."
"Kakashi—"
"Just—" She had reached a hand out to his arm but he moved away before her touch could soothe the anger. He needed to be angry right now and to get it out of his system. "Just let me get some air."
He couldn't see her face properly in the dim light and it was just as well. Kakashi had never been able to hold his own against those green eyes of hers, the ones that pierced through his very soul at times. He took the path out to the main road and paced around the trees. There wasn't so much detail he wanted to take in; all he wanted now was to calm down and move on.
She's a rookie, Bakashi, she's not going to be perfect.
"You would know all about that..."
Let her make her own mistakes. Let her prove everyone wrong.
"And just watch her get hurt? No way, I can't do that."
It will make her a better investigator, just like Rin.
"Just shut up!"
Kakashi shouted to the darkness and raked his hands through his hair. Maybe he was just tired and not thinking straight. Maybe it was a build up of all the stress of the last few months and landing himself the position of captain. Maybe it was from being kept in that dusty office all day while Sakura got to start her shiny career as a detective. It could all be a byproduct of jealousy.
Whatever it was it needed to stop and fast.
What if she needs you?
This time the thought wasn't in Obito's voice and it wasn't his own. It was Tsunade. Emotion played a part in every investigation—it was what drove good detectives as long as they didn't let it consume them, and he couldn't let that happen to Sakura. He needed to be there for her and it made him instantly desperate to get back to her. The phone buzzing in his pocket calmed his nerves enough to bring him back to earth.
It was Sakura. He answered without hesitation.
"Sakura, I'm sorry, I trust you. I know you'll do fine—"
"Kakashi—"
"I can't watch you get hurt, not with anything—"
"Kakashi!" Her voice was loud and urgent, which broke the emotional tone he had been going for.
"You calling to yell at me? I'm just down the road if you want to do it in person—"
Her next words sent a wave of electricity and fear through him. "No, we've got another body. At the circus."
Kakashi heard the not so quiet 'jackass' towards the end of the sentence and decided that it was safe enough to speak.
"I'll be right there."
"Good." She sounded cross but otherwise fine. "It's your turn to drive. 50/50, remember?"
Kakashi smiled as the tension he was holding eased.
"50/50, always."