Note from author: I AM SOOOOOO SORRY IT TOOK ME SOOOOOO LONG TO WRITE THE NEXT CHAPTER! I promise I'll be better about that. You know. I had a lot of camps to go to (cough lie cough) Thanks for all the nice encouraging reviews put up by fans... maybe? (HA! Fans snicker) I know I have made Sanosuke a little stupid..... but it makes the story funnier. Heh. Ok..... we left off with a gun correct? Well here we go!

How had he known about my gun? This wussy girly man was certainly stronger than he appeared. Or he was psychic, whatever floats your boat. I had to think on my feet, detectives do that you know. "It's for protection," yeah that's it, "A seventeen year old girl needs to protect herself. Especially in the town its rumored the Battousai lives." That was the best I could come up with. They all looked a bit suspicious after I said that. Karou was about to say something, but young Yahiko broke in.

"That's why I carry a sword!" he said, holding up his twapping stick. I giggled. I couldn't help but think about the kid beating up on an army of Sagaras with only a wooden stick. I think they bought my story, or didn't care. Kenshin seemed a bit suspicious of the gun. Why wouldn't I have a gun? I am a private eye for goodness sake. Of coarse I didn't want to tell them that. That I was working for Sagara, and trying to find his ridiculous "Secret Sake Stash". They were all suspects in this case. Maybe not the kid. I think he was too young.

After I was satisfied that I had eaten enough I stood up. "Thank you for the food," is said, "Is there anything I can do to repay you." I said the last bit to throw off any suspicions the red head had. I didn't really believe that case was enough of a payment for the meal anyway. No matter how terrible the food was.

"Of coarse you can do something," said Karou, "You can help me do the dishes." This was perfect. I could talk to her about the sake. Interrogate her, if you will.

A few minutes later Karou and I were busy gathering up the dishes to wash in the newly boiled water. Boiled by Kenshin of coarse. Karou had some strange control over him. Like he was her personal slave. "How long have you know Sagara?" I asked casually.

"Sagara? Oh, you mean Sano," said Karou, "I dunno. About a year now I guess. How long have you known him?"

"I actually met him today," I said grinning.

"Really? He invited you over here after you just met?"

"Well, I was starving, and he said the food here was good." So I lied about the last part. The food was most certainly not good, and Sagara let me know that. He was right too. A dying cat would not have eaten that.

"He tells me the food is awful, and he tells the first pretty girl he meets that its wonderful, and to come over and have some," she said hatefully, "THAT FREELOADER DRIVES ME INSANE!"

I laughed. "He is a freeloader!" I exclaimed, "I've only been here a few hours and I know that." Now that I thought about it. Sagara's freeloading was probably why he paid me in food instead of money. Karou laughed too. She must have found it funny that someone else actually agreed with her. "So," I said after the laughter had ceased, "Do you drink?" I felt like being straight forward.

"Alcohol?" she asked, "No, not really. I tried it once, and I had a killer hangover the next morning. I have never had any since. Why do you ask?"

She couldn't be the thief. Thief? I had to laugh. Was I taking it seriously? "Just wondered," I said still laughing, "It's always good to know if my friends are drunks."

"Friends?" she said in perhaps disbelief. "We are friends?"

"Why not," I said with a laugh.

"Sano drinks, Kenshin too. I remember they had a drinking contest once. Sanosuke won. It was AWFUL! He must have tricked poor Kenshin." The event sounded like it would have been rather funny to have been there, but I did not want to make her mad. "So, the girly man drinks," I thought to myself, "There is my next suspect."

Note from author: I plan to have the next chapter up soon! Scouts honor.

Sano: Your not a scout

Me: They don't know that.