Thanks again for coming with me, Ronnie. Sometimes, I just don't know what to buy."

"Of course, Dessie. You know I'd do anything for you."

The crimson glow lingered on the traffic light hanging above us. We were en route to Lordly Tailor, a place that suddenly filled my heart with glee. The events that took place that morning hovered in my mind like butterflies. I remembered everything down to the last detail: the way his gloves felt on my cheeks, the way his tongue tickled my lips...

A horn sounded, and I realized that my daydream was over for the time being.

"Is something bothering you, Honey?" Desirée asked carefully as I pressed the gas pedal. "You seemed pretty spacey this morning, and now this. I've been worried, you know."

My cheeks warmed. I refused to crush her heart, to put my marriage at risk because of what took place at the very location we were driving to. I wouldn't, I couldn't.

"No, Dessie, I'm fine. I promise."

I heard an unsatisfied purr on my right, followed by a shocked squeal. "R-Ronnie, the store!!"

I tossed my head toward the approaching building and gaped myself. Yellow police tape surrounded the retailer as did a sea of cars, their drivers obviously angered by the men in blue directing them back home. No wonder the traffic was brutal.

"We have to see what happened!"

I nearly choked on the suddenly sullen air. "Wh-what, why!?"

"Ron, this is my favorite store. Besides, you're a security guard. Maybe you can help?"

Her pleading eyes made my spirit melt. "Al... alright, Dessie. Just let me pa–Ack!!"

Desirée, being the more spontaneous out of the two of us, leaned forward and clutched the steering wheel, spinning it as hard as she could. Awestruck, my foot remained glued to the gas pedal until she barked, "Hit the breaks!!"

The screech of the tires made my ears ring for several minutes, even as I woozily stepped out of our poor Volkswagen. I was barely able to shut the door before Dessie seized my wrist and lugged me over to Lordly Tailor's main entrance. Her determination was convincing.

My eyes were focused upon my feet as if their stare would help me scurry any faster. One would think I would be nimble on my toes had they known of my "occupation," but somehow I was only granted the skills of a thief when I adorned that intricate costume of mine, specifically the mask; it was as if its icy touch shocked my nerves and transformed my genetic makeup into that of someone much less clumsy than I.

I mumbled a short, thankful prayer when we reached our destination. Desirée released her firm, if not painful grip, and I rested both hands on my knees, trying desperately to catch my breath.

"What happened here!?" Dessie cried madly to what seemed like no one in particular, though it was obvious she was yelling at some sort of authority figure.

"The taking of a life... the ending of a man's existence. In other words... a murder."

That voice...!

I looked up weakly... and sure enough, there he was, dressed once again in black suit and red bow, white gloves and ruby ring. For a moment I stared in awe, my cheeks burning, but I immediately turned to my wife and stared almost blankly at her exasperated expression.

"A murder, in my store!?" Desirée's cheeks were already tearstained. She flinched when I rubbed her back, but then she slowly relaxed and leaned into me, sobbing.

"There, there, Dessie," I crooned, pushing her head into my shoulder tenderly. "Everything will be alright."

"B-but Ronnie! My s-store!!"

I closed my eyes and held her dearly. "There, there." I placed a delicate kiss on her forehead.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to leave now," one of the police officers muttered to us, "unless you have any information that will help Detective Atmey in this investigation."

Detective Atmey, the man I met that morning, smiled. I looked at the concrete warily.

"R-Ronnie's a... security guard…."

I flinched when the cop hummed sternly. "What do you think, Sir?"

I heard Detective Atmey sigh. "We are desperate enough to solicit the aid of your beloved 'Ronnie...' Would you care to assist us?"

"Y-yes, Sir!" was my suddenly lively response "Of course, Sir! I mean... Detective..."

My wife's sudden, deep kiss made me blush. "Thank you, Ronnie..." she purred, pulling away from my lips before I had enough time to even think of returning her affectionate act. Detective Atmey's eyes were solemn.

"Do all you can," Dessie said gently, giving me one final squeeze. "I have faith in you."

"I-I'll do my best!" I chimed, wiping her cheeks clean. "You can count on me!!"

She smiled sadly before slipping into the car.

"She's a pretty little thing," the officer mused. "You're a lucky guy to have someone like her."

My eyes floated toward the detective. "I guess I am..."

The three of us silently slipped inside Lordly Tailor.

The department store reeked of perfume and terror. I coughed uncomfortably. Detective Atmey and the cop, however, seemed too relaxed.

"His name was Carl Grieves," the cop stated loudly over the scuffling of other police officers. "He worked in the men's department."

"What a depressing day for fashionably-challenged males everywhere," the detective replied, brown eye watching me.

I gasped and turned my head away. "How did he die...?"

"It seems he was choked to death," said the cop.

"And no one noticed someone was choking him!?"

Detective Atmey chuckled. "He was not strangled by anyone," he enlightened. "Instead, he was suffocated by his own tie."

"But how!?" I cried. "Ties just don't go around choking people!! ... Wait, that's not right. When I wear a tie, and I tie it too tight, it gets really hard to..."

"We noticed his tie was snug around his neck," Detective Atmey explained. "When we examined it, we saw that, while it looked like an ordinary Windsor knot, it was in fact tied in the ancient Japanese 'kitsui' knot used to hang the malicious."

I winced. "Ouch!"

"Indeed, 'Ronnie.'" He said my lover's pet name with just a hint of sarcasm, but I shrugged it off.

"What makes this 'kitsui' knot so special?"

"It does not loosen. It only becomes tighter."

"Oh, I see! So... whenever Mr. Grieves went to straighten his tie…?"

The detective nodded. "He didn't realize he was killing himself."

"But how does that qualify as... murder?" I asked cautiously.

Detective Atmey laughed. "Consider the facts, my dim, redheaded friend. His tie was in a kitsui knot. Not many can tie knots in that fashion, let alone have it resemble a Windsor knot. Even if one were to type in the phrase 'kitsui knot' and search all around the World Wide Web, nothing explaining how to tie it would be found. The few who know it are primarily Japanese, live on the other side of the world, and are unofficially sworn to secrecy."

I nodded carefully before realizing how stupid I must have looked and turning red. "Have any arrests been made?"

"Not yet," the police officer muttered.

"What about suspects?"

"We're currently investigating his background to see if he had any sort of enemies. As of now, we've got nothing."

"Who could have tied that tie for him? I wonder..."

"And who on this earth would have feelings strong enough to act upon and kill such a fine gentleman?" Detective Atmey chimed.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Boone, but you're going to have to leave."

The semi-aggravated voice of another cop near the entrance made our heads turn, and a pitiful scream made me wince.

"Please!" a sobbing woman cried. "I... I can't just leave him here!!"

As the two argued, I turned to the detective. "And that is...?"

"That lovely creature is Mrs. Rita Boone, the director of this branch of Lordly Tailor."

I jumped. "What if she did it!?" I cried somewhat hopefully.

Detective Atmey let out a hearty laugh. "Ronnie, think before you speak. That particular skill will keep you alive." I was about to question why he said nothing more but decided against it.

"Please, officer!!" Mrs. Boone wailed.

"Listen." The policeman's tolerance was obviously growing thin. "Either you leave right now, or I'll arrest you for harassing a police officer. Is that clear?"

Her eyes met the floor as she unexpectedly fell silent. Her body began to tremble, then shiver, then shudder so violently I had to avert my eyes. When a loud slam met my ears, I flinched and turned just in time to see her figure jogging away clumsily.

My heart sank, and without hesitation, I sprinted after her, calling out a useless "Wait!!" and reaching hand out to push the door aside. I heard the detective groan and the officer accompanying him chuckle teasingly.