A/N: So, the most PMs I got asked for a new Toji no Miko vampire-love story. I will try to come up with a plot quickly—I think I might take a break from murder mysteries for a while after I finish this fanfic and the sixth installment. Try something different! I will probably do a few other fluffy and comedic one-shots though, just for more variety. Hope you guys are chill with this. :)
Chapter 11: Blackmail
With both hands, Hiyori possessively clasped the cup of coffee she just bought, as though she was afraid it might disappear at any moment. In her eagerness to help with the investigation, she forgot to have her usual morning intake of caffeine before she left the Origami Family Estate with Kanami. She blew the shiny black liquid to cool it down a little, before taking her first sip. The stimulant rushed through her nerves like adrenaline.
"Got your coffee, Hiyori-chan?" Kanami asked.
"Yeah, what did you buy?"
Kanami's face became rather sheepish. "Doughnuts. I know, I know. Not the best lunch. But I thought Sergeant Tanaka would want some."
In her mind, Hiyori imagined the sergeant's face lighting up at the sight of Kanami's treats. She suppressed a knowing smile. "Let's head back before your father gets peeved at us."
Walking the short distance from the seaside café to the dock, the two Tojis rejoined Inspector Etou and Sergeant Tanaka. The cry of seagulls could be heard up above, along with the laughter of children playing around the rocky coast nearby. A memory resurfaced in Kanami's mind—the day both she and Hiyori discovered the time capsule their mothers left at a sandy beach. She still didn't have the heart to read that certain letter...
"Ooh, what are those?" came Sergeant Tanaka's chipper voice.
"Doughnuts. Want some?" Kanami hadn't even finished speaking before the portly man's fingers greedily opened the bag himself.
Knowing that Hiyori would be better at giving a report, Inspector Etou made her talk about what she and Sergeant Tanaka learned since the latter's mouth was stuffed full. His expectations were not disappointed. With her eidetic memory, Hiyori's concept of telling a story was very different than the average person's. Every detail was of equal importance to her, whether it was the excessive amount of furniture in a room or a small stain on someone's collar. When the Origami Head finished, Kanami and Inspector Etou felt as though they experienced the events firsthand.
Sitting down on one of the dock benches, Inspector Etou said, "Well, seems what can be agreed upon by mostly everyone is that Yanase Chisaki may have been a chancer."
"A fact that we already know," Hiyori answered with a tone of irony. "And what?"
Inspector Etou was writing busily in his little notepad. With a flourish, he presented the list of chronological events for his three fellow investigators to examine.
Night of Chisaki's Death (Approximate Times)
12:15
a) Touko goes to bed
b) Rui Qin, Louis, and Ichika talk in the lounge
12:30
a) Chisaki and Kaito get into a fight
b) Kentaro breaks them up
c) Mai consoles Kaito for the whole time until 1:00
d) Takanori goes to the bridge to speak with the captain, before heading to the bar
e) Rina goes to bed
12:35
a) Kentaro joins Takanori at the bar
12:40
a) Rui Qin leaves the lounge to get some fresh air and perhaps have a smoke
b) Louis and Ichika go to bed
12:45
a) Kentaro leaves the bar to go grab more drinks
12:50
a) Kentaro returns with the drinks, then leaves to find Chisaki
1:00
a) Kentaro finds Mai talking with Kaito
b) Mai and Kentaro go looking for Chisaki
c) Chisaki's body is found
d) Takanori runs up to the top deck
"It is very clear," Hiyori commented.
"Nothing strikes you as odd?" Inspector Etou asked.
Wiping his mouth from the chocolate staining it, Sergeant Tanaka let out a burp before saying, "Looks straightforward enough to me. The time of death is still difficult to determine though besides the estimated period the medical examiner gave us. For my mind, I will make a guess that it was the Chinese woman. She leaves the lounge and quickly disposes of Chisaki-sama, before leaving the scene. Also, she is the CEO of a company that provides funds after all. That fits in with Chisaki-sama's connection with money."
"That is true," Kanami murmured.
"It must be the truth," Sergeant Tanaka said. "Chisaki-sama crosses Ms. Chen in the past and dirty money business is involved. So, what does the lady do? She accepts Takanori-sama's invitation to the gathering on The Royal Diana, and does Chisaki-sama in!"
"As for me, I think it was Yanase Takanori. He also could've dashed off after his brother left the bar to get drinks, before hurrying back," Hiyori mused.
"So, you both eliminate the others?" Inspector Etou asked.
Taking another sip of her coffee, Hiyori said, "I never said that. Well, one of our most likely suspects, that Yukimura Kaito, unfortunately, has the strongest alibi. He was with Mai the whole time from 12:30 to 1:00!"
"Yes, very lucky for him..." Kanami commented. Her brow was drawn together, as though she was reflecting upon something.
Feeling rather warm, Inspector Etou took off his suit jacket. "I'll call the police station to look into Chisaki-sama's bank records, along with her father's. In fact, I will probably add Takanori-sama and Touko-sama to the list, considering how they're now the inheritors of Kentaro-sama's property. In my opinion, this whole crime seems to be whirling around money."
"And in connection with money, we know Chisaki-sama liked asking for a few bills from her future husband," Sergeant Tanaka added, stuffing another doughnut into his mouth.
"Wonder if that could also include her future mother-in-law..." Hiyori said, thinking about Rina. Those cool grey eyes still wouldn't leave her mind.
Suddenly, Sergeant Tanaka felt his phone buzz. He hurriedly wiped the sugar glaze from his fingers before pulling out his device.
"Sir!" he choked out, before swallowing the last of his doughnut. "A diver has just found Chisaki-sama's phone about an hour ago. The team has already started working on it."
"Excellent! Think they may retrieve anything?"
The smile on Sergeant Tanaka's mouth dropped once he saw what appeared on his screen. "You can see for yourself, sir."
He held out the device to show what appeared to be a screenshot of a text conversation. Upon squinting their eyes, the other three could see that it was one between Chisaki and Kaito. In big capital letters, the Yanase girl had texted: I KNOW WHAT YOU DID. PAY UP NEXT TIME WE MEET.
"Interesting..." Kanami said, staring at the photo underneath Chisaki's text—a photo of a pack of cigarettes.
"So, is that why your cologne is making you smell like a pond of lilies, Kaito-sama?" Inspector Etou asked.
He placed Sergeant Tanaka's phone down on the table in front of Kaito, so the boy could see the clear screenshot. With a heavy sigh, Kaito ran a hand through his grey and blue-streaked hair. His fingers worked spasmodically.
"Why should I bother answering when you all know about it?" he grumbled.
Inspector Etou's frown deepened. "Smoking cigarettes? Even though you're only seventeen?"
"Is that what you threw overboard when we approached to question you earlier?" Kanami asked. "And is that why you popped a handful of mints in your mouth?"
"And I'll bet that is also why you got into an argument with Yanase Chisaki last night," Hiyori added.
"Alright, whatever! So, I have a bad habit. So what?" Kaito demanded.
"An illegal bad habit," Inspector Etou said. "That puts you rather in a bad light, Kaito-sama."
Kaito sprang from his chair as fast as a panther. His eyes pinned down the inspector as he spoke with a deadly voice, "I was with Mai the whole time! How could I have killed Chisaki?!"
"But you were afraid she'd open up her big mouth, weren't you? Judging from how you were willing to give her the bribe money," Kanami said, in a voice way too innocent.
"Fine, I admit it! But I didn't kill her!" Kaito roared. "Now, get out of my room! All of you! Out!"
Right when the door was slammed in their faces, the four investigators looked at each other. Sergeant Tanaka gave a low whistle.
"The boy certainly went all crazy there. Emotionally high-strung fellow."
Loosening her black tie, Hiyori muttered, "Normally people with something to hide get temperamental like that."
"Well, there's one thing we've confirmed," Inspector Etou said. "Chisaki-sama was indeed involved with blackmail. Looks like Ichika-sama's intuition is indeed sharp, as she so bragged. The question is: was blackmail even the motive for Chisaki-sama's murder or something else? And could she possibly have blackmailed other people?"
Hiyori didn't bother mentioning that he had actually asked two questions. Her eidetic memory was bugging her again. Something just didn't feel right... Side-glancing at her girlfriend, Kanami observed her furrowed eyebrows.
"What's wrong, Hiyori-chan?"
"Fingers..."
"Huh?!"
Hiyori shook her head slightly, before giving Kanami a smile. "It's nothing."
Glancing at his pocket-watch, Inspector Etou said, "We've done all we can here. It's getting late. We'll discuss more tomorrow morning at the police station. Let's say 6:30."
The time he stated made Kanami's heart sink. Noticing the look on his daughter's face, Inspector Etou added, "Kanami, 6:30 does not have a snooze button."
A/N: Now craving Tim Horton's doughnuts...