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Return to Me
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"Now you're gunna be straight with me," the bodyguard huffed as soon as they entered the apartment, "Why did you hire a bodyguard in the first place? Who's after you? You receive threats?"
Rolling his eyes, Ryo deposited his jacket on a nearby chair and began loosening his tie, "There's been some threats. Just an e-mail or two. Probably nothing. I hired someone as a precaution."
"An e-mail or two?" the bodyguard hissed incredulously, "And you didn't report it to the police?"
"It's nothing," Ryo huffed as he turned to glare at the bulky man, "Some nutjob saying my father stole their story. To take it off the air or…or they'd force me to do it. Probably just spam. Like a Nigerian prince who is my long lost relative or some bullshit."
"That sounds like someone with a grudge. A very specific andpersonal grudge," the bodyguard hissed darkly as he shook his head, "Did you ever reply?"
"No, I'm not stupid," Ryo hissed back as he flopped down onto the couch, "Plus they probably got over it. Haven't gotten anything in a few months."
"Or they were the ones who kidnapped you in the first place," the bodyguard pointed out as he lowered himself into a nearby chair, "They never did find the guy who did that to you and that guy tonight. Something was off there."
"I was walking down the street in a designer suit," Ryo sighed as he closed his eyes, "It was a crime of opportunity."
"I dunno man," the bodyguard groaned as he shook his head, "Too much of a coincidence if you ask me."
"Well you can't be here 24/7," Ryo pointed out as he opened his eyes and looked at his watch, "And its late as it is. Don't you have a family to get home to?"
"No wife, no kids," the bodyguard huffed as he narrowed his eyes, "But I do gotta sleep on occasion. I don't like the idea of you being alone after tonight. There's something going on and then you're wanting to open up a cold case about the mob. You're gunna get yourself killed."
"I'll be fine," Ryo sighed dismissively as he waved his hand idly at nothing in particular, "Besides, I've upped my security system in here and everything and the building hired some security guards of their own. It'll be harder for them to get in here."
"Get your private investigator to look into those e-mails while he's doing a million other things," the bodyguard huffed, "I think you might be surprised. That guy tonight was waiting for you. I feel sure of it. It's not safe."
"Well, what are you gunna do about it? Never leave?" Ryo teased good naturedly, "I don't know how I feel about that."
"Well if you need me to do so I will," the bodyguard shrugged non-chalantly before adding in a teasing tone, "But I should warn you. I drink all the milk and hog the covers."
"Oh my god, don't even go there," Ryo chuckled as he lolled his head to look at the man who was the closest thing to a friend he'd had in a long time, "But perhaps, it might not be a bad idea if something like that happens again."
"Again? Only after someone else tries to kill you?!" the bodyguard snorted, "You've got a death wish."
"I don't fear death," Ryo sighed as he closed his eyes again, "I mean, I would prefer not to die but I do not fear it."
"Then you're one of the few," the bodyguard sighed as he cracked his thick neck, "Well I'll be back in the morning. Don't go anywhere without me. I mean it."
"Okay, okay," Ryo sighed dismissively as he waved his hand in farewell, "And if you're serious about moving in, I'll have to clear out a guest room. Do you prefer pool side or street side?"
"Let me look over them tomorrow and I'll decide," the bodyguard chortled as he rolled his eyes and collected his coat, "But I mean it. Don't go anywhere."
Nodding, Ryo watched him as he left with a slight frown on his face. It might've been a good idea to bring the e-mail's to the police's attention after his kidnapping but honestly, it hadn't seemed connected. It was just an e-mail sent by some poor sap who lived in his mother's basement and had too much free time. It was nothing.
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The police station was a cacophony of sound and screams this morning. Apparently there'd been a large arrest of some drug den and all the culprits were causing an uproar in the holding bay. Leaning back in her office chair, Chiyo sighed and took a sip of coffee before her buzzer rang.
"Nakamura? There's a man here to see you," came the receptionists agitated sounding voice, "Says he has a lead on a, uh, cold case you're working on?"
The first thought that flew through Chiyo's mind was an elated 'that was fast' quickly followed by a groan. There was no way it was him. And if it were, he had her number. It was probably completely unrelated.
As the bulky security guard that had accompanied Ryo last night arrived in the office escorted by the frazzled receptionist who quickly rushed off, her eyes widened incrementally as she cast a hopeful look behind him.
"He's not here," the bodyguard chuckled, "If he has any brains, he's in his penthouse waiting for my arrival. He was attacked after leaving last night. Well, almost attacked anyway."
"He was?" Chiyo gasped as she stared at him incredulously. Her neighborhood was supposed to be one of the safer communities. That's part of why she choose to move there. She had enough crime during the day, she didn't want to worry about being mugged at night on her runs.
"Well, that's why I wanted to talk to you," the bodyguard grunted as he sat down in the uncomfortably small chair in front of her desk, "He's been getting threatening e-mails. It's not my place to tell you but…I think its related to the guy last night and the guy who kidnapped him. There was something off about it. I left him for a short while. Maybe a few minutes and the guy was on him. Appeared out of nowhere."
"Do you have a copy of these e-mails?" Chiyo asked quietly as she furrowed his brow, "Maybe I could try to run a background check or give it to our IT department."
"No, I'll get them though," the bodyguard promised before giving her a sincere look, "He doesn't know I'm here. I'm doing this because he's too damn stubborn to report this on his own. Just…look into it will ya?"
"Of course," Chiyo agreed before she frowned slightly, "What's your name again?"
"Hachi Yamadera, m'am," the man grinned before bowing slightly, "Now I've got to get going. Idiot will probably go get coffee or something and then god knows what will happen. We'll see you around."
Chiyo bid him farewell before frowning and taking another sip of coffee. In all the excitement around someone trying to solve her family's murders, it'd never really occurred to her to ask him about his own cold case. She'd seen the scar. The injury must've been a gruesome sight to behold at first and yet it didn't seem to concern him all that much that the culprit of his crime was also on the loose. He'd hired a bodyguard, sure, but the night of the party he was unaccompanied. Probably more often than was wise. Maybe she'd swing by his apartment later and talk to him about it.
A long string of curses and the sound of a struggle purged the rest of those thoughts from her mind as she was forced to rush out to help restrain several of the goons who'd broken free.