The truth always hurt…
"Suzuki-san," said Tokuno, settling down on a leather couch. His weary eyes observed the high school girl in white and blue blouse and knee-length skirt. Chocolate hair combed neatly into pain-taken straight locks. Sea blue eyes responded in fear of the coming questions that he might ask. The pale face blank.
"Suzuki-san. I apologized for taking your time. I would ask you a few questions concerning about your kidnap by Koiwai-san."
"Is this necessary?" interrupted an older woman. A neatly dressed orange haired man held her hand. "The police said that she wouldn't need to do this again."
"I apologized again, madam. The detective, Kazumi Takahashi, who saved your daughter, was murdered and we need her help to identify him."
"What is this? Are you saying that my daughter is involved in this or are you dragging her into this?" Her tone raised higher.
"No, she is not but we hope that she is able to help us," Not allowing any more interruptions, he dived in. "Suzuki-san, when you were found, Koiwai was already dead, strangled. Was he alive when you first saw him?"
"Yes, he was." The girl answered softly.
"Then, what happened?"
"He tried to kill me. I was tied up and blindfolded. Then, someone came. A man, I think. Then, that monster was pleading for his life. There was a struggle for a short time. Then the stranger told me that I'm safe and that police are coming."
"Did this rescuer say anything else?"
The high school girl frowned and tried to recall. Her mother was vexed.
"Take your time, you don't have to rush."
"He… did said something…. He said…"
"Take your time, Suzuki-san."
"Yes, I remember. He said an enemy of women is an enemy of mine."
"Is that what he said?"
"Yes, to the monster."
"Arigatou gozaimasu," thanked Tokuno, scribbling the phase on a notebook. "If there's anything you remember." He passed her a card. "Feel free to call me."
At the entrance of a high school, parked a van. Its owners Aya and Ken stood next to them, selling flowers like they always do to the high school students. Majority of them would crowd around them and drool at them. Only a few sincere people would bother to buy from them. Aoi waited patiently for the crowd to lessen. He tiptoed every now and then, to catch a glimpse of Yoji but Yoji was no where to be seen. The school bell rang, beckoning the students to return to their classrooms. Aoi quicken his pace as he approached the two florists.
"Excuse me…"
"Yes, Miss?" spoke Ken, wiping his hands with a piece of cloth.
"I was told that Yoji works with you and I didn't see him today."
"He called in and said that he's sick."
"Sick?" Concern gleamed in Aoi's eye. "Then, do you have his phone number or address?"
Ken shook his head. "Sorry, miss but we don't."
"Then how do you contact him?"
"We don't."
Aoi frowned at them oddly. Ken and Aya packed the last box into the van. Aya went to start up the engine.
Ken turned to him and said, "Look, miss. Yoji never has a steady relationship with women. Bye."
Feeling that the conservation has gone long enough, Aya stepped on the pedals and the van drove off.
Toukairin sighed in complete surrender to the criminology and psychological textbooks that he been trying to read for the past few weeks. Their content were so extensive blended with labyrinthine, churning the technical mind to become puzzled and frustrated. All of these thick volumes debating on notable details the physiological factors that could have been involved in the mind of criminal. Then, how many of such criminals are there in the world? If they were so numerous, then every country would have thousands of mental institution a long time ago.
What is a criminal anyway? Fine, somebody who breaks the law. Any child can say that. However…. He flips the pages of the books. What is a psychopath? A person suffering from mental disorder sometimes resulting in violent behaviour and may not show any evidences of remorse, guilt or repentance. He can have a charming attractive personality in him that he used to trick his victims into trusting him.
Toukairin sighed once more and leaned back against his chair. The word, 'psychopath' can be ambiguous, after all, comparing that term with Ishimaru & Koiwai can be comparable since they kill their victims violently and an appealing personality. Yet, they are perfectly normal healthy adults both mentally and physically. Then, what about Takahashi's killer? What is he? Ishimaru, Koiwai and the Ancre pub owner are related to the murder of high school girls but Takahashi??? Why was he killed? He pulled out a drawer and took out a photo, showing them when they were teenagers. There was Takahashi with his crewcut ivory black hair and his winking hazel brown eyes, dressed in a crumbled school uniform, carrying a police brochure in his hands. This was what he always wanted to be. His dream. Why? Why were you killed? What did you do to deserve this? You were just doing your job. Who is this Yoji anyway? He was assumed to be at Ishimaru's party but he is not. Was it implanted to trick you into working with him? Then, who's the mastermind?… That's right, who is the mastermind? It seems like they have been chasing the cubs but not the lion of the clan… the mastermind…
"Hey, Toukairin," said somebody, placing a cup of coffee on the table. "What are you thinking about?"
"Oh, Tokuno. Nothing much, just doing some thinking." He took the cup. "Arigatou."
Tokuno looked at the piles of textbooks. "Looks like you have seen studying, learnt anything?"
"Actually no" Tokuno half-grinned, "I learn things better through action than reading."
"That's applies to everybody. Do you know what I think about these books? In reality, all these stuffs don't really related to criminals. Everybody has the decision to do right or wrong. All these crabs about hormones, nerves malfunction, family backgrounds and others just help their lawyers to lighten up their prison sentences. It's like people who have AIDS. The main thing that causes it is loosely having sex with people. Yet, to some, it is considered as a lifestyle. A lifestyle to sleep around with people like animals. In some organizations, those people having AID are being comforted through lies like 'It's not your fault, you didn't know that she has AIDs' or 'don't blame on your lifestyle, it's normal.' Give me a break. They have been warned about it and they are given information of the consequences. It is the same for those criminals. They are given a choice. They chose to break the law and they have to face the music. It's simple as that. You shouldn't crack your brain about this. You are just here for a while. Afterwards, you can go back to your rescuing job. So, what else were you thinking about?"
"I was thinking that there could be a mastermind to all of this."
"A mastermind, interesting. Let's hear about this."
"If there is a mastermind, maybe Yoji could be working for him. Therefore, he implanted him into the picture to trick Takahashi into believing that he is with Ishimaru. Meanwhile, he sent an assassin to silence Ishimaru, Koiwai and the pub owner. Later, he finds that Takahashi could be a threat to him and kills him just to make him feel secure."
"Then, what about Yoji? You have to consider that he did help out in the investigation and indirectly save Suzuki-san from being killed. Maybe this mastermind chose him because he looks out the type that gets along with everybody. Yoji couldn't be working him. He was a private detective and likely his character would those who likes to work for themselves. Maybe, he gets involved to clear his name. Plus, Takahashi can get extra help for free."
"But Takahashi's theory sounds realistic enough. He appeared right after Ishimaru injured Aoi. Then, he pops up in Koiwai's function when Nastumi and I tried to prove that the Koiwai present was a fake. Somehow he drags Aoi into the Ancre pub which so nicely belongs to Koiwai. Aoi said that he went to see the pub owner. At the party, he was the one who followed the real Koiwai while Aoi deals with the fake. In fact, he could the last person on this earth that have seen those 3 people alive."
"So, you said so. Then, what does he gain by all of these? It's not as if he's the kind of those executioners who do their own justice. If he is, the public benefits. But why Takahashi? He is a law abiding police detective. It won't make sense for murderer to kill him."
"Tell you what," Tokuno looked at Toukairin's baffled face. "Why don't we leave all this theories behind and wait for Naomi to finish up with the photos? Let the evidence leads us to the right path."
A beeper was heard. Tokuno took it out from his pocket and look. He smiled.
"About time, let's see Senada, shall we?'
"Yokatta," Miyuki stretched her aching limbs. Though I can't repair the visual system but I could salvage the voice."
"Good work, Miyuki," praised Natsumi, patting her on the back. "You are a genius to fix it despite Ishimaru damaged it with his pick axe."
Aoi put 2 glasses of green tea and a plate filled with snacks onto the working bench. "Also, it save my ear. Here you go, a little reward for your hard work."
"Goody," glee Natsumi, stuffing her mouth with the snacks. "oishii… Miyuki, can you play it?'
"After I record the voice over to the computer. Hold on for a second… Yoshii… " She clicked on the 'Play' button.
"Let me tell you something before I dumped you in hell, any enemy of women is an enemy of mine," said a deep stylish voice.
"That's the one who killed Ishimaru. Probably the same one who killed Takahashi," Miyuki said after playing it over a few times. "Although I find it very odd. What did he mean by any enemy of women is an enemy of mine?"
"Does it matter? " Natsumi's eyes were twinkling with stars. "He sounds so cool. Like those action men in the movies."
"Natsumi…"
Aoi sat at his sit, not moving a single inch. His heart pounded at the words. That is Yoji's favorite quote. Could it be him? But the sound is quite muffled…
"I'm giving a call to Toukairin then," sang Natsumi. "Aoi, do you mind helping Miyuki with the cleaning up? Thanks."
"Sure…" Aoi slowly emerged back to reality.
"The girls said that they have the voice of the assassin. The voice is almost clear." Toukairin hung up his handphone. "I told them to come up as soon as they can."
"Have to hand in to these girls," Tokuno knocked onto the door. "Senada?"
"Hai, Tokuno-san," replied Senada, he sees Toukairin. "I can only let you to see the photo only, sir."
"And why is that?"
"Toukairin is personal friend of Takahashi and his presence might …"
"Listen, Senada. Toukairin is entitled to be here because he is in my team." Tokuno cut him off. "Can we see the photo or not?"
Senada shrugged his shoulders and clicked onto the keyboards. Toukairin somehow felt that Senada deliberately said it. "You may not like what you are going to see. I have outlined the figure and retrieved the actual footage of this. The image fits cleanly and …" He clicked on the mouse. This is the real man."
"Impossible …." Tokuno, completely taken back. "Takahashi?"
"How?" followed the shocked Toukairin.
Senada placed a tape into the VCR. "If this is not convincing enough, this is tape that which Ishimaru had his party on the 14th of March, at 1.35a.m." He put the footage in paused mode. "See, same look same clothes. I'm sorry but he is the one who is talking with Ishimaru."
Senada's fingers clicked onto a file. "This is the guest list on 14th of March. A man with the name of Taro signed in. After deleting guests one by one, this Taro is also Takahashi. I checked his bank accounts, over the past years, Ishimaru and Koiwai have large amount of money withdrawn into Taro's accounts in foreign countries like France, USA, Singapore and England other than in Japan. After comparing with the signatures, particularly the T and the A, it is confirmed that both Taro and Takahashi are the one and the same. As for the DNA files you asked me to look into, somebody log into it as Hikaru Don Vien on the 10th of March, 12.20a.m. He is half-Japanese and half-French detective who was injured on the line of duty on that day and time. Therefore, he couldn't have assessed into the files. Furthermore, nobody else except Takahashi has access to the files. I'm sorry."
Senada took off his spectacles and wiped them clean with his handkerchief as Tokuno stared at the screen, dumbfound.
"That was why the headquarters closed his case."
Toukairin shook his head. "I don't believe this! I can't believe this. There is no way that he could take bribes. Being a detective is what he always wanted to be."
"Toukairin…"
"Takahashi would never do a thing like that. If he was the insider, why would he bother to investigate it? Why take all the trouble?"
"Like Takahashi said, Ishimaru was getting bold and might expose all of them. So, he used you and the rest to catch him red-handed. But the plan backfired. Ishimaru was killed. So, Takahashi turned on Koiwai. That way, he could gain a lot of money and credit. Two birds with one stone. Nobody will know that he was the insider."
"He could never let himself be corrupted by money. He is not like that."
"I have seen good cops being corrupted. I never thought that Takahashi could too."
"And you are going to accept this?"
"You can't let your emotions take control of you. The evidences are all pointing to this, whether we like it or not no matter how ugly the truth might be. We have to accept this. Isn't it what you said before?"
Toukairin's face clenched like a sleeping volcano waiting to erupt its ferocious larva onto the plain. Without he slammed open the door and ran out, nearly knocking Natsumi down as she was about to open the door. Miyuki and Aoi caught her just in time.
"Toukairin! "yelled Tokuno.
"What's wrong with him?" Natsumi asked. "Why is he so angry?"
"It was a mistake."
"What?" echoed the girls.
"It was a mistake to involved you people in this. You all are not trained to handle grey cases."
"Grey cases?" Miyuki becomes puzzled.
"Grey is a mixture of white and black, a mixture of right and wrong. Cases like this don't have a definition for that. A drop of black into white will forever turn it into grey no matter how much white is added to remove the grey. There will be a faint stain of black in it. The grey colour may be lighter but its colour cannot be considered as white when compared to the actual white. "
"I don't understand what you are saying but I'm going after him." Nastumi ran off.
"Natsumi!" shouted Miyuki. Tokuno held out his arm.
"Let her. Toukairin will need her to help him get over this."
"Nani?"
"Toukairin has just taken a bitter pill that is hard to swallow. Its name is called betrayal."
Nastumi ran up the staircases and flung the door open. She sees Toukairin giving a punch to the wall. His fist scrapped with tiny streaks of red on it. He was panting very heavily. Every sound of his panting was like a raging bull, waiting for the slightest bit of provocation to turn its horns on everything it sees. Frustration, pain and disbelief raged in his eyes, burning in the few minutes of what he has seen and heard.
She trembled, not knowing what words to say. Never in her entire life, had she seen him so emotional. He had always been a calm and composed person even in sticky situations that severely test anyone's ability to keep cool and levelheaded. With all the time that they have spent together, she had never seen him losing control of his emotions. Yet his silent rage frightened her.
A gentle wind blew over them. Like he had read her thoughts, he waved his hand over Toukairin, taking away his rage bit by bit while replacing it with peace with his cool breeze. Toukairin's panting becomes softer and lesser, rhythmically ending to silence. He closed his eyes, taking in the pleasant scent of the Sakura flowers and green grass of the plains. The earthly scent of the dirt and soil of the mountains that he had climbed throughout his life. The feel of the wind rustling his hair, slow and smoothing. He turned around and leaned against the wall, he blew out the last remains of his anger, finally allowing his tense body to relax.
Natsumi quietly walked over to him comforted that he was back to his normal self. Toukairin turned and looked at her concerned face. He gave a faint smile and took her hand. She automatically brought him closer to her and let him take refuge in her arms.
"I don't believe it," said Miyuki, after listening to Tokuno. "Takahashi would have never do a thing like that."
"I couldn't believe it myself but it seems to be that way. I was hoping that it would take an alternative route but it seems that the investigation has ended. The headquarters must have know about this."
"Maybe not, if they have know about this, they would have told you right at the beginning."
"That means someone else know about this. Somebody extremely important."
"Importance, rich, powerful and influential. With these elements, they can get away with anything…" murmured Aoi, gazing out of the window, his arms folded.
"What's that?" asked Tokuno, fingering his pockets for a cigarette. "What did you say?"
"Both Yoji and Takahashi told me the same thing. People who are important, rich and influential always get away with everything. The stupid thing is that we are the ones who have to protect them because it is our duty to do so."
"Even so, they are part of the public and we are sworn to protect the public," Tokuno fished out a crooked cigarette. "I may hate it as much as you but I will uphold the law as long as I wear this badge."
"Takahashi wore the same badge as you do and look how long he uphold the law," Aoi's voice stinted with anger. "Excuse me." He walked out of the room.
Tokuno sighed as he lit his cigarette.
"Seems like it is just the two of us, Miyuki. Let's listen to the voice of our mysterious killer, shall we?"
"You think we should…"
"Even though Takahashi may have disgraced us, it is not right to let that killer get away. Nobody has the right to take people's lives no matter how noble his actions may be."