Chapter 3: One who looks will find

Kagome's heart almost stopped when she turned the corner to stand face to face to the building with so many memories. She froze, momentarily before she gathered up her courage to even step closer towards the building. One step, Two steps, Three steps, she paused, Four steps, Five steps she had counted before she forced herself to hurry towards the door. With a delicate hand she preened the door open. To her surprise Ernie hadn't been keeping the 'The Purple Rose' very clean. He had always kept the place emmaculately clean and well kept. Again another reminder of the dread she had had of even arriving. She hadn't seen Ernie since the funeral.

Ernie was a burly man with shaggy hair that was combed back in a ridiculous manner having that back fanned out. At the beaginning of every show he dressed himself in a navy suit with white stripes down the jacket and matching pants. He would welcome everyone in with a smile on his well shaved face. But the man Kagome saw sitting at his own bar with a drink at hand seemed to be a much older man. His clothles were no longer a navy suit with white stripes worn in pride, but instead clothles that made him look like he was visiting Hawaii in America. The bright red shirt with yellow flowers through Kagome off for a moment. Ernie looked rather rugged with the beard he seemingly started to grow. 'Have things really went this bad for him?'

"Kagome?" He choked out. Ernie started to sob. "Is that really you?" She bowed her head her own eyes swelling up with tears. Kagome never wanted to see Ernie like this she wanted him to be smiling at least for her sake.

"Welcome to 'The Purple Rose'." A ghost like image of Ernie smiling zipped through her brain.

"Yes, it's me!" She threw her arms around Ernie as they beagain to cry together. When they composed themselves Ernie gave Kagome a drink of green tea and beagain to smoke a cigarette. "You smoke Ernie?"

"Used too." He puffed. "I quit a couple years but I started again. Things around here have really been going down hill. I've been thinking of selling the place..."

"But it's your pride and joy you love working here!"

"That I do. Though now with the new reputation this place is getting whos gonna show up." Her eyes widen. 'Reputation as Kikyo's death...' He looked remorseful for what he said. "I'm sorry to bring it up."

"No I need to accept the fact that she is dead and gone. It's alright I understand."

"Was kinda wondering why you showed up. You've been avoiding here for the last couple of weeks."

"Has it really been that long?" He eyed her suspiciously, before his face turned to the mopey old man on a stool."I...I wanted to look around some more." Ernie sighed with relief it seemed.

"Not much of a point, the police couldn't find anything either." 'There has to be something.' Kagome made her way up the layers of elongated steps, each level had several large compartments of booths. And the top layer was the darkest. 'How would someone elude everyone in the entire building.' The table booths went down almost all the way to the stage, the bright lights flickered on.

"Call me if you need anything." She turned to see Ernie wave and go behind to his office. 'Why didn't anyone turn the lights on when the shot was fired? The lights were too bright on stage to see anything. I couldn't see anyone try to stop someone with a gun or anything. Were they too afraid? Or was it too dark as well to see?' Normally low lights on the table lighted up the atmosphere, so there was just enough light to see per table, but the really bright light was on the stage. 'The lights that night were dimmer than normal.' Kagome made a note of that in her notebook. 'Ernie controls the lights why would he keep them so low compared to any other day? And what was with all the suspicious looks he gave me?'

Kagome pondered for a moment whether or not she should even ask him at the moment why the lights were down. She decided against it and kept looking around booths. After awhile she became slightly fusterated and leaned against the railing at the side. Eventually she continued and looked at the top booths. She sat in each booth trying to decide where the killer would get a good shot. 'They would have to be a good shot to only get her on the first shot.' Kagome only knew a few people associated with Kikyo that were excellent marksman like herself. One of them was Inuyasha, but Kagome quickly ruled that one out. 'He loved her...plus he was sitting in the front row...' She thought back. 'Or no he wasn't, I thought he was but he didn't get to Kikyo until we were outside. Where did he sit?' Kagome wrote that down just in case.

Kagome had Ernie turn on the stage lights and the ones on the seats off. She also had him stand at the top row where the killer was thought to have been. So she could see from Kikyo's view. She saw just as much as that night Kikyo died...nothing. Ernie faded and the bright light was in her eyes. Then Kagome had Ernie switch places with her and he agreed to not being able to see.With a fusterated scowl she fell back onto the nearest booth and hit her head on the back. "Itai!" She moaned and rubbed her head and made a casual glance at the wood. Kagome saw something shimmering on the backboard.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Fine. Could you turn up the back light up here? Thanks." The second the lights turned on Kagome couldn't believe her eyes embedded in purple gel pen was another spider. 'Exactly like the one on the knife...' "I gotta go thankyou so much Ernie." She squeezed Ernie tightly before she left.

Once at home she went to the kitchen to be more surprised when the knife had disappered...

tomiie789: Well until next time...